Sunday Lectionary Devotion: STOMP! Psalm 67

Psalm 67: 3 May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.

I went to see “Stomp!” last year at the Tennessee Theater in Knoxville. It was absolutely incredible. The performers and dancers were fantastic and their rhythmic use of paper bags, brooms, and metal chairs was totally amazing. I came away from the theater completely astounded and for a couple of weeks I was tapping and slapping rhythms all over my house, my car, and my office.

I often wish that church could be like that on Sunday mornings. I’ve tried over the years to encourage more participation in worship by our church people. I feel that the more they put into praising God, the more that they will get out of it. I think way back in the days of the psalmist, worship must have been more celebratory and theatrical than it is now. I sometimes wonder what the original psalmists would have thought about our neat and tidy hymn and prayer sandwich services. They were more into an all day event with trumpets and harps, tambourines and horns. They certainly wouldn’t have been anxious to get out after an hour in order to get to the restaurants before the bigger churches finished their worship!

The old Hebrew word for praise is ‘yadah,’ which actually means to hold out your hands and lift them up to God. What I saw at “Stomp!” last year was yadah in action. I definitely think that if more modern worshippers were to allow themselves to praise God by lifting up their hands and exalting the Lord’s Name, they would feel freer and closer to God. Who knows, maybe this Sunday “Stomp!” will come into our sanctuary and the Spirit will lead our people in pure and powerful praise.

Prayer: Lord God, over the centuries You must have seen some amazing, diverse, and incredible worship services from different cultures, nations, and denominations. Your Spirit astounds us from time to time with energy, vitality, and presence. Help us to be more open to praising You in freer and more faithful ways. In Christ’s 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.

Acts 9:36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor.

For those of us who grew up in the sixties, the name Tabitha will always be associated with the cute blonde haired daughter of Samantha Stephens, in the television series “Bewitched.” I can still see her smiling mischievously and touching her nose as she made her toys fly around the room. I now can’t believe that Tabitha is in her forties, has four sons, and is on her third marriage. Time moves on regardless.

As for the original Tabitha, I learned about her in the seventies, when I started to read the Bible again. I didn’t know she existed until I read the Book of Acts for the first time. In Scotland, ministers tended to call her “Dorcas,” and in the church where I worshipped, there was even a stained-glass window depicting this disciple of Christ busily hand-sewing a shirt. In the part of Glasgow where our church was situated, cotton merchants, weavers and tailors prospered, so the window was dedicated to Dorcas, patron saint of tailors & seamstresses.

Whoever Dorcas or Tabitha was, she must have been very important to the Christian community at Joppa. The fact that two men went to find Peter to raise her from the dead shows us just how dearly she was loved and appreciated. Her charitable works and words of encouragement must have strengthened the local church. Her making and giving of clothes to the poor probably saved the lives, especially amongst the destitute widows in the city. She used her gifts to help the helpless; she inspired faith in others through her kindness and compassion.

Today, or perhaps this weekend, we will each be given an opportunity to be a Tabitha in our communities. We will hear or read about others whose needs are desperate and whose plight is serious. Hopefully, when we are informed of these things, we will act accordingly by using our gifts, resources and skills to help others through tough times and painful circumstances.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the witness of true saints like Tabitha. The story of her kindness to the people in Joppa has been read, told and preached for almost two thousand years. She was just an ordinary person like us, but she did much to glorify You and to serve her people. Enable us to do the same. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the devotional and art blog "Heaven's Highway."

Sunday Lectionary Devotions: Passion Sunday: Christ's Choice - Philippians 2 v 5

Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Sometimes I wonder how Paul would have fared in today’s world. He comes across as being too sure of himself and I don’t know whether he is rebuking his readers or encouraging them.

Take this morning’s small verse, for instance. Paul begins by stating, ‘Your attitude should be…;’ he doesn’t write could be or might be – Paul insists that our attitudes should be – that’s pretty strong stuff for a preacher to be expressing. That meddles directly with how we manage our faith.

If Paul was around today, he would probably get thrown out of a lot of churches for preaching such a controversial and confrontational message. He would be emotionally tarred and feathered by an outraged congregation, especially one of those ‘you’re okay, I’m okay, everybody’s okay’ type of churches.

When I question Paul’s no nonsense Christianity, I’m reminded of two things: firstly, my own failures as a Christian in trying to be a perfect servant of God; and secondly, Paul’s unquestionable right to state such things. After all, Paul was no cozy theologian who sat in an Ivy League study asking hypothetical questions. He was a diehard Christian who had been almost lynched, battered and bruised, hunted and harassed, stoned and shipwrecked, tortured and tried for his faith in Jesus. If anyone had the right to meddle in our lives and to state things like ‘Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus,’ it surely was Paul.

As a pastor, I come across many people who are hostile to Paul’s teachings, but do you know what? I’ve still to come across one of his ardent critics who has experienced any real persecution.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes we forget that it was You who personally intervened and dramatically converted Paul on the road to Damascus. Too easily, we cast him aside because his certain faith makes our own beliefs seem shallow and pale. Help us to look again to Paul’s teaching and remind us that he was Your choice. 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.


Today's image is a Celtic drawing that John designed for Erin Church's Youth Group to wear on their T-shirts at Montreat this summer. He calls it Celtic Peace. 


Síocháin (she-ock-awn) - Celtic word for Peace. This is a T-shirt design for our church Youth. Celtic braid, Celtic Cross, Peace Sign and liturgical colors all incorporated...:)

Sunday Lectionary Devotions: 4th Sunday in Lent - Lent 4 - March 14

Psalm 32:7              You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Do you ever get that feeling that you want to run away from all of your responsibilities and go hide somewhere? I did that when I was twelve. Things in my home were unbearable, so I decided to run away.

I had just read the book, "My Side of the Mountain" written by Jean Craighead George, which is all about a young boy, Sam Gribley, who walks away from his home and ends up in the Catskill mountains. He endures blizzards, hunters, and loneliness, but his fierce will to survive and independent spirit overcomes them all. He even befriends a falcon and a weasel in the process.

I really enjoyed the book and I thought I could run away just like Sam, and survive off the land. I headed out to the Campsie Hills above Glasgow, Scotland and when I reached an isolated area, I built myself a shack made out of trees and branches, ferns and mud. I thought it was wonderful and the best thing I had ever built. But then it started to rain, and pretty soon I was soaked through to the skin. I shivered for about thirty minutes and then decided to go back home. All I could think about was having a hot bath and a hot meal. So much for my adventure!

When David writes about God being his hiding place, he's talking about a spiritual haven and a place to retreat within himself. Nowadays, we would probably call it 'having a quiet time with God'. In midst of our busy schedules and especially the pandemonium that leads up to Christmas, we all need hiding places and quiet times with the Lord. By taking time to read these scriptures, devotionals and prayers, we are making steps in the right direction.

So, find for yourself a hiding place to be with God today. In those precious moments, you will rediscover His protection and love, His comfort and strength.

Personal Prayer:    Almighty God, You know everything about me. You know all my insecurities and fears, my anxieties and troubles. Help me to hide within You, to rediscover my dependence upon You and to experience renewal in my heart and soul. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the devotional and art blog "Heaven's Highway."

Today's image is one of John's uniquely created impressionistic art pieces. It's called "Midnight Tulips" and depicts a field of Spring tulips beside a Dutch Windmill beneath a playful moon. A larger version can be seen here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/4428287307/sizes/l/

Sunday Lectionary Devotions: Psalm 63 v 3 - Promise Box

Psalm 63:3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.

                In my study at the church, there is a small cardboard box with lots of little tightly rolled scrolls of paper in it. Each of these scrolls has an encouraging Bible verse printed on them. From time to time, when I'm looking for special guidance or I'm having trouble hearing what God has to say about my prayers, I go to the Promise Box, as the Victorians used to call it, and randomly pick out a scroll. I'm always amazed at how often the verse I read is very apt for the situation that I am experiencing.

                Sometimes young kids from the church come in and take the promises. They always ask me to read the words, followed by the simple question, "What does that mean?" It gives me the sacred opportunity of teaching the Word to a young heart and they always skip out of the office feeling delighted because God has given them a special promise. At other times, when I'm counseling someone who is undergoing a personal, tear-wrenching crisis, I ask them to take a promise from the box at the end of the session. Once again, God always seems to answer their prayers. It humbles me to see their tears of sadness turn into tears of hope and blessing.

               

                Devotionals help us all to experience the wonderful promises of God. His love is better than life and, with the thoughts in our hearts, the words on this screen, or the praises on our lips, we will glorify Him together.

Prayer:   Lord God, Your words have sustained our people for many generations and Your promises have kept hope alive in our hearts throughout the centuries. Thank You for the strength and encouragement, the guidance and direction Your Word always gives to us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. he writes the devotional blog Heaven's Highway.

Today's image is the latest from John's Sunset Series. It's called 'Sunset Sails.' He has signed 8x10 prints available.

Sunday Lectionary Devotion: February 28 - In Solitude

Lectionary verse: Psalm 27:4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

Sometimes we find it hard enough to keep still in church for an hour on Sundays, that living in God's House all the days of our lives would seem like a punishment, not a pleasure. Yet for some people, the prospect of being in God's company all day, all week, all year round, is both comforting and delightful.

I have a cousin, on my mother's side, who is a nun in Germany. She was once part of a silent secluded order that was cut off from the rest of the world to live a life of prayer, solitude and devotion to God. Her family got to see her about once every seven years, but there was a glass partition between her and them. She could not touch them, be hugged by them, or be any part of their lives.

My cousin just loved being in contact with God so much that she could not bear to be apart from Him for any reason or anyone. However, as the years went by she missed her family and eventually left that order to join another one which specialized in community ministry.

Thankfully, we don't need to stay in God's house every moment of the day, because we're in God's presence every second of our life. Wherever we go, God is there, and so we can keep up that contact, that relationship, that prayer-life with Him for as long as we want to each day.

Prayer:            Lord God, Your presence is always around us. In fact we live, move, and breathe in Your presence at all times. Thank You for allowing us this sacred contact with You. Help us not to take it for granted, but to seek times, places and opportunities to strengthen our relationship with You. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee.  He writes the devotional blog “Heaven’s Highway.”

Today’s image is called “Springtime at the Cove.” It’s a part of John’s Appalachian art series. You can view a larger version here: http://wp.me/pc6mz-7Y

Sunday Lectionary Devotion: Overcoming Temptation - Luke 4

Lectionary Verse of the Day

Luke 4:1-2a       

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.  (

NIV)

Do you remember the old Tom and Jerry cartoons? Long before they were deemed politically incorrect because of the comic violence in them, I used to love watching them every night on TV. They made me really laugh, but I especially liked the cartoons when Tom the Cat or Jerry the Mouse struggled with temptation. When this occurred, there would usually be a small haloed angel on the right shoulder and a miniature red-faced devil on the left side of the cartooned characters. It was funny to watch and usually ended with Tom or Jerry giving in to temptation.

It would be handy to have such angels and devils on each of our shoulders. I guess they would keep us away from temptation. The Muslims believe in this, and live their lives in the fear that the divine scales of justice will lean against them because of succumbing to the angel of temptation too many times. Sadly, that’s why some of them strap explosives to themselves and commit suicidal murder. They wrongly believe that their sins are wiped out in the process of killing innocent people.

As Christians, we depend upon Christ to mediate on our behalf. He intercedes for us, asking God to forgive our sins and restore us to His Favor. That’s infinitely much better than having an angel on each shoulder, or blowing yourself up. This is why our faith is missionary – the good news of Christ’s forgiveness is what every person needs in this world, no matter what their faith system is. Christ alone has the power and authority to forgive sin, and Lord knows, we all are in great need of a Champion and Savior. This is one of the reasons that Christ was tempted in the wilderness - to experience our own wrestling with evil.

If you’re feeling guilty about something in your past, or perhaps you’re struggling against temptation, then please allow Christ to come into your heart to influence your life. Believe me, you’ll find that Christ has a lot more peace, love, and satisfaction to offer to you than you are presently experiencing. Just give Him the opportunity and He will help you turn your life around, by putting you on the true path to everlasting love and eternal life.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we struggle with temptation every single day of our lives. We say and do things that we later regret. We make stupid mistakes and disappoint other people. Forgive our foolish ways and enable us to pull down the barriers of pride that keep getting in the way of allowing us to freely give our hearts and lives to You. In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.



John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the devotional and religious art blog "Heaven's Highway."

Sunday Lectionary Devotion: Footstool - Psalm 99

Psalm 99:5 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at His footstool; He is holy.

My brother Alan is the most caring sibling in our family. He doted on my mother and took special care of her when she was ailing. He took time to wash her hair and make her comfortable. He and his partner took her out for car trips that she enjoyed. He visited her in hospital constantly when she was admitted to the psychiatric wards. He was gentle and loving with her, and didn't seem to get frustrated or angry at her, even when she was at her worst.

Alan even washed her feet and gently massaged them. She suffered terribly from rheumatics, and sometimes just touching her feet would set her screaming in agony. He patiently and tenderly took care of her, and made sure that she had a cushioned footstool to rest her weary and painful feet.

A footstool is a humble piece of furniture that provides rest for a weary person. Does this mean that God sometimes grows tired and needs to rest His weary feet? No, of course not. In this case, the footstool is used as a majestic symbol of the promises that God makes to His people. They rest assured, knowing that God will keep those promises and abide by them, even when the people roast His heart and try His patience. This is why they worship at His footstool, which means that they praise God for keeping His promises.

Today, we can do the same. In our busy lives, we sometimes get spiritually weary which causes our faith to get weak. During those moments, we need to come and worship at His footstool; relying upon God for our strength; looking to Him for renewal; and holding on to His promises. If we take time to do this, He will make time to help us.

Prayer: Almighty God, today, we worship at Your footstool, placing all our hopes and dreams, our aims and goals, our times and lives into Your care. We pray that You will be patient and tender with us, that You will help and heal us. We make our prayers, resting on Your promises, and in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the regular devotional blog Heaven's Highway.

Sunday Lectionary Devotion: Isaiah 6:8

Isaiah 6:8       Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"

And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

Audio version here

There’s a beautiful song of this Bible verse called “Here I am, Lord.” I love singing it in church. The first time that I heard it, took place in Scotland when a choir member at the Maybole church sang it as a solo. Both the words and the tune captivated me and I consider it to be a high spiritual occasion each time I sing or hear this song.

The lyrics of the song are beautiful, but the Bible verse is even more wonderful. It’s all about being chosen by God for a sacred mission. In the midst of his unworthiness, the prophet Isaiah is called by God to go to his people with messages and prophecies from heaven. He is given the responsibility of declaring God’s words and thoughts to his own generation. It is an awesome task and whilst Isaiah does not feel worthy, holy, or clean enough to undertake such a sacred task, God purifies and prepares him for the mission.

There are days when I feel so unworthy and unholy to serve the Lord. I remember my background and past sins, which cause me to shudder at times. I often wonder why the Lord has chosen me to do what I do, but then I remember that without His mercy and grace, I could not do any of what He wants.

Perhaps you are experiencing a call to some ministry or mission, program or project for the Lord, but you feel unprepared, unacceptable, and unclean. Take heart because most of God’s leaders in the Bible had a shady past and things that made them ashamed. God does not choose perfect people because there are none to be found, anywhere. He calls us, not because of who we are, but because of what He can make us become. All we have to do is this: when He calls us to ministry, we each answer, “Here I am.”

Prayer:                        Lord God, You have a purpose for each of our lives. You call us to be ministers of Your word and missionaries of Your Gospel. Open our hearts and minds to Your calling and enable to accept Your ways. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Today's drawing is called "Sleep On, Simon Peter" and is a part of John's Feast of Easter worship/bulletin/ clip art.

Sunday Devotions: Accepting Jesus - Luke 4:24

Luke 4:24 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.”

We live in a strange age. Our society and civilization, our culture and traditions have all been shaped, established, and blessed by Christianity. The freedoms we share have been formed by the faith we once held dear. In fact, if we were to erase Christianity from the last two thousand years of history, most of us would be serfs or slaves, ignorant and illiterate, cruelly treated and cast aside.

That’s what makes the living of these days very strange because Western society, in Europe and the Americas, is turning its back upon Christ, the true Founder of our freedoms and faith. It’s as if today’s verse from Luke could be rewritten to read: “No Savior is accepted in His world.”

Jesus lived and died almost two thousand years ago, but His Spirit still captivates most of the religious hearts and minds in other places throughout the world. Africa is a prime example of this. At the beginning of the 20^th century, 9% of the population was Christian and 36% were Islamic. A hundred years later, when we reached the year 2000, 40% of the African population was Islamic and over 44% of the population was Christian. The same thing is happening in China, where it has been estimated that by 2030 1.5 billion people will be Christians. Christ’s Church is growing at a rapid rate throughout the Earth, and yet on His home turf of Western Society people are forgetting what they really owe to His words and ways, His godliness and Gospel.

This morning our church has been closed due to the icy weather, so our people at Erin cannot collectively worship God. But for those of you who are reading this today, I want to say “Thank You” for taking time to accept Jesus into your heart and homes through the reading of God’s Word and the blessing of His Spirit.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, enable us to reconnect to Your words and ways, to find the time to rekindle our faith in order to make a recommitment to You. Help us to remember past days when we have needed You in our lives and the times that we have worshiped in our hearts and homes, as well as in our churches and cherished holy places. Thank You for being the Savior of our souls and the Lord of our lives. 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.

Today’s picture is John’s latest drawing called “Moonlight over Maybole West,” featuring his first parish church. If you would like to see a larger version of the picture, please click on the following link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/4317958402/sizes/l/

Sunday lectionary devotions: Psalm 36 - The Lost Ring

Psalm 36: 7     How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

My wife Evelyn lost her engagement ring the other day. She had put some hand cream on her fingers and the ring must have slipped off. She left a message on my cell phone to let me know. It saddened both of us to think that something so significant could be lost.

We bought the engagement ring with my last tax rebate before I went to college to study to become a minister. That was thirty years ago. I can remember shopping for it in Glasgow’s Argyle Arcade where most couples in the city bought their rings. It was an exciting time for us and eventually we found the one clustered diamond ring that Evelyn liked after wandering from store to store. It cost us every penny that we owned at the time, and through the years it has become priceless.

Thankfully, Evelyn found the ring on the carpet next to her exercise bike. That was both a moment of relief and jubilation. This weekend, we’ll be taking it to a jeweler to have a clip put on it. We both don’t want the ring to be lost ever again.

When the writer of Psalm 36 talks about God’s unfailing love, he calls it ‘priceless.’ He cannot buy God’s love nor can he compare it to anything else in the whole universe. Believers in Christ know and understand this to be true, for how can we put a price on complete and everlasting salvation? How can we estimate the cost of Christ’s atonement for our sins?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You are priceless to each and every one of Your followers. We can never repay the debt that we owe to You for redeeming our souls and restoring us to God. Thank You for such wonderful, amazing, and priceless love. 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.

Sunday Lectionary Devotion: Mark 12:28-34 Getting It

Mark 12: 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

I remember the first time I ever rode a bike without using the stabilizers, which we called “training wheels” in Scotland. It didn't go very well.  The bike shoogled and vibrated, making me so anxious and fearful that I kept my head down and concentrated on watching the front wheel. This was a big mistake because the more that I watched the wheel, the crazier, bumpier and unsteadier the bike became. Eventually I fell over, scraped my knees, and didn't want to get back on the saddle again.

Then my Dad told me that the secret to riding a bike was to look up and look ahead. He promised that if I did that, then it would be a lot easier. So, instead of concentrating on the bike, I focused on the road ahead, and, as I watched the street, the steadier my bike became. By changing my perspective, I suddenly discovered that I could freely ride the bike. I was no longer shackled to my fears of falling and failing. Instead, my confidence grew as I understood what was truly required to ride my bike.

A similar revelation occurred with the teacher of the law who was listening to Jesus talk about loving God and our neighbors. The lawyer ‘got it’ immediately because he understood how to apply it in his religious life. If people truly loved God and their neighbors, then there would be no need for sacrifices and burnt offerings, because true love would keep God’s people free from hurting, disappointing, and wounding others. They would also be free from the fear of falling and failing, of angering and offending God.

Christ’s sacrifice was more than sufficient to restore us to God, and it has given more reason for us to love Him now than ever before. We don't need to make sacrifices or burnt offerings when we make mistakes. So long as we are willing to be contrite, to show repentance and seek God’s forgiveness, we can look up and look ahead to a brighter and better future, to an everlasting and immortal life.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, help us to love God with all of our strength, heart, mind and soul. Enable us to love our neighbors, to help them in times of trouble and to seek their goodwill. Grant us the courage and confidence to live our lives faithfully, without the fear of failing, without the dread of falling. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He also writes the devotional blog Heaven's Highway.

Today's image is taken from John's current Fall Art exhibition at the Bear Creek Coffee House in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is called "Mountain Stream." 

Sunday Lectionary Devotions: Psalm 104 Pitching Tents

Psalm 104:2 He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent. (NIV)

I learned how to pitch a tent with my Scout troop at a camp in Scotland called Auchengillan. Our scout patrol was full of tenderfoots like myself who knew practically nothing about camping, but we watched the older scouts put up their tents and tried to copy them.

The tents were nothing like the light nylon ones that we have today. They were made of old heavy canvas and we used thick ropes with wooden spars to set them up. It took most of the morning to construct the tent, but once it was up, our rookie patrol was thrilled. The older scouts, however, were not impressed and later that night we discovered why.

Firstly, we had chosen the roughest piece of ground to pitch the tent. This meant that no matter where we positioned our sleeping bags, the hard contours of the ground dug deeply and painfully into our backs. Secondly, it began to rain in the middle of the night, causing the canvas and ropes to shrink. Eventually, our tent collapsed, so we had to re-pitch it during the darkest, coldest and wettest part of the night. By the time morning came, we were absolutely worn out.

After breakfast, the older scouts helped us re-pitch our tent properly. They found smoother ground and showed us how to storm-rig the ropes. When it rained the following night, we didn’t even notice. Our patrol was sound asleep because our tent was comfortable and secure.

I like the old passages about tents in the Bible. They remind me that the people of God were once nomads, wandering the wilderness and camping in different places. But no matter where they went, they believed that they were secure under the canopy that God had pitched in the sky. I guess their simplistic view of the world was not scientific, but it did offer them comfort and strength, faith and hope that God was watching over them.

Perhaps God doesn’t pitch His tent in the sky any longer, but He does place His presence in our hearts and minds. And whatever the rough passages in our lives or the storms that we endure, His promises keep us secure and His love continues to strengthen our spirits.

Prayer: Lord God, build Your tent in our hearts and pitch Your canopy in our spirits. Grant us sufficient strength for our daily tasks, and restful sleep during the night. May we always know of Your abiding love and holy presence each moment of our days. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the Presbyterian devotional blog “Heaven’s Highway.”

Today's image is taken from John's Fall Series Drawings, which are on exhibit in Knoxville. It is called "Autumn Wall"

Sunday Lectionary Devotions: Psalm 19 v 8 - Precepts

Psalm 19:8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

"Precept" is not a word that we use everyday, yet it is something that we apply daily. It means "teaching" and, more specifically, a rule that helps us make the right choice or head in the proper direction. Teachers were once known as preceptors and, when the Knights Templars were around, their place of instruction was called a "preceptory."

According to David, God's precepts give joy to our hearts. Why? Because it makes us feel good when we follow God's guidance and know that we are fulfilling His wishes. We've all felt that before, either when we've been praised by our parents for completing a heavy chore, or when our teacher has awarded us with an "A" for a special homework project, or when our boss and co-workers celebrate the successful ending of a team presentation. It's a great feeling and something that David says we can enjoy when we follow and fulfill the precepts of God.

Wherever you are today, there will be plenty of opportunities to apply God's precepts and experience His joy. Do all that you can to please Him. Give Him the glory for the teachings you fulfill.

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, You taught us many lessons through the teachings of the Gospel. Help us to apply God's precepts in our lives amongst the people we meet today and in all the things that we do. In Your Holy Name. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the devotional blog "Heaven's Highway."

Today's image is taken from John's Psalms Project.

Sunday Lectionary Devotions: Anger

James 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry

The chances are something or someone will disagree with you today and you’ll find yourself defending your opinions or making your feelings known. There's nothing wrong with these, but sometimes we go over the top and the point we want to express is not what other people hear.

When James was writing to the Young Christian Church, he knew that the people of God were often divided, defensive and fierce debaters. After all, they were putting their lives on the line for having faith, so they were going to be passionate about their beliefs and opinions. James was reminding them of our Lord’s example of how He was willing to listen before deciding, of how He was willing to wait before acting, of how He was slow to anger instead of acting rashly.

James wanted the church to grow and influence people. Guess what? We want the same things. Battering people with our beliefs is not productive. Patiently listening to people and quietly helping them are two of the greatest witnesses we can bring to others.

Hmmm, seems like I need a double dose of what James is dishing out....

Prayer: Lord Jesus, wherever I am today and whoever I meet today, let me be a patient, caring witness for You. Keep me free from anger and help me to heal wounds that I may have caused when my motives have been questioned, my opinions have been rejected and my beliefs have been confronted. In Your Holy Name, I pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the regular devotional Heaven's Highway.

Lectionary Devotions: Ordinary 20 - Of Psalms and Songs

For Sunday Aug 16 - Today’s Lectionary Verse:

Ephesians 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.

There are some remote congregations in the Scottish highlands and islands who have been singing the same worship songs for nearly five hundred years. They don't get caught up in the hype of modern Christian music; instead, they faithfully praise God singing the psalms that their ancestors composed in Scotland when Presbyterianism started to take root.

They sing the psalms unaccompanied and usually in the Gaelic tongue. For someone who comes from the outside to one of these services, the singing is eerie as ancient Scottish melodies and rhythms blend with Shakespearean written psalms. It sounds like a clash of cultures but eventually those psalms were re-sung and the tunes were re-introduced to the mountain people in this region. Sometimes, when I hear us singing Appalachian hymns in church, I can ‘hear’ the Scottish parts in the song.

I would have loved to hear the hymns and psalms that the first Christians sang. I am sure that they reflected parts of the Jewish, Greek and Roman cultures that they came from. It must have been wonderful to be part of a new faith group, with new ideas, and a new excitement about life. Those things would have made Christians sing out with hearts and voices.

When we gather together on Sunday, we have a glorious opportunity to share our faith, our cultures, and our music. God brings us together to praise His Son Jesus Christ with our psalms and hymns. It’s wonderful part of what we do as Christians. It’s a wonderful experience to behold. One day, when we gather again at the feet of Jesus, we will sing songs from all over the world, from different times, places, and cultures that we will instantly know in our hearts and beautifully sing forever.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You love singing which is why our churches are full of people who love to sing. We praise You with ancient words and modern tunes, with organ music, pianos, and harps, with stringed instruments, drums, and horns. Thank You for the gift of song that You have inspired in the hearts of our people. In Your Holy Name, we sing and pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the regular devotional blog Heaven’s Highway.

Today’s image is taken from John’s ongoing Psalms Project, in which he is creating a drawing for each of the 150 psalms in the Bible.

Sunday Lectionary Devotions - Battlefield

Sunday's Lectionary Verse

John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

Years ago, when I was nineteen, I moved into an apartment in the south side of Glasgow, my hometown. I stayed in a place called Battlefield, which was named after a Scottish civil war struggle in the sixteenth century, in which Mary, Queen of Scots and her army were defeated.

The apartment was leased by one of my insurance co-workers, who hailed from Aberdeen. He had as heavy a drinking reputation as I did, so it wasn't the best of circumstances for me to put myself in. I had to pay a month's rent in advance, and I owed my Dad a month's rent in arrears. When I paid my debts in full, I had practically nothing for food and transport, but I made certain that I had enough for beer and whisky.

It was one of the longest months of my life. The only thing I ate was bread without butter and some peanuts in the bars I frequented. I don't know what sustained me, but I can remember trying to chew grass and eating daffodils. My life was messed up because of drink, but it never occurred to me to ask for help to stop being an alcoholic, or to seek God's wisdom at that time. I believed in the lie that I could handle it all on my own. I was much too proud, and utterly wasted by my addiction.

I never reached the point of starvation, but I did know the pangs of hunger, which I experienced through my own stupidity. It was a hard lesson to learn. When I read passages like today's and hear Christ speaking to me through them, I'm reminded of my past foolishness, but at the same time, of my wonderful recovery, which only came through Christ's grace and His mercy.

He is the Bread of life. He is the One who sustains us through good and bad times. He has the power to lead us beyond our problems and enable us to discover a better way, a truer life. That's why we call Him 'Savior'. That's why we need Him to be our Lord.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes our own stupidity puts us into desperate and dangerous positions. Sometimes we make a mess of the lives that You graciously give to us. Thank You for being patient, for watching over us, and for giving us the opportunity to see in You all our hopes and dreams, all our goals and purposes being fulfilled. In Your Holy name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the regular devotional "Heaven's Highway," which he sometimes podcasts with his Scottish accent.

Today's image is taken from a new series of free worship bulletin covers that John aka Stushie illustrates.

Lectionary Devotions: Psalm 51 - Joy Seekers

Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Years ago, I went to a conference in Los Angeles. One of the speakers was H.B. London, who is known nationally as being a pastor to pastors in crisis. He spent over twenty years leading churches, so he experienced first-hand the trials and tribulations of being the target of church members, especially when they were frustrated with his preaching or annoyed at his decisions. He called those people ‘joy-suckers’ because they literally sucked the whole joy out of his being and, funnily enough, they did the same to the happiness of the congregation. Many pastors at the conference understood how he felt and, at that time, I also knew what he was talking about.

Nowadays, I take a different view. I’ve discovered that the people who H.B. London labeled as ‘joy-suckers’ usually have undergone a tragic or traumatic event in their lives, which overshadows their spirits. They carry burdens in their hearts and souls which affect their relationships and sometimes they become spiritually depressed. It’s not that they are ‘joy-suckers’; they are really ‘joy-seekers’ trying hard to cope with life and courageously carrying on despite the hidden heart breaks within them. They know the prayer of David, when he pleads with God to restore the joy of His salvation. They seek this above all things and desperately try to lead a normal, happy life.

Perhaps we are going to come across people who carry painful and heavy burdens this week. Perhaps our first reaction is to avoid or show a disinterest in them. They need to know that we love them, so we need to be patient and listen. We need to be open to hearing their hurts and help them to find the joy, healing and strength that their spirits yearn.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, keep us from being dismissive of others who appear to be ‘joy-suckers’, but who are really ‘joy-seekers.’ Teach us to be patient and help us to help those who are trying to cope with the hurts and hardships of life that we may never know or ever experience. 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 this message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today's image is taken from John's 3 year Psalms Project of creating a drawing for every psalm in the Bible. You can see his progress at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/traqair57/sets/72157603288751629/detail/

Lectionary Devotion - Psalm 130 - Fearing God

Lectionary verse: Psalm 130:3,4 If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared.

Some Christians have a lot of trouble with the Old Testament ideal of 'fearing' God. They believe that if God is so compassionate and caring, forgiving and merciful, why on earth would anyone need to be frightened of Him? It's a good point and one that deserves more exploring.

The word 'to fear' in Hebrew, 'yaray' actually means to revere, which means that we show a lot of respect, humility and courtesy to the person we revere. You'll remember that ministers are given the title "reverend," which means we are supposed to accord to them respect and courtesy, too.

But there's also a more serious aspect to 'fearing God.' The word that's used for 'forgiveness' in this psalm doesn't mean to acquit or show mercy, it actually means to spare a life, to spare someone from a terrible punishment. I guess that the nearest we have in meaning to it would be a Governor's last minute pardon for a Death Row inmate. In other words, God has the power over eternal life and everlasting punishment. He holds our immortal salvation in His hands.

Hhmmm....perhaps we should fear God after all?

Prayer: Lord God Almighty, You hold our salvation in Your hands, so we should never take it for granted. Help us to truly worship and adore You. To fully acknowledge Your Sovereignty over the Universe and Your everlasting authority over our lives, our spirits, our souls. May we sincerely revere You today and respect You forever. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the devotional blog "Heaven's Highway."

Today's image is from John's Psalms drawing project. It is based on a verse from Psalm 82.

Sunday Lectionary Devotion: Aaron's Beard

Lectionary Verse: Psalm 133:2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.

Every week, I write the prayers for our Sunday worship services. This usually takes place on Monday mornings because I like to have them done before anything else takes place during the week. It’s a good discipline for me, because the worship service is the most important congregational event in the weekly life of the church.

Over the years, the order of our worship service has changed. When I cameto Erin Church at first, a lot of the prayers were read and said by me on behalf of the congregation. These days, we have volunteer prayer guides and scripture readers who lead the people in the worship of God.

Different people with different voices add to the variety in the service. And with the congregation reading aloud the prayers and scriptures responsively, everyone is involved in the worship. Our services are no longer spectator events; they have become participatory times of worship that helps everyone connect to God and one another.

But what’s all of this to do with Aaron’s Beard? Well, after I write the prayers and have given them to Leslie, our church administrator, I upload them to a weekly blogsite called “Aaron’s Beard.” (http://www.beardofaaron.blogspot.com/) Pastors and congregations from different places use these prayers in their own Sunday services, or perhaps read them to help them write their own worship prayers. In this week alone, church people from Toronto, Canada; Chesapeake, Virginia; Kilgore, Texas; Wilder, Idaho; London, United Kingdom; Kuching, Malaysia; Danbury, Wisconsin; Huntington Beach, California; and New Haven, Connecticut have all downloaded the weekly prayers. What began as a means of getting more people involved at Erin Presbyterian Church has become a way of helping other people worship in different states and countries throughout the world.

God’s ways are mysterious and His words are tremendous. He uses our gifts and makes positive differences in other people’s lives, even people that we do not know. Glory to God!

Prayer: Lord God, thank You for the gift of worship and for the variety of ways that people throughout the world praise Your Name. Bless our churches this Sunday with Your Holy presence and call new people to our sanctuaries, so that we may fellowship and worship with them. In Christ’s Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville and the writer of the devotional blog "Heaven's Highway."

Today's image is from John's own art work and is called "Lenten Prayer."