John Stuart

I love the whole of Isaiah 53. It reminds me of why I became a Christian in the first place. At that time, I needed God to forgive me for many things and a whole host of mistakes. I felt ashamed of who I was, what I had done, and where I … Read more

I love the last verse of the book of Acts. It is full of encouragement and energy, showing us that Paul continued to preach and teach the gospel for the rest of his days. His faith absolutely captivated him, and we should be thankful for … Read more

Let's be honest: we all struggle with sin. All of us have a selfish habit or shameful secret in our lives. We try to deal with it and often come to God asking for forgiveness, understanding, and support. We look for His grace to allow us … Read more

When the apostle Paul boldly made his appeal to Caesar, he was setting in motion a whole process that would have global consequences. It was the right of every Roman citizen who faced serious accusations to have their case heard directly … Read more

Like most pastors, I'm often jokingly told that our jobs are easy because we work only one day a week. Usually, I laugh along with the person, who thinks that this is exceedingly funny, but within my heart, I'm actually weeping for myself … Read more

One of the privileges of being with a congregation for a long time is watching people grow in faith, especially during times of adversity, hardship, and loss. I am often touched by the spiritual strength that church members have, which … Read more

When I was a young rookie pastor, I thought that prophecy was the greatest gift that God could ever give me. I wanted to interpret the times faithfully and show the church folks under my care what God was doing in the world. I felt that I … Read more

Sometimes, the Bible makes me laugh out loud, especially with some verses from the Book of Proverbs. It's full of common-sense wisdom which, at one time, must have been based on real events. Take today's verse, for instance. Some foolish … Read more

In the last twenty years, the Church of Scotland has sadly lost 40 percent of its membership. Britain is becoming more secular as each year passes. Despite trying to accommodate worldly and cultural views into its organization, the Church … Read more

When I was twelve years old, my mother took a nervous breakdown in front of me. We were sitting in the living room, and she just started going crazy, throwing things around her, breaking ornaments and other items, cursing loudly, and … Read more