Teacher devotions: Confidence Restored

2 Corinthians 7:4       I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.

I flew to California last Friday to conduct the wedding of a young couple. The bride has been a member of the church that I serve for many years. She was originally part of the youth group when I came to Erin. I was delighted to do the wedding and it turned out to be a wonderful occasion. I was glad that I had the courage to go.

Maybe that last sentence intrigued you, after all how much courage does it take to conduct a wedding? Well let me put it this way: I hate flying.

The last time I was on a jet, I had a terrible experience with turbulence and by the end of my journey, my nerves were totally shot. I vowed never to go on an airplane ever again and haven’t been flying for several years. I had resolved to being tied to the land and only going places where I could drive or catch a train. Then I received two invitations to conduct weddings in South Africa and California. I couldn’t do the 24 hour flight to South Africa, but after giving it much thought and prayer, I decided to take the five hour flight to California. I reckoned that if my experience was much the same as before, then when I returned home, I would no longer take to the skies ever again.

The flights were wonderful and I enjoyed the whole experience. To keep me occupied and distracted, I listened to podcasted sermons from preachers that I admire on all my flights. Some turbulence scared me, but it did not ruin my flying. I felt supported by God and upheld in prayer. My confidence is now restored and I am greatly encouraged. Next time that I have to do it, I will be ready to fly.

Perhaps my fear of flying is nothing compared to your own anxiety or worries. Maybe you have many real and serious problems to contend with. I hope that you can discover God’s presence in the midst of all that troubles you and that Paul’s words will help you to endure and overcome them. May you be greatly encouraged about the future and find that in your time of crisis, God cares enough to lead you through it to a future of greater gladness and joy.

Prayer:                        Lord God, You know everything about us and we fully depend upon Your favor and patience. We need Your love and care to get us through tough times and our current crises. Bless us with strength and confidence to overcome all that we face. Grant us healing and peace for the days to come. In Christ’s 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 John’s impressionistic drawing of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco at dawn. You can view a larger version of the drawing here: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2405/4506588885_3aaff840ee_b.jpg

Devotions for Teachers: Above the Mountains - Psalm 104

Psalm 104:6    You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.

I’ve never seen the Grand Canyon, but it is on my bucket list. From what I’ve heard from other people, it is a remarkable and awe-inspiring place. Photographs do not do it justice and even documentaries on television do not capture the breath-taking grandeur of this wonder of nature. I’m looking forward to the day when I can stand at the edge of it and take in all of its majestic beauty.

It also amazes me that the whole region was once under the sea. I just can’t picture that in my mind and it’s staggering to think that the ocean covered most of it. Like the psalmist of old, the fact that the seas once engulfed what we call mountains causes me to humbly praise God’s infinite, creative power. When I think about the processes of creation and the intelligence behind such a glorious living design, I am over-awed and extremely thankful for God’s generosity and grace. He didn’t have to share any of it with humanity, but because He delights in our child-like wonder, God lovingly allows us to truly enjoy what He has made.

Prayer:                        Lord God, thank You for the dynamic process of creation and the majesty beauty that surrounds us. The natural world is full of wonderful places and creatures. We are over-awed by the complexity and variety of Life on Earth. We praise You alone for such a beautiful gift and we delight in all that You have accomplished. In Christ’s 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.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Fall drawings called “Fall Break.” It features a wee chipmunk feasting before hibernation. You can view a larger version online at the following link:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/5087270293_ed11200126_b.jpg

Teacher Devotions: Chilean Miners Rescue - Psalm 103 v 4

Psalm 103:4    Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion

Today the whole world is watching a miracle take place. The Chilean miners, who have been trapped underground for 69 days, are beginning to surface and our whole planet is rejoicing. It’s a remarkable feat and a wonderful testimony of human determination. The engineers who constructed the escape vehicle, with help from NASA, should be given a Nobel prize for their accomplishments.

I watched the first miner come out of the pit on live television. It was deeply touching to see his wife and young son embrace him. They have held out for hope for so long and for once it was wonderful to see a real happy ending to what could have been a terrible tragedy. I’m sure that many people across that mining community and throughout Chile are giving thanks to God in their churches today.

The whole event reminded me of the individual faith journey that we must all go through when we each personally experience death. Jesus has secured for His followers an escape from oblivion so that our souls can emerge from the pit of the grave and be reunited with all of our loved ones who are also believers. Just as the gathered crowd around the first rescued miner sang, clapped, and rejoiced as he resurfaced, so there will be great joy in heaven as each one of us joins God’s people in His Eternal Kingdom. And just like the miner who enthusiastically embraced the Chilean President for never giving up on them, we will also run to Jesus to give Him our personal thanks for saving us for all eternity.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for saving us from death and for the gift of eternal life. We could never have achieved this for ourselves and we look forward to the sacred moment when we will be able to embrace You in heaven. Thank You also for the saving of the Chilean miners and for supporting their families throughout this critical time. May they be truly blessed as they are reunited with all their loved ones. 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.

Devotions for Teachers: Faith Teachers - Psalm 102 v 28

Psalm 102:28  “The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”

I think that my favorite type of Christians are the Sunday School teachers in every church who give of their time, talents, energy and enthusiasm in wonderful ways that spiritually enrich young lives and help them grow in faith. It’s a tremendous gift and I am thankful to God that in all of the churches that I have worshipped and served, the Sunday School teachers have been excellent role models and reliable people.

When I reflect upon my own journey of faith, I quickly realize that my knowledge of God and faith in Christ were seeded long ago by Sunday School teachers. What they taught me from the Bible took root in the depths of my soul, so that when I was at the lowest point in my life, my faith sprung up and enabled me to overcome addiction, alienation, and attempted suicide.

Therefore today, I give thanks for both my own Sunday School teachers and the gifted and dedicated people who continue Christ’s teaching ministry by presenting, sharing, and explaining to the youngsters in their classes.

Personal Reflection Question:          Who were the teachers of faith in my life that influenced me spiritually?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You taught people all about God and especially took time to positively influence and personally bless the young ones who were brought to You. Thank You for being patient with them and showing us how important it is to teach the next generation about real faith. Bless the teachers of our churches whose faith-inspiring ways plant seeds in the hearts and minds of our children that will help them in the years to come. In Jesus’ 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.

Teacher Devotions: Sacred Title - 2 Corinthians 1

2 Corinthians 1:3       Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.

It’s one of those foundational beliefs that separates us from the rest of the religious world. I’m talking about the Fatherhood of God and the Sonship of Christ. It’s a distinction that Jews and Muslims will not accept. It’s a spiritual fact that distinguishes who we are as a people of faith.

Some people and pastors think that this is not important and in the interests of political correctness and language equity, they would rather that we stop calling God “Father” and instead use the neutral term of ‘Creator.’ The difficulty with this is that the First Christians, who died for their faith, saw this as a basic belief that distinguished Christ from other would be Messiahs and spiritual leaders.

We may think that this distinction is unimportant in a modern cosmopolitan world. We may be able to compartmentalize our beliefs into acceptable cultural phrases to suit the world. We may be able to do all of these things and change ourselves, but we will never be able to change that basic eternal and sacred relationship that Christ has with God. Jesus is His Holy Son and God is His Almighty and Everlasting Father.

The apostle Paul knew this fully, understood it, and proclaimed it in his wonderful letters. Christ in the Gospels continually referred to God as Father and even Daddy (Abba). If this wasn’t true, then Christ was deceiving Himself and His followers. And how could He even call out for mercy upon those who crucified Him, with the famous words: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” if this was not the case?

The Fatherhood of God maintains who we truly are as Christians. If we reject it, then we are molding God into our own acceptable form and shape. The word for that is idolatry.

Prayer:                        Father God, we glorify Your Son Jesus Christ in ways that the world does not understand and in words that our Western society finds hard to accept. You sent Your son to the world to show us how committed You were and are towards granting eternal salvation for those who truly believe in Your Son. Help us to once again tear down the barriers of our own making and to cherish You as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and all compassion. In Your Holy Name and by Your Sacred Title 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 latest drawings called “Apple Harvest.” If you would like to see a larger version of the print, please click the following link:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5039769485_3a9d88d5a5_b.jpg

Pastor Stuart has limited edition, signed, and matted prints available.