August 21 devotion - What is Truth?

Psalm 34:12-13 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. (NIV)

            Someone recently said that ‘Truth is not truth,’ which although it sounds totally absurd, it is actually a reflection of the times we live in. We all operate with our own perceptions of what is real and we color truth with what we want to believe. For instance, if you have two people standing at opposite ends of a chalk drawing of the number nine, one will declare it to be “9” while the other person sees it only as “6.” Both believe their perception to be absolutely correct and from where they are standing, both declarations are true. So long as both of them stay where they are, they will not even consider the other person’s viewpoint, even though it is just as valid. Only when one or both of them decide to look at things from the other side will they see the unbelievable truth: both of them are correct!

            Truth is something that is sacred in the eyes of God and, in the end, it is His perception that decides what is absolutely and eternally true. We may think differently from Him because God gives us the gift of free will, so we seem to believe that our experience in life is what really counts. However, our time on Earth is so short compared to God’s immortality. We last for only a moment, so how can we finitely contend against what God knows to be eternally true?

            To deliberately go against the truth is to live a lie and the Bible constantly tells us that lying is not good for our health, our souls, our community, and our faith. This is different from perception – a lie is something that is deliberately told to destroy the truth. For instance, if a third person comes up to the two others who are arguing over the 9 or 6 and stridently says that the number is actually ‘3,’ that would be a falsehood. If that person kept declaring it to be ‘3’ loudly and long enough to confuse the other two until they accepted his word, then all of them would be accepting a lie. In the 20^th century, Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot used this technique and brutally bullied their people into accepting lies which consequently caused the deaths of millions of people across the world. Liars make the worst kind of leaders because eventually they destroy themselves and the people perish under their control.

            As Christians, we are meant to be religious people who side with the Truth and contend against lies, especially when falsehoods disrupt, diminish, and destroy our communities. If we, of all people, accept and spread lies, then we are no longer servants of Christ – the Way, the Truth, and the Life – but have sadly become purveyors of our own prejudices and traders in untruth.

Point to ponder

How do I discern the truth? Am I guilty of passing on lies?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give us the gift of discernment so that we may honor You by seeking, knowing, and advancing the truth. Teach us that lies destroy our humanity and falsehoods can even wreck our faith. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Come and join us for worship on Sunday mornings at 11:00 AM. You will be made very welcome 😊

On Their Way - 3 John 1:6

3 John 1:6        They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. (NIV)

            I’ve been at Erin Church for more than 21 years and during that time, I’ve watched young children grow up to become wonderful adults. I’m often amazed at how far away most of them now live in the United States, but through email and Facebook, I get to see what they’re doing and accomplishing in their lives.

            As I see their successes, I remember the times they spent in Sunday School, music programs, Vacation Bible school, youth groups and conferences, as well as many of the ministries and missions that our church has supported. I hope and pray that the memories of those events, times, and days will draw them closer to God as they journey through life. Whenever we get to see them back at Erin, we are always delighted to greet them and catch up with their accomplishments.

            I guess what we try to do at Erin with our young people is the Apostle John described so long ago in today’s highlighted verse: we do our utmost to send them on their way in a manner that honors God. It’s a wonderful privilege and a precious gift from God to have young people in any church. I am truly thankful for those who journey through our doors and go out into the world to make their own mark. As always, our hopes and prayers are with them, for we are proud of who they are and love what they become.

Questions for personal reflection

Who are the young people in my life that are still precious to me? What can I pray for them?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for the young people in our lives whose energy and enthusiasm, ambitions and goals are still being accomplished. Thank You for the many times that we have faithfully supported and encouraged them. Bless all of their hopes and dreams for the future. 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 this message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s Communion drawings called “Chalice.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Chalice.

Church Devotion - Wee Small Hours - Hebrews 11:3

Hebrews 11:3  By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (NIV)

You can also listen to an audio podcast of this message at this link: Wee Small Hours

            Sometimes when I wake up in the wee small hours of the morning, I gaze at the stars from one of the upstairs windows in my home. I recently purchased a pair of binoculars which makes the whole experience amazing. The stars that I can see with my own eyes are few in number, but when I look at them with the binoculars, I see thousands of stars and galaxies. After quietly stargazing for a while, I then prayerfully whisper to God my thanks for the incredible sights I have seen in the night sky.

            I’ve always believed that God was the Creator of the Universe, as well as being the Sustainer of Life on our planet. I see His handiwork in the stars and also in the world around me. At times, I am overawed by the depth of beauty and creativity that God displays; but I am also grateful that He created me to experience the joy of His loving labor.

            Looking at the stars at night makes me feel quite small and insignificant, and yet at the same time, I feel assured that God is real and He enjoys me enjoying His creation. This feeling gives me a peace of mind and solace in my heart. It builds up my faith and quietly strengthens my relationship with God through the gifts of wonder, amazement, and joy.

            Today, you may feel isolated and vulnerable, alone and forgotten. Please know and embrace this: the God Who created the wonderful stars also brought you into being. You are important to Him and You will always be loved as a child of God.

Prayer:            Heavenly Creator, thank You for allowing us to experience the universe in so many wonderful and awe-inspiring ways. Thank You for loving us personally and individually, wholly and completely. In Your Son’s precious Name, we gratefully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Please feel free to send him an email to Traqair@aol.com about this message.

Today’s image is one of John’s nighttime drawings called “Moon Glow.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Moon Glow.

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.

Church devotion: The Talent Business - Matthew 25:14-30

Matthew 25:21        His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!”

            Churches are in the talent business. I don’t mean that we’re focused on show business or performance arts (although at Erin we do this very well through our Creative Arts ministries); I’m talking about the biblical meaning of talents, which in this parable of Christ refers to talents of gold. Jesus told this story (Matthew 25:14-30) to convey what’s expected of His followers, as well as what God expects of everyone who is given the gift of life.

            We all have talents and throughout life we are given many opportunities to use or display them. Some people are extroverts and others are introverts, but both types of people have talents that are essential to the witness of the Church in the world. Usually, the extroverts are the team leaders, teachers, and elders in a congregation and their roles are crucial to the forward development of the church. The introverts are frequently the compassionate comforters, praying people, and fellowship feeders whose roles are equally crucial in the pastoral continuity of any congregation. Both have different sets of talents, but when they are combined successfully, churches become effective vehicles of Christ’s message and God’s love.

            As you read this today, ask God to make you aware of the particular talents that He has given you, and then ask Him to give you opportunities to use those talents to help the church, as well as the community that you live in. You are a child of God’s love and grace; use this blessing to help others receive and experience it, too.

Questions for personal reflection

What am I good at? How can I use that skill to benefit others, and bless the work of God?

Prayer:           Lord Jesus, thank You for the gifts of faith, hope, and love that You give to all of Your followers. Help us to use those blessings as ways and means of helping our loved ones and other people in their times of need and support. Grant us opportunities to reach out to those who feel let down, disappointed, or forsaken. 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 feel free to send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest snowman drawings. It’s called “Winter Cheer.” If you would like to view a larger version, please visit the following link: Snowman.

Daily Devotions: Face to Face

3 John 1:14     I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.

I enjoy using Facebook each day on the computer because it let’s me see what other people are thinking and doing. I can keep in contact with my family in Scotland and share their celebrations. I can see how my daughters are doing at college and empathize with them. I can also keep up with church families and friends and share prayer requests, thoughts, and jokes with them. It’s a wonderful invention and I think that the Apostle Paul would have put it to good use in reaching out to churches across the Mediterranean had Facebook been available to him.

Now it’s not all that good at times. There are too many silly quizzes and games – some with computer viruses attached – that fragment our leisure time. When I first start using Facebook this year, I did a lot of quizzes, but these days I’m beyond that. I’m more interested in the lives of the many people who use it to upload photos, comment on current issues, and share some good ideas about faith, family, and fun.

When I first started these devotions, it was to build up spiritual connections with our church staff and elders. Over the years, this has become a multi-national ministry with hundreds of thousands of readers in any given year. It’s amazing what God can do with so little to turn it into so much. I hope that one day, when we all get to heaven, I’ll get the opportunity to meet those people from other places in the world who read one of these devotions, which helped them to draw closer to God. Now that’s a face to face meeting that I will really look forward to!

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, help us to develop news ways of using the new media to share our faith. Give us opportunities to send words of comfort, sympathy, and prayer via email, Facebook, blogs, and texts. Thank You for this wonderful way of reaching out to the world from our churches and homes. 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.

4 Minute Devotions: Sacred Memory

Psalm 44: 1 We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago.

Podcast version here

Modern technology is absolutely amazing. For the last fifteen minutes, I’ve been watching the Scottish Health Secretary deliver her statement about the swine flu to the Scottish parliament. I couldn’t believe that I was watching it live on CNN, but that’s the beauty of the internet. Things that are happening now across the Atlantic Ocean can be heard and seen live on a computer over here. The world gets smaller each and everyday.

I loved listening to the real Scottish voices again. My own accent has changed over the years – I’ve softened it and slowed it down. My fellow Americans can’t detect the changes, but folks from the Auld Country can spot it a mile off. They can definitely hear an East Tennessee twang mixed with a Scottish burr.

Today’s psalm is all about communication, too, but not the live internet version. It’s all about how sacred memory is passed on from generation to generation. Tribal stories and folklore faith were transmitted across the centuries in order to convey a dependence upon God in times of trouble, crisis, and war. The prayers of the people, the psalms of their poets, and the utterances of their prophets and priests kept them connected to the One, True, and Living God. Their sense of belonging to God was sustained by their commitment, devotion, and loyalty. Today, we are the benefactors of their faithfulness and we continue carrying the torch of faith by retaining and sharing those sacred memories of long ago.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the faithfulness of countless numbers of people who have received and passed on their faith to us. Help us to continue this wonderful way of communicating faith to our families, our friends, and our community. In Christ’s Name, we lovingly 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.