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Sky Pilots
I’ve decided to close down the Sky Pilots site – if you want to keep
reading these daily devotionals, please visit my blogsites at
www.glenkirk.blogspot.com or www.stushie.wordpress.com. If you want to listen to the
podcasts, just go to
www.stushie.libsyn.com
Thanks for visiting this page over the years!
Isaiah 48:6 You have heard
these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them? "From now on I
will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you.
First, let me apologize for the last couple of days. I have been so busy setting up the new Coffee Club weekly studies that I have neglected to write these devotionals. I’d forgotten how much planning and preparation goes into initiating a new group, but it has been highly enjoyable and worthwhile. If you want to see how the study is progressing, you can visit the Erin Coffee Club blogsite at www.erincoffeeclub.blogspot.com .
Earlier today, I was reading a religious news items about a
publishing company in
Hmmm, sounds like worship from hell to me. It may be appropriate for soul-less robots to clinically digitalize hymn singing and accompaniment, but I prefer the human approach to worship. I love to hear the blend of voices and the soar of the organ in a worship service. Each singer sings from their hearts; each worshipper gives to God, and each organist that I have ever known expresses their love of God and Christian faith through the talents that He has given them. Replacing it all with digitalized hymnbooks would only alienate the worshiper from the worshipping community, and also separate them from the real and sacred presence of God.
Digital hymnbooks may make commercial sense to publishers, but in my book, they don’t understand that the true components of worship require human involvement, as well as the Divine.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we are
constantly barraged with new innovations and advanced technologies that are
overtaking our lives. We thank You for those inventions that make life better
for everyone. Keep us from embracing too much technology that potentially may
isolate us from the community of faith and separate us from You. In Your Holy
Name, we pray. Amen.
John 13:5 After that, Jesus poured water into a basin and began to
wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around
him.
Yesterday,
in the Sunday School class that I teach, we were watching a clip from the movie
“Entertaining
Angels.” It tells the story of Dorothy Day who started a homeless shelter
in the slums of
The scene we watched yesterday shows Dorothy and her associate, Peter Maurin,
washing the feet of a homeless old man. Gently, they take off his shoes to
reveal soiled, bruised, and blistered feet. They carefully wash the feet clean
and then Peter does something unexpected. He takes off his only pair of shoes
and hands them over to the homeless man. The scene ends with Dorothy asking
Peter what he will now do for shoes.
Washing someone’s feet is very humbling
for the owner of the feet and the washer. When I read about Jesus washing his
disciples’ dirty feet, I am both surprised and a bit shocked. Why should the
Lord of all Creation stoop so low to act like a common servant? Why don’t the
disciples stop Him, so that they can wash His weary feet?
And then I remember who Jesus is and feel His compassion wash over me. If the
King of Kings becomes a servant to His followers, then I must also learn to be
a servant in His Kingdom. I may never aspire to be a wonderful servant of
Christ like Dorothy, but I can decide to serve Christ each day of my life.
Instead of wanting to be a charismatic leader, I need to learn to be more of a
compassionate servant.
Wherever we find ourselves today and in whosoever company we end up, let’s
attempt to be servants of Jesus, compassionate caregivers, and humble
followers, so that people will see less of us and more of Christ.
Prayer: Lord Jesus,
washing the feet of others is not something that we naturally want to do. We
all have trouble with humility and service, esteem and pride. Help us today to
become less of ourselves and more of You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
John Stuart, pastor at Erin Presbyterian Church in
P.S You can watch the movie clip on the internet at the following link:
http://wingclips.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16170&category_id=471
Wed
Isaiah 2:3 Many peoples will
come and say,” Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of
the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.”
Years ago, when I ministered in
Recently, I’ve wanted to get back to some basic Bible
teaching, so I have decided to establish a similar group over here in
First of all, there will be a Coffee Club extra held on Wednesday nights for those who can’t make it in the mornings. Secondly, home study material will be made available to everyone on Sunday mornings, that way if they can’t be at the Wednesday meetings, they can study at home.
Thirdly, the study material will be available online via email – which means that anyone, anywhere in the world, can sign up for the studies, just by sending me an email at pastor@erinpresbyterian.org
These are exciting times for the ministry of the church,
both here at
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for the stories
about Your life that are contained in the Bible. Thank You for the words of
encouragement and inspiring events that mean so much to us even today. Help all
of us to make and take time to study Your ways, works, and words. In Your Holy
Name, we pray. Amen.
Psalm
My youngest daughter Lauren has just set up her own blog at www.theroadtoafrica.blogspot.com
She is planning to go on a special mission trip this summer to Tanzania in Africa. She’ll spend thirteen weeks working with children who have been orphaned through the AIDS epidemic that has swept through that region. It will be hard work and physically demanding. It will cost a lot of money, but Lauren believes that God is asking her to go, so she doesn’t want to disappoint or disobey Him.
As a parent, I am both concerned and proud. It’s a major task and one that will almost certainly change her life. As a pastor, I am pleased that she is listening to God and I pray that He will both guide and protect her.
Her willingness to do missionary work like this reminds me that Christ’s Church reaches all over the world. People in other places, nations, and continents have come to know the Lord and, as the psalmist wrote so long ago, “all the families of the earth bow down before Him.” I would love to be with Lauren as she worships with the Tanzanian people. I would love to experience their joy for the Lord in the midst of such trying and hard circumstances. I think if I did, it would also change my life forever. But this is Lauren’s calling, not mine.
One day in eternity, we are going to gather in heaven and we will see countless numbers of people of different races and cultures cheerfully and joyfully worshipping the Lord. I don’t know what I’ll feel at that point, but I expect that my heart will be bursting with a joy that can only be experienced in heaven. I guess John Newton best summed up the feeling:
“When we’ve been there
ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to
sing God’s praise, Than when we’d first begun!”
Prayer: Lord
Jesus, all around the world billions of people are praying to You today. They
are expressing their concerns and joys, their hopes and fears, their dreams and
problems. It is amazing to think that You hear each one and You love them all
individually. Help us this day to meet and greet people everywhere as children
of God and servants of Your Kingdom. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.
Revelation 4:10 “the twenty-four
elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives
for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are
worthy, our Lord and God.””
“Eldership is an eternal office.” That’s how I usually begin the training classes for our new elders each year. It makes the candidates aware that by accepting to become elders in the local church, they are also taking on a recognized heavenly post. They are being ordained into something that is greater than life itself, and if they accept this Christian commission, then they need to know it’s for eternity.
Elders are the backbone of any Presbyterian Church. Ministers come and go, but elders normally attach themselves to the same congregation for most of their lives. Their commitment to the well-being of the church members, along with their Christian example, sets the standards and builds the strength of a particular church. If elders truly work as a team together, then there is nothing that they cannot face or overcome. The life and growth of a congregation rises and falls upon the leadership that elders give.
Each year, our church welcomes a new batch of people into eldership. For me, it’s one of the most humbling and exciting times of the year. Each elder-elect brings with her and him a multitude of gifts and experiences that can be beneficial to the work and ministries of the church. Watching them grow, seeing them adapt, and partnering with them in leadership are amongst the highest blessings that any minister of a congregation can experience. It is greatly satisfying to know that an elder has given three distinct and diligent years of service to the church. It is also wonderful to see that the ministries under their supervision and care have grown and deepened the faith of the entire church.
Perhaps your church is also in the midst of electing, appointing, ordaining and installing new elders. Pray for them each day. Welcome them into your hearts and homes. Encourage them to give of their best and support them in performing their duties. By doing these things, you will also bring growth to your church and deepen the loyalty of your congregation.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, throughout
the nation, new elders are being ordained and installed in their congregations.
Bless them for accepting such a noble commitment and enable them to build upon
their gifts, so that their churches and congregations may be renewed and
enhanced. Let them also advance the work of Your Kingdom in their communities
and personally deepen their own faith to You. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.