Presbyteriann Devotions and Podcasts: A Real Challenge

The podcast for today’s devotion can be heard at the following link:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/stushie/A_Real_Challenge.mp3

Philippians 2:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing

Wow! Now there’s a verse of scripture that takes a lot of doing! I grew up in a large family -4 boys and 2 girls- so there was a lot of competition for our parents’ attention in my household. Without complaining or arguing, none of us were ever heard or seen, and unfortunately it became a character flaw that I have carried with me to this very day.

But let’s stop and think about what Paul was trying to inspire in the young Philippian church. Those new Christians lived in a very busy town that had established itself as a powerful place. Old ways and old money kept the merchants happy; new groups and new faiths were frowned upon and even harassed. The first Christians in that town had to deal with a lot of public hostility and suspicion, so if Christ’s church was going to succeed, then His followers would have to be patient, compassionate, and passive in order to let the gospel take root in the hearts of the Philippian people. If the Christians complained about the harassment or persecution, they would have appeared to have been churlish and thin-skinned. However, if they put up with the discomfort and prejudices, and still acted justly and kindly to those who offended or hurt them, then Christ’s message would eventually win over the hearts and minds of the people in the town. Paul’s words must have been effective because a strong church was established at Philippi.

Sadly, there are a lot of churlish Christians in our society who seek to get their own way and bring the message of Christ into disrepute. Instead of being united in Christ’s love, Christians can be very divisive, argumentative and totally inadequate as witnesses to God’s Kingdom. This is why Paul’s words strike at the very heart of our lives and faith. If we were to sincerely apply them in our homes and churches, then the world would be totally conquered by Christ’s compassion and God’s love.

So here’s the challenge for all of us this weekend: let’s try to do everything without complaining or arguing. Instead, let’s do everything agreeably and with compassion. It will be interesting and perhaps life-changing to see how this all turns out.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we must disappoint You with our disagreements and sadden You with our complaints. Challenge us with Paul’s words this weekend and encourage us to apply them with our families, friends, neighbors and church people. 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 drawing is one of John’s wild bird drawings of an American Barred Owl. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click here: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5046/5325073573_ce80eaec50_b.jpg


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

Signed, numbered and matted prints are available for only $20 each (plus shipping if necessary). They make unique gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and new homes. Just contact john by email and he’ll be delighted to help you.

My Last Five Podcasts

If you enjoy hearing a Scottish accent, you might enjoy listening to my last five podcasts.

Power_of_Prayer.mp3

Prayer allows us to step back from our problems and let God step in to help us.

Faith_for_Hard_Times.mp3

In these uncertain economic times, how can our Christian faith help us?

Prisoner_for_Christ.mp3

Our government deplores torture against terrorists over here; but are our politicians willing to take a stand against China's continuing persecution of Christians?

Prison_Wall.mp3

Christ is our Liberator from our self-imposed prison walls. A tale from Scotland.

Sacred_Memory.mp3

Instant communication is wonderful today, but what about intra-generational communication?

Presbyterian Devotions: Faith for Hard Times

In these uncertain economic times, how can our Christian faith help us?

1 John 5: 4 …for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Podcast version here

Because of the economic uncertainty, a lot of people are unsure about their future and feel insecure about themselves. These are tough times to be living in, but not as harsh as the past. A key element in surviving turbulent times lies in how much investment we make to our faith. Past generations of Christians have come through much worse, so there must be something special about our belief in Christ that enables us to persevere, endure, and overcome our troubles.

Faith helps us to overcome our fears. We are not alone because Christ is always with us and His Church seeks to support us. People who have a faith community usually do better than those who go it alone. They find that their Christian connections build up their esteem, their confidence, and their strength. For instance, to have others in prayer for us during critical times is like having a small army of resourceful people on our side.

Attending church and worshipping regularly during tough times gives us both discipline and focus. Our spirits are strengthened by the teachings we receive. Our confidence is boosted by belonging to a group of people who share similar beliefs. And the friendship, fellowship, and love of true Christians are powerful aids that enable us to overcome trying moments in our lives.

Inspiration can also be acquired by focusing on our faith. The Bible is not just a history book; it’s a guidance manual for getting through tough times. It’s a spiritual survival course that relates to just about every incident or event that we can ever experience. The richness of the psalms, the wisdom of proverbs, and the hopefulness contained in the Gospels grants us all some wonderful information and insights, letting us know that God is in control and that we are very important to Him.

The teaching of the Bible in both Old and New testaments has stood the test of Time. For thousands of years people have been moved and motivated, spurred on and encouraged by God’s holy words. There’s always something that we can glean from a familiar Bible story or a Gospel passage that will give us the guidance we need. It’s also amazing how often a Sunday School lesson or a pastor’s sermon will speak to us at the right time, giving us assurance, advice, and assistance.

Hope, faith, and love help us through bad times, as well as the good. By taking the time to focus on our faith in the midst of our present circumstances, we will discover several useful gifts - strength and determination, character and perseverance, endurance for the present and hopefulness for the future. In Christ, we live an abundant life at all times. In His word, we find our way. Through His love, we rediscover our lives.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for bringing us to faith and helping us to believe in Your words, Your ways, and Your works. In these uncertain times, assure us that Your promises are powerful, Your guidance is always good, and Your salvation is our strength. In Your Holy Name, we gladly and confidently 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.

Presbyterian devotions: Rebel Cry

How a religious rebel kept his faith in the midst of injustice and oppression.

Psalm 138:1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise.

Podcast version here: http://media.libsyn.com/media/stushie/Rebel_Cry.mp3

This is a rebel psalm. It was perhaps written when the Jewish people were exiled in Babylon and found themselves surrounded by images and idols, statues and altars to the mighty gods of the Babylonian empire.

In such conditions, people usually become overwhelmed, but not the guy who wrote this psalm. When he bows down in front of the other ‘gods’, he doesn’t give his heart to them. When he sings praises, he doesn’t offer them to Bel or Nebo. And when he prays, he doesn’t ask foreign idols to intercede on his behalf.

On the outside, he may have looked like any other convert to paganism, but within himself he keeps his faith fully focused on the God of his fathers, the Jehovah of Jerusalem, the Lord God of hosts.

I love this psalm because it encourages God’s people to hold on to their faith in the midst of trying circumstances. This person would be silently praying in schools and public places. He would organize and attend underground churches in China. He would hold on to hope in the midst of a Nazi concentration camp. He would keep the faith no matter who or what tried to take it away from him. This psalm is a sacred poem of a religious rebel.

We may never experience anything like this in our lifetime, but the lesson that we learn from this psalm is the same as that of which Paul once wrote: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the courage of some of God’s people whose faith never fails them, even in the midst of tyranny, oppression, and injustice. We pray especially for Christian groups in China that seek to worship You, even though they are constantly harassed, arrested, and imprisoned. Help us to be reminded of the true cost of faith and of the blessings that we freely experience. 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.