Teacher Devotions: Shifting Shadows - James 1 v 17

James 1:17     Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

The good folks at the church I serve have almost finished building my new office. Only a few minor details need to be completed and when the bookcases arrive in 2-3 weeks time, I think I’ll have an “Open Day” to celebrate.

The most amazing parts of the new office for me are the new ceiling lights. They illuminate my space with an artificial daylight. Instead of the old yellow light, there’s a great brightness across the whole room and my eyes are not as easily tired when reading books, writing memos, or keyboarding my messages. In fact, it is so bright in the office that there are hardly any shadows in the whole area. I know it sounds silly, but honestly, the daylight brightness of the lamps diminishes the shadows.

I like what James had to write about God’s good and perfect gifts. It seems to me as if there’s a brightness attached to them which extinguishes any shadows of doubt, fear, or anxiety. God is constantly loving, patient, and benevolent. His compassion and grace are neither impulsive nor capricious. He does not change like shifting shadows. He is utterly faithful and entirely reliable, even although the Church, church people, and society as a whole may be constantly changing and shifting, reforming and transforming.

Prayer:                        Lord God, people and things keep changing around us. What is acceptable and relevant today maybe challenged and changed tomorrow. We live in a society that is constantly moving and sometimes we just want stop the world in order to catch up. Thank You Father, for being the Almighty Constant in our lives. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s latest wildlife pictures. It’s called “Rambling Raccoon” and features a young raccoon climbing a tree in the Smoky Mountains. If you would like to view a larger version of this drawing, please click on the following link:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2329/5734684067_db83df0c29_b.jpg

Teacher Devotions: Just the Same - Hebrews 13 v 8

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

When those words were first written, the Jewish-Roman war was taking place in Judea. The Jews had revolted against Roman occupation and so the Imperial troops were sent in on mass to suppress the people. Four years of a horrific war took place, culminating in the destruction of the Temple and the flattening of Jerusalem itself. Both Jews and Christians had to flee the Emperor’s wrath and after the revolt was over, Christians endured another two centuries of Roman persecution.

The purpose of this letter, therefore, was to encourage the Christians in Judea to remain faithful in the midst of unjust and painful circumstances. The writer of this letter urged his Christian readers to hold on to Christ’s teachings and to remember that, no matter what they experienced, Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Happily, this must have been effective because after the Judean Christians were scattered throughout the Mediterranean, churches sprang up all over the Roman world. Eventually, the Empire would decline and the Church would ascend.

Perhaps like me, you are struggling with the changes that are happening across the world, throughout society, and in the Church. Maybe you are wrestling with your faith and trying to make sense of it all. You might also be feeling like giving up and walking away. I know that I have felt the same at times, but when I read a verse like today’s, I remember that my faith is not about me; it’s all about Jesus – who is the same yesterday and today and forever. Changes may occur all around me, but Christ never does. He is what makes me a Christian; His constancy is what helps me to endure.

Prayer: 

Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same.

All may change, but Jesus never! Glory to His Name!

Glory to His Name! Glory to His Name!

All may change, but Jesus never! Glory to His Name! Amen!  -  Albert B. Simpson

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Scottish drawings. It’s called “Home for Hamish” and is a crayon depiction of the hidden highland village of Plockton. The BBC detective series “Hamish MacBeth” starring Robert Carlyle was shot on location there. If you would like to see a larger version of the image, please click on the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5207/5729213941_c8512f7c0e_b.jpg

Teacher devotions: Face to Face - Hebrews 12 v 2

Hebrews 12:2              Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Years ago, I visited a famous Roman Catholic Basilica in Spain. It sat on a high hill and there were many steps leading up to the church. It was a beautiful medieval building and I was impressed by the architecture on the outside. As I approached the vast wooden entrance doors, I wondered what it would look like on the inside.

When I stepped into the massive sanctuary, I was shocked. Instead of a high cathedral like structure, I suddenly realized that I was in a very dark ante-room, where I was confronted by a spot-lit statue of a bloody Christ on the Cross. I was almost face-to-face with the statue and because it was so totally unexpected, I was absolutely breathless. The image of Jesus was staring at me directly and I was stunned. I felt two things at the same time: an overwhelming pity for Christ’s suffering and complete shame for my sins which crucified Him. It was both an awe-full and wonderful spiritual moment. I will never forget it as long as I live.

When the writer of Hebrews encourages us to fix our eyes upon Jesus, he is trying to get us to focus on Christ as our Savior. The world has many distractions and when we lose our attention on Jesus, we empty our spirits and weaken our souls. The strength of our faith in Christ depends upon how much time we actually pray to Him and ponder on His ways. If we are too busy to do this as Christians, then we are just too busy. We need to shed some of the dross that distracts us from fixing our eyes upon Jesus and begin living our lives according to His Love.

So the challenge for us today is this: when am I going to make time to focus on Jesus?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, we complicate our lives with trivial matters and miss many opportunities to increase our awareness of Your Spirit in the world. Help us to appreciate the time You grant us as a daily gift, and use it to draw closer to You, Your words, and Your ways. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of my 2011 Easter drawings. It’s called “Passover.” You can view a larger version of the drawing at the following link: http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5259/5394517049_ef741c1bdf_b.jpg

Teacher devotions: Living a Hard Life - Proverbs 17:3

Proverbs 7:3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.

We say that we believe in God, so why do we live as though He doesn’t exist?

Sometimes I wonder if we really have faith or if we’re just playing at being Christians. It’s getting more difficult to distinguish between the lifestyle choices of believers and unbelievers. Apart for going to church on Sundays (and some have even given up on that), what makes us different from the people in our neighborhood or workplace? Is Christianity something that we adhere to even when it’s unpopular, or is it something that we carry around in case an emergency crops up? Is God at the center of our lives or do we just bring Him in when the going gets tough?

I believe that we as Christians are being tested not by the world, but by God. It’s almost as if we’re being given one last opportunity to get things right in this generation before the Lord actually returns. Believing in God, going to Church, and living as Christians was once part of the same package; these days, people believe in God without going to church, and people go to Church without living as Christians. In other words, it’s far easier to say that we are Christians than to actually live as one.

By the way, I include myself in this: being a Christian is the hardest thing to do in life and if our faith isn’t being truly tested day after day, then we’ve either forgotten what God demands of us through Christ, or we’ve managed to shape Jesus into who we want Him to be.

So I guess the question for all of us today is this: how can I start to truly believe in God and stop living as though He doesn’t exist.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, the Holy Scriptures challenge us day after day. We resist changing into what You want us to become and yet, we too easily reshape our lives into what the world desires of us. Forgive us for being poor witnesses of the True Faith. Grant us the courage to rethink commitment to You, and remold our lives in ways that are pleasing to You alone. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of my ‘digital glass’ designs based upon a verse from Psalm 85. In August 2011, Duke Divinity School is using this image for its annual church conference. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please visit the following link: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2541/3704016750_70147e967d_b.jpg

Teacher Devotions: God Detests the Wicked - Proverbs 15

Proverbs 15:9 The LORD detests the way of the wicked but He loves those who pursue righteousness. 

For ten years, our people have waited for justice. For almost a whole decade, many of us have wondered if Osama Bin Laden would ever be caught or punished for what he maliciously masterminded on 9/11. It’s been a long time in coming, but last night the news that most people have been waiting to hear was suddenly announced: Bin Laden is Dead!

Almost immediately, the Internet was buzzing with comments, opinions and ideas about this historic event. Most people heralded the announcement and lauded the President for maintaining the pursuit of this evil man. A few, however, felt that the celebrations were wrong and that we should not be rejoicing over the death of enemies. Because I love freedom, everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I would say this to the naysayers: for most people it has been a sense of relief and justice rather than rejoicing and joy. Evil has been confronted and destroyed with constant good and a real sense of righteousness.

I saw on television that people were gathering at Ground Zero and in Times Square. I can remember that terrible day when the same groups of people were fearfully fleeing that area, covered in dust and with a look of unfathomable loss. It is good that they have been given justice within their lifetime. Perhaps they will now begin the process of grief and healing that has been denied to them for so long because Bin Laden was still alive and free.

I don’t know what you personally think about all of this. Like me, you probably will have to come to God to ask for His guidance over what this means to our faith and our world. I fully believe that God still detests the wicked and loves those who pursue righteousness. An evil man is dead, but evil in the world still has to be confronted and defeated. It just never ends.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You call upon us to be as harmless as doves, but You also have reminded us to be as wise as serpents. There is evil in the world and we are called by You to confront and overcome it. Help us at this historic time to see God’s Hand in all that has happened and to look for Your Guidance in the days to come. In Your Holy Name, we sincerely pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions of today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is of a stained glass design that John created several years ago on the anniversary of 9/11. It’s called “Never Forget” and it depicts an American flag in the foreground with the Twin Towers in the background. A passenger jet can be seen at the top of the design. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1421/1359029331_56d8dfeae7_b.jpg