In God's Hands - Revelation 4:11

Revelation 4:11          “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will, they were created and have their being.”

            Being a life-long Presbyterian, I have personally believed and heavily relied upon the Sovereignty of God. My faith informs me through the Scriptures that God made everything and that by His infinite will, life is sustained throughout the universe. This helps me immensely in situations beyond my control, as well as during times outside my understanding. Since God created all things, then I believe that He constantly oversees our lives and continually prepares the future ahead of us. Tomorrow is always in His almighty hands.

            I know that many people are concerned about the future of our country, especially when the outcome of this present election is known. However, no matter what happens or whoever is chosen to be our leader, Christ is still the Head of the Church and God is the Supreme Being of the entire universe. Leaders come and go, nations rise and fall, but the word, way, and will of the Lord continues forever, so in the end, it is God’s leadership that will prevail; it is His Kingdom that will endure.

Questions for personal reflection

What worries me about the future? Am I willing to place it in God’s capable hands?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Lord of our lives and the King of our hearts. In the midst of all that troubles and concerns us, help us to reach out to You for peace and tranquility, hope and harmony. 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 make comments about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Fall drawings called “Smoky Mountain Morning.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Fall.

Daily Devotions: The Joy of Jesus - 1 John 3:13

Ecclesiastes 1:3           What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?

1 John 3:13                  Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

Being a Christian in today’s world, even in the Church, is not easy. There are so many voices telling us that our faith is outdated, our beliefs have no relevance, and our devotion to Christ is deluded. The world wants to walk its own way and do its own thing; it does not need to be hampered by honesty, obstructed by obedience, or kept back by Christianity. The followers of Christ have had their moment in the sun; now it’s time for 21^st century people to make their mark and joyfully jettison Jesus.

Make no mistake about this: the world hates Christianity because our faith confronts evil and challenges sinful choices. The Gospels constantly tell us that we live to please God, whereas the world constantly demands that we live to please ourselves. In the world’s eyes, preachers are party-poopers and disciples are demonized. The Bible is a cosmic joke book and the scriptures are not sacred anymore. The world, the flesh, and the devil have infiltrated the Church, so that we are no longer People of the Book or Servants of the Kingdom. We have become citizens of the world and demi-gods of our own making.

Jesus told us that this would happen. In His parable of the sheep and the goats, He warned His followers of the Judgment to come. And with regard to the End Times, Christ told His people of a terrifying moment when two people would be together; one would be taken into glory and the other left behind. If we dismiss this as being irrelevant or put it to the back of our minds, we will never be ready for when that awful time comes. We will be left behind.

Christianity is a hard faith to follow. It takes a great deal of perseverance and discipline, as well as a whole lot of devotion and dedication. When we get it right, we live an abundant life and center our choices on God. When we get it wrong, we merely exist and doom our souls to destruction.

That’s why we need Christ as our Savior. We don’t need to hide from Him because we can confess our mistakes, re-direct our ways, and receive His grace. The joy of Jesus is this: while we were yet sinners and enemies of God, He died for us so that we might be forgiven and restored to God’s everlasting love.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we are sometimes tempted to capitulate and give up on the basics of our faith. The world constantly pressurizes us into conforming to its ways. Give us the strength to persevere in the face of cultural adversity, and grant us the courage to remain faithful to Your ways and words. 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, send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is John’s latest picture called “Boston Bound.” It is a crayon drawing of the Boston skyline from the Bay area. If you would like to view a larger version, please visit the following link:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6143/5948796658_990048bfef_b.jpg

Christians devotions: Routine Recovery - 1 Thessalonians 2

1 Thessalonians 2:9   Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.

I would like to get my life back. For the past eighteen months I’ve felt as though my routine has been shattered into a million pieces. I didn’t realize how much of my work would be connected to the building, renovating, and renewal of the church campus. Before we began the campaign, an elder stated that this was the equivalent of going to war. I laughed at that suggestion; I am not laughing now.

However, the church has reached that 3/4s of the way of this process and we are at the point where light can be seen at the end of the tunnel. And once I get this new office cleared of the old office junk, I’ll be able to settle in and get back to what I enjoy most: writing and preaching the Gospel.

I think that the church staff, elders, and members are feeling the same way too. We’ve labored hard together, night and day, week after week, and month after month, to make this renovation work. Hopefully, by this time next year, everything will be totally completed and we can move on into a brighter future. It will be wonderful to concentrate on our own ministries and missions, programs and projects.

When Paul wrote his letters long ago, he tried to inspire and encourage the new churches that had just been established along the Mediterranean. Lives were changed by the Spirit of Christ and the Gospel turned everything upside down. In the midst of all that newness and disarray, Paul wrote clearly and candidly in order to strengthen the foundations of faith amongst those new Christian communities. Without his letters, solid theology, and inspiring words, those churches may never have succeeded. He helped them develop a pattern, a routine, and a ministry that still exists today. He worked hard and long, but the fruits of the labor made it all worthwhile.

Perhaps you’re finding it hard to carry your faith. Maybe you’re experiencing tough times, individual illness, or personal problems. Being a Christian is never easy; being a Christian in hard times can be exhausting. But the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News of salvation, and the God given promises of the New Testament still inspire, encourage, and support us today. Our routines and lives may be disrupted at times, but God’s love and hold on us can never be thwarted nor taken away.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, when our lives are chaotic and out of kilter, be our anchor and mainstay. When our routines are disrupted and our days are problematic, be our Hope and Healer, our Encourager and Enabler. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Appalachian winter series. It depicts an old shack covered in snow beside an East Tennessee road. If you would like to see a larger version of the print, please visit the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5010/5374651292_96837167f6_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

Free Daily Devotions: Breaking the Silence - Psalm 39 v 2

Psalm 39:2      But when I was silent and still, not even saying anything good, my anguish increased.

There are days when I worry about the state of the Church. I don’t mean the congregation that I serve (although I do have worrying days about it, too); I’m writing about the Presbyterian Church in general.

We seem to have lost our sense of direction because less people are becoming Presbyterians across the world. It’s almost as if we’ve reached the end of the line and that the Spirit of God has no current or future use for Presbyterians. We seem to be more driven by the culture than Christ. We appear to be shaped by what’s fashionable instead of being faithful.

I’ve tried to be quiet about this and not be overcome by zeal or emotions. But being impassive about the current church crisis doesn’t get us anywhere, and more and more Presbyterians seem to be going nowhere fast. In the past, I’ve blamed it on seminary training or generational culture, but in my heart I feel as though it’s something more: it’s about preaching, teaching, and living the truth. It all comes down to accepting Christ in our hearts and applying His words to our ways.

I don’t want to come across as being self-righteous or fiercely zealous. I am far from perfect and a terrible sinner. But I love being a Presbyterian Christian and my hearts bleeds for Presbyterians everywhere. I want to be part of a movement that can positively turn the tide and help Presbyterians become effective and influential again. I honestly believe that Presbyterians have the capacity to win the hearts and minds of post-modern people for Christ. If only we would stop shooting ourselves in the foot!

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for the rich history of Presbyterianism throughout the world. We pray that You will allow an outpouring of Your Holy Spirit to be experienced by all of us, so that we can effectively and powerfully represent Your Message, Gospel, and Kingdom. Grant us the courage to speak out against what is wrong and stand up for what is right. In Your Holy Name, we faithfully 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 John’s latest drawing called Summer Pond. You can view a larger version online at the following link: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3603/4567015382_9a7de36909_b.jpg

Free Christian Devotions: Running Ahead of God - Psalm 37 v 34

Psalm 37:34a   Wait for the LORD and keep his way. 

Currently I’m on a four day personal prayer fast and vision cast retreat. For the last year, I’ve been so busy at church that I feel as though (and certainly know) that I’ve been running ahead of God and expecting Him to catch up with me. That’s not how our spiritual relationship is supposed to work. Like everyone else, I’m meant to stand and wait for His call to show me the way ahead.

I remember years ago, when I was about five years old, my family went on a vacation to Prestwick, Scotland. Each day, we used to walk down to the beach on a path alongside a small creek (which is called a ‘burn’ in Scotland). At the end of the path, there was a fork with two separate destinations. One day, I ran ahead of my family and chose my own path. I fully expected my parents and siblings to follow me. When they went the other way, I felt stupid, fearful, and angry.

My Dad called me back and when I reached him, he told me these words: “If you had asked me which way we were going before you ran on ahead, I would have told you.”

That’s why I feel that I need this prayer and fasting mini-retreat. I need to ask God where He wants our church to go, what He wants our Session to do, and how He wants me to lead. I don’t find stopping and waiting, praying and fasting easy, but I don’t want to go down the wrong path either.

Perhaps spiritually, you’re feeling distant or even isolated from God. Maybe like me, you’ve busily ran on ahead thinking that God will soon catch up. But it could be that you’ve stumbled down the wrong path and that He’s now calling you back to where He wants you to be.

Sometimes the path less travelled is not what God expects us to choose or follow.

Prayer:                        Father God, each day we are faced with choices that take us on new journeys and different paths. Sometimes we follow our own lead and end up distant from You. Give us the courage to turnaround, to wait for Your guidance, and to listen to Your directions. Keep us from straying and help us to be led by Jesus, our Shepherd and Savior. In His 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. John enjoys reading your own messages and stories that relate to the message.

Today’s image is from one of John’s Psalms series.

Daily Advent Devotions: Christian Contenders - Philippians 1 v 27,28

Philippians 1:27b-28a                       I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.

Like most kids, I was bullied at school by several people who loved to intimidate me on a daily basis. They would bump into me on the soccer field and trip me up deliberately, or they would gang up on me in a quiet corner and seek to terrify me.

It got so bad that I didn’t want to go to school. My grades plummeted and instead of being in the top ten group in my class, I sank almost to the bottom. My mom wanted to go and face my daily oppressors, but that would have shamed me even more. She wasn’t mentally fit anyway, so I didn’t think that she could make any difference.

And then one morning during recess, just as the bullies were coming to get their usual sadistic pleasure out of intimating me, my mom appeared out of the blue. She verbally tore into them and publicly humiliated them. As I watched their faces get redder with embarrassment I realized that they were just children like me. My mom gave them a dressing down and the other kids in the school playground cheered her on. I guess that some of the other kids had been bullied by them too.

After that incident, things got better. I wasn’t afraid any more and got back into the top ten students in my class. The bullies’ reign of terror was ended and my mom became the heroine of my heart. Sadly, insanity and schizophrenia would expunge the incident from her mind, but even although it has been more than forty years since the event occurred, I still admire her what she did for me that day.

These days, Christians are contending for the Gospel in the face of persecution and harassment, imprisonment and even death in many lands. Their undaunted faith is a living testimony to the truth of the Gospel and work of Jesus Christ in the world. Society sometimes seeks to diminish Christianity and make it irrelevant. But the more that we are philosophically and socially opposed, the more true Christians appear to contend for the faith of the Gospel and stand up for Christ’s holy words. We will not be bullied, berated, or beaten down.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, faith is a precious gift and one that world desperately needs. All over the earth, Your Church and Your people are being made to feel insignificant and irrelevant. We are told that we are intolerant by intolerant people. We are viewed as being reactionary by those who violently react to Your teaching. We are humiliated and harassed all over the world by brazen bullies and godless governments. Help and empower us to contend for the Gospel, just as our brothers and sisters in our faith did so long ago. In Your Sacred and 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.

Daily Devotions: Arguing against God - Job 23 v 4

Job 23:4          I would state my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.

I feel sorry for the whole Christian Church right now. We seem to be stumbling over our own feet and are constantly struggling with issues of homosexuality, poverty, and abortion. There doesn’t seem to be any clear consensus about what we should believe, and no matter what biblical verses or principles are used to prop up one side of a theological debate, the other side trumps it with a different interpretation. We are so tainted with this urge to state and enforce our views upon the Church that we have lost the capacity to convince the world that what we believe in is the truth. In our desperate need to make everyone feel accepted and for us to be liked, we’ve thrown out Christ with the waters of baptism and allowed the waters of chaos to overwhelm us.

I personally feel as though I’ve taken the wrong path and allowed myself to justify my beliefs. I’ve confused and fused my culture with my Christianity. I’ve stuck my head in the sand instead of drawing a line in the sand. Instead of letting the scriptures be my guide, I’ve relied upon my conscience. Instead of following the words of Christ, I’ve followed the maddening crowd. I’ve permitted modernism to mangle my relationship with Christ and have let post-modernists diminish my preaching. I feel like a prodigal pastor and a theological prostitute. I need to repent, refocus, and return to the Kingly Christ of the Scriptures and not the jolly Jesus that society has created.

In the Old Testament, Job fiercely expressed his right to contend with God and be acquitted through the power of his arguments. In the New Testament, Christ freely sacrificed Himself because we cannot contend with God and be acquitted. We may be able to defend our thoughts and justify our beliefs to other people, but we cannot do the same with God. Only Christ can advocate on our behalf. And only He can do this for us if we repent of our pride, our arrogant mistakes, and false misconceptions.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we foolishly believe that our society has it all right and that Your words are outdated, outmoded, and outflanked. You clearly laid out the godly ways to live our lives, but we sinfully pick and choose whatever is convenient for us. Pardon our arrogance and stupidity for believing that our generation is right and that all previous Christian generations were totally wrong. Redirect our paths and reclaim our churches as Your own. In Your Heavenly Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently 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 Daily Devotions: Christ's Fan Club - Dancing with the Stars

Luke 17:25     But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

Apparently, Donny Osmond won “Dancing with the Stars” last night on television. I never watch the show but millions of other people do, so I’m guessing that many of those who voted were lifelong fans of Donny.

I can remember his first single disc “Puppy Love” and how teenage girls all over the world screamed and swooned at the concerts where he was performing. After Elvis and the Beatles, Donny and his brothers were the biggest act in the music world during the 1970’s. His only rival was a young black kid called Michael Jackson. It’s funny how life turned out for both of them.

I admire Donny’s comeback and maybe his win on the show will rekindle his showbiz career. He’s not done a lot of international performing for the past two decades, because most of his fans outgrew his music and rejected his ‘soppy’ love songs. Perhaps a new wave of nostalgia among his original fans will help rebuild his career.

People are fickle, especially those who are obsessed with celebrities. As the years come and go, so does their enthusiasm for performers, artistes, and stars. Even leaders in both the political and religious worlds can be negatively affected by this group mentality. One day the people want to crown you as their king; the next day the mob wants to crucify you to a Cross.

When Jesus was talking to His disciples, He warned them several times about the suffering to come. Most of them were caught up in Christ’s popularity and enjoyed being connected to Him. Jesus frequently reminded them about the fickleness of the crowds. He knew that He was destined to suffer. He fully understood that the people would one day reject Him.

Several generations ago, Christianity was a popular faith. The Church had helped lead our people through two World Wars and the Great Depression. Faith was a key component that enabled our people to endure the worst and hope for better days to come. But then, decades later, the same communities who had embraced and increased the Church began to reject Christ’s teachings.

Sadly, we now live in a time where agnostics and atheists are using their belief system to undermine, diminish, and marginalize our faith in the public arena. However, the Church has faced this before in different places and times. At some point, revival occurs and the Church emerges in a stronger way. We only have to look at the flourishing churches in the former Soviet bloc countries to see that this actually occurs. The world may delightfully tell us that the Christian Church is dying, but it forgets that death only means resurrection for us.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You have stood the test of time and Your Church has endured persecution, devastation, and destruction throughout the centuries. Your Spirit never fails to inspire people every day to come to You. Thank You for the gift of the Church in the world and for the promises of hope and resurrection in the years to come. 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 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.

4 Minute Daily Devotions: Prolonging Our Lives

Proverbs 3:1-2                   My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.

A lot of my time lately has been taken up with our church’s Capital Campaign. Every day I am dealing with a new item on what I call the Campaign Trail. It’s a fascinating process, but it also can get very burdensome at times.

The purpose of the Campaign is to prolong the life of the church. We are renewing ourselves for the missions and ministries that are yet to come. Our church has constantly grown because we try to apply God’s teaching to our community. Every week, people come to church to hear more about God’s Word, to seek guidance for their lives, and to be challenged by Christ in ways that will make our world a better place.

We grow because God gives us this blessing. We increase because Christ inspires us. We add to our numbers because the Holy Spirit activates our faith.

When the Campaign is over, the true work will begin. I look forward to what lies ahead for our church because we will have more opportunities to glorify God, praise Jesus Christ, and be led by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:                 Lord Jesus, we thank You for the privilege and blessing of serving You. You take imperfect and unholy people and shape them into a church. You work in our midst and inspire us through Your wonderful words and glorious ways. Thank You for such gracious blessings. In Your Holy Name, we praise and 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.

Sunday Lectionary Devotions: Psalm 104 Pitching Tents

Psalm 104:2 He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent. (NIV)

I learned how to pitch a tent with my Scout troop at a camp in Scotland called Auchengillan. Our scout patrol was full of tenderfoots like myself who knew practically nothing about camping, but we watched the older scouts put up their tents and tried to copy them.

The tents were nothing like the light nylon ones that we have today. They were made of old heavy canvas and we used thick ropes with wooden spars to set them up. It took most of the morning to construct the tent, but once it was up, our rookie patrol was thrilled. The older scouts, however, were not impressed and later that night we discovered why.

Firstly, we had chosen the roughest piece of ground to pitch the tent. This meant that no matter where we positioned our sleeping bags, the hard contours of the ground dug deeply and painfully into our backs. Secondly, it began to rain in the middle of the night, causing the canvas and ropes to shrink. Eventually, our tent collapsed, so we had to re-pitch it during the darkest, coldest and wettest part of the night. By the time morning came, we were absolutely worn out.

After breakfast, the older scouts helped us re-pitch our tent properly. They found smoother ground and showed us how to storm-rig the ropes. When it rained the following night, we didn’t even notice. Our patrol was sound asleep because our tent was comfortable and secure.

I like the old passages about tents in the Bible. They remind me that the people of God were once nomads, wandering the wilderness and camping in different places. But no matter where they went, they believed that they were secure under the canopy that God had pitched in the sky. I guess their simplistic view of the world was not scientific, but it did offer them comfort and strength, faith and hope that God was watching over them.

Perhaps God doesn’t pitch His tent in the sky any longer, but He does place His presence in our hearts and minds. And whatever the rough passages in our lives or the storms that we endure, His promises keep us secure and His love continues to strengthen our spirits.

Prayer: Lord God, build Your tent in our hearts and pitch Your canopy in our spirits. Grant us sufficient strength for our daily tasks, and restful sleep during the night. May we always know of Your abiding love and holy presence each moment of our days. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the Presbyterian devotional blog “Heaven’s Highway.”

Today's image is taken from John's Fall Series Drawings, which are on exhibit in Knoxville. It is called "Autumn Wall"

Daily Devotions: Enduring Forever

Post-modern idealism is heretical.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

I was reading an article yesterday on what has been called post-modernism. It’s a trend that has been affecting our society since the 1990’s. Post modern people think everything is relative and that there are no certainties anymore. What one person experiences, thinks, and believes is just as important, valuable, and truthful as what the next person experiences, thinks, and believes. The hope is that if enough people adopt a post-modern attitude then we will be able to solve all of the conflicts, divisions, and disunity in the world. In other words, an enlightened post-modern humanity can become its own Savior.

And that’s precisely the trouble with this kind of thinking. Christ becomes redundant. He is no longer the Savior of the World, but only another religious teacher. We replace Jesus with our own philosophical and cultural ideals. We idolize humanity and discard the divinity of Christ.

It’s called ‘heresy’ which is a word that post-modernists abhor. How can anyone be called a heretic, they protest, when no one knows the absolute truth? And when people like me write about the insidious nature of heresy in our church, culture, and society, we’re accused of being narrow-minded, arrogant, and insensitive to this post-modern phenomenon that is circulating around the world.

But here’s my two cents on the whole issue: the World has constantly sought to diminish, dilute, and discard God’s Word. Jesus was crucified for His absolutist ideas and uncompromising teaching. The First Christians were persecuted and martyred for their unconditional beliefs and unwavering loyalty to Christ. Do we honestly believe that we know better than those who walked and talked with Jesus? Are we saying that our post-modern views are more valuable than Christ dying on the Cross?

The Word of God, as the writer of Hebrews states, is living and active. It cuts through our post-modern idealism and narcissistic society. It penetrates our self-absorption and disturbs our one world philosophies. It challenges our cherished ideals and upsets our self-centered 21^st century sickness that heretically separates us from God. We don’t like it; we fight against it; and we defiantly won’t embrace it.

But when post-modernism has turned to dust, God’s Word and Christ’s Gospel will remain. And so long as the wheel of Time turns, people of all ages, cultures, languages, and races will come to Christ and accept Him personally as their Lord and Savior. Heretics may come and go, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Christ of History and the Savior of the World. Kingdoms may rise and fall, ideas and philosophies may emerge and diminish, but Your Gospel and God’s Word endures forever. Forgive us for embracing false ways and preserve from allowing heresy to harm our faith. 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.

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.

Daily Devotions: A Pentecost Spirit

Acts 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (NIV)

Almost thirty years ago, I visited a university town in Spain called Valladolid (pronounced 'baya-dolith). It was originally a castle town and had some beautiful medieval buildings, cathedrals and colleges all over it. I was there with a friend of mine who had once trained to be a priest. We were visiting his old haunts and he introduced me to a lot of good Spanish people.

One evening, we went to a school building, where many people gathered together for prayer. Handicapped persons, people in wheelchairs, and all sorts of sick people were at the meeting. We sat in a circle, and the priest, who was leading the group, began to pray. Other people followed him and then I spoke my prayer. It was in English because I didn't have enough Spanish to put a sentence together. After I prayed, the priest interpreted and re-prayed my prayer. Once he had finished, a holy hush fell upon the room, and then, suddenly, people began singing in tongues.

I had never experienced anything like this before. It was beautiful and everyone, even those who were sick or sitting in wheelchairs joined in. The sound was like a hundred songs being sung at the same time, with different melodies and rhythms, but they harmonized perfectly. Then things began to quieten down, and after another time of silence, people started to go home.

It was a profound experience and one that I have never encountered again. The only explanation I can give is that the Holy Spirit descended upon all of us, and gave us a great gift of angelic song that evening. One glorious day, I hope to sing like that again, in the heavenly halls of glory, with millions upon millions of people and angels.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit amongst us and for giving Your Church a wonderful source of comfort and counsel, guidance and love. Fill our hearts with Your Holy Spirit and lead us by His presence in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

My Last Five Podcasts

If you enjoy hearing a Scottish accent, you might enjoy listening to my last five podcasts.

Power_of_Prayer.mp3

Prayer allows us to step back from our problems and let God step in to help us.

Faith_for_Hard_Times.mp3

In these uncertain economic times, how can our Christian faith help us?

Prisoner_for_Christ.mp3

Our government deplores torture against terrorists over here; but are our politicians willing to take a stand against China's continuing persecution of Christians?

Prison_Wall.mp3

Christ is our Liberator from our self-imposed prison walls. A tale from Scotland.

Sacred_Memory.mp3

Instant communication is wonderful today, but what about intra-generational communication?

Daily Devotions: Street Talkers

Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

My wife Evelyn and I were gone for a couple of days this week. We went to one of our favorite cities – Asheville, North Carolina. We enjoy going there and walking in the downtown area. We love looking at the architecture of the buildings, walking along the sidewalks, and seeing the amazing artworks, galleries, and creativity that Asheville has to offer.

But there’s also a “weird” side to the town that just astonishes us and yesterday was no exception. As we were walking up the hill to some of the wee bistros at the top of Patton Ave, we noticed a street vendor and a driver were having a conversation. The driver’s car was stopped at a red light and both people seemed to know each other.

“I haven’t seen you in a while, “said the vendor. “Where have you been?”

In a loud voice, the woman driver answered, “Oh my boyfriend put me in jail for a while. I just got out this week.”

Evelyn and I looked at each other incredulously. This unknown woman was letting everyone know that she had been in jail and didn’t seem to mind who knew. Only in Asheville, I guess.

At one time, we were known to be People of the Book. We tried to live our lives and mold our society on good old fashioned Biblical principles. Now it seems that people no longer live by God’s rules and as the years go past, we become more brazen about our sinful ways and more boastful about breaking the rules.

I worry about the world that our kids are going up in. There’s seems to be no boundaries, no common rules, and no order or decency. The world is becoming more hostile, disloyal, and unfriendly. People no longer live by the Book, only by the rules that they write for themselves.

The world needs true Christian people and our next generation desperately needs faithful Christian leaders. I hope and pray that God will graciously allow them to be raised up amongst them.

Prayer: Lord God, we have carelessly set aside our beliefs and allowed our society to abandon its allegiance to You. We have corrupted our values and been led astray by our own willful and harmful desires. Forgive us, Lord, for not heeding Your words or ways. Raise up strong leaders like Joshua of old, who can help our children and children’s children return to the Promised Land of faith, hope, and love. In Christ’s 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.

Holy Week Devotions: Seven Last Words of Christ (2)

(For the next seven days, we’ll be posting daily devotions about Christ’s Last Words from the Cross. Some of our regular contributors – Sarah, Jody, Doug & John – will be writing them. If you have any comments, meditations, or prayers to add to each post, please put them in the comments section.)

Today, you will be with me in paradise. Luke 23:39-43 NIV

Long before there were Itunes, mp3s, and CDs, only vinyl albums and LPs existed. My Dad had a great LP collection of some of the best singers and entertainers in the world. These included Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, and Tony Bennett.

He also had a terrific collection of original soundtracks of musical movies. One of my favorites was that of the musical ‘Kismet’, starring Howard Keel. The movie is set in ancient Baghdad and is all about a poetical con artist who uses his charisma to charm his way to the top. It’s a highly entertaining and very funny musical. Most of the music is ripped off from a classical Russian composer called Borodin.

For me, the best song in the movie is sung by Vic Damone, who plays the young Caliph. It’s called “Stranger in Paradise.” It’s one of the most beautiful love songs ever heard or seen in the movies. Borodin’s melody is wonderful. When my Dad died in 2002, the organist at the crematorium in Scotland played it as we left his memorial service. I couldn’t think of a more fitting tribute to my Dad, who sought to find God all of his life.

When Christ mercifully hears the thief’s prayer from the Cross, He is putting into action the Gospel of salvation in its most basic form. The thief cannot perform any good deeds, nor can he serve Jesus as both of them are painfully dying on their crosses. All that the thief can give Christ is that which Jesus has asked of many people throughout His ministry: his heartfelt faith. For Christ, this is all that is necessary to be with Him – a pure faith that is not a means of escaping punishment, but a way of surrendering completely to Christ and of allowing Him to save the sinner’s soul.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are all guilty of sin and steal moments from our lives that should belong to You alone. Help us to faithfully give You our hearts this Holy Week, and to gratefully experience the loving salvation that You graciously offer all of us. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John “Stushie” Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the daily devotional “Heaven’s Highway.”

Today's artwork is called "Two More Days."

4 Minute Daily Devotions: Community Calamity

Ezekiel 7:26 Calamity upon calamity will come, and rumor upon rumor. They will try to get a vision from the prophet; the teaching of the law by the priest will be lost, as will the counsel of the elders.

I cannot think of a more terrifying situation for a community of faith to be in. Ezekiel’s ranting about the loss of vision, teaching, and counsel reflects a time when the people of God were in absolute disarray. Their land was about to be overtaken and their people enslaved yet again. The political leaders could not parley with their enemies. God seemed to be absent from the whole situation and the religious leaders had no message of hope to give to the people.

As you know, faithful readers, I worry a lot about the National Church. I’m concerned about the lack of vision and leadership, sound teaching and spiritual counsel. We seem to be heading down into a dead end and even although we can see it, we don’t want to accept it. It’s as if we’re in some sort of huge spiritual denial and we don’t have the savvy to turn around and head back in God’s direction.

Recently, I’ve also been thinking about the wee church that I serve. It’s constantly growing, full of new ideas and people. We’ve been through some setbacks, but God always seem to lead us to something better and bigger. I just wish that our National Church would do the same. If a wee church like Erin can keep growing, there must be something that we’re doing that is right in God’s eyes compared to what’s happening nationally.

That’s why we’re entering into a new phase at Erin. We want to keep growing spiritually and numerically. We want to influence our community and make an impact for God’s Kingdom. We want to continue putting Christ at the center of who we are, what we do, and how we practice our faith. It’s not that we’re perfect, holy, or far superior than those around us – far from it. We’re just trying to please Jesus and help others experience that self-same joy of serving the Lord.

So this morning, we pray for a prophetic voice and vision to be heard and seen in our national Church. We pray for sound spiritual teaching to be placed before the people. And we ask that the counsel of all the elders across the church will emerge from being focused and centered on Christ. Otherwise the terrifying prophecy of Ezekiel could be our National Church’s ultimate destiny.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the blessings that You have given to our wee church. Thank You for the vision of things to come, the teaching of the truth, and the wise counsel of our elders. Help other wee churches in other places begin to experience the same, so that Your Name may be truly honored and glorified, praised and adored. 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: Wisdom and Understanding

Jeremiah 51:15 He made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.

These days, when we talk about a person of power, we usually mean someone who has strong leadership skills, popularity, and has amassed a fortune. They are usually hard working, focused people who have amassed wealth and credibility. Political leaders, company executives, and even very successful movie stars are usually thought be powerful people. The press, media, as well as society in general, listen to what they have to say and value their opinions. Because of their success, we are drawn to what they say and do.

Power in the Bible takes on some different characteristics. Instead of wealth and success, power emerges out of wisdom and understanding. Elderly people were accredited more standing and respect in Biblical communities because of the years of experiences that they had accrued. Their understanding of the times, the seasons, and the forces of nature were crucial to the well-being and sustenance of their people.

Sadly, we’ve lost some of that in our world today. Old people are set aside as being old-fashioned and out of touch. We’re more into what’s happening now and who’s doing what amongst our peers, instead of listening to the garnered wisdom and collective understanding of our seniors.

Even the church has foolishly disregarded what our senior folks have to say about faith. We’re more into ‘emergent’ and trendy ways of doing worship and being church. In our frantic effort to be relevant, we’ve unwisely ditched the best of our faith for the worst of our wants.

If we honestly seek to be powerful and make an impact in our communities, then we have to take time to give credence to the collective wisdom and understanding of those who have been faithful for decades, instead of constantly deferring to those whose faith is just beginning. Change for changes sake leads to chaos and division, and we end up being influenced by the world. Choices made through wisdom and understanding, give us the power to be influential and make a real impact for Christ.

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for the seniors in our faith communities whose wisdom and understanding have helped to sustain our faith. Help us to be more open to their ways that have kept them loyal to You for decades. Teach us through what they have learned about the world and the church. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.