Ever Present, Never Prescient.

"Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed Jesus." (Matthew 4:25)

Well, let's talk about this wonderful verse that appears before the account of the teaching of the Beatitudes.

There were large crowds following Jesus around... I'm trying to imagine what it would be like if 1500 people were to show up at our church- every service, every prayer meeting, every class offered. At this point, there's no way we could handle that many people at Bronx Bethany. We'd have to just all go outside and do the teaching outside.

Jesus went up the side of a mountain, sat down, and taught the people... but what people? Was it the big crowd, or the smaller group of disciples? Jesus was the popular teacher, the radical rabbi, the guy with the healing ministry. When He was around, things happened... and therefore the crowd wanted to be around Him: not for His words, but for the prospect of witnessing the sensational. And then, here and there in the big crowd, one might find a few true disciples who longed to hear and obey the word of life being brought by this One who was like no other.

I can guarantee you that if the news agencies reported that profound physical healings are taking place at Bronx Bethany, then lots of people will show up in church: not because they want to be healed, not because they want to hear the word of God, but because they want to see what else might happen. I believe the correct word to describe them is "spectators". Oh, the great danger is to be a spectator when God has called us to be full participants in His kingdom agenda.

As we come to the end of another week, let's take time to pray that we will be true disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You Look Like Someone I Know.

As we continue our thoughts on this past Sunday's sermon, let's consider the two main passages Pastor Joy spoke on (Matthew 5 and Galatians 5). In them are contained two famous New Testament scriptures: The Beatitudes and the listing of the "fruit of the Spirit". (If you're not familiar with them, please take a few minutes to read Matthew 5:1-11 and Galatians 5:22-23.)

Those of us who have been attending Sunday School and church for a long time probably memorized these verses somewhere along the way. But, memorizing it and living it out are two different things! How do we make these verses a reality in our daily lives?

Maybe we should "un-memorize" this stuff and read it as if we'd never seen it before. One of the dangers of rote memorization is that the words are nothing more than words, nothing more than a laundry list filed in our brains with all the other laundry lists. So, let's just look at two examples with new eyes.

What does it mean to be poor in spirit? Can you embrace the notion that, outside of the presence and power of God working in us, we have nothing to offer?

What does the fruit of joy look like? Can you demonstrate a joyful demeanor even as you experience the deepest grief and sorrow? In other words, do you have the joy of the Lord in you, or is your joy solely contingent on your current circumstances?

I'd encourage you, as you read and re-read these two passages, to slow down and ask yourself hard questions: "Does my life reflect this? Is my life giving people a glimpse of how things work in the kingdom of God? If 'Christian' means Christ-like, does my life fit the bill?"

Lord, help us to be Your agents in the world.

Welcome To The Club.

"Those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." (Galatians 5:24)

As we continue our reflections on this past Sunday's sermon, let's think about Pastor Joy's comment (paraphrased here): "It's not that the customer sees you as the best choice; the customer sees you as the only choice."

Oh, for us Jesus is the only choice! And because we belong to Him, that means there are other things that we don't want to be a part of. Galatians 5:24 sums it up: we don't want to be controlled by the sinful nature. In fact, we have put the sinful nature to death.

But how do we put the sinful nature to death? By cultivating the fruit of the Spirit, those character traits that define and "brand" the Christian. What are they?

Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.

What a list. No disclaimers, no "I love everybody except for those people who keep bothering me", no "but you don't understand my situation". Just beautiful fruit, the love of our Father God reflected in and through His children.

Yes, Lord, we want to look like You! We want to present You in such a way that people will see You as their only option. Please let Your transforming work be done in us. In Jesus's name we pray, Amen.

Internationally Recognized Logo.

This past Sunday, Pastor Joy shared with us the concept of "brand" and its relevance to our lives as Christians. During the sermon she brought out one verse in the John 3 passage that we can take time to reflect on today.

He (Nicodemus) came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." (John 3:2)

Nicodemus, in those short sentences, said something profound: Jesus, we know who You are.

Nicodemus made a confession: he, and others in his circle of influence, were fully aware that Jesus was not walking around performing counterfeit acts. The Pharisees would have known of the history of ancient Israel during the captivity in Egypt, in which the magicians of Egypt were able to counterfeit the first three signs sent by God through Moses (see Exodus 7:8 through 8:7). And they knew of the moment when the Egyptians warned Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God" (Exodus 8:19): that is, this is something that cannot be counterfeited. This is an authentic act of God being worked in your presence. This is something you need to be paying attention to. So, it was significant that Nicodemus would tell Jesus, in effect, "Yes, we know you are not a fraud. We know God has sent you, and we know this because of the accompanying signs and wonders that mark your ministry."

Okay, so we say we belong to God. We say we have been placed by Him into this world to do some things for His kingdom's sake. Well, that's nice. But is anyone recognizing you as a representative of God? What is there that you do that shows other people, without a doubt, your authentic faith?

Maybe we can start by being a living demonstration of acts that indicate we belong to God. His unending love, His compassion, and yes, even the miracles that speak of the present reality of the kingdom of God.

Don't tell me that no one performs miracles anymore.
And don't tell me that no one loves the world anymore.
It's really not about other people right now... I'm asking you about you.
And I'm asking myself too.
Let's pray that we, like Jesus, will be internationally recognized as men and women sent from God.

LORD, help us to love the world in the way You love: provision of needs, healing of illnesses, deliverance from bondages, justice, compassion, mercy. Yes, we can do these things through Christ Jesus, the One who upholds and equips us. Thank You, Father, for making this accessible to us. We ask for Your help in the name of Jesus. Amen.

No. And No.

Today we wrap up our reflections on the sermon preached by Pastor Benji, based on Luke 13:1-5.

"I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." -Luke 13:3

"I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." -Luke 13:5

When Jesus says something once, we should pay attention. How much more so when Jesus says something twice?

Some people told Jesus the bad news about the actions of Pilate. In turn, Jesus reminded those people of a disastrous accident in which a building collapsed. And Jesus asked a question about both incidents: when bad things happen to people, is that an indication of their level of sinfulness? And Jesus answered the question Himself, which we see recorded in verses 3 and 5 of Luke 13: No.

We really need to get this point. We live in a world where people tell us that there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between the things we do and what sort of tangible, physical response we receive from God while we're on earth. In other words, do some nice things and God will give you some nice stuff right now, you'll be happy and nothing bad will happen because you are the blessed of God.

"The Father sends rain on the just and the unjust" (see Matthew 5:45). So, if there is potential for everyone to get caught in a torrential downpour, or a mudslide, or a tsunami, or an earthquake, then what shall we do? What is it that will distinguish us as people of God?

The sermon left us with a few answers, which I'll repeat here as we close this week:

-We are distinguished by our repentant heart. We have apologized to God for our sinfulness, and we have made a decision to turn away from our sin.
-We are distinguished by knowing what our God-given purpose is. As we have spent time in the presence of God, He has shown us what He wants us to do for Him.
-We are distinguished by fulfilling our God-given purpose. We are not like Jonah, who walked away from his assignment, but we are enthusiastically obedient to do as our Lord has instructed us.

Take a look inside your own heart.

Lord willing, we'll meet again in cyberspace next Tuesday. Take care my friends.

Living In The Light.

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Benji noted two questions that we must consider in light of the Luke 13:1-5 passage:

-Have we repented?
-Are we living life with a consciousness of our God-given purpose?

A modern temptation is to exert much time and energy on things that, in the light of eternity, don't matter. It's easy to, for example, sit on our couches and watch reports of the continuing rescue effort in Haiti, alternately praising the rescue workers and lamenting the collapsed infrastructure and lost lives. It's not as easy to shut off the TV and have an honest conversation with God about whether we're doing what He wants us to do.

In Luke 13:1-5, Jesus seems to ignore the commentary He received concerning the political actions of Pilate and the accident involving the tower in Siloam. Does that mean He didn't care about the people who died? Why, of course He cared! Scripture shows us that Jesus was the One who had compassion on people: He is the Healer. But this passage also shows us that He placed a priority on the state of each individual's soul. What is the danger? Jesus tells us: the danger is that, if we do not repent, we will perish. That is the great danger, the issue we must attend to. In other words, spiritual death is far more serious than physical death.

The next danger, which closely follows the issue of repentance, is the issue of living out our God-given purpose. Luke 13:6-9, the parable of the fig tree, is a very sobering commentary on how God responds to those who, when placed in His world with a purpose, fail to do what He expects them to do. I encourage all of us to take a minute to read Luke 13:6-9, and to take another minute to reflect on whether we are in the place God wants us to be, doing what He wants us to do.

LORD, You are the one who grants gifts to Your people by Your Spirit. Please give us the grace to accept and embrace the particular gifts You've given us. Please help us to not just take up space in the world, but to bear fruit that brings honor to You. Please give us a heart of joy, so that people will see You in us as we accomplish great things for the sake of Your kingdom. In Jesus's name, Amen.

It Is What It Is.

"Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you'." -Matthew 24:4

As we continue our reflection on this past Sunday's sermon, let's take a look at Matthew 24. I hope you'll make the time to read the entire chapter. Like the Luke 13:1-5 passage, it's another instance of Jesus making commentary on the tragedies that we experience in life.

In a nutshell, what does He say? If I may paraphrase both passages: "These things have happened; these things must happen. But watch yourselves. Make sure you repent. Make sure you live your lives as faithful servants of God. Why? Because, when you least expect it, your Lord and Master will return to judge the earth."

Friends, this is it. We are not exempt from pain. Jesus says, "There will be famines and earthquakes in various places" (see Matthew 24:7). And He says, "but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 24:13). Let's not get lost in the anguish of the recent events in Haiti, but let us be reminded that in the midst of the sorrow Jesus is warning us to stay anchored in Him.

Lord, please help us to trust You and rest in You.

The Luke Road.

This past Sunday, Pastor Benji spoke on Luke 13:1-5. In light of the tragic aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti, he offered a perspective that was enlightening and sobering.

We who are in safer climes might be tempted to make certain assumptions and judgements about our brothers and sisters in Haiti. But when we read the Luke passage, we see Jesus making a very salient point: tragedy, frequently, has nothing to do with the belief system or social status of the affected party.

This week we'll take a look at these verses in closer detail. For today, though, I encourage you to open your Bibles and read the five verses again.

"Unless you repent..." Yes, we have been given a choice. I pray you will choose to obey God, always.

Lenten Preview: T Minus 31 And Counting.

Friends, in a month we begin the season of Lent, a time during which we reflect on the passion of Jesus our Lord as He finished out His earthly ministry and prepared for His return to glory via death on a cross, burial, and a resurrection witnessed by hundreds and documented in Scripture.

I'm mentioning this a month early for a specific reason: I am asking you to seriously and prayerfully consider going on an extended fast during Lent. It's an opportunity to seek the face of God more intensely than through prayer alone. It's an opportunity to demonstrate to yourself that you are taking authority over your body and your appetite as you pursue the presence of the Lord.

If you are asking in your heart "What will I gain?", then perhaps fasting is not for you at this time. This endeavor is not about getting anything; it's about giving more of ourselves, more of our attention, to the almighty God who saves us and keeps us saved.

Please, over the next month, pray about this and ask the Lord to show you what He wants you to do. And, when He shows you, be sure to obey Him completely and joyfully.

Take care my friends. See you next Tuesday, Lord willing.

You Two? Again?

"But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?'" (Acts 5:3)

Well, just when I thought everything was cool and copasetic, there it goes... the resurfacing of the Ananias and Sapphira problem. Is anyone besides me wondering why the Holy Spirit keeps mentioning this from the pulpit of Bronx Bethany?

Friends, let's heed the warning. God really does not like it when we present a partial gift as if it's the whole gift. And this goes way beyond money. Remember Psalm 50? "What right do you have to speak my laws and declare my covenant, seeing that you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you?" (paraphrase of Psalm 50:16-17).

Pastor Sam reminded us of the responsibility we have when offering our gifts to God: whatever we present to God must be flawless, first-class, not fraudulent, and not free. When we consider the price that Jesus paid on our behalf, how can we offer less than our best? How dare we offer God leftovers? What would cause us to do something so foolish as to lie to the living God? How could we offer Him a "gift" we didn't even pay for? Is that the way we say "I love You, Lord"?

Ananias and Sapphira. Participants in the ministry, but unfortunately they were a couple in leadership with a big problem: in their zeal to retrofit themselves into the move of God, they pretended that they were on board with God's program. But the Holy Spirit knew their hearts. And, in the space of about three hours, God publicly dealt with a man, and his wife, who conspired to look good in the eyes of men.

You know, this past Sunday is not the first time that the Lord has given a prophetic warning that specifically referred to those of us in Bronx Bethany who are involved in music ministry. It seems that, for a long time, music ministry at Bronx Bethany has been a paradox, an "overt cover"...a hiding place for some who are not on board with God's agenda, are not obedient to His commands, but who seem more than happy to sing His praises. If that's you, sweetie, mark my words: "mene, mene, tekel"- your days are numbered, you are weighed and found lacking in substance. Watch out... when worship is used to cover treachery, judgement is inevitable. I, and others, are fervently praying that you will repent and turn, completely, to the Lord.

Confession.
Repentance.
Obedience.
Time is running out.

Perfect Love In The Upper Room.

"Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." -John 13:17

The full extent of Jesus's love (see John 13:1), expressed in the humble act of washing the feet of His disciples. Does that surprise you?

Our question for today: what would it look like if we, lovingly, washed each other's feet?

Pastor Sam gave a modern analogy which we would do well to reflect on. There are some of us who are more than happy to give a dollar to a person in need. But, when we are the person in need, we are too embarrassed or too proud to accept the dollar from someone else.

I had to be at Bronx Bethany last Saturday for a couple of meetings, and only had enough money on my Metrocard for a one-way ride to church. As I left my apartment I grabbed a fistful of nickels and dimes out of my coin cup, praying that it was enough to get me back home. Pastor Benji saw me counting my coins at the end of our meeting, and he blessed me with a couple of dollars. I'm sure he had other things to do with his money, but he chose to "wash my feet". And me? I chose to be a grateful recipient. (I must admit, that wasn't easy for me to do. But I'm learning.)

Glorious Jesus, Lord of the universe and everything in it, has given us the roadmap: "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you" (John 13:15).

Yes, Lord, I am happy to do the work that others call "menial".
Yes, Lord, I am willing to give up everything for those I love... and even for Judas Iscariot, the one I love who plots my downfall.
Yes, Lord, I am happy to accept the gifts You send, and will not allow pride or shame to rob me of the wonderful blessing of love shared in tangible forms.

Friends, let's demonstrate this perfect love of God as we give, and receive, to His glory!

A Divine Detour.

During Pastor Sam's sermon this past Sunday, one of the Scripture references included the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

There's an interesting opening to that passage, one that we often gloss over in our zeal to get to the heart of the story. But let's park our mental cars at the opening verses today, found in Luke 10:25-28.

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher", he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"What is written in the law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

He answered: "'Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

"Do this and you will live". It's an amazing thing to consider, this snapshot of what really matters.

In his attempt at testing Jesus, this expert in the law was ultimately the subject of his own test. And, in terms of theoretical knowledge, the lawyer passed the test. He gave the right response, a two-part answer firmly grounded in Scripture: love God, and love your neighbor. Simple enough.

But then there was the practicum, the moment where theory falls to the side and gets replaced with an expectation of performance: "Do this and you will live." In other words, do the uncomfortable thing. Pastor Sam shared an interesting point: The Samaritan set aside his own agenda, delayed his own journey, spent his own money, and risked his own health and safety to help a man he didn't even know. Let's keep that in mind: this business of loving means that sometimes we will need to take risks and face inconvenience.

Friends, our question for today: How many of us get an A+ in theory and a failing grade in practicum?

Love, Pure And Simple.

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." -First John 4:18

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam reminded us of the elements of our mission and vision statements. I'm reminded of Second Peter 1:12. "So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have." Friends, it's a very good thing to be reminded.

And, it's a very good thing to be reminded at the beginning of the year. Why? Because, frankly, some of us may have forgotten why we are attending this church in the Northeast Bronx. Or, worse, some of us may be attending for the wrong reasons.

As we begin this week's blogs, let's ask some hard questions and answer them honestly. Here's one for today.

-If you are attending this church in the Bronx but you live in, say, Brooklyn, how do you express the love of Jesus to the local community that surrounds our church? How can you be influential if your only contribution to the community is taking up a parking space for a few hours on a Sunday?

By the way, this question also applies to those of us who live in the Bronx. We must have a voice, a presence, an influence, that is outside of the four walls of the church.

The love of Christ, His unending love, extends not just to those we know. As Pastor Sam shared on Sunday, we are called to love the unlovely; to give gifts to those who despise us; to bless those who curse us. It's easy to do when the love that is in you is the love of Christ. The Scripture says, "Whoever loves God must also love his brother" (First John 4:21): there are no qualifiers, no list of exceptions.

John, we love you.
Simon, we love you.
Judas, we love you.
Herod, we love you.
Why? Because Jesus loved us first. That is why we love you without regard to whether you return the love.

Love. Pure and simple.

Now This Is Soul Food.

Friends, we have been called to get our priorities straight.

During Wednesday night's prayer meeting (1/6/10) Pastor Joy shared some of the notes she had taken during Pastor Sam's sermon. Below are just a few of them.

-Know the difference between the urgent and the important;
-Remember the parable of the rich fool- he paid no attention to his essential being, his soul;
-The only thing we can keep is that which is rich towards God (the content of the relationship that we have with God).

I hope we can all take away something from the sermon that will serve as a barometer for us as we go through this year. For me, it will be the reminder of Mary, Martha's "radical" sister whose heart for Jesus led her to defy cultural conventions. For you, it might be someone or something else.

My husband and I have been talking about this sermon all week, and it's been exciting to not just talk it, but start to live it. God is moving in Bronx Bethany, and we are on the verge of great and profound things... but it sails or fails based on our response to God. I urge you, I urge myself, be rich towards God.

That is our priority.

See you online next Tuesday, Lord willing.

That's Not What I Ordered...

As we near the end of the first full week of 2010, let's reflect on Pastor Sam's sermon one more time. Today, we'll talk about the indictment of doing the right things in the wrong order. (Some of these points are from the sermon, and some are add-ons.)

Cain had that problem. He brought an offering from his farming efforts. But God had mandated that the sin offering be presented first, and the sin offering required the sacrifice of an animal.

Martha had that problem. She had a strong gift of hospitality and serving. But in her act of service, she missed the chance to sit at the feet of the One who had given her these wonderful gifts.

The rich fool had that problem. He demonstrated himself to be a man of wisdom and industry. He could boast the honor and prestige of personal profit, but there was no proof that he had honored God.

The disciples had that problem. In a moment, they could transition from acknowledging Jesus's miraculous works to questioning His character and sensibility.

I have that problem. In a world that pushes for fast answers, I get nervous and agitated if weeks go by with no prophetic word from God. And in that agitation, sometimes I say things that shouldn't be said (or do things that shouldn't be done). As if God has to reply on my timetable.

Maybe you also have this problem, this challenge of living a "God first" life in a "me first" world.

The good news is, we are still alive! We can ask the Holy Spirit to evoke change in us! And we can witness the miraculous as the Lord turns our hearts towards Himself, and He becomes all in all. May God help us to do so.

LORD, help us to get the order right: You are first.

Overflow Or Undertow?

"A furious squall came up..." (Mark 4:37)

Friends, are you familiar with squalls? They are brief, sudden, violent storms that are famous for having high winds. Here in the Northeastern United States we are accustomed to snow squalls: one moment everything is just fine, then in a couple of minutes visibility plummets as the wind blows snow; it's a wind so strong that the snow seems to be a horizontal precipitation instead of its usual serene descent from sky to land. And then, in a few minutes, it's all over.

Perhaps that's a good analogy, a good lens through which to view the account of Jesus at the home of Martha.

Martha, as we heard on Sunday, was busy. After all, a social "squall" had come up. Jesus dropped by the house, and apparently no one gave Martha advance notice that He would be stopping by. So Martha stepped up to the plate and started preparations so that proper hospitality could be shown to Jesus and His disciples.

Mary, the sister who gained some notoriety for an incident involving herself, Jesus, and some perfume (see John 11:1-2), was at the feet of Jesus. She sat at His feet and listened to what He said (Luke 10:39). And for her, there seemed not to be any squall afoot.

In a culture where women did not study with men, Mary seized an opportunity to learn from the greatest Teacher who was also her Savior and Lord. And Martha seized an opportunity to do what was culturally correct. But in her zeal to be a great hostess, Martha dared to give Jesus an order: "You tell Mary to help me!"

Wow.

And Jesus seized an opportunity to teach another lesson. "Mary has chosen the better part."

Mary, tradition-breaker Mary, radical-worshiper Mary, extravagant-giver Mary, got it right. We would do well to follow her lead.

It's Called "Epiphany", Baby.

"Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" (Luke 12:20)

Pastor Sam asked a question during this past Sunday's sermon that we would do well to reflect on, particularly today as we recognize the day of Epiphany: what does it mean to be rich towards God?

In describing the fate of the rich fool, Jesus warns us: "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God" (Luke 12:21). What sort of "rich" can we express to the One who owns everything? What kind of love can we lavish on the One who loves like no other?

Perhaps a flashback to Psalm 116 might be in order. "How can I repay the LORD for all His goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people."

Lord, I will worship You.
Lord, I will praise You privately and publicly.
Lord, I will seek Your face in prayer.
Lord, I will give to Your house and support Your agenda.

Wise men came from the East, spending money, labor, time, and precious resources to seek out the King of the Jews. When they found Jesus, they didn't complain about the length of the journey, the abject poverty of the family, the madness of Herod, nor the tyranny of ancient Rome. They simply knelt before Jesus and presented Him gifts. Can we, who have also come to Jesus, do any less?

Bronx Bethany, wake up to the epiphany: be rich towards God!

Had This Been An Actual Emergency...

For the blog "2010: Restless in the Second Row" (posted 12/31/09), I ended with a reference to the accusation of the disciples in the face of the raging storm: "Master, don't You care that we perish?" (see Mark 4:35-41)

God is so amazing. I had no idea that the same theme would make a cameo appearance during Pastor Sam's sermon this past Sunday: "Lord, don't You care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone?" (see Luke 10:38-42)

Let's translate. "Jesus, if You really cared about me, then You would do something to change my situation immediately." That is the theme.

In the examples noted above, Jesus had been busy doing profound ministry: healing, teaching, commissioning disciples, and debating the religious leadership who challenged His works and word (see Luke 9 and Mark 3 for context). And then, when it was time for Him to just rest in the company of those closest to Him, what commendation did they bring? What comfort did they offer?

"Jesus, You really told those Pharisees what's what!" No.
"O Lord, I saw You move in power when You cast out that demon!" No.
"You know what, Jesus? You don't really care what happens to me, do You? Can't You see what's going on here? Do something!" Yes, that is our response in the face of profound miracles, profound teaching, and a profound defense of the work of the Christ. Sheer selfishness and self-preservation.

Well, this is how we begin 2010: it's A CALL TO GET OUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT. It begins with an appeal to stop pulling the emergency cord. When we panic over things that seem urgent, we lose sight of the things that are truly important.

Lord, what can we say? We are guilty. Forgive us, please, and teach us to expel the urgent things in order to embrace the important things. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.

A Day To Pray VII.

Friends, will you join me in prayer and fasting? I cannot give you any particular request right now, but I hope that the activity of worshiping the Lord through prayer and fasting is appealing enough for you to do without a long explanation of why you're doing it. I hope you'll trust me. (More so, I hope you'll trust the Lord!)

God bless you. Lord willing, we'll be back blogging next week, Tuesday through Saturday.

Love,
G.

2010: The Rising Flood.

"The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house..." (From Matthew 7:25)

Friends, it's still true. Rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous. And you may well find yourself in a torrential downpour that permeates your experience of life in 2010.

Some time ago in my blog I warned of the cessation of prophetic warnings as a sign of impending judgement: the Lord speaks graciously and tenderly, for months and years and decades, but the day comes where our time is up. The warnings stop. The gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit fades away. And the rebellious heart is left in its rebellion, to suffer the consequences of not heeding the call of God.

A praying remnant has done its part to intercede on behalf of individuals and institutions, and God has responded with an extension of His mercy. But the Scripture speaks loud and clear: "Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in that country, they would only deliver themselves by their righteousness, says the LORD God" (See Ezekiel 14:14). In other words, when God ends the mercy and starts the judgement, not even the great men and women of God will be able to push a "pause" button. Judgement will indeed visit our house.

America has been desolate before. America now stands on the edge of desolation again, 80 years after the advent of the Great Depression of the 1930's. The rain falls, the flood is rising. And we have two options: we can stand in the company of those who are firmly anchored in Jesus Christ, those who meet His criteria: hearing and doing what He says (see Matthew 7:24). The other option is to not hear Him and not do what He says, which would place us in the company of those who perish.

If you're not sure where you stand, make sure. It's pouring rain.