Church Devotion: Trying to be a Christian

Acts 10:2         Cornelius and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.

I read somewhere this morning about a woman who was being questioned about her beliefs by a police officer. Each time she was asked “Of what religion are you?” she answered, “Trying to be a Christian.”

This frustrated the officer. “You must belong to a church, a denomination, a sect or a cult, so tell me, what is your religion?” Again the woman simply answered, “Trying to be a Christian.”

From what I have read about the centurion Cornelius in the Book of Acts, he was trying to be a Christian without even knowing of Christ. He was a devout person who believed in God, shared his beliefs with his loved ones, prayed to God on a regular basis, and gave regularly to those who had genuine needs. Isn’t that what we expect of Christians? Cornelius was trying to be as faithful to God as he possibly could, and this is why God gives him a special vision and draws him into the Christian faith.

Today, we will all have opportunities to witness to the effectiveness of Christ’s presence in our lives. We may be asked to pray for others in need; we may even be required to help them financially. The hope is that we will all try to be Christians in whatever situation, event, or issue that we face. It won’t always be easy, but it will always be the right thing to do.

Questions for personal reflection

How do I display my faith in Christ to other people? Dare I try to be a Christian in all things today?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus Christ, we say that we follow You with our lips, but we frequently fail You with our deeds. Help us this day to practice and display our devotion to You by trying to be real, genuine, and sincere Christians in our 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 comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is a collage of four of my 2013 Pentecost drawings. If you would like to see a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8124/8656938896_929e837c59_c.jpg

Christian Devotions: Sacred Secrets - Colossians 2

Colossians 2:2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ.

Paul is exactly right – Christ is the mystery of God. I recently heard someone say that a secret is a truth that is not fully known, but a mystery is a truth that cannot ever be fully known. This means that whoever Jesus truly is, only God will know the complete truth. There is something deeply personal and solemnly sacred between God the Father and God the Son, and even when we dwell with them in eternity, we shall never truly know the infinite depths of their love for one another.

For some people that may sound discouraging because they want to know everything about Christ, but the heart of the matter is this: we will only know of Jesus what God wants to reveal to us about Him. Because we are sinners, we are shown a great grace from God in being allowed to know Jesus from history and from our personal experiences. But that grace, amazing though it is, actually has limits, and there will be things about Christ that will remain eternally mysterious to even the best of His followers.

Does this mean that God is holding back and keeping something of Christ for Himself? The simple answer to that is: Yes. Being a loving parent allows you to treasure things, events, and experiences about your children that you cherish and keep close to your heart. I believe that God is the same: He loves Jesus proudly and personally, faithfully and fiercely, infinitely and mysteriously.

When Paul was writing to the Colossians about the church in Laodicea, he was encouraging them to cherish and remember their commitment to Christ. As young Christians, they wanted to know everything and they were thirsty for the word of God to change their lives. Somehow, they took a wrong turn and ended up following a false gospel spread by elite evangelists who claimed, with fine sounding sermons, that they knew sacred secrets about Christ. They wanted to manipulate the people by claiming to be the chosen mentors of the great mysteries of Christ, (much like some popular novelists exploit their naïve readers by suggesting that the Church has many secrets that only a privileged few know or understand). Paul was warning his own readers not to be captivated by these speakers or secrets; instead he urged them to remember their initial experience with the Spirit of Christ in their hearts when they had truly heard and accepted the Gospel.

So today, let’s reflect upon how we became Christians in the first place. And then let’s look forward to that cherished time in eternity when we will know Christ face to face.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have entered our hearts and claimed our souls for all of eternity. Your words have affected us deeply and Your teaching has changed our lives forever. We praise You for these blessings and we are truly thankful to Your Glorious Father who sent You into this world. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully 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 image is one John’s latest Smoky mountain prints called “Spring Falls.” If you would like to see a larger view of this drawing, please visit the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5129/5350070427_01e9f1b652_b.jpg



If you would like a signed and matted copy of the print, contact John by email. Only 25 are available and cost $20 plus shipping if necessary.

Christian Chameleons, Oh My!

Chameleons fascinate me. I am amazed by their ability to change their colors in order to blend into the background and remain hidden from both their enemies and prey. I think God must have had a lot of fun when He was making chameleons, and I bet you that they were the last animals to get off from Noah’s Ark because they couldn’t find them!

Podcast version here

They are ugly looking creatures, but they have a remarkable talent. I’ve only seen them at the zoo or on wildlife programs, but I would love to hold one in my hands to see if it would change color and match my clothes.

Verse of the Day: 1 Corinthians 9: 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.


When Paul writes about being all things to all men, I picture him as being a Christian chameleon, who could blend into every level of society. His ministry must have been wonderful to experience because he saw everyone as a child of God in need of salvation. In the Book of Acts, we come across many situations where Paul addresses the poor and the powerful, the weak and the strong, the redundant and the rich. He knows within himself that Christ’s message is for everyone, and not just a select few.

I think that the challenge for us as Christians today is to become spiritual chameleons. We have to seize every opportunity to convey Christ’s message, and relate it to the everyday lives of the people we know. I believe that there is nothing worse than a private, personal Christianity which feeds upon itself and never shares the good news. Too many people use their faith to isolate themselves from the world, instead of taking their beliefs into the marketplace.

When we read the Gospels and Paul’s letters, we realize that Christianity is God’s gift to the world. Our gift to Him occurs when we share Christ with others around us. Today, wherever we go, whatever we do, and whosever we meet, let’s try to be Christian chameleons, blending into all levels of society, bringing Christ’s good news and sharing His joy.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You want us to be messengers of Your word and conveyors of Your truth. Help us today to recognize the opportunities You give us for faith sharing, and to fully take them. Give us the ability to blend into every encounter Your love, Your ways, and Your grace. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Biblical Bunkum

We live in an age of biblical bunkum, where many people make up their own ideas about what Jesus said, and then claim that their own opinions supersede His. They don’t want to hear about judgment or sin, they just want to justify themselves and seek their own course through life. They ignore hell entirely and expect heaven completely. They live their lives accountable to no one, and expect God to turn a blind eye. Rather than having their names written in the Book of Life, they want to make their mark in the world, expecting to be rewarded for their renown. In other words, it’s not what Jesus has said that is important, it’s what they believe that He has said is important.

When I first started writing these devotions more than three years ago, I set out to help our church elders and staff find time to read the Bible and reflect upon God’s Word. I realized that we were all busy and under a great deal of pressure in our lives, so setting aside a few moments in the day to be at one with God was a special way of keeping connected to Him and to His people. After three and a half years, more people are using these devotions to share the word of God with their families and friends, their neighbors and co-workers. The Gospel is being preached across the internet and throughout the world in ways that even the apostle Paul could never have dreamed.

It is my fervent hope and prayer that your journey of faith is being enhanced and inspired through these weekday devotions. But I also pray that you share them with your email contacts, so that others around you may one day be greeted by God because they read the Gospel, received a lesson of faith, and applied it to their own lives, just as you do each day.

May God bless you all for being partners in this devotional ministry that stretches all around the world.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we thank You for the many wonderful ways that You are using the internet to spread Your Word, to touch the hearts and minds of millions of people throughout the world. Bless us as we share this devotional together and help us to use it as a way of outreach to those whom we love, to those whom we care for, and to those whom we worry about. May You bless them and us with the power of Your grace and Gospel. In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

P.S – could you send a comment to this blog and just write your first name and where you live? I’d love to share that with everyone.

Erin Church devotional : Speak the Faith

Audio version here

2 Corinthians 4:13 It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak. (NIV)

It was Billy Hunter who believed in Christ and spoke words of faith to me. I know that God speaks to our hearts in order to receive Christ, but He also uses people as vessels to convey that faith as something that is alive, relevant, and real. Billy Hunter was the first Sunday School teacher that I can remember, and his faith connected with my heart.

At the time, our family lived in Saracen, Glasgow, Scotland. We didn’t know it then, but it was a deprived area where families from the slum housing in the city were supposed to make a new start. The city fathers thought that by putting people in newer tenements/ apartments, Glasgow would flourish and everyone would take advantage of the new opportunities.

But the traps of poverty – alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence and gang warfare, loan sharks and protection rackets followed the people. We came out of the frying pan and into the fire. Deprivation and disillusionment set in. Within a couple of years, depression – both economic and psychological – overshadowed the new community. Hopes and dreams were shattered, and Glasgow floundered instead of flourishing.

And yet there were still people like Billy Hunter who chose to teach Christianity and speak words of faith to the children in the community. He had the heart of an evangelist, but was as gentle as a shepherd. He made Christ real to me and taught me that there was something more to life. He showed me the light of Christ in the midst of the darkness and squalor of poverty. He put hope in my soul and faith in my heart. I owe all that I know and have today to Jesus, but Billy Hunter was the faithful servant Christ used to get me here.

Christianity is not a personal lifestyle choice or a private religion. It has to be spoken in order to be shared; it has to be heard in order to be received. Every one of us will be given opportunities this day to believe in Christ’s work and to speak faith to others. Let’s prepare our hearts and minds even now as we read and hear this message, to be ready to share Christ’s Gospel today.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we believe in You – Your words, Your ways, Your works. Help us this day to make the most of the opportunities that You give us, to share our beliefs and speak faith to those who need to hear about Your life and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Going Global

Audio Version here

Isaiah 49:6 I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
Ephesians 2:17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. (NIV)

I want to thank you for reading these devotions each day. It’s amazing how many people use these scriptures for their daily devotions and meditate on the message. Readers live all over the world and it humbles me to think that other lives are affected by these words. Over the past three years, I have received many kind replies and some thoughtful opinions about what I have written. It frequently amazes me how often a bible verse or a thought relates to your own experiences. That’s the living power of God’s word. That’s the Holy Spirit in action.

I also post these messages on a blogsite called “Heaven’s Highway.” It’s read by pastors and people from churches all over the place. It also contains some of my artwork, archived messages, as well as a novel way of using the internet called “blogachuting.” You can find out what that means by visiting the website at www.glenkirk.blogspot.com.

Last night, I added something special to the blog – it’s an instantaneous translator which translates these messages into French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. It’s an amazing web tool and it means that even more folk can read these daily devotions in different languages. I am astounded by this device, although it does have some glitches – for instance, whenever I write the word “spirit” in English, it translates the word into ‘alcohol’ in some languages. I guess the foreign reader will understand what I originally mean due to the context of the message!

I’ve also added a subscriber to the devotional, which automatically sends the message and artwork to people around the world by email. In recent months, my AOL email has developed some glitches, so this new web tool effectively eradicates that problem.

I guess what I’m trying to express here is that we live in amazing times and the word of God is being spread around the world, to people near and far, in wonderful ways. In the past couple of days, readers from across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Singapore have been reading these messages. In the past, computer users from China, Brazil, Nigeria, Pakistan, Bahrain, and even Saudi Arabia have read these devotionals. One day, by the grace of God, I hope to get to meet them in glory.

So thank you for your support and for sending these messages to other people. What began three years ago as a devotional for elders is now touching lives all over the globe. Isn’t God amazing?

Prayer: Heavenly Lord, we live in amazing times when people from all over the world can be connected to each other almost instantaneously. Help us to use this powerful technology to spread Your word of peace and gospel. Enable us to share Your holy words and sacred Son. In Jesus’ name, we enthusiastically pray. Amen.

Battleground

Audio version here

John 17:23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (NIV)

There’s a lot of selfish-minded and self-destructive people in the Christian church today, especially in the United States. Christians are expressing their loathing of one another and causing upsets in congregations across all denominations. Usually, these divisions are created through different interpretations of scripture, dogma, and traditional ways. They involve worship wars, clergy wars, and lifestyle wars. Instead of being places where Christ’s peace can be experienced, churches are becoming battlegrounds for discontent, division, and schism. Perhaps, at the end of this century, the establishment that we call church today will be so fragmented that its message will be feeble and futile in an increasingly secular world.

Jesus doesn’t mince His words or pull any punches. The purpose of a united church is to consolidate the faithful and present an effective message to the world. We seem to have forgotten, in the midst of our skirmishes and schisms, that the church was established to go out into a divided, barbaric, and pagan world, presenting a message of peace, hope, and love.

But because we have become sinfully selfish, rebellious and intolerant, the world no longer listens to the message we are preaching and presenting because we are not practicing it. If we honestly want to become more effective and evangelize the world once again, we’ve got to get honest with ourselves and ask these questions: what are we doing that disturbs the unity and peace of the church? What can we do to promote Christ’s peace in a loving, faithful, genuine, and effective manner?

As always, if we want to change the world, it begins at home. And so, if we want to change the church, it begins in our souls.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your Church is beset with battles and scarred with schisms. Pride and prejudice have contaminated our souls and belittled Your work in the world. Forgive us for being headstrong and foolish, vain and conceited. Help us to get back on to the path that You have proclaimed for two thousand years – the path of peace and not self-promotion – the road to unity and not division. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Testimony

Audio version here

John 4: 42 They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." (NIV)

This is one of my favorite Bible verses. It comes at the end of the story of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. He has confronted her in a non-judgmental way, exposing her sin, and freeing her from a deceitful life. The woman is so moved by Him that she tells all of her neighbors she has met the Messiah. Her testimony is so sincere that they believe her and go looking for Jesus themselves.

When they find Him, they ask Jesus to stay for a couple of days during which He teaches them many things. Many more of them became believers and, at the end of the story, the Samaritan people tell the woman that they no longer believe just because of her testimony; they have heard Jesus for themselves and they, too, personally know Him to be the Christ, the Savior of the world. It’s a beautiful moment in the scriptures and one that must have deeply gladdened Jesus.

That’s what our faith is for; that’s what the church is all about. We are called to lovingly and sincerely share the Good News of Jesus Christ with other people – our families, our friends, our neighbors – in the hope that one day they will personally experience Jesus for themselves. As a pastor, I’ve been privileged to see that happening with all sorts of different people. Each time it occurs, I feel happy and humble – happy because it positively changes their lives; humble because Christ has personally touched their hearts.

So, wherever we go today and whoever we meet, let’s make and take opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, for who knows how many lives will be changed forever by the power of Jesus and His Gospel.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are loved ones in our lives who do not personally know You. Grant us perfect opportunities to express our faith to them in non-judgmental ways. Give us the courage to sincerely share our beliefs, so that seeds of faith may be planted in their hearts and minds that one day will grow. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.