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.

Encouraging Words - Cheeky Sparrows - Matthew 10:29

Matthew 10:29           Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. (NIV)

            One of the simplest delights that I had during my childhood days in Scotland, was the feeding of sparrows in my backyard. It didn’t matter what time of year it was, or what kind of stale bread I threw to the birds, flocks of cheeky little sparrows would descend upon the morsels. I loved to watch them hop and bounce around the bread, as well as seeing them play tug-of-war with a large crust. In the saddest of times and gloomiest of days, they always cheered my heart.

            I like what Jesus had to say about sparrows. I think He must have enjoyed watching them, too. Those little playful birds were observed by God, Who even knew if one of them fell to the ground. This reveals to me both the compassion and pleasure that God has for His Creation and the creatures within it. And, as Jesus stated long ago, if God cares so much about common sparrows, how much more does He care about us?

            Perhaps you are going through a bad time, feel really stressed out, or are deeply disappointed. Maybe you’re anxious about the future, worried about someone else, or concerned about present difficulties. Please know this: God is watching over you and cares so much for you. Be assured of His presence in your life; know that He has your best interest in His heart.

Point to ponder

What burdens am I carrying today? Am I willing to let God carry me with them?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You said that we are worth so much more than sparrows. You constantly told Your people of God’s real and amazing love. In the midst of our setbacks and problems, enable us to be embraced, supported, and upheld by God. In Your Holy Name, we gladly pray. Amen.

Today’s image is one of John’s bird drawings of a Chickadee. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Chickadee.

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

Bible devotion - Faith Under Fire - 2 Corinthians 6:2b

2 Corinthians 6:2b     I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

            I have always admired the Apostle Paul, not just because of his wonderful epistles, but because of the hardships and struggles he underwent and endured. Whenever I hear a fellow pastor or someone else disparaging Paul because of something he wrote that they don’t agree with, I tend to ask whether or not that person has ever experienced anything similar to Paul.  It’s easy to be armchair theologians and cozy cloistered critics; it’s an entirely different thing to be constantly harangued, unfairly attacked, and frequently abused for what Paul ardently believed.

            Take today’s partial verse, for instance:

‘I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.’

On the surface, this appears to be a wonderful scriptural promise, connected to God’s love, favor, and blessing. It reads like an amazing gift of God’s goodness and a surplus of God’s generous grace, but Paul follows up on this verse with a staggering list of hardships, drawbacks, and attacks that he personally experienced and endured. Paul was conveying to his letter readers this one hard-to-accept fact: having faith in Christ is a beautiful gift, but it can also cause us a lot of pain, difficulty, and suffering. Truthfully, for faith to be really effective, it needs to be tried and tested in serious situations and unhappy circumstances. Fair-weather faith has no lasting value; however, faith under fire has the ability to grow, deepen, and mature.

For the Apostle Paul, God’s favor was found in a fearless faith, and the day of salvation could even be experienced in times of turmoil and trouble. Perhaps the questions we should be asking ourselves are these:            Is my faith actually real? Has it been put through a crucible?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for allowing us to believe in You. Deepen our faith, so that we may remain loyal to You, especially in times of hardship, suffering, and trial. 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 bulletin covers, based on Psalm 30. If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Psalm 30.

Gospel devotions: Couch Potato Christians - Philippians 4:13

Today’s podcast of this devotional can be heard at the following link: http://traffic.libsyn.com/stushie/Couch_Potato_Christians.mp3


Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

I’ve seen this verse on many car bumper stickers and heard it quoted by lots of Christians. It is used to encourage people to accomplish their dreams or overcome hurdles in their lives. It’s a good verse for doing that, but is this what Saint Paul had in mind when he wrote it in the first place?

It seems to me that this is about coping with good or bad circumstances and being content with our lot. When Paul used it, he stated that he had been through good times and bad times. No matter what he experienced or endured, he was content. He saw his time on earth as a gift of God’s grace and used his days to promote Christ’s gospel. Everything else was peripheral to his faith; anything else was trivial to his beliefs.

I’ve heard some people disparage Paul’s writings and brand him as a zealous fanatic who was narrow minded, intolerant, and blinkered. When I hear this, I often wonder what hardships the Christian complainer has undergone, or if it’s just couch-potato theology. Whatever the case, I am reminded that Paul’s faith was active and real, confrontational and challenging. When he wrote about “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength,” he wasn’t talking about wealth, success or accomplishments; what he was actually stating was: “everything I do for Christ’s kingdom, I do it in the strength of the Lord.”

That puts a whole new spin on what that verse is about. That challenges us to think of our lives in terms of God’s mission through Christ, and not on our own accomplishments, successes, and dreams.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep us from getting caught up in our own vanity and our own prosperity. Remind us of Paul’s successes through his sacrifices and experiences. Help us to remodel and refocus our lives on Your ministry and mission for the world. In Your Holy Name, we pray.

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.