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.

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/

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."

Sunday Lectionary Devotions: Bible Bumper Sticker

Lectionary Verse

Psalm 20:4 - May God give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. (NIV)

I've got my favourite bumper-sticker Bible verse on my car again. It's today's verse from Psalm 20. I printed it out in large letters and put it on the inside of my back window. Once again, when I'm stopped at traffic lights, I'm seeing people write down the verse and smiling. I guess that during these uncertain times, people find it's good to know God is with them.

That also reminds me of one of the names that we know Jesus by: "Emmanuel", which means "God is with us." I only knew one person who was called Emmanuel in my whole life. I met him in senior high. He was one of the brightest mathematicians that I have ever known. Whenever any of our grade had problems with our math homework, we would say to one another, "Let's ask Manny. He'll know the answer." And he did.

So why was he called Emmanuel? Were his parents ultra-holy? Did they believe that their son was destined for great things? No. They gave him the name when he was born and they saw him for the first time. Manny was a hunchback, so I guess his name was a prayer for God to be with him throughout his life. When you're only four feet tall in senior high and look different, the world can be a hard place. But with a name like Emmanuel, you can stand ten feet tall and know that God sees your beautiful soul and accepts you as a child of God.

After senior high, Manny used his mathematical skills and became a highly sought-after computer programmer.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, each day we ask You to be with us, but sometimes what we're asking is that You accompany us wherever we go. Help us to understand that we are meant to follow You, and that when we pray for You to be with us, we are not only needing You to be near us, but we are ready to rise up and accompany You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today's image is taken from John's Psalms Project Artwork, some of which is on public exhibit this month in Knoxville.

Sunday Lectionary Devotions: A Pentecostal Spirit

Acts 2:4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (NIV)

Almost thirty years ago, I visited a university town in Spain called Valladolid (pronounced 'baya-dolith). It was originally a castle town and had some beautiful medieval buildings, cathedrals and colleges all over it. I was there with a friend of mine who had once trained to be a priest. We were visiting his old haunts and he introduced me to a lot of good Spanish people.

One evening, we went to a school building, where many people gathered together for prayer. Handicapped persons, people in wheelchairs, and all sorts of sick people were at the meeting. We sat in a circle, and the priest, who was leading the group, began to pray. Other people followed him and then I spoke my prayer. It was in English because I didn't have enough Spanish to put a sentence together. After I prayed, the priest interpreted and re-prayed my prayer. Once he had finished, a holy hush fell upon the room, and then, suddenly, people began singing in tongues.

I had never experienced anything like this before. It was beautiful and everyone, even those who were sick or sitting in wheelchairs joined in. The sound was like a hundred songs being sung at the same time, with different melodies and rhythms, but they harmonized perfectly. Then things began to quieten down, and after another time of silence, people started to go home.

It was a profound experience and one that I have never encountered again. The only explanation I can give is that the Holy Spirit descended upon all of us, and gave us a great gift of angelic song that evening. One glorious day, I hope to sing like that again, in the heavenly halls of glory, with millions upon millions of people and angels.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, thank You for sending the Holy Spirit amongst us and for giving Your Church a wonderful source of comfort and counsel, guidance and love. Fill our hearts with Your Holy Spirit and lead us by His presence in our lives. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Sunday Devotion: John 15:16 - A Good Choice

John 15:16  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. (NIV)

 I can remember when I was young playing for my street soccer team in Scotland. Before a game, the two best players lined everyone else up on the sidewalk and began to alternatively choose players. Each time a selection was made, you could see the fear and anxiety in everyone’s face. Inwardly, we were all thinking, “Choose me next!” At the same time, we were also praying, “Don’t leave me till the end!” It was a mark of shame and a dent in a young boy’s pride to be chosen last. I know that to be true, because I experienced it several times.

                Thank goodness that Christ does not choose people sequentially. He chooses us because we have gifts and talents, qualities and characteristics that are unique and much needed for His ministry on earth. Wherever we are and whatever we do, Christ always gives us opportunities to make an impact with our faith. He expects us to bear fruit with our lives, especially when we are around other people in our homes, our churches, or our work places. Today, He has chosen you and I to fulfill His work in our community. His blessing and favor are upon us. Now let’s go out and show Jesus that His choice was the right one.

 Prayer:  Lord Jesus, thank You for choosing me. I am not worthy of Your Holiness, but I am delighted to be blessed by Your choice. Guide me and help me to bear witness to Your Love. Let me share Your grace with all whom You have chosen for me to meet this day. In Your Holy Name, I pray. Amen.

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

Sunday Devotions: Chess Sets

Lectionary Verse: Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)

When I have the time, I love making chess sets. Over the years I have molded, modeled and painted several different sets, which include soldiers from the Civil War, elves and goblins from Tolkein's books, and a medieval Scottish set that was discovered on the Isle of Lewis and was consequently seen in the first Harry Potter movie.

Most of the finished sets are in my church office and I am delighted when people enjoy looking at them. The only thing is, I never play chess anymore. I can't quite make the time, so these wonderful game pieces just stay on their boards, never to be moved. Some day I'll get round to playing, but at the moment, these chess sets are immobile.

Today's verse reminded me that God makes us in much the same way, but that we are not destined to be immobile, indifferent or insensitive to things and events around us. Paul states it clearly when he writes that we are created to do good works, which God has prepared for us to accomplish. In other words, each one of us was created for a purpose; all of us were made for a significant reason.

Wherever we are today, and whatever we face, let's take and fulfill the opportunities to do good that God gives us. After all, He made us in Christ Jesus to do them, bringing help to other people and glorifying His holy name.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, give us the courage to help other people who are in need today. Grant us willing hearts to serve God's kingdom in this special, pre-determined and purposeful way, so that we may also bring those others closer to You. Amen.

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

Sunday Devotions: Back to the Future

Lectionary verse: Psalm 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.

Most of the psalms in the Bible are written by David, Israel’s greatest king. Usually, they have been written during his moments of great strength, faith, and creativity. It’s as if the vitality of David made him want to write some wonderful songs. And, if you think of it, most songwriters compose their best songs, lyrics, and tunes when they are between the ages of 25 – 45.

Today’s sacred poem is a bit different. I think that it’s written by an elderly David who is reflecting upon his life, his past mistakes, and deepest regrets. He’s looking back on some of his rash choices and poor decisions in his long life. And like anyone else who happens to be an elderly citizen, he wishes that things had been different and hopes that God will be merciful. You see, David is preparing for his final finals – he knows that one day soon, he will be face to face with God.

I don’t know about you, but when I look back at my own crazy past I want to give myself a good shaking down - especially when I was a teenager and in my early twenties. In my mind’s eye, I see myself saying and doing foolish and despicable things, or what David so eloquently calls ‘the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.’ I wish that I could go back to the past and alter things, but I can’t. And if, at the end of my life, anyone asks me “would you change anything?” I would have to answer with a resounding “yes!”

David’s problem with his past causes him concern for his eternal future. He wants God to forget about the many mistakes and wicked deeds that even he, the greatest Israelite King, had committed. He’s begging God to set aside all of those sinful times that contaminated his faith, his family, and his friendships. In other words, David is looking for a mulligan, as far as his life is concerned. He wants God to bend the rules, show some mercy, and apply some grace so that he can die and rest peacefully.

You see David did not have the wonderful opportunity to cast his sins upon Christ’s Cross to be redeemed, and although he made many sacrifices in the Holy Temple each year, the king still carried the burden of a sinful past. Today, we are more fortunate because we can directly, sincerely, and humbly appeal to Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. We can go back beyond our own sinful past to centuries before we were born and hang our mistakes, our guilt, and our regrets on a tree called Calvary.

We can also come to a Table full of mercy, forgiveness, and peace, instead of an altar streaming with blood, terror, and fear. If David knew then what we know today, then his anxiety and angst, troubles and tribulation over his youthful sins and rebellious ways would have been swept away by the blood of our precious Savior, Jesus Christ.

So, when we read today’s psalm and Gospel lesson, let’s give thanks to God that we live in a merciful time, where the Good News of salvation can be given to every sinner, just like ourselves, who personally comes to Jesus, seeks His mercy, and receives God grace. We go back to the past in order to move on to the eternal future where faith sets us free from fear, hope handles all our doubts, and love cleanses our sins forever.

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

The illustration was drawn by John. It is called "Lenten Prayer." You can see more of John's liturgical art at his webpage Stushie's Art.

Sunday Devotion: Holocaustic or Holistic?

Do we use faith as a weapon of fear and hostility, or as an instrument of compassion and reconciliation?

Podcast version here

Today's Lectionary verse:
2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

I grew up at a time when the world was constantly threatened with a nuclear holocaust. I don’t know where or when I learned about the US-Soviet arms race, but I can remember worrying about a nuclear war even during the best of my younger days.

It was a terrible fear to live under. It tainted every aspect of life. As a teenager, I wanted to try anything and everything before the world was wiped out and blown to smithereens. I didn’t care about what I did or who I hurt, because the world didn’t care about hurting me.

And then things changed. Several movies on the TV and the big screen made us all aware of our madness. “Threads,” “War Games,” and even “The Martian Chronicles” showed us all the futility of nuclear deterrents and Cold War antagonism. A shift in the philosophies of Western and Soviet leaders brought about concord and pacts were made to avoid the holocaust that I and billions of other people on earth dreaded.

Christian fatalists, who used today’s verse with glee as a means to get people fearfully saved before the impending holocaust, were disregarded as a new hope blossomed throughout the world. Books like “The Late Great Planet Earth” and songs like “I Wish We’d All Been Ready” were set aside. Instead of fear being used as a method to convert people to Christ, peace and love, along with redemption and reconciliation, were offered as a means of getting to know Jesus.

Perhaps you’re anxious about your family and friends, and worry about their salvation. Maybe you come across as being fearful instead of faithful, crushing instead of Christian, or hellish instead of heavenly. Think about how Jesus loved and embraced sinners in order to gain their trust. Think about how He employed compassion and reconciliation in order to open hearts and minds. Think about these Christ-like things and then apply them. Don’t be hostile or holocaustic with your faith; instead, become helpful and holistic.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, save us from using fear to bring others to faith. Instead, allow us to be compassionate and loving, gracious and generous in order to attract people to You and Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Stushie is the writer of the four minute Presbyterian daily devotional, Heaven’s Highway. He also post’s his own stained glass window designs at Stushie’s Art

Sunday Devotions: Flashlights

Lectionary verse: Matthew 25:3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.

It used to happen every winter. Heavy snow fell on some local power lines, snapped the cables in two, causing all the lights in our house to go out. Instantly, I would head to the kitchen cupboard, in the dark, to find the flashlights. After scrambling for a while, I would locate them at the back of the topmost cupboard, above the refrigerator. Then the real fun would begin.

I would switch on the flashlights, only to discover that the batteries were dead. Either they were so old that they had corroded, or my two darling daughters had been using them to read their books under the bedcovers. Whatever the reason, it always ended up the same way - stuck in the dark and everyone absolutely miserable.

This year is going to be different. I purchased an emergency flashlight that is plugged into an electrical socket. It's constantly recharging itself, so when the snow falls this year and the lights go out, I'll be able to easily locate and use this kind of flashlight. Then I can get some candles out to light every room. The only thing I'll have to do is to remember to buy some matches!

In the darkest of times and the deepest of troubles, our faith shines brightly and helps us overcome our fears. But this only happens if we keep refueling our spirits with Christ's teachings and God's love. If we neglect our faith, then like the lamps of old and out of date batteries, it diminishes, flickers, and fades away. But if we keep recharging our faith through worship, scripture study, and daily prayer, then no matter what happens, the light will still be there in the midst of the darkness and it will not be overcome.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the world and the Holy One who extinguishes the darknesses of fear, anxiety, and despair. We turn to You to illuminate our minds and souls, to enhance our faith and brighten our lives with Your love. In Your Holy name, we pray. Amen.

Sunday Devotions: Entrapment

Sunday Lectionary Verse

Matthew 22:21b Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."

Entrapment is something we used to see happening in every Perry Mason, Matlock or Columbo show. Right at the very end of each episode, the criminal would say or do something that would instantly reveal their guilt. There was also a kids' program called Scooby Doo, where the villain was finally unmasked in the dying seconds of the show. All of these programs followed the same formula, so that eventually viewers began to know who the culprit was, long before you got to the end of the show.

Jesus is facing the same kind of classic formula of entrapment in this episode from the Gospel. The Pharisees are out to get Him, so they ask Jesus a trick question. They've worked out in advance that if He says it's right to pay taxes to Caesar, then they could charge Him for collaborating with the enemy and get the people to stone Him. If Jesus answered that it wasn't right to pay tribute to Caesar, they could then report Him for sedition against the Emperor and have the Roman governor execute Jesus for treason. They really don't care how He answers their question; all they want is something to use against Him.

But Jesus knows all about their little game. He's way ahead of them, so He gives them an answer that they haven't anticipated, which astounds them. "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's." In other words, pay your taxes and honor God.

As Christians, other people sometimes assail us about our beliefs. If we try to be clever with our answers, we'll end up in a theological tussle or a doctrinal muddle. However, if we are true to Christ and depend upon the Holy Spirit during those moments when we are called to defend our faith, He'll give us the right words to say, at the right time, to the right people.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes we feel that our beliefs are being personally attacked. Sometimes those attacks come from strangers, but more often as not, those piercing questions and taunting remarks are expressed by other church members and Christian colleagues. Give us the right words to say and keep us from being fearful or unfaithful. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

Stushie is the writer of the daily devotional "Heaven's Highway," which is also podcasted at http://www.stushie.libsyn.com/.