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David Scudder
DaveBethel at gmail dot com Sr. Pastor of Bethel Chapel Church
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Bethel's Youth Group > Musings from Bethel's young people Kensington Neighorhood House > Our Outreach to Kensington |
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What is more maddening than being ignored? You know the feeling. You walk into a store to buy something that they sell and that you assume they want to sell to you. You need some help but the person behind the register acts like you don’t exist. They might be busy or sometimes they’re just talking on their cell phone. Either way, you just want them to at least acknowledge that they know you exist. A man by the name of George Daacon put it this way, “In some stores you have to wait on yourself and in others they hire salespeople to ignore you.”
It’s tough when another person is ignoring us, especially if it is someone we care about. But it is even harder to take when we think that God is ignoring us. You know what I mean. You have a big problem so you decide to pray about it. After awhile it becomes apparent that God is not answering your prayer, at least not the way you think He should. Why is God being silent? Is God ignoring you? A lesson that I have learned is that when God seems silent that does not mean that He is ignoring me. I was reminded of this truth as I was preaching from Revelation chapter 8 last week. Before God unleashes His final judgments on this world He starts with thirty minutes of complete silence. “When the Lamb [Jesus Christ] broke the seventh seal, [or opened the seventh chapter of the book] there was silence in heaven for about half an hour” (Revelation 8:1). God wasn’t ignoring the world. He was just silent. Why was God silent? One thing we can learn is that God’s silence points to His complete confidence. We often panic, but God does not have to rush into anything, He is in complete control and He is under no obligation to act on our timetable. God’s silence reminds us that He is all powerful. God Himself tells us “I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). God’s silence also gives us an opportunity to trust His promises. When God says things like, “I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you’” (Isaiah 41:13) then we have to decide if we are going to believe it. If God gave us everything as soon as we asked, then we wouldn’t have any opportunities to trust His promises. If we love the Lord then we will want to please Him. The Bible says that the best way to do that is to trust God completely: “without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). Faith in God is not just an idea. Real faith in God will change how we live. Say, for example, a young child comes his parent and says that he’s getting hungry. The parent assures the child that dinner is in the oven that it will be out soon. The child should believe that a meal will arrive soon (assuming he/she has a good parent) and not panic. God tells His followers to “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10). If we really believe that then we won’t panic. God’s silence is also an opportunity for us to seek Him even more vigorously. God’s silence does not mean that He has changed or that He has ceased caring. God’s silence means that He is giving us an opportunity to prove that we love Him by patiently trusting Him. God plainly tells us, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Jesus Himself said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). It’s also good for us to have times when we are silent before God. It’s good to talk to God, but it’s also important to listen to God. “But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him” (Habakkuk 2:20). Every Sunday morning (at 11 am) in the month of May we are learning about prayer. You are welcome to come and join us.
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Have you ever wondered what our world would be like without the U.S. Military? For starters, without our military, we could all be speaking German or Japanese today. Not only did our military deliver Europe from Nazi tyranny a generation ago, but in our lifetime it has also liberated more Muslims than all of the other militaries in the world combined. I know our men and women in uniform aren’t perfect, but we could not survive as a nation without them. I, for one, am thankful for the way our military protects us as a nation.
We need a strong military because no matter how sincere our leaders may be in trying to solve problems peaceably; there will always be international bullies who bring their conflicts to our front door. Enemies don’t usually go away just because we’re nice to them or because we leave them alone. A Roman military leader, Flavius Vegetius, said, “Let him who desires peace prepare for war.” President Harry S. Truman said, “Carry the battle to them. Don't let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive . . .” There are a lot of things we need protection from, though, that are beyond the ability of the U.S. Military. On any given day, for example, we can suddenly be attacked by fear or discouragement or pain or any number of other worries. For those kinds of attacks we can’t turn to the U.S. Military for help. So where do we go for safety? Well, remember what you did when a bully in elementary school was making your life miserable? You’d say, “My brother is bigger than you,” or you’d say, “My dad is stronger than you are.” When life gets out of hand, we need someone stronger to take over. Even adults show they understand this. There is a bumper sticker that reads, “My lawyer is better than your lawyer.” There are problems, though, that even an older, six-foot-six inch brother or the most expensive lawyer can’t solve. All is not lost. There is a God who is strong enough and good enough to take care of us. “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him” (Nahum 1:7). “The LORD, my strength and my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of distress. . .” (Jeremiah 16:19). When we come to Christ and humbly accept His forgiveness, then He steps into our life and dramatically changes the picture. Notice what happens when we put our complete trust in God: “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2). Whatever problem may be “bullying” us, we don’t have to fear it any longer: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of this I shall be confident” (Psalm 27:1-3). God has promised that trusting Him will replace our fear and worry with joy: “Let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; and may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield” (Psalm 5:11-12). What does a three-year-old do when he can’t tie his shoelaces? He runs to Daddy. What does a five-year-old do when he falls and skins his knee? He cries out to Mommy for comfort. The only way to be protected from life’s “bullies” is to come to Christ the same way a child comes to a parent for help. Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Luke 18:17).
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Ever heard someone say something like: “It’s good to have God in your life, but you also have to live in the real world”? Or, maybe you’ve heard someone say: “It’s OK to believe in God, but life requires much more than just a religious faith.”
Is God ENOUGH, or do we need something more? Is faith in God ENOUGH when our income is less than our “outgo”? Is faith in God ENOUGH when deep sorrow strikes? Is faith in God ENOUGH to have all of our sins forgiven, or do we need to do something more? The Bible claims that if we have God, we have all we need in this life. In fact, one of the Hebrew names for God, El-Shaddai means, “The God Who Is ENOUGH,” Jesus declared in the Sermon on the Mount that God is ENOUGH when we need material things. He told us to, “seek first [God’s] kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things [the things we need] will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus was making a very bold statement: If His followers put their energy into pursuing a relationship with Him and spreading His kingdom, their everyday needs would be met. I have seen this work in my life. Over and over my needs have been met in unusual, and even some miraculous, ways. Many Christians have found that God is also ENOUGH when tragedy strikes. One night pastor Booth Tucker preached a sermon at the Salvation Army Citadel. His topic was Christ’s compassion. After the service a man came up to him and said, “If your wife had just died, like mine has, and your babies were crying for their mother who would never be coming back, you wouldn't be saying what you're saying.” Pastor Tucker tried to comfort the man the best he could, but with little affect. A few days later Tucker’s own faith was put to the test when his wife was killed in a train wreck. The funeral was held at the Citadel. After the eulogy, Mr. Tucker stood up, turned to the audience and said, “The other day a man told me I wouldn't speak of the sympathy of Jesus if my wife had just died. If that man is here, I want to tell him that Christ is sufficient. My heart is broken, but it has a song put there by Jesus. I want that man to know that Jesus Christ speaks comfort to me today.” Christ comforts His children during their darkest hours. Best of all, God is more than ENOUGH to meet mankind’s greatest need. God’s forgiveness is ENOUGH to completely solve our sin problem. Jesus Christ on the Cross provided the full payment for our sins. His payment made a way to wipe out the sin barrier between us and our Creator God. Everyone who wants to turn away from their sin and trust Christ’s work on Calvary will be washed clean of their sin. “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the LORD, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool”(Isaiah 1:18). Charles Wesley described it this way: “He breaks the power of cancelled sin, He sets the prisoner free; His blood can make the foulest clean; His blood availed for me. One Bible teacher encourages us with these words: “God is ENOUGH like us to understand our problems and ENOUGH above us to be able to solve them.” I don’t know what difficulties you are facing, but I do know that God is ENOUGH to meet them. God Himself makes this promise to us: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
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Can you believe it? The IRS is one week ahead of schedule with the rebate checks that are supposed to stimulate the economy. The money is expected to eventually reach 130 million households. This is part of the $168 billion “stimulus package” requested by our President and passed by the Congress last February. I guess politicians think that we can spend our way into prosperity.
We would all like to have more money to spend, so this must be a good thing, right? I’m not so sure. I can think of at least two reasons why this rebate could end up doing more harm than good. Stick with me for minute, and let me explain before you conclude that I’ve lost my mind. As we open that official U.S. Government rebate check, we are going to be tempted to think that money comes from the government. The truth is that the government can’t give us anything that it doesn’t take away from us first. Wealth is only created by hard work. The Bible understands this principle: “Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (Proverbs 10:4). It is possible, of course, to get money without working for it. We can get other people’s wealth by stealing it or by persuading someone else (the government for example) to take it from those who worked for it and give it to us. Our best, long-term financial security, though, comes from our own hard work--not from the government. “Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, but the one who gathers by labor increases it” (Proverbs 13:11). Our country became wealthy because of our ancestor’s hard work. They had a right motivation. The Bible explains it this way; “A worker’s appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on” (Proverbs 16:26). Although our money should come from our hard work, in another sense every good thing ultimately comes from God. God is the One who gives us the ability and the opportunity to make money, NOT the government. Paul told the believers of his day that “my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Getting rebate checks from the government could lead us to think that the government exists to take care of us. The Bible has a much better way. “But seek first [God’s] kingdom [not human government] and His righteousness, and all these things [the things we need] will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). In other words, if we will give ourselves to knowing and following God, He will give us the material things we need. I like that! I am so glad I have a heavenly Father who faithfully provides for my needs. I let the Lord “worry” about my needs. I don’t have to. No matter how much a few of us disagree philosophically with the government sending us that money, we’re still looking forward to getting our own checks. We all love getting rebates, don’t we? Coming to know God personally has its own “rebates.” For example, God says “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). Then God promises, “I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart” (Jeremiah 24:7). Jesus gave His life for us in spite of our own selfish desires. “For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8). Give your life to Christ. He will wipe away all of your sins and give you eternal “rebates” that are worth more than the whole U.S. Treasury. There is nothing like knowing you are a child of the God who created the Universe.
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Not everyone who laughs is happy. Many people who appear to be cheerful are actually hurting deeply. The Bible recognizes this truth: "Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, and the end of joy may be grief" (Proverbs 14:13). Funny man Freddie Prinze (best known for his role on the sitcom "Chico and the Man") is an example. On January 29, 1977, he sat down and wrote, "I must end it. There's no hope left," and then took his own life. The ability to make other people laugh is no guarantee of personal happiness.
There are many examples of famous men and women who despaired because they felt that life was empty and worthless. Ralph Barton, one of our country's top artists, left this note pinned to his pillow before taking his own life: "I have had few difficulties, many friends, great successes; I have gone from wife to wife, from house to house, visited great countries of the world, but I am fed up with inventing devices to fill up twenty-four hours of the day." H.G. Wells, a famous historian, said at age 61: "I have no peace. All life is at the end of the tether." The poet Byron said, "My days are in yellow leaf, the flowers and fruits of life are gone, the worm and the canker, and the grief are mine alone." American author Henry David Thoreau, whose books, articles, essays, journals, and poetry total over 20 volumes said, "Most men live lives of quiet desperation." Shortly before his death, Mark Twain wrote: "A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle;... they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each other; age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; ... those they love are taken from them, and the joy of life is turned to aching grief.... they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence,... a world which will lament them a day and forget them forever." Is it possible to find real meaning and joy in this life? The Bible says that you can. God says that our contentment begins when we see our need to seek Him. King David said it this way, "I have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will dwell securely" (Psalm 16:8-9). Peter said that loving God results in joy, "though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8). That is why Paul could tell us to rejoice in God: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). We don't have to pretend to be happy. Happiness can be real, even when life gets difficult. Only a relationship with Christ makes life complete. There is emptiness without that relationship. If you have any interest in pursuing a relationship with Jesus Christ, I would be glad to talk with you and answer any questions you might have. Email me or leave a comment.
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As I write, Philadelphia city politics are in full swing. No doubt you've seen those television ads where the candidates are verbally attacking and counterattacking each other. Politicians feel compelled to defend themselves against negative and/or untrue comments – lies – told about them because they are looking for votes. All of this got me to thinking. What about us? How should we respond when false things are said about us?
It's easy to let little misunderstandings slide, but what about those times when lies have terrible consequences? One man who had to endure the tragic results of false statements was Brandon Moon. He lived in Kansas City, Missouri, and spent seventeen years in prison for a crime he did not commit. It wasn't until a DNA test was performed that he was able to go free. The American Bar Association says that at least 150 people in 31 different states served a total of 1,800 years in prison until DNA evidence proved they were innocent. Even Jesus experienced horrific attacks on His character. For example, He was accused of being demon possessed (see John 7:20 & John 8:48). Jesus was also accused of blaspheming God and working with Satan (see Matthew 9:2-3 & Mark 3:22). How did He handle these comments? The Bible tells us that "while being reviled, [Jesus] did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats" (1 Peter 2:23a). How could anyone not fight back when they know that someone else is trying to make them look bad? Defending ourselves is, after all, a natural response. However, God commands us to, "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord" (Romans 12:19). Here is how we can be content with not fighting back. The key is simply believing what God says. Let me explain. Jesus was able to avoid anger and bitterness because He "kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23b). If we are really trusting in the God of the Bible to take care of us, then we can relax because "we know Him who said, ‛Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.'" (Hebrews 10:30). Making things right and fair is God's job, not ours. By the way, He can do a much better job of it! Trusting God to defend us becomes possible only when we remember just how powerful God is. The Lord has told us, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27). Jesus added, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:27). John Newton, author of "Amazing Grace," wrote many other hymns as well. He was also a pastor in England during the late 1700s. He usually closed his sermon with an original poem or hymn. One of Newton's lesser-known poems is: Thou art coming to a King Large petitions with thee bring;For His grace and power are such None can ever ask too much. Are you dealing with an impossible person? Bring that person to the King. He is all-powerful, and He can defend you from lies that are told about you. "A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who tells lies will not escape" (Proverbs 19:5). Amy Carmichael, who was a missionary to India for 56 years, reminded us that, "When you are facing the impossible, you can count on the God of the impossible." You can keep in touch by clicking on "Comments". If I can encourage you please let me know.
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One Sunday morning a church member approached his pastor after the morning service. With a serious look on his face he stared at the pastor and said, "This church has been insulting me for years, and I didn't even know it until this week."
The pastor was shocked and replied, "What are you talking about?" "Well," the man said, "every Sunday you end the worship service with the phrase, ‛We are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.' I have even heard pastors refer to their congregation as a ‛flock.' This past week I visited a sheep farm. I found out that sheep are some of the dumbest animals on earth. They are so dumb that they will willingly follow each other right into the slaughterhouse. There are ways that pigs are smarter than sheep, and I sure don't want to be called a pig – especially in church." That man was actually onto something. The Bible does call all of us sheep. Long before Jesus came to earth, Isaiah the prophet told his countrymen: "All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6). Like those dumb sheep, we tend to make choices that can hurt us rather than help us. God, like a good shepherd, puts restrictions on our behavior in order to keep us safe. God doesn't set up rules just to keep us from having fun. A child, for example, may think that we're mean when we take a sharp, shiny knife away, but we only do it to keep the child from getting hurt. In the same way, God's instructions are always the best thing for us. In order to have Christ as our shepherd, though, we have to recognize our problem. We must first agree that we really are like dumb sheep who have wandered away from our God. "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). It is not very flattering to admit that we need God's constant care, but it's true. "Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing [lambs]" (Isaiah 40:11). One of the most amazing things about Jesus, our God Shepherd, is that He also actually became a sheep. Jesus became a man (or a "sheep") like us so that He could die in our place for our sin. When John the Baptist saw Jesus he pointed Him out and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Jesus did just that when He went to the Cross. "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth" (Isaiah 53:7). Jesus is both our Shepherd and a Lamb at the same time. Jesus Himself said, "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep" (John 10:11). The Bible even tells us that one day Christ will be worshiped in heaven by those who fall "down before the Lamb" and sing, "Worthy are You . . . for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation" (Revelation 5:8-9). It is insulting to be called a sheep, but calling us "sheep" is an accurate way to describe how weak and unruly we are. Jesus, on the other hand, willingly became a sheep like us so that He could both show us how we should live and die as a sacrifice to save those who admit that they need Him as their Shepherd. "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us – for it is written, ‛Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'" (Galatians 3:13). If you have become one of Christ's sheep, I would love to learn how that happened. Click on comments and let me know.
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"TGIF" or "Thank God It's Friday" generally brings a sigh of relief, doesn't it? "TGIF" reminds us that the work week is over and the fun can begin. If you think about it, that's not a very exciting way to live. At best, we are dreading five out of seven days every week.
Wouldn't it be great if we could look forward to every day of our lives? In a moment, I'll share a new meaning for the initials "TGIF" that can give us the key to make that happen. Before I do, though, let's look at why life is so empty in the first place. The human race started out in a perfect place (the Garden of Eden) where God freely provided every good thing that Adam and Eve needed. God also gave them an ongoing, joyful relationship with Him. Every day was peaceful and exciting until Adam and Eve decided to disobey a simple command from God. They decided to exchange their obedience to God for their own pleasure. This has set a tragic pattern ever since. The ancient Jews are an example of this pattern. God pointed out that they forfeited God's blessing because they, "committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13). In other words, instead of drinking in the constant refreshment of God's presence, they decided to "drink" from activities that wound up being as frustrating as a leaky cup of water on a hot day. They decided to do something as silly as giving up going to Disney World so they could play with mud pies in their back yard. The Jews aren't the only ones who have made these kinds of bad choices. The Bible explains that all of us have done the same types of things. The results of our choices include greed, envy, murder, discord, spitefulness, arrogance, boastfulness, and cold-heartedness (see Romans 1:29-31). All these things exist because we have "exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever" (Romans 1:25). Rev. John Piper, put it this way, "Sin considers God and his glory, and instead of loving God's glory and treasuring God's glory, sin exchanges God's glory for something else." For many people, that "something else" they glory in is why they look forward to the weekends. That's why "TGIF" became a popular saying. The sad fact, though, is that most of those weekends don't turn out to be as exciting as expected. Often they are filled with unexpected problems, frustrating relationships, and painful disappointments. Here is a new meaning for "TGIF": Every day make sure that Today God Is First. If you "delight yourself in the Lord; He will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). We need to treasure Christ and His forgiveness more than anything else in this world. When we understand how we have sinned by ignoring His goodness and that Jesus has "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Hebrews 9:26), we can be genuinely happy every day. When we put God first we can obey His command to, "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth" "Serve the Lord with gladness; [and] come before Him with joyful singing" (Psalm 100:1-2). Are you going to make "TGIF" (Today God Is First) your motto? How you found joy in Christ? Feel free to click on "Comments" and share what Christ has done to free you from the old "TGIF."
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