August 16 devotion - The War

Revelation 12:7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. (NIV)

I think we all have this image of Heaven as a place of love, harmony, and peace. We picture beautiful landscapes and wonderful buildings, streets paved with gold, and angels on every corner. We look forward to being there eternally with Jesus, to look upon His face, to hear His voice, and listen to His stories. We create these wonderful pictures of Heaven in our minds because we want it to be a perfect paradise, where all our hopes are fulfilled and our fears are set aside. We want it to be a place like no other where we can joyfully spend the rest of Eternity with our Creator, Savior, and loved ones.

And then, when we are reading the Book of Revelation, we come across today’s verse, so we wonder if our images are naïve and largely unreal. How could there be a war in heaven? How could the most beautiful and peaceful place in existence be plagued with division and violence, separation and conflict? Surely there must be something wrong here. We can sadly see all those things going on in our sinful world, but Heaven? How could Heaven be penetrated by war?

According to the scriptures, Satan tried to overthrow God and ruin both Heaven and Earth. A third of the angels in Heaven was on his side, so Satan almost conquered the invincible God. The greatest angel of them all, Michael, fought against Satan and prevailed, hurling the devil and his demonic cohorts to Earth, where the war continues, which is why our world is so full of violence, hatred, racism, and injustice. Satan wants to spoil the Earth because God loves it. He wants to separate us from one another because Christ redeems us. He wants to destroy humanity, the environment, and this beautiful planet simply because the Holy Spirit sustains Christ’s Church here.

Like the worm He is, Satan will do everything to contaminate our congregations, communities, politics, and nations in order to divide and conquer us because Satan is full of embittered grudges and seeks vengeance for his downfall by creating havoc among us, especially with regard to what is good and true. If the devil can make us question, twist, or reject the Truth, then we will become his pawns which will harm our present days and cause us to forfeit our future. No wonder then that Jesus called Satan the ‘Father of lies.”

Perhaps you were expecting a different kind of devotional today. Maybe you were looking for something to comfort and sustain you, help and encourage you. I do write those kinds of devotionals, too, but today, I would be failing as a pastoral writer if I did not also write about the uncomfortable and inconvenient truth, or as the Apostle John reminds his readers at the end of today’s passage (Revelation 12:7-17): Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. (Revelation 12:17)

Point to ponder

Where do I see conflict and division in today’s world? Is this affecting my church and family? What does this tell me about its origin?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Prince of Peace and the Teacher of Truth. Help us to see that the things which separate and divide us may be part of the war that Satan still wages among us. Grant us the ability to discern what is actually and factually true, instead of blindly accepting what we want to be true. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s drawings for Lent called ‘Battle Beneath the Stars.’ If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Battle.

August 15 devotion - Three Important Things

Matthew 4:23           Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.

            Teaching, preaching, and healing – those were the three main strands of Christ’s ministry among His people. He taught them the Word of God in new and authoritative ways. He preached the Word of God by challenging their ideas and confronting their sins. And He practiced the Word of God by healing the people of their illnesses, anxieties, and distresses.

            Teaching, preaching, and healing – these should be the three major strands of Christ’s Church throughout the world. People still need to be taught the Word of God, otherwise, they make up their own set of beliefs to suit themselves. Folks need to be preached to, and at, in order to shake up their choices and lifestyles. And people still need to be healed because there is brokenness, suffering, and despair all over this planet.

            If we are truly taught the Word of God, we can become Christ’s followers. If we are fully receptive to the preaching of God’s Word, we will make good and honest choices. And if we allow ourselves to be healed of the past, as well as cured of our present woes and anxieties, we will discover a newer, brighter, and more blessed future with Jesus.

            Teaching, preaching, and healing – the continuous and effective ministries of Christ which we can still experience today, in any part of this planet, in any place where the Spirit of the Lord can be personally known – which is everywhere and by everyone.

Questions for personal reflection

What part of Christ’s teaching means the most to me? How has preaching increased my faith as a Christian? When and where has Jesus healed me?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, thank You for being the True Teacher, Preacher, and Healer of the world. Help us to rely upon Your words and ways each day. Grant us the grace to receive, retain, and apply God’s Word through Your teaching, preaching, and healing in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sundays at 11:00 AM - you will be made very welcome :)

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Lectionary art images. It’s based on a verse from Psalm 67. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Psalm 67.

August 13 devotion - A Planetary Plea

Revelation 11:6 They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. (NIV)

We have some amazing scientists in our congregation, who are world-renowned in their specialized research fields. They all teach at the University of Tennessee and are exceptionally knowledgeable about global issues and environmental matters. All of them are currently concerned about the common rejection of scientific data and research on climate change, industrial pollution, and environmental damage across our nation and around the world. They have years of experience in these major fields and planetary issues; their wisdom is something that could help halt the damage and restore our precious world. Sadly, time appears to be running out for human beings to effectively reverse these concerns. A continued insistence of ignoring the key facts and a foolish denial of adopting real solutions will deeply impact the world that our children and grandchildren exist in. Our pride and contempt will steal their future, causing our generation to be blamed for refusing to deal with our planetary problems.

In ancient times, people were ignorant of what caused water to look like blood (red tide) or how to deal with earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, and floods. They were unable to either flee these terrible events or control the spread of the disaster. The Book of Revelation has many instances of people being destroyed by the elements. All of them were depicted as moments of God’s wrath over sinful people. However, today we have more information and scientific knowledge about what causes these things, helping us to diminish and avoid their major impacts. God gives us the intelligence to deal with them, but even He cannot compel us to accept the truth or facts. Human foolishness and capricious ignorance endanger all of our lives. Just because we don’t like what the scientists are telling us or can’t accept their solutions, does not mean that we are right and they are wrong. If anything, the history of humanity teaches us that when we ignore the facts, we end up suffering from the consequences of our own stupidity and inaction.

When I look into my grandson’s eyes, I think about how much I love him and all that I hope for his future within my heart. Andrew will make his own decisions as he journeys through life, but some of those choices will be affected by what my generation think, believe, say, and do. I pray that I will hand over a planet to him that is worth living in, therefore, I will strive to defeat any ignorance, foolishness, or pride that may threaten his future environment and global existence.

Point to ponder

Do I accept or reject current scientific data on the environment? Why?

Prayer: Lord God, You are the Creator of the world and the Sustainer of our planet. You see all of the damage and pollution that we are foolishly inflicting upon this precious jewel. Forgive our stupidity and open our hearts and minds to all that needs to be done in order to restore our world. Enable us to be willing to make sacrifices, as well as investments, which will heal and restore our planet. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s Bible drawings based on a verse from Psalm 119. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Psalm119.

Verse for Today: Ephesians 6:18

Verse for Today

Ephesians 6:18            And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

            We all need prayer in our lives, especially during times of trouble or personal crisis. Prayer enables us to communicate to God what is actually worrying us. Whether we speak out loud or internalize our prayers, God listens to what we have to express. And sometimes, when things get too much, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us through our tears, so that our prayers and requests come directly before God. This is just another gift of Christ’s grace; this is a blessing of believing in Him.

            So today, feel confident that God knows what is going on in your life. Pray to Him for He hears you; and if you can, pray for other people, too, especially your loved ones and those good folks in your church.

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for the gift of prayer and for the blessings of Your grace. Hear our heartfelt requests, as well as our personal concerns. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you have any special prayer requests, please send John an email and he will pray for you. God bless. J

Daily Bible Verse

Verse for the Day

John 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. (NIV)

Whoever we are, wherever we are, and whatever we are, know this: Christ invites us to be embraced with His love.

Have a great day - feel free to share this. :)