Sabbath Psalms - On The Edge

Psalm 14:1 The fool says within himself, “God does not exist.” They are immoral, their deeds are disgraceful; there is nobody who does good things.

Like everyone else, I struggle with my faith at times. I’ve always believed in God as far back as I can remember, but it’s what I believe in God that keeps changing. When I first became a Christian, I wanted to convert the entire world. I actually preached on street corners in Scotland and sang hymns outside Glasgow pubs. I was fearless for Christ and wanted to show the world what unbelievers were missing. I guess I must have appeared like a religious freak to most of my drunken audience, but I was on fire for the Lord, and it didn’t bother me.

These days, I would find it tough and perhaps be too embarrassed to preach outside a city bar. I got in enough trouble preaching from the relative safety of a church pulpit. Sometimes my zeal to get the Gospel message across caused some people to get upset and leave the church. A sermon that stings is sometimes too close to the truth, even for me.

Faith is a precious gift from God, but sometimes we foolishly take it for granted or allow ourselves to cast it aside in order to indulge in sinful things. We stumble on the edge of foolishness which, for some people, can lead to affluence and unbelief, indifference and apostasy. I’m not one of those who subscribes to the belief that ‘once saved means always saved.’ I think that we can lose our salvation if we lose ourselves to the wiles of the world, which is why Jesus says in Mark’s Gospel: “Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."(Mark 4 v 25). If we were saved for all time, we could give our hearts to Christ at the age of three and spend the next 97 years doing whatever we liked.

When I preached the message on Sunday mornings, I was very much aware that we’re all just living on the edge of eternity. Who knows what tomorrow may bring, so that is why we all need to get our hearts and minds, our lives and ways right with God through Christ today. To do anything else or to leave it for another time is plainly foolish and just as spiritually harmful as the person with no belief at all.

Point to ponder: What things disrupt my belief in God? How does Christ restore me?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, let this be the day when we all completely surrender our lives to You. Let this be the time when we allow You totally into our hearts, to change us forever. Enable us not to keep back anything or any part of us from You. Take away our foolishness and fill us with true faith. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sunday Shorts - Busy Doing Nothing

Mark 6:31 Jesus said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. (NRSV)

            Over many years of pastoral ministry, I saw some dedicated people who were always present for Sunday worship and church programs. They were totally immersed in the life, work, and ministries of the congregation and it seemed as though every time we opened the church doors, they were among the first to arrive. Their faith community was their family and they simply devoted themselves to serving God in their local church.

            Sometimes, however, these lovely servants were too busy and stretched themselves beyond what they could do effectively for God. They did too much, said “yes” too many times, and often wouldn’t let others help them. They thought that if they temporarily gave up their work for the Lord or handed it over to someone else, the ministry or mission would suffer. Frequently, the ministry was suffering because they didn’t like to share or delegate the responsibility to some other person. However, when Covid came and forced us all to stay away from church, those people reflected on their chosen roles, soon realizing that God was working through the whole church membership, and not just them. After Covid, they fully reassessed their own service and, for the first time in years, they allowed others to work with them.

            I like what Jesus suggests to His disciples in this Bible verse. They have all been very busy helping Him with His ministry. They are devoted to the Kingdom of God, but they are also sapped of their spiritual strength, so Jesus urges them all to take a break from the mission to go to a quiet place and replenish their spirits. This reveals to us how much Jesus cared for His closest followers and did not expect them to always be on duty wherever He went. By giving them time to be alone with Him, Jesus was encouraging them to do nothing for a while. The mission would always be there, and the Kingdom of God would continue, but they were only human with weaknesses and limitations. Like the writer of Psalm 23, Jesus was inviting them to find a quiet place in order to restore their souls.

            Perhaps you need permission to let go of some of the ministries and missions in your own congregation. Maybe you’ve overextended yourself and instead of feeling the joy of serving God, it is a heavy burden to you. Let Christ encourage you to find a quiet place, to release you from your responsibilities, to enable you to reflect on how best to serve God, to replenish your weary spirit, and to refresh your tired soul. Go ahead and be busy – doing nothing.

Point to ponder: How do I serve God in my local church? Am I too busy?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know us more fully than we know ourselves. We love You completely and want to serve You faithfully, but sometimes we are tired and need to rest. Help us to find a peaceful quiet place where we can be refreshed by Your Spirit and restored to God’s Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Holy or Human? - 1 Thessalonians 2:5

1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe. (NIV)

            It’s very easy for all of us – myself included – to cast aside God’s Word and treat it as a basic moral guideline which we can either accept or reject without any serious consequences. We may sometimes use it to thread our thoughts and beliefs together and then throw it away when it does not suit our intentions, choices, or decisions. Instead of being sacred, the Bible just becomes a collection of ancient stories, songs, and prayers which may or may not be relevant to our post-modern lives.

God’s Word can also be taken as a spiritual encyclopedia of what people used to believe in the past and end up becoming a quaint record of old faith communities, whose members and devotees are all dead. We think that what we really need is something that reflects our own ideas, sophistication, and culture, making us the holy heroes of our present generation. In other words, what we want is something spiritual that connects with our personal lives, instead of sacred scriptures that show us how to connect with God.

When Paul commends the Thessalonians for embracing his message as the word of God, he praises them for treating it respectfully, humbly, and faithfully. They understand that the Gospel which Paul preaches is not something made up or manufactured by religious fanatics. When they hear what Paul has to say, they feel the powerful presence of God in the Word. They know that this message is different from anything else that they have heard; they understand that this Word will change their lives forever.

As Christians, we have been called to witness to the godliness of the Gospel, the holiness of Christ, and the existence of God in our lives. We are the products of a faith-forming process that began two thousand years ago, so the fruits of our beliefs also contain the sacred seeds of God’s Word for future generations. However, this fruit will only grow if we are connected to God through His Word – or as Jesus Himself expressed it: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

May we all treat God’s Word as being sacred and may we witness to its power with our lives.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your words have been carried throughout the world for almost two thousand years. Your sacred message and godly Gospel have challenged and changed the lives of billions of people throughout history. Help us to cherish God’s Word as truly holy and enable us to apply its teachings and blessings each day. In Your Sacred Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sunday mornings at 11:00 AM. You’ll be made very welcome 😊

Today’s image is one of John latest lectionary drawings called ‘True Vine.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Vine.

A Touch of Class - Acts 6:7

Acts 6:7 The Word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (NRSV)

            I wish more church folks would go to Sunday School. In Scotland, Sunday School was only meant for school children and I often felt that the adults lost out on the opportunity to deepen their faith each week. Over here in the United States, I was delighted to discover that Sunday School, which usually takes place before worship starts, is available for children, youths, and adults. I have come to appreciate the depth of discipleship that regular Sunday schooling creates. More than sixty percent of our regular worship attendees participate in our church’s Sunday school classes which is a wonderful community of church folks who support, encourage, and love one another, especially in times of trouble, grief, or illness.

            When I look back at the formation of the Christian Church in Jerusalem, I am glad to read that many of the priests, who were great teachers and servants of God, joined this new faith movement. Their knowledge of the scriptures and dedication to God must have laid a solid foundation for Christ’s work to continue among His people. Originally, most of the priests had opposed Jesus, but after the wonderful Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit moved many of them to accept Christ as their Savior & Lord. It must have been a remarkable moment in the early history of the Church, as well as a great source of encouragement for the first apostles.

            Lots of people have told me that they would like to deepen their faith and commitment to Christ. I believe that they really mean those words. The best way that I have seen for this to take place occurs when folks take a step in the right direction and join a weekly class or Bible study group, especially on Sunday mornings. It may involve getting up earlier and making the time to join a class, but the long-term benefits and blessings far outweigh the initial inconveniences that occur.

Point to ponder

How do I deepen my faith commitment to Christ? Am I willing to join a Sunday school class or weekly Bible study group?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are our Teacher, as well as our Savior. Many of your parables, encounters, and lessons have a great depth of spiritual faith, Biblical knowledge, and divine wisdom contained in them. Encourage us to learn more about our faith by seeking a group of church folks to study with on a regular basis. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s Bible drawings depicting Christ reading and explaining the scriptures in the local synagogue. You can view a larger version at this link: Scripture.

Church devotion: Making Better Decisions - Joshua 9:14

Joshua 9:14    The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD.

Most of the serious mistakes that I make usually occur because I do not ask God what He thinks about my choices before I make a decision. I foolishly follow my own course and, like Rear Admiral Grace Hopper once said, if it turns out to be a bad choice, I ask for forgiveness later. You would think that my life experience by now would have shown me the folly of leaving God out of my major decisions. Regrettably, it still happens. I still make impulsive choices and end up looking to God to forgive me and mend the situation.

Today’s story from the Book of Joshua Chapter 9 describes an incident where the Israelites were deceived by the Gibeonites and completely taken in by their cunning plan. Instead of going to God for guidance, the Israelites believed the Gibeonites’ story and swore an oath not to harm them. It was a mistake that would have dire consequences for centuries on both communities. If the Israelites had consulted God, He would have told them about the deception and there would have been no peace treaty sworn between the peoples. However, because the Israelites made the treaty sacred by swearing an oath in God’s Name, they had to keep the agreement. To do otherwise would have been to discredit their own word, as well as profaning and dishonoring God.

Perhaps you are going through some critical times and face some serious issues. Maybe you need to make an important decision that will affect the rest of your life. Whatever it may be, take this from today’s lesson: sincerely ask God about it first and seek His guidance. He will help you find the necessary and effective solution.

Questions for personal reflection

Is there something that is weighing heavily on my mind? Have I truly asked God for His thoughts and guidance about it? When will I make time to do so?

Prayer:            Lord God, You see all that goes on in our lives and watch the ways that we take. Help us to put You at the center of our choices and decisions, especially when the consequences will be life changing. 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 or ask a question about today’s message, please send an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s drawing is one of my popular Mackintosh type flower images. It’s called “Dragon-Eyed Dahlia.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7354/9337564045_c4476a5a54_b.jpg