The Shift From Covetousness To Contentment

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

Sometimes it is difficult to live in true contentment. We live in a cultural context that thrives on advertisement: we are constantly presented with offerings of products and lifestyles that are deemed ideal. If our current circumstances do not fit the ideal, then we might be tempted to focus our attention on the things we don’t have.

Though our world is filled with temporal offerings, God is the ultimate fulfillment. He has given the greatest offering, that of His only Son Jesus Christ, so that we can enjoy abundant life on earth and eternal life in heaven. The abundant life we enjoy is not based on what we own; rather, it is based on Who owns us. Because we have devoted our lives to Christ, we can live every day by the power of His Spirit. He lives in us, He leads us, and He works through us.

We have a choice: we can choose to find contentment in eternal things, or we can burden ourselves by remaining focused on temporal desires. My prayer for all of us is that we will choose to worship God and embrace His attributes. The Lord knows our needs and our wants, and He will supply according to His will and His timetable. When we keep our focus on Him, our unfulfilled desires lose the power to consume our attention.

Where is your attention focused today?

Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires. (Psalm 37:4)

But first be concerned about God's kingdom and his righteousness, and all of these things will be provided for you as well.  (Matthew 6:33)

God said to him, “Because you asked for the ability to make wise judicial decisions, and not for long life, or riches, or vengeance on your enemies, I grant your request, and give you a wise and discerning mind superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you. Furthermore, I am giving you what you did not request—riches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation. If you follow my instructions by obeying my rules and regulations, just as your father David did, then I will grant you long life.” (First Kings 3:11-14)

No Need To Worry

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-12)

“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33)

During yesterday's sermon in Bronx Bethany's Ministerio Latino, Pastor Martha shared from the intersection of Deuteronomy 6 and Matthew 6:

• We serve the Lord, who has a track record of providing for His people.
• We have the privilege and the responsibility to reflect on the word of God, covering our household with the remembrance of who He is and what He does.
• We, because of Him, can live every day without worrying about temporal needs.

God has not changed. In our moments of need, we can be encouraged that the Lord who fed ancient Israel in the wilderness will feed us; the Lord who brought water out of the rock can satisfy our thirst; the Lord who caused Israel’s clothing not to wear out can clothe us (see Deuteronomy 8:1-10). We can claim the prophetic promise and move from the land of servitude to the land of supply.

As we wait for God's promises to show up in our circumstances, how ought we pray? Instead of continually asking God to do things for us, let’s choose to thank God for what He has already done in us. He is our Father. He is trustworthy. God is not worried. His Spirit, who lives in us, is the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Galatians 5:22-23a). May His character inform our conduct today.

Speak God’s word to yourself and to others.

Seek God’s kingdom and righteousness.

See God’s hand of miraculous, abundant provision.

Celebrate God's eternal faithfulness.

Watch Your Wait!

In Sunday's sermon, Reverend Ronald Benjamin shared a point I'd like us to reflect on today: We know that in Communion we remember Christ Jesus, but we often forget the entire phrasing of First Corinthians 11:23-26. It says: “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

The Lord who instituted communion is the Lord who will one day come back for His people.

I think the challenge we have is that, as Scripture asserts, there are many people who believe they qualify as "His people" (see Matthew 7:21-23)-- but we would do well to remind ourselves of a few passages in which God shows us what sorts of people are not qualified to join Him in glory. As we wait for the Lord "until He comes", let us not approach the process with pride, nor shame, nor confusion, but with a heart to experience the grace of God.

What happens to people who, as they wait for the Lord’s coming, fail to remember Jesus?

1. They attempt to siphon faith from stronger Christians instead of seeking to develop their own faith-walk with the Lord. We see an example of this in Jesus’s parable of the wise and foolish virgins. The wise ones carried extra oil (a metaphor for the presence of God’s Spirit), while the foolish had no reserves. In the face of the lack which was exacerbated by the length of their wait, the foolish virgins sought to take from the resources of their colleagues. “The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’” (Matthew 25:8) But we are instructed to receive our resources from the Lord. Jesus says, “I am the vine… apart from me you can do nothing.” (see John15:5)

2. They forget that the forgiveness of God, extended towards them, models the way in which they are to forgive others. In the parable of the unforgiving servant (see Matthew 18:21-35), Jesus tells us that the one who is forgiven is expected to have compassionate mercy on those who are in need of forgiveness. The parable ends with the rescinding of mercy, because the man who was forgiven of massive debt had refused to forgive another man of a very small debt. We must remember what our Lord has said: “But if you do not forgive others their sins, Your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:15)

3. They assume that the Lord’s delayed appearance grants them license to disobey. Jesus shared with His disciples a brief narrative about an unjust manager. The manager was a man who knew the desires of the owner, but who opted to do wrong in light of the owner’s extended absence. In the narrative, Jesus said: “But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.” (Luke 12:45-47)

Let us remember the Lord's death. Let us remember the Lord's imminent return. Let us watch our wait.

Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Welcome To The Worry-Free Zone.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life..." (Matthew 6:25a)

Pastor Sam shared with us that, in general, careless people are not at risk of falling into worry; rather, there is a slippery slope that causes conscientious people to become concerned, and concern left unchecked morphs into worry. However, our Lord has instructed us not to worry about anything.

Further, worry is an affront to God. Our pastor said, "Sin is when you ignore, deliberately or otherwise, what God has expressly said... There is no way you can read the preceding verses of Matthew chapter 6 without understanding that Jesus has said 'Do not worry.' So if you and I are worrying, it means we are in disobedience."

How do we establish a "worry-free zone" in our lives? We pray. Earlier in Matthew 6, Jesus instructs us to pray for an understanding of the kingdom of God, and for the realization that our God reigns and rules: "Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10). As our pastor shared, this allows us to avoid the trap of worry. How? By causing us to know that even our trials and difficulties are ultimately used by God for our good (see Romans 8:28).

The Lord, our Christ, says "Don't worry." I pray we will believe and embrace His word today.

The Intensity.

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam recounted an incident that occurred during his doctoral studies. A particular professor had informed the class that no one would earn an A grade, and our pastor gave himself over to intense study in order to earn an A in the class. He earned the A, but it cost him: effort, time, and even health were expended in order to do his best.

Pastor Sam then asked a question (paraphrased here) that only he can answer: I wonder if my wife will see me seeking after God as intensely as I sought after that A in the class.

I think we all have our own version of the question. Is seeking after God something we give ourselves over to, completely? Is the presence of God the thing we crave above all else? Are we willing to sacrifice time, sleep, or whatever else seems "necessary", in order to hear the voice of the Lord?

As we noted in yesterday's post, it is extended time in the presence of God that assists us in recognizing the will of God. As we pray and fast between now and February 9, we let go of certain things in order to focus on God. Pastor Sam shared with us that this giving up of temporal things, things that are necessary and normal, allows us to turn our attention to the eternal.

My prayer is that seeking God is worth much more to us than everything else we pursue.

"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

Take Off Your Watch And Go "On Watch".

Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

"What He wants is not the problem, you know. For most of us, it's not that we don't know what God wants. The problem with us is that we know we don't want what God wants." -Rev. Dr. Samuel Vassel

There are some prayer concerns that have so burdened us that we have opted to pray for immediate relief instead of taking time to seek out the will of God. Pastor Sam shared with us a sobering example of a prayer that was inconsistent with the desire of God: it was a prayer prayed by Jesus Himself. The agony and passion He experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane was so intense that Jesus asked the Father to exempt Him from having to go to the cross.

But, an interesting thing happens in Matthew 26:36-45. As we read, we see how Jesus's extended time in prayer serves to shift the tone of His prayer request. Let's look at the difference between Jesus's first and second Garden prayers (New International Version, italics mine).

Prayer 1 - Matthew 26:39: "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will."

Prayer 2 - Matthew 26:42: "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done."

Our pastor shared a point that I pray we will take to heart: If you don't linger in prayer, you won't close the gap between your will and God's will.

Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene, today, is on Day Seven of a forty-day period of prayer and fasting (January 1 through February 9). As we take this time to linger in prayer before God, we trust that He will turn our hearts to His perfect will.

We do have a challenge, though: not everyone in our community is opting to pray. If you are one of those persons who has not been praying, I urge you to change your mind and join with the community of faith. The Spirit of God has called us to make short-term adjustments to our normal routine in order to seek Him more earnestly. It is for our growth and for our good. Will you take a walk in the Garden?

How's This For An Epiphany?

Yesterday, the four services at Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene carried the theme of God as our Provider. It is He who offers us life, food, shelter, clothing, spiritual gifts, Divine guidance, dominion, and the list goes on.

In the first two services, Pastor Sam's sermon was titled Putting First Things First. The title lends itself to reflection: Are we indeed prioritizing the things God has asked us to prioritize? Do we even know what God wants us to do? Are we careful to avoid what God has asked us to avoid?

Today, let's re-visit part of the Scripture that was referenced during those services. Jesus, while teaching His disciples and the crowds that gathered to hear Him, spent some time instructing them to avoid falling into the sin of worry. I pray that as we read His words, we will be encouraged to renounce worries over self and instead embrace trust in God.

God is my Provider. I will not worry.


Matthew 6:26-33 (New International Version)

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you-- you of little faith?

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Say it Again, Man.

A discussion of division in the heart of the believer would be incomplete without mentioning Judas Iscariot.

Over the few years I've been blogging, this Judas seems to have gained a regular spot in the rotation. Each time I think the Judas thing is done with, he comes around again. Who, or what, was Judas? He was a believer in Jesus. He was a bonafide participant in ministry, performing signs and wonders along with the other disciples. He was a gifted administrator, trusted to handle the financial aspects of Jesus's ministry.

But, like Solomon, Judas had a divided heart. Judas followed after Jesus, and Judas followed after money. The love of money drove Judas to sell out his Lord for thirty pieces of silver.

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam summed up Judas's fate: in the attempt to simultaneously hang on to Jesus and hang on to money, Judas lost everything. The Scripture is true: “No man can serve two masters.” (See Matthew 6:24)

Why does God keep reminding Bronx Bethany of Judas?

I have a theory, which may be wrong, but here it is. Judas Iscariot was a person, but he is also representative of a spiritual attitude. The Judas Iscariot attitude is built on a faulty logic that goes something like this:

As a member of the body of Christ, I have spiritual gifts given to me by the Holy Spirit.
Because I have these spiritual gifts, I can bless the church even though I am sinful.
Because I am a blessing to the church, and my gifts have not been removed, my spiritual gifts are a sufficient covering for my sinfulness.
Since my gifts are a sufficient covering for my sinfulness, there's no need for me to ever repent.

There is a comment made by Peter, which we see early in the book of Acts: “Concerning Judas... he was a full participant in the ministry.” (See Acts 1:15-17) If Jesus did not remove Judas from ministry, that should be a clue to us that full participation in ministry is not a sign of righteousness. It is not a sign that we love Jesus exclusively. And it is not a sign that God is condoning our sinfulness.

The call to repentance has gone out again. Will we plead to Christ for forgiveness? Or do we think we're doing fine with our balancing act of spiritual power and sinful practices?

Judas's sad life warns us again. Let's take heed.

2009: The Year Of The Open Show.

Some of you have noticed, and have commented to me privately, that my blogs often contain an undercurrent of prophetic warning that is specific to two things: total obedience to God, and careful respect of leadership that God has set into place. You are correct.

God has continued that warning into 2009, and my sense is that there is an even greater urgency behind it. Please hear me: I am not a fortune teller and I am not trying to scare anyone; I'm just repeating old news. And, this is not my agenda: I am just speaking what God has put on my heart, and I am asking you to receive and understand it as coming from Him.

So, here is an old word for a new year: Remember the word of Jesus in Matthew 6.

He is the one who calls us to give, to fast, and to pray. He is the one who sees what we do in secret. He is the one who publicizes what we have been doing in private. This is true for the good we do, and this is also true for the evil we do. God brings the hidden things into the light. It's His way.

He is also the one who calls us to relax and not worry. He is the one who provides our food, clothing, and shelter. He is the one who meets our needs- not just arbitrarily, but as we walk in obedience to His mandates.

He is also the one who calls us to seek His kingdom and His righteousness. He is the one who calls us into a lifestyle of holy living, integrity, and truthfulness. By the power of the Holy Spirit, He puts in us a desire to learn more about Him, to love Him, to obey Him, to be in relationship with Him. He moves our Christianity beyond the realm of intellectual insight and moves us into intimacy in Him.

2009 is the year of the open show. Those who have ignored God's warnings will endure a public suffering of the consequences. Those who have faithfully worked the works of the kingdom of God will receive public reward for their private efforts. And yes, those who have opposed God's prophets and ministers will suffer the fate of the king's servant detailed in Second Kings 7: they will see the miraculous provision of God, but they will have no share in it.

So, my friends, if you know in your heart that you are not right before God, get it together. Repent and live the life you know He has called you to. Be obedient and do what He says. Why should you die?

"Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses: then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!" (Ezekiel 18:30-32)

Closing 2008, Part Three.

Here we are, December 31, 2008, the completion of another year. It's the completion of four months of this blog, which began on August 31.

A very special thank-you to the following persons who God used in founding this blog:

Sister LillyJune
Sister Marilyn
Pastor Sam
Pastor Benji

Our conversations, in person and via e-mail, were the "kindling" for this blog. We all sensed very strongly that a forum was needed in which we could further reflect on the Sunday sermons, and for several months our reflections were limited to private conversations and e-mails. But in August the Lord lit a match... and I found myself consumed with a desire to create this blog as the vehicle for reflection, a thing that could be shared across a larger group.

As I shared with Devon a few days ago, this blog really does line up with the church's mission to be a redemptive influence in the Bronx and in the world, to the glory of God. Glossa Water has been set into place as a international tool for spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how I glorify Him for the opportunity.

I'd appreciate your prayers for 2009, particularly in the area of how this blog can be further developed as we all grow, and are transformed, from glory to glory.

My friends, thank you for reading. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your encouragement. I pray that 2009 will be the year that God shows up for you in amazing and miraculous ways.

Love,
Genise

Closing 2008, Part Two.

Yesterday I thanked some of the women of God who have been a blessing to me this year. Today's thanks goes to the men who God has used to speak words of life, wisdom, and healing to me over these past twelve months:

My husband, Leon
Pastor Sam
Pastor Benji
Brother Sheldon
Brother Nigel
Brother Devon


To my husband, thank you for being a partner in the hard work that is vital to our marriage and minisrtry staying intact. In the midst of the battles, we fight on our knees and we see the intervention of our amazing God.

To my Bronx Bethany brothers, thank you for being transparent. Thank you for speaking those difficult words that are sometimes necessary and critical for growth to occur. And, above all, thank you for your prayers.

I had wanted to use a different verse for you, but the Lord is reiterating the verse from yesterday: The Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you publicly (Matthew 6:4).

Closing 2008, Part One.

In these final days of 2008, I want to publicly thank some people in my Bronx Bethany family who have been sources of inspiration and timely counsel. Today I'll thank the women, and tomorrow I'll thank the men.

This could potentially be a long list because there are so many whom God has sent my way, but I'll single out these few who have been exceptional in their presence, their godly advice, and their prayer support:

Sister Marilyn
Pastor Joy
Sister Pam
Sister Ruchelle
Sister Faith

We all know the praise of man is a fickle thing, so even as I name names I need to reiterate that what really matters is not my commendation, but the commendation of God. I believe that He will reward each of us for our obedience to Him.

The Father who sees what you do in secret will reward you publicly (Matthew 6:4).