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

4 Minute Devotions: Willie

There are some great people that we get to know whose Christianity is a blessing to everyone they meet. Willie from Maybole, Scotland was a great example of this.

Podcast version here

1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

I have been blessed in the Lord’s ministry to have worked with some wonderful people and deeply contented Christians. They have shown me that happiness in the Lord does not depend upon what we have, but what we give. They have been examples of faithful servants in God’s Kingdom and I feel very privileged for having known them. They remain dear to my heart and are ever on my mind.

For example, Willie was a great mentor to me and a partner in God’s work when I was pastor in Maybole. He was our Session Clerk, as well as being a lay preacher. Willie worked in the local bank and was well known throughout the town. He was a great smiler and always enjoyed being with people. He had a wonderful way of dealing with trouble and crises through his rich sense of humor. Many a time, when I would get all hot and bothered over an issue, Willie was able to disarm the situation by finding something amusing to say. It was a special gift and I became a better pastor because of it.

Willie had his own heartbreaks and troubles, but he never let them get him down or seriously damage his faith. When his beloved grand-daughter died of leukemia, he was heart-broken, but he didn’t let his tragic loss cloud his life. He still served God faithfully and loved serving the church. In my books, he was a great man and a wonderful Christian. I am truly thankful for having known him as a fellow servant for the Lord.

Willie has recently been taken into the hospice to prepare himself for that last journey that we all must take someday. If I know Willie, he’ll be making the nurses laugh and will still have that boyish sparkle in his eyes. It will be a sad loss for all of us who knew and loved him dearly, but it will be a joyous occasion on the other side when Willie is ushered into the Lord’s presence. One day, I’ll get to see him again and we can laugh together doing God’s work in Eternity. O how I love being a Christian! O how I love true Christian folk!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the special Christians in our lives whose love makes it easier for us to come closer to You. Empower and enable us to become true examples of God’s servants, not in a self-righteous way, but in an endearing way. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment upon today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.