Sabbath Psalms - Begin Again

Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a pure heart, O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me”

I struggle with my faith versus my thoughts. There are things I believe in my heart about God, but I also have doubts in my mind. For instance, I believe that God is infinitely powerful and just, but doubts arise when I see so much violence and injustice in the world. I believe that I am saved by Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, but then I doubt His influence over the Church when I see Christians aggressively hating people who oppose them. I believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, but then I doubt its transformative power into making us better human beings when I hear preachers ranting and raving about crushing or killing their political enemies. 

I am also aware that I am, like David who originally wrote Psalm 51, a sinful man who has made bad choices at times that have hurt other people, especially those whom I say that I love. My selfish thoughts and devious desires damage my faith. I am what John Newton once called himself – a wretch. In other words, I am a great sinner in need of an even greater savior. 

If we honestly read Psalm 51, we will be afflicted by the Holy Spirit and made self-aware of our foolish choices and sinful deeds. David doesn’t hold back anything from God because he understands that God knows everything about him – every false choice, every greedy decision, every little secret. He comes before God as a broken man who knows he has done something gravely wrong, but even with all that staggering burden of guilt, shame, and worthlessness, David still holds on to the fact that God can clean him of every sin, renew his unclean heart, and restore him to God’s love forever.

David’s story is our story, too. And we have even more besides: we have Jesus as our Savior who cast Himself on the Cross at Calvary in order to remove our blemished burdens and despicable deeds. Christ gave us His life so that we may live with God as forgiven, redeemed, and restored children of God’s grace forevermore. In other words, with Christ, we can begin again.

Point to ponder: What have I done that has offended God and damaged others? How can Christ cleanse and restore me?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know everything about us, so we cannot hide any sin from You. Help us to humbly approach Your throne of mercy and grace, so we may ask You for forgiveness and restoration. We know that we do not deserve this, but we hold on to the fact that You have the power to do this. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

 

Short devotion: Sometimes - Acts 20v32

 

Sometimes

Some days, I feel so imperfect, inefficient, and inadequate that I question whether or not God will both accept and forgive me. I’ve made many mistakes throughout my life and sometimes I shudder when I think about the scrapes I got into during my teenage and drunken years. How I managed to survive them is incredulous to me. If it weren’t for God’s grace, I wouldn’t be here now, writing a devotional, trying to connect with other folks who have gone through similar things.

When I start the day with a ‘downer,’ at some point God interrupts my self-pity and usually highlights a Bible verse which I can both ponder and rely upon. This morning was no different: God provided the verse and made me realize that His mercy and grace still abound. Here’s the verse I was given:

Acts 20:32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

Just what I needed to read, embrace, and apply. God’s grace is not just for forgiving me, it is meant to help me grow in faith, with hope, and always through His love. It’s perfect for me today, so I hope that it will be very good for you, too. 😊

Prayer; Lord God, You love us completely and Your gracious heart beats throughout our lives. Thank You for Your mercy and grace, as well as Your patience and care. In Christ’s Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.

www.erinpres.org.

Love Wins - 1 Peter 4:8

1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (NIV)

This is one of my favorite verses in the New Testament. Being a dour Scottish Calvinistic Presbyterian, I often feel that my depravity, according to both Calvin & John Knox, contaminates my faith and deeply separates me from God. Even though I’m a pastor, I feel miserable about my sins and regret many past mistakes. If it wasn’t for Christ’s love and God’s grace, I doubt that I’d ever feel good about myself, but thankfully, the power of love has the ability to overcome my misery and restore me to God’s favor. Or as the Apostle Peter simply put it: love covers over a multitude of sins.

Perhaps you’re feeling bad about your past or weighed down by a mistake you’ve made. Maybe you feel disconnected to God and not good enough for His love. Please don’t despair – God’s love is the greatest power in the entire universe. You can be loved by God; you will be forgiven and you definitely can start over again. How? – because love covers over a multitude of sins – even those that you have committed.

Application: Forget the past, live in this moment of God’s grace and receive Christ’s love every day for the rest of your life. 😊

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the greatest gift in all of our lives – the love of God that You purchased for us on the Cross. Help us this day to share this amazing love with all whom we meet. In Your Holy Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s psalm drawings based on Psalm 73. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Psalm 73.

August 19 devotion - Grace: Home & Abroad

Romans 11:5-6           So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

            Recently, we celebrated Rally Day in our wee church. It’s a special Sunday because it officially kicks off the new Church year with regard to discipleship. A lot of good people put in a lot of time and work to make the whole venture successful. Breakfast and buttons, classrooms and coffees were all prepared for this annual occasion.

            God is so gracious to us! Many families and members turned out, not just to enjoy breakfast, but to also get actively involved in discipleship. It was wonderful to see people of all ages make an initial commitment of their time to learn more about God, to share their spiritual experiences, and to make strong connections with their peers. At Erin, we all want to grow in hope, faith, and love. God has graciously made all of this possible, so we are truly thankful to Him for allowing us such a blessing.

            Grace is a wonderful gift in any church, congregation, or community. Later on, during the worship service, we were reminded of the hostility and violence that our brothers and sisters are currently experiencing around the world. Churches are being burned and Christians are being severely challenged. Compared to what other followers of Christ are presently enduring, we are so blessed with peace, fellowship, and love. The challenge that we now have today is this: how can we prayerfully support and care for persecuted Christians around the world? What can we do, in the midst of our blessings, to ease their distress and rebuild their faith communities?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, help us to remain committed to growing more in faith so that we can support those whose faith is being attacked. Keep us focused on strengthening our congregation and churches, so that we may support, send aid, and stand with other Christians around the world who are facing real persecution in their lives. 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 devotion, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is from one of my collectible card drawings called “Cat’s Eye Moon.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/9420111961_5c2249a355_b.jpg

Church devotion: An Interesting Word - Luke 17:3-4

Luke 17:3b-4            "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him."

            ‘Rebuke’ is an interesting word. In English, it originally meant to force back or repress something by pushing against it. In Greek, it meant to overload something with so much honor that any badness, corruption, or sinfulness would be thoroughly depleted, so that only goodness would remain. These days, we equate the word ‘rebuke’ as something negative, judgmental, or offensive, simply because we do not like to be criticized, questioned, or confronted about our personal choices, decisions, and deeds.

            In the New Testament, the purpose of a rebuke was to make someone aware of the negative consequences of a personal act or selfish misdeed. The rebuke was meant to stop individuals from doing something sinful or foolish, in order to bring them back to their senses, turnaround their lives, and set them back on the right direction. It wasn't a judgment to make them feel bad; it was a cautionary word to help them be restored to something good.

            This is how forgiveness and grace actually work. People may turn away from self-destructive and detrimental choices because they sincerely seek the peace and wholeness that being forgiven offers. This is what makes repentance a key process in spiritually reforming and transforming people. The hope of being reconciled and restored to God’s favor, blessing, and love can be a major and positive impact in healing people of their past, in order to help them lead better and productive future lives. So, if we properly understand what Jesus once taught in today’s passage, we would see that a rebuke can bring about a healthy realization in a person, which in turn leads to a sincere repentance, to be followed up with real forgiveness, in order to bring about an absolute restoration with God and others. It’s a beautiful way of transforming our lives; it’s what makes grace so amazing.

Questions for reflection

Have I ever been rebuked? If so, how did I respond? Am I willing to forgive someone who repents? Am I committed to restoring hope through the healing of God’s grace?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, You are the Author of our hope and salvation. Sometimes Your words challenge, confront, and even rebuke us in ways that make us aware of our faults, foolishness, and failings. Help us to understand that You overload us with Your honor not to make us feel bad, miserable, or fearful, but instead You use it to cleanse us from our sins and fully reconnect us to our loving, forgiving, and everlasting God. In Your Holy Name, we humbly and cheerfully 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 stained glass type designs. It’s called ‘Spirit of the Dogwoods.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Dogwoods.

Online Devotion: Grace - Home and Abroad - Romans 11:5-6

Romans 11:5-6           So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

            Yesterday, we celebrated Rally Day in our wee church. It’s a special Sunday because it officially kicks off the new Church year with regard to discipleship. A lot of good people put in a lot of time and work to make the whole venture successful. Breakfast and buttons, classrooms and coffees were all prepared for this annual occasion.

            God is so gracious to us! Many families and members turned out, not just to enjoy breakfast, but to also get actively involved in discipleship. It was wonderful see people of all ages make an initial commitment of their time to learn more about God, to share their spiritual experiences, and to make strong connections with their peers. At Erin, we all want to grow in hope, faith, and love. God has graciously made all of this possible, so we are truly thankful to Him for allowing us such a blessing.

            Grace is a wonderful gift in any church, congregation, or community. Later on, during the worship service, we were reminded of the hostility and violence that our Egyptian brothers and sisters are currently experiencing. Their churches are being burned and their Christian faith is being severely challenged. Compared to what they are presently enduring, we are so blessed with peace, fellowship, and love. The challenge that we now have today is this: how can we prayerfully support and care for the Coptic Christians in Egypt? What can we do, in the midst of our blessings, to ease their distress and rebuild their faith communities?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, help us to remain committed to growing more in faith, so that we can support those whose faith is being attacked. Keep us focused on strengthening our congregation and churches, so that we may support, send aid, and stand with other Christians around the world who are facing real persecution in their lives. 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 devotion, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is from one of my collectible card drawings called “Cat’s Eye Moon.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/9420111961_5c2249a355_b.jpg