Observation Check.

This past Sunday’s message on honoring the Sabbath was the fourth sermon in the series “Can My Prayer and Fasting Really Work?”, a series of reflections on Isaiah chapter 58. We have been focused on this chapter during the forty-day period of prayer and fasting undertaken by Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene (January 1 through February 9).

How do we observe the Sabbath? Pastor Sam shared some points that we can remind ourselves of today:

• Sabbath rest- time to step away from our usual routine of work.
• Sabbath reflection- time to recall the goodness and greatness of God in past situations.
• Sabbath repentance- time to confess our failures in trusting and obeying our Lord in the present situations we face.
• Sabbath recreation- time to embrace the creativity and giftedness God has given us.
• Sabbath renewal- time to spend in the presence of God so that we can be made strong in Him.
• Sabbath re-commitment- time to declare our intent to remain faithful in honoring God by honoring His word.

It is perhaps all the more important that Bronx Bethany keep these points in mind as we move away from the contemplative stance of our prayer period. The temptation for some is to mindlessly rush back into their previous way of living life, moving back into the activities and routines that caused us to over-extend ourselves, with no inclination to engage Sabbath-keeping. It is a temptation we must resist with all our strength, with the help of the Lord Himself.

If someone were to follow you around for seven days, would their observation of your life confirm that you are a Sabbath-keeper?

Throw In The Trowel.

At the start of Bronx Bethany's forty-day period of prayer and fasting, there were a few days where the wind chill caused our local temperatures to feel as if they were well below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Although it was bitterly cold, a small group of people braved the weather and came to church for prayer during that time. On a frigid Tuesday evening, as Pastor Martha shared from Isaiah 58, Pastor Sam heard from God: It was not just a Scripture passage for the handful of people present to hear. It was a word to be shared with the entire congregation.

We are blessed to have pastors that obey God's promptings. This past Sunday was the fourth in our series on prayer and fasting, and our senior pastor focused on Isaiah 58:13-14.

The thirteenth verse begins: "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath...". We are called to be intentional in our efforts to avoid the attitudes and actions that constitute Sabbath-breaking. The verse goes into some detail concerning the things we are to avoid:

• "doing as you please on My holy day";
• "going your own way";
• "doing as you please";
• "speaking idle words".

I have wondered about the double emphasis of "doing as you please", and perhaps the answer lies in Genesis chapter 11. Pastor Sam referenced the Tower of Babel incident (Genesis 11:1-9), in which the people decided that they would do as they pleased: build a tower in Shinar (Babylonia). Their reason for constructing a tower that would reach the heavens? "So that we may make a name for ourselves."

Apparently, the people's way to make a name for themselves was to make an icon of exaltation, encroaching upon the territory in which only the name of God was exalted.

That was a long time ago... and that was twenty-four hours ago... and that is right now. We're still trying to build Babel.

We live in a world where we continue to attempt self-exaltation by making inroads into God's territory, seeking to erase His great name and replace it with our own. And, the brick and mortar of our efforts is this act of doing what we please: resting on our own laurels, and making up our own life-rules, in defiance of God's desire for us to rest in Him and obey His word.

Today is a good day to avoid doing as we please.
Today is a good day to embrace Sabbath-keeping.

Lord God, help us! We are surrounded by messages that tell us to abandon rest and to rush through our lives, building systems and social mores that fly in the face of Your love and truth. Today we lay down our bricks and mortar. Why should we build a frail structure when You have already set forth a glorious kingdom? Give us grace to hear and obey You. Give us grace to rest in You.

The Genise Formerly Known As An Artist.

If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on My holy day,
If you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
And if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please and speaking idle words,
Then you will find your joy in the LORD,
and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Isaiah 58:13-14)


Towards the end of yesterday's sermon Pastor Sam touched upon a subject that we often don't discuss out loud: the abandonment of things that bring us joy.

Whether it is art, songwriting, walks in the park, or something else, we are often guilty of having laid aside "non-paying" activities in favor of doing things that will result in some sort of paycheck. It's the logical thing to do: times are hard, and money has to be earned. But in the laying aside of the things that bring us joy, our hearts can become hardened and our countenances downcast.

Pastor Sam challenged us to understand Sabbath rest as not simply a day off, but a day in which we engage in the things that God has provided us for our pleasure and His glory. It is the one day each week that we can set aside to pick up the paintbrush, grab a few sheets of manuscript paper, lace up the hiking boots, or do some other joy-filled activity.

My prayer for us all is that, as 2014 progresses, we can eradicate from our narrative the phrase "I used to be a...".

Are you an artist?
Are you a songwriter?
Are you an avid hiker?
On the day of Sabbath rest, don't do what you please: do what pleases you.
Rediscover, and reclaim, what you are.

Hater Lover.

And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. (Isaiah 58:10)

In this past Sunday's sermon, we were reminded that Isaiah 58 calls us to return to what was once a basic cultural value: sharing and caring.

There was a time where it was not unusual to see people, whether themselves rich or poor, freely extend a helping hand to neighbors in need. However, our pastor took the reflection on neighborliness to another level by referencing Exodus 23.

If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help them with it. (Exodus 23:4-5)

We are called to demonstrate sharing and caring to those we know; to the stranger; to those who love us; and to those who hate us. The Exodus passage, in particular, makes it clear that the act of sharing and caring is risky. It may involve difficult or dangerous labor on our part. It may result in continued hatred or malice being poured upon us from our enemies and those who hate us. Our purpose in sharing and caring is not to gain friends nor accolades, but to make space for the light and love of God to be experienced through our actions. As Isaiah 58:10 reminds us, light can dispel darkness when God's people are found spending themselves on behalf of those in need. It is the sort of light that blesses others, and it is also the means by which our own petitions are heard and answered.

Pastor Sam asked a question on Sunday that I would like us to consider today: When is the last time we shared sacrificially?

Fast. Pray. Share. Care.

Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. (Romans 12:13-14)

Consortium Agreement?

Then you will call out, and the Lord will respond;

you will cry out, and he will reply, ‘Here I am.’

You must remove the burdensome yoke from among you

and stop pointing fingers and speaking sinfully. (Isaiah 58:9, NET Bible)

Sunday’s sermon was the third in the series “Can My Prayer and Fasting Really Work?”, a series we have been focused on during this forty-day period of prayer and fasting being undertaken by our local church (January 1 through February 9). We have learned that our time of praying and fasting is not merely a season of petitioning God, but is a season of petitioning in tandem with obedience to God.

Pastor Sam shared with us an important point concerning prayer and fasting for the Christian: our prayer and fasting must be “accompanied by essential features that God looks for among those who identify themselves as His people.” The Scripture reveals to us these essential features. At Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene, we have been taking time to reflect on the essentials as recorded in Isaiah chapter 58.

In verse 9 of the chapter, we note that God warns us against finger-pointing and malicious talk. Our pastor referred to this sort of behavior as a diabolic consortium. It is the sort of behavior that moves Christians into an alliance with the devil himself, whose way of existence is to accuse and find fault with people.

The challenge with abandoning accusation and malice is that, for some in our community, it is culturally appropriate to find fault and express displeasure. The knee-jerk response is to, as our pastor said, “wake up in the morning and find something to be critical about.” However, we are encouraged by Scripture to change our ways, abandon our habit and/or cultural heritage of pointing out others’ faults, and instead seek God’s help in redeeming us from our own faults.

Do we long to be expressions of God’s character in the earth? Then let us resign from membership in the diabolic consortium.

Trade blaming for blessing.

May I Have Your Attention Please?

"You wonder why the LORD pays no attention when you go without eating and act humble." (Isaiah 58:3a, Contemporary English Version)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam noted a few reasons that we sometimes do not receive a response from God:

We are praying for things that have potential to hurt us. Our pastor noted: "We will not get God to give us that which is harmful for us simply because we are throwing a tantrum, because we are not eating for forty days, and because we have gotten our friends to agree that we are going to make a lot of noise. There are some things that it is not in your interest to get it... If you persevere in prayer, He will take you to where you should be."

We are not petitioning God for the thing we claim to want. Pastor Sam reminded us of James 4:2b: We do not have because we do not ask God. If God were to give us something we did not ask Him for, we may think we gained it because of our own intellect or beauty or strategy. Our Lord's desire is that we continually seek after Him, trusting Him to work out His will in us.

We are asking God for things that we will only use to satisfy our own lusts. In James 4:3 we are shown what it means when a person is "asking amiss": the reason for the petition is not to honor God, but to engage in promotion of self or in the denigration of another. Our pastor referenced Genesis 4:1-7: Cain opted to give a self-serving offering rather than the offering which God had ordained as satisfactory to Himself. The result? God did not regard Cain's offering.

Do we find ourselves in a position today where it seems God is not regarding us or the prayers we offer? Let us examine our hearts. Let us spend time in the presence of our Father. Let us wait on Him in prayer. He will open our eyes and hearts to recognize His interests, and to pray according to His will.

Checkout Lines.

In last Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam noted that the word of the Lord through Isaiah (see Isaiah 58:6-9a) was echoed in the New Testament. As we close out this week of reflection on God's chosen fast, let's take time to remember what Jesus said in Matthew 25.  

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ Then he will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Matthew 25:31-46, NET Bible

Out Of The Box.

"You know, some people don't even buy a Bible. They just buy a promise box." -Rev. Dr. Sam Vassel

In this past Sunday's sermon, our pastor noted that, generally, the promises of God are presented in tandem with certain prerequisites. In order for our fasting to be effective, we must live our lives in obedience to God's will.

Isaiah 58:3b notes: "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers." These two factors, selfishness and exploitation, move the people of God into positions where they no longer meet God's prerequisites for effective fasting.

There's nothing wrong with buying a promise box, and nothing wrong with memorizing encouraging Scriptures. But I pray that we all will also take heed of the prerequisites that will bring God's promises into being. Isaiah 58:6-7 informs us: Loose the chains of injustice. Untie the cords of the yoke. Set the oppressed free. Break every yoke. Share food with the hungry. Clothe the naked. Do not turn away from your relatives.

Do we want our light to break forth like the dawn?
Do we want our healing to quickly appear?
Do we want our righteousness to go before us?
Do we want the glory of our LORD to be our rear guard?
Then let us honor the prerequisites God has set into place.

Pulling Compassion Out Of Depression.

Share your food with everyone who is hungry; share your home with the poor and homeless. Give clothes to those in need; don't turn away your relatives. (Isaiah 58:7)

The crowds asked John, "What should we do?" John told them, "If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have any. If you have food, share it with someone else." (Luke 3:10-11)

As we continue our reflections on the issue of oppressive systems, we are challenged with Isaiah 58:7.

During the Great Depression of the 1930's, my grandfather would always be sure to cook extra food at each meal. Though he was a widower with six children to care for, he had a heart of compassion for the people who would wander from town to town looking for any kind of work. So, though he did not have work for them to do, and though he did not have money to share, he did what he could for them: he provided a hot meal.

Here we are, some eighty years later. I believe we can make plenty of reasonable arguments for opting not to help others. After all, times are hard. People are untrustworthy. It's enough of a challenge to live through our own problems, let alone share the burdens of others.

But God has set forth His criteria concerning the type of fast He pays attention to, and part of that criteria involves compassionate care for persons in need.

Perhaps my grandfather can be a case study for us today. Instead of hoarding his resources for just himself and his children, my grandfather gave as liberally as he could. He could not host a dinner for thirty people, but he could freely share a bowl of soup and a biscuit, or a plate of food. At that point in his life my grandfather had a small plot of farmland, and he could cook, so he did. That was how he participated in the fast God has chosen.

But what does Isaiah 58:7 look like for those of us who are unemployed, or homeless, or hungry, but still want to be a blessing to others? How can we become blessings to others in light of our own lack? Is there any way that we, too, can participate in this act of engaging God's chosen fast?

Maybe we, like the churches at Macedonia, could adopt a principle of compassionate care that begins in our hearts. The apostle Paul recorded the testimony in Second Corinthians 8:1-5:

"My friends, we want you to know that the churches in Macedonia have shown others how kind God is. Although they were going through hard times and were very poor, they were glad to give generously. They gave as much as they could afford and even more, simply because they wanted to. They even asked and begged us to let them have the joy of giving their money for God's people. And they did more than we had hoped. They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us, just as God wanted them to do."

How can we avoid participation in a system of oppression? By giving ourselves to God first, and by joyfully doing what we can (no matter how small) to bless others.

Lord God, please show us what we are able to do. We trust You to multiply and bless our small efforts. We reject the spirit of self-preservation and embrace acts of compassion. Lord God, open our eyes and guide our feet. Take us into the fast You have chosen.

Causing Pain, By Numbers.

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" (Isaiah 58:6, New International Version)

In Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam shared with us some examples of the subtle means by which we become participants in maintaining a system of oppression. One such example is found in lotteries.

As participants in a lottery system, we promote injustice through greediness: seeking quick, huge returns on minuscule investments, without any labor or effort on the part of the gambler.

As participants in a lottery system we promote injustice through covetousness: seeking to gain what others have, without consideration to the ways in which God blesses His people at every level of society.

As participants in a lottery system we promote injustice through stealing: if indeed a lottery is won, the winnings are funded by the millions of persons who purchased losing tickets.

How can we, personally, loose the chains of injustice? By choosing to walk away from unjust systems.

Lord, help us to wait for Your reward. (see James 5:7)
Lord, help us to be content in every circumstance. (see Philippians 4:12)

Not So Fast.

During yesterday's morning services, Pastor Sam continued his series on prayer and fasting. We took time to reflect on Isaiah 58:6-9a.

Let's re-read those verses today, keeping in mind some of the questions that were raised during the sermon:

• Are we, intentionally or unintentionally, supporting oppressive systems by our personal actions?
• Are our prayers in alignment with God's will, or are we attempting to move God towards doing our will?
• Are our desires selfless, or are they selfish?

Isaiah 58:6-9a (New International Version)

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.

Reset.

During this past Sunday's sermon, we had a chance to review Isaiah 58:1-5. Today, our reflection is on the entire chapter. I pray that as we read these words, our loving Lord will reveal His desires to each of us.

Isaiah 58 (New International Version)

"Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to My people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins. For day after day they seek Me out; they seem eager to know My ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask Me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and You have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?'

"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.

"If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

"If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight  and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Fifty-Eight.

Isaiah 58

“Cry loudly, do not hold back;
Raise your voice like a trumpet,
And declare to My people their transgression
And to the house of Jacob their sins.

“Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways,
As a nation that has done righteousness
And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God.
They ask Me for just decisions,
They delight in the nearness of God.
‘Why have we fasted and You do not see?
Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’
Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire,
And drive hard all your workers.

“Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist.
You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.

“Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed
And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed?
Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord?

“Is this not the fast which I choose,
To loosen the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the bands of the yoke,
And to let the oppressed go free
And break every yoke?

“Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry
And bring the homeless poor into the house;
When you see the naked, to cover him;
And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

“Then your light will break out like the dawn,
And your recovery will speedily spring forth;
And your righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you remove the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,
And if you give yourself to the hungry
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.

“And the Lord will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

“Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.

“If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot
From doing your own pleasure on My holy day,
And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable,
And honor it, desisting from your own ways,
From seeking your own pleasure
And speaking your own word,
Then you will take delight in the Lord,
And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”