Work in Progress - Acts 23:11

Acts 23:11 The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” (NIV)

            When we think about Paul encountering Christ, we tend to recall the story of Paul’s dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. However, in today’s passage, Acts 23:1-11, we discover that Jesus also visits Paul while he is languishing in a Jerusalem cell. After the rough treatment he received that day, Paul must have wondered if he was going to escape with his life. I think that he would have been worried about either being lynched by the angry mob or crucified by the Roman guards. In either case, his death would have ended his mission for Christ and someone else would have to become the flag bearer of taking the Gospel to the Gentiles.

            But God was not finished with Paul, so in a moment of reassurance and grace, Christ comes to Paul in the barrack cell and lets him know that his work will still carry on. “Take courage!” Christ says, “As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

            This would have been good news to Paul, though not because his life was being extended. Paul knew that the Gospel of Christ needed to be preached and heard in Rome at the heart of the Empire. Paul would do whatever he could to get there, which would involve a direct appeal to Caesar because he was a Roman citizen. It would be the pinnacle of his mission; it would be the top moment of his work for Christ.

            Sometimes we think that God has finished with us and our work for Him is over, but as long as we have life and faith, we can serve God in many important ways. We can pray for our churches; we can increase our Biblical knowledge, and we can continually share our faith in loving and effective ways with the people we encounter. All we have to do is to continue to take each daily opportunity that God gives us to serve Him faithfully, loyally, and effectively.

Point to ponder

What work of service has God given me to do in my church and community? Am I willing to continue that mission?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we each have different gifts and abilities which can serve and honor You throughout our lives. Help us to discern Your role for us in Your Kingdom. 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 or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

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

Encouraging Words - Acts 20:2

Acts 20:2 Paul traveled through that area, speaking many words of encouragement to the people, and finally arrived in Greece. (NIV)

We are living in pretty discouraging times. Our people are divided and our leaders are not working together. Terrible acts of violence have been committed and hatred is on the increase. Good folks everywhere are feeling insecure and most people are looking for real solutions to our problems. All this strife is adding to our stress which fragments our relationships, leaving us isolated and vulnerable. No one seems to know how to fix things and heal our problems. Our souls are damaged and our hearts are crushed. We just need something or someone to say the right things, give the right word, and point us in the right direction.

This is the Great Commission of Christ’s Church in the 21^st century. We still have a pertinent platform where words of encouragement can bring people closer to God and, in the process, bring us together. How we express those words is very important to the folks around us. For encouragement to work, we have to be sensitive and supportive. If we present Christ in compassionate ways, we will help others who are struggling with life. If we share our confidence in God’s love, we will enable others to find refuge in Him. It all depends whether we are willing, like Paul of old, to be vessels of Christ’s mercy and grace. If we choose to channel His Loving Spirit, we will help others to overcome their fears and rediscover the inner strength which faith in Christ empowers.

Wherever you are today, be an encourager. Whatever you do, let it be done in love.

Point to ponder

How does God encourage me? How can I share this with others?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we can grow weary of the world and fearful of its fallen ways. Enable us to overcome our current concerns by placing our hopes, dreams, and lives into Your hands. 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 latest winter drawings called ‘Red Cardinal in Snow.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Cardinal.

Church Meeting Devotions

September is usually when local churches begin their calendar year. Programs and projects, classes and congregational gatherings which have been set aside for summer, get back into their full swing. As the people of God gather for different events - classes, studies, dinners, team meetings, and boards, pastors and other church leaders are often requested to begin the events with a short devotional.

Over the years that I have served as a pastor, I have written hundreds of devotionals which are short and to the point. I've used them with the congregation I serve, as well as other meetings in other churches. years ago, I had to hand write or print out those devotions, however, with the advent of tablets and kindles, I can now easily carry devotions with me anywhere.

The two e-books that I have written for pastors and church leaders contain 60 devotions each - 120 devotions in total, which is enough to last for several years. They can also be used as discussion starters for any small groups. Each devotion contains a highlighted Bible verse, a short commentary, followed by a quick prayer. All of the devotions have been tried and tested at various functions and gatherings where I was a participant.

Because pastors and churches normally work on tight budgets, I've kept the price down to $1.99 each or the equivalent of 3 cents a devotion :) Those pastors who have purchased these books have enjoyed reading and using them. For your convenience, I have listed them below this post.

May God bless all of your work for the Lord. May all of your hopes and dreams be fulfilled.

God be with you.

Ministry devotion - The Call - Matthew 10:1

Matthew 10:1             Jesus called His twelve disciples to Him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. (NIV)

            As a Presbyterian, I firmly accept the priesthood of all believers. To me, this means that everyone is given a specific calling from Christ to do His work in their own community. His ministry is expanded by what we say and do as Christians among our families, other church members, and in the wider world. The credibility of Christianity rises or falls on how we express and display our faith to others.

            When I read about the calling of the First Disciples (Matthew 10:1-4), I remember that they weren’t perfect and they all had flaws. Some of them doubted, others denied Him, and even one betrayed Christ. Jesus didn’t choose them because they were holy; He called them because each one of them had the potential of advancing God’s Kingdom.

            No matter who we are or what we’ve done, Christ calls us continually to do His work and share His ministry. Some days we get it right; other days we fail. The good thing is this: Christ is still willing to call us, day after day, because He loves us completely, forgives us totally, and restores us thoroughly to God’s Kingdom.

            Think about your calling from Christ and as you do this watch and listen to a congregation from my hometown of Glasgow, Scotland sing the beautiful modern Scottish hymn called “The Summons.” You can watch it at this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk6IUalJ3sk

May Christ guide and bless you this day. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can view the church website at www.erinpresbyterian.org.

Faith for the Future - Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”(NIV)

            Last weekend, my eldest daughter got married to her sweetheart. It was a beautiful wedding and I was very proud of the newly wedded couple. I pray that they have a great future ahead of them and that God will bless them in many ways.

            Marriage is a leap of faith, as well as a loving ceremony. The two people involved publicly promise to love, support, and cherish one another for the rest of their lives. It’s a beautiful part of life, but it’s also a unique covenant which can sometimes be hard to sustain and prolong.

            Today’s verse from Jeremiah reminds us of the loving covenant that God has maintained with His people throughout the centuries. The words of reassurance were originally meant for the displaced Jews who had been defeated by the Assyrians and taken into exile. God’s promise through Jeremiah is a loving statement of His faithfulness toward His people. Whatever the future would bring in exile, they still seek God’s reassurance, comfort, and love. Things might be initially bleak, but God’s constant faithfulness to them would one day bring His people back to their precious homeland.

            Today, you may be experiencing uncertainty or are perhaps anxious about the future. You might think that you are isolated and alone, vulnerable and weak. Please know this: God’s reassuring love and reaffirming presence are with you, even now. Seek Him and He may be found; look to Him for help, and He will give You His love.

Questions for personal reflection

What are my hopes for the future? How can God help me attain them?

Prayer: Gracious God, we thank You for Your loving presence with us each day. We look to You for guidance and we place our future into Your faithful hands. Be with us and bless us, 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 questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John floral drawings called ‘Roses’. If you would like to view a larger image, please click this link: Roses.

Human Holiness - Hebrews 10:10

Hebrews 10:10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (NIV)

            Holiness is not something that human beings are known for, unless you ascribe it to Bible characters, New Testament saints, or noble historical people like Francis of Assisi, Father Damien of Molokai, or Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Holiness, however, is what we need if we are to eventually come into the sacred presence of God. Without it, we will be separated from our Creator forever.

            Thankfully, even though we cannot earn, produce, or obtain this holiness for ourselves, Jesus has enough holiness to cover our sins and make us sacred in God’s eyes. This process has a church word for it – it’s called Sanctification. Jesus sanctifies us through His own sacrifice and makes us holy with His Cross. This is unbelievably simple and something which a number of people will never understand. We are so used to accomplishing tasks for ourselves or getting what we want by working for it, that we find it difficult to accept Christ has already fulfilled what is eternally required. However, think about it this way: what more can we add to what Christ has done? Nothing – absolutely nada. If there was something we could add, then Christ’s sacrifice would be incomplete. If there was something else we could achieve to merit sanctification, His offering would be imperfect.

            So today, let’s celebrate our sanctification and cheerfully embrace Christ’s holiness as our own. By His sacrifice, we are reconnected to God and restored to His dream forever.

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for receiving us as human sinners and transforming us into holy children of God. Your sacrifice perfectly restored us to our Creator. Your death decidedly reconnected us to God. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Please feel free to send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

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

Truth Has Perished - Jeremiah 7:28

Jeremiah 7:28 Therefore say to them, “This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips.”

            Sometimes when I read the prophecies from the Old Testament, I feel as though those ancient words could have been written yesterday. It seems to be that we are experiencing the same kind of things that were going on in ancient Israel. I guess this also means that as a species, we never seem to learn much from the past.

            Honestly, when I read today’s chosen verse, I couldn’t help but think, “That’s us. That’s exactly where we are right now.” It didn’t comfort me at all and has only led me into thinking, “What’s my part in all of this? What can I do to make things change?” I certainly don’t want to become a Jeremiah, weeping and wailing about the mistakes and misfortunes of our nation; but at the same time, I don’t want be deluded or hide somewhere safe and comfortable until God sorts things out for Himself. If I did that, I would be serving myself and not God.

            As Christians, we are called to obey God and display the truth. It’s not an easy task because most of the world wants to do neither of those things. However, if we truly seek to serve Christ then unpopular things like truth and obedience have to play a central role in how we live our lives. There are supposedly more Christians in our nation than any other religions or faiths. Perhaps if we all honored truth and obedience, things would be much better for everyone, in our homes, schools, workplaces, churches, and country.

Questions for reflection

What truths are evident in our nation today? How can we serve God by faithfully dealing with those truths?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, life is never simple and living up to God’s truth is never easy. Open our hearts and minds to what is happening in our community, our country, and our world. Grant us the gift of discernment, as well as the hearts to follow through with service and obedience. 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 or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is an abstract drawing of John’s called ‘Way, Truth, and Life.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Truth.

Christian devotions for Kindle Users

Looking for short devotions for meetings as the Church year begins? Got a Kindle? Then look no further. All you need is here: I have written several devotional books which are available on Kindle. You can check them all at the following link boxes.

Inspirational



Advent



Lent and Easter



Special Categories

Ministry 101 - A Letter to Young Pastors

Ministry 101

Ministry is never easy, but it can be made less difficult with good practices. As a pastor for almost thirty years, I've usually had to learn things the hard way. One of my major concerns is for the young ministers who are just starting this wonderful, but often arduous journey. They are full of energy and enthusiasm, ideas and innovations that hopefully will bless the churches that they serve. Some of them, however, will not find it easy and may even think about giving up ministry altogether.

I offer these eight short points to anyone just starting out in ministry, not because I have perfected the art of being a pastor, but because I wish someone had helped me when I began to serve God by ministering to His people.

1.       Manage your time.         You will be constantly interrupted in the things you want to do for the church by people, events, and circumstances beyond your control. Setting up a rough timetable for the week, perhaps on a Sunday evening or a Monday morning, is a good place to start. It’s also a very good idea to work out an hourly timetable for each day. When I enter my office on workdays, I make a rough draft of what I hope to accomplish over the next 6-8 hours on an hourly basis.

2.       Internalize less!               This is absolutely crucial to surviving ministry. Not every criticism or push back against your ideas is personal, but they will be if you cradle them internally. It took me years to learn this. I would have prevented a lot of heartache, emotional turmoil, and stress if I had taken criticism as suggestive and not combative. As pastors, we tend to think that God gives us the unique visionary gift that our churches need. This is not the case. God works through all of His people. Just because someone voices a different opinion does not mean to say that they are castigating you as ineffective or unimportant. Learn to be a team player and actually encourage others to make suggestions – it's far more productive and emotionally refreshing.

3.       Nurture the people.       The people of the church are the flock that you are called to care for. You serve God best by helping His people and getting to know their names. People support pastors who actually care about them. Take time to talk with folks before and after worship on Sundays. Be there to reassure them during times of crisis and illness. Celebrate their successes and joyful moments. For introverted pastors, this can be very difficult, but know this: it’s absolutely essential. The people are your business – let them know that you truly care. If you have a church breakfast, dinner, or picnic, then work the tables and go round each small group or family. Avoid sitting by the wayside or being on your own – it makes folks mistakenly think that you're distant, aloof, and uncaring.

4.       Improve things.                                When I was a young tenderfoot pastor, I thought that a large part of my work was to change things. I had learned a great deal of new ways of worshipping, study, and practicing ministry in seminary that I was determined to use in order to re-shape the congregation into my own satellite seminary. This was totally wrong. The congregation had its own culture, traditions, and ministries that had been in existence for several generations. I learned very soon that I had to honor that history and culture in order to be accepted.

I now believe that pastors are not called to change things; instead, we're called to improve things. This may involve making improvements to the physical structure, as well as the spiritual soul of the congregation. It takes time, determination, and strength to do this, but in the end the goal of every pastor should be to leave the church in a much better condition, than when we first were called to it.

5.       Sabbath Taking is a Must!            Always take a day off each week! For years I neglected to do this, vainly thinking that I was required to be at the church 24/7/365. My health deteriorated; my relationship with my family was almost wrecked; and my effectiveness gradually diminished. In other words, I learned the hard way of how not to be an effective pastor because I felt guilty or undeserving of taking a day off. Nowadays, I take Tuesdays off and everyone in the congregation knows it. I may read, relax, go fishing, do drawings, or absolutely nothing at all. It is a wonderful gift of a weekly Sabbath.

      By the way, taking Saturdays off doesn't count as a day off. Mostly everyone else has a Saturday and even a Sunday off from work, so don’t delude yourself into thinking that a Saturday is your day off to be with family. Also, I take Tuesdays off because Mondays don’t work for me. There’s always some carry over from Sunday that needs to be dealt with on Monday. Waiting until Tuesday puts me in a better frame of mind to actually rest and be thankful!

6.       Teach!                  You spent a lot of years at Seminary learning about theology, ecclesiastical history, and the Bible. You are a great resource for the people of the church to learn about the Christian faith. If you have time on Sunday mornings, teach a Sunday school class – it will keep you on your toes and may even provide a last minute example or illustration for your sermon! Use different seasons on the Church Calendar to set up a short series of midweek or even online classes – Lent and Advent are great opportunities to do this. Teach a small group at the church or in a coffee house using scripture or a new book worth studying. Preaching a series on Sundays is a great vehicle for expressing your beliefs, but teaching in a classroom actually provides you with important feedback, faith-sharing moments, and even fellowship.

7.       Read!                    One of the luxuries that we have as pastors is that our folks expect us and allow us to do a lot of reading. This is essential to our well-being, as well as our leadership potential. Christian Books, e-books, blogs, online newsletters and magazines are more available to us now than at any other time in the history of ministry. We have a greater opportunity of widening our experiences and knowledge than pastors in previous generations. Enjoy this great gift and remember, if you want to effectively lead, you need to constantly read!

8.       You are called by God.                  Never, ever forget this greatest of all gifts in your life. God has called you to ministry because He knows your potential and has a purpose for you to fulfill. Every pastor that I have ever known has gone through times of crisis, despair, and doubt. It's very easy to self-denigrate your own ministry, especially when times are tough economically or denominationally. It is essential to remember each day that the greatest Being in all of the universe has called you to do His work, be part of His Son’s ministry, and fulfill the Great Commission. You are not just a child of God’s grace, which is a beautiful thing in itself, you are also a chosen, called servant, which is a wonderful thing to know. Circumstances and people, crises and problems may cause you to question your work as a pastor, preacher, teacher, and minister. But in all of these things, know this for certain, you are called by God and He has not made a mistake!

I hope that these personal thoughts and short points may help you on your new journey. If I can help you or pray for you as a fellow pastor at any time, please don’t hesitate to send me an email at traqair@aol.com.

God bless you for accepting His call. May God grant you the desire of your heart and fulfillment of your plans.

John Stuart

Erin Presbyterian Church,

Knoxville, TN 37932

USA.