Service Charge.

"God gave me the word for this sermon two months ago. I didn't know that today was going to be the launch for Summer Serve... but God's plans are perfect." -Pastor Martha

At Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene, we are blessed to have a group of pastors who are faithful in hearing and obeying the word of the Lord. The experience of Isaiah, which was the subject of Sunday's sermon, is also the experience of our pastors. Pastor Martha obeyed God's instructions by preaching from Isaiah 6:1-13, and Pastor Althea echoed the theme as she gave an overview of Summer Serve 2014.

As we re-read the Scripture passage and as we prayerfully consider the opportunities for ministry over these next several weeks, there are a number of points we can reflect upon:

• The Lord God rules us. He is King over all that exists. He is adored and reverenced by all who have caught a vision of His glory.
• The Lord God hears us. His ears are open to receive our praise of Him and our confession of our own unworthiness.
• The Lord God cleanses us. He is the only one strong enough to break the chains of sin, sickness, and occultic bondage.
• The Lord God calls us. He takes the initiative to seek out men, women, and children who are willing to serve Him.

What is God saying to us? He has called us to speak His truths in a time where people are reluctant to heed His word. He has called us to share His message in a spirit of love. The ministry we are doing this summer is not done to evoke a particular response from the people we serve: we simply do the work because it is what God has called us to do.

Today, wherever you are in life, and wherever you are in the world, take time to worship God. As you take the time to honor Him, He will take the time to reveal His desires to you. And, He will equip you to do whatever He asks.

What is God saying to you?

Hearing... And Responding.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)

You may have heard the old joke: "Lord, here am I... send someone else!" Sadly, though, it's not a joke for everyone. There are countless stories of Christians who, in the face of hearing a call from God, opted to respond with a resounding "No."

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Martha shared with us that hearing the voice of the Lord should evoke within us the desire to obey His voice. A key component of obedience is availability: if we truly adore the One who is King, then we will want to please Him. If we truly love Him, then we will want to be found in His presence. If we have taken His interests to heart, then we will want to participate in carrying out His agenda.

As we reflect today, we must ask ourselves whether our worship of God is authentic. Worship is not measured by the beauty of our singing voice, nor even our participation in ministry events. The Scripture reminds us that God examines our hearts (see First Samuel 16:7; Isaiah 29:13-14): He takes note of our motivations and inner thoughts. Isaiah's response, "Send me!", was not a begrudged acquiescence to the call of God. Rather, Isaiah was excited. Isaiah was eager to do something for this great King of kings. Isaiah wanted to be a part of God's program, and he said "yes" to God even before he learned what his specific assignment was.

What about us? Are we responding to the voice of God with an eagerness to go wherever He sends us? Or, are we asking Him to lay out every detail of our life-path before we say 'yes'?

O Master, let me walk with Thee in lowly paths of service free;
Tell me Thy secret; help me bear the strain of toil, the fret of care.
(Washington Gladden)

Seeing... And Recognizing.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. (Isaiah 6:1, NIV)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Martha encouraged us to keep in our minds this vision of God as the One exalted over all.

The prophet Isaiah had experienced a deep loss: King Uzziah, who had reigned for decades, was now dead. Yet, in the face of death, God opened Isaiah's eyes to recognize the Lord God as the King who lives forever.

In the narrative, Isaiah shares a profound description: The train of the Lord's robe filled the temple. The Lord had spread His covering over every person, every action, and every object in that worship-space. In Isaiah's vision, the presence of God overshadowed everything, including Isaiah's mourning: when the prophet recognized the King of kings and Lord of lords, all thoughts of Uzziah were laid aside.

Are we covered? Does His train fill our temple and overshadow our despondency? Scripture says, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" (First Corinthians 6:19, NASB) When our eyes are opened to see the greatness and majesty of God, we are drawn in to His loving embrace. We are inspired to find our rest in Him. We are shifted from mourning our personal losses to marveling at God's majesty and power.

Lord God, today we choose to turn our eyes away from our circumstances; we choose to turn our eyes towards You. Astound us with Your majesty! Embrace us with Your love! Open our eyes to recognize You as the King Eternal. Great King, fill us with Your presence.

Breathing... And Conscious.

In this past Sunday's sermon Pastor Martha shared with us from Isaiah 6:1-13. The prophet Isaiah had a profound worship experience, and in the atmosphere of worship he became conscious of his own unworthiness. As he confessed his sins and the sins of his people, the LORD purified Isaiah and gave him a ministry assignment.

In this narrative we find that Isaiah received clear instructions after engaging in adoration and confession. What was true for Isaiah can be true for us! As we become intentional in taking time for worship and repentant prayer, our God is faithful to open our understanding and point us in the direction He wills us to go.

The atmosphere of worship is not an event reserved for chapels and sanctuaries: it is something we can experience every day, wherever we are. Today, as we go through our day, let us praise God. Let us pray to God. Let us confess to God. Let us wait on God. Let us love God. Let us call to God.

I just want to be where You are,
Dwelling daily in Your presence!
I don't want to worship from afar;
Draw me near to where You are.
(Don Moen)

Due For A Trim.

(Shearing of a Merino sheep/Photo courtesy Wikipedia)

[The sling, at the top of the photo, is supporting the shearer. The sheep is not bound.]

"Because of their long wool it is not always easy to detect disease, wounds, or defects in sheep. But the skilled judge will take his rod and part the sheep's wool to determine the condition of the skin, the cleanliness of the fleece and the conformation of the body." (Phillip Keller)

I heard the voice of the sovereign master say, “Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf? I answered, “Here I am, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8) 

In last weekend's services (November 10-11), Pastor Richie shared with us that Isaiah responded to a question he was not asked. Rather, Isaiah overheard a kingdom question and quickly responded to the voice of God.

But, before Isaiah volunteered for the task, something else had happened to him: he had experienced an epiphany.

• Isaiah saw the glory of Adonai (Isaiah 6:1);
• Isaiah recognized his own depraved nature and confessed his sins (Isaiah 6:5);
• Isaiah submitted himself to being cleansed by a seraph, a messenger who carried the fire of God (Isaiah 6:7).

Our pastor also quoted from Psalm 139, which reminds us that God has always known us, even before we were formed, and He knows what we are made of. He knows what we are at our core. Isaiah's confession was not news to God: God already knew Isaiah's sin crisis. But, Isaiah's confession opened the door for cleansing and commissioning to occur.

My prayer is that as we gather for corporate worship each week, we will experience Isaiah's epiphany.

Let us see the glory of Adonai;
Let us recognize our depraved nature and confess our sins;
Let us submit ourselves to being cleansed by our pastors, the messengers who carry the fire of God;
And, let us keep our ears open to hear kingdom questions, so that we might quickly answer: Here I am, send me!

O Lord, my Shepherd, I am Your lamb. I come to You and lay at Your feet. By the rod of Your word and the care of Your oracles, move past my external wool. Gently shave off the external veneer, and reveal the true condition of my soul. Cleanse every wound; heal every disease; cause me to be conformed to Your image and likeness. I ask this in Your name, Lord Jesus. Let it be to me as You say.

Sunday's Sundry Sayings

Here are a few notes from my journal to close out this special week. These statements are quotes and paraphrases from Pastor Art's sermon this past Sunday. Thank you, Pastor Art, for visiting Bronx Bethany and manifesting the gift of prophecy. Truly you've spoken forth the heart of God in a spirit of love and humility.

God is always doing something in His church;

When you hear the word sanctification, think freedom;

Life is not found behind us, it's found before us;

Do not be frozen by your past or your present- you were meant to be free in Jesus Christ;

We must hear God's voice and go for Him;

God does not divide His power with the state nor with popular opinion;

We have to get to the point where we are willing to risk it all for Jesus;

God calls common people to live uncommon lives;

We must be willing to do do whatever it takes to live for God;

The past was good, but God wants us to be part of His preferred future.

Blessings to each of you! As has become our norm, there will not be a blog post on Sunday- the next blog will post on Monday.

Blessings, grace, and peace.

-G-Force

This Is Risky!

I don't enjoy taking risks, but I am very quick to do things that might be perceived as risky. Why? Only because God says so. So, when God told me to go back to school and my boss told me she would not approve my vacation days that I was planning to use to attend school, I sided with God and resigned the job. Some people thought I was crazy. Guess what? They're right. In the kingdom of God, logic doesn't always work. There are times we are crazy enough to ask Jesus to prove who He is, and He responds by telling us to get out of the boat and brave the winds (Matthew 14:22-33).

Pastor Art gave a wonderful analogy in Sunday's sermon which we can reflect on today: are we a church on the move, or are we a museum?

The effective church is the "moving" church. It is a church that has broken free from the need to preserve tradition. It is a church that is willing to throw away programs that don't meet the needs we have in this twenty-first century. It is a church that does not wait for people to come in: its members go out into the world and win souls for Christ. It is a church that has learned how to fight and prevail in enemy territory. The moving church takes risks.

The failing church is the "museum" church. Museums are notorious for minimizing risk, and some churches have become museums. The praise and worship must be no longer than (fill in the blank) because church must be over by "x"o'clock. "Decently and in order" has become a blanket excuse for ignoring the prompting of the Holy Spirit, who occasionally asks to be placed in the order of service even though He was not scheduled to appear. The museum church, like a real museum, often is full of beautiful displays, gets lots of visitors, and enjoys a huge endowment. But it is not willing to budge when Jesus says 'get out of the boat', and an atmosphere of disobedience hangs over its sanctuary.

Bronx Bethany, how we must pray! "Here I am, send me!" May God give us courage and strength to keep moving, to His glory.

Ingredient List

Pastor Art shared a wonderful anecdote this past Sunday, informing some of us (and reminding others) that originally our denomination was called Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. The term "Pentecostal" is no longer part of the official name of our denomination, but I think it still is alive and well in our hearts and lifestyles. Let's do a quick re-cap of Pastor Art's comments:

We are Spirit-led. Who makes the decisions in your heart? Is it your own flesh, your agenda, or do you stand still and wait for the counsel and mandate of God to be revealed to you? We do not just say "Here am I, send me" (Isaiah 6:8), but we also say "Speak to me- I am listening" (First Samuel 3:10).

We are Spirit-filled. Some of you who attended the National Black Nazarene Conference last summer will remember Pastor Sam's comments regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit: "It is not only what you do at church, it's what you do at home!" Spirit-fulness is evidenced not only by charismatic graces, but is also evidenced by transformed lives.

Let's demonstrate the love and graces of the Holy Spirit to those we interact with, whether inside or outside of church.

Way-Walking

The book of Acts informs us that prior to the believers being called "Christians", they were known as followers of "The Way". In this past Sunday's sermon Pastor Art noted that the church is still a community of people following "the way": our love for Christ moves us to be active agents of His love and compassion, pointing the way to salvation.

Today, let's reflect on the three components of our walk with God which were noted in Sunday's sermon:

We walk with God, from Whom we've come. Our first encounter with God in Genesis is realized in His creativity. He designed us, made us, and gave us some things to do while on this earth. Do you know what He's called you to do? If so, are you doing it?

We walk with God, with Whom we're traveling. The prophet Amos asks, "Do two walk together except they have agreed to do so?" (Amos 3:3). Our daily walk with God is expressed in prayer, giving, fasting, watching, and other spiritual disciplines. The discipline offered in a spirit of humble obedience pleases God and opens opportunity for His salvation to be expressed (Psalm 50:23).

We walk with God, to Whom we're going. Although we sometimes behave otherwise, the truth is that one day our physical bodies will breathe their last, and our spirits will end up in one of two places- either rejoicing in the presence of God and His angels, or lamenting in the lake of fire, which is the second death (see the blogs on Revelation 20 for more detail).

My prayer is that we all will choose to live for Christ, so that when we die we'll gain entrance into His eternal presence. Keep walking in the way that pleases Him!

Excuse Me, You're Blocking My View.

This past Sunday's sermon text was Isaiah 6:1-8. It is a challenge to consider this text. I find it a challenge because I cannot approach it abstractly; it forces me to confront and renounce my weaknesses and propensities. I hope the passage does the same for you.

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne..." (6:1). Who is your King Uzziah? Perhaps your mom, your pastor, your favorite singer? Sometimes we meet people whose personas are so overwhelming that we find ourselves watching them instead of watching the Lord. Our gaze rests on them, our thoughts linger on them, our first response in crisis is to call on them... and we leave our true Sovreign in the background. Jesus' words still speak: "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me..." (Matthew 10:37). Sometimes God mercifully shifts King Uzziah out of the way, so that the ultimate King might be seen.

"...and the train of his robe filled the temple" (6:1). As Pastor Art noted on Sunday, when the train of the Lord fills the temple there is no room for anything else. Competing voices and competing agendas cannot stand in the presence of God. King Uzziah was good, but the Lord of hosts (6:3) is great. As we examine ourselves, are there good things that we are embracing at the expense of great things? Are we ready to renounce the good for the sake of the great?

My Lord, God of the armies of earth and heaven, I will not blame my "King Uzziah" for blocking my view of You. I'm the one who chose to keep staring at him instead of gazing into Your beautiful face. Forgive me. Jesus, help me to drop my agendas and just allow You to consume me. Holy Spirit, fill me and keep filling me until there is no room for any other. Thank You, God, for reminding me that You do not entertain competitors. Help me to be authentic in my "yes": yes, I'm here. Send me.