Devotions for Men: Trust in the Lord by John Stuart

Devotions for Men: Trust in The Lord

My new Kindle e-book of devotions has been published today. It contains 60 short devotions for Christian men. It can be read individually as a daily devotional for two months, or used in weekly meetings and Sunday school classes for over a year. It’s also an excellent ice-breaker/discussion starter for men’s coffee house groups.

Each devotional takes about five minutes or less to read. Every devotional has a Bible verse, one of my art images, a devotion, questions for reflection, and an individual prayer at the end. At only $1.99, it’s a great investment in the spiritual lives of men from any church, career, and situation.

Football devotion: Light is Essential - John 11:10

John 11:10 “It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light.”

Like most people in the US, I’ve been watching the football play-offs. I always get excited at this time of year when the best teams begin to emerge from a long and busy season. Some teams peak just before the play-offs and miss out on the wild cards each year. Others excel and when it comes to the elimination rounds, some unexpected team just seems to beat everybody’s expectations to reach the Super Bowl.

As I watched the games, it dawned on me that without modern lighting, none of these games could be played at night. The great spectacle of the Super Bowl would have to be played early in the day which would diminish the whole occasion. As soon as dusk occurred, the game would be over, without the illumination of the great lights above and throughout the stadiums. Teams would stumble in the dark and players would be injured. Television broadcasting would be hopeless and even the view from the blimp in the sky would be like looking into a dark crater. Without light, the game would quickly end and the whole event would not be worth watching or even playing.

Light is essential to our modern lives; it’s also a necessary part of our spiritual growth. Without the light of Christ in our world, would life itself be worth living? Wouldn’t the darkness overwhelm our spirits and diminish our existence? When Jesus comes into our lives, He brightens our spirits, enlightens our minds, and dazzles our souls. His light brings meaning and purpose, direction and encouragement to our situations, experiences, and moments. He is the Light of our world, our souls, and our hearts. If we stumble in the dark, He raises us up back into His light; if we fall into despair, He is ready to take hold of us and lead towards God’s everlasting Kingdom.

Questions for personal reflection

When has Christ’s light helped me in my life? Where do I see His light in the world today?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You are the Light of the World and the Lamp for our souls. You direct our paths and give us guidance each day. Help us to follow Your light, so that we may see the way ahead that You have planned for us. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

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

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Psalm project drawings. It’s a crucifixion interpretation of a verse from Psalm 129, done in an Art Deco style. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8087/8354865975_5fee871f1c_b.jpg

New Start Up devotion - Save Me Shepherd - John 10:11

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” 

I am a sinful creature and have gone astray at times. I meander through life and muddle through each day. Sometimes I accomplish much; at other times, I waste the opportunities that God has given me. The good that I want to do is sometimes never fulfilled; the badness that I want to avoid plagues and overcomes me. I am a sinner and a lost sheep. I need a Savior and a Shepherd.

Thankfully, Christ is both. He guides me each day and saves me from the worst of my choices. He forgives my failings and sets me on the right path. He is always there, before me and behind me, beneath me and above me. He watches my daily walk and corrects my foolish choices. He is the Savior of my soul and the Shepherd of my life. Without Jesus, I would be lost to God forever; with Him, I find my way back to God and can abide in His everlasting presence.

Perhaps you are meandering through life and in a muddle right now. Maybe your New Year resolutions have fallen by the wayside or your hopes have been quickly dashed. Perhaps you feel like giving up because you have nothing left to give. Please don’t despair. In our worst of times, Christ becomes the best of our choices. In our moments of sorrow and fear, He becomes the center of our strength and faith. He gives every part of Himself, so that we may experience every part of life with God. With Jesus, we are not alone. In Him, we are kept safe forever.

Questions for personal reflection

Have I lost my way? How can Jesus help me find my way back to God?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, being human is never easy. There are so many decisions to be made and daily distractions to encounter, that we sometimes end up losing our way, our meaning, and even our faith. Help us to turn to You for direction; open our hearts and minds to Your Guidance. Show us the Way, become our Truth, and let us experience the Life. In Your Holy Name, we faithfully 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 traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Psalms Project drawings. It features a verse from Psalm 128, interpreted as a Christ centered prophecy. If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please visit the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8052/8347771327_83aef164e7_b.jpg

Office 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

Office 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

Office 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

Workplace 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