Presbyterian Devotions: Prolonging Our Lives

Proverbs 3:1-2                   My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.

A lot of my time lately has been taken up with our church’s Capital Campaign. Every day I am dealing with a new item on what I call the Campaign Trail. It’s a fascinating process, but it also can get very burdensome at times.

The purpose of the Campaign is to prolong the life of the church. We are renewing ourselves for the missions and ministries that are yet to come. Our church has constantly grown because we try to apply God’s teaching to our community. Every week, people come to church to hear more about God’s Word, to seek guidance for their lives, and to be challenged by Christ in ways that will make our world a better place.

We grow because God gives us this blessing. We increase because Christ inspires us. We add to our numbers because the Holy Spirit activates our faith.

When the Campaign is over, the true work will begin. I look forward to what lies ahead for our church because we will have more opportunities to glorify God, praise Jesus Christ, and be led by the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:                 Lord Jesus, we thank You for the privilege and blessing of serving You. You take imperfect and unholy people and shape them into a church. You work in our midst and inspire us through Your wonderful words and glorious ways. Thank You for such gracious blessings. In Your Holy Name, we praise and 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: Trying Times

Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

Podcast version here:

http://media.libsyn.com/media/stushie/Trying_Times.mp3

To paraphrase Thomas Paine, “These are the times that try the souls of men and women.”

The Stock Market has crashed again and the recession is getting deeper. No matter how many bail outs that our leaders employ, they just don’t seem to be working. We’re now at a 12 year low as far as the financial market is concerned, which means that we’re right back to where we were in 1997. If we follow the same pattern to reach our all time highs, it’s going to take about seven years to make up for the difference.

A lot of people are unsettled and sadly some have become unemployed. Everyone is tightening their belts and reducing costs. For the moment, gone are the days of unlimited credit cards, spending sprees, and buying luxuries. Most folks are doing well with what they have and just glad to be surviving.

In times like these, faith in God becomes a bulwark, an anchor, and a fortress. We need to feel that no matter what we are experiencing, He will help us to endure. That’s why today’s words, expressed and written by the prophet Isaiah 2700 years ago, are highly relevant to what we are going through.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

In other words, no matter what we face, our fears will not overwhelm us and our troubles will not destroy us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, these are anxious times and we all worry about the future. We pray that You will help us endure and support us in the coming years. Remind us also that our lives and our faith are eternally invested in You. Guide us, protect us, and love us. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly 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.