Daily Devotions: Dream Maker

The first time that I came across Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was through a BBC documentary that I happened to be watching one Sunday night. I was a teenager then, so it must have been about five years after his assassination. I can remember watching footage from the march on Washington and hearing his bellowing voice, which sent shivers down my spine. I had never heard anyone speak like that before and even although I was three thousand miles away in another country, the truths Dr. King expressed deeply moved my soul.

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I don’t know what it must have been like to have been here in America during the 1960’s. I presume that it wasn’t an easy time for anyone because of the tension and conflicts that were going on. I guess most people must have thought that the United States was going to perish, and that the dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for everyone was about to be snuffed out.

The assassin’s bullet tried to do that forty years ago in Memphis, Tennessee. What the shooter didn’t realize was that the truth cannot be killed. They tried to do it with Christ, almost two thousand years ago and that didn’t work. The ministry of Dr. King and his pursuit for the Civil Rights of all people didn’t die with him either.

Bible Verse for the Day
Matthew 14:31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

At the time of his death, I suppose many people must have doubted that King’s dream would ever be fulfilled. And yet, here we are today, in a year where there’s a strong possibility that the next President of the United States will be a black person. I think Dr. King’s dream is being fulfilled and I believe that he would be proud of what we have achieved. It may not be perfect and perhaps we still have a long way to go before racism is extinguished, but we’re in a much better place as a society than where we were forty years ago.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Dr. King’s life. Although he died too young, he dedicated his life to those of us who enjoy our freedoms today. He was both a true Christian and American that we should all aspire to become. Bless us, Lord, as we continue to follow his dream which, is in fact, what You call the Kingdom of God. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the Scottish pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send John an email at pastor@erinpresbyterian.org. He is delighted to read your feedback and messages.

Daily Devotions: Comforter

What do we mean when we comfort one another as Christians? Why do we call the Holy Spirit "Comforter?" And how did the Holy Spirit "comfort" the New Life Church in Colorado Springs?

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2 Corinthians 1:3,4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

It’s funny how different words mean different things in Britain and America. Take, for instance, the word “Comforter.” Over here, it means a heavy blanket or quilt; back in Britain a ‘comforter’ is a heavy woolen scarf. When I first came over here and I heard people talking about buying comforters for their beds, I pictured a long plaid scarf being wrapped around the bed several times. I guess people over here thought I was just as funny when I talked about putting my comforter around my neck during wintry days!

The word “Comforter” in the Bible is also used to describe the Holy Spirit, but this does not refer to keeping warm in winter; the word actually means “Advocate.” The Holy Spirit defends us when we are attacked and intercedes for us when we are being persecuted. The recent shooting in the Colorado Church emphasized this. The security guard who shot and stopped the killer said that she asked the Holy Spirit to help her. I never thought of the Holy Spirit working that way, but I guess that in this situation the Spirit advocated powerfully on behalf of God’s people.

When Paul mentions the word “comfort” to the Corinthians, he’s not talking about tea and sympathy. Paul is telling those young Christians that whenever Christ’s followers suffer, there is an outpouring of strength to the community of faith. And that’s exactly what comfort means – “with fortitude.” So when we are called to comfort our loved ones, our church friends, and our neighbors, we do so with the strength of the Lord inside of us.

Today, you may find yourself in a position to support and help someone else who is going through trying circumstances. Be there for them and allow God’s strength to come through you. Your presence and compassionate support may enable those people to endure and overcome their heartbreak and troubles.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know how tough life can be and You also endured much pain, suffering, and injustice. We pray that we may become the vessels of Your comfort to those around us who need help, support, and love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

An Old Friend

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Proverbs 22:1 A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (NIV)

I visited an old friend this morning. I shared some happy memories with him and even shed a few tears. I talked quietly with him and fondly remembered some of the things that we did in church. I thanked him for the years of friendship and support that had helped me become a better person and, hopefully, a better pastor.

It was such a lovely morning. The sky was a wee bit grey and overcast, but there was a beautiful breeze wafting over the hill where I stood. A woodpecker was busily hammering away at an old tree, trying to get its breakfast. In the distance I could hear some traffic, but none that was too intrusive to the sacred quietness that my friend and I were experiencing.

After sharing some happy thoughts and few silly jokes, it was time to say farewell. That’s when the memories flooded over me and took me back, six years ago to the very day. Whilst the entire world was going to hell and the Twin Towers came crashing down to the ground, I was tearfully holding the hand of David Thompson with his wife Linda. We both felt paralyzed and powerless as we watched his life ebb gently away. All the machines in the hospital ward were slowing down and flat lining. The time in between each monitor beep told us that everything was shutting down. David was dying and there was nothing that we could do.

So, this morning, I went to talk to David at the cemetery. It’s how I cope with 9-11. Instead of remaining vindictive and angry, vengeful and enraged at what the terrorists did to us all of those years ago, I remember and esteem the life and death of one of my best friends. I don’t dwell on the evil and let it roast my heart; I think of the friendship that I once knew, and hold on to the hope that through our shared faith, David and I will one day meet each other in heaven.

“So long, David,” I prayerfully whispered. “I’ll see you again, someday.”

Prayer: Lord Jesus, today I choose to remember life and not death. I choose friendship over foes, happiness over hostility, and faith over fanaticism. Thank You for these blessings and gifts. In Your Holy Name, I cheerfully pray. Amen.

Halfway Healing

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Mark 8:25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. (NIV)

I almost died of hepatitis in my last year of college. Somehow I had contracted it which was either the result of the lack of food hygiene in the university canteen, or a chemical chlorine reaction to some prescribed medication. Whatever it was, I was at death’s door and couldn’t do anything to save my life.

I remember that my minister and an elder came to visit me. They were shocked when they saw me and consoled Evelyn when the visit was over. They believed that I didn’t have any chance of recovery, and I could hear the hopelessness in their voices when they prayed with me.

But recovery did come after three grueling months. It was a slow process and I owed everything to Evelyn and God for taking care of me. Healing came in stages, but not overnight. By the end of that summer, I was ready to begin work as an assistant minister.

Sometimes healing comes in stages, even with Jesus helping you. Take this blind man, for instance, in today’s gospel passage. He has to experience three stages before being cured. First of all, Jesus isolates him. Secondly, He makes some sort of mud paste to re-hydrate his eyes. Finally, Christ touches his eyes and that’s when the man can perfectly see. It’s like a Trinitarian process of healing, not an immediate one.

We all have people to pray for. We all have loved ones that we want Jesus to heal. Sometimes it looks as though nothing is happening, but given time we may see the long term results of healing, recovery, and cure come back into other people’s lives. We cannot give up on faith and give in to frustration. We need to hold onto hope and see healing as a process, as a package of recovery, and not some instantaneous divine reaction to our anxious prayers.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are some situations in which we feel powerless and have no control. When we, or our loved ones, are suffering from illness, injury, or even addiction, we wish that everything would clear up quickly and completely. Grant us the patience to wait for healing and to remain hopeful in our hearts, especially during those moments and times when our anxieties, impatience and frustration threaten to wear us down. In Your Holy Name, we make these prayers. Amen.

Battleground

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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.

Restoration

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Isaiah 57: 18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him (NIV)

Two weeks ago, I spent five days at a Clergy Coaching Center in Columbus, Georgia. I had some past issues that I had to deal with because they were beginning to affect who I am and how I minister to other people. I dreaded going to the center, mainly because of my mother’s horrifying experiences with psychologists and psychiatrists. I was worried that perhaps I was heading down the same tormented path.

I almost didn’t get there, for my car nearly broke down outside of Atlanta. For seventy miles, I was completely stressed out through franticly praying to God to keep the car going until I reached Columbus. When I arrived at my hotel, I was totally exhausted – physically, mentally, and spiritually. I just wanted to get my car fixed and head back up the road. As far as the counseling and coaching was concerned – forget about it!

However, the people at the Turner Pastoral Institute were very understanding and, after taking a whole battery of tests (I’m an INTJ, by the way), the coaching sessions began. My anxiety and apprehensions were considerably reduced. My fears were set aside and my faith was restored. After a whole week of counseling, I felt renewed, refreshed, and restored to God.

In the middle of the week, my coaches honed in on something that I had suppressed for decades - my lost childhood. During my formative years, I had tried to help my mother overcome her mental illness and multi-personalities, but to no avail. I carried this failure within me and attempted to anaesthetize the pain with alcohol. I spent years battling with the guilt and grief.

As my counselors explained, those lost years were still hurting me, but they may have led me into ministry – how? Well, churches are full of multi-personalities – I’m still trying to fix, heal and restore people that I love.

This was an epiphany for me – both shocking and surprising. I came away from Columbus thanking God for my mother’s schizophrenia. I had never done that before, but then I had never realized how much her illness has shaped who I am today.

I realize that this is just the beginning of a new journey for me. God has seen my ways and is healing me. He is guiding and restoring me. And if He can do that for someone like me, I know that He can do the same for you and your loved ones.

Prayer: Loving God, You know the troubles of our lives and the worries of our hearts. You see issues that we are facing and the problems that confront our loved ones. Hear the unvoiced cries of our hearts and the burdens on our minds. Help us and heal us. Encourage and embrace us. Renew us and restore our loved ones. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

Finding Forgiveness

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Acts 10:43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (NIV)

It’s amazing how much emotional baggage and physical damage we endure simply because we will not let go of our guilt or own up to our mistakes. Last week, I was at a coaching-counseling center which primarily works with pastors. It was an intense time, but also a liberating one because I was able to unburden my soul, whilst expressing my weaknesses and fears, mistakes and doubts. I came away from the center feeling lighter, stronger, and better. It was a remarkable time and one that was centered upon the forgiving nature of Christ.

We tend to cling to our regrets and mistakes because we don’t want to disclose our foolish and fallen ways. It’s a matter of pride, mixed with fear and resentment. On the surface things may appear to be calm, but beneath our skin, a lot of damage is being done to our vital organs, immunity system, and muscles. The mind and heart do not function separately from the body and soul. Whatever troubles our spirits affects the whole person.

This is why believing and experiencing Christ’s forgiveness is both good news and vitally important to us. When we take time to confess our mistakes to Him, we are embracing His fullness, strength, and love. When we place our bitter regrets and foolish choices into His Hands, He can heal us of the past, restore us to God’s favor, and lead us to a better life. We call that peace; Christ calls it love.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, each day we battle with regrets and bad choices. Sometimes, at the end of the day, we can’t sleep because of foolish mistakes and fearful consequences. Lead us to Your throne of grace and help us to humbly bow before You, so that we may seek Your forgiveness and rediscover health, healing, and wholeness in the process. In Your Holy Name, we confess and pray. Amen.

God Remembers

Exodus 2:24 God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.

Years ago, one of my best friends was diagnosed with a terminal condition. It was completely unexpected and the doctors told him that he had only months to live. I was shocked when I heard the news and couldn’t accept what was happening. For a whole weekend, I fervently prayed and wrestled with God, asking for healing and mercy, restoration and grace to be given to my friend. It was one of the most intense weekends of prayer that I have ever experienced.

In the middle of the night when I awoke, I got up to pray again. I was already fatigued and exhausted, but I felt that my friend needed more prayer. I can remember praying for about ten minutes and then a great feeling of peace came over me. It was as if God was saying, “I’ll take over from here. Go back to bed.”

The next day, I visited my friend in hospital. He was due to get some sort of surgery as a temporary relief from his cancer. When I went into his room, he was sitting up and smiling. He then told me that his surgery was no longer taking place and when I asked why, he told me that the cancer was gone. His doctors were amazed. That very morning, when they took an x-ray, they could not find any sign of the cancer. Ten years later, he is still cancer-free.

God remembers His people and He hears our prayers. For the Israelites, it took several generations to restore their freedom. God raised up a leader in Moses as the perfect answer to their groaning and prayers. The promises and covenants that He made with their forefathers were not forsaken; instead God fulfilled them and brought His people back to Canaan. He answered their prayers.

Perhaps we are struggling with something and are worried about the future. Perhaps we’ve tried everything we know to remedy the situation or to resolve our problems, but nothing seems to work. I think that the answer to what we need is found in how sincerely we pray, how much we focus on God, and how often we wrestle with Him. He hears our prayers and groaning; He remembers His promises.

Prayer: Lord God, You know our hearts and minds. You know all our anxieties and concerns. Help us to really bring our prayers to You. Enable us to wrestle with You. Empower us to boldly ask for help and healing, restoration and strength. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.