Presbyterian Devotions: Against the Tide

Zephaniah 3:16                 On that day they will say to Jerusalem, "Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands hang limp.

I felt sorry for the Texas Longhorn quarterback last night. Five plays into the game, he was injured and had to be benched. He saw his team battle bravely from the sidelines, but the Alabama players were just too much for them. Without their leader, the Longhorns were no match for their Crimson Tide opponents. The whole team didn’t play well at all because their potential for success was diminished when McCoy was injured.

Today’s passage from Zephaniah is about restoring God’s people after many years of exile, oppression, and defeat. The prophet has been inspired by the Holy Spirit to lift up the hearts of the people and cheer them with good news about being rescued by God. Instead of being afraid and letting their hands hang limply by their sides, Zephaniah is encouraging his people to reclaim their hopes and lift up their arms in praise of God’s power and presence in the community. Instead of being hopeless, God’s people become hopeful. Rather than languishing in fear, they are being led back to their faith in God.

At the start of each New Year, we all have hopes and dreams mixed with some fears and worries. The promises of restoration and salvation are given to us so that we may rejoice in God’s grace and be assured of His care. We are not isolated or alone, forgotten or abandoned. God is still in our midst, battling for His people and bringing them back to Christ, His Holy Son.

So let’s raise our arms and voices to praise our God. Let’s fill our hearts with faith to overcome our fears and allow Jesus to joyfully lead us through another year of faith, hope, and love.

Prayer:                 Lord Jesus, You are our Leader and Savior, our Sovereign and Guide. Throughout our days, You are willing to show us God’s work in the world. You are the One who inspires our dreams and empowers us to fulfill our lives in meaningful and abundant ways. Thank You for Your words. Thank You for Your guidance. In Your Holy Name, we cheerfully 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: Chinese Checkers

Isaiah 62:1     For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.

We hear a lot about religious terrorists and faith fanatics in the news, but how often do we hear or read about religious persecution and prisoners of faith? You will perhaps remember that I boycotted the Chinese Olympic Games because just miles from the glorious athletic stadiums, a Chinese Christian called Alimujiang Yimiti, had been arrested for distributing Bibles and leading a house church. Whilst the world was in awe of the athletic games, this good man was languishing in a Beijing cell for sharing the same Gospel that we believe in.

Well, after spending two years in prison, even although the Chinese Communist government had promised to be more tolerant of Christians in order to host the Olympics, Alimujiang has been sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment and hard labor. He was found guilty of ‘providing state secrets to overseas organizations;’ in other words, because the West had knowledge of his arrest and imprisonment through organizations like Voice of the Martyrs, he was unjustly and inhumanely imprisoned.

I will not keep silent about this. The Chinese Communist government is one of the most heinous, inhumane, and wicked authorities that has ever existed. Our Western leaders placate and appease them because we are financially indebted to China, but these militaristic monsters and religious persecutors should be exposed for what they are and excluded from the United Nations, the Olympic Games, and other international organizations and sports until they free the thousands of Christians like Alimujiang Yimiti.

I will continue to pray for his freedom, but I will also pray for the downfall of the cowardly Communist regime in China. I will not keep silent or remain quiet till China’s righteousness, through the courageous Christian Church, shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a blazing torch.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, our faith is so secure and cozy compared to that of Christians in other lands. We take so much for granted and forget that each day our brothers and sisters in the faith are being harassed, arrested, unjustly tried, and inhumanely imprisoned for the same beliefs that we profess to have. Liberate the souls Lord that are languishing in prison for You. Bring down the bad governments that bully, berate, and beat up Your people. 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.

Presbyterian Devotions: If and Then

Galatians 3:22            But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. 

What was promised…might be given.

Decades ago, I can remember purchasing my first computer. It was an Acorn computer with 32 kilobytes of memory. I felt as though I owned one of the most advanced personal computers in the world and I spent ages entering formulas and equations to make it work.

I remember on one occasion that I tried to set up a windows filing system which would help me with my pastoral work. It took me four days to enter the information correctly and when I was finished, I had a black & white screen filled with little boxes where I could put in names and addresses, some short information, and a calendar for visitation dates. I felt as though I was light years ahead of my pastor peers and couldn’t wait to show some of them what I had created.

The equations and the formulas that I had to enter were all built through key sentences of ‘if and then.’ If I pressed a button here, then a file would come up on the screen. If I entered a name here, then more information would be accessed somewhere else in the computer. So long as the ‘ifs and thens’ were entered correctly, then the system worked beautifully.

These days, computer already have these programs entered and filing is so much easier, but way back in the 1980s windows files were very rare.

Today’s verse reminded me of the ‘if and then’ process of salvation. Many people think that salvation is a given, but it’s not. This is why the apostle Paul reminds the young Corinthian church that what was promised through scripture might be given to those who believe. Belief in Christ, then, is a required component of salvation. If there’s no belief, then there is no salvation, no matter what the world would like to think.

That’s why Christianity is first and foremost a missionary faith. We do not minister to ourselves, we take the Gospel message out into the world. We take it to our families and friends, our neighbors and working colleagues. The promises of salvation can only be experienced through our belief in Jesus. There is no other way. There is no other person, there is no other faith.

If the ‘if and then’ of belief and salvation are not entered into our hearts and minds, then the good news of the Gospel remains inoperative. We will have wasted our whole lives by inputting the wrong spiritual formula and erroneously entering the wrong eternal equation.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we want to live forever in God’s Kingdom and to experience everlasting life. You are the only way to achieve this; You are the Only One who has the words of eternal life. Keep us faithfully focused on You and help us to attract and enable others to come to Your Cross. Make us missionaries of Your message. 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.

Presbyterian Devotions: Holy Harmony

2 Corinthians 6:15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

I’m struggling right now with my thoughts about other religions. I know that religion has been the source of major wars and disharmony throughout the world for thousands of years. I understand the need to get along and be good neighbors. I yearn for world peace, coexistence, and harmony, but I’m also a Christian first and foremost, so the question that I’m asking myself is this: did Jesus preach a message of peace at all costs or did He actually begin the Last Battle between humankind and God, which will end up with His Victory over all?

Decades ago, in my youthful arrogance, everything seemed to be perfectly clear: it was Christ’s way with everything or no way at all. Throughout the years, the world has changed and so have I. My sinfulness over the years has made me realize how much I depend upon Christ’s grace, but is that grace limited to those who believe, or is it freely given to all religious and non-religious people?

I keep returning to the focused faith of the First Christians. They were willing to die for Christ. Were they being truly faithful or just fanatical? Were their beliefs foundational and immovable? Did they die because they were stubborn and anti-establishment, or were they martyred because they couldn’t and wouldn’t compromise Christ?

In my heart, I know the answer: there is no harmony between belief and unbelief. Christ is the only way to salvation.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, sometimes we feel lost and disconnected to God. We want the world to be a beautiful, loving, and peaceful place. We want our planet to be totally united and focused on the welfare of humanity. But sometimes there is no peace and there will be no harmony because we cannot compromise our Christian beliefs. Help us to do what we can for the common good of our brothers and sisters in the world, but never at the cost of losing our faith in You. 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 picture is taken from John’s Scottish Art series. It depicts Iona Abbey in Scotland at night, just after the Fall harvest. You can find a larger image of it at the following link: Scottish Art Series

Presbyterian Devotions: Losing My Religion

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

I’m starting a new Sunday School series this week at our church. It’s called “Losing My Religion.” It’s all about the cultural influences, emergent movements, and inter-faith dialogues that are diminishing the Christian faith of our children. Not since the fourth and fifteenth centuries have our people faced such a disabling theosophy that threatens to lead them astray. They believe that one worldism and interfaith worship holds the key to a peaceful planet. They are being led like lambs to the slaughter and taken down a path which will steal them away from God. The choice that I have is this: do let them follow the pied pipers of superficial spirituality and poseur popularity, or do I use my own gifts and faith knowledge to counter it?

I keep thinking back to Mary Slessor, the great Scottish missionary to Africa and the choices that she had to make. She confronted witch doctors and popular superstitions in order to bring Christ into the communities where she served. She opposed slavery and witchcraft, and stopped the horrendous killing of twin babies, who were crushed into large jars and buried alive because they brought bad luck to a village. Did Mary Slessor sit down and share courteous dialogue about the different religious philosophies and practices? Did she break bread with those who used fear and violence, superstition and magic to maliciously control the people?

Mary Slessor preached and practiced the Gospel, letting Christ’s words and ways liberate the heart, minds, and souls of people who were physically, mentally, and spiritually enslaved. She confronted evil with Christ’s good. She faced down wicked with His Holiness.

I fear that our kids have got no earthly idea about who Christ really is and what He came to change. They talk about God as if He is just another application that they can conveniently add on to their iphones. They are enslaved to their culture and sliding down a path that will lead to persecution and perdition. The planet has become their god and globalism is their religion.

I cannot let it go and leave it be. I cannot watch souls being tricked and a whole generation being swallowed up and led into a maelstrom that will eventually crush their faith and bury their beliefs. It’s time to win them back for Christ…

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, the world would diminish Your divinity and eliminate Your influence over the people of this planet. Our kids are being cleverly misled and are getting caught up in a cultural wave that will one day crash and wreck their souls. Help the Church to re-seek Your ways and re-own Your words, so that a stronger generation may grow in true Christian faith, and not just a faith of their own creating and choosing. In Your Holy Name, we adamantly 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. (I'm also going to do an online version of the series. If you would like to participate, please send me an email and I'll get you signed up).

Presbyterian Devotions: 2010 A New Year, a New Journey

Psalm 147:5    Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

I like to think about each New Year as a journey of faith, where my understanding about God and my beliefs in Jesus will grow deeper and stronger. I’ve tried to be a Christian for almost 33 years and throughout each year, I’ve learned more about God’s words and Christ’s ways. It doesn’t make me anymore holy or saintly, but rather as each year passes I am in awe of God’s patience, love, and grace.

Perhaps you are also wondering about this New Year and new decade that we’re about to enter. Maybe you have hopes and dreams for your life, or perhaps there are fears and worries on the horizon. Whatever is ahead, know this: God is still mighty and powerful, and His understanding of our lives and circumstances are limitless.

We all tend to make resolutions at this time of year, but perhaps this is the perfect time to ask God what He would wish to resolve in us. If we will let Christ guide us throughout this new journey of 2010, then I think that there will be all sorts of new opportunities and possibilities about growing in faith, getting nearer to God, and finding our purpose.

So may 2010 be a Happy and Prosperous New Year for all of us, but also a more meaningful and faithful journey in Christ.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, as we stand on the threshold of another new year, we pray that You will come to meet us and lead us onward in this amazing journey that we call life. Take us to where You would have us effectively do Your work, and empower us to minister to those who travel with us. In Your Holy Name, we expectantly 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@presbyterian.org.

Presbyterian Devotions: Blue Christmas Candle & Poem

Christmas can be a painful and lonely time for some people. At our candlelight service, we light a Blue Christmas candle for those who are grieving, hurting, or ill during the festive season. This prayer poem is recited as the blue candle is lit. It's a very meaningful and emotional time for some members in the congregation.

Blue Christmas Prayer

There’s no room at Christmas for sadness,
There’s no place for hearts that are blue.
All the world wants to hear
Is a word full of cheer,
Not a sigh, not a tear, not from you.

There’s no room at Christmas for loneliness,
There’s no place for your emptiness and grief.
All the world wants is peace,
Mistletoe and Christmas trees,
Not a heartache that mars its beliefs.

There’s no room at Christmas for sickness,
There’s no place or time to be ill.
All the world wants is health,
Prosperity and wealth,
Not a pain that can spoil its goodwill.

There’s no room at Christmas for Jesus,
There’s no place for His family, too,
All the world would not share,
No one seems to really care,
A stable will just have to do.

Silence……..

Yes, there’s room at Christmas for sadness,
There’s a place in God’s heart for you.
For He knows pain and loss,
Which He felt on the Cross,
So this candle is lit here for you…
*For Christ knows what it’s like to be blue.

* light a blue candle

Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville holds its annual Candlelight service on Christmas Eve at 6.30pm. The church is located on Lockett Road, just off Kingston Pike, across from Papermill Road. Everyone is welcome to attend.