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.

Prayer. Presence. Power.

In sharing from Mark 9:14-29 and Luke 11:5-13 this past Sunday, Pastor Richie reminded us of a few points we can reflect on today.

• Nothing is impossible for God.
• It is ineffective, and sometimes even dangerous, to attempt to "stand in" for God in situations which can only be resolved by God's presence and power.
• Our best prayer request? The request to be given the gift of the Holy Spirit.
• The indwelling of the Holy Spirit equips God's people to see and understand situations according to God's perspective.
• According to the word of Christ Himself, there are some situations that will not be resolved unless they are first addressed in extended, disciplined prayer.

After Pastor Richie's sermon, Pastor Althea stood and led the congregation in a time of prayer. Perhaps we, today, can also make time to pray to our God and King.

Let us pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Let us pray to know God's perspective.
Let us pray for renewed confidence and faith in God's ability to act.
Let us pray for deliverance of all who are held captive by the evil one.
Let us pray prayers of thanksgiving and praise to our great God.

Amen.

My Life In The Fishbowl.

The crowd had gathered around the nine disciples... the teachers of the Law were arguing with them.

In Scripture, particularly in the New Testament narratives concerning Jesus, we often see that large crowds would make their way into whatever region Jesus happened to be present. The Mark 9:14-29 passage, though, is interesting: although Jesus was not present, the crowd still gathered. It seems the presence of Jesus's followers, along with the presence of a young man attacked by an unclean spirit, was more than enough to draw a crowd. Perhaps some of us in this twenty-first century have also experienced the pressure of being in the gaze of modern-day crowds.

The father said... "Your disciples could not."

In the absence of Jesus's physical presence, the father in the Mark 9 account had gone to Jesus's disciples. It appears that the father's disappointment was deep, because he went on to say an astounding thing to Jesus: "If You can." It is a scary thing to know that our personal failures can have the powerful effect of causing other people to question the power of God.

Jesus replied... "'If'? All things are possible to those who believe."

I wonder if any of us are harboring areas in our lives where, whether due to the pressure of the crowd or the pain of seeing no "results" from spiritual interventions, we have said the astounding thing: "If God can." My prayer for us today is that, regardless of the level of crisis we face, we will never question God's ability to act.

The disciples asked Jesus privately... "Why couldn't we cast it out?"

Some years ago my husband shared a comment on this verse, and I have never forgotten it: The reason the disciples were able to ask this question was because they had cast out demons in other situations. They were not novices in ministry. Jesus had empowered them to engage in deliverance ministry, and they had done so successfully (see Mark 6:7-13), but the disciples' lack of a consistent prayer life rendered them ineffective in this encounter with a more powerful demonic spirit than they had previously known.

Jesus said, "Only prayer and fasting can force out that kind of demon."

God has asked for our participation in this specific spiritual discipline, which Jesus indicated is the key to resolving difficult spiritual problems. Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene is continuing to carry out its forty-day prayer assignment... and, yes, a crowd is watching. Some in the crowd might even be argumentative. My prayer for us all is that we will press forward in faith and obedience to His word.

May God give us the strength to continue in prayer and fasting.

May God grant us hearts that believe in His power to heal and deliver.

God, as people are watching us, please use us to turn their eyes towards You.

Panorama.

A man in the crowd answered, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech." (Mark 9:17, New International Version)

When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, He rebuked the impure spirit. "You deaf and mute spirit," He said, "I command you, come out of him and never enter him again." (Mark 9:25, New International Version)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Richard pointed out that the father in this narrative had a partial understanding of his son's problem: My son is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. However, when Jesus addressed the spirit, He addressed it with a complete understanding of the problem. Jesus's name for the spirit? Deaf and mute.

In prayer, we often seek to name our difficulties. We can't afford groceries. I have to go to court today. My boss is a tyrant. Our requests often center around what we can see with our physical eyes. Our requests often center around what we consider to be immediate, urgent issues. Our requests are often spoken out a partial understanding, because we have not taken time to seek God's perspective on the issues we face.

As Pastor Richard shared, this is why we are so in need of being submitted to the Holy Spirit of God. Spirit-led prayer is the only way in which we can pray with complete understanding. Why? Because in Spirit-led prayer it is God, not us, who sets the prayer agenda. Our pastor said that we might be earnestly praying for a new home or for healing in our body, while God is urging us by His Spirit to pray for forgiveness in relationships or for obedience to His will.

For a few minutes in Sunday's second service we were able to see a practical application of Spirit-led prayer through another pastor. As Pastor Althea stood and addressed specific problems and difficulties by name, she made it clear that no human being had spoken to her. She simply was in a process of saying aloud what the Holy Spirit had said to her heart. Prophetic prayer is not reserved for pastors: it is God's desire that all His people pray with accuracy and complete understanding. This is a prayer stance that is impossible to achieve apart from the indwelling presence of God's Spirit in us.

In Mark 9:14-29 we have a narrative that shows how ineffective ministry becomes when it is engaged without a full understanding of the issues at hand. Perhaps this is why Jesus, as noted in Acts 1:4-5, directed His disciples to do no ministry until they were empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Is our ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit in us, who knows all things, or are we simply operating out of our own, partial, limited understanding?

#DiscipleFail

When Jesus, Peter, James, and John came back down from the mountain, they saw a large crowd around the other nine disciples. The teachers of the Law were arguing with the nine. (Mark 9:14, paraphrase mine)

In Sunday's sermon, Pastor Richie noted that at times we seek God for the wrong purpose: rather than seeking to do His will, we seek for Him to "co-sign" on our own desires. Our pastor shared that, in such moments, it is not surprising that God ties our hands behind our backs. Or, to say it another way, God arranges our circumstances so that we are incapable of contributing to our perceived solution for the problem at hand. To paraphrase our pastor, In such moments, God makes sure that all we can do is pray.

We see this in the life of the nine disciples who attempted to bring healing and deliverance to a young man. Their attempts failed, and instead of being instruments of healing they became embroiled in an argument with local religious leaders. When Jesus came onto the scene, His rebuke was leveled not at the sick person, nor at the leaders, but at His disciples. Jesus's rebuke revealed the reasons for their failure to heal:

A lack of faith. Although the nine disciples were engaged in the ministry of deliverance, they did so in a spirit of unbelief. They did not carry in themselves the faith necessary to engage the task. (see Mark 9:19)

A lack of prayer. Jesus, in saying "This kind can only come out by prayer" (see Mark 9:29), indicated that the nine disciples had not prayed prior to engaging in ministry.

Well, that was then, and this is now. Where do we stand in our Christian walk? Are we people of faith? Are we people of prayer? The Mark 9 narrative serves as a warning to us: simply following Jesus without following His ministry strategies will set us up for failure.

It is God's will that we pray. Let us pray.
It is God's will that we have faith. Let us have faith.

Hustlers Anonymous.

In yesterday's morning sermons, Pastor Richie noted a characteristic of hustlers: they seek short-cuts and quick fixes. Often this is viewed in a negative context, but we as Christians have the privilege of knowing a "quick fix" to many of our personal prayer requests. Our short-cut is to abandon the appeals for God to respond to our prayer concerns, and instead to appeal to God for the presence of His Spirit in our lives.

Our pastor referenced Luke chapter 11. In Luke 11:1-4 we have record of what is commonly termed The Lord's Prayer. However, that prayer is followed by several verses in which Jesus tells His disciples that God can be understood as a caring Friend and loving Father. Then Jesus closes with a question (paraphrased here): If we, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, then how much more will God give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? (see Luke 11:5-13)

Pastor Richie shared with us that the presence of Holy Spirit is the real answer to our varied prayer requests. Why? Because the Holy Spirit, in addition to being the best Person we can know, is also the Person who knows what is best for us.

This is not to belittle the seriousness of our personal situations. We in the body of Christ, at Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene and at other churches, are suffering. We are dealing with terminal illnesses, evictions, financial ruin, unemployment, hatred and bias, violence, famines, and so many other issues and systems that burden our souls. Our prayer lists are long, and rightfully so. But Pastor Richie has thrown down a gauntlet, and I believe the Spirit of God has made an offer through our pastor's sermon: In this season of prayer and fasting, why not fast from the urgent prayer requests and instead pray for the infilling of the Holy Spirit of Christ, the One who is seated above all urgency?

That's not an easy task. But I pray we will be found as people who seek after the Spirit of God.

"But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what He wants.  Then the other things will be yours as well." (Matthew 6:33, Contemporary English Version)

"The kingdom of God is not about food and drink; it is about the righteousness, peace, and joy which are found in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17, paraphrase mine)

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.

The Compromised Heart.

"Get it out of your mind that this is about you, where you now will be able to get something that you want... God is drawing  you into Himself so that you might understand who this great God is, how powerful He is, and how loving He is, and how He wants you to experience His grace and love and be an avenue of that grace and love." -Rev. Dr. Sam Vassel

What are the markers of a compromised heart?

Asking in ignorance. Our wisdom, at best, is finite. There are occasions where we really have no idea of the future consequences of our request. As Pastor Sam said, "If God should give you everything you ask for, you would be in so much trouble."

Mixing faith with doubt. If we are engaging the process of prayer while at the same time thinking that God is unable to address our prayer, then our prayer will not be heard. (see James 1:5-7)

Concern with personal will instead of God's will. This involves engagement of spiritual disciplines (tithing, prayer, etc.) not for the purpose of worship, but in an attempt to manipulate God into giving us what we want. As our pastor noted, "That is the attitude of the witch doctor."

The rationalization of disobedience. Pastor Sam referenced the error of King Saul, in which Saul decided to disobey God's order as a means of acquiring what was pleasant and convenient for himself (then explained away his disobedience as an act of worship). (see First Samuel 15)

As we engage the spiritual work of prayer and fasting, let us remember that we are not involved in this prayer effort to acquire what we want. We are in this prayer effort to understand what God wants.

Lord God, we are praying... and we are listening.

Got Tired?

"Sometimes, you know, you get a little tired. It doesn't seem like it is working so well; and there are all kinds of forces saying 'Give up, take it easy, work it out yourself-- God is not working.' But this is a time for you to recommit to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding." -Rev. Dr. Sam Vassel

*God hears and answers prayer.

*God is completely trustworthy.

*God knows everything.

For the Christian, the above statements about God are not up for debate. Yet, we still get tired of engaging prayer. Our pastor noted, though, that we should encourage one another: to have faith, and to believe that God is able to do above and beyond what we can ask or imagine.

Is there something, or someone, that you have decided is no longer worth the effort of prayer? As we go through these forty days, let us regain our strength and return to this discipline of prayer. But as we pray, let us remember a few things:

*God is not bound to our concept of time.

*God's will supersedes ours.

*God will not address prayers and fastings borne from a compromised heart.

Tomorrow, we will reflect on the role of the compromised heart in unanswered prayer.

Embracing The "No".

During this past Sunday’s sermon Pastor Sam shared about a time in his life where he was praying earnestly for God to answer prayer in a particular way, but the answer he received was not the answer he longed for.

Perhaps some of us can relate to our pastor’s experience. We rest on verses like “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). We believe that we are walking with God, and that we are on His wavelength… but then those moments come when our world crumbles, and we are shocked that God has not answered our prayer in the way we anticipated.

Pastor Sam noted that we operate out of partial knowledge, but God operates with complete knowledge. Our prayer, therefore, must be a humble disposition before the Lord. Our pastor said: “We are saying, ‘Lord, we do not trust ourselves, we do not know what to do by ourselves. We are depending on You.’” We embrace a disposition of dependence and hopefulness. We acknowledge that we cannot fully know the mind of God, but we can fully depend on God to do what is right and good.

Why are we praying?

Is it for God to do what we want Him to do for us, or is it for God to do what He wants to do in us?

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."

Field Day!

Will you be remembered as someone who stayed seated and complained? (Rev. Martha Fajardo, translation paraphrased)

Reverend Martha Fajardo, lead pastor of Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene's Latino Ministry, asked the above question during this past Sunday's combined-language services. It's a great question for us to contemplate today.

The easy thing to do is to stay seated and complain. The difficult thing to do is to work faithfully while exuding joy.

Working for the Lord is not easy. In Scripture, it is likened to laboring in a field. The analogy brings up images of aches and pains and exertions. The ground has to be broken up. Many, many seeds have to be planted. Young plants must be tended. Ripened fruit must be harvested. The seasons bring extremes of cold, heat, rain, snow, and ice. There may be floods or droughts. And through all these events, the work must continue.

And there is more to contend with: we have an enemy, the devil himself, who makes it even more difficult to do works of service that are pleasing to the Lord. Our enemy uses people, systems, circumstances, and trials in repeated attempts to discourage us from continuing the work. The field is vandalized. Seeds are snatched up before they can take root. What once looked like healthy wheat is later found to be poisonous tares. And through the opposition, the farmer is tasked to labor on. Staying seated is not an option.

Pastor Martha noted that, in church culture, we sometimes assume that it is only the pastors who are tasked to work the fields. That assumption is false. Every Christian has a work to do. The Spirit of God has given particular gifts to each one who names Jesus as Lord, and each one is tasked to use those gifts to build up the body of Christ. We are a community where each person may do something different, but all work in concert to farm the land. Some break up the hard ground. Some plant seeds. Others care for the fruit. It takes everyone to get the job done.

Our pastor also reminded us that, on our own, we don't have what it takes to get this job done. She said (paraphrased here), You can't. But God can. The Spirit of God is present to teach us and to help us do the work that supports God's kingdom. Pastor Martha referenced Ezekiel 11:19: God says, "I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within them; I will remove the hearts of stone from their flesh and I will give them a heart of flesh." A heart submitted to God is the key to working the works of God.

Are you seated, complaining?
Are you working, joyfully?
What sort of heart do you have?

Take A Hike.

Today let's consider another thought from Pastor Martha's sermon (translated here):

"If we walk independent of the Spirit then we are going to be in sin... The failure to forgive; pride; hypocrisy; adultery; what is there? What is it inside of us that is not allowing us to live in the power of the resurrection? Jesus was raised because He did not sin. He conquered death."

Our pastor noted that Christ is the only One who had a guarantee of resurrection because He was without sin. Our only hope for experiencing new birth is to submit ourselves to the Spirit of Christ. She noted, "If we were united to Christ in His death, then we will be united to Him in His resurrection."

Pastor Martha used some terms that we can reflect on today: That old layer. Chained feet. Chained hands. And she encouraged us to do something simple and practical: Shake yourselves. Shake off the chains.

*Is there an old layer of sin that continues to smother your true purpose?
*Are your feet still chained, destined to take you to places God no longer wants you to be?
*Are your hands still chained, connected to behaviors or systems God has released you from?

We are made new in Christ, and in this new life we have no need to remain in our old sins. The Christ is come! The enemy is destroyed. We have been set free.

The prison doors are opened. The Master has freed every captive. You are free to leave the power of sin... and freed to live by the power of the Spirit.

Free!

On Sunday Pastor Martha shared (paraphrased here): We need to start identifying ourselves as part of the kingdom of God. If we are the sons and daughters of the King, if we were called to Him because we believed in Jesus in faith, then as children we have the right to an inheritance. The inheritance belongs to the children. The word tells us that freedom is the inheritance of the children: our Savior came to make us free.

The kingdom of God is a place where we have freedom.

The freedom to say no. When faced with the pressure to conform to world systems for the sake of economics or expedience, the Christian can draw strength from Jesus. He is the King who has promised to supply all that we need. He is the representation of true love, the love that led Him to give His life for us. His self-less sacrifice has opened the door for us to also "die" with Him; because we are dead to our own selfish desires, we are freed to say no to sin (see Romans 6:5-7).

The freedom to say yes. In Christ Jesus we have the example of what it means to be transformed from death to life. Because He conquered death, we can rest in His resurrection life. As our pastor said, we have not been left alone. Jesus sent His Spirit to work in us. As we say yes to His righteous desires, He equips us to live righteous and holy lives for the sake of His kingdom (see Romans 6:22).

We are children of the King.
We are freed from the grip of sin.
We are free to serve Christ in love.

Keys To Unlock Every Door.

In Sunday's sermon Pastor Martha shared a point that we can reflect on for today (paraphrased here):

The life of Jesus is marked by two impossibilities. The first is the Virgin womb; the second is the empty tomb. In the Virgin womb is a sign that says "No entry"; in the tomb is a sign that says "No Exit".

In the Virgin birth and in the resurrection, Jesus defeated and destroyed the enemy of our souls. Jesus accomplished the impossible. And in this execution of the impossible, we are encouraged to follow our Lord's example. As our pastor shared, "We can't; but God can." How do we accomplish the mighty works of God? The power to do so is available to each one of us: it is the power of the Holy Spirit.

During His earthly ministry and at the time of His ascension, Jesus instructed His disciples to do seemingly impossible things: Heal the sick. Preach the good news. In our time we are called to do the same. But, as our pastor shared, these are things we cannot do unless the Holy Spirit is present and active within us. My prayer is that the Spirit of God has found a welcoming space in our hearts and souls.

Does the Holy Spirit have full access to you? Have you submitted your will to the will of God?

Contemplating the New Birth.

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Martha spoke on the meaning of Christmas: it is a new birth. She said (paraphrased here):

I have nothing against "Father Christmas", but Jesus was not born in a shopping mall... What is the meaning of Christmas? It does not mean shopping. It does not mean to eat until you have indigestion. It does not mean to drink until you're drunk. It means a new birth.

It is a new birth that brings us hope, peace, and joy. It is a new birth that ushers in the kingdom of God, with Jesus eternally present as its reigning King. It is a new birth that calls God's people to live lives of righteousness, holiness, and joyful service to our King of Kings and Lord of lords.

Pastor Martha read Romans 6:1-14. Let us read it today as a reminder of the life we are privileged to live as beneficiaries of this new birth. The text can be found by clicking here.

Christ was born! Are you a beneficiary of this new birth? 

Trading Frustration For Hope.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

During this past Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam shared (paraphrased here) that frustration is even more intense when we look for something that does not materialize; but our hope in God never makes us ashamed. Perhaps we might adopt this statement as a proverb of encouragement.

Where is our focus today? Is it directed towards the pain of searching for what we do not yet see, or is it fixed on the hope we have in God?

Our pastor noted that Simeon, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit, went into the temple courts on the day that Mary and Joseph arrived to offer the sacrifice required for a first-born son (see Luke 2:27-28). Because the Spirit of God had to tell Simeon to go into the temple courts, it seems that Simeon was not spending every day wandering through the temple courts looking for the Messiah. Rather, it seems that Simeon, a man filled with the Spirit of God, was content to live his life waiting on God.

I wonder if we who call ourselves Spirit-filled Christians are content to simply wait on God in hope, or if we instead have become consumed with an anxious looking for God's promise to materialize:

-God, You told me such-and such, so long ago, but I don't see the thing yet.
-God, You promised me peace but I feel like I'm drowning in chaos.
-God, they have rejected You for so many years; they're so far gone: is it too late for them?

How do we trade our frustrations for hope? Luke 2 gives us a clue in the life of Simeon: "It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Messiah." (Luke 2:26)

Simeon did not worship the promise; he worshiped the Lord. The canon does not record Simeon as a man who nagged God about issues of time or space or place. Because the Holy Spirit was on Simeon (see Luke 2:25), Simeon was empowered to wait.

In the Old Testament we have record of a famous couple who seemed to err on the side of worshiping the promise. Abram and Sarai, in their longing to see God's promise fulfilled, made the assumption that God was not able to handle the issues of time, space, or place. Abram did not understand God's ability to save, so he twisted the truth about his marriage covenant with Sarai, twice, in attempts to "save" his own life. Sarai did not understand God's ability to perform creative miracles, and canon gives testimony of two of her errors: stepping out of God's covenant promise by giving Abraham her slave Hagar to bear a child, and laughing in disbelief when she heard God's messengers reiterate His promise that she would bear a child in her old age. (See Genesis chapters 12, 16, 17, 18, and 20)

Do you know that anxiety can affect us just as profoundly as it did Abram and Sarai? Have you ever wanted to make your own way? Have you ever wanted to take matters into your own hands? Resist the temptation. God doesn't have a problem with time. And God doesn't have a problem with space or place. Knock on the door of the Advent narrative. Ask for a young lady named Mary. Ask for a man named Simeon. They will tell you that the hope of God will not put you to shame. They will tell you that the promise of God is worth the wait and the pain and the suffering.

We have an opportunity to embrace this hope. Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene will soon be starting an extended season of fasting and prayer. We are scheduled to begin the new year with a forty-day fast, and then in the period of Lent we will have another forty-day period (excluding the Sundays) to turn our plates down and seek the Lord. As we wait on the Lord and hear the gentle promptings of His Spirit in us, we can expect to be encouraged in hope and empowered by His love.

The Holy Spirit has invited you to His trading post. Are you ready to trade your frustrations for His hope?

Advent Hope

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. (Luke 2:25-26)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam noted that Advent Hope is generated by a personal, intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit. Simeon was a man who Scripture describes as "righteous" and "devout", and the text even goes as far as saying Simeon was a man who was waiting for the Savior to come. However, his righteous lifestyle was not sufficient to bring revelation. Simeon gained prophetic insight not because he was a nice guy, but because he heard a specific word from the Holy Spirit of God.

Our pastor mentioned two outcomes that grew from Simeon's personal relationship with the Holy Spirit:

• Personal Promise: God has a record of promising good things to individuals who are in a love relationship with Him.
• Personal Direction: God has a record of communicating with His faithful children. He tells them where He wants them to be.

Our pastor said, "The Holy Spirit moved Simeon to be in the right place at the right time." We who live today can also experience this grace of God, that fills our hearts with authentic hope and guides us with Spirit-led directives. What a blessing to know that the promise and direction of God were not just for Simeon! You and I can experience the same Advent Hope in our own lives.

The Spirit-filled heart knows what God has said.
The Spirit-led heart goes where God directs.
Live by the Spirit, in Advent Hope.

Wrapped In Hope...

Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." (Luke 2:34-35)


Over the past four Sundays, we at Bronx Bethany have been reflecting on the role of the Holy Spirit in the Advent narrative. The first two Sundays were reflections on the solemnity of Advent, represented in the themes of preparation (in the life of John the Baptist) and yearning (in the life of Zechariah). On the third Sunday we focused on joy, and in particular we considered the presence of the Holy Spirit in the lives of Mary and Elizabeth.

Yesterday, Pastor Sam's Advent focus was on hope. The Holy Spirit spoke to a man named Simeon and gave him an amazing promise: "It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ." (Luke 2:26)

Because the Spirit had spoken an amazing word to Simeon, Simeon was able to speak amazing words as well. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit Simeon said, "Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel." (Luke 2:29-32)

Simeon did not have to see Jesus grow into adulthood. Regrettably, there are times when God gives His people a word and they refuse to receive it until they see "the end of the story." For Simeon, just one encounter with the infant Jesus was enough to assure him that God would do all He had promised to do-- for His beloved kingdom of Israel, and also for the Gentile nations of the world.

Simeon did not need to confer with Jesus's earthly parents. Had Simeon asked them, Mary and Joseph would have been able to share their own stories of having encountered God in profound ways. But Simeon did not need their stories; he had his own. As Pastor Sam shared, if we are hearing from God for ourselves, then there is no need for second-guessing ourselves nor questioning others.

Simeon did not hesitate to engage prophetic utterance. Through the influence of the Holy Spirit, Simeon was able to impart a specific prophetic word to Mary and Joseph concerning the life of their son. As part of their preparation for life as Jesus's earthly parents, Simeon gave a word of blessing to the couple and a word of warning to Mary (see Luke 2:34-35, located at the top of this post).

Our hope as believers is to see the manifestation of the kingdom of God in the earth. When we are submitted to the Holy Spirit, He then speaks to us concerning what is now and what is to come. He speaks specific words that impart to us what Pastor Sam called "Advent Hope": not a hope born of wishful thinking, but a hope undergirded by assurance and certainty.

Lord God, I have heard Your Spirit speak. I will wait, in hope, to see Your word fulfilled.

Lyricist.

And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is His name." (Luke 1:46-49)

What is our response when we realize that God has been mindful of our humble state?

Pastor Sam shared with us that Mary composed the most elevated prose as the expression of her joy. Her joyful words, too, were not just a celebration of what God had done in her personal life; she also praised God for His mercy to her people. "He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and His descendants forever, even as He said to our fathers." (Luke 1:54-55)

According to the Luke 1 passage, this joy-fest is reserved for the people of God who meet certain criteria:

*They live in a humble state (verses 48 and 52);

*They fear God across their generations (verse 50);

*They hunger for God's supply of goodness and grace (verse 53).

We are warned that if our hearts are filled with pride and self-sufficiency, then we will not be recipients of the joy that comes from God (see Luke 1:51-53).

What is in our hearts today? Is there the sense that we can take care of ourselves independently, or is there the knowledge that it is only God who can supply our needs and fill us with joy?

Let us pray that we will be found as one of those who humbly, reverently, and wholeheartedly seek after God.

The Mighty Lord has done great things for me: I am glad!

The Real "Ordinary People".

In Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam shared with us that the Holy Spirit is interested in ordinary people.

In Luke's Advent narrative we see that "In the sixth month God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee" (Luke 1:26). Our pastor noted that Nazareth is not Times Square: Nazareth and Judea were ordinary nondescript towns, but God saw and knew the people there.

Sometimes we assume that if we are in a remote area, God is unaware of our station and character. But God sees and knows all people. His messenger Gabriel made it clear that Mary's character was known: "The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.'" (Luke 1:28) Elizabeth and Zechariah were also known by God: "Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly." (Luke 1:6)

God is aware. In Psalm 139 we see this reality reinforced in the song of David. A few verses from the psalm are below. I pray that we will reflect on these words today, with gratitude and joy, recognizing that we are never hidden from the sight of Almighty God.

You discern my going out and my lying down;
You are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
You know it completely, O Lord.

You hem me in behind and before;
You have laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
Too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Where can I flee from Your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, You are there;
If I make my bed in the depths, You are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
If I settle on the far side of the sea,
Even there Your hand will guide me,
Your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
And the light become night around me,"
Even the darkness will not be dark to You;
The night will shine like the day,
For darkness is as light to You.

(Psalm 139:3-12) (Click here to read Psalm 139 in its entirety)

News Flash.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy." (Luke 1:41-43)

For this year's Advent season, Pastor Sam has shared with us concerning the role of the Holy Spirit in Luke's account of the Advent narrative. This past Sunday we had time to reflect on Elizabeth.

• By the Spirit, Elizabeth was able to see what was invisible to others. It was the Spirit who gave Elizabeth the knowledge of Mary's pregnancy, even though Mary was not visibly pregnant at the time.
• By the Spirit, Elizabeth was able to have a prophetic perspective on natural events. It was the Spirit who caused Elizabeth to understand that her baby in her own womb was not moving randomly, but "leaped for joy".
• The Holy Spirit discloses the works of God. It was the Spirit who revealed to Elizabeth that Mary's pregnancy was not from a sexual encounter, but was a miraculous act of the Holy Spirit.
• The Holy Spirit reveals for us what other people are not saying. It was the Spirit who caused Elizabeth to know that Mary's baby was not merely another child to be born, but was also the Lord of glory.  

Our pastor noted that "God, through the Holy Spirit, can cause you to understand things." Things that seem to be ordinary might in fact be extraordinary, but we will not know what God is doing unless we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and under His inspiration she saw and spoke.

Who inspires your sight and speech?

Open Invitation

"The Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit alone, is able to make the impossible possible." -Rev. Dr. Sam Vassel

"For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

In this past Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam shared: "He who is able to do the impossible is now the main ingredient of our lives." The Holy Spirit, who is available to us, is able to do now what He did in past history: He makes the impossible possible.

We have been given opportunity to have a role in this process: our part in the project is to say yes to God. Our pastor asked us, "Have you opened your heart to the Holy Spirit?" In Luke chapter 1, we see that Mary did just that. She responded to the angel's message by opening her heart to the Lord: "I am the Lord's servant", Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." (Luke 1:38)

God is able to do things that we cannot imagine (see Ephesians 3:20-21). His power is not bound by the challenges and personal situations we face. Some of us have experienced this in certain areas of our own lives. But, do we believe that the Holy Spirit has the power to move in every area of our lives? Will we choose to say yes to the power of the Spirit, even when He invites our participation in seemingly impossible projects? Have we invited the Holy Spirit to have unrestricted access to us?

Lord God, there is no part of my life that is off-limits to You. I long to be part of Your work in the earth. I give You my mind, my heart, my body, my talents. In the midst of my challenges, and even in the midst of knowing that Your work in me might bring more challenges my way, I give myself to You. Lord, let it be unto me according to Your word.

Luke 1:26-45

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

(Luke 1:26-45, New International Version)

Oh, That I Might Rejoice In You!

I will be glad and rejoice in Your love, for You saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. (Psalm 31:7-8)

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things! The LORD's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!" (Psalm 118:15-16)

Then Hannah prayed and said: "My heart rejoices in the LORD; in the LORD my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in Your deliverance. There is no one holy like the LORD; there is no one besides You; there is no Rock like our God." (First Samuel 2:1-2)

And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant." (Luke 1:46-48)

Have you ever lost your joy? I have. It's an awful feeling.

My prayer for you today is that regardless of life's hardships, you might be able to take a moment today to tell God that you are rejoicing in Him-- even if you don't "feel" joyful. And I pray that as you press in to the rejoicing by faith, the Lord will perform a restoring work in you and bring you fullness of joy (see Psalm 16:11).

Almighty Lord, I rejoice in Your love.
Almighty Lord, I rejoice in Your saving power.
Lord God, I choose to rejoice in You. Thank You for being with me even in my lowest moments... and thank You for walking with me through the storm. 

Fear Doesn't Live Here Anymore.

"Fear is the flip side of idolatry. When you believe that there is something bigger than God, when you believe that something is going to be more dangerous than God's safety, it grips you and it terrorizes you. No wonder the Bible talks about 'fear not'." -Rev. Dr. Sam Vassel

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (Second Timothy 1:7, King James Version)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam reminded us of the danger of living in fear.  Zechariah said of God, "He has raised up a horn of salvation for us" (Luke 1:69a). God, by His power, brings to light the promises given to His people. Our pastor shared that God has broken into history in order to free us, and part of that freedom includes deliverance from fear.

Pastor Sam also mentioned a point that I'd like us to reflect on today. In much of our Christmas imagery we focus on Jesus as an infant. Infancy connotes a sense of helplessness and complete dependence. But we must always keep in mind that Jesus, though He chose to enter humanity in this way, is still the King in the kingdom of God. He holds all power and authority. There is none greater than He. As we rest in His greatness, we lose all fear.

There is a Negro spiritual that reminds us of our need to recognize Jesus in His greatness and power, even as we are surrounded by icons depicting His humanity. A poignant line in the song says, "Sweet little Holy Child, we didn' know who You was." When we live in fear, our conduct indicates that we really don't know the greatness of the One we call Lord and Savior. The enemy of our souls uses fear: a) to keep us from entering into the promises of God; and/or b) to make us think that Jesus is still a baby incapable of rescuing His people. But we are called to reject all fear and instead embrace faith in our Lord and Christ, who saves us.

Are you freed from fear?

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us... to rescue us from the hands of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all of our days." (see Luke 1:67-75)

Song Leader.

"His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:" (Luke 1:67)

In Bibles with headings, Luke 1:67-80 is usually headed "Zechariah's Song". But, as Pastor Sam shared with us on Sunday, the prophetic words that came from Zechariah's mouth in verses 67 through 75 were preceded by Divine action: Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. It was the Spirit of God who conducted the song.

Under the influence of the Holy Spirit, Zechariah gave voice to the deep longing and yearning felt by the people of God. Our pastor summarized this yearning in three points:

*Freedom from enemy oppression;
*Freedom from fear;
*Freedom to pursue a lifestyle of holiness and righteousness.

Can we, in 2013, still appreciate this narrative? Do we believe that now, as then, God can speak prophetically through His faithful servants?

Is He free to speak through you?

Upheaval! Upheaval!

When I was very young (back in the late '60's/early '70's) it was normal to see street preachers on the sidewalks of New York. Though they were from different denominational backgrounds and different ethnic groups, their messages were essentially in the same vein: Jesus Loves You; Repent; The End Is Near.

My first foray into evangelism occurred when I was attending church services at The Salvation Army. I and my pastor, Brigadier Mary Niesiewicz, walked into a local bar. We handed out free copies of The War Cry magazine to the patrons and encouraged them to turn to Jesus. (For those unfamiliar with my 1970's church life, back then it was normal to involve younger children in the same ministry efforts that the adults were engaged in.) Having heard street preachers for several years by then, I knew what to say.  But, I had a big problem. Although I knew the script and its attendant scriptures, I did not understand the importance of applying this information to my personal life.

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam spoke of the importance of being free to embrace a lifestyle of holiness and righteousness. And today I find myself wondering if we in Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene are embracing that lifestyle, or if we are just parroting the script.

Jesus loves you. For those of us who signed up for this Christian faith-walk, this is one of the first things we learn. The love of Christ is incredible. As we consider Advent, we acknowledge that Jesus has come. He demonstrated His love for us by giving up His life, in order to give us access to eternal life with Him.

Repent. Because Jesus has extended this life-offer to us, we are encouraged to turn to Him. Turning to Him means that we walk away from lifestyles and belief systems that run counter to His word. Our pastor shared that Advent reminds us that Christ, the King in the kingdom of God, is come. In the here-and-now, every day, He calls for us to love and serve Him exclusively.

The end is near. Some people have adopted a mantra of "I'll accept Jesus later", because they are sure that "later" will come at the hour of their choosing. But Pastor Sam addressed this false belief with his reference to Matthew chapter 24. No one is guaranteed a "later". Particularly at Bronx Bethany, we have done so many so-called "untimely death" funerals; we should know better than to assume that we can postpone a decision to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. The Advent narrative asserts that Jesus will come: we are exhorted to be prepared to meet Him.

In his sermon, Pastor Sam used what I believe is one of the scariest words in the English language: upheaval. It brings to mind images of uncontrollable destructive forces, the sort of which come and go in moments, leaving behind massive devastation. Tsunamis. EF-5 tornadoes. Floods. We have seen the Matthew 24 signs already: the destruction of the Temple, wars, earthquakes, famines, persecutions, betrayals, deceit, and wickedness. As our pastor said (paraphrased here), If Jesus should come back tomorrow, we can't say that we didn't know. Why? Because we have already seen upheaval... and if we live longer, we will see more.

So, in light of this, we look inward and reflect on the current state of our faith-walk. Do we obey the commands of this Jesus, our Lover who we claim to love so much? Are we eager to repent, turning away from sin and completely devoting ourselves to Christ? Are we living each day in the pursuit of holiness and righteousness, knowing that Jesus has told us to be ready to meet Him?

Know the script. Know the scriptures. Live the lifestyle. Understand upheaval.

Listen; get this. If you knew that some man was going to break into your house tonight, would you go to bed? No, you would keep watch and be ready to confront him. You would not be surprised at all when he showed up. In the same way, you need to be ready and stay ready: Jesus is coming back at a time when you don't expect Him to. So, live your whole faith-life "expecting". Do you work for Him? Then work. Don't slack off just because you think He's delaying His return. Make sure the King of kings can always find you at your post, doing the works He lovingly created you to do, and doing those works without hypocrisy, so that you don't lose what God promised to you. (my paraphrase of Matthew 24:43-51)

My Gravitas.

[note: "gravitas" is Latin for heaviness or seriousness]

And a voice from heaven said, "This is My Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17)

"Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other,  'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and take his inheritance.' So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?" (Matthew 21:33-40)

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down...he is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short." Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring-- those who obey God's commands and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (see Revelation 12:10-17)

In Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam shared with us that we are unwilling participants in a vicious battle that we did not start. It is not about our personal attempts at wellness and wholeness. It is not about who we love or where we work. It is not about our children or our landlords or our professors. Our pastor noted that the fight we are engaged in is not really about us, nor "them": it is about the intense anger and hatred that Satan, the evil one, harbors against God. Scripture asserts that Satan has already been defeated: the accuser has been hurled down (Revelation 12:10). The evil one cannot hurt God; but, he is very effective in bringing defeat and destruction into human lives. As Pastor Sam noted, the devil and his minions attempt to hurt God by hurting the people of God.

The hurt and the pain is real. I have felt it. Perhaps you have experienced this pain too. What is a Christian to do?

We have hope! Jesus says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy: I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:10-11) We are reminded again, as some of our pastors have said: The Triune God broke up the Godhead for our sake. Jesus, the Christ, was sent to this earth. He lived, loved, died, and is risen. Because of His completed work, we are able to stand.

On Sunday Pastor Sam referenced the first section of Zechariah's song (Luke 1:67-75). Zechariah yearned to see a Deliver arrive who would free the people of God from the oppression they were suffering. What happened? The Deliverer showed up, but the oppression continued. Rather than an external wiping out of the enemy, Jesus came to teach His people how to experience His peace even in the face of opposition and domination. Jesus teaches us to be victorious on the inside.

After Sunday night's The Key service I had the privilege of chatting with Pastor Sam for a few minutes about the persecution experiences of Paul, Silas, and Stephen. (I am still wrestling with the implications of our discourse.)

-Stephen, how it is that you could pray such a loving prayer while that crowd pelted you with rocks and called you a blasphemer, just because you had a profound encounter with God?
-Paul and Silas, how were you able to sing in the face of being whipped and thrown into a dank, dark, unsanitary prison cell, your ankles and wrists bound into stocks, just because you healed someone?

Let's be real: some of us are desperate for external change. But I wonder if we love Jesus enough to bask in His peace, even though it's sometimes accompanied by incredibly painful external circumstances. Scripture asserts that it is possible: Stephen and Paul and Silas reached this level of faith and grace. How about us?

Let us stand, faithful, though the flames of consumerism devour our livelihoods.
Let us stand, faithful, though the subtle serpent wrecks relationships.
Let us stand, faithful, though our children are co-opted by the world.
Let us stand faithful: and, by the miracle of Christ's coming, let us rejoice and rest in Him.

The Persecution... And The Presence.

Yesterday afternoon I had an interesting conversation with a food-service worker.

I asked for a BLT. The woman behind the counter then asked me whether I wanted lettuce on the sandwich. Assuming she was perhaps new to her post, I explained to her that BLT stands for Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato, and that those were the three things that by definition had to be in the sandwich.

She replied, "Oh, but you can put anything you want in the sandwich."
I responded, "If I put anything I want in this sandwich, then it ceases to be a BLT."

In Sunday's English-language sermons, Pastor Sam reminded us of the plight of the early Christians. Their devotion to God was directly challenged by leaders who had given themselves over to the works of evil. There was intense social and political pressure to conform to the worship of idols. The Christians who made space for idolatry were spared from persecution; those who refused to compromise their faith were ostracized, tortured, and killed.

Some of us are personally familiar with the reality of persecution. And today I find myself wondering if we, having adopted the teachings of Jesus, have also added a myriad of philosophies and "self-help" mantras to try to avoid persecution, then falsely named our mixture "Christianity". But if we are truly Christians, then we are citizens of a kingdom where Jesus, the Anointed One, is our King and Lord. He needs no add-ons, and our "self-help" attempts cannot save our souls. Christ alone is the key and the door that leads to eternal life.

In Sunday's sermon Pastor Sam noted that if we have lost our home, but have not lost our relationship with Jesus Christ, then our soul remains in a position of rejoicing. When we grasp the value of our eternal love relationship with the King of Glory, then the temporal concerns of life cease to rule over us: the temptation to compromise is vanquished by the power of God's Presence in His people.

As our pastor has said from time to time over the years, There is no "Plan B". There is only this true and living God, our Lover and Defender, who patiently calls us to relinquish idolatry and cling to Him. My prayer is that we who call ourselves Christians will find true rest and true peace in Jesus, our Ruler and Lord.

Sweet Spirit of God, You knew our circumstances before we experienced them. You know where we stand in our faith-walk with You. You love us! Help us to love You, even when that love evokes persecution from those who hate You. Lord Jesus, You are our King. Rule in our hearts, today and forever. Amen.

"The LORD is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?...Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident." (Psalm 27, verses 1 and 3, New International Version)

Wanted: A Candle Of Peace.

On this second Sunday of Advent, many liturgical churches focus on the subject of Christ as our peace. One of the names of our Lord Jesus is Prince of Peace: "For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Are you looking for endless peace? Peace is found in a Person: our eternal God. "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3) "LORD, You establish peace for us: all that we have accomplished You have done for us. O LORD, our God, other lords beside You have ruled over us, but Your name alone do we honor." (Isaiah 26:12-13)

Where do we find ourselves today? Have we submitted ourselves to the Prince of Peace? Or are we found bowing to idols who rule our thoughts and deeds while robbing us of the peace we so desperately desire? Or, are we caught in circumstances that move us to heave and weave, unsteady, unsure, and overcome in the chaos?

From time to time Pastor Sam shares a few words with me. These words, when I can remember them, help me to find peace in this stormy life. I share them here in the hope that they'll be helpful to you as well.

*Relax.
*It'll be all right.
*God is aware.
*Let's pray.

Today is a good day to light a candle of peace. Not a candle of revenge. Not a candle to start an angry firestorm. Not even a candle of self-preservation. Just a simple candle to remind ourselves that Jesus, the Light of the world, has come into the world to establish His peace.

Have a peaceful day.

Prince of Peace, establish Your peace in us as we trust in You. Give us hearts to receive and reflect Your word of peace today. Amen.

All Dressed Up, But Not Ready To Go.

“It is a vital thing to prepare yourself for what God is going to do decisively. This kind of decisive coming of God is not something that He must make catch you unawares or unprepared.” –Rev. Dr. Sam Vassel

The unprepared. In this past Sunday’s sermon Pastor Sam spoke of the parable of the ten virgins. All ten were dressed and waiting for the bridegroom, but when the bridegroom finally arrived five of the virgins were unprepared to go out to meet him. Though they were in the right place and in the right attire, they lacked the supply of oil needed to light their way. (see Matthew 25:1-13) As we engage in Christian ministry and activity today, we are warned that not everyone who adopts Christian culture is ready to meet the Christ we claim to serve.

The unaware. The purpose of the life and ministry of John the Baptist was to serve as one who prepared people for the ministry of Jesus Christ (see Luke 1:5-17). Our pastor shared: “The Holy Spirit took care to fill John the Baptist from his mother’s womb.” In the same way, the Holy Spirit is present today to make us aware of our need to renounce idolatry and seek the presence and blessing of the Lord. John the Baptist exhorted the people of his day to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Luke 3:8a); we are encouraged to do the same.

v  Are we producing fruit that shows the world we have embraced repentance, or do our lives show a lack of joyful obedience to God’s word?

v  Are we prepared to meet our Lord Jesus at any time, or are we harboring known sin and self-serving works?

v  Are we aware of our need to give ourselves, completely, to the ministry of the Holy Spirit?

Come In, Please.

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam shared with us that the Advent of Christ is a phenomenon that transcends time.

Christ came. As we noted in Tuesday's post, we have historical record that Jesus was born into a particular time and place.

Christ comes. As Christians, we walk in a lived experience of Jesus being present in us. Every day we embrace a new opportunity to see the life and ministry of Jesus being represented in the way we treat ourselves and others.

Christ will come. At some future point in time, our Lord will return to bring the righteous into eternal life, and the wicked into eternal punishment (see Matthew 25).

How do we respond to this truth? We look back with gratitude; we live today with joy; we look forward with hopeful expectation.

Our pastor noted that Christ is the King in the kingdom of God: He is the already, and the not yet.

Believe this truth.
Live in accordance with this truth.
Proclaim this truth.
Veni, Emmanuel.

Know Your History.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) (Luke 2:1-2)

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar-- when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene-- during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. (Luke 3:1-2)

Luke was intentional in naming names and establishing context. He shares with us the names and titles of political and religious leaders: those who were in office at the time Jesus was born (Luke 2), and those who ruled at the time Jesus entered into His earthly ministry (Luke 3). We are privileged to know that the life of Jesus is not myth, but fact.

Our senior pastor shared a few words which I would us to reflect on for today:

"There is a historical celebration of Advent. When we come at this time of year, we as Christians can tell you, 'At the time when Quirinius was governor of Syria'. And we are not just in some kind of fable, you know, 'once upon a time there was a Jesus'. No. We are telling you what time. 'And when Augustus was Caesar.' There is a particular point in history when God, the One who is outside of history, stepped into history and came into the world. We celebrate a historical fact of the coming. Jesus Christ came." (Rev. Dr. Sam Vassel)

Jesus, the Christ, came into the world. Be encouraged.

Cycle "G".

Happy New Year!

Yesterday was the first day of the 2013-2014 liturgical year. For Christians, the first Sunday of Advent ushers in a new cycle of praise, worship, prayer, and reflection. Who is the subject and object of our attention? He is God: our Father, Savior, Lord, King, and Advocate.

In yesterday’s English-language sermons, Pastor Sam encouraged us to reflect on the Holy Spirit’s influence in the Advent themes. Over the next few weeks, we’ll consider the Spirit’s role in four areas: preparation, yearning, expectation, and hope.

For today, let’s read (or re-read) one of the Scripture passages our pastor referenced: Luke 3:1-18.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Abilene—during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.’”

John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” “What should we do then?” the crowd asked. John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.”

Tax collectors also came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.” The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.

(Luke 3:1-18, NIV)