Renouncing The Spirit Of Miriam.

“Do we think that we would really let ourselves be taken captive a second time by this 'In the name of God, Amen?' That we would let it really determine all our actions, that we, you and I, rich and poor, German and French, would let ourselves be bound together by this name of God? Or is there not really, hidden behind our religious tendencies, our irrepressible craving for freedom and our own will—to do in the name of God what we want, in the name of the Christian worldview to play off one nationality against another and stir them up to conflict with one another? And only now does it fall like scales from our eyes; only now are we overcome by the certainty of the monstrous fact—that we are fleeing from God.” (from the sermon Risen with Christ, 1932, Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

Miriam.

As Pastor Sam shared with us this past Sunday (Lessons for a Holy People: Miriam), Miriam was the beneficiary of profound blessings and insights from God. When she asked, “Has God spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t He spoken through us too?” (Numbers 12:2), she made a valid point. God had spoken through her.

It was the child Miriam who, after Moses’s ‘baby rescue’ basket was pulled from the Nile, took the rescue a step further and spoke with Pharaoh’s daughter—the dialogue that returned Moses back to his biological mother, with a stipend attached.

It was the adult Miriam who, some eighty years later, added a rousing chorus to Moses’s great hymn of deliverance—the chorus that moved the people of ancient Israel to dance and sing the praises of God.

There is no doubt that Miriam spoke (and sang) some words that were prompted by the Spirit of God.

But, our Lord found some things planted in Miriam’s heart that wiped out her earlier commendations. Prejudice. Slander. Gossip. Jealousy. And our dear sister in the faith, even Moses’s biological sister, with her accurate prophetic words and awesome spiritual songs, suffered in her body for her sin. There is the possibility that holy people can, as Bonhoeffer said some eighty years ago (and as our pastor has said for the past two Sundays), “flee from God.” We have been warned, again.

God was gracious: Miriam’s suffering was only for seven days. And His grace extends to us now: we have the chance to simply be readers of this story. We don’t have to re-live it ourselves.

Lord, our public and private life has always been one and the same to You. Lord, show us and show the community what You see! Purge us! Forgive us! Restore us, that we might move forward! In the name of God, Amen.

Miriam. And me. And you.

Whispering At 115 Decibels.

Near the end of this past Sunday's sermon (Lessons for a Holy People: Miriam), Pastor Sam made a passing comment about the similarity between the actions of Miriam and Aaron (Numbers 12) and those of a New Testament couple famous for their disobedience, Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5). Both incidents centered around privately agreed-upon collusion that God chose to make very public.

In the case of Miriam and Aaron, both siblings were verbally reprimanded and Miriam (as instigator) was stricken with leprosy. Her illness was a direct consequence of her actions. Her disgrace served as a visible warning to the rest of the community, whose walk through the wilderness was stalled for a week while they waited for Miriam to serve out her 7-day term of separation from the camp. To quote Pastor Sam, "the whole community was stymied by this foolish action."

In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, both husband and wife were struck down by the Lord Himself. Their deaths were a direct consequence of their sinning against the Holy Spirit of God. As a result, though, the community grew in their fear of the Lord, and there was an increase in authentic conversions even as the persecution of the church was on the rise. It seems that the people of "the Way" were interested in aligning themselves with a God who was present and active.

In both cases, we are made well aware of the danger of coming into agreement with persons whose words and actions run counter to the desire of God. What does Scripture say? "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly" (see Psalm 1:1).

There is another couple in Scripture who provide a contrasting picture: Nabal and Abigail (First Samuel 25). When Nabal spoke negatively concerning the peaceful requests of God's chosen servant David, Abigail refused to agree with Nabal's error. Rather, she used her own financial means, instructed her own servants, and made her own efforts to repair the breach that Nabal had created. End result? Abigail succeeded, sort of... David was appeased, and Nabal was spared from David's sword, but Nabal still died at the hand of the Lord (see First Samuel 25:36-38).

What was then, still is now. In transitioning from the sermon to the altar call, our pastor shared a profound statement: "God specially regards agreement prayer." That is, God takes particular notice when mankind engages in collaborative efforts, whether or not He has been formally invited into the discussion. Given the lessons learned in Numbers 12, Acts 5, and First Samuel 25, we would do well to be very careful about who we agree with and what we agree for.

But wait, there's more! Let's add two more examples for reinforcement:

Remember Babel? (Genesis chapter 11)
Remember Pentecost? (Acts chapters 1 and 2)

Yes, Lord, You are free to show up.

We always live in Your sight.
We always speak in Your hearing.
Oh Lord, our Lord, be Lord of our thoughts, words, and deeds.

Why You're Tapped.

Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married (for he had married an Ethiopian woman). They said, “Has the Lord only spoken through Moses? Has he not also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard it. (Numbers 12:1-2)

A colleague of mine, in referring to the above passage several months ago, coined a phrase: “God has tapped your line.”

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sam urged us to keep in mind that God is ever present. He sees, hears, and knows all things. In God’s realm, which exceeds all we can know or comprehend, there is no such thing as a clandestine meeting or a secret conversation. It's all open to Him.

The community of faith is sometimes challenged by what I will call the spirit of Miriam. We find that our best people, those filled with potential, those who have been firsthand witnesses and proclaimers of the greatness of God, revert to cultural microaggressions when their cultural preferences clash with the life choices of their brethren in the faith.

Pastor Sam referred to the dichotomy of “what they are talking versus why they are talking”, and it is a dichotomy we must keep in mind. The content of the conversation between Miriam and Aaron centered around Moses’s leadership, but the true source of their discontent centered around Moses’s marriage to an Ethiopian woman.

[In the interest of full disclosure, I am an American woman married to a man who is not American. I have heard my own share of comments and criticisms from brilliant, faith-filled people who display an open dislike of my husband’s choice to marry me instead of someone from his own culture. Thank God for Numbers chapter 12. It is good to be able to read in Scripture that this sort of response to cross-cultural relationships is nothing new.]

Moses’s siblings expressed their dislike by making critical comments about their brother’s position as God’s representative. But, God tapped their line and entered into two conversations: the open conversation about Moses’s leadership, and the secret conversation about Moses’s wife.

What did our Lord say in response?

• “Come to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you.” (see Numbers 12:4) The instigator (Miriam), the collaborator (Aaron), and the one slandered (Moses) all stood in the presence of the Lord.
• “My servant Moses is faithful and dependable and trustworthy.” (see Numbers 12:7) In response to the slander of Miriam and Aaron, God counter-responded with His word of commendation.
• “Why were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” (see Numbers 12:8) The Lord indicates to Miriam and Aaron that, if they had a consciousness of the special relationship their brother Moses held with God, they would not have been so unwise as to criticize Moses’s marriage choice.

Well, that was then, and this is now. Pastor Sam spoke very openly about the challenges we face, and how the Scripture served a warning to him: “Sam, you better watch yourself.” We are all in the same boat; we all need to be watchful and prayerful about the role of culture and its ability to subtly undermine the plan of God.

We hear You, Lord, and we heed Your warning. Oh, Lord, may the culture of the kingdom of God be the culture that matters!

Double Exposure.

In yesterday's sermon, Pastor Sam continued his series on Lessons for Holy People. These lessons are of particular importance to us as we go through this season of Lent. Our pastor has placed us in the wilderness with the people of ancient Israel, and we are getting a close-up view of the challenges and dangers that accompanied great prophetic moments.

Last week we reflected on the strange actions of the prophet Balaam. This week, we reflect on the prejudiced attitudes of the prophetess Miriam.

For today, let's read the narrative found in Scripture (Numbers chapter 12) and ask ourselves a few questions.

Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married (for he had married an Ethiopian woman). They said, “Has the Lord only spoken through Moses? Has he not also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard it.

(Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than any man on the face of the earth.)

The Lord spoke immediately to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam: “The three of you come to the tent of meeting.” So the three of them went. And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent; he then called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.

The Lord said, “Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known to him in a vision; I will speak with him in a dream. My servant Moses is not like this; he is faithful in all my house. With him I will speak face to face, openly, and not in riddles; and he will see the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he departed. When the cloud departed from above the tent, Miriam became leprous as snow. Then Aaron looked at Miriam, and she was leprous!

So Aaron said to Moses, “O my lord, please do not hold this sin against us, in which we have acted foolishly and have sinned! Do not let her be like a baby born dead, whose flesh is half-consumed when it comes out of its mother’s womb!”

Then Moses cried to the Lord, “Heal her now, O God.” The Lord said to Moses, “If her father had only spit in her face, would she not have been disgraced for seven days? Shut her out from the camp seven days, and afterward she can be brought back in again.”

So Miriam was shut outside of the camp for seven days, and the people did not journey on until Miriam was brought back in. After that the people moved from Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

1. Have you ever spoken against your spiritual leader and/or your leader's spouse? If so, what was your rationale for speaking against them?
2. In Numbers 12:4 we see that "The Lord spoke immediately": in other words, Miriam had been in a private conversation with Aaron, but God stepped in to their dialogue. What lesson can we take from this action of God?
3. In Numbers 12:13 Moses asks God to heal Miriam. What does this tell us about the character and integrity of Moses?

Second Sunday In Lent: Reminiscere.

“Remember your compassionate and faithful deeds, O Lord,

for you have always acted in this manner.” (Psalm 25:6)

On this second Sunday in Lent, we use the Latin term “Reminiscere” (Latin for "Remember"). Lord, we are longing for You to remember what You did for us in the past… and we are longing for You to do good for us again. 

It is encouraging to know that God's act of remembering is not simply reminiscing. There is also the aspect of looking forward in hope and expectation, a secure knowledge that our God is continually able to move on behalf of those He loves.

We ask not because we deserve it, but because You have allowed us to ask. We approach You by the blood of Your Son Jesus, fully confident in Your ability to see, speak, and act according to Your own Divine will.

What would you like our Lord to remember today? 

In The Cross Hairs At Crossroads. (Or, Joe The Dragon-Slayer.)

Crossroads Tabernacle, Bronx, New York: crossroadstabernacle.com

I must needs stop the presses: Pastor Joe has once again punched the devil in the face.

If I were not a member of Bronx Bethany, I would most likely be a member of Crossroads Tabernacle. Crossroads is a church where God is moving, where His people are listening, and where spiritual and sociocultural strongholds are being named and dealt with.

Last night I had the great privilege of attending a deep, profound, beautiful, challenging play. The Music, Life & Times: Donny Hathaway was a journey into the soul and spirit of this gifted musician whose life and death still speak to those who will stop and listen.

The presentation was a carefully laid mosaic of acting, music, dance, lighting, and audio/video, written and directed by Pastor Joseph Henry Cortese. While I will not give away the plot line (because I'm hoping my readers in the New York City metropolitan area will attend tonight's performance), I will share a few points:

1. This play has confirmed my suspicion that Pastor Joe, in addition to being a great pastor and preacher, is a brilliant Renaissance man.
2. If you have any measure of compassion in your heart, absolutely bring facial tissues.
3. Be prepared to hang around after the play for snacks, soda, conversations, meeting the excellent actors/dancers/crew, et cetera.
4. Listen carefully to the music before, during, and after the play, particularly if you're a professional musician (this relates to point #1).
5. Although a portion of Mr. Hathaway's life narrative is not "Christian" per se, this play is held on God's property in the company of God's people and was written by God's servant. Expect to hear God speak to you as you watch the play.

If you are hungering and thirsting to live out a radical, practical Christianity in a fallen world, this play is a must-see. If you are nominal and mildly curious about what God is doing in the Bronx, this play is a must-see. If you are jaded, bitter, complacent, and/or distanced from God's agenda, this play is a must-see.

Crossroads Tabernacle is located on Castle Hill Avenue near Westchester Avenue (1320 Castle Hill Avenue). The cost of admission is $10 per person. For driving and mass transit directions, please click here.

Just Happened To Be In The Neighborhood?

So the Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “Now this mass of people will lick up everything around us, as the bull devours the grass of the field. Now Balak son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at this time. And he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates River in the land of Amaw, to summon him, saying, “Look, a nation has come out of Egypt. They cover the face of the earth, and they are settling next to me. So now, please come and curse this nation for me, for they are too powerful for me. Perhaps I will prevail so that we may conquer them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.” (Numbers 22:4)

So Moses sent them to the war, one thousand from every tribe, with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, who was in charge of the holy articles and the signal trumpets. They fought against the Midianites, as the Lord commanded Moses, and they killed every male. They killed the kings of Midian in addition to those slain – Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba – five Midianite kings. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. (Numbers 31:6-8)

Balaam was a man who had fame far beyond the region in which he lived. King Balak sent men from Midian to Pethor, a journey of several hundred miles, to offer Balaam money in exchange for undermining the Israelites. And, in requesting Balaam’s presence, an interesting phrase is given by the king: “I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

As Pastor Sam shared with us on Sunday, the Lord prevented Balaam from cursing Israel and instead caused Balaam to speak words of blessing. There are moments when the power and presence of God are so palpable that even persons bent on evil are compelled to move in accordance with God’s overarching plan. However, the true nature of Balaam’s heart is made clear throughout the story in Numbers. In Numbers 31, we even have the curious statement that Balaam is killed by the sword not in his hometown of Pethor, but in the company of the Midianites.

Why was Balaam so far from home, particularly after he had made it clear to King Balak that he was returning to his homeland after failing to curse Israel (Numbers 24:14 and 24:25) ? What compelled Balaam to join himself to the enemies of Israel after God had made it abundantly clear that Israel was a nation destined to enjoy His favor? The Scripture is not explicit about Balaam’s motives, but it is clear about Balaam’s behavior. Moses says, “Look, these people through the counsel of Balaam caused the Israelites to act treacherously against the Lord in the matter of Peor – which resulted in the plague among the community of the Lord!” (Numbers 31:16)

Fast-forward to 2013. There is a question we must ask ourselves: are we accepting counsel from any person who, though capable of accurately speaking the will of God, is at the same time heavily invested in turning people away from the will of God?

At the end of it all, Balaam was killed by the sword. Sadly, 24,000 Israelites followed him in death: they turned away from the will of God and were destroyed by plague (Numbers 25:9). Sin always has the potential to crush not only its instigator, but all of its participants.

The psalmist said it well: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly” (Psalm 1:1a). Amen.

Lord, help us to appropriate Your blessing; give us grace to flee immorality.

Death By Seduction.

As we continue our reflection of the life of Balaam, we see in Scripture that he was relentless in his efforts to oppose the nation of Israel. After his attempts to curse the nation (Numbers chapters 22 through 24) were unsuccessful, Balaam then engaged a strategy that had undermined God’s people earlier in their wilderness journey: sexual immorality.

In Numbers chapters 25 and 31 we learn that Balaam, after being prevented from cursing God’s people, counseled the Midianites to involve the Israelite men in their worship of Baal Peor. Balaam knew that false worship would cause Israel to fall out of God’s favor. To paraphrase our pastor, the people who previously had been protected by God would be lured into walking away from God’s protective presence.

Pastor Sam used an illustration of a fish attracted to the bait on a hook. The bait on the hook is specifically chosen to lure a particular fish into biting. And, interestingly enough, this gimmick always works: generations of fish families have fallen for the same old lures.

There seems to have been a generational challenge sustained by ancient Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. The chief traits of the first generation to leave Egypt were a bizarre longing to return to the land of their captivity, and a continual fantasizing of a life of ease. Their desire for an abundance of food and “fun” wiped out the centuries of their ancestors’ cries for deliverance. So it is not surprising that over their four decades of wilderness-wandering, ancient Israel kept “taking the bait” of seeking to fulfill their desires apart from the plan and program of God.

Our pastor gave a somewhat graphic explanation of Baal Peor. In a nutshell, the Midianites’ worship of Baal Peor was both sexually explicit and a health and hygiene nightmare. But this sick, gross deity was an idol who offered a promise of fertility-- exactly what Israel longed for. It is no wonder that Balaam, with the bait of Baal Peor on hook, was ultimately successful in his attempt to bring a curse upon Israel; or, rather, he finally succeeded by causing Israel to curse themselves.

But, what about us? It is Lent: let us contemplate ourselves as wanderers in the wilderness, the people of God on a journey of faith.

-Are we asking Moses, ‘Why did you bring us out?’

-Are we saying, ‘We’re tired of this manna’?

-Are we demanding that Aaron make us a god like the gods of Egypt?

-Are we blaming our leaders for the plagues our sins have brought upon ourselves?

-Are we willfully plotting mutiny against God’s plan and program for us?

-Are we refusing to enter into the land God has promised us?

-Or, are we alert and aware of the plots of the enemy designed to make us destroy ourselves?

Balaam, and every representative of the devil, has a tackle box filled with lures. Don’t take the bait.

Wrong-Fest.

Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but on the contrary you have only blessed them!” Balaam replied, “Must I not be careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?” Balak said to him, “Please come with me to another place from which you can observe them. You will see only a part of them, but you will not see all of them. Curse them for me from there.” (Numbers 23:11-13)

Although Balaam, from the beginning, knew that God did not want him to curse Israel (Numbers 22:12), he continued to travel with King Balak, offer numerous sacrifices to God, and wait to see if he would somehow be able to curse the nation that God had blessed. Balaam was persistent in his effort to do what he knew was wrong in the eyes of God.

The Scripture refers to Balaam’s behavior as sorcery: an attempt to use the worship of the living God as a tool for personal gain and gratification. God warned Balaam, continually, to stop seeking to do what God had expressly forbidden him to do. It is a warning for us to carefully heed. When we worship, what is the motive? And what is the desired outcome? Are we entering in because we want God to give us what we want, without regard to what He wants? Further, are we seeking to curse what God has blessed?

We need to be open to the voice of God, who reveals to us the desire of His heart (see Psalm 37:4). Our prayers, in turn, must fall in line with the desires of God. At the core of our prayers, every one of our prayers, must be the appeal that Jesus taught His disciples: “Your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.” (see Matthew 6:10) How do we know God’s will? By searching His word and seeking His face.

Are the prayers of our hearts in line with the word of God?

Are the practices of our hands in line with the will of God?

Lord, we long to be seekers and doers of Your will. Help us to always bring You authentic worship and unselfish prayers.

Guest Speaker.

Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” And Balaam said to the donkey, “You have made me look stupid; I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now.” The donkey said to Balaam, “Am not I your donkey that you have ridden ever since I was yours until this day? Have I ever attempted to treat you this way?” And he said, “No.” Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword drawn in his hand; so he bowed his head and threw himself down with his face to the ground. The angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me. The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.” (Numbers 22:28-33)

People who are bent on sinning say, and do, odd things. In Numbers 22 we have a peculiar case study: Balaam (the prophetic man who makes his living appealing to God) is blind to the presence of God, while Balaam’s lowly donkey is able to both see God and speak prophetically.

The donkey, who in this passage is beaten several times and ridiculed, remains steadfast in her determination to not cross the path of the angel of the LORD. She endures the beatings and chooses to disobey direct orders from Balaam because she is conscious of a higher authority.

Balaam has a sad defense for his actions. When the donkey, empowered by God to speak, asks Balaam why he has beaten her, Balaam replies: “You made me look stupid.” Balaam seems to be more concerned with his appearance before his servants than his obedience to God.

When our Lord opens Balaam’s eyes, two things occur: the Lord commends the donkey, and the Lord says something incredible to Balaam. “The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.” In other words, the prophetic man of God owes his life to a lowly donkey.

There are three good lessons for us in today's reflection. First, there are plenty of modern-day Balaams who doggedly pursue disobedience, and who chase after wrongdoing. The Lord Himself stands in opposition to those who seek to act against the will of God. God has no problem defending Himself.

Second, though, the Lord did not prevent Balaam’s donkey from being beaten and yelled at. The donkey’s steadfast obedience in the face of suffering is also a good lesson for us today. We, like her, can say: I see my caretaker pursuing the wrong thing, and I see that the hand of God is against him. So I will not participate in nor support his attempts to cross against the hand of the Lord. If it means I am ridiculed, or even beaten, then so be it.

Third, the mercy of God in this passage is another good lesson. Even though Balaam held the position and the authority, God spared him because of the obedience of the donkey. What an encouragement for those of us who have no authority, but are praying earnestly for the men and women who do. We can ask God to step in, to open blind eyes, to speak words of correction, and to turn modern-day Balaams back to the path of righteousness and obedience.

“Look, I came out to oppose you because what you are doing is perverse before me. The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times.” Oh Lord, thank You for using lowly donkeys to rescue lofty souls.

" Per Mission" Slip.

In yesterday’s sermon, Pastor Sam spoke on the story of Balaam (found primarily in Numbers chapters 22 through 25). Balaam was a curious figure in Scripture. He was a prophetic man who knew how to offer sacrifices and how to petition the LORD, but Balaam was also a man who considered the voice of man above the voice of God. Further, Balaam’s “worship” of God was actually a form of sorcery, a means of attempting to bribe God into executing the desire of man.

Sadly, the spirit of Balaam is alive and well to this day. Are we personally indicted in this matter? Are our petitions to God actually attempts to move God into doing our will?

 

There is a sentence we say in the Lord’s Prayer: “May Your kingdom come; may Your will be done on earth at it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) If our worship is not filled with adoration of our Christ and a longing for the evidences of the desires of God being manifested in the earth, then we are actually operating against Him. Self-serving worship is an action no Christian should be found engaging.

 

Balaam, instead of seeking to execute the will of God, sought to use many sacrifices and offerings in an attempt to “get permission” to curse Israel, even though he knew such action was against the will of God. If you are doing, or seeking to do, things that you know go against the will of God, now is the time to repent and stop fighting against God.

 

For today, let us reflect on a few questions:

 

• The kingdom of God is described as “righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Is my life submitted to the Holy Spirit?
• When people see me, do they see a life of holiness, a life of peace, and a life of joy?
• When God looks at my heart, what motives does He see behind my external acts of worship?

Whose mission are you busily executing?

First Sunday In Lent: Invocabit.

He will call upon Me in prayer;
I will answer him;
I will be with him in tribulation;
I will deliver him;
I will glorify him. (Psalm 91:15)

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1)

On this first Sunday of Lent (Invocabit- Latin for "He will call upon Me"), we take time to reflect on the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. We must not forget, though, that this wilderness experience began with a forty day fast. The devil did not present any temptation until after our Lord Jesus had experienced almost one and a half months of profound spiritual discipline and communion with God.

In Psalm 91:15, we are given a formula:

Communing. We draw near to God in prayer, a two-way conversation in which we offer our devotion and petition, and God speaks in response to our pleasure in Him and our pleas to Him.

Consuming. Our relationship with God is put through tribulation: a test, a trial by fire. As we are told in First Corinthians 3:11-15, this fire reveals whether our devotion is authentic (gold, silver) or worthless (wood, stubble).

Commending. Our Lord, the same Lord who dips us into the flames of testing, steps in to deliver His faithful servants. And, with His deliverance, He speaks words of commendation and honor: "My child, you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore I, your God, choose to anoint you with the oil of joy, giving you a commendation greater than others in your faith community." (see Psalm 45:7)

This is the way of the maturing Christian. We humble ourselves in extended prayer and fasting, and the Lord permits tests and temptations so that we might truly know where we stand in Him.

Do you know where you stand?

Backlash.

"Because of my continued emphasis on renewal and revival, a few relational and leadership issues arose. Already a handful of families had left the church because of the changes that were happening, but now some close friends in the body and in the leadership began to get 'tired' of the revival. It seemed that they were discontent, and whenever they saw me they complained and questioned my judgement or motives. I have learned that there is a big difference between asking a question of the pastor and questioning the pastor.

"At one time these friends were able to receive, but now they were in opposition. Their favorite comments were, 'When are we going back to the way it was? This revival is getting out of hand' or 'You're going too far with this.'

"The decision I had to make was whether I should react to these complaints or stay the course. After much soul searching, prayer, and counsel from my elders and leaders, we decided that at the danger of losing some families, I would continue to allow God to move as He led me. We lost a few more people which caused disappointment because they were close friends, and some of them were influential in the church.

"I continued to encourage people to come to the renewal and revival services, and I waited on God for His direction on when to change anything.

"Was it worth it? Absolutely! We continued to be touched by the Holy Spirit and we grew numerically. I determined to forgive and release those who had accused me so that they could go on to do what they felt they should do... Not everyone will be passionate for revival. Some will find that revival puts them outside of their religious comfort zone. Nonetheless, the barometer of revival constantly reflects what God wants, not what religion dictates. Listen carefully to the voice of God, and stay submitted to godly wisdom, authority and counsel. Stay the course of revival to see God's increase."

-from the book "Living in the Spirit of Revival" by Dr. Ron Burgio

Back To The Drawing Board...

"God has drawn us together, and He has something to give us. He is not ordinary, but extraordinary; not measured, but immeasurable, abounding in everything. There is nothing small about our God, and when we understand God, we will find out that there should not be anything small about us. We must have an enlargement of our conception of God. Then we will know that we have come to a place where all things are possible, for our God is an omnipotent God for impossible situations."

-from the sermon "Men of Faith: The Life That Ventures on the Word of God" by Smith Wigglesworth

HowChurchWorks, Incorporated.

"Faith and hope enter into eternity transformed into the shape of love. In the end everything must become love. Perfection's name is love. But the sign of perfect love in this world bears the name cross. That is the way that perfect love must go in this world, must go over and over again. That shows us first of all that this world is ripe, even overripe, for its destruction; only God's indescribable patience can wait for the end time. Second, it shows us that the church in this world remains the church under the sign of the cross. In particular, the church that wants to become the church of God's visible glory, here and now, has denied its Lord on the cross. Faith, hope, and love together lead us through the cross to perfection.

"When we go out the doors of this church now, we enter a world that is longing for the things we have spoken of here-- not simply for the words, of course, but for the reality. Humanity, betrayed and disappointed a thousand times over, needs faith; humanity, wounded and suffering, needs hope; humanity, fallen into discord and mistrust, needs love. Even if we no longer have any compassion for our own poor souls, which are truly in need of all three, do at least have compassion for your poor fellow human beings. They want to learn from us how to believe again, to hope, to love again; do not deny them."

- from the sermon "A Church That Believes, Hopes, and Loves" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Circuit Maker.

Daniel said (9:2-4) "In the first year of [Darius'] reign I Daniel understood by books... that [God] would accomplish in seventy years the desolation of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession..."

He understood by books what was to come. What books? The Scriptures that he had available in those days. And as a result of his exposure to the Word of God, he prayed. It has been said that God purposes, therefore He promises. And we can add, "Therefore I pray the promises, so that God's purposes might come to reality." God purposed to do something, and He promised it, therefore Daniel prayed. This was his part in completing the circuit, like an electrical circuit, so that the power could flow through.

- from "How To Spend A Day In Prayer", Lorne C. Sanny

Callback.

“Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.” (Hosea 6:1)

"Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding." "Yes, we will come to you, for you are the LORD our God." (Jeremiah 3:22)

“In those days, at that time,” declares the LORD, “the people of Israel and the people of Judah together will go in tears to seek the LORD their God. They will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. They will come and bind themselves to the LORD in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.” (Jeremiah 50:4-5)

The Roaring Of Revival Flames.

This past Sunday, a number of congregants volunteered to fast and pray during this week concerning Bronx Bethany's revival services (scheduled for February 10 through 13).

I encourage us all to continue in prayer.

One of the challenges of revival is that, in some instances, the services have become a form of entertainment, or an opportunity for engagement in cult of personality. We concern ourselves with guest singers, guest speakers, and "entertaining" services, and somehow we lose the sense of urgency of our own need to draw near to God in sincerity and contrition.

Perhaps this year will be different. We have been immersed in several sermons themed "Pursuing Holiness... Promoting Healing", and we are conscious of our deep need for God's holy nature in us, that we might be agents of His power to heal.

I am not sure what more to say, nor am I sure whether anything I say is akin to the dark side of "preaching to the choir". The dark side of preaching to the choir is that, because many nominal Christians have heard this appeal so many times, they have become hardened to the call to holiness. They have enjoyed measurable success while maintaining a mediocre, disinterested attendance to tenets of the faith. They see no reason to go deeper into the life of faith because they are quite comfortable in the status quo, and as such their purpose for attending revival is to do anything other than draw nearer to God.

I have been there. It is a dangerous way to live. In fact, one might argue that it is not true Christian living at all. And, as I sit here, I realize that the temperature of my written words is at best lukewarm, and my appeal a wasted exercise. Who can I convince to change, especially if they can rightly tell me that I am the one who needs changing? Such change cannot occur unless the fire of the Holy Spirit breaks in to the human heart, and it is God's prerogative as to how and when He moves... but, like Elijah, we can pray that God sends a consuming fire that will change our lives forever.

Lord, fan our feeble sparks into a roaring flame.

Living Like A King.

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.” (Matthew 5:11-12)

In the face of persecution, we experience blessing.

“But Peter and John replied, ‘Whether it is right before God to obey you rather than God, you decide, for it is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.’” (Acts 4:19-20)

In the face of threats, we present the Gospel.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. This I command you – to love one another. If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. Remember what I told you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me.” (John 15:16-21)

In the face of hatred, we show love.

'Story Tellers.

"If we're not careful, history can become 'this thing that just happened'." (Pastor Althea)

In reflecting on the celebration of Black History Month/African-American Heritage Month, Pastor Althea noted that we are now at a point in time where many in our population were not alive to personally experience the struggles of the Civil Rights movement between the 1950's and 1970's. For such persons, the "History" in Black History Month is all they know; it's a number of stories read in books, or passed down through oral tradition, but not embraced as real or relevant.

Similarly, there are many in our population whose experience of faith in Jesus is not a personal experience, but a history lesson. They can point to their parents and grandparents and speak of God's love for past generations, but they themselves have not experienced God. During the prayer before the second service this past Sunday, our pastor said that, like Moses, our experience of the glory of God carries evidence: God's glory is reflected in our faces. Something happens to us and in us that causes others to recognize that we have met the Lord of glory.

It is a sad thing to meet people who, though in attendance with the community of believers, have opted not to experience God for themselves. It is also a dangerous thing to behold. As we learned in Pastor Joy's sermon a couple of weeks ago, the kingdom of God has no use for branches that are not connected to the Vine (see John 15) and such persons are on the road to destruction.

Pastor Althea, using the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as an example, implored us to embrace the love of God, righteousness of God, and peace of God that is central to our Christian faith. And, here, we are particularly blessed: we might have missed out on certain historical events, but we still have an opportunity to be drawn in to the beauty of Christ and the strength of membership in His kingdom. It is something we can do today, tomorrow, and every day for the rest of our lives.

I pray that we all will become participants in His Story.

Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it TODAY, when a long time later He spoke through David, as was said before: TODAY, IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS. (Hebrews 4:7)

Spirit-Led Leadership.

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Althea noted that popular culture and media have given the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. a label-- “Civil Rights leader”—but they have failed to acknowledge that it is the Spirit of God who compelled him to speak concerning the need for authentic righteousness, holiness, and justice.

Our pastor, in taking time to share Dr. King’s crisis of faith and the means by which he navigated that crisis, has opened to us important questions concerning our own spiritual development: “Why do we do what we do? What are we not doing that we should be doing? And, is our doing prompted by the leading of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us?”

In Dr. King’s lifetime, the church (and, the Black church in particular) had a keen understanding of the link between righteousness, holiness, and justice. If the Spirit of Christ resided in a life, then there were to be some external evidences of His residence: 1) the capacity to love; 2) the urgency to speak truth to powers and principalities; 3) the choice to live one’s life in accordance with Biblical values; 4) the necessity for one to personally take action in support of God’s expectations and desires for His people.

How does this look in our present-day world? Our pastor gave the example of the disparity in medical care, where the speed of care and the measure of compassion varies by zip code. What do we, as Spirit-filled Christians, do? Is our role to simply say “Well that’s just the way things are”, or is our role to seek the face of God concerning His desire for our local church’s role in addressing such inequities?

It is so appropriate that Bronx Bethany’s theme for this year (Pursuing Holiness…Promoting Healing) emerges after years of themes devoted to the issue of transformation. When we have been infilled and empowered by the Spirit of God, then it is He who equips us to experience His peace and power, to pray according to His will, and to act according to His word. It is not hard to long for holiness if one has been seeking the transformative presence and power of God.

What can we do today in pursuit of holiness and in promotion of healing? Let’s ask God to show us.

(Forty Minus One) Times Two.

"What does faithfulness of the church-community of Christ mean here other than calling out into this furious raging again and again-- unto exhaustion, unto humiliation, unto martyrdom-- the words of Christ that there should be peace, that there should be love, that there should be blessing, and that He is our peace, and that God is a God of peace? And the more they rage, the more we should call out." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

When I think of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I often find myself also thinking of Bonhoeffer. Both were, in their day, young men who noticed injustices in their communities. Both entered ministry at a young age. Both found themselves compelled by the Spirit of Christ to speak out to their communities, urging their congregants and constituents to live according to the complete, true word of God. Both men experienced imprisonment and martyrdom. Both men died at the age of thirty-nine. Both men continue to live and speak through the written words they left behind.

Both men carried a similar message to the Christian churches of their day. Their message remains. It is encapsulated in a question that was reinforced by Pastor Althea during this past Sunday's sermon: How can one claim to have love for God, yet at the same time show such disdain and hatred for one's brothers in the faith?

There is an old saying that, in the United States of America, Sunday at eleven o'clock is the most segregated hour. The face of "corporate" worship is colored by culture, class, ethnicity, education, music, and more. And we, each doing our own thing in our own corner, are quick to say that we love God deeply and exclusively. But somehow, the love wears thin when our Lord challenges us to love our brother who is unlike us. We rage over temporal things. We ignore the call to become agents of blessing. And, from time to time, our raging drives out the very people whom our Christ died to save.

Rev. Dr. King said it succinctly: It's not that people don't know how to love; it's that they lack the power to love. If we are not transformed by the Spirit of Christ, we will continue to rage over carpet colors, sermon lengths, and music volumes. Our eyes and ears will not be sensitive to the cry of the lost souls who are desperate for an encounter with the living God. And, ultimately, we will be expected to give an account of the deeds we have done. May God help us to reflect His goodness in the community, the nation, and the world.

Lord, give us the grace of Your Spirit, that we might be beacons of Light drawing others to You.

A Holy Love.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whosoever believeth in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

"The church [during the Civil Rights era] understood that it was called out to do something for God." (Pastor Althea)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Althea spoke of the writings of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a practical example of the work of holiness in the life of the Christian. As we draw near to God in pursuit of holiness, God speaks to us concerning our life and the life of our community, state, nation, and world. And, as He speaks to us, we experience the crisis of faith concerning the authenticity of our love for God and each other.

Our pastor asked us the same question Dr. King asked himself: "How do I love the person who has assaulted me?" In and of ourselves, we cannot. It is only the power of God, the grace of God, and the love of God operating in us that can bring us to a place of authentic love for the unlovely.

One of the astounding aspects of the love of God for the world is that He made provision for our deliverance even though we, in our sinful state, had no desire or interest in being delivered. God made the provision first, then gave us the opportunity to accept what He had already done.

For those of us who have accepted His offer of deliverance, God has empowered and called us to be a prophetic presence in the Bronx and in the world. We express His goodness by loving as He loved. That is, we take the initiative; we lead the way; we demonstrate to the community what it means to love the unlovable; we love in accurate reflection of our great God, who is Love.

There is a particular Power resident in us which gives us the capacity for such a love. It is the power that raised Jesus from the dead. It is the power of the Holy Spirit. He is the power that is so desperately needed by the people of the world, so that our world of hatred and self-centeredness can be transformed into a world of authentic love for God and for one another.

Yes, holiness is what we long for. Lord, it is only by Your Spirit that we can love the unlovely: pour Your grace into us, that we might live this life of love.

Prepare To Live Again: Revival Meetings 2013.

As we anticipate our Revival Services at Bronx Bethany February 10 through 13, let us take time over the next week to prayerfully prepare for these special services. I pray that the words of Richard Owen Roberts (listed below) will be a help to us as we contemplate revival.

1. When prayer ceases to be a vital part of a professing Christian's life, revival is needed.
2. When the quest for biblical truth ceases and one grows content with the knowledge of eternal things already acquired, there is need for revival.
3. When the biblical knowledge possessed or acquired is treated as an external fact that is not applied inwardly, revival is needed.
4. When earnest thoughts about eternal things cease to be regular and gripping, revival is needed.
5. When the services of the church lose their delights, revival is needed.
6. When pointed spiritual discussions are an embarrassment, revival is needed.
7. When sports, recreation, and entertainment are a large necessary part of one's lifestyle, revival is needed.
8. When sins of the body and mind can be indulged without an uproar in one's conscience, revival is needed.
9. When the aspirations for Christ-like holiness cease to be dominant in one's life and thinking, revival is needed.
10. When the acquisition of money and goods becomes a dominant part of your thinking, and lifestyle, revival is needed.
11. When you can mouth religious songs and words without heart, revival is needed.
12. When you hear the Lord's name taken in vain, spiritual concerns mocked, and eternal issues flippantly treated, and not be moved to indignation and action, revival is needed.
13. When you can watch degrading movies and television and read morally debilitating literature, revival is needed.
14. When breaches of peace in the brotherhood are of no concern to you, revival is needed.
15. When the slightest excuse is sufficient to keep you from spiritual duty and opportunity, revival is needed.
16. When you've become content with your lack of spiritual power and no longer seek repeated encouragements and power from on high, revival is needed.
17. When you pardon your own sin and laziness by saying "The Lord understands and remembers that we are dust," revival is needed.
18. When there is no music in your soul and no song in your heart, the silence testifies that revival is needed.
19. When you adjust happily to the world's lifestyle, your own mirror will tell you the truth that revival is needed.
20. When injustice and human misery exist around you and you do little or nothing to relieve the suffering, revival is needed.

Is This Seat Taken?

In considering Pastor Joy's statement "The Lord wants us to involve Him in every thing we're doing", it is good to reflect on the truth revealed in Psalm 25:14. The NET Bible notes translate the Hebrew text as follows: "The advice of the LORD belongs to those who fear Him; and His covenant, to make them know."

Who gets to hear the advice of God? Those who fear Him.
Who gets to know God? Those who are in covenant with Him.

The good news, which our pastor shared with us, is that our Lord wants us to enjoy true intimacy with Him. The Lord wants us to be aware of the ways of His kingdom. He is ready to embrace us and reveal Himself to us. He is prepared to answer the deep questions in our hearts.

But, are we ready to sit with Him? I pray that we are.

In John chapter 15, we see the incredible privilege the Eleven disciples had (as we mentioned earlier this week, Judas Iscariot was not present for the discourse): what an honor to be able to receive counsel from God. For those who long for intimacy with God, the cost of the counsel is high but sweet. Joyful obedience to God. Authentic repentance. Continual renouncing of self and sin. Happy endurance of sufferings. As Pastor Joy said, "Nobody's perfect, but our faces must be perfectly turned towards the living God."

Amen. Let us turn to Him, that we might learn from Him.

Lord, I love You and reverence You. Lord, I am in full agreement with all that You say and do. Lord, I have no other agenda but Yours. Lord, You have no competitor, no rival dividing my heart. So here I sit. Fill me with Your Presence, speak Your mysteries to me, tell me Your secrets. I will hear; I will heed.