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David Scudder
DaveBethel at gmail dot com Sr. Pastor of Bethel Chapel Church
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Revelation 5:9 “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You …”
I came across those words recently in my study of the book of Revelation. (I am currently preaching a verse-by-verse series from that book on Sunday mornings.)This verse reminded me that there is a universal fascination with having something new. What man, for example, doesn’t like that “new car” smell? Most women get a thrill out of a new pair of stylish shoes. This desire for something new certainly hasn’t escaped the attention of advertisers. The most effective advertising slogan of all time is “New and Improved” (which makes no sense, by the way, because a product can’t be both at the same time). Why do we often long for something new? I think it’s because we instinctively know that there must be something better than what we are experiencing now. Let’s be blunt, life is broken. Even when we do get something new, it doesn’t stay new very long. The new car smell fades. The body gets dinged, and before you know it, that car isn’t new anymore. Life can seem pointless. The Bible describes our average daily existence as a “futile way of life” (1 Peter 1:18). Even Paul said he wanted to be, “set free from the body of this death” (Romans 7:24). I think we all long to hold on to something new that will never lose its “newness.” The good news of the book of Revelation is that lasting “newness” is possible. Strong’s Greek Dictionary says that the word NEW in Revelation 5:9 means “recently made, fresh.” That is what we all long for! The book of Revelation tells us that the followers of Christ will have thrilling new gifts that will never lose their “newness.” For example: God will be “making all things new” (Revelation 21:5). Believers will receive a “new name” (Revelation 2:17). They will live in “the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven” (Revelation 3:12). God will also give His followers “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1). Those new gifts are wonderful and eternal because the One who gives them is wonderful and eternal. In every way God is unique: “there is no one like the Lord our God” (Exodus 8:10). The forgiveness that Christ offers comes directly from this wonderful and eternal God. “…You were not redeemed [i.e. have your sins forgiven] with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19). God’s gifts are not only marvelously NEW, He longs for you to enjoy them: “Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him” (Isaiah 30:18). If you are tired of the pointless treadmill of your everyday existence and you really want things to be NEW in your life, then there is a NEW life waiting for you. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our congregation is filled with people who have experienced this newness. Not one of them regrets their decision to forsake sin and follow Christ. If any of us at Bethel Chapel Church can do anything to help you find this wonderful NEWNESS feel free to contact me. My Email address is DaveBethel@Gmail.com.
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Jonah 3:1 “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time”
As we begin a new year, it’s always good to remember that The God of the Universe is also The God of the Second Chance. A prophet named Jonah in the Bible is a good example. God gave him a job to do, but he blew it big time. The Lord called Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh, his nation’s enemies, to repent or be judged by God. Jonah absolutely refused to do it. It wasn’t that Jonah tried to serve the Lord and failed. He purposely tried NOT to serve the Lord. God had to enlist him in a three-day seminar in a fish’s stomach, and when Jonah graduated, God gave him another shot at doing the right thing. What a joy to know that God is always ready to use us when we are just willing to surrender to Him. As we look back on 2008, I’m sure we can all see many personal failures. Sometimes this last year we were lazy, sometimes we were just plain stubborn. For many different reasons, we have all failed to do right, probably more times than we know. Failure does have its silver lining, though. When we come face to face with our own shortcomings, it gives us an opportunity to humbly depend on God more. The Apostle Paul explains in God’s Word how he learned that lesson. He was struggling with a physical disability so severe that he came to God on three separate occasions and begged Him to take it away. God decided, though, that Paul would be better off keeping his physical handicap. That sounds strange but when God is in charge, weakness can become strength. God explained to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in [your] weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9a). The more God empties us of our own feelings of strength, the more room there is for God’s strength in our lives. If you think about it, the amount of God’s power we experience depends on us, and not on anyone or anything else. We can’t blame our background, our circumstances, or the people around us. An abundant amount of God’s strength is available to any follower of Christ who just humbles himself enough. Paul got so excited about this truth that he said, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Corinthians 12:9b). Paul hungered for the power of God so much that he considered weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions, and difficulties a small price to pay in order to get it. The amount of God’s daily presence that will flow through you or me in 2009 does not depend on the economy, the political party in power, how well others treat us, or how healthy we are. We will experience the power of God in direct proportion to how much we humbly depend on an all-powerful God. Jonah shows us that the Lord can do great things through us for His glory, despite our past failures. Jonah failed in many ways, but God still used him. You and I need only a greater sense of our weakness and a willingness to trust Jesus completely--for eternal forgiveness and for our daily strength and peace. We can approach this New Year with much confidence if we admit our sinfulness and look intently to God for our strength. God has promised: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
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It never ceases to amaze me when I hear about the problems that can be solved by forgiveness. A study that Kenneth Hart, a psychology professor at the University of Windsor (Ontario, Canada) conducted is an example. He closely studied sixty-six recovering alcoholics. He learned that they all had one thing in common: They were all angry with someone. Mr. Hart learned that teaching forgiveness can break the cycle that makes recovering alcoholics go back to alcohol. When they released their anger through forgiveness, they no longer needed to drink alcohol in order to escape. One of the former addicts said, “Forgiveness is more for yourself than for the person you're forgiving. For me to forgive that person sets me free.”
Perhaps I have convinced you of the benefits of forgiveness. Maybe you know that the Bible commands us to forgive each other, just as Christ has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32). That is not enough, though. Even though we know it’s the right thing to do, how can we ourselves actually forgive those who have wronged us? Let me show you four things that we must do if we are going to experience the joy of forgiveness. Forgiving others begins with an understanding of our own need for forgiveness. The Bible explains: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). It also says in Romans 3:10-12, “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.” The point is that none of us deserve forgiveness from God. God is gloriously holy and completely without sin. We are all naturally selfish (self-focused), and we do not love the God who created us. God not only created us, He suffered the hell we deserve for our sin. He suffered it for us so that we would never have to go to that terrible place. It doesn’t matter how good you are compared to other people, you are not sinless and holy like God. You need God’s forgiveness just like everyone else in this world. Jesus gave us the next piece of the forgiveness puzzle in Luke 6:27-28: “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Jesus didn’t say that we have to FEEL like doing those things. We should do them just because He asked us to. The truth is that you can’t be angry with a person and ask God to bless him (or her) at the same time. As we reflect on the patience and forgiveness that God has freely given us, it becomes easier for us to behave that way toward someone else. Forgiveness is also an act of faith. Let me show you what I mean. The Bible clearly says, “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written,[in Deut. 32] ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Romans 12:19). When someone hurts us, our natural reaction is to want to see him or her hurt. Someone has said, though, that unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting someone else to die. Since God makes it very clear that judging is His business not ours, we are left with a choice. We can either decide to believe God or to not believe God. When we forgive, we are choosing to believe God. We are handing over to God our right to choose the consequences that the offender will suffer. Forgiveness means we are trusting God to do what is right in that hurtful situation. “Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him” (Psalm 32:10). Since God also promises to take care of those who surrender to Him (Philippians 4:19), we should believe that He will do just that. In other words, trust God take care of you and the one who hurt you. Real forgiveness also requires that we promise to obey God’s command to love. “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; … it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). Author Ken Sande explains that we can obey God’s command to forgive if we are willing to make four promises: “I will not dwell on this incident. “I will not bring up this incident again and use it against you. “I will not talk to others about this incident. “I will not let this incident stand between us or hinder our personal relationship.” Forgiveness is the key to the doorway of healing and freedom. To forgive is to set a prisoner free. When you do it, you will discover that the prisoner you have freed is yourself. “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). If you would like more information about forgiveness, please contact me. There is no greater joy than to know that all of our sins have been forgiven, and there is a wonderful peace when we let God handle our hurts.
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John’s dad was rarely home when he was growing up. When his dad was home, he paid very little attention to his son. The older John got the more he felt himself being eaten up with resentment. He began to notice that his stomach was often tied in knots and he knew that his feelings about his dad was the main reason. John wanted to “let it go” and get on with his life, but he didn’t know how to do it. He tried and tried to forget how his dad had hurt him, but he could never do it for any length of time. Bitterness was consuming him.
It is my experience that most people know that they should forgive those who have hurt them, but few know HOW to do it. A lot of the problem can be traced back to some basic misunderstandings about forgiveness. One of the biggest myths about forgiveness is this: “I can’t forgive because I don’t feel like it yet.” Real forgiveness, though, is NOT a feeling it is a deliberate decision to obey God. God never tells us to obey Him IF we feel like it. Feelings are unreliable at best, and often distorted. The Bible goes so far as to say, “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). It’s also important to know that forgiveness does not mean ignoring the problem. Pretending that a problem does not exist does not make it go away. If someone has wounded you deeply, it’s OK to acknowledge that you have been hurt. Emotional hurt is just as real as a broken bone. Another popular myth is that forgiveness lets the offender “off the hook.” The truth is that when we forgive God’s way, we are trusting God to exact whatever punishment He deems necessary. We are merely surrendering our imagined control over that person’s punishment. Many people say that they will not forgive someone because they can’t trust them. God’s command to forgive, though, does not require that the relationship be restored. We are commanded to only, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men” (Romans 12:18). Forgiveness does not necessarily mean that the relationship will be restored—of course forgiveness could be an important step in that direction. Next week I will give you some practical steps that show exactly HOW to forgive. But for now, think about the role that faith plays in our forgiveness. Since God said, “Vengeance is Mine” (Deuteronomy 32:35) then exacting revenge is God’s business not ours. That leaves us with a choice: are we going to trust God to take care of the offender or will we insist on acting as if we know better than God how the wrongdoer should be corrected? We are not wise enough or powerful enough to rule another person’s life. Real inner peace is only possible when we place our complete trust in the God who created us: “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3). Have you placed your life in God’s loving control? Have you surrendered to your own need of forgiveness in God’s sight? “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).
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We live among people who are hurting deeply. Relationships often go sour, anger becomes the norm, and many seem to live in a constant state of frustration. Jesus, on the other hand, said: “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). How can we be happy when others have hurt us deeply?
The key is forgiveness. Beginning this week I want to share some life changing truths with you. Before we can learn how to take the hurt out of those painful memories, we need to be sure we understand why forgiveness is so important. What makes good common sense about emotional pain is now being verified by modern medicine. Medical science now sees unforgiveness as tough on our bodies. The adrenalin rush we get when we are angry makes us feel important and empowered, but God did not design our bodies to sustain that intensity for long periods of time. A recent medical study called “Handbook on Forgiveness” reveals that researchers now believe that, “Unforgiveness has been framed as a stress reaction.” They went on to say, “The results [of the study] have been mixed … but generally support the idea that positive affect enhances and negative affect compromises immune functioning.” Maybe a lot of our physical problems are self-inflicted. One person observed that “Unforgiveness is the act of drinking poison and hoping someone else dies.” The Bible puts it this way: “For the mind set on the flesh [negative sinful things] is death, but the mind set on the Spirit [i.e. God] is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). Unforgiveness not only lessens any possibility of having a good relationship with the person who upset us, it will also hurt all of our other relationships. Let me explain. An unforgiving person tends to be less happy so others will think of them as less fun to be around. That person usually becomes more cynical and untrusting of others, and that attitude pushes people away. That, in turn, makes the unforgiving person even more cynical and untrusting. See the downward spiral? Bitterness (unforgiveness) WILL eventually poison the atmosphere around us. This is exactly what the Bible warns us against in Hebrews 12:15: “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled”. Unforgiveness imperials the soul. When we are unwilling to forgive (which is different from not knowing HOW to forgive and we’ll talk about that next week) it shows that we have not received God’s forgiveness for how we have hurt Him. This is why Jesus said, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:14-15). When we grasp our own need for forgiveness then we can see our way to forgive others. Since the great Apostle Paul saw himself as a great sinner (I Timothy 1:15) he was very quick to forgive others. The 19th century British preacher Charles Spurgeon exclaimed: “What riches of grace does free forgiveness exhibit! To forgive at all, to forgive fully, to forgive freely, to forgive ever! Here is a constellation of wonders, and when I think of how great my sins were, how dear were the precious drops [of Christ’s blood on the Cross] which cleansed me from them, I am in a maze of wondering, worshipping affection. I bow before the throne which absolves me; I clasp the cross which delivers me; I serve henceforth the Incarnate God through whom I am this day a pardoned soul.” If you want to live your life “hurt free” it begins with Christ’s free forgiveness. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). If you want to know for sure that all of your sins have been forgiven then come to Christ. “But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe” (Galatians 3:22). You may direct your comments or questions by clicking on "comments" below.
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Modern science has recently made an amazing find. They have discovered extremophiles. They are microscopic organisms that actually recycle dissolved metals. These living creatures take in metallic waste and actually remake it into its original form. For example, when they breathe in dissolved gold, they turn it back into solid gold, in its original form. They are actually doing this right now, deep in the ocean’s underwater thermal vents where dissolved metals, including gold, are being spewed up.
Isn’t it wonderful that what has been ruined by the white-hot pressure of a volcanic deep sea fissure can be made whole again! This sounds much like what God does to those who are remade, or born-again, through Jesus Christ. Zaccheus was a dishonest, tax collecting traitor to his own people. After just one dinner with Jesus, though, Zaccheus was transformed into an honest person. (See Luke 19:1-10). Mary Magdalene, a demon possessed lunatic, became a loving caring person who bravely stayed by Christ through His entire crucifixion. (See Luke 8:2 and John 19:25). Saul, who chased down and terrorized Christians, had a one-on-one meeting with Jesus Christ and he became the most influential missionary for Christ that the world has ever seen. (See Acts 8:1 and 9:1-22). In one way, the stories are all the same. What is broken and worthless God can make whole and worthwhile: “even when we were dead in our transgressions, [God] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Ephesians 2:5). I’m so glad that God has provided a solution to our wrecked and ruined lives. In fact, every week here at Bethel Chapel Church, I see people who once were being destroyed by the pressures of sin but are now being restored by God’s grace. Lives that were once empty and pointless have become productive and joyful. When you think about it, God’s soul recycling program is even more dramatic than the work of the extremophiles. God is making something even more valuable than gold. God is in the business of creating brand new lives! “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Only God can do that kind of human recycling. Jesus made that clear when He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). That new life was only made possible because Christ “bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24). Not everyone’s soul is recycled or born again. God’s soul recycling program is only for those who fully trust the forgiveness that Jesus purchased when He died on the Cross: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). When we stop wallowing in our hopelessness and turn our lives over to Christ, He changes us from something useless, like dissolved metals in the sea, into something usable, like pure gold. “For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). Isn’t it astonishing that God can use a tiny micro organism to picture what He can do with our lives? I’m so glad that God changed me many years ago when I gave my life to Him. I have never regretted it for a moment because I desperately needed recycling. If you are interesting in learning more, contact me and I’ll send you the booklet, “The Surprising Side of God” for free.
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“Today marks a new beginning, a beginning of hope, a sense of optimism and renewal for the city.” Those were the first words that Michale Nutter spoke when he became Philadelphia’s 98th mayor. Mayor Nutter went on to outline what we should expect from his new administration: “Cut the homicide rate by 30 percent to 50 percent within five years; halve the city's staggeringly high student dropout rate; and double the number of four-year college degrees awarded to Philadelphians.” In that first speech he boldly declared, “We now find ourselves on the brink of greatness and the great opportunity to demonstrate to the rest of the city, the region, the country, the world, that Philadelphia is on the way back, . . . Ladies and gentlemen, the renaissance period of Philadelphia got started about a half-hour ago.” [Quoted from the Inquirer Jan. 8, 2008]
Those are some high expectations, and I wish the Mayor well. Philadelphia sure could use some dramatic improvement. Time will tell, though, if those expectations will be met or unfulfilled. Politicians have, after all, raised – and then dashed – our hopes before. What are your expectations for the future? Do you look forward to success? In is sad when people sincerely want to succeed, maybe even plan to succeed, but never make it. Great expectations are no substitute for great accomplishments. God’s Word, the Bible, shows us how to achieve the success we all expect to find. The apostle Paul, even though he was badly treated by the politicians of his day, is still a good example of someone who saw his expectations fulfilled. He said that his, “earnest expectation and hope, [is] that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted” (Philippians 1:20). How could Paul be so confident about his future? He discovered what God’s expectations were and then made them his very own. As one person put it, “Blessed is the man who finds out which way God is moving and then gets going in the same direction.” The difference between success and failure depends upon the direction in life that we are going: “The hope of the righteous is gladness, but the expectation of the wicked perishes. The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the upright, but ruin to the workers of iniquity. The righteous will never be shaken. . . .” (Proverbs 10:28-30). If we are focused on doing what pleases God then, “The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the upright” (Proverbs 10:29). One word of warning: being sincere is no substitute for being right. Many people think that working hard and being sincere should be enough to make their expectations succeed. That’s why we tend to vote for the politician who seems the most sincere. The Bible doesn’t value sincerity the way we do, though. “There is a way which seems right to a man, [he sincerely believes he is right] but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). The main issue is not sincerity. Jesus warned that there will be many sincere people who will end up disappointed: “Many will say to Me on [the day of judgment], ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness’ (Matthew 7:22-23). It is possible to be sincere, and still be sincerely wrong. Ultimately, the success of our expectations depends on what we are trusting to help us achieve them, and not just what we are expecting to do. The key to reaching our expectations is learning to, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). The more we put our trust in God as a nation (and as individuals), the more we will see our expectations fulfilled. “The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” (Psalm 33:10-12). Let’s pray for Mayor Nutter. Pray that he will trust in God and not in anything or anyone else. Let’s also ask God to examine our own lives so we can learn to put our trust in Him and Him alone. “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4).
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The date was November 18, 1978. In Jamestown colony, Guyana, home of The Peoples Temple, 913 people died in a mass-murder-suicide. They died because they put their trust in Jim Jones, the captivating, self-appointed founder of their cult. Jones began as a pastor in a mainstream Christian denomination, but he turned his back on what he was taught and declared that he was Jesus Christ. Those who looked up to Jim Jones killed themselves. They took their eyes off of God and focused on a man instead. It can be dangerous to look in the wrong direction.
King David looked in a different direction. He decided to make God the center focus of his life: “To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens!” (Psalm 123:1). That focus makes all the difference. In a recent message at Bethel Chapel, I shared five wonderful things that God does for those who look to Him. (You can hear the entire message at www.BethelChapelChurch.com by clicking on “The Pulpit.” Scroll down to “Remember Your Resources”). Let me share some of that message with you. First, God loves those who look to Him. Jesus boldly told His followers: “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love” (John 15:9). This love is so wonderful that it is even beyond our ability to describe it: “the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge . . .” (Ephesians 3:19). What a joy to know that God truly loves me unconditionally. God not only loves those who look to Him, He also owns them. At first that might not seem like a good thing. Our human nature cringes at the idea that anyone has the right to tell us what to do. We are even less willing to have someone own us. Think about the tender care God has for His own possessions, though. There is great joy and contentment when a Christian understands that God owns him. “Know that the LORD Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture” (Psalm 100:3). God also gives eternal glory to those who are looking to Him. Even the problems that a Christian endures is producing “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). We know that Christ’s awesome glory is something He wants us to experience. Jesus said that He grants forgiveness to those who turn to Him. Jesus then brings those forgiven sinners to heaven “so that they may see My glory” (John 17:29). Once our sins are forgiven, we can be close to God. His Spirit actually lives inside of His followers: “your body is a temple [i.e. dwelling place] of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own” (1 Corinthians 6:19). A Christian is never alone. Lastly, through all of these blessings, God gives joy to those who look to Him. Jesus told us: “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11). Paul told us that God, “richly supplies us with all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). These stunning benefits are only available to those who look away from human leaders and fully trust Christ to solve their sin problem. Notice how Jesus explains this to us: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23). I know that if you look to Jesus Christ, if you follow Him, you will find that God will do these five things for you in this New Year. Keep looking to Christ!
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Many of us have just finished making our New Year’s resolutions. Have you ever wondered what the most popular resolutions are? According to a survey, number five on the list was to take up a new hobby; the 4th was to make more money; the 3rd most popular resolution was to improve relationships; the 2nd was to stop smoking, and the most popular New Year’s resolution, you guessed it, losing weight!
People do make other resolutions. One young boy asked his father what his New Year’s resolution was. His father said he was going to do everything possible in the New Year to make his wife very happy. The boy then asked his mother what hers was, and she said, “To do everything possible to make sure your father keeps his resolution.” One lady made a resolution to never say never. Think about that for a minute! The truth is most resolutions don’t last, and that can be depressing. One man put it this way, “New Year’s resolutions can quickly lead us into New Year desolation.” Let me share two very important truths that will help make our promises last. First, we must see the seriousness of making promises to God. It’s easy to glibly announce some change we plan on making without realizing that God is listening, and He is taking it very seriously. God warns us, “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the Lord your God will surely require it of you. You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God, what you have promised” (Deuteronomy 23:21,23). When we understand that our promises are something that God takes personally, we will be careful about the promises we decide to make. This is why the Bible says, “Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil. Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few” (Ecclesiastes 5:1-2). Here is the second important truth: God is our greatest agent of real change. The most successful change happens, not when we struggle to change on our own, but when we seek after God. King David understood this so he resolved to focus on his God: “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust, Do not let me be ashamed . . . (Psalm 25:1-2). David realized that his greatest need was to follow the instructions that his Creator had for him. Notice what David asked God for: “Make me know Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day” (Psalm 25:4-5). Then David explained what the result would be: “The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant. My eyes are continually toward the Lord, for He will pluck my feet out of the net” (Psalm 25:14-15). Are you tired of trying to make changes in your life and then failing time after time? Give yourself wholeheartedly to Christ and trust Him to make the changes that need to be made. It works every time. “All Judah rejoiced concerning the oath, for they had sworn with their whole heart and had sought [God] earnestly, and He let them find Him. So the Lord gave them rest on every side” (2 Chronicles 15:15). May your New Year be filled with peace and rest as you trust in Christ.
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Does the world around you ever make you feel unimportant? Let's face it, there are over six billion people on planet earth, and you and I are only two, tiny specks among so many. We all want our lives to be meaningful, but how can something as small as you or me ever be important?
I learned something recently that reminded me of an important truth. On January 3rd, a mechanical rover named "Spirit" began its fifth year scouring the surface of Mars. It had been sending back so many photographs of the planet's surface that NASA was getting too many pictures. It was taking hundreds of man hours just to sift through them all. NASA finally figured out a way to teach the little rover to detect changes in what it saw. Now it only sends back images to Earth that have new information. So, if "Spirit" is taking photographs of dust devils, for example, it waits until the scene changes before it takes the next picture. This means that the scientists don't have to sift through so many photographs. (If you don't know what this rover looks like you can see a picture of it on the web at: www.jpl.nasa.gov/solar_system. It's about the size of a small coffee table!) A lot of NASA's hopes are riding on this little machine. There is no doubt that small things can be very important. This is true for NASA, but it can also be true for us. Let me show you how God can make our little lives really important. The path to importance doesn't start where we think. We must begin by understanding our own limitations. God is the only One who is ultimately important. After all, He is eternal and we are not. As someone so wisely put it, "There is a God, and I'm not Him." Before God's power can give us eternal importance, we must begin by seeing our own utter weakness. For example, the Bible lists some of the most important people who ever lived and then tells us, "from weakness [they] were made strong" (Hebrews 11:34). Jesus, who is the eternal God, "was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you" (2 Corinthians 13:4). Our condition, actually, is even worse than weakness. We are corrupt. We have been infected with the horrible cancer of sin. It is wrecking our relationships and ruining our lives and destroying our homes. When we realize what we are really like inside, we are ready for the cure. "Jesus said to them, ‛It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners'" (Mark 2:17). When we look to Jesus Christ, the great Physician, to cure our sin problem, we are on the way to becoming significant. With that cure comes the joy of knowing that God actually loves us. That makes us important. God loves to give forgiveness and grace to those who are humble enough to see that they need it. Jacob, who lived most of his life as a real scoundrel said, "I am unworthy of all the lovingkindness and of all the faithfulness which You have shown to Your servant" (Genesis 32:10). Yet God changed Jacob's name to Israel and made him the founder of a great nation that still exists today. It amazes me that NASA can take some nuts and bolts and circuits and make a machine that sends us thousands of awesome pictures from a planet that is a distant, shining dot in the night sky. It is even more amazing to me that God can take wrecked and ruined lives and make them into joyful and eternally important people. "God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which [think they] are strong" (1 Corinthians 1:27). Our church is filled with ruined people that God has restored. Everyone is welcome. If we can encourage you in any way, please let us know. You can share your thoughts will all of us by clicking on "Comments" or you can share privately with me by e-mailing me at DaveBethel@CavTel.net.
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The Bible has a fascinating story about a wedding in Cana of Galilee (John Chapter two). Jesus, His mother, and His disciples were all invited. If we could go back in time, what would those at the wedding say was the most important thing about that wedding? Before we listen to their answers, though, we need to remember that a Middle Eastern wedding was much different than a typical American wedding. Those weddings were like community-wide holidays. That was true then, and it is still largely true today, by the way. A Middle Eastern wedding is not just a brief ceremony. It is a lavish affair shared by everyone. The typical Jewish wedding feast could last up to seven days. It gave the community an opportunity to break the monotony of life and celebrate together. In Christ's day the wedding would usually begin on Tuesday at midnight. After the wedding, the father of the bride would take his daughter to every house in town so that all could congratulate her.
If we could interview those who attended that particular wedding over two thousand years ago, what would they say they looked forward to the most about it? What would they say was the most important thing? Some might have said it was seeing the bride all decked out in her beautiful wedding garment. Many would probably have mentioned the extended time to celebrate with friends and neighbors. It turned out that none of those things were the most important. There is another reason we remember that wedding from so long ago. Rather than explain myself, I'll use the words of a little boy who was interviewed on television. He explained it very clearly. Many years ago when Johnny Carson was the host of The Tonight Show (some of us old timers remember him!), he interviewed a boy who had rescued two friends in a coal mine outside his hometown in West Virginia. As Johnny interviewed the boy, it became clear that the young man was a Christian. Mr. Carson asked him if he went to Sunday school. When the boy said he did, Johnny Carson then asked, "What are you learning in Sunday school?" The boy looked at Johnny and said, "Last week our lesson was about when Jesus went to a wedding and turned water into wine." The audience roared with laughter, but Johnny tried to keep a straight face. Then he said, "And what did you learn from that story?" The boy hesitated at first, but then he looked up and said, "If you're going to have a wedding, make sure you invite Jesus!" The little boy was on to something. The most important thing about the wedding of Cana was the fact that Jesus was there. He was the only One who could turn water into wine. What we need more than anything else is to invite Jesus to be with us in this New Year. He is the only One who can turn our sin into forgiveness, our despair into hope, and our drudgery into joy. We can only invite Jesus to accompany us after we have answered Christ's invitation to us. Jesus' invitation to us is, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30). Have you answered Christ's invitation to follow Him? Feel free to share your thoughts with the rest of us.
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Our nation has just finished mourning the death of Gerald Ford who served as the thirty-eighth President of the United States from 1974-1977. His death brought a flurry of critiques of his life and his work while in the Oval Office. The most controversial decision President Ford made was to pardon his predecessor, Richard Nixon, who was under a cloud of scandal related to the Watergate cover-up.
The decision to pardon Nixon was met with a barrage of criticism at the time. I remember the scathing commentaries leveled by the main stream media against Ford. His pardon of President Nixon severely damaged Ford's popularity and probably cost him the presidential election against Jimmy Carter. History will remember it differently. Now, thirty-one years later, most observers agree that the pardon helped the country to heal and move on after Watergate. Speaking in the Capitol Rotunda where Ford's body rested, his old chief of staff, Vice President Dick Cheney, said, "It was this man, Gerald R. Ford, who led our republic safely though a crisis that could have turned to catastrophe. Gerald Ford was almost alone in understanding that there can be no healing without pardon." Ford's pardon brought healing to our nation, just as God's pardon can bring healing to you and me and those around us. Life is much easier when we learn to pardon those who have offended us. When we are no longer angry with those around us, it's like a great weight has been taken off of our shoulders. But what is the secret to being able to pardon (or forgive) someone who has deeply hurt us? We'll get that in a minute, but we must first consider what forgiveness is all about. To start with, forgiveness is not optional if we expect to spend eternity with a holy God. King David said, "For Your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great" (Psalm 25:11). It is encouraging to know that God wants to forgive our sin: "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You" (Psalm 86:5). Forgiveness, though, only comes from Jesus Christ. He is the only One who can forgive our sins because He is the only one who has paid for our sins: "Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through [Christ] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you" (Acts 13:38); "in [Christ] we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:14). But, God will only forgive us when we turn our lives completely over to Christ: "Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55:7). When we posses God's forgiveness, we hold the key that can unlock the emotional healing that comes from pardoning (or forgiving) others. Once we understand how much God has forgiven us, it becomes possible to forgive others. Paul put it this way, "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32). Just as our forgiveness from God has been immense, so our forgiveness for others should be as well. Jesus Himself said, "And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,' forgive him" (Luke 17:4). Our willingness to forgive others helps us to know whether we actually have God's forgiveness or not. In fact, Jesus said that an unforgiving person has yet to experience forgiveness from God for his own failings: "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). President Ford used a pardon to help bring healing to America. God's pardon is our key to emotional healing. We need to be pardoned, and we need to pardon those who have offended us. Have you experience the joy of being pardoned and of pardoning others? I would love to hear about it. Please click on "Comment" and share what God has done for you with the rest of us.
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It is hard to know who to believe. There are hundreds of religions, and they all claim to have the "real" truth. Why should I trust in Christ, or Mohammad, or Buddha, or Joseph Smith, or any other religious leader? What makes one better than another? If one of them is actually worth following how would I know which one?
One convincing proof that a leader was worth following would be if he could see into the future and tell ahead of time what was going to happen. Jesus Christ did that. I'd like to tell you about one of His predictions that sounded crazy to those who heard it. Yet now, as we look back, we know that it happened exactly the way He said it would. Usually it happens the other way around. Some predictions that sounded reasonable at the time are laughable when we look back at them. For example, in 1943 Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM said, "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." Popular Mechanics magazine made this prediction in 1949: "Where a calculator on the ENIAC [computer] is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and weigh only 1.5 tons." An inventor by the name of Lee DeForest claimed that, "While theoretically and technically television may be feasible, commercially and financially it is an impossibility." We smile because history has proven them all to be SO wrong. Let's face it, people who make predictions usually make fools of themselves. Jesus Christ, on the other hand, made many predictions. Even as we look back through the years, not one has been proved wrong, even though one of them seemed preposterous at the time. Jesus was walking out of the Jewish temple with His disciples when one of them turned to Him and said, "Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!" (Mark 13:1). Jesus then shocked them all when He said, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down" (Mark 13:2). Why was that so shocking? This temple was begun by Herod the Great in 20 B.C. It was magnificent and was still being expanded with new construction. That temple became one of the great wonders of its day. It was built of white marble that was covered with gold. When the sun shone on it, a person could hardly look at it because it was so bright. Some of the temple's large supporting stones were forty feet long and weighed over one hundred tons. How those stones were cut and moved remains a mystery to this day. For Jesus to say that no two stones would remain on top of each other seemed unthinkable to those who were listening to Him. Jesus's prediction, though, came true in 70 A.D. just as He said it would. Titus, the Roman general, built large wooden scaffolds around the walls of the temple buildings. He then piled them high with wood and other flammable items, and set them on fire. The heat was so intense that the stones actually crumbled. The conquering soldiers then sifted through the rubble to retrieve the melted gold. The remaining ruins were then thrown into the Kidron Valley. The same Jesus who made that amazing prediction also said, "I will come again" (John 14:3). He didn't say when He would come back, but it could be in 2007. In light of the accuracy of Christ's predictions, you need to be ready for His return. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6). Yes, there are hundreds of religious leaders, but Jesus is the only One whose predictions are completely reliable. If you have any questions about Jesus Christ, I would love for you to share them with me by e-mailing me at DaveBethel@CavTel.net. Also, you could share your thoughts with all of us by clicking on "Comments." I hope you have a happy and Christ-filled New Year.
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