Sunday Devotions: Accepting Jesus - Luke 4:24

Luke 4:24 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”

We live in a strange age. Our society and civilization, our culture and traditions have all been shaped, established, and blessed by Christianity. The freedoms we share have been formed by the faith we once held dear. In fact, if we were to erase Christianity from the last two thousand years of history, most of us would be serfs or slaves, ignorant and illiterate, cruelly treated and cast aside.

That’s what makes the living of these days very strange because Western society, in Europe and the Americas, is turning its back upon Christ, the true Founder of our freedoms and faith. It’s as if today’s verse from Luke could be rewritten to read: “No Savior is accepted in His world.”

Jesus lived and died almost two thousand years ago, but His Spirit still captivates most of the religious hearts and minds in other places throughout the world. Africa is a prime example of this. At the beginning of the 20^th century, 9% of the population was Christian and 36% were Islamic. A hundred years later, when we reached the year 2000, 40% of the African population was Islamic and over 44% of the population was Christian. The same thing is happening in China, where it has been estimated that by 2030 1.5 billion people will be Christians. Christ’s Church is growing at a rapid rate throughout the Earth, and yet on His home turf of Western Society people are forgetting what they really owe to His words and ways, His godliness and Gospel.

This morning our church has been closed due to the icy weather, so our people at Erin cannot collectively worship God. But for those of you who are reading this today, I want to say “Thank You” for taking time to accept Jesus into your heart and homes through the reading of God’s Word and the blessing of His Spirit.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, enable us to reconnect to Your words and ways, to find the time to rekindle our faith in order to make a recommitment to You. Help us to remember past days when we have needed You in our lives and the times that we have worshiped in our hearts and homes, as well as in our churches and cherished holy places. Thank You for being the Savior of our souls and the Lord of our 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 on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s picture is John’s latest drawing called “Moonlight over Maybole West,” featuring his first parish church. If you would like to see a larger version of the picture, please click on the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/4317958402/sizes/l/

Erin devotions: Joyful Dreams

Psalm 126 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It resonates with what I’ve experienced in my life. When I was a teenager and had no control over the sadness in my home life, I hated myself and my circumstances. This self-hatred took me away from my family and friends because I supplanted them with a love of alcohol. I put myself into danger and exiled my emotions, using beer, whisky, and wine to escape from my frustrations and fears.

Podcast version here

Bible Verse of the Day

Psalm 126:2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.Then it was said among the nations,” The LORD has done great things for them."

And then I found the Lord and rediscovered my joy of Jesus that I had in my heart when I was in elementary school. I still struggled with alcohol for a while, but eventually I was able to let it go because I became addicted to God, Jesus and the Gospel. It was like coming out of a self-imposed nightmare and going into a God given dream.

Throughout my life I’ve seen people struggle with the same demons of drink and emotional attacks. I’ve tried to help them overcome their addiction and show them the joy of the Lord. I’d love to say that I’ve been successful every time, but sadly some people are more self-destructive than others and eventually they ruin their relationships, empty their emotions, and destroy their bodies. When that occurs, I feel heart broken because I know that things could have been so much different if they truly let Christ into their lives.

If you’re struggling with an addiction or an obsession, or you know someone close beside you who is, get help. Don’t leave it until it’s too late or ignore it, hoping that it will all go away. There are lots of good counselors and godly pastors, specialists and experts who could empower and enable you to overcome. With their help and Christ in your heart, you can turn those horrible nightmares into hopeful dreams. Seize the day and let that transforming moment begin in your life now.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know everything about us, so we can never hide or conceal anything from You. You are completely aware of our weakness and addictions, secrets and obsessions. Help us to find help and seek assistance in overcoming those demons of deception that want to destroy our hearts and happiness, our spirits and souls. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.