Church devotion - A Clear Conscience? - 1 Corinthians 4:4

1 Corinthians 4:4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. (NIV)

            I find today’s highlighted verse to be very insightful, especially when I try to justify things I have done, which are questionable. I convince myself that what I’m thinking or doing is right, so, therefore, God will understand, accept, and perhaps even bless my choice. The trouble with that kind of thinking is this: I’m trying to create God in my own image instead of His.

            When Paul wrote ‘my conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent,’ he was leaving himself vulnerable from attack by his opponents. They would use it to indicate that the great apostle Paul had sinful flaws and was not perfect. They could point their fingers at him and condemn his ministry because of his personal confession. Paul may have convinced himself and other folks that his deeds were right, but in the end, God would judge him for being a sinner, not a saint.

            In our society, we all come across Christians who never seem to question their motives, choices, or deeds. As long as their conscience is clear, they can keep on doing what they want, how they want, and to whomever they want. They equate a clear conscience with approval from God, rather than seeing the truth and understanding that they are sadly and sinfully deluding themselves. As Paul clearly suggests, it doesn’t matter what we think about ourselves, only God can judge if we are truly innocent. And no matter how much salve or cover we place over our consciences, God knows our motives completely and it is those unhidden parts of our minds, hearts, and consciences which will be judged, no matter who we are, what we’ve accomplished, or how we are perceived by other people.

Point to ponder

Do I use my faith to justify my bad behavior? If I were God, what would I judge me for?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are sinful creatures with shameful secrets and hidden deceits. We convince ourselves that our behavior is acceptable and our consciences are clear. Forgive us for being deluded by our own vanity and enticed by our own charms. Remind us of our failings, help us to confess our sins, and enable us to change our ways. 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 send some feedback on today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s worship drawings based on Psalm 139. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Psalm 139.

A Wonderful Gift - Matthew 20:34

Matthew 20:34           Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed Him. (NIV)

            I love reading about the healing miracles of Jesus. What usually affects me is not what He does, but why He does it. In this passage, (Matthew 20:29-34) two blind men cry out to Jesus for mercy and healing. He hears their request and He restores their sight. Why? Because He had compassion on them.

            Compassion is a wonderful gift that Jesus has given to His followers and church. Compassion means that we align ourselves with those who are suffering and seek ways to relieve their pain, illness, or circumstances. The major role of the Church is to be a compassionate reconciler and healer to the world. Compassion is a major hallmark of our Christian faith – if we ever lose that, we will no longer be the Church in God’s world.

            Jesus could have walked by the two blind men and carried on with His mission. Instead, He listened to their plea for help and as He did, His heart melted with compassion. At that moment in time, He had the power to remedy their blindness, so He stopped what He was doing and healed them of all that was harming and debilitating them. They were powerless to do anything but cry out; He was powerful enough to help and cure them.  As Christians, we are called to do the same – to be heart-led followers of Christ and not heartless folks in our community.

Point to ponder

What is compassion and how do I show it to others?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we call You ‘Lord,’ because we seek to serve You. We are meant to emulate Your ways and share Your compassion to the world. Help us to empower the powerless and to support the weak. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest church bulletin drawings for Epiphany 6A. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Ep6A.

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

Love and Perseverance - 2 Thessalonians 3:5

2 Thessalonians 3:5   May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. (NIV)

            I like today’s chosen verse because it is full of encouragement. All of us want to experience God’s love in our hearts and feel the assurance of His compassion. We all need to know that we are not alone in this world and that God loves each of us fully. This is a wonderful gift of grace and something that we can faithfully rely upon.

            But there’s also a bonus in this verse: Christ adds His perseverance to that beautiful love of God. This means that no matter what we anticipate, experience, or endure, Jesus will be right there with us, every step of the way. In colloquial terms, it could be said that Christ has our back and is constantly watching over us. God’s love make us feel secure and strong; Christ’s perseverance enables us to face our problems, issues, and troubles, in order to resolve and overcome them.

            Perhaps this has been a bad week, or a terrible month, or even a painful year for you. You may currently feel isolated and vulnerable, anxious or depressed. Whatever you are going through, please know this: God loves you and Christ walks beside you. You are not unloved or alone.

Questions for personal reflection

What problems am I facing today? How can God’s love and Christ’s perseverance help me?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we know that You are always with us and that God’s love sustains us. Persevere with us in the midst of our troubles and graciously enable us to overcome our problems. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to contact him, please send John an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Christ is King Sunday drawings. If you would like to see a larger version, please click this link: King.

Devotional: A Winter's Tale - Mark 4:21

Mark 4:21       Jesus said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?”

            Many years ago, when I was in 5^th grade, I almost foolishly set fire to my home. It was during a cold winter’s night when there was an unexpected power cut in our street. I think I was doing my homework at the time, so I asked for a candle from my parents and took it into my bedroom. Everything went well until I dropped my pencil and it fell below my bed. Without thinking, I took the candle on the plate and put it under the mattress to see where my pencil had fallen.

            Whoosh! Flames spread out below the bed and across the dust on the carpet beneath. I quickly grabbed the candle away and managed to douse the flames. Another couple of seconds and the whole bed would have been ablaze, possibly catching fire to the wallpaper and around the room. Fortunately, there was very little damage and my parents or siblings never knew what had taken place.

            Reading today’s passage (Mark 4:21-29) always makes me think of my stupidity. Putting a candle under the bed illuminates nothing but can inflame everything. Jesus was, of course, talking about how the kingdom of God should be displayed throughout our lives. Our faith is not something that we are meant to keep to ourselves; we are supposed to proclaim our Christianity through our words and deeds, so that others may see Christ’s work in the world and be attracted to Him through our positive witness.

            At some point this week, we will all be given special opportunities to show our faith. As Christians, we are encouraged to share who Christ is with our families and friends, our fellow workers and neighbors. It’s never easy to do and sometimes we would like to hide our faith, but perhaps we should remember this: someone else shared their faith with us, so shouldn't we be doing the same?

Questions for personal reflection

Where am I currently most challenged to share my faith? Am I willing to let Christ’s light shine through me?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, help us to actively and positively share our faith with someone else today. Keep us focused on Your ministry and mission. Enable and encourage us to support Your Church as it spreads Your Kingdom throughout the world. 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 messages, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Advent drawings. It’s called “A Christmas Wreath.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Wreath.

Christian devotional: Real Faith - Matthew 9:29-30a

Matthew 9:29-30a   Then Jesus touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored.

            Faith is a very rare commodity these days. I’m not talking about a religious notion, or a spiritual feeling, or even a mystical experience. I’m talking about real solid faith in Jesus. I've been a pastor for almost thirty years and during that time I've seen many people mistakenly think that what they believe in is faith. What they actually hold on to is wishful thinking, just like in the old Peter Pan stories, where if you think good thoughts and add some pixie dust, you can really fly.

            Faith isn't a feeling, nor is it a daydream. Faith in Jesus actually requires focus, commitment, service, and humility. Because people are so one dimensional in their thinking, they naively believe that just thinking good thoughts about Jesus is all that is required. They delude themselves into the notion that being nice is what counts, and they wrongly equate that with being faithful.

            Faith is much more than a spiritual trivial pursuit; it is the life quest that we are all given from the moment we are born to the day that we die. We have one opportunity to get it right, to be found by God through faith in Jesus. If we set Him aside or falsely think that everything we do is blessed, approved, and condoned by Christ, then we’re tragically and eternally fooling ourselves.

            Faith, real faith, is not just something that we live for, it’s also a divine gift that we die with. If we go to meet our Savior without following, worshipping, or serving Him, then we won’t find Him at all. The Gospels give us all of the material, resources, and clues that we need about what real faith looks like; if we think that we can make it up for ourselves and wing it through life, then we’ll end up on the wrong side of glory. Faith requires commitment, but commitment is so inconvenient at times.

            So, let’s all truly, sincerely, and honestly ask ourselves this today: to whom am I being faithful? To Christ or myself, to His teachings or my own ideas? We cannot hide the truth from ourselves, and we certainly cannot fool Jesus either.

Questions for personal reflection

Am I faithful to Christ or am I just living a lie? Am I committed to His Church or am I just committed to myself?

Prayer:          Lord Jesus, we all want to have real faith in You. We really want to be Your followers and servants, disciples and messengers. Forgive us for playing at religion, or for feigning spirituality. Challenge our choices when they conflict with Your guidance. Change our lives when we contradict Your Word. 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 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 artworks. It’s called ‘Chalice,’ and it was made using paper sculpting and crayons. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Chalice.

Gospel Devotion: This Is Love - 1 John 4:10

1 John 4:10    This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

            I like to read what the Apostle John has written about faith. Whether it comes from his Gospel writing, his letters, or even the Book of Revelation, John had the gift of writing something succinctly and directly. He was usually not confrontational like Paul; he just wanted people to receive Christ’s message through the power of love.

            His description of love in today’s verse shows us what God did to prove that He truly loved us: God sacrificed His own Son to atone for our sins. Think about it: the Creator of the Universe gave up what was the most precious thing to Him – His own Son – in order to rescue the vilest sinners in the Universe – human beings. I cannot fully fathom why God would do such an awful thing to save us; it just doesn’t make sense. Instead of sacrificing Jesus, God could have destroyed everything that He made, and then have started again, making sure that sin never came into the equation at all. That would have been the easy way out, but God has never been One for taking things easy.

            The hardest thing that God could do in order to save us and restore creation, was to sacrifice His loving, precious, and dearest Son. Only a God who was loving and just could have done that; a capricious demiurge would have backed away from such a terrible sacrifice. True love is not just about embracing, accepting, and encouraging – true love always includes sacrifice, selflessness, and surrender. For love of us, God surrendered His Son to our demented depravity in order to deliver us from ourselves, our sins, and our deaths. For love of His Father, Jesus gave up His life to ensure our salvation, to overcome evil, and to honor God. It sounds crazy to us, but there is a deeper love involved here than we could ever imagine, know, or experience for ourselves.

            As John wrote long ago: This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

What more could God ever do to show that He loves us completely?

Prayer:                        Lord God, we can never fathom the depths of Your amazing and almighty love. To sacrifice Your sinless Son for despicable sinners like us is incomprehensible for us to fully understand. All that we can simply do is gratefully and humbly accept Your remarkable grace and unequalled love. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to make a comment or ask questions about today’s devotion, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is John’s latest drawing called “Surfing Style.” To view a larger version, click on the following link: https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3670/14082073517_ceeae46cc7_b.jpg

Daily devotion: Unholy Vows - Acts 23:14

Acts 23:14      They went to the chief priests and elders and said, "We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. 

Men do stupid things, especially when religious fanaticism is involved. A lot of the unrest that we know in the world today is caused by males who swear oaths and wreak havoc all over the planet. Wicked and evil acts are justified because they are undertaken in God’s Name. Inhumanity and fanaticism are called holiness and faithfulness, whereas in reality they are religious excuses for creating horror and fear. Those who teach young people to grow up hating and call it ‘being faithful’ are the biggest blasphemers in the world today. Jesus would not participate in anything remotely connected to spiteful religion. He called upon and challenged His followers to do the exact opposite. “Love your enemies,” is what He specifically taught.

I wonder what happened to those forty men, mentioned in Acts 23, who religiously vowed not to eat until they had killed Paul. When he escaped their plot, did they all die of hunger two months later? Did their anger and bitterness against Paul continue to relentlessly feed their fanaticism? Somehow I suspect that most of them slunk away in humiliation and cried into their first bowl of soup. There’s a good old-fashioned Scottish word for people like that: eejits.

            We all have one life to live on a small solitary life-filled planet. Self-righteous religion is something that the world needs to address and be rid of by the end of this century. As Christians, if we listen more to Christ and apply His ways, we might yet convince the world that His peaceable Kingdom can actually be fulfilled on Earth. Perhaps if we stopped fighting one another, we might even begin to see this in the Church first, and then in the rest of the world.

Questions for personal reflection

Where is religious fanaticism destroying people’s lives in the world today? How can we oppose this effectively and peacefully?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we have all failed to live by Your teachings. We are sorry for our part in making the world a bitter place. Help us to look deep inside of ourselves and see where we are feeding hostility, resentment, and discord in our lives. Teach us to be truly faithful instead of being religiously right. 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 on today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s drawings called ‘Face to Face.’ It’s made up of the skin colors of people all over the world and the faces merge into one another signifying dialogue, intimacy, and peace. It was used earlier this year as a logo for a national conference in the Philippines dealing with tolerance. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2267/2503232332_7491c708d1_b.jpg

Christian Halftime devotions: I AM - Isaiah 45:5-6

Today’s Bible readings are Isaiah 45:1-7 and Matthew 23:1-12

Isaiah 45:5-6  I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. 

How clear does God have to be? What more does He have to say that will convince the world that He is God alone? How long will we go on thinking to ourselves that this does not matter?

The scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, are consistently clear about God’s exclusiveness. If we believe otherwise, then from where did we garner that belief? Certainly not the scriptures.

Maybe we have to seriously think about our world view and personal philosophies again. Maybe we’ve got it wrong and God, as always, has it right.

Prayer:                        Lord God, You are almighty, unique, and exceptional. There are no other gods. Give us the courage to surrender our hearts and minds in faith to You alone, instead of giving in to the ways of the world. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is John’s latest winter drawing of the beautiful Northern Lights. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6773836733_67954361dc_b.jpg

New Year Devotions: Holy Harmony - 2 Corinthians 6 v 15

2 Corinthians 6:15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

I’m struggling right now with my thoughts about other religions. I know that religion has been the source of major wars and disharmony throughout the world for thousands of years. I understand the need to get along and be good neighbors. I yearn for world peace, coexistence, and harmony, but I’m also a Christian first and foremost, so the question that I’m asking myself is this: did Jesus preach a message of peace at all costs or did He actually begin the Last Battle between humankind and God, which will end up with His Victory over all?

Decades ago, in my youthful arrogance, everything seemed to be perfectly clear: it was Christ’s way with everything or no way at all. Throughout the years, the world has changed and so have I. My sinfulness over the years has made me realize how much I depend upon Christ’s grace, but is that grace limited to those who believe, or is it freely given to all religious and non-religious people?

I keep returning to the focused faith of the First Christians. They were willing to die for Christ. Were they being truly faithful or just fanatical? Were their beliefs foundational and immovable? Did they die because they were stubborn and anti-establishment, or were they martyred because they couldn’t and wouldn’t compromise Christ?

In my heart, I know the answer: there is no harmony between belief and unbelief. Christ is the only way to salvation.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, sometimes we feel lost and disconnected to God. We want the world to be a beautiful, loving, and peaceful place. We want our planet to be totally united and focused on the welfare of humanity. But sometimes there is no peace and there will be no harmony because we cannot compromise our Christian beliefs. Help us to do what we can for the common good of our brothers and sisters in the world, but never at the cost of losing our faith in You. 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 on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s picture is taken from John’s Scottish Art series. It depicts Iona Abbey in Scotland at night, just after the Fall harvest. You can find a larger image of it at the following link: Scottish Art Series

Daily Devotions: Abundant Life

It’s a question that we all ask at sometime in our lives: “How can I beat death and obtain everlasting life?”

When I was eighteen, I overdosed on tranquilizers and almost died. I was saved by three friends, to whom I will ever be indebted. I spent three days in hospital to get my stomach cleaned out and to check if my organs were still working. What I didn’t realize through my act of stupidity was that I could have permanently damaged my kidneys and other vital organs, which would have meant that I would have unavoidably died days later. Thankfully, and providentially, that did not happen. My life had been spared by the quick action of my friends.

Podcast version here

Through being so close to death, it made me think about Life. I was unsaved at the time, so if I had died, I would have been separated from God forever. I did not know that at the time because I held a kindergarten belief of God in my heart. But when I turned to the scriptures to learn more about God, He startled me with the forthright views of Christ.


Bible Verse of the Day


Mark 10:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"



I no longer dabble with death or take my life for granted. It’s given me a different perspective from most people. Life is something to be cherished, but it is also a gift of God that shouldn’t be squandered. The purpose of life is to give it back to God. Everything that we accomplish, all of our achievements, and every resource that we own, are nothing compared to the riches of God’s grace and His everlasting love. That’s why Jesus asks the young man to give up his wealth and esteem – for when he is old and dying, he is going to have to give them up anyway.

Health and wealth won’t last forever, but faith and love do. If we want life, real, abundant, and everlasting life then we need to surrender ourselves to God through Jesus Christ. There just isn’t any other way.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, each day You challenge us to give up our lives and place them in Your hands. In other words, You’re asking us to have faith in You by surrendering ourselves to Your Church and Kingdom. Help us to do this willingly and to at last realize that our lives are gifts from God, which we must eventually give back to Him. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.