4 Minute Devotions: Everything We Need

This is one of those blessed verses that we all need to read and hear during uncertain times. Peter reminds us, in a cheerful way, about the grace of God and how He uses His divine power to sustain our needs.

2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Podcast version here

Most of us worry about our future, and with the stock market crash, some of us have lost substantial amounts in our savings. Others of us are working for businesses that are teetering on the edge of liquidation. And there are some of us who are getting ready to go out into the marketplace, to look for or start a new job. In times like these, faith becomes a priceless commodity through the promises that God makes in the Bible.

Peter states that God has given us everything that we need for life. It’s not everything that we want, but it is all that we need. As we get through this recession, we may come out of it as more thrifty people. We may have a better understanding of what is necessary for our lives, and what are luxuries. It may be tough on all of us for a while, but God’s promises are always fulfilled. His divine power has given us everything we need for life. That’s an assurance that God will sustain His people through these times.

But God also adds a blessing to this promise. Peter talks about being given godliness through our knowledge of God. In other words, as we experience God’s blessings, we increase our understanding of who God is; and as we grow in understanding, we become more confident of His assurances, blessings, and promises. Having faith in Christ and knowing who God is, gives us tenacity, strength, and wisdom for the years ahead. People without faith are left to get through these times on their own. People with faith are carried and supported by God to better days, better times, and better, more meaningful and purposeful lives.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life.

Prayer: Lord God, we are all subject to fears and worries, anxieties and concerns, especially about the future. We thank You for the blessings of Your words and the promises of scripture. Assure us that Your presence and power is all that we need for life. Help us to share this message with those who need to be most reassured throughout these times. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Star Struck

Taking out the garbage on cold winter night can be an amazing experience.

Podcast version here

Psalm 89:6 For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?

I love winter nights. Last evening, as I was wheeling the garbage bin to the front yard, I looked up at the sky and was immediately overawed. Thousands of stars were dazzling like beautiful diamonds and even although it was very cold, I just stood there like a schoolboy, gaping and gazing at the glittering constellations. No matter how often I see them, I am totally amazed. I guess that the right phrase is ‘star struck,’ but it has nothing to do with the movies.

My neighbors must think I’m crazy. They probably hear me trundle out the bin to the street and then watch me from behind their blinds. “There’s that loony Scotsman, standing in the street again, looking up at the sky. Has he never seen the stars?” If I could answer them, I would say, “No, I haven’t.”

You see star gazing is a bit like sea watching – the sky is always different and constantly changing. I see a new sky each night when I stop to look upwards. What happens at that moment will never ever occur again. To the casual observer, everything looks the same, but to a star gazer like me, there’s always something that is different.

One thing remains constant though, my thankfulness to God as I am overawed by the whole experience. If the winter sky looks so expansive, wonderful, and astounding, what must God be like? That’s why a verse like today’s has great meaning for me; each time I look at the stars I think: what can compare to God in the skies above? What is most like God across the stellar heavens?

I feel full of wonder, and that’s what makes God wonderful to me. He can take a weekly routine chore and turn it into something totally amazing.

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for creating the universe and for filling it with stars. Thank You for the wonder and awe that they inspire. Continue to touch our hearts and souls with Your Creative powers. In Christ’s Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Obama's Election

The election of Barack Obama has brought about a new wave of hope across the world; but are we in danger of idolizing him and replacing God?

Podcast version here

Isaiah 49:8 This is what the LORD says:” In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances,

I’ve had some really nice emails from friends in Scotland, expressing their thankfulness about the election and their hopes for a better world. After Barack Obama’s historic win, the world seems to have regained a lot of hope. It appears to be a time of renewal and unity, instead of fear and apprehension.

It is a wonderful time and for black people across the world, who have been treated inhumanely for centuries, it must be an amazing time. To have a black man lead the most powerful nation on earth will bring hope to millions of Africans around the globe. People in the streets Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania were celebrating this historic victory, just as much as the African-Americans in Harlem, Chicago, and Atlanta.

But will Obama save the world? That’s a tough question and perhaps it’s unfair to set such a colossal responsibility upon his shoulders. He has new ideas about peace and prosperity; he has a charisma that is attractive and inspiring; he has the opportunity to restore our land and make up for the deficiencies of the last eight years, but will it be enough to change things for the good, or will his Presidency just become another pile of political promises that are destined to be unfulfilled or broken?

None of us know, but at least there is a new opportunity ahead of us. The President-elect does not need our adulation; he needs our prayers. Tragically, there are still people in our land who hate the idea of a black President. Barack Obama needs our prayers each day for God to protect him.

No matter what happens during Obama’s presidency, we need to remember that only God can truly save His people. Barack Obama will be the most powerful man on earth after his inauguration, but he is also just a vessel and just a servant of God’s purposes. If we ever replace our adoration of God for the adulation of our world leaders, we will be guilty of idolizing that which is only temporal; or as the writer of Psalm 146 so eloquently puts it:
Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. (Psalm 146 v 3) NIV

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You for these wonderful times and for the election of Barack Obama. We pray that You will protect him and his family. We ask that You will sustain his Presidency. Keep us mindful that he is just a man. Enable him to shoulder the responsibilities of our great nation through You mercy and grace. This is Your world, O Lord, and we are all Your children. In Your Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Blog Action Day

Today is Blog Action Day around the world and this year's theme is Poverty. Bloggers from many nations are highlighting this serious issue and offering solutions.

Podcast version here

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."

Today is Blog Action Day around the world. Thousands of bloggers are posting articles about poverty and making suggestions about how we can rid this scourge in the world. It’s an amazing network that has been established and any profits from the whole venture will go to KIVA, the international organization that helps small businesses in developing countries by giving loans through contributions that people in richer countries have given.

It’s a wonderful system and to date, I have helped seven different small businesses in Tanzania, Samoa, Peru, and Cambodia through the contributions I have made. It doesn’t involve government or political leaders. It’s about ordinary people helping other ordinary people across the world. Red tape and bureaucracy is kept to a minimum and most of the loans are paid back within a year to the lenders, who can then lend their money to someone else.

It’s the gift that keeps on giving and if you would like to participate in this great opportunity to directly help the lives of others, then visit the website at kiva.org. Registration is easy and contributions can be made via the secure Paypal system.

Poverty is a man-made disease, but if we pool our resources together, even in simple ways like Kiva offers, then it can be overcome. Some one once said that if you give a man a fish, he can eat for a day; but if you teach him how to fish, he can eat for life. There’s one more part I would add to that: he can eat for life if you give him access to the fish pond.

Kiva is doing that by giving people access to the business loans that they need to work in their community. And I firmly believe that the Lord takes great delight in what they are achieving amongst the poor. For once, it’s all about everyone’s need, instead of inhumane greed.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You once said that “You will always have the poor with you; do for them whatever you can.” Thank You for the great work of KIVA, its philosophy and practical ideas that are positively changing lives all around the world. Help each of us to seriously consider giving from we have, to those who can use those resources effectively. In Your Holy Name, we pray for an end to poverty. 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: Taking Stock

The financial markets are free falling. This reminds of what is stated on our dollar bills: In God We Trust.

Podcast version here

Psalm 98:2 The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

In the midst of all this financial turmoil in the market and across the world, it is perhaps time to remind ourselves that our salvation does not come from money, and that our security is not established by the number of stocks that we own. If we look at any dollar bill, we will read the plain words “In God We Trust.” It was put on our currency to remind us that money is just a means to buy and sell things, but it is not what we as human beings need to trust. After all, as the old saying goes, “You can’t take your money with you.”

I guess a lot of people are on the verge of panicking right now. They’re seeing their lifetime savings, pensions, and 401Ks being depleted as the market plummets. It’s a harsh reminder that our security cannot be guaranteed by what we possess. Our salvation belongs to God and our lives are His alone.

Sometimes we get ensnared by what we have, instead of recognizing who we truly are. Human beings were created long before money, currency, stocks and shares appeared on the scene. We were not made to be possessed by our possessions; rather we were created to enjoy God’s creation. If we place too much value on our financial worth, we lose our spirituality. It’s no accident that the Bible states that ‘the love of money is the root of all evil.’ If we become obsessed with what the markets are doing, we are in danger of losing our grasp of God. Money may make the world go around, but the Lord God sustains the entire universe.

It’s time to let go of our fears and let God increase our faith. It’s time to place our trust in Him and not the banks, the markets, or the stock exchange. Things may be difficult for a while, but they are not disastrous. God has created enough resilience and creativity within all of us to overcome these troubles.

Prayer: Father God, help us to let go of our losses and hold on to the victory that we have in Jesus Christ. Teach us to trust in You and keep us from equating our lives to the things we possess. Enable us to put Jesus at the center of our lives and help us to value ourselves through the strength of our relationship with Him. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Shaky Ground

Religulous the movie paints a picture of Christians being weak minded and simple. Bible stories often excite us as children, but when we become adults we realize that there’s more to the story than meets the eye. The wise man who built his house upon the rock deserves a second look.

Podcast version here

Matthew 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

It was one of the first kids’ choruses that I ever learned as a child: The wise man built his house upon the rock. I can remember learning all of the actions and eagerly anticipating the end when all of the Sunday school kids were allowed to make an almighty noise as the foolish man’s house came tumbling down. It was a great way to teach one of Christ’s most popular stories and I still occasionally teach it to the children in our church.

I thought I knew the story really well, but when I looked at the passage as an adult, I realized there was more to meet the eye. Jesus is talking about obedience, not faith. He is not talking about believing in Him, He’s telling people to do what He says. That’s a big difference and it’s something that a lot of people have difficulty with.

In these turbulent days, when the institutionalized church is trying to become more culturally acceptable and universally palatable, our denominations are losing their foundations. Instead of following Christ and fulfilling His words, we are more into pursuing the world and validating our own opinions. We seek to be liked by the world, instead of being faithful to Christ. We diminish our beliefs in order to be accepted. We no longer have a sure foundation; we’re standing on shaky ground and will end up collapsing in a heap of our own undoing.

The parable, which we tend to set aside as a good children’s story, is one of those “in your face” moments that Jesus often uses to challenge us. The message is quite clear: we either walk His talk or we can say goodbye to God’s Kingdom. I don’t know about you, but rather than listen to the voices of modern, multi-cultural, progressive, one world universalists, I would rather hear the clear and truthful voice of Christ across the centuries. It might seem outdated and paltry to some people, but it’s eternal and priceless to me.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, when the world says, “Jump!” Christians don’t ask “how high?” When You say, “Follow Me,” we reply “Yes, Lord.” Keep us from capitulating and casting aside our allegiance to You. Help us to accept and apply Your words, even although it may cost us popularity, privileges, and profits. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Church or Kingdom?

Are denominations important for our spiritual journey? Are Christians dividing their loyalty between Christ and the Church?

Podcast version here

Acts 17: 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Our wee church is growing, but sadly our denomination is not. Erin is a Christ-centered, biblically moderate church, whereas our denomination is on the progressive side of Christianity. It used to be that this didn’t matter, but lately it has caused people to become a part of our congregation, without officially joining the church.

I understand how people feel, but I believe that they’re missing out of a great opportunity to get officially involved in the Fellowship of the church. In the Church of Scotland, such friends of the congregation are known as adherents: they stick to the congregation, but will not participate in the life, ministry, and work of the denomination.

There’s no easy answer to this dilemma, except to say that God doesn’t recognize any denomination. Christ’s Church is One Church, of One Faith, and One Lord. When we all get to heaven, there won’t be separate gates, places, or mansions for Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Anglicans, Baptists, Pentecostalists or even Roman Catholics. We all become one Family of God and the Bridegroom of Christ. Denominations might define our Christian identity on Earth, but they are absolutely not required in Heaven.

Paul puts it even better: God is not far from anyone who seeks, reaches out, and finds Him. In other words, it’s not our denominations that bring us closer to God; it’s our genuine desire to seek and find God that ultimately brings us closer to Him.

As a pastor, I wish people would join the church without any misgivings, but as a Christian, I’m happy to see them worshipping with us on Sundays and keeping within God’s Kingdom. In the end, it’s our relationship with God through Christ Jesus that is eternally important, not our allegiance to any branch of His Church.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You call us to be disciples of Your Way and followers of Your Truth. We find that churches can provide us with the seeking skills, scriptural knowledge, and faithful fellowship that we need on our spiritual journey. We thank You for all denominations and congregations throughout the world. However, constantly remind us that our allegiance is meant solely for You above all else. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Bible Belt Bashing

Our young people are often pressurized by their zealous evangelical peers. How would Jesus share the Gospel with our teenagers?

Podcast version here

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

“Being saved” is a big deal here in the Bible belt. A lot of our young people are pressurized by some of their zealous peers, who make them run a theological gauntlet in classes, school canteens, and during recess. They are asked questions like: Are you saved? Have you given your heart to Jesus? Are you going to heaven or hell? It’s an unfair and un-Christlike way of trying to share the Gospel. I wish that some of those religious fanatics would take a leaf out of Jesus’ own ministry, and copy His method.

Take the story about Zacchaeus. Jesus doesn’t ask him if he is saved, or if he’s going to heaven or hell. Jesus invites himself into the tax gatherer’s home, in order to meet him where Zacchaeus is comfortable. He doesn’t accuse him of not being faithful, or of being unsaved. Christ simply wants to share a meal with him and show Zacchaeus compassion, friendship, and fellowship.

That’s what changes the tax man’s heart. Christ accepts him where he is, as well as who he is, in order to bring the kingdom of heaven into Zacchaeus’ life. Jesus doesn’t berate him for being unpopular, sinful, or greedy. He simply sits down with the man, has a meal, and shares the Gospel in a non-confrontational way.

And this method works because Zacchaeus’ life changes from that moment on. The kingdom of God enters into his heart through the grace, mercy, and love of God that Christ brings. Zacchaeus become a new person because Christ was willing to share fellowship with him, not criticism, fear, and judgment.

Perhaps there are people in our lives who we’ve been trying to come to church, or get saved by God. Maybe we’ve been more hostile rather than helpful, confrontational rather than compassionate, or judgmental rather than joyful. If that is the case, then it’s time to adopt Christ’s method in our faith sharing by offering fellowship, grace, and love. In the long run, it’s evidently more effective than fear, goading, and leverage.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we all want to see the entire world saved, but sometimes our zeal gets in the way of Your ministry and love. Keep us from being self-righteous and unrelenting; help us to be more compassionate and loving. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

4 Minute Devotions: Clearing Out

The older I get, the more I begin to realize that I am no longer carrying faith on my own: I’m giving it away.

Psalm 71: 18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.

I am a terrible hoarder. I keep things in my two studies that I will never use ever again. I’ve got pens that have dried up; pieces of paper with messages written long ago; notebooks full of half-baked ideas; cassette tapes that I will never listen to again; and old computers that will become antiques in a few years.

I need to start downsizing my clutter and get rid of these things. I need to create more space in order to think creatively, instead of being surrounded with things that I will never use. But each time I go to throw things out, I find an emotional attachment, an unexplored idea, a potential use, or a guilty feeling about letting it go. Clutter clings to me and I am possessed by my worthless possessions.

Spiritually, I sometimes feel the same. I fill my timetable with many plans, projects, and meetings. My head is full of interesting ideas, valuable visions, and innovative applications. Too much stuff and too many thoughts. Too much pressure and hardly any peace. I’m living the curse of the modern man – so many things to do; so little time left to do it in.

I need to de-clutter my soul and make more room, more time, and more space for God in my heart. I need to give away my faith more often, in order to grow with God. I need to use Time as a tool for getting the best out of life and giving my best to God. Like the psalmist, I want to grow old and gray, knowing the comforting presence of God, and telling His story to the next generation.

It’s not going to be easy letting go of all of my physical and spiritual clutter, but I have to start now or I will leave it too late. Today, I’ll let go of me and let God get a hold of me.

Prayer: Lord God, we keep filling the great gaps of our lives with things that are trivial and events that are unimportant. We set You aside to get what we want done and try to play catch up with You later on. We deplete our spirits and diminish our relationship with You, but when things go badly or if we do something wrong, we expect You to be there and rescue us. Lord, forgive us for taking You for granted. Help us today to specialize in You. Enable us to clear out the clutter in our hearts and minds; set our spirits free. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

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

4 Minute Devotions: Faithfulness

It's only through God's faithfulness to His Word, that we can ever be restored to His favor and love.

Podcast version here

1 Corinthians 1:9 God, who has called you into fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

My faith is built upon the faithfulness of God. If God was ever unfaithful to His Word, my faith would instantly diminish and be destroyed. I depend upon His words being true, which is why I hold fast to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This gets me into bother sometimes, especially with other Christians whose affinity to the faith does not depend upon how truthful God’s Word is, but on how much they believe that God’s Word is trumped by God’s Love. Acceptance and tolerance are the keys to their faith and sometimes I envy them. It would be so easy to give up on God’s Word and interpret things the way that I wanted. Life would be less cumbersome without divine rules, regulations, and readings. I could do as I please, instead of trying to do what would please God.

Now don’t get the impression that I am a sanctimonious, saintly, separationist who delights in being perfect and loves it when other people fail. I am a sinful person, whose mistakes often disappoint God, other people, and even me. Because I hold fast to the faithfulness of God’s Word, it hurts me to hurt Him. My failure to remain faithful, however, does not diminish the truth about God’s Word. He remains faithful, so that when I seek forgiveness, He pardons me through the precious blood of Christ.

That’s why my faith is built upon God’s faithfulness. Left to myself, I cannot always keep His words. At some point, during each day of my life, I am going to sin. My thoughts, my words, or my deeds are going to betray God. Whether it’s intentional or not, the result is still the same: through my selfishness, I have separated myself from God. It’s only through His faithfulness that I can ever be restored to God’s favor and love.

Perhaps you’ve separated yourself from God through something that you’ve done or said. Maybe like me, you find yourself spiritually alone because of selfish and sinful ways. It seems as though there’s no hope, no solution, and no one to turn to, but that is completely wrong. God is faithful and He will find us, no matter how lost, sinful, or unfaithful we have been.

Prayer: Lord God, we all make mistakes and allow our sinful ways to separate us from Your love. We feel alienated and isolated, spiritually crushed and totally abandoned at times. Despite what we do to what we do to ourselves, You remain faithful and offer us forgiveness through the holy sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ. Help us at this time, to turn to Him and receive Your mercy and grace. In Christ’s 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, send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

4 Minute Devotions: Dogmatic Dinosaur

If we accept Christ and His teaching, can we adopt a world view that all religions are equal and bring us to God?

Podcast version here

Titus 1:9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

Some people wonder why I get bent out of shape when it comes to teaching and preaching Christianity. Why can’t I just evolve like the rest of the world and accept different ideas from different cultures, giving other religions and faiths the respect they deserve? Why can’t I acknowledge that there are many ways to God and that Jesus is only one of them? Wouldn’t it be much easier on myself if I would just let go of my dinosauric doctrines and outdated teachings?

Like Paul, I am the chief amongst all sinners and cannot claim to be perfect in any way. So why do I ‘self-righteously’ insist upon the uniqueness and exclusivity of Christ? What makes me think that I have it all right and the rest of the religious world is totally wrong?

I struggle with this and wrestle with my doubts. At times, I would like to capitulate and be all things to all people, as Paul once suggested. But if I did that, it would be insincere and hypocritical. It wouldn’t be me, and if I cannot be true to myself, how on earth can I remain true to Christ?

Let me put it this way: if Christ is only one way to salvation, then He is a liar, a charlatan, and a cheat. He Himself states “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” If there are other ways, other doors, and other rooms to be eternally with God, then Jesus has lied across the centuries and Christianity is a false religion. So for me, it all boils down to this: Christ is who He insists that He is, or He is the biggest liar in the Universe.

My own experience of Jesus is this: His promises are true and He is true to His words, therefore I cannot accept that other religions can find salvation through their understanding of what God is. If that makes me a dogmatic dinosaur in the world’s eyes, then so be it. I stand alone in Christ, I can do no other.

If you’re having trouble with accepting this, please take time to read one of the Gospels. Each time you read Christ’s own words, ask yourself these questions: does Jesus mean what He says, and if He does, what does that mean for me?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, our world is so different from New Testament times. We have more information about other people and their religions. We have more access to other religious ideas and thoughts. Please show us the truth about God and help us, in this religiously diverse world, to know what You would have us accept, express, and do. 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.

4 Minute Devotions: Solomon's Candy

Pessimists like Solomon, try to negatively diminish our faith and deaden our spirits. Christ is the perfect antidote to depressing thoughts.

Podcast version here

Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten.

Do you get the feeling that someone must have swiped Solomon’s candy when he was a baby? I don’t know about you, but reading Ecclesiastes is sometimes like listening to too many Leonard Cohen songs; you eventually can’t take any more depressing thoughts and you need to get out into the world to enjoy life again.

In this passage, Solomon sounds like so many atheists today: there is no hope, there is no point, and there is no purpose to life. Instead of being magnificently created creatures that are expected to enjoy God’s creative wonders, we are, according to Solomon, destined to become dust. Instead of holding on to the assured hope that Christ has paid the price for our sins and brought us eternal life, we’re all headed to the gloom and doom of oblivion as far as atheists are concerned.

I don’t know about you, but I reject Solomon’s pessimism and atheistic angst. I experienced the Living Christ long ago in my life and I have seen too many faithful, inspiring moments in other peoples’ lives to make me want to throw in the existential towel that Solomon is waving. Life is all about faith, not fads or fashions; it’s all about eternal hope, not hopelessness or helplessness.

Solomon, like Leonard Cohen, might be handy to have around during those moments of loneliness, self-doubt, and morbidity that we all experience, but you wouldn’t expect either of them to be the life and soul of the party when it comes to celebrating our faith in Jesus. He lifts us up with joy and leads us to a higher plane and a greater life than we could ever dream or imagine.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Living Hope for our broken world and the Light of Joy for our inward darkness. You reach into the depths of our souls and transform our weary spirits with Your mercy, grace, and love. Create within us new hearts and help us to reach out to others with our faith. In Your Holy Name, we joyfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on this message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

A New Earth: Chapter Five

I find it difficult to continue to read this book - there are so many untruths about Christ and christianity that I can hardly go on.
(new Pages have been added)

Page 129 Tolle refers to the voice in his head again. I’m beginning to think this guy is schizoid. He also refers to karma on this page, which is a Buddhist/Hinduistic term. There is no such thing as karma in Christianity.

Page 130 Nothing of consequence.

Page 131 Tolle writes about ‘phonies.’ Is this a subliminal fear that Oprah has? Is she afraid of her work being ‘superficial?’

Tolle talks about modern people ‘always trying to get home, but never reach it.’ Perhaps if Tolle and his readers were to read John 14, they might suddenly find it!

Tolle writes about modern writers writing about the modern human dilemma, but never offering a solution. He doesn’t seem to understand that this comes about because most of them lacked faith.

Page 132 Tolle expresses emotions in a holistic sense. His material on this page could have been written from a manual of the Christian Scientists.

Page 133 Tolle refers to Gaia…the complex being that is planet earth. This is definitely New Age stuff.

Refers to primordial fear and anger…fight or flight…nothing new here.

Tolle suggest that emotion is the body’s respond to thought. An inward reaction to an outward circumstance.

Page 134 Tolle suggests that toxic energy in our system is built up through anxious thoughts. This is New Age hooey. There is no scientific evidence for any of this. Tolle is waffling here and wallowing in his own thoughts. Is he suffering from the same self-promulgated narcissism that he talks about through like his own suppositions and thoughts, rather than the ones he can actually prove?

Page 135 The voice in the head tells the story that the body believes…this is what he calls emotional storytelling. Is Tolle making a negative inference about the Church and its teaching?

“Life always lets you down”…is this a great part of Tolle’s personal reality?

He talks about self-esteem being low…is he empathizing with his women readers????

Page 136 Tolle lists a whole lot of negative qualities/experiences and claims that they all disrupt the energy flow through the body, heart, and immune system. Almost same kind of list of sins against the Spirit. Galatians.

All negative emotions equals unhappiness to Tolle. But is a lack of happiness really unhappiness?

Page 137 Love is a possessiveness and addiction that can turn to hatred…is Tolle reaching out to his readers who have bad relationships???? Clever, very clever…

There is not good without bad, no high without low. This is dualism, which is not Christian. God is good – He was when bad did not exist, and He will continue to be when bad ceases to exist.

States of Being positively emanate from love joy, peace…Tolle almost lists the fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians.

Page 138 We are a species that has lost its way…which is why Jesus came into the world – to show us the way back through Him.

Page 139 the present moment is where we find power…the experience of now. This is Buddhist teaching. In Christianity, the only real now is God…I AM WHO I AM. Tolle is once again displacing God for our own existential experience.

Relates story about two monks – Tanzan and Ekido. Old story…good point.

Page 140 memories become our emotional prisons. If we don’t let go of the past, our past won’t let go of us. Is Tolle talking about the past, or is he surreptitiously meaning ‘tradition?’

We hang on to our old emotions and they become our identity…which is why Christ invites us to come to Him…to liberate us from the past and find our new identity in Him.

Page 141 …nothing ever happened in the past etc….this is sophistry. He’s trying to sound clever, but as Ecclesiastes might say…it’s just vanity.

Tolle talks about children growing up with negative emotions…he’s linking to mothers who worry about their kids…clever reader prospecting here.

Page 142…nobody can go through childhood without suffering emotional pain. This is true.

Remnants of pain and negative emotion forms an energy field…this is Star Trekking again. Perhaps Tolle has accumulated most of his ideas through the imagination of Gene Roddenberry.

Page 143 … the collective pain-body is probably encoded within every human’s DNA…although it hasn’t been discovered yet….WOW! This is mythical, NEW AGE stuff…

Emotional pain-body is carried by every new born….is Tolle equating this with original sin??? Human pain…isn’t this what we Christians call separation or alienation from God?

People with pain bodies are better equipped to awaken spiritually…clever, Tolle, clever. He’s sympathizing with his readers.

Page 144…WOW! Tolle refers to Jesus as CHRIST. …with regard to His suffering…Tolle sees Christ as the archetypal human, embodying pain and the possibility of transcendence. In other words, Tolle is equating Christ’s pain with our own and nothing more. There’s no sacrifice for the world to redeem it for God.

Pain body is a semi-autonomous energy form…this is absolute baloney…talks about this needing to be fed…and vibrating at a certain frequency. This is some wild stuff, although some forms of Buddhism talk about vibrations drawing forth dark evil forces…

Page 145 The pain body is an addiction to unhappiness…misery loves company??

Pain body, negativity, and depression…is Tolle relating to a lot of women???

Page 146: Pain body feeds on thought energy…thoughts operate and vibrate at a higher frequency…there is no scientific evidence of this. This sounds like something from Reno:The Excutioner stories…

Page 147: A lot of this page is like an episode of Deep Space Nine where a character (Jake) is taken over by the MUSE.

Voice in head tells sad, anxious or angry stories about self, other people, and situations…This is schizoid…this makes me very wary about Tolle and his own mental stability.

Pain body devours negative thoughts…this is absolute garbage…

Page 148 Pain body – a psychic parasite….emotional vampirism.

Pain body pushes other people’s buttons…in other words, no responsibility…I can hear it now: It wasn’t me, it was my pain body that did it!

Tolle lays on a guilt trip for unstable parents when he writes about millions of children going through upheaval because of their parents’ agitated pain bodies…This guy piles on guilt like an old Irish priest, which is a method of gaining control. If Tolle can make his readers feel guilty, then he can also hold out the carrot of absolution, salvation, etc…

Page 149: Pain body is the reason for alcoholism and violence in men…The person who is talking and making promises, however, is not the entity that commits the violence…This is transference. Tolle is condoning violence by suggesting it is not a personal choice but an activation of the pain body…

People think they fall in love, but actually their pain-bodies compliment each other…Tolle must have had some bad relationship experiences. This sounds more like sour grapes to me.

Page 150: Pain bodies keep dormant and then jump into action when triggered….Tolle writes a stereotypical page about honeymoon arguments. This is not good psychology…this is pseudo-psychology…Tolle appears to blame all conflicts on pain bodies, instead of blaming it on people themselves.

Page 151: Pain body distorts reality with fear, hostility, and anger…blinded by emotions. All of a sudden the person you love has a different face…the pain-body has taken possession. Choose someone as your partner whose pain body is not excessively dense.???

The only excessively dense people are the ones who think this book will transform them.

(Still to be finalized)

A New Earth - Part 1

Oprah is pitching a new book called "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. Her advocacy is causing millions of viewers to buy into Tolle's philosophy. He presents his ideas as a necessary spiritual transformation that will take place this century, whether we like it or not. He also uses the Bible and teachings of Jesus to validate his points.

But Tolle's book is not Christianity and in many ways, it opposes Christ's teaching, diminishes His divinity, and replaces God with our spiritual selves. Our church is studying the book on Monday nights and Sunday mornings. This blog will reflect the teaching that Tolle presents and how it differs from actual Christian beliefs. I hope that readers of the blog will use these page by page reflections as a means to teach their own people about this new movement.

Chapter One

Page 1: Tolle begins with his opinion about what happened on earth 114 million years ago. Obviously because he wasn’t there, this is just his fanciful opinion. This sets the tone for the whole book: he is making up his own reality about the world.

Tolle suggests that there was no perceiving consciousness to witness the flowering of the world: in other words, God was not there and doesn’t seem to exist for Tolle.

Page 2: Tolle writes that flowers were the first things that human beings were drawn and fascinated to, outside of themselves – but where did that facility to be fascinated originate? From the flowers? From human beings? Or endowed by the Creator in our DNA?

He also states that Jesus told us to contemplate the flowers and learn from them how to live. When Jesus taught His “Consider the Lilies” lesson, He was using it to express our dependency on the providence and mercy of God. The parable is not about us – it’s about God.

(Note: Tolle will often use Christ’s teachings to express his own opinions, and not those of Jesus Himself.)

Flowers lead us to an appreciation of our own inner beauty. This will be a common theme throughout the book. This is spiritual narcissism – the love of ourselves as the source of our spirituality. This seriously opposes our love, wonder, and fascination with God.

Page 3: Flowers are messengers from another realm…and fragrance comes from the realm of the spirit. This sounds like New Age stuff.

He widens the conventional accepted meaning of ‘enlightenment’ to incorporate his own ideas…and yet his teaching is unconventional.

Tolle: enlightenment brings about discontinuity with the old, helping us leap beyond the past into experiencing a new evolved level of Being and Self Awareness .

Christian teaching ( Calvin) would suggest that enlighten is the process by which we are over-awed with the wonder of God and attracted to Him. Tolle is substituting our own self-awareness in place of becoming truly aware of God.

Page 4: Tolle talks about One Life, One Consciousness. This is not original. This is more Jungian (Carl Jung) than Tollian.

Tolle emphasizes “Presence” – Hebrews would call this shekinah – the glory of God, the sacredness of His presence. Tolle believes that we recognize this Presence within us and love it as ourselves. Once again, God is being displaced in favor of narcissism.

Page 5: Mainly deals with enlightenment in a Buddhist way of thinking.

Tolle states that the Holy Spirit is preparing the ground for a planetary shift of consciousness. This is very serious because this is blasphemy. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to reveal Christ to the world, not to bring about an evolutionary consciousness.

Page 6: Tolle references Jesus as a great teacher and messenger. He will very rarely use the term Christ and never refer to Jesus as the Son of God.

Tolle also infers that Christ’s ministry was a failure because of the opposition to Him. His teachings did not transform many lives…and yet there are about 2 billion followers of Christ in today’s world.

Tolle describes his book as a ‘transformational device’ => he is trying to canonize his own text.

Reading the book will transform you….this is a frequent mantra in the book. Subliminal message and auto suggestion…also known as brainwashing.

Page 7: This book is about you. Tolle stroking the ego of his readers to gain their patronage and appreciation. Narcissism. In contrast, the Bible is not about you…it’s about God.

Tolle states that the book can only awaken those who are ready….this is the old Emperor’s New Clothes argument.

Begins to write about ego – becoming Freudian and will start to apply pseudo-psychology here.

Tolle states that the ego tricks the mind into identifying with it with no flexibility…this is going to morph into an argument against absolutes and Truth.

Page 8: Author suggests that when we triumph over ego, we become the light of consciousness – in other words, we are the light that we are looking for.

In contrast, Jesus would say that we are the Light of the world and that he is the Light we are looking for.

Tolle begins to reference religions as ancient…by implication, he is suggesting that they are outdated, instead of timelessly relevant.

He also begins to reference his idea that sin is a madness, a dysfunction of who we truly are.

Page 9: Equates sin with dysfunction => it is not a selfish choice.

He also interprets the NT Greek word “sin” as something that means missing the point of our human existence. This shows his shallowness of New Testament knowledge. The word for sin actually means to miss the mark – standard or expectation – that God has set for us. It’s not about our human existence; it’s about disappointing God.

Page 10: SIN = MADNESS…which will mean that we are not personally accountable for our sinful actions. This is New Age Narcissism.

Tolle begins the old argument that religion breeds violence and conflicts.

Page 11: Talks about the horrors of Stalin, Hitler and Pol Phot – Agreed. He also emphasizes the environmental wreckage of the planet that is brought about by our greed.

Page 12: Fear, greed, and the desire for power are the psychological forces that cause most conflicts. Tolle believes that they cause a misconception and distortion of our true human perception.

Dysfunction entirely replaces sin. Tolle suggests that we cannot get rid of this dysfunction without a shift in our consciousness. This means that there is no room for Christ as our Savior.

Page 13: We cannot be good by trying to be good; we can only do this by finding the good within ourselves.
This opposes Christ’s teaching: only God is good. For Tolle, there is no source of good outside of us…therefore Man replaces God.

Tolle: Good News – radical transformation of human consciousness. He is deliberately using the Gospel term to proclaim his own philosophy. This is in direct contrast to Christian teaching and promotes a false gospel.

Tolle suggests that Jesus called enlightenment ‘salvation.’ Tolle: salvation is truly understanding yourself….but for Christ salvation is the realization of needing to be rescued from God’s wrath and the process through Christ’s sacrifice in which it is done.

Page 14: Self-recognition is the greatest human achievement --- narcissism all over again.

Recognizing our insanity/dysfunction is the beginning of healing and transcendence….Jesus is kicked into the gutter and the Cross is absolutely useless.

Page 15: Tolle writes about the original teachings of religious leaders being changed through the generations and were not part of the original ministry. He is subtly attacking the veracity of the Gospels. He furthers expresses his own opinion that the unpopularity of the teachers’ teaching got them killed, which made others worship them as gods.

This is an attack on Christ’s ministry of atonement through sacrifice and His divinity as the Son of God.

Tolle also states that religions are more divisive than unifying – that’s an old argument which doesn’t hold water. Religions unify millions upon millions of people.

Tolle then expresses his rejection of some being right and others wrong. This is the modern non-absolutionists’ argument…there are no rights or wrongs…Goes against Gospel teaching.

Tolle suggests that Man made God in his image. Humanism. This is a direct attack on our Creator. He suggests that we have reduced the infinite and un-nameable to a mental idol. Christians, however, worship God as Christ’s Father.

Page 16: Tolle writes that the real message is the truth that lies within us…narcissism again. As opposed to Christ being The Truth.

Tolle references Gnosticism as a rediscovery of the real truth and intensification of the light. Obviously, he has not read the texts and is caught up in a false Da Vinci Code moment.

Gnosticism is emphasized as a true realization and inner transformation of self…and yet they rejected the physical self and believed that the body is bad.

Page 17: Tolle belabors the point that only a small minority had access to these truths because the Church oppressed and suppressed them. Obviously he hasn’t read the history of Gnosticism and its cultic practices.

Tolle extols the differences between spirituality and religion. This is what Christ also taught, BUT Jesus did not abandon His religion – He still went to synagogue to teach and to worship on the Sabbath.

Tolle suggests that our religious beliefs systems separate us from the spiritual dimensions within ourselves…Tolle is subtly enticing people away from God…our spiritual navels are more important that our relationship with God.

Page 18: Tolle writes about new spirituality movements arising out of the existing religious structures…for example, the New Emergent Church in Christianity.

Tolle describes the Western Church as the most mind dominated faith on the planet…he is going to equate this with egotism. He does not however, suggest that the Church’s domination saved civilization and actually engendered enlightenment.

Begins to state the old New Age argument that ancient Eastern wisdom is beginning to influence the West, as if the Eastern ways were better….but look at the state of most countries with Eastern wisdom…they are practically the poorest and most oppressed on earth! Did Eastern wisdom spawn documents like the Magna Carta or Declaration of Independence? Liberty and life are more valued in Western Church countries than in Eastern wisdom nations.

Tolle suggests that we let go of dogma in order to discover the true spiritual depth within ourselves…in other words experience spiritual narcissism over the teachings of the Church.

Page 19: Any opposition to Tolle new transformational conscious is called the ‘entrenchment of ego.’ He is stating that institutionalized religion is about idolizing the institution, but he has missed the point altogether. Religious institutions normally exist to serve God, not the believer.

Tolle writes that the collective ego will fight back…in other words, churches will oppose his philosophy.

They will be mentally closed to his ideas…no, we disagree with them. It comes down to this: whom do we trust? Tolle and Oprah, or Christ and God?

Tolle declares that religious institutions will disintegrate from within…but we’ve heard this all before – Voltaire & the French Revolution, as well as Soviet Communism (which lasted 100 years), but the Church still survives and thrives. Atheism & New Age keep declaring the death of God and the Church…but the fact is this: the Church is still growing worldwide.

Page 20: Tolle argues that through the process of evolution, species & life forms will either become extinct or rise above their limitations…to survive requires an evolutionary leap.

He writes about evolutionary processes…but these are physical changes, not spiritual ones.

Page 21: Tolle’s controversial statement about spiritually evolving or dying – This is fascism…submit or die…spiritual eugenics. He then claims that he is not promoting a new belief system…but that is precisely what he and Oprah are establishing.

Page 22: Tolle urges his readers not to take their identity from the old ways of consciousness. Yet Christians belong to Christ. Our spiritual identity is established in Him. Tolle is subtly arguing that we ditch Christ for ourselves.

Tolle then questions the reality of evil. It’s a matter of dysfunction and madness for him. If evil is not real according to Tolle, then Christ is the Savior of nothing and His death is meaningless.

Page 23: Tolle states that he took the title of his book from scriptural references…Isaiah 65:17 and Revelation 21:1. He argues that the new heaven and new earth represent his transformational consciousness as reflected in the physical realm. He believes that this is what Christ taught…that the new heaven and new earth are not places, but new transformational ideas.

However, both scriptures emphasize places…

Isaiah 65:17-18 "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.

Revelation 21:1-2
21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

Tolle is falsely advocating his view as being the same as Christ’s.

He ends the chapter with a suggestion that human life and human consciousness are intrinsically one with the planet…but this is not what Genesis teaches.

Tolle suggestion is perhaps borrowed more from the movie “Excalibur,” when the secret of the Holy Grail is discovered…that Arthur and the Land are one.

4 Minute Devotions: A New Oprah - why Christians should be wary.

In the next couple of weeks, our church will be studying a book that has been highly recommended by Oprah Winfrey. It’s called “A New Earth” and is written by Eckhart Tolle. He writes about a new evolutionary spiritual transformation that he believes will take place this century amongst enlightened people. He draws from the teachings of Christ and Buddha, as well as the theories of Carl Jung. It’s a typical new age type of book, but his hope is that it becomes sacred scripture in the years to come.

Podcast version here

I’ve read the first chapter and already I’ve come across several areas where Tolle’s teaching misinterprets Christ. He relies upon his own feelings about Jesus as a great teacher and messenger to make his points. He does not proclaim Christ as the Son of God or Lord of all creation. Tolle also avoids calling our mistakes sinful; instead he declares them to be a form of madness which, in effect, does two things: it takes away personal accountability and it discards the need for Jesus to die for our sins.

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

The book troubles me and I am sincerely sorry that Oprah has become involved and infatuated with this false teaching. It is countering Christ’s message and duping many women into believing the old heresy that salvation comes from within us.

I will be leading a ten week discussion about the book to show people where it dangerously digresses from Christian teaching, in order to help them avoid the pitfall of accepting popular superficial spirituality, as opposed to the deep meaning of Christ’s Gospel.

The discussions will take place at the church on Monday nights beginning May 5 and on Sunday mornings on May 11. I’ll also be starting a new online study class during the week of May 5 -11, so if you would like to be included, please send me an email at pastor@erinpresbyterian.org. Put “A New Earth” in the subject line of your email.

Some people may wonder why I am tackling this. It’s because in every generation, we have to defend our faith from misconceptions, mistaken beliefs, and misleading spiritual teachers. It’s properly called Apologetics, and has been in existence ever since the New Testament was written down.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are our Holy Teacher and Sacred Guide. You are the Prophet and Messenger of the Gospel. But You are also much more than these – You are the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, and the Only One with the words of eternal life. Keep us focused on Your ways and keep us away from false teachers and superficial celebrities, whose teachings are not Your own. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Godly Guidance in Uncertain Times

I love looking at maps. If you want to keep me occupied and quiet for a while, you just have to give me a map and I will pore over it for ages. I love to look at the topography of an area or find interesting back roads to places I want to visit. Whenever I’m driving any distance by myself, I usually travel along the B routes, so that I can pass through some small towns and sight-see.

Podcast version here

I guess I learned my map skills in the Boy Scouts. I remember one year that I had to hike twelve miles using my map and compass in order to be awarded an Orienteering badge. I was dropped off at a predetermined location early in the morning, and was given 8 hours to complete the journey. I had to follow map co-ordinates and describe what I found at different locations. It was a wonderful experience and I passed with flying colors. Orienteering is a skill that I thankfully still have, although there have been occasions when I’ve had to stop at a gas station to pick up a new map, as well as ask for local directions.

Bible Verse of the Day

Isaiah 58:11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

I also love reading the book of Isaiah, for the ancient prophet says many things that touch my soul. He belonged to a wandering people who, in his time, were exiled in a foreign land. The fact that Isaiah emphasized to them that God would guide them always, was a source of great encouragement for his people. They thought that they were isolated and separated from God; Isaiah reassured them that God had never let them out of His sight, and that He was still in control of their destiny.

We all need to hear words like that throughout our lives. When we go through times of trouble and fear, uncertainty and doubt, Isaiah can speak to us across the ages to reassure us that God will guide us, even through the roughest patches in our lives. We may not know or understand what is happening, but God always knows the way ahead, so we can depend upon Him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are our Guiding Light and the Holy One who shows us the path to God. Lead us day by day and help us to confidently place our lives and times in Your Sacred Hands. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.

(After writing this post, I was sent an email from a blogger who directed me to this video of a singer from Tennessee called Candy Coburn. The song is entitled "Hard Times."

Click here to watch and listen to the video or put the following in your browser

http://www.famecast.com/contest/stage_top10.php?stage_id=47&round_id=222&artist_id=1648

U.S Episcopal Bishop Apologizes to Hindus worldwide

“There are far too many Christians in the world,” Episcopal priest declares.

The Bishop of the Episcopal diocese of Los Angeles has issued an apology to Hindus worldwide for what he called "centuries-old acts of religious discrimination by Christians, including attempts to convert them" reports India Abroad. The apology was given in a statement read to over 100 Hindu spiritual leaders at a mass from Right Reverend J John Bruno.

The ceremony started with a Hindu priestess blowing a conch shell three times and included sacred chants.

This meeting was the result of a dialogue, started three years ago, between Hindu leaders and Rev. Karen MacQueen, who was deeply influenced by Hindu Vedanta philosophy and opposes cultivating conversions. "There are enough Christians in the world," she said. "What we need to see is more Christians leading an exemplary life and truly loving their fellow man."

However the apology has triggered considerable debate among pastors across the US.

Article source: India Abroad

Keeping Connected - or how the Internet has become our latest spiritual domain

Proverbs 27:10 Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you--better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away. (NIV)

Audio version here

The Internet is an amazing vehicle of communication. Two Sundays ago, my new niece Eve was christened. I couldn’t fly over the Atlantic to be there, but my brothers took photographs and they have shared them with me over the Internet. I may be a brother who lives far away, but they keep me connected to family events through the Flickr photo site that we all share.

Flickr (www.flickr.com) is an amazing website because people from all over the world can share their photos of far away places and also upload their artwork on the site. As you know, I like to design stained glass pictures on the computer, as well as drawing political cartoons. I’ve built up a great community of friends who have the same interests from Poland, Japan, Scotland, Brazil and Australia, as well as many others from across the United States. It fascinates me to see how many creative people there are in the world. And I feel as though they are my brothers and sisters under the Creative Spirit of God.

The other night I was talking to a psychologist friend and somehow we started to talk about Carl Jung, who expressed a theory that humankind shares a collective unconscious in our minds. I used to wonder how that could be proven. These days, as I see the Internet becoming more of a shared reality across the world, I’m beginning to think that Jung was ahead of his time. The shared creativity of humankind, which is displayed on sites like Flickr, Helium, and Wikipedia links us altogether in a special way. It’s more than just communication; it’s almost spiritual.

So, physically I can be a brother far away from the rest of my family in Scotland, but I can also be a brother who connects with my family instantly in their homes or at their work via the computer screen. And I guess that’s how Christ works in our lives. Because He became one of us so long ago, He connects with our hearts and minds instantaneously through the presence of the Holy Spirit. He is not a Savior who is far away; He is right here as we are reading or listening to this devotional. Wow!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You amaze us. Your presence in our lives is instantaneous and we are truly thankful for Your deep interest in our lives. Keep us aware of Your presence in everything that we say or do, and help us to share this loving knowledge with all whom we encounter this very day. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.