Church devotion: Never on A Sunday - Psalm 40:4

Psalm 40:4    Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. 

            For some reason, this verse bothers me a lot. It makes me wonder about the present state of Christianity. Do we trust the LORD completely, or are we too proud to humble ourselves before Him? Have we turned aside from the truth and replaced Christ with false gods of ambition and wealth, success and celebrity? Are we in danger of losing our life-long faith to short-term moments? Are we captivated by fictional characters rather than being inspired by Biblical ones? Are we more in tune with ourselves than we actually are with God?

            In recent years, I've seen less people in church on Sunday mornings than ever before. Folks are more into playing and partying than praising God. Church is becoming irrelevant and unnecessary; belief in God is a personal thing anyway, so why disturb a good Sunday morning’s rest by sitting on a hard pew for over an hour? Going to a restaurant for Sunday brunch, where people are happy, makes much better sense than being among somber and solemn people who appear to be God’s frozen chosen. Life is for living! Get out of church and smell the roses! “Go and play,” not “go and pray” should be the motto of our lives!

            And then I read today’s verse and it reminds me that proud people usually end up following false gods. Those of us who still go to church go there, not because we are any better than anyone else, but because we recognize that we are imperfect and need to humble ourselves before the One who created us. We sit in church because we understand our weaknesses and seek forgiveness for our failings. We are not religious people; we are grateful people.

            Perhaps when our society has wearied itself of following after false gods, instant gratification, reality idols, cable shows, and meteoric celebrities, it will seek real life. I hope so, because there is something grander than greatness, better than beauty, and more fulfilling than fame, which can still be found in church on Sunday mornings. J

Questions for reflection

Am I as closely connected to God as I once was? Who moved?

Prayer:          Lord God of Life, we have wandered away from You and followed our own paths. We think that we know everything, but we forget that only You know everything. Forgive our foolish notions and protect us from making false gods. Lead us back to Your Kingdom. Bring us back to Your Church. In Christ’s 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 a question about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Good Friday drawings. It’s called “Tattoo Master,” which is an ink drawing of Christ on the Cross, tattooed with lashes, blood, and bruises. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Tattoo.

Church devotion: It is Amazing - 1 Corinthians 15:10

1 Corinthians 15:10   But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect.

On Sunday mornings, I get to experience one of the best views in church from the pulpit. I see the entire worshipping congregation and, as I scan the people in the pews, I think about their struggles and stories and of how the amazing grace of God has been, and is still working in their lives.

I see people who are grieving the loss of loved ones, but in the midst of their heartache, they still hold on to the love of God.

I see folks who are undergoing serious tests or recovering from surgery, who have placed their prayers and lives into God’s healing hands.

I see parents who are bringing up their kids in the best ways that they can, providing them with encouragement and support, as well as nurturing them in the Christian faith.

I see people whose marriages are crumbling and they are struggling to maintain a sense of identity and security, praying to God for help and guidance.

I see single people who devote much of their time to the well-being of others, serving in the missions and programs of our church.

I see college students whose dreams are only just beginning and whose hard work and determination will bring about what they seek to do with their lives and how they can serve God in the world.

I see young people who are still at school, trying to do the best that they can and experiencing many new things in life. They still have that beautiful wonder of God and Life which delights the whole church.

I see and hear the infants, toddlers, and babies in our church and my heart is glad that they can find an extended loving family here.

I see all of these things and all of these good people, and it humbles me. The grace of God is evident in all of our lives and it is constantly amazing.

Questions for personal reflection

How do I experience the grace of God in my life? Where do I see it existing in the lives of others?

Prayer:            Loving God, Your grace is amazing and we are constantly astounded by its presence in our lives. Sustain our wonder of Your works and our love of our Lord. Be with us and bless all our loved ones this day. In Jesus’ Name, we 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 him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Daily Devotions; Party On

Last Sunday, we had one of our best Easter services ever. A lot of families were in town and it was great to see them sitting together in the pews, praising God for the resurrection of Christ. It was a wonderful worship service. We even had to print extra bulletins and set out more chairs to accommodate the crowd.

Podcast version here

Some people are cynical about the Christmas-Easter crowds that show up to church. I used to be one of them. In the past, I’ve been known to preach a hellfire and brimstone service at Easter, just to make the visitors feel guilty. Thankfully, I grew out of that years ago, so now I just preach the Gospel story and keep to the message that God has planned. People have enough pressure going on in their lives. In church, they need to find that the peace of God, which passes all understanding, is still there to be experienced and rediscovered.

Bible Verse of the Day

Nehemiah 8:10b This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

When Ezra and Nehemiah brought out the Laws of Moses and re-read them publicly in the ruins of Jerusalem, the people thought that they were in for a rough time. Instead, Nehemiah encouraged them to celebrate the day as a resurrection of their faith. He urged them to go home and party with their families, and to share whatever they had with those who had nothing. It must have been a wonderful time of renewal for the Jews, bringing them a new hope to rebuild God’s Holy City and giving them the courage to re-dedicate their lives to God.

I think that’s what Easter brings to some people. They come to church to be with their family, and also to get reconnected to God. They want to go home knowing that God loves them and that Christ has forgiven them. They want to feel welcomed by the church and blessed by His people. And for those of us who have faith, we’re meant to share it with those who have little or none. To me, that is the message of Easter – a celebration of Christ that we don’t keep to ourselves.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for calling many people to church last Sunday. Thank You for touching their hearts and bringing them back to worship You. Continue to affect and influence their lives with Your ways and words. Help us to share what faith we have with all those who have little or nothing when it comes to believing in You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Amazing Agents

Scottish audio version here

Ephesians 4: 12 ‘…to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…’

I’m always amazed at the amount of good that church people do in the world. Congregations are full of individuals who like to give of themselves to causes and charities over and above what they commit to their own church. For example, I’ve seen a group of Senior citizens contribute monthly to the needs of a young boy in the Philippines, who has grown up well educated because of their support. I’ve known a group of college students to give up their breaks to clean up hurricane-ravaged areas of the Gulf Coast, and who also have worked with poor school children in Guatemala.

I’ve watched a busy young mother set up a weekly support group for other mothers on Monday mornings, giving them and their children a good start to another week of pressure. I’ve seen a young family with a deaf child start a monthly group for other families with deaf children, in order to help them find the right resources, peer support, and a place to express their feelings.

I’ve also watched a retired scientist give up his Tuesdays and Thursdays to work on Habitat building projects. And I’ve encountered a 90 year old man who constantly visits people in hospital and nursing homes, bringing to the patients and residents good cheer, friendship, and faith to help them get better.

These are just a few of the good things that church people are doing to help others. With each act of kindness, friendship, and love, the sharing of faith and the building up of Christ’s church continues. These are good people, working for God’s Kingdom and serving Him in ways that positively impact those around them.

That’s what Paul was expressing to the Christians at Ephesus. That’s also what Christ did for us when He descended into this world. Now that He has ascended into heaven, it’s our turn to do His work, in His ways. For in so doing, we not only make the world a better place, we also build up Christ’s Church.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, every day You grant us opportunities to do good, to help others, and to give support to those in need. Help us to fulfill those precious moments, so that we may make a positive difference in the world and be agents of Your compassion, hope, and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.