Copy That.

Let’s reflect on this thought paraphrased from Sunday’s sermon: Some look at Scripture and try to imitate what they have seen. Over time, though, people find that it is difficult (and even impossible) to do what Jesus has done. We can only do His works by the help of His Spirit.

Pastor Richard noted that we sometimes make the mistake of “benchmarking” ourselves against the people we see around us, instead of looking to Jesus as the example and model for Spirit-filled living. But the Bible gives us a benchmark for living a godly life: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” (Ephesians 5:1-2, New American Standard Bible)

How did Jesus love? Ephesians uses the analogies of an offering and a sacrifice. If we follow the lead of our Lord, then there are things we will give, and things we will do, that may prove costly. Jesus demonstrated His love by going to the cross on our behalf. In our faith tradition, we have the opportunity to show sacrificial love as we "take up our cross" every day (see Luke 9:23).

How did Jesus walk? His walk was determined by the word of His Father and by the prompting of the Holy Spirit. If we walk like Jesus walked, then we will be people immersed in the word of God and led by the Spirit of God.

It's important to remember that this level of love and obedience cannot be demonstrated without the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. When we surrender ourselves to His leading, then the Spirit of the Lord will move us from the life of selfishness into the life of self-sacrificing love.

Imitate God today.

Walk in love today.

Thankful. Always.

"It is not you doing it yourself when you can look back and say, like Joseph to his brothers, 'You meant it for evil but God meant it for good.' It's not you. That is not normal and that is not natural. You have to be under something in order to be able to say that." -Rev. Dr. Samuel Vassel

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20)

When we are under the influence of the Holy Spirit, we exhibit behavior which is produced by the presence of the Spirit. It is a behavior that confounds the enemy of our souls and confuses those who are not in relationship with Jesus Christ. Even when we are marginalized or persecuted, we do not seek rescue. Instead, we rest in the fact of our having been reconciled to Christ. That rest produces a heart filled with thanks and praise.

How is that we can be singing in the midst of evil days? The person under the influence of the Holy Spirit understands that God is able to use even the worst of situations in order to glorify His own name. Pastor Sam referenced Romans 5:1-5 (click here to link to the passage): we glory in our sufferings because we know that God is doing something. I encourage us all to take time today to read and meditate on the Romans passage, recognizing that we do not have to wait for rescue before we break out in shouts of rejoicing. There is much to be thankful for, even in the midst of crisis, and so we give thanks to our great God.

Lord God, today we do not seek rescue, and we do not seek revenge. We are simply resting and rejoicing. May You find our hearts always thankful.

Thankful For The Spirit Of Christ.

We want to avoid the trap of what we call moralism: in other words, there is a danger, when you are pursuing holiness, that you hear the call to holiness as a call to do better and try harder. It is a trap where people find it easier to pretend than to actually experience. -Rev. Dr. Sam Vassel (paraphrase mine)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam reminded us of the good news: holiness is not about trying harder. "The good news of holiness... is that people here and now can experience God's Spirit. And what we are about, in this community, is to announce the possibility and the necessity of experiencing the Holy Spirit."

Our pastor shared with us that we are not a community convicted by our inability to accomplish holiness in our own strength. Rather, we are a community converted, renouncing any attempts at delivering ourselves, and submitting ourselves to the Spirit of Christ. It is His presence and power that free us to obey His word.

Are you submitted to the Spirit?
Are you aware of His presence?
Are you empowered by Him?

Lord God, I recognize that I am not strong enough to live a life of holiness by my own means. Today, once again, I submit my entire being to You. Live in me! Work in me! Move through me! No part of my life is off-limits to You. Do as You will; shine Your perfection through my imperfect frame. 

Thankful For The Word, Part One And A Half.

Yesterday I posted Ephesians chapter 5 as a devotional reading. At Pastor Sam's request I am re-posting the same chapter today using the NIV translation, and will move on to Galatians chapter 5 on Wednesday. I pray that the reinforcement of this word will be a profound blessing to you, and that the Lord will give you new insights as you read.

Ephesians 5 (NIV)

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Thankful For The Word, Part One.

The Lord brought a powerful word to Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene through Pastor Sam yesterday. This week we will reflect on his message Pursuing Holiness, Promoting Healing, As Thanksgiving.

Early in the sermon our senior pastor recommended that we read Ephesians chapter 5, as well as the book of Galatians (giving special attention to Galatians chapter 5). For today and tomorrow, let’s take time to read God's Word. Below is Ephesians chapter 5 as today’s devotional exercise.

Ephesians 5 (NET Bible)

Therefore, be imitators of God as dearly loved children and live in love, just as Christ also loved us and gave himself for us, a sacrificial and fragrant offering to God. But among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. For you can be confident of this one thing: that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

 

Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them, for you were at one time darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth –  trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. But all things being exposed by the light are made evident. For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says:

“Awake, O sleeper! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you!”

Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, because the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is the head of the church – he himself being the savior of the body. But as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to sanctify her by cleansing her with the washing of the water by the word, so that he may present the church to himself as glorious – not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless. In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church, for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This mystery is great – but I am actually speaking with reference to Christ and the church. Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

"Rich" Memory.

As we close out our reflections on this past Sunday's sermon, let's take a few moments today to remember a few of the things Pastor Richie shared with us.

• In Ephesians 5:1-20, we are encouraged to "live wise lives".
• Proverbs 31:1-9: King Lemuel's mother could exhort him to godliness because she was a godly woman. We cannot tell people to go where we have not been.
• Psalm 90 and Ephesians 5 teach us to make the most of the time we have.
• There is no middle ground: God does not deal with grey areas. Either we are with Him or we aren't.

Lord God, how we thank You for Your word of truth, poured out to us faithfully by the men and women You have called to lead us. Please help Bronx Bethany so that we might always be found in the center of Your will.

One Richard. One Pour-er.

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Richie shared (and I paraphrase) an allusion to Second Kings 4:1-7:

God can pour out His Spirit. Do we bring empty jars?

There is no debate as to whether God is capable of releasing His presence and power into a community of faithful believers. He is, and He does, and He shall. Our Lord Jesus has promised the Holy Spirit to us as the Person who would 1) remind us of His word and His will and 2) empower us to do His works.

In that regard, is there such a thing as being “too full” of the Holy Spirit? Can there be too many reminders of the word of God, or too many encouragements to submit to Him, or too much of His power to heal and save lost souls?

Questions to reflect on:

• Why does the Bible call for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:15-21)?
• Why does Scripture admonish us to not quench the Holy Spirit (I Thessalonians 5:19)?
• Does your life and lifestyle indicate that you are filled with the Holy Spirit, or that you are filled with selfish ambition (Galatians 5:19-25)?

Like that widow, here we are

With every borrowed empty jar.

Our deep need: Your complete filling.

Our consolation: You are willing.

One Scoop Of Rocky Road.

Therefore be very careful how you live – not as unwise but as wise, taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord’s will is. And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-20, emphasis mine)

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others. And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond. Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body to this peace), and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and exhorting one another with all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, all with grace in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-16, emphasis mine) 

In this past Sunday's sermons, Pastor Sam shared the point that we can choose to live under the influence of the Holy Spirit rather than living under the influence of the times.

There is a colloquialism we can use here: "flavor of the month." The phrase was coined out of the pratice of Baskin-Robbins, an ice cream store chain, which has many different types of ice cream and features a different flavor each month. Eventually, "flavor of the month" became a descriptor of two things: 1) people who would continually alter their worldview to match the prevailing notion of the time, and/or 2) people who would only accept news that was presented to them in the "flavor" (mode) they preferred.

How does "flavor of the month" show up in Christianity?

Well, Sunday provided a clear example. Our guest, Rondell Positive, ministered with a brief music set. As is my norm when listening to Rondell's music, I was waving my hands, singing along, and occasionally jumping up and down. Now, since I stand all the way in the back of the church, I assumed that everyone else would keep their attention focused on the front of the church, where Rondell was ministering on the platform. Wrong assumption. Some of my colleagues were visibly uncomfortable with my participation in worship. Actually, some of them were just outright uncomfortable with the music-- because the music was not presented in the flavor they like. How sad for them. They missed God because they were looking for a still small Voice in a suit-- but He showed up loud, in jeans and a leather jacket.

Perhaps this is why Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3 include an array of musical types: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. God says, Take it all. Embrace whatever means is available for worshiping Me, and worship Me in a spirit of thankfulness.

How can we fickle human beings do what God has asked us to do? We can only accomplish this mandate by and in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who gives us the grace to be thankful, even though we live in very trying circumstances. It is He who gives us appreciation for His word, without regard to the mode in which it is presented. It is He who produces in us an exuberant joy even as the devil wreaks havoc in the lives of those we love. Why are we so full of joy? Because the LORD has done great things for us (Psalm 126:3). We are grateful to our God and so we behave like grateful, happy people. We love. We sing. We give. We shout. We dance. Our praise of Him is not contingent upon our personal preferences being sated.

We have come a long way in our faith when we are able to push past the negative things we see, and pour our worship onto the great God whom we cannot see, but nonetheless adore. As our pastor shared with us on Sunday, the world will say that we are illogical when we give thanks in the midst of crisis. But let us contemplate Pastor Sam's question to us: "Who is influencing your behavior?"

Oh, let me feel Thee near me. The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear.
My foes are ever near me, around me and within.
But Jesus, draw Thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin. (John Bode)

Deon Won't Be Here When It Happens.

Pastor Deon, in the middle of his sermon during the second service, gave a prophetic warning: "We can fool one another. We can come to His presence with a reverent mask. But I'm telling you- the day God will unmask you... I don't want to be around."

Let's close this week with the warning of the LORD from Ephesians 5:

• Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (verse 2);
• Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality (verse 3);
• Obscenity, foolish talk, and coarse joking are out of place (verse 4);
• No immoral, impure, or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God (verse 5);
• God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient (verse 6);
• Have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness (verse 11);
• Be very careful how you live (verse 15).

Lord, You know how we need Your help in all these areas, so that our lives are true reflections of our authentic relationship with You. Please help us to obey Your word and live in such a way that everyone will know we are serious about our relationship with You. In Jesus' Name, let it be so.

Apparo, Comparo, Instruo: Get Ready To Fight.

Pastor Deon shared with us regarding the necessity for Christians to be prepared for the spiritual battles we will face every day. "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Ephesians 6:11).

The indictment expressed by our guest pastor, which I will elaborate on here, is that there are many who call themselves Christians but they seem to be allergic to the battlefield. If there is food being served, then a multitude shows up (see John 6:26-27). If singing is going on, then Bronx Bethany sings loud and strong. If it's time to pray, or witness, or stand up for Jesus, then no one shows up. It seems we would rather eat or sing than pray. In fact, if you take an inventory of the amount of time Bronx Bethany spends in food preparation and music rehearsals in comparison to the amount of time spent in actual corporate prayer (that means the amount of time praying- not singing, not listening to other people preach, not asking your friend how their week has been), you will be shocked at the ratio.

Life on the battlefield, authentic Christian life, is not about food and music. It's about prayer, confession, submission, and obedience to God. If we are not about life on the battlefield, then we can never claim to be an imitator of Christ.

So, my friends, are you ready to fight?

Oh, Positive.

Pastor Deon reminded us of the importance of maintaining a positive attitude in our relationships and in our responses to situations that we encounter as a natural part of life. He recalled the initial response of Job, who upon hearing the news of multiple crises befalling him simultaneously, worshiped the LORD (see Job 1:20).

I will ask the same question Pastor Deon asked on Sunday, though my wording is a little different: what happens to your worship when life happens to you?

In times of plenty, do you forget the One who blessed you?
In times of famine, do you resent the LORD for withholding provision from you?

There is a basketball player who I will not name here, but over the past several years I've noticed a pattern: when things are going his way, he seems very amiable and personable. But when a call is made against him, he immediately becomes belligerent and angry. Many "Christians" are, unfortunately, just like that. We love the blessings of God, we're so happy to receive them, but then we suddenly go deaf in the moments He calls us to suffer for His name's sake. And we act as if Christianity is an 'exemption card' that keeps us from experiencing pain and loss. Friend, if that's you, wake up. The rain falls on the righteous and the unrighteous (see Matthew 5:43-45).

What do we do in the midst of suffering? Perhaps we should follow the example of Jesus: love, forgive, pray for our enemies. If we are indeed Christians, then imitating Christ shouldn't be that hard!

The "Worship" Cabaret.

Pastor Deon's first sermon point was not as simple as it sounded. I believe it is the foundational, root cause of the failure of Christianity to impact the world as it did in the early church.

Imitators of Christ must have a personal experience with God.

We have somehow come into a notion that church attendance is sufficient for individuals to claim that they are Christian, and that is wrong. Christianity begins and is sustained not by sitting in a worship service, but by confessing our sins and asking the Lord Jesus Christ to live in us and rule over us.

If I may add an addendum to this, I would argue that most people who claim to be Christian are not- because their lives do not adhere to the above definition. They have never made confession of their sins, and they have never asked God's opinion concerning the way in which they live their lives from day to day.

Friends, who do you rely on? And what is your proof for that reliance?

If you tell me that you rely on God, yet you have no idea where your Bible is (because you don't read it), you only pray when you're in a crisis, and your church attendance is done out of routine rather than out of a love for God, then perhaps you're not really relying on God. I would say you're kidding yourself. You can sing and shout and dance all you like, but your physical expressions don't make Him your Lord: your obedience and submission to Him do.

Lord, help us to stop putting on a show every Sunday, and to really demonstrate our personal experience with You: we will obey You, and we will submit to You. In Jesus' Name, let it be so.

Not-So-Foreign Exchange.

This week our reflections will be based on this past Sunday's sermon, which was preached by Pastor Deon. He and several other clergy and friends have been visiting us over last week, and they will be returning to their homes in South Africa this week. It has been a great blessing to meet them and to receive spiritual instruction from them.

Pastor Deon spoke from Ephesians 5:1-7, on imitating Christ. Let's begin with a recap of some of the insights he shared as a pre-sermon mini-message.

• One of the key problems of the church around the world is that we have a form of godliness, but lack the power that is present in authentic relationship with Christ.


• The mandate is not merely to believe in Jesus, but to live out our beliefs in a way that draws others to Him.


• We are called to shift our behavior: Christianity is not a venue for spectators. Authentic Christianity is accomplished in our participation in the work of Christ.

Pastor Deon, in many ways similar to our own Pastor Sam, used alliteration to help us with remembering the message. Please join us as we spend the next three days reflecting on his sermon points.