There's No Fool Like An Old Fool.

During this past Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam said, and I paraphrase, "When you are mature and are reluctant to heed the word of God, the consequences can be dangerous."

The archangel Gabriel is known in Scripture as a messenger (unlike the archangel Michael, who is known for fighting). But, though Gabriel is not described as a fighter, he does wield significant power. In Gabriel's interaction with Zechariah, there emerges a spiritual battle: Gabriel delivers the word of God, Zechariah responds with a word of unbelief, and Gabriel counterreplies with a word of rebuke. Upon Gabriel's rebuke, Zechariah immediately loses the ability to speak.

Actually, Zechariah was fortunate to only lose the use of his voice for a season. Scripture indicates that there were other persons who lost their lives. We are told of an unnamed angel, sent by God, who in one night took the lives of an entire army which opposed Israel: 186,000 men (Isaiah 37:33-37). In Exodus we read that God Himself, in response to Pharaoh's opposition, destroyed the firstborn of all cattle and households of Egypt (Exodus 12:29-30). God does not take lightly when He is mocked or blasphemed, or when man raises his voice against Him.

Some may ask, "But wasn't Zechariah working for God?" Yes, he was; but in his response of unbelief he indicated that his alliance was not with God's word, but with his own sense of inadequacy and inability. In choosing his own voice over the LORD's, Zechariah ceased to be a representative of God's agenda. He opposed the very LORD he served, and as a result was no longer fit to speak for God. Gabriel, appropriately, shut down Zechariah's vocal cords so that he could not pronounce God's blessing upon the people (Luke 1:21-22).

Zechariah's question to Gabriel, "How can this be?", is saturated in treachery. At its core, treachery is a betrayal of established trust and a violation of established faith. Luke 1:5 shows us that Zechariah and Elizabeth lived righteously, being faithful and obedient to all the commands of God. Their relationship with God spanned decades, and the LORD had proven Himself trustworthy. If anyone should have believed the angel's message without question, it should have been Zechariah. In other words, Zechariah was old enough to know better-- there was no reason for him to doubt God's power to bless him and his wife.

In the middle of the mundane, God stepped in and sent an awesome message, a clear and specific response to prayer... and Zechariah, though mature in age and faith, chose backtalk over belief.

What is God saying?...And what are you saying?

Rejoining The Chorale.

“Rejoin” is one of those wonderful words in the English language that has multiple meanings. It can mean to come back to something that had been left behind. Or, it can mean to reply to a reply (that is, to counterreply) or to retort.

In the second service, in the secondary sense of the word, rejoining was in play. The Chorale sang “That Name”, then our pastor counterreplied with examples of choir conduct in relation to ministry. The examples were modern-day illustrations intended to highlight several points concerning the story of Zechariah:
 

Cruel disappointments do not prevent the faithful from serving. Zechariah continued to minister faithfully at his post even though he and his wife bore the stigma of childlessness (Luke 1:7).
 

What seems to be a trial for us might be a preparation for God. Every circumstance is purposeful, even crises that have been sent by the devil in an attempt to subvert our ministry (see Second Corinthians 12:7-10).
 

Our spiritual gifts and talents are not to be set aside. Why has God given us a gift? For use. We are to pursue our purpose, using our gifts, while we allow God to work out His purpose in us.
 

Some prayers are still pending. When prayers are offered, they stand in the presence of God until He responds. In the face of people who present the most stubborn resistance to God's directive, God will answer our prayers for their deliverance.
 

We are called to pursue peace and holiness. Our ministry is ineffective when we live our lives in ways that do not demonstrate holy living and the pursuit of peacefulness with our fellow Christians.
 

Pastor Sam, at the start and end of his sermon, encouraged us to ask God a question: “Lord, what will You have me to do?” If we ask with sincerity and obedience of heart, He will answer. God will help us to walk upright, obey Him, say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and say yes to living righteously.
 

Oh Lord God, be glorified in us. Help us so that we will not be tempted to think you have not heard our prayers. Give us patience and holy love as we await Your answer. Give us grace to be faithful to You, and to serve in whatever post You call us to hold. Give us encouragement and strength to stand against the devil and to speak life to Your people. Thank You, Lord. You are present. You are active. You are faithful. We love You.

Ich Bin Kein Kindergartener.

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. (Acts 14:19-23)

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias (Zechariah), of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. (Luke 1:5-7)

The lives of Zechariah and Elizabeth show us that good, righteous, blameless people might go through much of their lives waiting for their prayers to be answered. The phrase "they were both advanced in years" (Luke 1:7) implies that, in terms of human ability, it was too late for Elizabeth and Zechariah to have children. They might have even believed that God's answer to their desire was "No", were it not for the proclamation made by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:13).

Beyond delayed answers to prayer, the mature Christian might also experience incredible pain and hardships in ministry. We have the example of the apostle Paul, who was pelted with rocks by his fellow Jews who sought to kill him because of his faith in Jesus (Acts 14:19). We have the example of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was shot to death before he reached his fortieth birthday. The mature Christian knows that bad things happen to good people, and does not shirk that reality. The immature Christian works very hard to avoid experiencing bad things.

Pastor Sam, in this past Sunday's sermon, used a harsh but relevant term that describes the plight of immature Christians: "Kindergarten Theology." It is the notion that Christians who obey God should have a life of smooth sailing, with quickly answered prayers and shielding from hardships. But it seems that the pattern Scripture reveals is that Christians are called to do very difficult things, and are called to remain faithful to God while engaged in these difficult tasks.

Zechariah and Elizabeth had the difficult task of remaining faithful in ministry while living in a culture that associated barrenness with being under a curse. I wonder what it was like for Zechariah, in his ministerial post, to have to read Scriptures about children being a blessing. Or to preside over baby dedications.

Paul had the difficult task of remaining faithful in ministry while some people were trying to kill him, and while other people were openly compromising the faith Paul lived for. He himself testifies:

"Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?" (Second Corinthians 11:24-29)

 

The Christian faith is no place for kindergarten theology. The believer who is bound to kindergarten-level thinking will shut down and throw in the towel when life gets challenging. We who are mature in the faith are called to contend, to fight, to stand, and to work. Contend, even when it seems that God is not hearing us or helping us. Fight, even when it looks like our lives are under a curse. Stand, even when we are being pelted with rocks (whether literally or figuratively) by the people who are supposed to be our siblings in the faith. Work, even when your work is unappreciated. Do what you have been called and ordained to do.

 

In due time, God will appear in power with His response to the deep prayers of our hearts.

 

But as for me,

I will watch expectantly for the LORD;

I will wait for God of my salvation.

My God will hear me. (Micah 7:7)

"Ask God To Fill You With His Spirit."*

For the grace of God has appeared for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind. It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness and passionate desires, to live discreet, temperate, self-controlled, upright, devout, spiritually whole lives in this present world, awaiting and looking for the fulfillment, the realization of our blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself on our behalf that He might redeem us (purchase our freedom) from all iniquity and purify for Himself a people to be peculiarly His own, people who are eager and enthusiastic about living a life that is good and filled with beneficial deeds. (Titus 2:11-14)

In the days when Herod was king of Judea there was a certain priest whose name was Zechariah, of the division of Abia; and his wife was also a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they both were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. (Luke 1:5-6)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam made a point which should be central in the thought life of every Christian: It is possible for people to live righteously and obediently in the sight of God. And, beyond being possible, it is necessary. This righteous, obedient lifestyle is achieved in and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, our Savior, has done His work in this process of redemption. His death has brought us life; His resurrection from the dead has given us hope. And He has left us His Spirit, by Whom we are empowered to remember and act upon the word of God (see John 16:7-15). The writer to the Hebrews leaves us a simple, but profound, truth: If we do not pursue peace and holiness, we will not see the Lord (see Hebrews 12:14). John Wesley says, "The not following after holiness is the direct way to fall into sin of every kind."

Satan has a strategy: his aim is to convince Christians that once they have made a mental assent of the deity of Christ, there remains nothing else to do. That is a lie. James warns us that even devils believe in God (James 2:19), and the Gospels recount incidents where persons under demonic influence fell at Jesus's feet even though they were bound by evil spirits (see Mark 5:6 and 9:20). The Christian life is more than just saying that Jesus is in charge of the universe. And the Christian life is more than just falling at the feet of Jesus in worship. For the person who confesses Christ as Lord, there must also be the presence of the Holy Spirit within the heart of the believer. If Jesus has told us that it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us and causes us to function in our faith (John 16:14), then why would we avoid embracing the work of the Holy Spirit in us?

Thy precious will, O conquering Savior, doth now embrace and compass me;
All discords hushed, my peace a river; my soul, a prisoned bird, set free.
Sweet will of God, still fold me closer 'til I am wholly lost in Thee. (Leila Morris)

It is the will of God that His people receive the gift and grace of His Spirit, so that they might be empowered to reject ungodliness, pursue holiness, and gain peace.

The Holy Spirit wants to hug you, surround you, infill you. Will you let Him?

(*Today's post title is in memory of Pastor Sam's mom.)

Rocked In Role.

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. (Luke 1:8-12)

It seems as if Zechariah was not expecting to have a Divine encounter in the temple of the Lord.

I wonder how many of us, particularly those of us who are ministry leaders, share Zechariah's plight. We keep the customs of our faith. We carry out the directives of God concerning what we do in God's house (and how we do it). We follow the script: we sing, we preach, we play instruments, we usher, we dance, we do "our thing"... then after we have done "our thing", we leave. It's just another service, come and gone, and we've executed our office. It's so routine that we can practically do it in our sleep... but are we working with the expectation of encountering the Divine?

In yesterday's sermons, Pastor Sam spoke of the Divine drama involving the priest Zechariah and the archangel Gabriel. And, if I may be frank and transparent, our pastor's sermon rocked me. It was as if he had reached into the core of Christian service and pulled out the ugliest of partners, two things that should never travel together: diligence and doubt.

The great irony of Luke 1 is that Zechariah, according to the text, is actively engaged in doing precisely the sort of thing that would cause Gabriel to show up. Zechariah's task was to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. We are told in Revelation chapters 5 and 8 that incense is representative of the prayers of the saints, the people of God throughout the ages. And we see in Daniel chapters 8 and 9 (and Luke 1) that Gabriel is the angel God sent to speak to His chosen servants, giving them clear revelation of the plan of God.

So, this year, Bronx Bethany has the theme Engaging Transformational Prayer... Experiencing Transformational Provision. But what does it mean when we lift up our prayers to God without expecting Him to answer?

Pastor Sam shared two points concerning this twinned specter of diligence and doubt. The diligent doubter says:

• Lord, I love and serve You faithfully, but deep in my heart I think You're incompetent. You can't do what I've asked.
• Lord, I love and serve You consistently, but deep in my heart I believe You are uncommitted. You won't do what I've asked. 

In other words, God, I'll do these rituals, but I don't trust You to sustain me. That was the error of Zechariah. Amazingly, God in His great mercy proceeded to answer the prayer of Zechariah's heart, even as He meted out discipline to chastise Zechariah for his unbelief.

What about us? Do we expect God to break in as we carry out our work of worship? Or are we simply going through the motions, not really looking for His appearing?

Christ The King Is... And Is Coming.

On this day in the liturgical calendar, we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. It is the last Sunday of the church year. (Next Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, begins the 2012-13 church year.)

Christ the King Sunday is particularly meaningful for me this year. Perhaps this is because of the recency of the Kingdom Focus project (with Metro West Church of the Nazarene), which focused on Scripture passages that discuss the kingdom of God, Jesus as King, His power, His reign, and His rule.

Since October I have been mindful of a particular passage from the Old Testament, First Samuel 5, where the Philistines capture the ark of God and place it next to a statue of Dagon. Dagon was the Philistines' god, commonly represented by the image of a man from the torso up and the image of a fish from the torso down. It was their god of grain and fish-- a representation of sustenance, multiplication, and abundance in land and sea.

In the First Samuel 5 passage the presence and power of God destroys the statue of Dagon, decapitating it and severing its hands. It is a message from the Sovereign God to the Philistines then, and to us now: we dare not give any person or thing "equal footing" with God. He says to the Philistines and to us, I alone sit as King over all. Though you created this statue of Dagon and ascribed it worth, its head cannot think and its hands cannot act. It is I who am Lord of grain and fish and all else.

As a parallel, the book of Isaiah well captures the theme of God as our exclusive source of all things good. In chapter 42, the first several verses speak of the characteristics of the coming Messiah. But then, in verse 8, God says: "I am Yahweh! That is My name. And My glory I will not give to another, nor my praise to idols." In the New Testament, we see in Jesus's high priestly prayer (John 17:1-5) that He is one who shares in the glory of the Father-- an evidence that Jesus is Yahweh, Reigning King of Glory. Indeed He and the Father are one.

I hope this permits us to see, in a whole new light, the significance of Jesus's multiplication of loaves and fishes recorded on two separate occasions in the New Testament (see Mark 6:30-44 and 8:1-8). It was more than just two free meals. It was a reminder from the King: I am still Lord of grain and fish and all else. I am the One who sustains you. Don't set your devotion on anyone or anything else but Me.

On this Christ the King Sunday, let us be extremely careful to devote our corporate worship to Jesus and to Him alone. The ark of God cannot and will not tolerate being combined with other "sources" of sustenance. We are called to exclusivity. Let us avoid the spirit of Dagon. We carry God's Presence, bearing the burden and weight of His glory, so that we might be changed from glory to glory.

But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom). And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit. (Second Corinthians 3:16-18, the Amplified Bible)

Practicing Strategic Prayer.

Strategic prayer is practiced through our words, thoughts, and actions. Below are a few Scripture passages which encourage us in this regard.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil. (First Thessalonians 5:12-22)

In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers. (First Peter 3:1-4 and 3:7)

When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Pray, then, in this way: "Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." 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 6:5-15)

Lord, please help us to see, understand, and heed the connections that make our prayers strategic. Give us grace to never be anxious. Give us a heart of love: love of You, love for our leaders, love for our spouse. Cause us, by Your Spirit, to live in peace with one another. May our hearts always be thankful and grateful towards You. Please rescue us from evil and from the evil one who seeks to destroy us. Cause us to experience Your kingdom life in this present age by doing Your will. May our public life be a demonstration of Your power to save and sanctify, a power that You permit us to experience in our private devotions with You. Thank You for giving us this privilege and responsibility of engaging strategic prayer. O God, transform us by Your power. We pray this in the name of Jesus, our Redeemer and King. Amen.

Good Grief.

As we continue reflecting on strategies for resisting the culture of ingratitude, let us remember a key point from Pastor Sam's sermon this past Sunday: Our challenges are not a sign of God's incompetence. God's sovereignty is not diminished by any crisis we may encounter.

The Lutheran hymn "What God Ordains Is Always Good" is a hymn I have often contemplated, as it reminds me to continue being thankful and faithful to God regardless of what challenges may be occurring in my personal life. As I have been thinking about our pastor's sermon this week, this hymn has kept coming to my mind. I share it with you today, and pray that it will encourage you to continue loving and trusting and thanking God-- even in the face of crisis.

What God ordains is always good: His will is just and holy.
As He directs my life for me, I follow meek and lowly.
My God indeed in every need knows well how He will shield me;
To Him, then, I will yield me.

What God ordains is always good: He never will deceive me;
He leads me in His own right way, and never will He leave me.
I take content what He has sent; His hand that sends me sadness
Will turn my tears to gladness.

What God ordains is always good: His loving thought attends me;
No poison can be in the cup that my Physician sends me.
My God is true; each morning new I trust His grace unending,
My life to Him commending.

What God ordains is always good: He is my Friend and Father;
He suffers naught to do me harm though many storms may gather.
Now I may know both joy and woe; someday I shall see clearly
That He has loved me dearly.

What God ordains is always good: Though I the cup am drinking
Which savors now of bitterness, I take it without shrinking.
For after grief God gives relief, my heart with comfort filling
And all my sorrow stilling.

What God ordains is always good: This truth remains unshaken.
Though sorrow, need, or death be mine, I shall not be forsaken.
I fear no harm, for with His arm He shall embrace and shield me;
So to my God I yield me. (Rev. Samuel Rodigast, 1675)

Completely Confident.

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam shared with us a key strategy for resisting the culture of ingratitude: we are to have complete confidence in the will of God. He can be counted on to save, heal, deliver, teach, guide, and sustain His people.

We know of God's character: God is good to us.
We know of God's competence: God knows what is best for us.
We know of God's commitment: God cares for us.

And, these attributes of God are not contingent upon our personal circumstances. Our pastor shared the powerful example of Jeremiah 29, where we see God's awesome promise to ancient Israel even as they are being carried into exile: I know the plans I have for you! I will prosper you! I will give you a hope and a future! Call on Me, pray to Me, and I will listen to you!

Will you be grateful to God even in the face of great loss?
Will you lie down in Christ's security when your stomach is empty?
Will you express the joy of the Holy Spirit in difficult times?

Lord, help us to demonstrate complete confidence in You.

Thankless Help.

“Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection, to Egypt’s shade for refuge. But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame, Egypt’s shade will bring you disgrace. Though they have officials in Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes, everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them, who bring neither help nor advantage, but only shame and disgrace.” (Isaiah 30:1-5, emphasis mine)

One of the signs of an ungrateful person is that there is no evidence of thankfulness in their conversations with other people, nor with God Himself. Actually, there are two sides to this proverbial coin: the ungrateful person does not thank God, and the ungrateful person does not ask God.

A Christian who lives life in this mode is sending a message to the world: I believe Jesus is Lord and King, but I don't believe He is able to deliver me. So, when crisis comes, what happens?

Counterfeiting. The Christian carries out a plan, but it is not God's plan (Isaiah 30:1).

Collusion. The Christian "goes to Egypt" (Isaiah 30:2), soliciting help from the sources that God has consistently warned him or her to stay away from. What has the LORD said? "They will bring you shame and disgrace." (Isaiah 30:5)

Compromise. The LORD says that when His people carry out plans apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit, they fall into a cycle of serial sin (Isaiah 30:1). And, the LORD has a descriptive term for such people: obstinate (displaying a stubborn, unyielding attitude even though they have been gently entreated and gently treated).

For some, this sin of not consulting God has become a routine. Financial hardship is "resolved" not through prayer, but by calling up friends and asking them for money. Challenges with children are not resolved through fervent prayer, but by sending them away to become wards of a boarding school. Delayed answers to prayer are not met with patient waiting, but are instead "managed" through consulting human experts that seem to offer a quick fix.

When we do this, it's a sign of spiritual adultery. We are called to rest in the arms of God, but we abandon His presence and place our crises in the hands of persons who cannot help us. Scripture asserts that Egypt, the spirit of quick fixes and earthly riches, carries a price tag of slavery, sin, and death.

Why would we choose death when we say we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life?

God is speaking to us, gently. God is holding us, gently. He says, I am with you. I am the One who brought My people out of Egypt, through the wilderness journey, and into the land of promise. I am walking through this life with you. I am your help and your stay. I am doing so much for you that you cannot see right now, but that you will see in due time. Wait. Rest. Trust.

One Scoop Of Rocky Road.

Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-20, emphasis mine)

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond. Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-16, emphasis mine) 

In this past Sunday's sermons, Pastor Sam shared the point that we can choose to live under the influence of the Holy Spirit rather than living under the influence of the times.

There is a colloquialism we can use here: "flavor of the month." The phrase was coined out of the pratice of Baskin-Robbins, an ice cream store chain, which has many different types of ice cream and features a different flavor each month. Eventually, "flavor of the month" became a descriptor of two things: 1) people who would continually alter their worldview to match the prevailing notion of the time, and/or 2) people who would only accept news that was presented to them in the "flavor" (mode) they preferred.

How does "flavor of the month" show up in Christianity?

Well, Sunday provided a clear example. Our guest, Rondell Positive, ministered with a brief music set. As is my norm when listening to Rondell's music, I was waving my hands, singing along, and occasionally jumping up and down. Now, since I stand all the way in the back of the church, I assumed that everyone else would keep their attention focused on the front of the church, where Rondell was ministering on the platform. Wrong assumption. Some of my colleagues were visibly uncomfortable with my participation in worship. Actually, some of them were just outright uncomfortable with the music-- because the music was not presented in the flavor they like. How sad for them. They missed God because they were looking for a still small Voice in a suit-- but He showed up loud, in jeans and a leather jacket.

Perhaps this is why Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3 include an array of musical types: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. God says, Take it all. Embrace whatever means is available for worshiping Me, and worship Me in a spirit of thankfulness.

How can we fickle human beings do what God has asked us to do? We can only accomplish this mandate by and in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who gives us the grace to be thankful, even though we live in very trying circumstances. It is He who gives us appreciation for His word, without regard to the mode in which it is presented. It is He who produces in us an exuberant joy even as the devil wreaks havoc in the lives of those we love. Why are we so full of joy? Because the LORD has done great things for us (Psalm 126:3). We are grateful to our God and so we behave like grateful, happy people. We love. We sing. We give. We shout. We dance. Our praise of Him is not contingent upon our personal preferences being sated.

We have come a long way in our faith when we are able to push past the negative things we see, and pour our worship onto the great God whom we cannot see, but nonetheless adore. As our pastor shared with us on Sunday, the world will say that we are illogical when we give thanks in the midst of crisis. But let us contemplate Pastor Sam's question to us: "Who is influencing your behavior?"

Oh, let me feel Thee near me. The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear.
My foes are ever near me, around me and within.
But Jesus, draw Thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin. (John Bode)

Son Print.

But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God. They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these. For some of these insinuate themselves into households and captivate weak women who are overwhelmed with sins and led along by various passions. Such women are always seeking instruction, yet never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people – who have warped minds and are disqualified in the faith – also oppose the truth. (Second Timothy 3:1-8)

Pastor Sam referenced Second Timothy 3 at the start of yesterday's sermons. The whole of Second Timothy is a letter from the apostle Paul to his protege Timothy. The letter addresses several ministry concerns, not the least of which is the presence of false teachers and self-serving believers in the church. I would recommend that, during this week, we take the time to read Second Timothy in its entirety, without chopping it up into chapters and verses-- after all, Timothy experienced the letter as a single uninterrupted document.

That said, there is also great value in taking a close look at the above passage as a snapshot of the ministry challenges that were present in Timothy's day. Paul lists eighteen attributes of ministry leaders who lack gratitude, then continues with examples of these negative influences through leaders, congregants (specifically, female congregants who are spiritually immature), and ministry assistants. 

Ministry leaders. Paul gives a clear warning concerning ministry leaders who conduct their day-to-day- operations with an ungrateful heart: They will maintain the outward appearance of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these. (Second Timothy 3:5). Throughout the first and second letters to Timothy, Paul calls names and gets very specific in his description of ministry leaders. Some, like Onesiphorus (Second Timothy 1:16-18), have been faithful and diligent in service. Others, like Demas (Second Timothy 4:10), have "deserted the gospel". But what does Paul mean when he says some leaders have "repudiated its power"? 

Repudiation goes beyond mere rejection. Repudiation is a combination of rejection and denial. Pastor Sam, during one of his prayers, made reference to Psalm 73. It is an appropriate psalm to use as evidence of the way in which wicked leaders repudiate the power of God.

Arrogance is their necklace, and violence their clothing. Their prosperity causes them to do wrong; their thoughts are sinful. They mock and say evil things; they proudly threaten violence. They speak as if they rule in heaven, and lay claim to the earth. They say, “How does God know what we do? Is the sovereign one aware of what goes on?” (Psalm 73:6-9, 73:11).

It is interesting that Paul does not urge Timothy to pray for these corrupted leaders, nor even to seek to counsel them or encourage them to change. Paul says, "So avoid people like these." It would seem that Paul, in advising Timothy to avoid interactions with such people, is echoing the counsel of Christ: avoidance marks the final stage of human involvement in reconciliation (see Matthew 18:15-17). From that point, corruption in ministry is dealt with by God (see Psalm 73:18-19).

Weak women. Sin often seeks partnership. In this case, Paul tells us that it is in the nature of corrupt leaders to align themselves with women who are weak in the Christian faith. Because these women are seeking human instruction rather than seeking to know God through His written word, they are prone to being led astray.

Paul, here, goes so far as to indicate the specific strategy of leaders who seek to mislead these women: For some of these insinuate themselves into households and captivate weak women who are overwhelmed with sins and led along by various passions. (Second Timothy 3:6) What is Paul saying? In using the word "captivate", Paul is making reference to the use of witchcraft and enchantment. That is, instead of pointing weaker Christians to the power of Christ, these leaders use their personal power to draw people to themselves. Further, they do so outside of the parameters of the church: the word "insinuate" tells us that these leaders use a slow, gradual process of gaining access into women's homes. It is a subtle and devious process, intended to move relationships away from the spiritual realm and into the sensual.

The end result for the women involved is that their lives become a confusion, which brings negative influence into the lives of those they come into contact with. It is as if they have become extensions of the leaders themselves. By conducting their lives from a standpoint of overwhelming sin, these women serve to further corrupt the body of Christ.

Ministry assistants. Some scholars believe that Jannes and Jambres were two of Pharaoh's Egyptian magicians who challenged Moses's spiritual authority (Exodus 7); others suggest that these two men were part of the rebellion against Moses initiated by Korah (Numbers 16). In both cases, opposition to Moses represented opposition to truth-- for it was our God, the Faithful and True, who gave Moses his spiritual authority. And just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these people – who have warped minds and are disqualified in the faith – also oppose the truth. (Second Timothy 3:8)

Whether under a Pharaoh type (a supervisor who openly opposes God) or a Korah type (a supervisor who claims to be a servant of God), people who operate in the spirit of Jannes and Jambres hold two negative attributes. They have messed-up minds, and they have fake faith. They reject God's long-established leadership choice and instead (like the weak women in Paul's letter) are swayed into following a counterfeit.

In addition to the rejection of God-ordained leadership, people with the spirit of Jannes and Jambres carry along their own counterfeit version of "leadership tools". The magicians who worked for Pharaoh, like Moses, carried rods that they could throw onto the ground and turn into snakes. The men who supported the rebellion initiated by Korah all had censers filled with incense for service in the tabernacle. They looked the part. This is why it is so critical for every Christian to know the word of God. Ministerial authority is not based on who has a toolkit. God calls us to also examine the fruit being produced.

God, through Paul, has told us who to avoid. But let us also hold the mirror to our own faces, and ask ourselves the hard questions: Are any of these negative attributes operating in me? Am I seeking to draw weak people to myself, instead of pointing them to the Lord who can deliver them? Am I engaged in a slow and subtle rebellion against Pastor Sam and the leadership team?

Do you hear God speaking? It's a call to repentance, while there is time to repent. If we repent, God will give us His grace so that we can resist falling into the negative attributes that indicate ingratitude and rebellion.

But they will not go much further, for their foolishness will be obvious to everyone, just like it was with Jannes and Jambres. (Second Timothy 3:9)

Yes, look! Those far from you die; you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you. (Psalm 73:27)

Due For A Trim.

(Shearing of a Merino sheep/Photo courtesy Wikipedia)

[The sling, at the top of the photo, is supporting the shearer. The sheep is not bound.]

"Because of their long wool it is not always easy to detect disease, wounds, or defects in sheep. But the skilled judge will take his rod and part the sheep's wool to determine the condition of the skin, the cleanliness of the fleece and the conformation of the body." (Phillip Keller)

I heard the voice of the sovereign master say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf? I answered, “Here I am, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8) 

In last weekend's services (November 10-11), Pastor Richie shared with us that Isaiah responded to a question he was not asked. Rather, Isaiah overheard a kingdom question and quickly responded to the voice of God.

But, before Isaiah volunteered for the task, something else had happened to him: he had experienced an epiphany.

• Isaiah saw the glory of Adonai (Isaiah 6:1);
• Isaiah recognized his own depraved nature and confessed his sins (Isaiah 6:5);
• Isaiah submitted himself to being cleansed by a seraph, a messenger who carried the fire of God (Isaiah 6:7).

Our pastor also quoted from Psalm 139, which reminds us that God has always known us, even before we were formed, and He knows what we are made of. He knows what we are at our core. Isaiah's confession was not news to God: God already knew Isaiah's sin crisis. But, Isaiah's confession opened the door for cleansing and commissioning to occur.

My prayer is that as we gather for corporate worship each week, we will experience Isaiah's epiphany.

Let us see the glory of Adonai;
Let us recognize our depraved nature and confess our sins;
Let us submit ourselves to being cleansed by our pastors, the messengers who carry the fire of God;
And, let us keep our ears open to hear kingdom questions, so that we might quickly answer: Here I am, send me!

O Lord, my Shepherd, I am Your lamb. I come to You and lay at Your feet. By the rod of Your word and the care of Your oracles, move past my external wool. Gently shave off the external veneer, and reveal the true condition of my soul. Cleanse every wound; heal every disease; cause me to be conformed to Your image and likeness. I ask this in Your name, Lord Jesus. Let it be to me as You say.

Get With The Program.

(Nigerian Christians praying at The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem/EPA)

Over last weekend's services, Pastor Richie reminded us of Revelation chapter 4. In recounting the worship scene in heaven, our pastor said (and I paraphrase) "There are no bystanders. In that venue, everyone is engrossed in God's program."

Now, interestingly, I had a dream very early on Thursday morning that really helped me to understand what Pastor Richie was saying. In the dream were some leaders from Bronx Bethany. We were each busy planning "our" individual components of a worship service, and we all kept asking each other the same question: "How can we best glorify God? What can we do that will bring Him the most honor?" All our attention, all our energy, was concentrated on pleasing Him by presenting the best worship we were capable of offering.

True worship exalts the One seated on the throne in heaven. "From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder." (Revelation 4:5) Who is this on the throne? This is the glorified Christ, our Victorious King, who gives overcoming believers the right to sit with Him (Revelation 3:21). Wow! We who overcome get this great privilege of being seated with Christ: not only in future glory, but even now (see Ephesians 2:4-6). By His Spirit He gives us the grace needed to overcome, then rewards us for appropriating the work He alone has done... "What wondrous love is this?"

For those of you who have been following Metro West Church of the Nazarene's "Forty Day Kingdom Focus", you will notice that Bronx Bethany and Metro West have been echoing each other. God has been saying the same thing to us all: Give homage and attention to Jesus, the King in the kingdom of God. Immerse yourself in His love, power, righteousness, peace, and joy. Give no room to the evil one. Jesus has all that you need to live the life of an overcomer.

So here we are. I pray that we, like the church in Revelation 3, have come to Christ in a spirit of repentance so that we might enjoy the overcoming life. And, like the company of elders and living creatures in Revelation 4, may we remain completely focused on the adoration of this One: Unique, Holy, Risen, Triumphant, Sovereign... and soon returning.

Sandy, The New York Minute, And You.

During this past weekend's English-language services, Pastor Richie commented on the instancy of God.

It is an important characteristic of God, one that we often leave on the back burner of our minds. We prefer to speak of God's great patience, and we might even dare to extract Second Peter 3:9 out of its context. So we say, "The Lord is patient", and He is. But our Lord is also swift, and His day will come "like a thief" (Second Peter 3:10; First Thessalonians 5:2).

Thieves are masters of the 'quick change'. A thief never gives advance notice-- "Hello Dr. Reid, I'm going to climb through your apartment window next Tuesday midnight and steal all your clothes"-- no. What happens is that you approach life expecting familiar routine, but suddenly find that some external agent has effected an action that produces instant change in your life.

Towards the end of the third service of the weekend (that is, Sunday's second service) Pastor Richie gave voice to the true Christian's prayer: "Lord, change me." Yes! Our Lord is the External Agent whose Spirit can come into our body, His intended dwelling place, so that He might effect righteous action in us that will produce instant change in our lives. What's even more amazing is that He can also effect righteous action in and through those who don't worship, obey, or serve Him. Ask Cyrus. Ask Nebuchadnezzar. Ask Rahab.

There is a catch phrase for those moments of quick change: "in a New York minute". When we say that, we mean "in an instant". In The Key (Bronx Bethany's Saturday night service) two weeks ago, we reflected on how quickly Hurricane Sandy brought profound change into the lives of people in our region of the earth. How quickly? In a New York minute. So, for decades a beach home is intact; then in an instant, it's off its foundation; the next instant, it's headed down the beach and into the surf; the next instant, it's in the ocean. Gone. As if it never existed.

Do you hear God speaking through the hurricane, through His word, through Pastor Richie's sermon? We don't know what we will face in the next hour, or even the next minute. But we are free to cling to our King Jesus, trusting Him to effect change in us by the power of His Spirit.

I love You, my patient, instant, awesome Lord. Lord, change me.

"See, I am coming like a thief. How blessed is the person who remains alert and keeps his clothes on! He won't have to go naked and let others see his shame." (Revelation 16:15)

Ovis Aria.

So Jesus told them this parable: “Which one of you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go look for the one that is lost until he finds it? Then when he has found it, he places it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” (Luke 15:3-5)

To us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

This past weekend Pastor Richie referenced Luke 15 and Isaiah 9. In Luke 15 we see the parable of the lost sheep. The responsible shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep in his pasture, finds the one which had wandered away, and then joyfully places it on his shoulders and carries it back to the fold. And in Isaiah 9, we see the prophetic announcement concerning our Messiah: “the government will be upon His shoulders.”

It is comforting to know that our Lord, the Shepherd who joyfully rescues and carries us, is also the Shepherd who rescues and carries government. He is the One who gives responsible oversight of individuals and kingdoms.

As I have reflected on this part of the sermon, I’ve been thinking of it in light of Psalm 23. Recently I read A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, a book by Phillip Keller that gives helpful reflections from the perspective of a pastor who was also a successful sheep farmer. His book, and Psalm 23, have helped to shape my reflections below.

Why ought we remain on the shoulders of the Shepherd?

The Shepherd is the Supplier of everything we need. There is no need for us to seek another pasture besides the one in which He placed us. He calls individuals and governments to honor the boundaries He has set concerning marriage, society, geography, and ecology.

The Shepherd is the Guide who shows us when to walk and when to rest. There is no need for us to push ourselves into overdrive. He calls individuals and governments to honor the cycles of activity and rest He has instituted for humans, plants, livestock, and landscapes.

The Shepherd is the Executor of righteousness. There is no need for us to justify ourselves; we are made righteous in Christ, by His work on the cross. He calls us to a Biblical view of justice, respect for all, and preferential option for the poor among us (widows, orphans, the financially impoverished, and immigrants).

The Shepherd is the Inspector of our souls. He makes us aware of our wounds and sores, and He does whatever is necessary to bring healing. He calls us to be gentle with those who have been victimized personally or institutionally, and He calls us to be agents of His healing power.

The Shepherd is the Protector of our minds. He sends His Spirit to remind us of His word and warn us of impending dangers. He calls us to do the same: speaking the Truth which is His word of truth, and warning the world when it engages in actions that are contrary to His truth.

The Shepherd is the Owner of our bodies—bodies which are physical and spiritual. He is pleased to dwell in those of us who have completely submitted our lives to Him. He calls us to submit our bodies to Him: supporting all that promotes health, and shunning all that makes people and societies sick (whether physically or spiritually).

In the great hymn “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” (written by Rev. Robert Robinson), there is a profound line: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it: prone to leave the God I love!” Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep have gone astray.” Our tendency, according to Isaiah, is to give in to our sinful nature and walk away from our Shepherd. We foolishly leave the safe pasture and go to dark and dangerous places. But, also in Isaiah 53:6, we are told that our Shepherd-Messiah, Jesus, stepped in to take the full brunt of all the punishment that was hurtling towards us. We have been rescued! We, “His people and the sheep of His pasture” (Psalm 100:3), can be safe in His care. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we learn that peace and contentment are found nowhere else. Yes, Lord, enfold me.

But what becomes of the sheep that wrests its way off His shoulders and leaves His pasture?

Maturation, Or Depletion?

"For the house of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord who commands armies,

the men of Judah are the cultivated place in which he took delight.

He waited for mishpat (justice), but look what he got – mishpakh (disobedience)!

He waited for tsÿdaqah (fairness), but look what he got – tsa’qah (cries from the oppressed)!" (Isaiah 5:7)

So he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘Behold, for three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down! Why indeed should it continue to deplete the soil?’ (Luke 13:7) 

In this past weekend's English-language services, Pastor Richie brought up extremely important points about the parable of the fig tree in the vineyard. Our reflection for today will focus on arboriculture (caring for trees) and viticulture (caring for vineyards), in light of our pastor's observations, that will help us to have a clearer understanding of what Jesus is saying to us.

1. Why is there a fig tree in the vineyard?

Pastor Richie shared with us that God, in His love for us, has taken us and planted us in the place where we can receive the best care: His vineyard. Vineyards are places where careful attention is paid to the growing process, particularly the quality of the soil. As Christians, we are saved not just to stay in spiritual infancy, but to grow into maturity in the faith. (see Hebrews 5:13- 6:3). So, even though we do not "belong" there, God nonetheless plants us in great places. We are the tree among grapes, under the watchful eye of the Owner. He makes sure we receive the best He has to offer so that we might grow up in Him. Do we recognize how God has blessed us?

2. What do we make of the owner's three years of looking for fruit on the fig tree?

Our pastor's first key point, "The people are in God's sight", is not simply a cause for elation. It is also a call to responsibility. God watches over us, protects us, and cares for us. But He also expects to see spiritual growth and development-- so He is looking. Pastor Richie said, and I paraphrase, "God calls us to move from doing the bare minimum to doing the maximum." The bare minimum is leaves; the maximum is fruit. Fruit is the evidence of productive growth. The crisis of the fig tree was that, though it had grown, it had not produced.

This brings up another critically important point. The owner looked for fruit on the fig tree for three years, but the tree was over three years old. Fig trees grow for two to four years before they begin to bear fruit. So, in the case of our parable, we can estimate that the owner's complaint was made of a tree he had carefully cultivated, every day, for a minimum of five to seven years. There should have been fruit. God, our Owner, has cared for us every day. When He looks at us, what does He find?

3. Why "one more year"?

"But the worker answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer on it. Then if it bears fruit next year, fine, but if not, you can cut it down.’" (Luke 13:8-9) Jesus, our Savior, is the One who makes intercession for us, and we are the recipients of His mercy. He has, prophetically speaking, given us an extra year even though we have demonstrated many years of not responding to His care. But in the "fourth year", we experience crisis that is designed to lead to productive growth. Pastor Richie shared with us that the natural disasters we have experienced over the past two weeks are a reason for us to reflect on where we stand with God. God wants us to respond to His care with complete loyalty and obedience. Our pastor said, and I quote, "We need to lead the world in unrivaled devotion. No competing things." Do our lives demonstrate devotion to Christ, or to ourselves?

4. What about the grapes?

In Jesus's parable the owner says, with urgency, "Cut it down! Why should (the fig tree) continue to deplete the soil?" When soil depletion occurs, it does not just affect the fig tree; it affects the entire vineyard. Depleted soil leads to a crop of grapes with reduced taste quality, inadequate growth, and lost vitamins and minerals in the fruit. This is why the unproductive fig tree cannot be allowed to remain as an ornamental arbor: while it is feeding itself (without producing), it is also gradually destroying the vineyard.

In the Isaiah passage at the top of today's post, I included the Hebrew words so we can see how God indicated His displeasure at what ancient Israel was doing. God says, I asked you for something and gave you the specific word concerning what I wanted. Instead, you tossed Me some counterfeit word that sounded similar but held a baser meaning, and you chose to do what you wanted to do. Why should I permit you to make My whole vineyard produce sour grapes?

Praise God, Jesus our Intercessor has spoken up for us. Our gracious God has given us the "fourth year", 2012, in which He has urged Bronx Bethany to engage instant and constant prayer. Let us submit to His digging and fertilizing. Let us produce the fruit He is looking for: fruits of repentance (Matthew 3:8), so that we might live and His kingdom might advance in full strength and power.

Sandy Indeed.

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Richie referenced Hurricane Sandy. The weather event was one in which our region saw, firsthand, the power of God expressed through nature, and the strange ways of men and women in the face of disaster.

Our pastor joked about how he, like so many others, made light of the seriousness of the storm until the storm had overtaken the region. By that point, it was too late for him to get out of his home. Of course, we laughed at the jokes and the funny stories... but upon reflection, maybe it's not so funny. At the core of the joking is an undeniable, tangible reality: People were warned, and people chose to ignore the warning.

The sad part of the ignored warning concerning Sandy was that, when pressed, people would reference Irene, the Category 1 hurricane from 2011 that became a tropical storm as it approached our tri-state region (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut). Their logic went something like this: "The media always makes a big deal of storms and nothing ever happens. Nothing happened to me when Irene came through. There's no need for me to heed their warning this year." Now, two weeks after Sandy, some of those same people are clamoring for the most basic of needs: water and warmth.

Have you noticed Hurricane Sandy was prophetically named?

*People responded to its portent by "burying their heads in the sand", pretending that the storm was not worthy of their attention. In their arrogance and self-sufficiency they chose not to evacuate.
*It sucked homes off the sandy beaches and buried them in the ocean.
*It poured tons of sand into inland residences.
*It changed the "sands of time" for many people, as they experienced financial ruin at a time in their lives where, statistically speaking, they may not live long enough to be able to recoup their losses.
*Just as we humans cannot count every grain of sand on earth, the world's best statisticians will never be able to count the extent of personal loss and sorrow that Sandy executed in our region.

The Hurricane Sandy experience was a living video of our old Sunday School song from decades past: "The foolish man built his house upon the sand and the rains came tumbling down. The rains came down and the floods came up..." and here, we must shift the allegory from the weather event to ourselves. Are we "the foolish man"?

The Lord, our God, has sent numerous warnings to Bronx Bethany over the years. He has implored us, as individuals, to prophetically draw a line in the sand-- the line of repentance. "God, I used to cross the line and disobey You, but I will no longer disobey. I repent of my sins and turn my heart and life completely over to You." But, as is human nature, many have ignored the warnings of God because there has not been an immediate, severe rebuke. We may say to ourselves, I don't need to make any changes in my life; God has never punished me in the past and He will not punish me, ever.

Pastor Richie, as the oracle of God, gave us a profound warning. It is found in Luke 13:1-8. Our Lord Jesus says, for all to hear, "Unless you repent, you will likewise perish."

Sand appears to be limitless, but it is not. We cannot count every grain of sand, but God knows how much sand is on the earth. God knows how much sand is in the hourglass of your life and my life. And God is asking us, warning us, imploring us, to take Him seriously before time runs out. Pastor Richie reminded us that the discussion at the start of Luke 13 was not a conversation with pagans. It was a discussion occurring among those who walked with Jesus-- and He told them, "Unless you repent, you will likewise perish."

A storm approaches. What will you do,
in light of what God has said to you?

The Omen And The Amen.

This is the 666th post of Glossa Water.

Most of us consider that particular number to be ominous-- a sign indicating that something is about to happen that is serious and significant, portentous and fateful (whether good or bad).

I believe it is appropriate that today's post, and the ones to follow this week, are generated from the sermons preached in our English-language services this past weekend by Pastor Richie. The word he gave was an ominous oracle from the Lord of hosts. For the one who asks, "Was the omen for good or ill?", the answer lies in how we choose to respond to the word of God.

Though the oracle was tempered by several jokes, there was no mistaking the intensity of our pastor's message. Titled "God Is Awake. Don't You Sleep.", the sermon highlighted three major points that God has called us to reflect upon during this week:

*The people are in God's sight;
*The government is on God's shoulders;
*The world is in God's hands.

For today, let's personally reflect on these three points and what they mean for us as individuals. Here are some questions to consider as we go through our day:

-God sees me continually: each moment is in His sight, even from before I was conceived (Psalm 139:15-16). Are my thoughts, words, and actions a living video that causes Him to smile, or to grieve?

-God is the one who sets up and brings down rulers (Daniel 2:20-21): am I really trusting God to accomplish His will through international, national, and local leadership? What do my personal prayers for leadership indicate about my trust in God?

-God is the Creator and Sustainer of His creation-- the heavens, the earth, the creatures, and the people (Isaiah 44:24-28). Am I trusting God to sustain me, or am I looking to humans or systems to be my source of sustenance?

Lord God, we thank You that You do nothing without first revealing it to us through Your prophets (Amos 3:7-8). Please help us to hear your omen and obey Your call, that we might receive good things from Your hand. We pray this in the name of Jesus, our King. Amen.

Praise God, For Whom I Lose All Dear: A Wesleyan Prayer.

"Lord, I am no longer my own, but Yours.
Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will.
Let me be employed by You or laid aside for You,
exalted for You or brought low by You.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
You are mine and I am Yours.
So be it.
Amen."
(John Wesley)

Of Cows And Cats.

In one of those "you-had-to-be-there" moments, Pastor Sam told an incredibly funny story during the Sunday services that I will not repeat here. The story was a response to a message from an official who, through a third party, spoke of his dislike of a particular message he'd heard Pastor Sam preach. Though the story was funny, the moral was quite serious. I will give the moral of the story, slightly modified:

Not everyone who you think is disrespecting you is your enemy... and not everyone who you think is loving you is your friend.

In considering the science behind the prophetic, this is an important tenet to keep in mind. Prophetic messages are not designed to disrespect us; they are given to us as a loving warning, kisses from the Son who wants us to give Him a kiss of respect and homage (Psalm 2:12) so that we will not be destroyed in our sin.

More often than not, prophetic messages are ignored not because they are false, but because the person receiving the warning 1) does not like the fact that the warning was delivered to them and 2) does not appreciate the way in which the warning was delivered. This was the experience of the official who didn't like what he heard in Pastor Sam's message. At no point did the official say the sermon was heresy. At no point did he say the sermon was false. The only thing he could say was that he did not like the pastor's message.

Whose sermon is it anyway? God's. 

If a minister is, as Scripture says, "speaking as the oracle of God" (First Peter 4:11), then it is God who orchestrates what is said during a particular message. And those of us who are long-time churchgoers have seen this occur over and over again, through many men and women preachers, across many denominations. The Spirit of God holds the right to even speak to a minister right before they are supposed to preach: I know you prepared to speak on Micah, but there are people here who need to hear from First Corinthians. And so it goes. And in such cases the wise minister will set aside his notes and submit to the Holy Spirit, who Jesus tells us will give His servants His words to say (John 16:13-15).

Will a harsh response from the hearers lead to a retraction of the prophetic warning? No.

Throughout Scripture, prophets and preachers were persecuted after delivering the word of God. Jesus Himself experienced this, even at the outset of His ministry (Luke 4:28-30). He has told us to expect no less (John 15:18 through John 16:4). In the face of persecution, God's servants faithfully proclaimed His word, and His word came to pass. Our only evidences of God withdrawing prophetic warnings occurred in instances where there was petition with contrition (for example, Jonah chapter 3; Second Kings 20:1-11)-- which, in essence, is the whole point of a warning being set forth. God desires that we hear Him and heed Him, so that He will be glorified.

What becomes of those who are offended by the prophetic warning?

John Wesley spoke of this phenomenon in a profound way, so I will quote him here.

"You see the unquestionable progression from grace to sin. Thus it goes on, from step to step:

1) The divine seed of loving, conquering faith remains in the one who is born of God. "He keeps himself" by the grace of God and "cannot commit sin."
2) A temptation arises; whether from the world, the flesh, or the devil, it matters not.
3) The Spirit of God gives him warning that sin is near and bids him more abundantly watch unto prayer.
4) He gives way, in some degree, to the temptation, which now begins to grow pleasing to him.
5) The Holy Spirit is grieved; his faith is weakened; and his love of God grows cold.
6) The Spirit reproves him more sharply, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."
7) He turns away from the painful voice of God and listens to the pleasing voice of the tempter.
8) Evil desire begins and spreads in his soul till faith and love vanish away.
He is then capable of committing outward sin, the power of the Lord being departed from him.

It is unquestionably true that the one who is born of God, keeping himself, does not, cannot commit sin. Yet if he does not keep himself, he may commit all manner of sin with greediness." (John Wesley)

Sisters In Arms.

[Today's post holds synchronicity with a previous post, "Big-Brother-In-Arms".]

There are four faces of the poor: the widow, the orphan, the financially impoverished, and the stranger (alien or immigrant) who lives in the community. These are people that God cares for deeply. In this past Sunday's sermons, Pastor Sam gave a warning concerning how we treat them, particularly widows.

With respect to the definition of what constitutes widowhood, our understanding is that "widows" are not merely those women whose husbands have died a physical death. God also holds preferential option for women who, for whatever reason, are making their way through life without the presence and support of a husband. We see this in Scripture in the life of Hagar, who as a slave was forced to be a surrogate for Abraham and Sarah. Abraham, when instructed by God to have Hagar and Ishmael leave the household, sent them away (Genesis 21:9-14; Galatians 4:21-31) with a few days' worth of food and water. When Abraham's limited provisions were gone, God stepped in with His unlimited provisions. And, even though she had spent years antagonizing Sarah, Hagar nonetheless had the privilege of hearing from God.

But what of the woman whose widowhood is not generated from a slave-master relationship? The curse of Eve, noted in Genesis 3:16, gives us a sense as to why women are particularly vulnerable to sexual sin. Built into a woman's nature is the importance of establishing relationships and rankings. Most women, if offered relationship and rank by a man, will accept the offer-- even if the offer is made outside of the covenant of marriage, thus leaving her in a widowed state. The desire for companionship and significance is so strong that women will give in to sexual pressure and justify disobeying God in order to gain the relationship and the rank. It is only the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, who can bring deliverance, moral strength, and godly character to women who face such pressure.

The crisis of widowhood extends even further. There are some men who, though married, have left their wives with no spiritual covering. How is it that these men, though they live, "widow" their wives? We deduce the answer through First Peter 3:7: 1) they do not treat their wives with consideration as the weaker partners; and 2) they do not show their wives honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life.

Husbands, in the same way, treat your wives with consideration as the weaker partners and show them honor as fellow heirs of the grace of life. In this way nothing will hinder your prayers. (First Peter 3:7)

No amount of fasting, praying, watching, asceticism, prophetic partnering, nor offerings will help the man who has ignored the two tenets of First Peter 3:7. Interestingly, this also ties in to James's encouragement to the diaspora of Messianic Jews: "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16, italics mine)

God has demonstrated preferential option to women in every form of widowhood. He gathers and holds them in His arms. Do we desire to be found "on the LORD's side" (Exodus 32:25-29)? If so, then let our conduct towards widows be an expression of God's righteousness.

Petting Zoo.

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, and kneeling down she asked him for a favor. He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied, “Permit these two sons of mine to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” He told them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” Now when the other ten disciples heard this, they were angry with the two brothers. But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:20-28)

"Pet" is an interesting word with multiple meanings. It is a noun, it is a verb, it is an adjective, it is an acronym. And, in the above passage, there is a lot of "petting" going on, in every sense of the word.

Zebedee's wife. It is significant that Scripture tells us she kneels before Jesus prior to asking Him to pet (favor) her. In this case, Mrs. Zebedee's vested interest was not really in the establishment of the kingdom of God: she wanted to see the establishment of her sons to prominence. And it is significant that Jesus, seeing her kneeling, asks her "What do you want?", because He knew she was not kneeling to ask Him, "Jesus, what do You want?". Not everyone who petitions Jesus is worshiping Him. 

Zebedee's sons. As pets (overindulged children), James and John transitioned into adulthood continuing to childishly funnel their personal desires through their mother. And, like children, they foolishly thought they were capable of enduring the level of suffering Jesus was about to face in His Passion. But if they couldn't ask Jesus a simple question without enlisting their mommy's help, what made them think they were ready to suffer for His sake? Not everyone who says to Jesus "I am able" is able.

The other ten disciples. These other ten men petted (sulked and took offense) at the brash request of Mrs. Zebedee. Their reaction brought to life a "pet peeve" that was lining the minds of all the disciples: the privilege of being with Jesus was not enough. Each disciple wanted to be first in rank. This mindset also surfaced at another point in their ministry, leading them to argue with each other about who among them was the greatest (Mark 9:33-35). Not everyone who sits with Jesus is satisfied with His companionship.

Jesus. Our Lord, long before this incident, had conducted a spiritual PET (positron emission tomography) scan on His disciples and on Mrs. Zebedee. He knew the layout of their inner workings: their brains and their hearts, their desires, their motives. He saw how selfish ambition had jumped out of society and into their faith community, grossly infecting each disciple-- an infection so deep that three years of direct teaching from Jesus was not enough to erase its effects. His assessment? You are supposed to be living according to My kingdom values, but you are still living according to the cancered values of Rome. Purge Rome from your souls and embrace My kingdom.

During this past weekend of English-language services, Pastor Sam warned us of the danger of seeking to be petted (deriving sensual pleasure or personal gratification) through wielding prestige and authority, or through manipulating the weak and helpless. He said, and I paraphrase, "The value of the kingdom of God is servant leadership. Jesus, the One who took a basin and towel and washed His disciples' feet, has demonstrated to us that the greatest among us is indeed the one who serves." And, our pastor asked a question: "Are you seeking to serve, or are you seeking to be served?"

God, please reveal to us the inner workings of our being. Help us to reject the urge to be served. By the power of Your gracious Spirit, cause us to fully embrace servanthood for the sake of Your kingdom.

The American Girl, Year Forty-Six: Jubilee Rising.

"If a resident foreigner who is with you prospers and your brother becomes impoverished with regard to him so that he sells himself to a resident foreigner who is with you or to a member of a foreigner’s family, after he has sold himself he retains a right of redemption. One of his brothers may redeem him, or his uncle or his cousin may redeem him, or anyone of the rest of his blood relatives – his family – may redeem him, or if he prospers he may redeem himself. He must calculate with the one who bought him the number of years from the year he sold himself to him until the jubilee year, and the cost of his sale must correspond to the number of years, according to the rate of wages a hired worker would have earned while with him. If there are still many years, in keeping with them he must refund most of the cost of his purchase for his redemption, but if only a few years remain until the jubilee, he must calculate for himself in keeping with the remaining years and refund it for his redemption. He must be with the one who bought him like a yearly hired worker. The one who bought him must not rule over him harshly in your sight. If, however, he is not redeemed in these ways, he must go free in the jubilee year, he and his children with him, because the Israelites are my own servants; they are my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God." (Leviticus 25:47-55, italics mine)

Last week I quietly celebrated my forty-sixth birthday, and a few days afterwards Pastor Sam and I shared a very brief conversation around an experience he'd had when he was forty-six. Our little chat reminded me of the principle of Jubilee, which we find in the closing chapters of Leviticus. At the heart of Jubilee is the notion of buying back time and obtaining freedom: "If there are still many years, in keeping with them he must refund most of the cost of his purchase for his redemption, but if only a few years remain until the jubilee, he must calculate for himself in keeping with the remaining years and refund it for his redemption." (Leviticus 25:51-52).

This is a prophetic reality. When Jubilee arrives, you will be released. Further, if Jubilee arrives and you have not given the expected years of service, you will still be released, though at a cost: a small price if it's a gap of a few years; a high price if it's a gap of many years. Even further, if these standardized redemptive measures are not honored, you will still be released-- not because you have earned the right, but because it is the Lord's Jubilee. And, though the cost in that last example is not necessarily monetary, there is still a cost.

We in the United States of America now stand on the "post" side of this year's general election. And we are again reminded of this past Sunday's sermon, with respect to what Jesus says are important issues (as recorded in Luke chapter 4:18b-19): "He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." The "year of the Lord's favor" is the Jubilee: a public proof that we have been released from our debts, including our sin debt. Jubilee requires that we, in our freedom, walk away from the familiar. We walk away from the routine. It is significant that the Leviticus passage does not say "We are free": it says "We go free." In the year of the Lord's favor, we get up and go. We, as believers, walk away from servitude to sin and we walk into servanthood in Christ.

But what of those persons who don't want to be free? In proclaiming Jubilee and its implications for God's people, Jesus was rejected by those closest to Him: His family, His congregation, His hometown. "When they heard this, all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, forced him out of the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But he passed through the crowd and went on his way." (Luke 4:28-30, italics mine)

Jubilee is important. Jubilee is exhilarating. Jubilee is costly. Jubilee is coming. 

Don't let it pass you by.

Voting Via The Science Of Prophetic Presence.

I have gained a reputation for taking copious notes during Bronx Bethany sermons... but some of the individuals who testify of my note-taking skills have never actually looked into my notebook! They are using inductive reasoning: she carries a notebook and she's a blogger, so she must be a great note-taker.

For the record, I know someone who is far better than I in the note-taking arena. And mine is not an inductive reasoning; it is deductive.  Why? Because I have seen the person's notes.

As we engage the act of voting today, there will be persons of all sorts of backgrounds going to the polls. For some, their vote will be cast based on inductive reasoning: a single interview; a TV commercial; a vocal inflection that suggests passion or intellect. For others, their vote will be cast based on deductive reasoning: books written by the candidates; a cumulative record of their stance on certain issues; a transparent sharing of data that does not necessarily correlate to presidency, but that offers a glimpse of a candidate's personhood.

During prayer in the third service of the weekend Pastor Sam gave affirmation to God's hand on Bronx Bethany: "Lord, You have formed Your community to be a prophetic presence." Amen. That is what we are.

Prophetic ministry, at the height of its caricature, denotes images of long lines of people waiting to be anointed with oil and given words of wisdom from an ordained minister. It is a sensual image, suggesting that we Christians engage prophecy solely through what we feel. That image is far from the truth.

Prophecy, at its core, is giving voice to the heart of God. When we who are prophets speak prophetically, we are engaged in a deductive act. We have seen the contents of God's notebook. We have heard His word to us. We have seen His activity in the world. We speak not what we think is true, but what we know is true.

Some of us in the prophetic community at Bronx Bethany have the right to vote. Let us exercise that right today. May our voting demonstrate deductive reasoning and prophetic action, keeping in mind that God is Truth (First John 1:6), His Word is Truth (John 17:17), and His Spirit is Truth (John 16:13).

Lord Jesus, may Your truth prevail in this electoral process and in us. Your will be done on the earth, just as it is done in heaven: no questions, no back-talk, no competition. Conform us to Your will.