Tag: church devotions

Short devotion – Unity and Peace

Devotions

Spirit Peaces

Ephesians 4:3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (NIV)

I can remember an old minister once preaching a sermon in which he said something like: “Twelve percent of the general population go to church on Sundays. Twenty percent of the general population would like to attend church on Sundays, but they don’t go because of the twelve percent who are already there.” His words stung the congregation because he was preaching the truth which was very hard to accept. The church members believed that they were God’s chosen people and followed the Lord faithfully. What they didn’t understand was that their zeal for the Lord and uncompromising ways actually turned a lot of people off from joining them on Sundays to worship Jesus.

It saddens me that decades later, the old minister’s words are still very true. In recent years, the witness of Christ’s church has been damaged by aggressive pastors and congregations who puritanically seek to forcibly impose their beliefs on the entire population. School boards are rife with tyrannical menaces who threaten teachers and other parents with their book bans and religious demands. Local politicians and their parties hypocritically pass bills in the name of God which Jesus would never support, especially when those policies marginalize and dehumanize other people with different beliefs, ideas, origins, and lifestyle choices.

I think it is important to remember that when Paul wrote his revered letters to young Christian churches, he was dealing with similar problems and divisions. This is why he emphasized the need to promote the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace – church people were meant to be peacemakers and not peace breakers. Outsiders were supposed to be made welcome, attracted to the church, and not targeted by it for being different, alien, or foreign. The House of God was – and still is – big enough for everyone; the question we need to face is this: are our hearts and minds, as well as our faith, big enough to accept that?

Point to ponder: Does my faith attract other people to Christ? If not, what do I need to change about me?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we call ourselves Christians because we want to be identified with You, Your teaching and truth, as well as Your ministries and missions. Help us not to get in the way of Your work; instead, change us to truly become people of Your Way. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sabbath Psalms – Sacred Sanctuaries

Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Psalm devotions, Sunday devotions

Psalm 026sPsalm 26:8 Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells. (NIV)

We all get attached to the sacred buildings where we worship. Within the bricks and walls, stones and stained-glass windows, we create a womb-like sanctuary where we feel the presence of God when we pray silently, or as we praise God with others around us. In the midst of a world which is always in a hurry and sometimes hostile, it’s therapeutic and refreshing to find a place of peace and acceptance, faith and love.

Over many years, I’ve worshiped and served in different churches with varied ministries and missions, programs and projects that displayed their congregational focus and how the people practiced their faith. No matter how different the churches were denominationally or spiritually, I always felt being in a place of peace where God’s presence was experienced, whether it was in a small country church or a grand Gothic cathedral. They were, and still are, special places to me, where Heaven and Earth seem to meet, where the Eternal One abides with mortal ones.

I think that the psalmist of old understood this, too, which is why he preferred God’s company and sacred house, rather than sitting around with dishonest and deceitful people. In the midst of a culture that was destroying itself with greed and corruption, the writer of Psalm 26 took solace in being with God, away from the maddening crowd. I think this is something important that we still need today – a place of quiet in a noisy world, a sanctuary of hope in chaotic times.

Perhaps you are undergoing a lot of pressure in your life right now. Maybe you are in a situation that burdens you, or in the midst of circumstances that threaten to overwhelm you. Perhaps you have been too strong or self-sufficient too long, and now feel stretched, exhausted, and vulnerable. Maybe you don’t know what to do or where to go. Can I suggest that you find a nearby church sanctuary where you can bring your heartfelt pleas and personal prayers to God? Like me, you probably need somewhere to lay down your burdens and just be embraced by the Living and Loving God. A local church building or even a large cathedral may be just what you’re looking for. Try it and see.

Point to ponder: Where can I go to find God’s peaceful presence in my life?

Prayer: Lord God, Whose presence abides on our planet and Whose blessing can be found in many holy places on Earth, we seek Your peace and love to help us endure and overcome our problems and troubles. Guide us to a sacred place where we can quietly pray; lead us to special sanctuary where we can experience Your loving presence and praise Your Holy Name. Amen.

John Stuart is a Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sabbath Psalms – Real Servants

church devotions, Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Psalm devotions, Sunday devotions

Psalm 084sPsalm 84:10    Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (NIV)

I remember a time when we didn’t have a custodian on duty at the church I served on Sunday mornings. This meant that I had to make the coffee because I was one of the first to arrive at the church. I also swept up the leaves at the front door, which usually collected in between Sunday school and worship. Some church members even joked with me when they caught me sweeping those leaves, asking if I had been promoted! It was all good fun, enhancing the friendship and fellowship at the church. It also helped me maintain a balanced perspective and kept my spiritual feet on solid ground.

I love the highlighted verse from today’s psalm because it reminds us that the practice of humility in God’s service is far more precious to Him than any fame or fortune, power or prestige. Whatever we do for the church, we are meant to do it humbly, firstly because we love God and secondly because we want to simply help others, so that they may be attracted to serving God as well.

When we think about Christ coming among us, we may be humbled and touched by the simplicity of Christ’s entrance into the world. He didn’t come to Earth surrounded by thousands of angels and glorified by rulers from all over the world. He wasn’t born into a family esteemed with riches and made prosperous through their power. His first abode was a wooden shack, usually reserved for animals. His life was endangered almost immediately by King Herod, and his family became refugees for a while. Rather than being recognized as the King of kings and Lord of lords, He was just a mere baby, unprotected and vulnerable, with no power or authority.

This is why serving the Lord at church should never be something that we undertake in order to fulfill our ambitions or build up our esteem. We serve the Lord because we are His servants. He calls and expects us to humbly do His will. He wants us to fulfill His ministries and missions, as opposed to our own dreams and desires. In other words, what we do at church is not to glorify ourselves, but to humbly worship God.

Point to ponder: Whatever I do in church, is it to make me feel good or to glorify God’s goodness?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we proclaim You as our King, making us Your subjects. Help us to recognize and accept that we serve You, so that You will be honored and glorified. Give us the heart of a humble servant and encourage us to attract others to serve You faithfully, too. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Some of My Books

Bible Studies, church devotions, Devotions, Holy Week devotions, Kindle Bible Studies, Kindle Bible Study Book, Kindle Lent Bible study, Lent devotions, Lent books

Over the years, I’ve written many devotional and study books to help pastors, church leaders, and teachers share their faith with others in their congregations and communities. The books can be read individually or with a small group and are full of reflections to be used as discussion starters for church meetings, classes, and fellowship groups.

I’ve listed some of those books below and if you click on the images, it will take you to the book’s page on Amazon where you can read its description. All the books can be read on any device using the free Kindle app; some of them are also published as paperbacks.

I hope you enjoy browsing the books. If you have any questions or suggestions for studies, then please leave your message in the comments section or contact me by email at stushie57@outlook.com.

God bless.

John Stuart.

01 KYS  02 TLOL

03 5MG  04 60MG

05 PWJ  06 WWJLent

Sunday Shorts: Christ’s Church

Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Sunday devotions

E7BsJohn 17:9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. (NIV)

I see a lot of memes on Facebook that appear to condemn the Church for not being the Church that the world expects. The memes usually attack the Church for being hypocritical, intolerant, and not compassionate enough. There is some truth to what is posted, but these barbs often don’t offer a solution. It’s very easy to poke the Church in the eye for being so blind, but the negativity of those posts doesn’t act as an encouraging remedy; instead, they discourage folks from changing because there’s no guidance to do so being presented.

When Jesus established the Church, He didn’t go looking for perfect people – He wouldn’t have found them anyway. What He did do was to take a bunch of sinners and set them on the right path toward God.  Despite their weaknesses and faults, sinfulness and selfish ways, He managed to put together a band of devoted people who would try to live their lives according to His teachings. He never expected them to be perfect which is why in today’s highlighted verse we have something that Jesus constantly did – He prayed for the ones given to Him by God; He prayed for His Church.

Today’s Church has many problems and issues, but that’s what you get when sinful people are called by God. Despite the setbacks that the pandemic brought upon the Church worldwide, the world still needs Christ’s Spirit of compassion, healing, and love to fix our broken planet – which is why Christ is still praying for His Church and this is what we should be doing for our local congregations, national denominations, and international situations. The Church is Christ’s Bride and will always exist, even beyond Time itself.

Point to ponder: What should I be praying for in my local congregation?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, the Church exists because You brought it into being. Its purpose is to spread the Good News of the Gospel through word and deed. Despite our sinful and fallen ways, You still pray for Your Church and for us. Help us to align our prayers with Your will for the whole Church. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

 

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.