Today’s devotion: Life Haters – Ecclesiastes 2:17

Ecclesiastes 2:17         So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

The horrendous mass-murders that took place last week in Norway shocked the world. Norway, after all, is known to be one of the most peaceful and tolerant nations on the planet. The Norwegian people are known for their openness and friendship, as well as their care of the environment and community. The murders devastated the whole nation and we are all grieving because a noble people have been terribly wounded.

The shooter’s hatred for life and all things different from him displayed a wickedness and callousness that can only be described as satanic and inhumane. The pain and torture that he inflicted upon his young victims is hard to fathom or understand. In his heart and mind, he probably thinks that he is a crusader hero to his chosen cause. In reality, he is a monster whose murderous ways will not go unpunished either by society or by God.

Almost all of these kinds of shootings are perpetrated by angry men. They are incapable of controlling their anger or of analyzing what is real. Just this weekend, another shooting with multiple deaths took place in the US at a skating rink where children were having a birthday party. The shooter killed his ex-wife and a few of her relatives before turning the gun on himself.

I don’t like guns, either here or abroad, but I can’t stop people from possessing them. I would however say that every three years, gun owners should have to go through a compulsory anger-management class, possibly run by the local sheriff’s office. I also believe that young men in High school should also have to go through anger-management courses before they are allowed to graduate. This might cut down the number of irate boyfriends hurting, injuring, or killing their ex-girlfriends.

Some people will say that you cannot legislate against angry feelings; I would argue, however, that you can provide people with coping mechanisms and emotional knowledge to counter this kind of hatred, anger, and destructiveness.

Yesterday in church, we read the prayer for Norway that was written by the World Council of Churches. The concluding line of the prayer speaks directly to this kind of terrible and violent tragedy. May it also be our prayer for today:

These prayers and the heavy silence of our hearts we offer in the Name of Your Son Jesus Christ who trod the path of peace in the face of violence. 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.

New year Devotions: A Congregational Prayer – Philippians 1:9

Philippians 1: 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.

If ever a prayer was written for a local congregation, it must certainly be this one of Paul’s. I love these words because of the encouragement and faith that is expressed in them. Our wee church at Erin has just completed some major renovation and expansion work on the building. Now it’s time to apply this verse and work on the people who congregate there.

 

Just recently someone was telling me about the welcoming love that they have experienced at Erin. I was proud to hear that the people I serve are embracing visitors and welcoming them as friends in Christ. To me, that is the main part of what a church should be doing. Whenever someone new walks through the doors of any church, they should be met with a sincere joy and delight that will make a good and lasting impression.

I also want that love to be spread into our local community. There are hundreds of people in our parish who do not know the love of God in Jesus Christ. If we can discern who these people are and make the right effort in reaching out to them, we can keep a light on and an open door for them to walk through when they need God most.

Paul’s prayer to the Philippian church was highly effective because it became a major base for the spreading of the Gospel all across the Mediterranean. My hope and my prayer is that with the right encouragement, vision, and faith, all of our local churches can begin to do the same throughout this New Year.

 

Prayer: Lord Jesus , we thank You for our churches and the congregations to which we are attached. In this New Year, we pray that You will equip and encourage us to undertake local outreach projects and missions that will enable us to embrace and welcome new visitors and new friends into our midst. Thank You for the power of the Gospel in our lives and for the potential that it has to spread across our community. In Your Sacred 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 drawing is one of John’s latest lighthouse prints. It’s called “Light Snow” and depicts the Portland Head Light in Maine during a snowstorm. You can view a larger version of the print here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/5286516317/sizes/l/

All of John’s drawings can be found on the Web at his artsite at http://www.stushieart.wordpress.com/

Signed, numbered and matted prints are available for only $20 each (plus shipping if necessary).

New Year devotions: A New Path for a New Year

Ephesians 4:26b         “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry”

At every wedding to which I have the privilege of conducting, I usually quote this verse from Ephesians. I say something like: “Each day do two important things – firstly say “I love you” to one another and secondly, never let the sun go down with anger or bitterness in your hearts because life is too short to hold grudges against each other.” After the wedding service a couple of guests usually come up and complement me on the practical advice that I’ve offered to the newly married couple.

There’s a lot of wisdom in what Paul had to write long ago. I try to practice what I preach, but sometimes I fail and allow grudges to ruin my week with my wife, my children or even my friends. I carry the burden of emotional pain and hold on to my hurt for too long. Instead of letting go of the trivial past, I nurse my troubles and pander to my bruised feelings.

With the coming of a New Year, there is always a golden opportunity to let go of past pain and instead to let God heal my hurts. I can begin again and throw off previous disappointments, broken promises, and harsh words. I can forgive myself and others through Christ, but only if I choose to let Him. I can start the New Year with an act of faith and allow myself and others a clean slate.

If I can do this, then surely you can too?

Prayer:                       
Lord Jesus, at the threshold of this New Year there are many positive possibilities and fresh starts. Help us to embrace Your guidance and goodness, Your love and laughter, Your mercy and grace. Rid us of our anger and disappointment. Heal our hurts and subdue our hostilities. Grant us peace and a new path for a New Year. 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 one of John’s last drawings for the year. It’s called “Star Messiah” and depicts the baby Jesus in the Bethlehem manger. If you would like to view a larger version of this drawing, please visit the following link:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5167/5284738336_e85c5b850f_b.jpg

Daily Devotions: Christ’s Chosen One

Ephesians 4:19           Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. 

The trouble with Paul is that he knows humanity so well and bluntly speaks the truth. He could have written today’s verse a couple of seconds ago because it’s highly relevant to the issues that the Church and our society are currently facing. We seem to have lost our sensitivity to God and instead we indulge in our sensuality. Instead of being fully devoted to Him, we are desirous of fulfilling our own pleasure.

Let’s be honest with ourselves: we are all contaminated by the brazenness of our culture. We view things we should never see. We act out scenarios we should never do. We tolerate sexual idolatry and excuse it as artistic, sophisticated, and modern. In short, we fall far short of what God expects and end up expecting Him to accept our sinful lifestyles and embrace our selfish whims.

The older I get, the odder the world seems. Traditional values are treated disrespectfully and the Word of God is woefully described as being outdated, hypocritical, and irrelevant. Even so called church people, who hardly ever open or read their Bibles, seem to believe that their own opinions, ideas, and tolerances trump God’s advice, guidance, and truth. Paul is berated as being hostile, homophobic, and hypocritical by Christians who could not walk two paces in his shoes. They honestly and arrogantly believe that they know better than Christ’s Chosen Apostle simply because they live in the here and now as opposed to living in the way back then.

I shudder to think about God’s wrath which will come as a complete shock to this present generation of ungodly people. They will not know what hit them and will never understand why they are so completely wrong. Unless they make time to repent, they will never be released from the cultural weeds that are choking their spiritual sensitivity and replacing it with ungodly sensuality.

Prayer:                       

Lord Jesus, how dare we diminish the writings of Paul; after all, he was Your Chosen Apostle. Forgive our Biblical ignorance and spiritual arrogance. Reclaim our souls and restore our minds to Your ways, Your works, and Your words. In Your Holy Name, we fervently 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 one of John’s latest winter drawings. It’s called “Edinburgh Blizzard” and depicts the world-famous castle and Princes Street during the 2010 snowstorm. If you would like to view a larger version, please go to the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5049/5282150038_e7aeb19b56_b.jpg

Christmas Prayer for Our Troops

Almighty and Everlasting God, as we celebrate the birth of Your Son in this world and experience the peace He has to offer us today, we remember our troops at home and abroad who dedicate their lives to protecting our people on this planet.

We are sorry that war is still a part of our lives and that we call upon our young people to risk their lives for us, putting themselves in harm’s way for our freedom. We pray that You will enable us one day to put an end to war and truly experience peace on Earth, so that our Christmas celebrations will be full of joy.

We pray for our troops stationed both here and abroad. We ask that You bless, protect and preserve them wherever they are located. Help us to let them know how much we truly appreciate their service and give us opportunities to care for, encourage, and embrace them.

We pray for their families this Christmas who suffer from separation and distance at this time of year. Surround them with good friends and strong families. Be near to the wives, daughters and mothers, husbands, sons, and fathers who miss their loved ones.

We also remember those who have been wounded in action, who are recovering at home or in Veterans’ hospitals. We pray for their healing, recovery, and tender care. We especially remember those who are permanently injured whether emotionally, mentally, physically, or neurologically. May they be deeply cared for and honorably respected.

We pray for our military leaders and Commander in Chief who need to make tough and unenviable decisions. We pray that You will grant them guidance and discernment to act upon the fresh challenges to peace that occur around the world.

Finally, we pray for those service families who have an empty chair at their Christmas tables that will never be filled. In the midst of their loss, surround them with caring friends and loving people. Let the real sacrifices that they have made, and still sadly experience, be humbly honored and deeply respected by all of us. May we cherish the freedom that our troops have accomplished through the giving of their lives.

Hear us now as we silently pray for those who serve our nation today and as we quietly remember those who have actively served and sacrificed in the past.

Silence – lighting of red, white & blue candle.

In the Name of the Holy One Who made the Supreme Sacrifice for the world – Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Gospel devotions: Double Decker Deliverance

Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.

Believe it or not, Psalm 119:65-72 is my favorite scripture from the Old Testament. When I first became a Christian in 1977, this passage had a wonderful affect on me and I have never forgotten what it meant for my life.

I was sitting on the top of a double decker bus at the front seat. It was my favorite position on the bus because I always enjoyed the view it gave me of the city of Glasgow. As I journeyed into work, which took about 25 minutes, I sometimes read from my Gideon’s pocket edition of the Bible. These used to be given out to 5^th grade classes in elementary school to every student before the days of political correctness and atheistic militantism.

Anyway, I was reading through the psalms consecutively and reached Psalm 119. I didn’t know that it had all those verses in it, so I read it slowly section by section. When I reached verses 65-72, I felt as though God was speaking to my spirit, especially verse 67: Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.

You see, I knew that I had gone astray in my teenage life and had rejected God. It was only when He afflicted my soul and constantly pestered me spiritually that my life began to turn around completely. When I read those words for the first time, I wanted to weep and laugh out loud at the same time, but being on a bus full of Glaswegians during the morning rush hour stopped me in my tracks. Instead, I underlined those verses in my Bible and have kept them written in my heart ever since.

We all wander from God at times and wonder how we’ll ever get back to being in a daily relationship with Him. God may afflict our conscience or our spirit relentlessly until we have no choice but to totally surrender to Him. From experience, let me tell you that it is both humbling and wonderful to finally let God be God in life. He changed mine in absolutely amazing ways; if you let Him, I know that He can do the same for you.

Prayer: O Lord, there are times when we wander from Your words and allow ourselves to be sinfully led astray from Your Son. We seem to separate our souls from Your Presence and distance our spirits from Your influence. But You relentlessly pursue us and afflict us constantly with Your loving, patient ways. Grant us the courage and the will to turn back to Your Son and be restored to Your everlasting love. In Christ’s 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, or if you have questions, please send John an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest drawings called “Broadway Lights.” It depicts a busy night-time scene from New York City. You can view a larger version of the drawing here:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5090/5239799418_a5ec22450b_b.jpg

(John has a limited number(25) of signed and matted prints of this drawing available. The cost is only $20, plus shipping. If you would like one, please email him at the same address as above)

Stushie’s Stuff: Christmas Losses

Psalm 119:50 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

Christmas can be a hard time for people who have lost their loved ones to death, especially if it occurs during the month of December. I can remember when my own Dad died in December of 2002. It was in the midst of all the preparations for Christmas and my heart sank because of my loss. I saw all of the decorations and listened to all of the carols, but my heart could not experience most of the joy. It was a sad time of year for me and even though years have passed since his death, I still feel part of my grief at Christmas.

However, like the psalmist of old, I also feel the comfort that God offers through His promises. Death does not have the final word and, through the shared hope of faith in Jesus Christ, my losses turn into victories and my grief can be transformed into gladness.

I know that the emptiness of grief is still there, but as time goes by, it is gradually being replaced with a fullness of Christ’s love that can overcome any joylessness that I temporarily feel. He is born within me each Christmas, so I renew and rededicate my life, my loved ones, and also my losses to Him. Jesus is my Comforter and Savior, Hope Bringer and Healer, my Shepherd and Lord.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, some of us are going through sad times and our hearts are heavy because of the losses that we still experience. We know that You weep with us and carry our cares. Help us to place our pain into Your palms and give over our emptiness to Your full embrace. 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 winter scene from John’s hometown of Glasgow, Scotland. It depicts snow falling on Sauchiehall (socky-hall) Street. A larger version of this “Snow on Sauchie” can be found at the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5202/5251919500_14a1397bf8_b.jpg

World Cup Images: England’s Latest Defense

Latest goal line defense for England World Cup Squad

Lent devotions: Jesus the Christ – Mark 6 v 13

Mark 6:13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

The word ‘Christ’ means ‘the Anointed One’ and it was meant to signify that Jesus was specially chosen, divinely honored, and majestically exalted by God to be the Savior of His people. Anointing was primarily reserved for those who were to be crowned as ruler of a nation. Usually a priest did the anointing by pouring some precious oil on the forehead of the crown prince or high born ruler. If you look back at the old black and white recordings of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, you will see that the Archbishop of Canterbury anoints her during the ceremony. It is an ancient rite and one which marked rulers of kingdoms as being people who were specially chosen and predestined to reign by God.

In today’s Gospel passage, Christ uses anointing in a different way. Instead of reserving it for divinely chosen people and godly rulers, Jesus teaches the disciples to anoint those who are sick with oil before actually healing them. It’s as if Christ wanted to share His anointment with other people, especially those who were seriously sick and possibly at death’s door. Anointment then became an act of divine compassion instead of a holy rite of elitism. Jesus let His disciples show the weak and ill that they were not being punished by God, but instead that they were honored by God with His love, grace, and healing. Just as John was called the Baptist because he baptized people in the Jordan, so Jesus was called the Christ because He anointed people with God’s favor and healing.

Today we are all in need of God’s grace and Christ’s compassionate anointment. We have emotional, mental, and physical pains that bother, bruise, and burden us. Christ has the power to release us from past hurts and disappointments, present difficulties and circumstances, anxious moments and insecurity. If we allow Him into our lives, He can and will anoint us to heal us of the past, hold on to us presently, and lead us towards heaven and everlasting peace.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You are the Christ, the Holy One chosen of God, who rules the universe, reconciles creation, and heals the entire world. You anointed the Earth with Your precious blood. You saved us from sin and compassionately healed the breach that separates us from God. Hallelujah! What a Savior! 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 from John’s Feast of Easter series and is called “Two More Days.” If you want to view the series, you can see them at the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/sets/72157600054864349/detail/

Devotions for Lent: Out of Deep Waters

Psalm 18:16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.

For a couple of summers I used to help out for a week at our Presbytery’s Outdoor Camp Site at John Knox. I was friends with the director at the time and he invited me to go canoeing for a week with the middle schoolers. We went all over East Tennessee and North Carolina trying out various rivers and rapids. It was a wonderful time and I came back fitter and leaner than I had been in years.

The next summer I went back to the camp to do the same thing, but this time my friend was unable to lead the group. I spent most of the week driving the minivan or transporting the canoes to predetermined locations. I did get to go canoeing a couple of times during which I almost drowned.

The group was headed down a fast flowing river and all of a sudden my canoe overturned. Both I and the other leader ended up beneath the canoe and struggled to reach the surface. I remember thinking for a brief second that this was it. Green reeds were flowing around me and I was being buffeted and bashed by the strong current. My greatest fear was getting a foot stuck under a rock, so I leaned back in the water and let myself float to the surface. Within seconds I was gasping for air and dragging myself and the canoe back to the river bank. The other leader was already there.

When the psalmist writes about God drawing him out of deep waters, he’s talking about a salvation experience. His life is full of trouble and his foes are all around him. His faith in God assures him, so that when the worst does come, he knows that the Lord’s presence will help him endure and overcome the crisis. He is completely confident that he will be delivered from death and rescued from despair.

We all go through times when circumstances threaten to engulf our lives and overwhelm our days. We feel as if we’re emotionally drowning and our anxieties make us feel totally insecure. That’s where faith plays a key role in overcoming our troubles and winning the struggle. For the psalmist, it was the presence of the Lord that saved him; for us Christians it is the Spirit of Jesus who rescues us.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You know everything about what we are going through today, this week, and at this time. We rely upon You to be our strength when we are weak, to be our Guide when we are lost, and to be our Savior when we are in trouble. Hear our prayers and heal our lives. In Your Holy Name, we ask. 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 taken from John’s waterfall series and is called “Appalachian Spring.” You can view the rest of the series online at http://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/sets/72157622666059885/detail/