Love? Not.

In both services this past Sunday, Pastor Richie shared a criticism he heard from a friend. His friend said something to the effect of, "You think too many people are Christians. There aren't that many people who want to spend time with Jesus. They want something from Him, but they don't want Him."

What an indictment. And it might be true. Why are our churches full every week, for decades, but their surrounding communities remain untransformed? Perhaps it's because time spent in church is not equivalent to time spent with Christ.

How is love towards God expressed?

Jesus says that if we love Him, that love will be expressed through obeying His commandments. "If you obey My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commandments and remain in His love." (John 15:10)

And what is His command? "My commandment is this- to love one another just as I have loved you." (John 15:12)

Wow. And how was the love of God expressed through Christ? Philippians 2:5-11 shows us that Jesus put aside His glory and came to earth in humility, choosing to experience servanthood, suffering, and death so that the world might be saved.

What about you? Do you want Jesus, realizing the cost of discipleship? Or do you just want to get things from Him?

Rich In Love.

This past Sunday, we were encouraged to reflect on times past when we experienced God in a deep, profound way. Pastor Richie gave the example of moments when one might be walking or driving, then suddenly one is overwhelmed with the loving presence of God.

It's a love that one is compelled to stop and acknowledge.

Friend, when is the last time you've had that feeling? Is your relationship with God still a love-fest, or has it become mere routine?

I pray that today, as you reflect on the goodness of God, you will have a testimony: a witness within you that recognizes and honors the power of God in your life. And beyond the testimony, I pray that you love God deeply.

Blessings and Peace to you.

Not Asking, Just Basking.

In the first service on this past Sunday, Haughton gave a prophetic word during congregational worship. He encouraged us to bask in the presence of God. Haughton's word was reinforced by Pastor Richie, as during the sermon we were reminded of the importance of spending time in the presence of the Lord: not to ask for anything, but just to enjoy being in His company.

When we speak of spiritual warfare, images come to mind: fasting, anointing with oil, casting out devils, and the like. But Pastor Richie emphasized the importance of, and I quote him here, "being in His presence just to know Him".

Jesus, can I spend some time with You?

As I have mentioned before, it's a good thing to get to know Jesus before a crisis comes. And this is what we see in Mark 9. While we define spiritual warfare as what occurred in Mark 9:14-29, the spiritual warfare perhaps got its start in Mark 9:2, or maybe even in Mark 6:46. Jesus, basking in the presence of His Father, was subsequently empowered to move in the miraculous. What did Jesus do after His prayer time? In Mark 6, we see Him walking on water. In Mark 9, we see Him conversing with Moses and Elijah, followed shortly thereafter with the profound healing of the boy with a deaf and mute spirit.

Yes, we have a war plan. Bask. Then tackle the task.

No. You Shut Up.

At Bronx Bethany we try to have "duplicate" services on Sunday mornings; that is, whatever is done in the 7:45 service is repeated at 11:15. That is true in some respects. But, as you can guess, no two services are ever exactly alike.

This past Sunday, Pastor Richie shared a particular point during the first service sermon that was not repeated during the second service. I believe it's worthwhile to reflect on this point today.

In the Mark 9 passage, there is a moment where Jesus identifies a spirit by name. "You deaf and mute spirit..." (Mark 9:25). The point made by our pastor was that, in some cases, we are called to make an open identification of the spirit that is keeping persons sick or bound or deceived. Calling the spirit by name bursts open the doorway to deliverance.

In the Mark passage, we see that the spirit prevented both hearing and speech. I believe we live in a time where this is still relevant. There is a spirit afoot in the world today whose task is to rob men of hearing and speech. And this is particularly relevant to those of us in the body of Christ. Why? Because our salvation, though rooted in our faith in Christ, is activated by what we hear and say. "Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts" (see Hebrews 4:7)... "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (see Romans 10:10).

Where does the deaf and mute spirit keep its headquarters today? Perhaps there is more than one answer to the question. Television and other media lull us into a complacency where we hear many voices, but not the voice of the Lord. Political circles warn us that if we speak in support of the finished work of Christ, we will be labeled as intolerant or ignorant or insensitive.

In this postmodern age, it seems that Christianity in the so-called free world is the poster child for "shut up". But everyone else, from agnostics to Wiccans, can voice their truths. What shall we Christians do?

So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:18,19)

Amen.

Blue Band Nation.

This week, we'll reflect on the sermon given by Pastor Richie. While we are remaining on the subject of prayer, we've transitioned from a review of The Lord's Prayer to a discussion of prayer as a means of spiritual warfare.

For today, though, let's meditate on the Scripture that gives us a hint of Jesus's approach to spiritual warfare.

And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?" Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not." He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me."

Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, "From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you to come out of him and enter him no more!" Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead." But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting." (Mark 9:14-29)