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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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The abilities that world class athletes demonstrate never ceases to astound me. I enjoyed watching some the recent Olympics from China for that very reason. For example, I find it truly incredible what gymnasts can do on the uneven bars. Sometimes as I watched a gymnast go through his or her routine I would be thinking that it was flawless until I heard a commentator say something like, “Oh, that’s too bad, that will be a big deduction.” I’m thinking, “Deduction? Deduction for what? That was simply amazing.” The difference, of course, is that I don’t have a trained eye to discern what the judges are really looking for. It may look great to me, but that doesn’t get them a gold medal. In other words, I’m not really qualified to judge gymnastics.
That got me to thinking. Am I a good judge, for example, of what a church should be like? Is it possible that I could look at a church and say, “That is a wonderful church” at the same time that God is looking at the same church and saying, “That church needs to repent”? As I was reading Revelation chapter two I realized that the Bible does tell me what THE judge thinks about different churches. When we read the letters that Jesus wrote to seven different churches in Revelation we get a much different viewpoint of what is acceptable to God. The letter to Ephesus is a good example. On the one hand, God said that this church had a lot of good qualities. It was a hard working church. They were faithfully serving the Lord in the midst of some very difficult circumstances (Revelation 2:2-3). Rome was beginning to persecute Christians because they refused to call Caesar their Lord. The members of the church in Ephesus steadfastly refused to give in to emperor worship. They were also good at exposing false teachers—those who said they believed in Jesus Christ but who rejected much of what Jesus taught. My reaction is to stand up and applaud. What a great church! I would have awarded them a Gold Medal. Not so fast! God has more to say. He then shocks us with this stinging evaluation: “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4). They were DOING the right things, but they weren’t doing them BECAUSE they loved God. This is a good reminder that God is more interested in WHO we are than WHAT we do. God doesn’t need our hard work and faithful service. God, after all, has existed for an eternity without us and has done just fine. Jesus made it very clear what He really expects from His followers when He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). Because Jesus proved His love for us when He laid down His life on the Cross to pay for our sin, we should love Him. “Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Ephesians 5:2). God demands we give Him our heart, not our good works. Jesus warned us not to be like those who only pretend to love God: “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me’” (Mark 7:6-7). God will not give the “Gold Medal” to those who, “draw near with their words and honor [God] with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from [God], and their reverence for [God] consists of tradition learned by rote” (Isaiah 29:13). I hope you would agree that when all is said and done, God’s opinion is the only one that matters. He is the only judge who is qualified to give out the “Gold Medals” to those who worship Him. We must always seek the “simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). Have a comment? Click on "Comment" below and enter the code that appears.
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There is good news and bad news when it comes to how Americans view the Bible. The good news is that many people still expect to find comfort in the Bible. For example, even people who know almost nothing about the Bible love to hear the 23rd Psalm when a loved one has passed away. This may help explain why the Bible still out-sells all other books every year. It remains the all-time best seller.
The bad news is that our ignorance of the Bible continues to worsen. World Magazine reported about this problem in a May 31, 2008 article: “A 2004 Gallup survey of teens revealed that two-thirds couldn't place ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ in the Sermon on the Mount, or recall what happened on the road to Damascus. An earlier poll conducted by George Barna showed an ignorance or rejection of basic Christian doctrines (such as the sinlessness of Christ) among a significant number of self-identified Christians.” How sad that although we continue to love buying copies of the Bible, we don’t read it very much. Why don’t more people read the Bible regularly? A lot of people tell me that they started reading the Bible, but then they didn’t get much out of it. After a short time, they stopped reading it. They continue to keep the Bible around as a decoration, or for good luck, but they don’t read it anymore. Let me show you how you can read the Bible and really enjoy it. First, you need to know the Author of the book. To have a personal relationship with the God of the Bible, you must surrender yourself to Jesus Christ and accept the forgiveness of your sins that He purchased for you on the Cross. Paul explains that God’s promises belong to you only “if you belong to Christ” (Galatians 3:29). That’s because “the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated” (2 Corinthians 2:14 Amplified Version). Second, to enjoy reading the Bible you have to put some effort into it. Never forget that God expects you to understand what He wrote. Understanding anything requires work on our part. The Bible is no exception. You need to “meditate on [the Bible] day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success” (Joshua 1:8). Lastly, to be successful in Bible reading, we must decide ahead of time that we will do what the Bible tells us to do. We will experience God’s blessing only if we learn what the Bible says and then do our best to practice it: “But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, [i.e. the Bible] and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). On the other hand, the Bible also says that, “‘If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart’” (Malachi 2:2). You can do it! It takes some effort to understand and enjoy reading the Bible, but it is well worth the trouble. “How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart” (Psalm 119:2). If you want to understand the Bible better, read it, think about what you read, and study it with others who are learning it too. Contact me if you would like a free Bible study guide, or come to Bethel Chapel where we study the Bible together.
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Jill Porter, a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News, reported last week that a Philadelphia city employee has actually claimed publicly that she is a Christian. Eileen Evans, who has worked for L&I for the past 28 years, mentions in the personal section of her city web site that, "She is a firmly committed Christian and seeks to have biblical principles govern her life-style and her decisions." Ms. Porter’s responds with outrage by asking, “What, I wondered, does that have to do with anything?” What does the Bible have to do with making decisions? She must be kidding! The Bible provided the very basis for how our government was founded.
Either Jill Porter is ignorant of American history, or she is in favor of completely turning away from what has made our country great. Thomas Jefferson, our third President and the author of the Declaration of Independence, said, “Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” John Jay, the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court declared, “Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty…of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.” Jefferson and Jay were not the only leaders in our country who looked to the Bible to govern their lives and their decisions. President Andrew Jackson said, “That Book, [the Bible] sir, is the rock on which our republic rests.” President Woodrow Wilson made it clear what role he thought the Bible should have in politics: “There are a good many problems before the American people today and before me as President, but I expect to find the solution to those problems just in the proportion that I am faithful in the study of the Word of God.” Abraham Lincoln said, “I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to men. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this Book.” Even Ronald Reagan said, “Within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for all the problems men face. The Bible can touch hearts, order minds, and refresh souls.” Perhaps Ms. Porter sincerely wants our country to continue down the path of rejecting our Christian heritage. President Theodore Roosevelt, though, warned us what that would look like: “In this actual world, a churchless community, a community where men have abandoned and scoffed at, or ignored their Christian duties, is a community on the rapid down-grade.” Those words seem hauntingly prophetic. Since our government banned prayer in the public schools, we have seen a 560% increase in violent crime. The number of children living in single parent homes have tripled, and the rate that teenagers commit suicide has more than tripled. More recently our courts have even removed the Ten Commandments from public display. James Madison, our forth President and the father of our Constitution, told us that, “We have staked the whole future of American’s civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions… upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” In the same Daily News article Ms. Porter continues to accuse Eileen Evans of demonstrating bad judgment by referring to her personal use of the Bible. She quotes some anonymous person as saying, “If she's used such bad judgment in this case, what else is she using bad judgment about?” Following the Bible used to be seen as an indication of GOOD judgment. Notice how many of our great leaders relied on the Scripture. Why is it now considered bad judgment—at least by Ms. Porter, her anonymous source, and the Daily News? What moral codes in the Bible does Jill Porter object to? Loving your neighbor? Valuing human life? Not lying or stealing? What is she afraid of? I hope our city will support and defend Eileen Evans. There are many of us here who also appreciate the value of the Bible. The Bible not only gives us the best moral code the world has ever seen, it is also the only book that shows us how our sins can be forgiven, as individuals and as a nation: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Are you sure that God has forgiven all of your sin? That forgiveness is only found in Christ, and once you experience it, you can’t help being excited about it, just as Eileen Evans was. When you’ve found Christ, you too will want the Bible to govern your lifestyle and your decisions because you’ll want to please the One who paid for all of your sins. You can add your comments by clicking on "Comments" below.
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Did you see the Reuters news story on August 23rd titled, "Gaping Hole Found in Universe"? It went on to say,
"A giant hole in the Universe is devoid of galaxies, stars and even lacks dark matter, astronomers said on Thursday. "The team at the University of Minnesota said the void is nearly a billion light-years across and they have no idea why it is there. "‛Not only has no one ever found a void this big, but we never even expected to find one this size,' said astronomy professor Lawrence Rudnick." Maybe this discovery would not have been so unexpected if the scientists had first read this verse in the oldest book in the Bible: "[God] stretches out the north over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing" (Job 26:7). Since God does everything with a purpose, let's think about this. Why would God have a huge, empty space in the universe and then allow us to discover it? The Bible tells us through the pen of King David: "The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands" (Psalm 19:1). A big universe can teach us a lot about God. What can we learn from a hole in the universe that is a billion light-years across? Well, it sure destroys any thoughts that we are powerful and important! "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales. . . . All the nations are as nothing before Him. . ." (Isaiah 40:15-17). It's hard to be arrogant when we realize how small and weak we are in comparison to other things that the Lord has made. "When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?" (Psalm 8:3-4). It is amazing that such a mighty, all-powerful God is concerned about you and me. The complexity and size of the universe also teaches us that our Creator already has everything He needs. God does not need us or need anything from us. "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things" (Acts 17:24-25). When you think about it, it's kind of foolish to think that we can do anything to impress such an all-powerful being. This is one reason why our attempts at doing good could never be good enough for such a holy and eternal God. God's grace is our only hope. Only His gift of salvation can make us good enough for God. "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). This newly discovered gaping hole in the universe also reminds us that life without a relationship with our Creator is empty. Bertrand Russell was born into a Christian home, but he rejected Christ and later became an outspoken atheist. His daughter, Katherine Tait, wrote this about him, "Somewhere at the bottom of his heart, in the depths of his soul, there was an empty space that once had been filled by God, and he never found anything else to put in it." In spite of the fact that God is powerful beyond our imagination, He has been willing to stoop down and rescue us from our helpless and sinful condition. Paul tells us that even though Jesus was God, He "emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. . . . He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:6-8). It is thoughts like these that moved Sir Robert Grant to write this Christian hymn: O worship the King, all glorious above, And gratefully sing His power and His love; Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise. Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail: Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end, Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend. I hope that the Creator of the universe is also your friend. Let God's amazing space that we have recently discovered lead you to experience His amazing grace.
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Because I am a pastor, occasionally I come across someone who wants to argue about God. Often the argument is focused on whether God can really be good. "If God is good," some say, "then why is there so much suffering? If God is all-powerful then He could put an end to all suffering." Other times I hear something like, "If God is good then why did He take away my _____" (and they fill in the name of someone they love.) These are difficult questions, but they deserve honest answers.
Years ago a man stood on a soap-box at Hyde Park Corner and began to ridicule Christianity. "People tell me that God exists, but I can't see Him. People tell me that there is a life after death, but I can't see it. People tell me that there is a judgment to come, but I can't see it. People tell me that there is a heaven and a hell, but I can't see them." A few people applauded and then he climbed down from his soap-box. Another man stepped up very carefully onto the soap-box. "People tell me that there is green grass all around, but I can't see it. People tell me that there is blue sky above, but I can't see it. People tell me that there are trees nearby, but I can't see them. You see, I'm blind." When it comes to God, it makes sense that our few years of existence can't match the wisdom of an eternal God. Our ability to understand God is limited, at best. When the biblical character Job complained about his suffering, God showed Job how little he understood. God asked Job, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Have you ever in your life commanded the morning, and caused the dawn to know its place...? "Have the gates of death been revealed to you, or have you seen the gates of deep darkness? Where is the way to the dwelling of light? And darkness, where is its place...?" (Job 38:4,12,17,19). We should be willing to admit that God could have a greater purpose for our suffering than what we are able to see. Understanding God would be like the little boy who dug a hole in the sand near the ocean. He then filled his little bucket with sea water and dumped it into the hole. He repeated this many times until a curious man asked him what he was doing. The boy replied, "I'm trying to put the ocean into this hole." God is too great to be put into one of our little "holes." Our suffering began when the human race decided to turn away from God. The good news is that God was willing to enter into that suffering so that we can have an escape from it. Dorothy Sayers explained it this way: "For whatever reason God chose to make man as he is – limited and suffering and subject to sorrows and death – He had the honesty and the courage to take His own medicine. Whatever game He is playing with His creation, He has kept His own rules and played fair. He can exact nothing from man that He has not exacted from Himself. He has Himself gone through the whole of human experience, from the trivial irritations of family life and the cramping restrictions of hard work and lack of money to the worst horrors of pain and humiliation, defeat, despair and death. When He was a man, He played the man. He was born in poverty and died in disgrace and thought it well worthwhile" (Dorothy Sayers, Creed or Chaos? New York: Harcourt, Brace and Col, 1949, p.4). The Bible explains why Christ willingly suffered. He suffered the punishment for our sin so that we could escape eternal suffering. Think about Isaiah's description of the Messiah: "He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him" (Isaiah 53:3-6). The longer I live the more I appreciate what Jesus did for me. He endured sorrow so that I might have eternal joy. He endured rejection so that I might be accepted in Christ. I am more amazed that a holy God would be willing to suffer for me, than I am that I – a disobedient creature – have to endure some temporary suffering. God is still good, even when I'm in pain. I do not always recognize that goodness because I am not God.
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Good friends are rare, especially when life isn't going very well. In the early 1970's, the head football coach at UCLA was Pepper Rodgers. One particular year his team was suffering through a humiliating season. Pepper Rodgers was criticized by angry fans, disappointed alumni – almost everyone – for his team's losing record. He felt alone and abandoned by all of his friends. Later he looked back on that year and said, "My dog was my only true friend. I told my wife that every man needs at least two good friends – and she bought me another dog." We smile, but we know the feeling. We might think that wealthy people would have a lot of friends – but often they are the most lonely. When Howard Hughes was worth about 4 billion dollars, he said, "I'd give it all for one good friend."
What is a good friend? Why are they hard to find? I think you will agree with me that a good friend is someone who knows all about you and loves you anyway. We long to have someone who is willing to love us no matter what. The Bible says: "A friend loves at all times" (Proverbs 17:17). One problem we face, though, is that everyone is looking for someone to be their best friend. We all tend to want a friend more than we are willing to be a friend. Who is left to be the friend then? This is the result of our own selfish nature. "All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6). Our self-focus not only keeps us from having really good friends, it also keeps us from being a good friend as well. Thankfully, God never intended for us to be lonely. To make sure that our need for a friend can be met, God offers to be our best friend. It may sound strange to have God for your best friend, but it can happen. Jesus made this very clear when He said, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:13-15). Can you imagine having God as your personal friend? Abraham is an example. "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God" (James 2:23). An individual friendship with the eternal God is possible because He selflessly paid the awful punishment for our sin. "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). "You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You" (Psalm 86:5). God said, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness" (Jeremiah 31:3). But wait, that is not all! When Christ who died for our sins becomes our friend, we can love others around us like we never have before. "Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply . . . godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:5-8). Genuine Christians experience that kind of friendship every time they get together. That is one of the reasons we enjoy getting together as often as we can here at Bethel Chapel Church. Every week we meet together because we love Christ – and that leads us to love each other too. In fact, Jesus said that the way Christians treat each other will either prove or disprove their claim that they love Him. "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). Good and lasting friendships are rare, but possible. If you would like to learn more about how Jesus Christ can be your best friend, drop me a note or leave a comment below.
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Real and lasting world peace is rare. We are at war today, but this is actually "business as usual" as far as world history is concerned. Since the beginning of recorded history, the entire world has been at peace less than eight percent of the time! Out of 3,530 years of recorded history, only 286 years saw peace. Not only that, there have been more than 8,000 peace treaties and all of them have been broken. [From Moody Bible Institute's Today In The Word, June, 1988, p. 33]
Real and lasting peace of mind is even more scarce. CNN news reporter, Elizabeth Cohen, recently wrote in one of her articles that; ". . . antidepressants have become the most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States. They're prescribed more than drugs to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, asthma, or headaches." More than ever before, Americans are depending on drugs to make them feel better. We appear to be a very anxious and depressed people. Why? We have more wealth, and we are living longer than ever before. You would think that those things would bring contentment. These drugs may temporarily make us feel better, but they aren't making us more peaceful. Ms. Cohen, for example, also wrote about a woman who did not like the way her husband was taking care of their money. She knew she could do a better job, but she didn't want to confront him. Instead, she saw her doctor. The doctor suggested she take an antidepressant. This made her feel better, but "the woman's husband led the family into financial ruin." A temporary good feeling does not necessarily solve our problems or bring us peace of mind. If drugs don't give us lasting peace, what is the secret to living a peaceful and contented life? It should be no surprise that the One who made us knows best how to make us peaceful. Because the one true God is "the Lord of peace" (2 Thessalonians 3:16), He is able to give us peace. This is exactly what Jesus has promised to provide: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful" (John 14:27). Only the peace that God gives is guaranteed to keep our minds healthy: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). How do we get this wonderful peace from God? The Bible promises it to those who belong to God. "The Lord will bless His people with peace" (Psalm 29:11). We must learn who God is from His Word and trust the truth that is revealed there. We must also believe in His son, Jesus Christ, and trust that His death on the cross has paid the full price of our many sins. "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:3). Here is the key: Peace is not found in worldly things, but in the presence of God. Pills do not bring peace. Only God can do that. You will find more information at www.BethelChapelChurch.com. I would also welcome any of your questions about peace. Click on "Comments," type in the number code that appears, and leave me a message.
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The Emmy and Golden Globe winning television show "24" will be starting its seventh season in the fall. Every season gives us a fictional story covering 24 hours of breath-taking action as the government's Counter Terrorism Unit combats domestic terrorists. Why has "24" become one of the most watched shows on television? It is, after all, violent and often ugly. A lot of innocent people die before the good guys finally win out.
Even though "24" is only fiction, it does touch on a reality that faces all of us. We live in a world that is more dangerous that our parents ever imagined it could be. Just a few short years ago, we didn't worry about suicide bombers, chemical weapons, nuclear bombs that fit into suitcases, or radical Islam's targeting of innocent American citizens. Common sense tells us that it's only a matter of time before the terrorists strike again on American soil. That is why so many watch "24." Terrorism is real, but we want to see the terrorists defeated and our country made safe again. The Bible has its own "24," and it is found in Chapter 24 of the book of Matthew. Jesus announced that the formidable Jewish Temple in Jerusalem would one day be completely destroyed. That seemed impossible to the disciples because the Temple took 10,000 skilled workmen forth-six years to build. They used stones that weighed hundreds of tons and the outside was made of white marble that was covered with heavy plates of gold. The disciples then asked when this coming terrorist attack would take place and when Jesus would come to make everything safe again. Jesus began by describing the events surrounding the demolition of the Temple in verses 4–14. His prediction came true just a few years later in 70 A.D. Then Jesus described (in verses 15–28) some of the awful, world-wide tragedies that will take place when He judges the nations of the earth. These things haven't happened yet, but they could happen at any time. Mankind's sin and rebellion against God have really messed up this world. We don't have to look any further than the current murder rate here in Philadelphia to see that. We need a "Jack Bauer" who will come, defeat the enemy, and make everything right. Jesus said that He is coming back to do just that. The only question is, will we be ready for Him when He comes. He is coming suddenly and without warning. "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matthew 24:37-39). If Jesus were to come back today, would He find you chasing after worldly things, or are you pursuing a closer relationship with Him? Eventually "24" will air its last episode. One day this world will have its final season, too. Jesus will come, ". . . on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory" (Matthew 24:30). Some of us will go to be with Christ, and some will be left behind (see verses 40-41). "For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will" (Matthew 24:44). There is an explanation of how to be ready for Christ's coming at www.BethelChapelChurch.com. [My thanks to Dr. David Jeremiah whose devotional prompted my idea for this article.]
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I was raised in a rural area. As a boy one of the things I remember doing was climbing trees. I enjoyed the sense of accomplishment when I was able to climb, what seemed to me way up, into a tree. One day I heard some high pitched sounds coming out of a particular tree. I climbed up so that I could see what was making the noise. I worked my way up until I could see over the edge of a bird's nest. Inside were four newly-hatched birds and they were, I might add, very ugly and naked looking birds. Each one of them had their mouth wide open and pointed straight up in the air while they made some very loud peeping noises. I backed down the tree and watched from a distance. Later the mother bird came and dropped what must have been small worms down those gaping mouths.
Recently I found myself thinking about those little birds I saw many years ago because of a Bible verse I read. It is in the book of Psalms: "Open your mouth wide and I will fill it" (Psalm 81:10). What does it mean to "open our mouth wide"? It means to believe God's promises and to trust Him to give us the nourishment we need. It also means that we are admitting that we are helpless, just like those newly hatched birds. When we lift our faces to God, we are showing our vulnerability, dependence and submission. The verse I just quoted is a wonderful promise that has been a help to me as well. There are many times that life has left me feeling empty. When the grind of daily living wears me down or when life's unavoidable disappointments leave me feeling depressed, I get hungry for something that will really satisfy my heart. During those discouraging times, I have found answers when I seek God much like those little birds were seeking food, and the food that I have found to soothe my aching heart is the written word of God. As David said in another Psalm, "I opened my mouth wide and panted, for I longed for Your commandments" (Psalm 119:131). God's Word does have the answers we need to life's difficulties. In fact, the Bible even gives us "everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence." (2 Peter 1:3). Instead of being a BIG mouth, it so much better to have a WIDE mouth before God. If you don't have a copy of the New Testament I'll send you one free. If you would like to discover its meaning I would be glad to get you started on your own Bible study. You may call me at (215) 533-4395.
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May The Force Be With You
More Americans say they believe in God than ever before. The latest Fox News polls from June 26, 2006 proved it when it concluded that, "fully 92 percent of Americans say they believe in God." The study went on to say that only 5 percent of Americans say they don't believe in God and the remaining 3 percent are not sure. On the surface this sounds like good news. Sadly, though, many of those people who say they believe in God – have no idea who God really is. For example, people often say that they believe in a "higher power." What does that mean? It's as if the fictional Star Wars slogan "May the force be with you" has come to describe our view of God. Many in our land have become comfortable with this foggy understanding. They believe in a God who is a force that is out there somewhere. How does that happen? It begins when we come up with an idea of what we would like God to be. Then we chose to believe in that god we have mentally created. The Bible warns us against believing in God that way. Either we trust God to be who He says He is, or we end up believing in a god that came out of our own imagination. The first commandment condemns those who do this, "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3). There is only one true God. The most important thing we can do is to discover what He is like. He has revealed Himself in the Bible, His holy Word. Notice a sample of how God describes Himself, "For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'; . . . Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it" (Isaiah 46:9-11). Jesus came to show us who God is. This is why the Apostle John declared, "we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:20). Don't settle for a cheap substitute. I don't care about some nebulous "force" being with me. I want the all powerful, eternal, holy, and grace-loving God to be with me. I want Him to be with you, too. I will send a free New Testament to anyone who is interested in discovering who God really is.
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Unused Treasure
Margaret Siders died at the age of 92. Because no one had agreed to pay for her burial, her body was being kept at the Caddo Parish morgue. During the last twenty years of her life, she was often seen in the downtown area of Shreveport, Louisiana. Everywhere she went she pulled a little wagon behind her so she could collect bits of food and old clothing from trash cans. Since her husband's death six years earlier, she lived alone in a small tin house. What a sad story. Here was a woman living in poverty and loneliness. Her husband was gone, and apparently she didn't have a friend in the world. The only time she would smile would be when she found something in a trash can that she could eat or something she could wear. She didn't even have anyone who would mourn her death. What an awful picture her life leaves in our minds as she pulls her wagon from trash can to trash can and then goes home to her rundown house. Think about how you feel when you recall her loneliness ...her life ...her death. Actually, though, there's more to her story. When the police entered her home to look for information about her next of kin, they made an amazing discovery. Police Detective Bettye Brookings had been watching Mrs. Siders. She suspected that this woman possessed more than she appeared to have. The detective led the group as they went from room to room searching her house. In the bedroom they discovered something that shocked them all! Detective Brookings reached inside a hole that had been cut in a mattress and pulled out some bank books. The "wagon lady" had about $250,000 in four local banks, and possibly even more in another account. Have your feelings about Margaret Siders changed? We are amazed that someone would live in dreary poverty that didn't have to. Unfortunately, many Christians do that same thing. They live miserable lives as if they were in spiritual poverty. The Bible makes it very clear that Christ's followers don't have to live that way. Feel the passion in this prayer of Paul's for Christians: "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe" (Ephesians 1:18-19). In Ephesians chapter one Paul had just finished listing the incredible blessings that belong to Christians. For example, he said that in Christ, "we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses (sins), according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us" (Ephesians 1:7-8). I am so glad that Jesus is not stingy with His forgiveness! After all I have done to offend an awesome and holy God, I need a lot of forgiveness, and I need God to give it to me freely. Without Christ I am dead (Ephesians 2:1), but with Christ I am "made alive" (Ephesians 2:5-9). If you possess Christ as your Savior do you rejoice in your spiritual riches? Do you live an abundant life in light of what you possess, or does your dreary attitude lead others to believe that Christ has left you in spiritual poverty? Please tell me about some of your spiritual riches or share any other comments or questions with me.
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An Associated Press article dated August 6th, 2006 caught my eye yesterday. It was titled; Americans try to connect as loneliness grows: Need for companionship rises as more live alone and have fewer friends. You would think that our modern world would have solved our loneliness problem. As the article pointed out, "The nation has never been more populous, soon to reach the 300 million mark. And it has never been more connected – by phone, e-mail, instant message, text message, and on and on. Yet so many are alone in the crowd." The same article quoted a study that revealed that in 1985 10% of Americans said they had no close friends, but today the number of Americans who say that they have no intimate friends has grown to 25%. How tragic!
It is so good to know that God Himself understands our need for human companionship. In fact, the only negative thing that God said about His creation was "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him" (Genesis 2:18). It was loneliness that prompted God to look at His creation and provide Eve for Adam. The Lord continues to show that He cares about our need for genuine relationships. God has established local groups of believers (or churches) so that we can form intimate friendships. Take a minute to read Ephesians 4:11-16 and 1 Corinthians, chapter 12. Notice that God pictures local groups of believers as a human body. Could anything be more intimate than being a part of the same body? These intimate relationships do not happen automatically, of course, because they must begin with an intimate relationship with Christ. No matter how far from God you feel right now, know that when you begin a relationship with Him, you will never be alone again – never again! Remember: loneliness can't exist in the unwavering presence of God's love. The same God who created the world said, "For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken" (Isaiah 54:10). God will become your best friend when you surrender your life to His offer of forgiveness. Then you can know that, "The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed" (Deuteronomy 31:8). Jesus put it this way, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20). If you want to be sure that you have a genuine relationship with your God, then search the Bible. I would be glad to assist you in that search in any way that I can. Loneliness can be overcome in Christ.
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As I sit typing this article, I can see an apricot tree just outside the back door of my study. It has been loaded with some of the sweetest apricots you have ever tasted. How does a tree do that? After all, it is only a piece of wood that lives in dirt and water. How can a tree turn dirt and water into something that is so good to eat? The only answer is that God made apricot trees to make apricots. They do what they were made to do.
The same is true for Christians. The Bible says that God made Christians able to produce good fruit. Paul calls it works: "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. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them" (Ephesians 2:8-10). Just as a fruit tree doesn't need to do anything extraordinary in order to produce fruit, neither does a Christian have work extraordinarily hard in order to do good works. Let me explain. An apricot tree doesn't have to grunt and groan before it can make apricots; it only needs to have the right kind of food and water and then apricots will appear. So it is for a Christian. A follower of Christ doesn't have to work hard at producing good works. He only has to make sure he is getting the correct spiritual nutrition. If a Christian is getting the right kind of Bible study, prayer, and fellowship, the good works will come. Now, what will those good works look like? There seems to be a lot of confusion about what kind of fruit a Christian should produce. For example, many people seem to think that God is only looking for Christians who don't take drugs, who participate in religious ceremonies, give money to the church, and help the poor and elderly. This will shock some of you, but the Bible doesn't list any of those things when it describes a Christian's fruit. Notice what the Scripture says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). Do you see that kind of fruit in your life? The fruit of the Spirit underlined in verses above, will be growing in your life if you have really surrendered your heart to Christ. You are going to be committed to getting to know Christ better. We grow in our knowledge of Christ through our Bible study, personal prayer, and the time we spend with other Christians. If you are the right kind of "fruit tree" (i.e. you have been born again, see John 3), then all you need is a regular diet of the right kind of spiritual "food." The fruit that a growing Christian produces, like those sweet apricots, is wonderfully refreshing. What are you feeding yourself spiritually? Are you growing? What do the people around you think of the fruit you are producing?
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