Art, And Signs Of Propulsion.

"We all just have a short window of history to live in... God wanted you here at this time." -Reverend Art Alexander

"Get ready! Cross the Jordan River!" (from Joshua 1:2)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Art reminded us that Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene is in a kairos moment. He shared with us that now is our time to move into the future; to go where we have never been before; to cross the river.

Our guest pastor used Joshua chapter 1 to illustrate where we are today. Moses's work was finished, and Joshua was called to take the people of God into new territory. As a community of faith and as individuals in the Christian faith, we are grateful for the generations who laid the groundwork for where we are today. But our God has called us beyond gratitude for the past; He has called us to take steps forward, moving into the new things He has ordained for us.

We have a strong sense of our corporate act of moving forward. It's a tangible thing: a building to serve our growing population of children, teens, and young adults. But what of our individual acts of moving forward? Are you and I aware of what God has asked us to move into? Are we prepared to face our own Jordan Rivers that God has called us to cross over, even though they rage at flood stage?

Today, I pray that Pastor Art's words will resound in our hearts: God wanted us here at this time. So here we are. And He has things for us to do, beginning with the scary, necessary, prophetic act of crossing the Jordan. We cross for our church. We cross for our community. We cross for ourselves.

Get ready.

Lord God, we trust You unequivocally. We will take steps forward, crossing our Jordan and believing in Your power to tame the raging current. Take us into a new place in You.

Art-postolic.

This past Sunday's guest speaker, Reverend Art Alexander, spoke to us under an apostolic anointing and gave voice to the deep concerns of our hearts. Pastor Art took pages from the life of Joshua and transplanted them into our own lives, giving us insights and counsel to help us in our individual walks of faith. Today, let's consider one point that Pastor Art unpacked for us:

• If you want to be used of God, let go of doubt.

"If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won't correct you for asking. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can't make up your mind, and you surely can't be trusted. So don't expect the Lord to give you anything at all." (James 1:5-8, Contemporary English Version, italics mine)

Pastor Art said to us, "A lot of people believe their doubts and doubt their beliefs." Every day we face the hazards of life with competing voices in our heads: the words of knowledge from God and God's faithful servants and God's written word clash with the voices of discouragement and hopelessness. For some of us, this has become a constant fight. And, like the description found in James chapter 1, we have become completely untrustworthy. Our faith is so wishy-washy that no one, not even God, will position themselves to respond to our needs. Why? Because our actions say, "Well, Lord, we're here in church and we read the Bible and pray, but we really don't trust You; we have to try to make our own solutions."

Severe pressure has a way of causing us to doubt ourselves. Pastor Art noted some of the issues faced by Joshua: he was the successor to Moses, Israel's famed leader. He was tasked to lead battles against several enemy nations. He had to lead hundreds of thousands of people into unfamiliar territories. All his mentors and colleagues had died in the wilderness except for Caleb. Joshua, feeling the pressure, came into his promotion filled with doubt.

Doubt is a slippery slope that often results in fear. Perhaps that is why God, in calling Joshua to leadership, repeated the admonition to not be afraid. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

What about you? Where is your heart today? Are you afraid? Are you terrified? Are you discouraged? Is there one area of your life where you feel that failure is imminent? Take heart, and appropriate the word of the Lord to Joshua: it is a word for all of us. Be strong. Be courageous. Be careful to obey the law of the Lord. Be diligent in meditating on His word. Be happy and eager to do what God says. Be filled with faith.

Lord, You know our hearts. You know who trusts You and who doubts You. Give us grace to always be found as Your trusting and trustworthy servants. We give to You the areas of our lives in which we have been doubting and wavering. You, our Captain, have called and equipped us; we will do as You say. We love You exclusively. We trust You unequivocally. We give ourselves to Your service completely.

Joshua... And You.

For several years, the story of Joshua has cycled through Bronx Bethany: from time to time, guest speakers will pass through and remind us of God's word to Joshua. It's an old story that some of us are very familiar with.

One of the dangers of "old stories" is that, after a few rounds of hearing them, we stop listening to the words. We stop asking God to show us new things. We start assuming that because we have heard the passage before, God must be repeating it for some other person and not us.

In Sunday's sermons, Reverend Art Alexander spoke from Joshua chapter 1. The temptation is to solely ascribe the message to persons in leadership positions; however, it is a message for every person who heard. As Pastor Art shared, we cannot exclude ourselves from the call of God because of assumptions about our age, station in life, or preparedness for the task.

For today, let's read Deuteronomy 34:9 and Joshua 1:1-9, taking the time to think about what these passages say to us.

What has God granted to you?
What has God asked you to do?
How have you responded to God?

Rest And Restitution.

"Every valley will be exalted; every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places plain." (Isaiah 40:4)

As Bronx Bethany continues its weekend-long commemoration of forty-nine years in ministry, she also eagerly awaits year fifty. In last night's Anniversary Service Pastor Sam reminded us of Leviticus 25, the passage in which Jubilee is explained. Our pastor shared that after year forty-nine, we enter into Jubilee; we stand back and see God work; and no one else can take the credit.

One of the joys of Jubilee is that we are reminded that God owns us. For those of us who are completely and exclusively His, we rest in the knowledge of God's ability to do whatever He pleases, on behalf of His own name.

Today, let's revisit Leviticus 25 and meditate on its messages to us:

• There is a time to let go of the things we've corralled.
• No one, and nothing, is dispensable.
• God will cause our land, literally and figuratively, to rest and to be replenished.

God bless you as you worship and obey our great God, our Lord of the Jubilee.

Forty-Nine And Doing Fine.

This weekend, Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene celebrates forty-nine years of ministry.

Thus far, Bronx Bethany has remained in the same geographic location. We believe that God has called our local body of believers to serve Him by serving the community in the Northeast Bronx, and that is where our local church will be based unless He says otherwise.

Our challenge, though, is that although we are called to rest in a particular geographic location, we are never called to rest on our laurels. It is fun and perhaps even appropriate to spend the entire weekend celebrating what God has done for us over the past forty-nine years. But we must also remain open to the call of God concerning the new things He wants us to do as we approach year fifty and beyond.

There is much I could say about particular programs or outreach efforts, but I think it might be more expedient to ask one question: If you worship at Bronx Bethany, are you moving forward with what God has chosen to establish in Bronx Bethany?

And, for those readers who are not members of Bronx Bethany, the essence of the question stands. Do you want to be found doing what God has asked His people to do? Or, are you exerting energy toward the undermining of His work?

Today, I invite us all to reflect on the first chapter of Second Thessalonians. May it teach us as we consider God's goodness toward His churches, His communities, and His people.

Lord, Ruler and Owner of all things, You have blessed Bronx Bethany! You have kept it alive and thriving these forty-nine years. We pray that You will always find her faithful to Your word, joyfully obeying every command You have given. We are deeply grateful for Your love toward us. Live in us. Work though us. Keep us holy. We are so happy to be identified with Your Son, Jesus, whose work on the cross bought our triumph. We ask that Your Spirit of truth will help us accurately represent You in the Bronx and in the world, to the glory of Your Name. Amen.

"Where Is Your God Story?"

This past weekend our guest speaker, Dr. Herman Norman, shared with us that our faithful obedience to God results in a "God Story": that is, we will be able to share our testimony of the miracles God has done on our behalf.

Dr. Norman said, "You can  have both Heaven and heaven on earth with a God Story." He referenced Luke 18:28-30, in which Jesus assures his disciples that their sacrificial giving will be recognized and rewarded by God Himself.

"I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life." (Luke 18:30)

It's wonderful news! But, it is a promise reserved only for those who give all. As our guest speaker shared, the God Story cannot be told by those who stay in the boat. Like Peter, who obeyed Jesus's call to step out of the boat in spite of the raging winds (see Matthew 14:22-33), we must have ears open to hear and hearts willing to follow our Lord.

Do you have a God Story?

Lord God, some of us are like Peter: we can honestly say that we have left everything we had in order to follow You. Thank You for Your promise of abundant supply, a testimony to us and to the world that You care for Your servants. We are grateful for Your provision, sent on Your timetable, to the glory of Your name.

Circumstance And Evidence.

On this past Sunday, Dr. Norman shared part of his testimony concerning his response to God’s call to give. Our guest speaker said that when God asked him to give more to ministry efforts, his initial response was to look at his circumstances. The extreme indebtedness of his family, along with the looming costs of three children nearing college age, initially caused Dr. Norman to take a negative stance toward giving to God.

Are we in the same situation today?

Our God has called Bronx Bethany to prepare a building for the children and youth of our community. Our prayer is to raise at least another $250,000 (or, ideally, $450,000) by next Sunday. We are challenged, individually and corporately, to band together and give towards this goal.

Do you see it happening? Or do you see a thousand reasons why it can't or won't happen?

Dr. Norman reminded us that the apostle Paul did not browbeat any of the churches he visited. Instead, Paul had this stance toward giving: Friends, do what you can with what you have. That is our task. And that is what we do, regardless of our individual circumstances.

We can do this because, far above the realm of circumstances, we see life through the realm of faith. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1)  Those of us who were in last weekend's English-language services heard testimonies, some in person and some on video, of men and women whose faith in God's power transcended their seemingly hopeless circumstances.

In the midst of indebtedness, the Spirit of God inspired Dr. Norman and his family to embrace the grace of giving. They eventually obeyed by faith and through action, and experienced the joy of doing what God led them to do. If our giving is, as our speaker said, a spiritual decision, then we can rest in God regardless of the circumstances we face.

Have faith. Trust God.

Lord God, I pray that You will encourage us to give.  You, great Giver of life and all good things, have called Your children to reflect Your character. We pray that You will transform and change us from obligated donors to joyful givers.

A Message: Two: You.

Over last weekend's English-language services Bronx Bethany had a guest speaker. Dr. Herman Norman returned to us to encourage us in the Lord as we continue our Lifestyle Stewardship Capital Campaign. Dr. Norman shared with us that there was a time where the apostle Paul visited churches and asked them to give, then visited again a year later for a "progress report." Our speaker, who returned after a two-year absence, quipped, "I'm a year late."

Can you remember the previous two years of our lives? Some members of our church have moved; some have obtained new or better employment; some have become unemployed. But whether our lives have changed drastically or stayed the same, we as a community of faith continue to embrace this call to give.

Dr. Norman brought to our remembrance one of the sayings of our campaign: "Not equal giving, but equal sacrifice." He also noted that the apostle Paul was very frank in stating that his "giving" churches were in fact extremely poor, yet they gave joyfully to the work of the Lord.

Today, the Lord brings us to His side and asks us to confess where we stand concerning giving to His work. Yes, He already knows the answer. But He has given us confession as a means of spiritual discipline. We have the privilege of being open and transparent in the presence of our Lord who loves us. Will you take time to talk with Him today about your attitude toward giving to Him?

Lord God, give us the grace we need to give to You with authentic joy and gratitude.

And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. (Second Corinthians 8:1-2)

"Jam" Session.

Jimmy Jam (center). Audio Engineering Society Convention 2013. (Photo credit: Ramon Zuniga)

Forget what happened long ago! Don't think about the past. I am creating something new. There it is! Do you see it? I have put roads in deserts, streams in thirsty lands. (Isaiah 43:18-19)


This year I attended the Audio Engineering Society convention. I could not afford the All-Access registration, but was able to get a free badge for the exhibits and a few other events. One of those events was a keynote address by Jimmy Jam. Though his business partner Terry Lewis was not there, Jimmy Jam shared both their hearts concerning the intersection of songwriting, recording, engineering, and producing.

In the 1980's, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were in Minneapolis earning less than $200 per week and spending their own money to fly to Los Angeles on weekends, bunking at a friend's home and recording tracks in the bathroom (the only room in the home with good acoustics). Their early work, often hailed as "innovative", was often done with minimal equipment under less than optimal conditions. They did their best with what they had. One day, though, "the new" appeared. Their work garnered public notice. The early days of limitation vanished. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis became as well-known as the artists whose works they produced.

Fast-forward thirty years: Jimmy Jam, who has every right to rest in his accomplishments of the past, spoke of the importance of seeing "the new" of today. There are new songs to write, new tracks to record, new technologies to learn. He said, "See which way the wind is blowing today, and adjust your sails accordingly." In other words, Embrace the new. Navigate the new. Strong winds may be blowing, but you will learn to make your way through them. Don't be afraid.

In reflecting on this keynote, I was reminded of Pastor Richie's sermon. God has said, "Look! I am doing something new. Do you see it?" Our pastor shared with us a wonderful phrase: We serve a God who makes the impossible possible. A God who can take a Casio keyboard, bathroom acoustics, and a young man's love for the recording arts, and turn the mix into a stellar career. A God who can surpass the great things He did for us in the 1970s and 1980s and 1990s and 2000s, and astound us with the amazing new things He is doing today. Our God is awesome.

Today, let's take time to thank God for the new things He is doing in the life of His church... and the new things He is doing for us as individuals.

What's New With You?

Second Kings 4:18-37 gives us the account of the demise and revival of the Shunammite’s son. In her moment of greatest crisis, the Shunammite’s response was to appeal to the man who had given her an accurate prophetic word in prior years. 

How do we react when our God-given dreams die? We can take a few pointers from the Shunammite woman:

• Don’t bury the dream just yet. What looks dead may only be asleep, waiting to be revived.
• Say what God sees. The Shunammite had a wonderful phrase: “All is well.” Even though nothing about her crisis seemed good, she spoke a positive word.
• Stay close to God’s representatives. The Shunammite did not discuss any details with her friends, servants, nor even her husband. She limited her communication-in-crisis to the ones who had been a part of God’s program from the beginning.

It’s pretty easy for us to read (or listen to) the Shunammite woman’s story. Perhaps it’s not as easy for us to live her story.

Let’s be real. There are some things, and some people, that we have completely given up on. There are some dreams that have faded into virtual nothingness. There are some options that we have dropped, because we are tired and we don’t want to waste time or energy on such things anymore. In that light, the word from the Lord through Pastor Richie is an extremely challenging one… but that is the word God gave, and we have to deal with it.

God is the Giver of new life, new hope, and new victories. He holds “the new” in heaven’s storehouses, and we are now in a season where “the new” will become our lived experience—on earth as it is in heaven. God has spoken: it will come to pass.

I pray that the promise of the new will encourage and sustain you.

Even If You Don't See Something, Say Something.

“What can we do for her?” Elisha asked Gehazi. Gehazi replied, “I do know that her husband is old, and she doesn’t have a son.” “Ask her to come here again,” Elisha told his servant. He called for her, and she came and stood in the doorway of Elisha’s room. Elisha said to her, “Next year at this time, you’ll be holding your own baby son in your arms.” “You’re a man of God,” the woman replied. “Please don’t lie to me.” But a few months later, the woman got pregnant. She gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had promised. (Second Kings 4:14-17)

“Don’t get my hopes up.”

What a response to a prophetic word! After all, the woman knew that Elisha was a man of God. She had made an incredible sacrificial offering on his behalf by building an addition to her home for his personal use. And her compassionate service resulted in her receiving a prophetic word. But, as Pastor Richie shared with us this past Sunday, in the face of being told the deepest desire of her heart would be fulfilled she replied, No thanks. Don’t resurrect my pain. It’s too late for me.

Isaiah 43:18-19 says, “Don’t think about the past. I am creating something new. There it is! Do you see it? I have put roads in deserts, streams in thirsty lands.” God invites us to use our eyes of faith to look into the future; to see what He sees; to bring Him offerings of praise and gratitude for the new thing that He is doing in, with, and through us.

How do we respond to God’s promise of doing something new? The easy response is to push away the prophetic word. For those of us who have lived through decades of unfulfilled dreams, it is indeed a painful thing to pick up the promise again. We are weary of the disappointments. We are afraid of being hurt again. We have decided that the dream, as exciting and fulfilling as it seemed, is no longer worth the wait. We are done. In our minds, it’s over.

But Scripture calls us to be concerned not with what is on our own mind, but what is on God’s mind. What has God said? What is His opinion? What word has He put in the mouths of His prophets concerning your dreams?

It’s hard to be hopeful after so many years of disappointments. But in the prophetic realm, we are no longer dealing with the fickle heart of man nor the instability of world systems. We are dealing with God, King of glory and Lord of all the earth. His word stands forever. His word is absolutely trustworthy. And if He says a dream is restored, then it is restored. No riders, no qualifiers. What shall our reply be?

There were a couple other instances of prophetic birth announcements in the New Testament, found in Luke chapter 1. Zechariah responded to the word of the Lord with doubt in his heart and was chastised for his doubt. Mary responded to the word of the Lord with humble acceptance and was commended. In both cases though, without respect to the faith level of the person involved, the word of the Lord came to pass.

Perhaps that can be our thought to meditate on today: The word of the Lord comes to pass. It may take a year, or ten, or forty, but God can be counted on to do what He says. Let us cast away doubt, embrace faith, and rejoice in the good He is sending to His people.

Mary said, “I am the servant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to what you have said.” (Luke 1:38)

Hopelessly Well-Off?

One day Elisha came for a visit; he went into the upper room and rested. He told his servant Gehazi, “Ask the Shunammite woman to come here.” So he did so and she came to him. Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her, ‘Look, you have treated us with such great respect. What can I do for you? Can I put in a good word for you with the king or with the commander of the army?’” She replied, “I’m quite secure.” (Second Kings 4:11-13)

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Richie shared with us a profound insight on the face of hopelessness: When we have had a dream unfulfilled for a long period of time, we opt to abandon the dream.

Like the Shunammite, we can say we are quite secure-- even though we have lost hope.

And, to her credit, she was quite secure. She was a property owner. She had a prominent position in the community. She and her husband had the means and ability to build an addition to their home, giving the prophet a place to rest when passing through their town. She had enough food to be able to, as we are told in Second Kings 4:8, “insist” that Elisha have his meals at her home. On the surface, all was well.

The prophet, though, knew there was an unfulfilled dream buried in the heart of the Shunammite woman.

Pastor Richie asked us a question that I would like us to reflect on today: What is your unfulfilled dream? What is the thing you long for that, to date, God has not provided? What is the petition that, to date, God has not answered? What is the desire that you hold deep inside, that you have not even shared with your best friend? What is the thing you have given up on ever seeing, or doing, or experiencing? Where have you resigned yourself to hopelessness?

Today, we can trim the wick and re-light the flame of our abandoned dreams. It is not an easy thing to do, especially in the face of having lived through decades of unfulfilled dreams. We may even think that, because God has blessed us in so many other areas, we can let go of our heart’s desire. But Scripture says, “Trust in the LORD and do what is right! Settle in the land and maintain your integrity! Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desire of your heart.” (Psalm 37:3-4) We see these verses fulfilled in the life of the Shunammite woman. And God, who is no respecter of persons, can fulfill these verses in us.

Yes, Lord! That is where some of us stand today. We are doing well, but at our core is one unanswered prayer, one unfulfilled dream, one unmet desire. We have resigned ourselves to hopelessness; but You are the God of hope! Please give us Your Grace, the power of Your Spirit, so that we will trust You, do good, and honor You in the way we care for our property and ourselves. Make us men and women of integrity. Pour into us a delight of You. You have promised that as we delight in You, You will give us what we desire most. The dream You planted in us will not die, but live. We thank You for Your word and we receive it today. We love You, Lord.

Exiting Exile.

This is what the LORD says, the one who made a road through the sea, a pathway through the surging waters, the one who led chariots and horses to destruction, together with a mighty army. They fell down, never to rise again; they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick: “Don’t remember these earlier events; don’t recall these former events. Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it? Yes, I will make a road in the desert and paths in the wilderness. The wild animals of the desert honor me, the jackals and ostriches, because I put water in the desert and streams in the wilderness, to quench the thirst of my chosen people, the people who I formed for myself, so they might praise me.” (Isaiah 43:16-21, NET Bible)

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Richie shared with us this amazing promise of God. Our God, who has done awesome things for His people in days of old, calls the people of today to forget about the past promises and look for the current ones.

As Isaiah spoke prophetically to the people of his day, there would have been none there who were alive when God used Moses to deliver the nation out of bondage. Everyone knew the story, but no one had lived the story. In fact, Isaiah’s contemporaries were in the midst of their own experience of bondage. They had been forcibly removed from their homeland, and in their minds there was no chance of their ever returning home. In their worldview, exile was a permanent state.

Perhaps some of us are in the same situation. We are earning less as food and shelter costs rise. We are watching unsaved loved ones revel in their fallen state. We see so-called “believers” hardened to the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit. We are second-guessing God’s promises because, as our pastor shared, years have passed and we have no earthly evidence of the promises being fulfilled. Our current state feels and looks like it’s permanent.

But God has spoken.

“Don’t remember these earlier events.” Don’t dwell on the miraculous moments of old. Yes, I am the God of Moody and Wesley and Wigglesworth and Finney. Yes, I am the God of your ancestors. But I am also your God, and I will do miracles for you. Watch Me send floods to places where rain is not the norm. Look for Me to cut a road in the desert and plant a raging river, evidence to you and to the world that I have never lost My power to act in behalf of My people.

When Isaiah spoke to his people, and they slept and woke the next morning, they were still in exile. When Pastor Richie spoke on Sunday, we may well have gone home to face the same exilic sorrow, lack, and devastation. But God has spoken. We are called to receive His word by faith, even if the manifestation of the promise has not yet come. I pray that His word will encourage our souls today.

“I am the LORD. I am God. I will act.”

A Psalm Of Richard.

From time to time, Glossa Water steps away from its sermon summaries in order to share other aspects of the worship service. Today will be one of those times.

In Sunday morning’s 7:45 service, as Pastor Richie stood to bring the sermon, he shared a few pre-sermon words with us. At that point, I was focused on my own worship experience and did not really focus on what our pastor said and how he said it. But when I got home and had time to reflect on the service (and time to listen to a recording of the sermon), I began to understand Pastor Richie’s words as a psalm of praise. There was a tone, a cadence, and an exuberance that echoed the psalms of ancient times.

So, for today’s reflection, I want to share with you our pastor’s spontaneous psalm. I pray that it will be a blessing to us, particularly those of us whose lives are in crisis. Who knows? God might even give each of us a psalm of our own, a few words from the heart in worship of our King.

“Anybody wanna shout hallelujah with me?

Anybody wanna shout hallelujah with me?

“Hallelujah, Lord. All honor and praise.

Something happens in the atmosphere when the people of God begin to worship Him and to say ‘Hallelujah’,

and to ascribe to Him the praise that He’s due.

Hallelujah, Lord.

“In the midst of everything that’s going on,

Hallelujah.

Like Paul and Silas in prison at midnight,

Hallelujah, Lord.

When everything around you tells you that you shouldn’t be praising,

Hallelujah, Lord.

“Anybody know what I’m talking about?

“When everything around you tells you that you shouldn’t be praising,

and then you just start to praise,

and something shifts in the atmosphere:

And it feels like an earthquake, shaking in this place.

“Bless Your name today, Lord.

Hallelujah, Jesus. Hallelujah, Jesus.

We say Hallelujah to the impossible God.

We worship the magnificent, holy, limitless God.

Hallelujah, Jesus.

Oh God, you are able, you are able, you are able, you are able.

Hallelujah, Jesus.”

(Reverend Richard Griffiths)

Just Saying.

Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing-- if it really was for nothing? Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? Consider Abraham: he believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. (Galatians 3:3-6)

In Galatians chapter 3, the apostle Paul takes time to reflect on the faith-journey of Abraham. Abraham is a profound example of a man who lived as the recipient of God's grace. It was God who sought out Abraham and sent him away from his homeland. It was God who blessed Abraham with wealth. It was God who promised Abraham and Sarah a miracle: a son in their old age.

What did Abraham have to do? Galatians 3:6 gives a succinct, profound insight: Abraham believed God. This man Abraham, who lived and died long before the advent of Mosaic law, lived by faith. We are called to do the same. However, in order to exercise our faith, we need to hear what God has said (see Romans 10:17).

God spoke to Abraham way back then. God still speaks today: through His word; through the preaching of faithful ministers; and through the Spirit that God has given to work in, with, and through us.

Are you hearing Him?

Lovers' Lane.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25)

Pastor Sam shared with us that his sermon series on Galatians will be in tandem with Bronx Bethany's current care group cycle. Between now and Ash Wednesday our care groups are engaging in study of the fruit of the Spirit, and the verses Galatians 5:22-23 are central to the study.

Our pastor shared that, as we go through this season, we will learn "what it will look like when the fruit of the Spirit is present, pre-eminent, and partnering with us."

Let us consider these questions for today:

• Is the fruit of the Spirit, as detailed in Galatians 5:22-23, present in my life? Or, is my life still marked by the works of the flesh shown in Galatians 5:19-21?
• Is the love of God pre-eminent in my life? Do people, when they interact with me, experience that love? (Galatians 5:13-14)
• Do I partner, enthusiastically and exclusively, with the Holy Spirit? Does my life and lifestyle demonstrate a desire to please God, or myself? (Galatians 5:16-18)

Lord, give us grace to daily experience Your presence, pre-eminence, and partnership. Cause us to look, live, and love like You.

Who's In Charge Here?

"God's Spirit in us will move us to do what God wants us to do." (Pastor Sam, referencing Ezekiel 36)

From time to time, candidates running for office will stop to visit Bronx Bethany during a service. I recall an occasion during which a candidate's staff members walked into Bronx Bethany shortly after the start of The Key, which is our Saturday night service.

The staff members walked in and looked around. I noticed them through my peripheral vision, but stayed where I was and continued worshiping the Lord as the band was playing. Eventually, one of them walked up to me with a perplexed look on his face. He said, "Excuse me. Who's in charge here?" I pointed to the stage and said, "Do you see the young man there, playing the piano? He's the pastor over tonight's service."

Looking back now, I realize that my answer was incomplete. Why? Because even though our pastors oversee various aspects of ministry, they in turn are charged and led by the Holy Spirit of God. (It is a good thing to be a member of a church where the pastors are joyfully, obediently under the charge of the Holy Spirit.)

Paul was a man who, from the start of his ministry, followed the leading of the Holy Spirit. "Now I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. For I did not receive it or learn it from any human source; instead I received it by a revelation of Jesus Christ... When the One who set me apart from birth and called me by His grace was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from any human being... I was personally unknown to the churches... They were only hearing, 'The one who once persecuted us is now proclaiming the good news of the faith he once tried to destroy.' So they glorified God because of me." (see Galatians 1:11-24 for full text)

In the Church of the Nazarene, there is a small book simply referred to as "The Manual." Like most manuals, it contains policies and procedures. It is intended to help the denomination function to the best of its ability. We Nazarenes are not alone in this venture: many denominations have published guidelines for its pastors, congregants, or both, in an attempt to outline practical helps as we live in our communities of faith. But here is the problem: when a manual becomes the go-to source for all things at the expense of the word of God and the grace of the Holy Spirit who drew us into the faith, then we set ourselves up for all sorts of problems. The early church in Galatia experienced this phenomenon first-hand, and their situation got so out-of-hand that Paul had to write a letter of rebuke and correction.

And, if anyone was qualified to write the letter to the Galatians, Paul was. He knew that legalism, even through the lens of religious duty, would never produce life in the Spirit. He knew that God was glorified not through the proclamation of regulations, but by the proclamation of God's gospel. He knew whose opinion mattered the most. "Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!" (Galatians 1:10)

Today let's take a look at our lives, and ask ourselves one question:
Who's in charge here?

Do Not Mix.

I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting the One who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: if anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God's curse! (Galatians 1:6-9)

During Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam shared that it is a very serious thing when someone is preaching bad news instead of good news. The church in Galatia, in a short period of time, wandered away from the good news preached by Paul and attempted to adopt a "mixture" of things that don't mix: the sinful works of the flesh, a legalism demonstrated by observation of ancient Jewish law, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Where is our salvation? Certainly not in our sinful nature, and not in our embrace of legalism. It is God who saves. The Spirit of God touches our hearts and opens our minds to the Truth, and we accept the new covenant which was effected by the body and blood of Christ. We can say as Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside God's grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!" (Galatians 2:20-21)

Are there areas in our lives where we have opted to "set aside God's grace", thinking that the Lord will excuse our indulgence of the sinful nature? Are we thinking that engagement in legalistic actions will somehow offset our failure to obey God's word? Or, are we solely grounded in the gospel of Christ, knowing that any other "gospel" is perversion?

"I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you; I will take the initiative and you will obey My statutes and carefully observe my regulations." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

The Walk-Through.

Yesterday, Pastor Sam began a new series that will walk us through the book of Galatians. As has been the case in his past few sermons, our pastor asked us to take the time to read Galatians in its entirety.

Will you read (or re-read) it today?

If you do not have a Bible of your own, you can read and/or listen to the Bible online. Biblegateway.com has dozens of Bible versions available, including several languages, free of cost. If you read without stopping, the six chapters of Galatians can easily be read within the space of an hour. For fast readers, the book can be read in as little as fifteen to twenty minutes.

Lord God, Creator of time, I am happy to spend some of Your time in Your word.

I'm Still. Waiting.

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Martha shared some insights concerning King David that I'd like us to reflect on today.

David's life can be viewed as a series of preparatory cycles. As a teenager, David was anointed king in obscurity. Although David was still too young to serve in the army of Israel, he learned to fight effectively in the secret place of the wilderness, defending his father's sheep from lions and bears. David was then "promoted" to the task of carrying provisions from his father's household to his brothers on the battlefield. Eventually, the day came when his years of training in the wilderness resulted in Israel's victory over the Philistine army... but his victory did not win him the kingdom. Over the next decade, David's tenure as King Saul's armorbearer served as additional, patient preparation for David's adult life as a reigning king.

David understood that he could not save himself. In Psalm 51 we see King David, the successful warrior, confessing his failure to save himself. He notes that 1) he was born in sin; 2) his actions against Bathsheba and Uriah were ultimately sins against God; and 3) outside of God's intervention, there was no way that David could be restored into fellowship.

David recognized and craved the presence of the Holy Spirit. The central plea of Psalm 51, "Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me," shows us that David was aware of the work of the Holy Spirit in his life. As our pastor shared, David knew that everything he had accomplished was not because of his own strength or skill, but because the Spirit of God was working in and through him.

Perhaps we can walk with these three points today: not just as a reminder of where David was, but also as a litmus test for where we are. Are we joyfully obedient to God as we endure decades of training for the works God has in store for us? Are we free to admit that, without God, we have nothing and are nothing? Are we fully submitted to the Holy Spirit, taking on His desires as our own?

Lord God, thank You for reminding us of the life of King David. In him we see our own pressures, struggles, failures, and victories. You say David was a man after Your own heart: God, how we pray You can say the same for us. Make us a people who love You, long for You, and live in obedience to You.

At The Core.

(At The Salvation Army Manhattan Citadel Corps, New York)

Look, I was guilty of sin from birth, a sinner the moment my mother conceived me. Look, You desire integrity in the inner man; You want me to possess wisdom. Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be pure; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Grant me the ultimate joy of being forgiven! May the bones  you crushed rejoice! Hide Your face from my sins! Wipe away all my guilt! Create for me a pure heart, O God! Renew a resolute spirit within me! (Psalm 51:5-10)

I was grateful that, during this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Martha made the connection between Psalm 23 and Psalm 51. In seeing the David of Psalm 23, we are better able to understand and connect with the David of Psalm 51.

There are verses in Psalm 51 that once made me cringe. One of them is "Then I will teach transgressors of Your merciful ways, and they will turn to You." (Psalm 51:13) I used to wonder, How can a rebel teach anything to a transgressor? In referencing Psalm 23, Pastor Martha revealed the answer to my question. Though rebellion was found in David's heart, rebellion was not the foundation of David's life. His contrite confession in Psalm 51 erased the scaffolding of transgression, leaving behind the solid core of integrity and faithfulness expressed in Psalm 23.

Psalm 23, the Shepherd's psalm, reminds us that as a young man David logged many a day in the wilderness. His task was to tend the sheep of his father. Our pastor shared that David would spend his days equipped with "a slingshot and a harp, to protect and to praise." He had an understanding of what it meant to be immersed in authentic worship. He knew what it was to fight against wild animals and prevail. He took these transferable skills onto the battlefield and into the palace, and for many years he held his post faithfully. A series of poor decisions changed his life forever. But, because he knew he had a solid foundation, he was able to petition God with the hope of regaining his core values.

Recently I returned to where my Christian walk began, and to where God built my foundation. Last weekend was the 125th anniversary of The Salvation Army Manhattan Citadel Corps (photo above). One of the hallmarks of the church, then and now, can be found in the lives of men and women who were taught there. The corps has a core: solid faith in Jesus Christ, deep love for the community, passion for holiness, intentionality concerning the preached word of God, and demonstrated forgiveness and reconciliation. Is it perfect? No. But its community of believers does bear a striking resemblance to King David. They are trained in worship and the word. They are on the front lines of the battle for justice and protection of the weak. They are quick to confess and repent. They are teachable, and they are teachers.

I've made mistakes. Have you? Take heart. We can be encouraged today: the God who trained us in righteousness is the God who can restore us to Himself.

O God, creative, restorative, loving King, search us today. Strip away the mess we've made. Restore us, so that our exterior matches our core.

Recall. Restore. Rescue.

Create pure thoughts in me and make me faithful again. Don't chase me away from You or take Your Holy Spirit away from me. Make me as happy as You did when You saved me; make me want to obey! I will teach sinners Your law, and they will return to You. Keep me from any deadly sin. Only You can save me! Then I will shout and sing about Your power to save. (Psalm 51:10-14)

In one part of Sunday's sermon, Pastor Martha noted that David's most familiar psalms are Psalms 23 and 51. She shared with us that David was able to write about the steadfast love of God in Psalm 51 because 1) he knew God's character and 2) he was aware of the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep.

How does a God-loving, God-fearing man recover from acts of lust, adultery, contract murder, and a hardened heart? By recalling the character of God and by restoring his relationship with God.

Psalm 51:16-17 says, "Burnt offerings and sacrifices are not what You want.  The way to please You is to feel sorrow deep in our hearts. The sacrifice of contrition is the kind of sacrifice You won't refuse."

Where are you today? Have you hardened your heart and refused to confess your sins? Have you turned your heart to someone or something that the Lord's Word has instructed you to avoid? Have you plotted the murder of a man's life, or character, by enlisting others to "draw away from him so that he will be struck down"? (See Second Samuel 11:14-15)

No matter where you are, there is hope. The God of King David is our God, and He has not changed. He still hears the petition of the penitent. He still forgives. He still rescues.

Unchangeable God, change my heart today.

Demoted By Man. Promoted By God.

"The School of Brokenness: Few people enter it. Even fewer finish." (Pastor Martha)

Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen any of these." Then he said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" Jesse said, "There is yet the youngest; he is tending the sheep." Samuel said to Jesse, "Send for him; for we will not sit down to eat until he is here." (First Samuel 16:10-11)

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Martha made an observation concerning King David: Like Joseph, David wasn't well-liked by his brothers.

We see a pattern in the book of First Samuel. In chapter 16, we read that David's father did not even bother to call him from tending the sheep ; the prophet Samuel had to insist that David be called. In the seventeenth chapter, we have record of the salutation of Eliab, David's brother: "Why did you come here? With whom did you leave the sheep? I know you are here to do evil..." (see First Samuel 17:17-28)

Psalm 51 is not just the recorded plea of a man who God reprimanded for doing wrong. It is the plea of a man who knows, intimately, what it means to be left out of the equation. It is the plea of a man who remembers what it was like to be tagged as a person with impure motives. It is the heartfelt cry of a man who understands that he deserves to be left out, but whose heart longs to be kept in the company of God's people. It is the prayer of a man who has logged time in the school of brokenness.

Are you there? Be encouraged today. God has not changed. He still hears the petition of the broken.

..."To Rid My Soul Of One Dark Blot..."*

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your steadfast love; according to the multitude of Your tender mercy and loving-kindness blot out my transgressions." (Psalm 51:1)

"Marriage is honorable, and the bed undefiled, but adulterers and fornicators will be judged by God." (Hebrews 13:3-4)

There is an old, sarcastic saying: "Oh, now you want to pray." The thought behind the saying is that when you lived life as you pleased, with impunity, you had no desire to seek God's presence. But when crisis confronted you, then you began to storm the throne of heaven with petitions for rescue.

I have found, though, that for many people this saying is not true. The man who is in love with Jesus will typically be found in constant communion with his Lord. The man who is disinterested and impenitent will typically not seek the Lord's company. And further, the man who seeks God's presence and the man who is impenitent both have the capacity to engage in severe transgressions against God.

King David was a man who, though deeply in love with God, struggled with sin. After marrying multiple wives (among them Michal, Ahinoam, Abigail, Maachah, Haggith, Abital, and Eglah), he then turned his attention to a married woman named Bathsheba. After committing adultery with her, King David arranged for her husband Uriah to be isolated in battle so that he would be killed. David continued his life as if everything were normal, but his fellowship with God was adversely affected. David did not repent until he was directly confronted by the prophet Nathan, months after the incident had occurred.

The Scripture does not tell us why David waited so long to repent of his known sin. But Scripture does tell us of the goodness of God. David was forgiven. David received compassion, mercy, cleansing, and the record of his sin was erased from God's book. It would not be brought against him anymore.

In Sunday's sermon, Pastor Martha shared with us four characteristics of God noted by David in Psalm 51:

• Compassion. God loves, and acts in accordance with His love.
• Mercy. God assesses situations fairly and administers righteous judgement from a heart of love.
• Cleansing. God lovingly does for us what we cannot do for ourselves; He purifies us from sin.
• Erasing. God, in love, opts to erase our confessed sins from our life record.

But there is something else to consider. Although David's sin was forgiven, there was an awful consequence to his sin: "The sword shall never leave your house." (see Second Samuel 12:9-10) For the rest of his life David was in a battle not with nations, but with his own sons. His record of sin evaporated: the consequence of his sin remained.

Today, I am grateful for the compassion, mercy, cleansing, and erasing of God. And I am praying that, in light of sin's consequences, I will never intentionally abuse nor take lightly His love for me. I hope you can pray the same.

[*Today's title is a line from the hymn "Just As I Am", written by Charlotte Elliott, circa 1835]