Vessel. Vassal. Vassel.

Matthew 25 consists of three sections. We have the parable of the wise and foolish virgins (25:1-13), the parable of the talents (25:14-30), and the explanation of the judgement (25:31-46).

One of the scary things about this chapter is that, on the surface, there seems to be no distinction between the faithful and the unfaithful. In the first parable, all the virgins look alike. In the second parable, the master entrusted property to all of his servants. In the explanation of the judgement, Jesus tells us that "all the nations will be assembled before him" (25:31). So we have a scenario where these groups appear unified in position, placement, and purpose.

But then, Jesus comes along and points out certain distinctives that reveal the people who are really His, versus the people who are serving the devil.

For the virgins, the distinctive is not the oil in their lamps, but the extra oil reserves in their jars. The wise virgins have chosen to carry a heavier burden, a chabod, the weight of extra flasks of oil (which alludes to the fullness of the Spirit in their lives). The foolish virgins were content to just get by with whatever was in their lamp. But in the end, those foolish virgins were refused admittance to the Bridegroom's banquet.

For the servants, the distinctive was not their possession of talents, but the manner in which those talents were stewarded. In telling this parable Jesus makes it clear that the kingdom of God does not tolerate cowardice. In fact, the unfaithful steward's action (that is, his lack of action) is interpreted as laziness and wickedness. And in the end, that wicked lazy steward is evicted: thrown into "outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth". He is banished to a place absent of the Light, and his talent is taken away and given to a faithful servant (25:28-30).

In the explanation of the judgement, Jesus says that He will separate the nations into two categories. The separation is based on how the people of the world respond to the poor, the sick, and the disenfranchised. Perhaps the most amazing thing in this passage is that Jesus puts Himself in the center of the issue: "I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers and sisters, you did it for me." (25:40).

As Pastor Sam shared on Sunday, and I paraphrase here, the only thing that will make us take risks is an overwhelming love for God. And this love comes from God! It is He who empowers us to love enough to risk bearing the weight of His Presence, to take the risk of investing in His kingdom, and to risk expending the energy necessary to serve the downtrodden of the world.

So here we are, in the twenty-first century, confronted with Matthew 25. And we need to respond.

What will you do, virgin?
What will you do, steward?
What will you do, people of the world?

Yes, Sir!

The (steward) who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work and gained five more. In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. (Matthew 25:16-17)

"Right away."

There are some people in my life who I obey immediately, without question and without backtalk. I am okay with these people having authority over me, because I love them dearly and I trust them unequivocally. They expressed love and trust of me in moments where I was really messed up and unlovable, and I am eternally indebted to them. So when they ask me to do something, and especially when they authorize me to act on their behalf, I do it. No conditions attached.

The faithful stewards' eagerness in their work was an expression of their love and trust of the master who loved and trusted them. Jesus tells this parable as an example of how things work in the kingdom of God: it is a kingdom of love, love expressed in joyful vigorous service to our Lord.

How amazing that God allows us to act on His behalf! We are the body of Christ, and His Spirit has empowered us to do things for the sake of the kingdom of God. In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam shared two characteristics found in faithful stewards:

Faithful stewards risk everything. In the parable, we see that the faithful stewards did not hold anything back. They worked hard, they took risks, and they received returns on their investments.

Faithful stewards act immediately. They did not second-guess their master's choices. They didn't seek to modify their work assignment. They went out right away and got to work immediately. They made excellent use of the time they had. And when their master returned, they were able to present a positive accounting of how they handled his resources.

How about you? Is your life an expression of faithful stewardship?

Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire.

In this past Sunday's sermon on Matthew 25:14-30, Pastor Sam shared two key points about the unfaithful steward.

Satanic misconception. "Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed," (Matthew 25:24). In other words, the unfaithful steward's disapproval of the master's business plan "justified" his inactivity. Further, the unfaithful steward made a false character assessment of the master. Misrepresentation (of God and God's servants) is a hallmark trait of the activity of Satan, who constantly accuses and lies (see Genesis 3:1-5; Revelation 12:10).

Self-interested motivation. "so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours." (Matthew 25:25). Hiding is an expression of fear (see Genesis 3:10), and Scripture informs us that cowards have no place in the kingdom of God- in fact, cowards lead the list of those destined for eternal punishment (see Revelation 21:8).

Are you afraid to work with what God has entrusted to you? Are you blaming God for your own unwillingness to "work while it is day" (John 9:4)? If so, then seek God for forgiveness. He will change your attitude so that you can become a successful steward of His gifts and graces.

I Can Handle This.

As we continue reflections on this past Sunday's sermon, let's recall the three components of stewardship seen in the Matthew 25 passage.

Responsibility. God expects us to accomplish the tasks He assigns to us.

For (the kingdom of heaven) is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. -Matthew 25:14

Ability. The Lord has given us the capacity to perform the tasks He has assigned us.

To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. -Matthew 25:15

Accountability. Though the parable began with the owner leaving for a long journey, eventually a day came where the owner returned.

After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. -Matthew 25:19

Though these things were shared as part of our Stewardship Sunday for the capital campaign, Pastor Sam made it clear that God's expectations regarding our stewardship go beyond mere finances. God has created us to be successful stewards of our bodies, our families, our minds, and our spiritual graces.

I pray that when He calls us to account, we will be able to give Him a good report.

But why do people sometimes miss the mark in their stewardship efforts? Tomorrow we'll have a discussion on what makes a person fail in their stewardship.

"Distributive" Property.

Today we continue our reflections on the parable of the talents.

The LORD owns the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live in it. (Psalm 24:1)

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (First Corinthians 6:19)

Pastor Sam said, and I paraphrase here, that we must have a clear sense of what we own and what we are in charge of. And, the scriptural reality is that we don't own anything. God owns everything.

God has, however, given us the privilege of being stewards of the things He owns.

Matthew 25:14-30 presents a wonderful parable that warns of the consequences of being a poor manager of what God has placed in our custody. Implicit in God's entrusting of these things to us is that God knows we're able to care for what He's loaned us. In other words, He has equipped us to handle the job.

So why do we sometimes fail so miserably in caring for His property, whether it's our bodies, our jobs, or our relationships? Perhaps it is because we don't really understand what it means to be a steward of God's stuff.

Tomorrow we'll look at three components of stewardship: responsibility, ability, and accountability.

Sam/ I Am.

This past Sunday we spent some time reflecting on the importance of biblical stewardship.

Pastor Sam spoke as an oracle of God. He focused on four major points:

-Stewardship versus ownership
-Responsibility, Ability, and Accountability
-Failed Stewardship
-Faithful Stewardship

As we go through this week, we'll dissect each of these points.

For today, though, here's a few questions for contemplation:

Do you tithe out of an overwhelming love for God, or do you tithe out of fear?
How have you allocated the financial resources that God has given you?
If the LORD were to return today, would you be prepared to meet Him?

I encourage you to read (or re-read) Matthew 25 today in preparation for this week's blogs.

Blessings and peace to you all.

Fasting As Emptying

Our Sunday blogs during Lent will focus on the subject of fasting.

If we consider fasting in the purest sense of the word, it is to abstain from eating for a period of time. We deliberately leave our plates empty. Our normal appetites are denied. But what for?

Sometimes we take the time that would have been used for preparing and eating meals, and we instead devote that time to the Lord in prayer or Bible reading. We remove one essential activity and replace it with another activity that is more essential: connecting with God in a meaningful way.

Jesus makes a profound statement which we see recorded in the gospel of St. John chapter 4: "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work." (John 4:34). In the face of His disciples urging Him to eat, Jesus points out a more urgent need. A Samaritan woman had just connected with God through the Christ, and Jesus knew more people would be coming to Him because of her testimony: it was not His time to eat and relax. Rather than filling Himself with temporal food, He filled the townspeople with eternal truths.

Hail Lent. It is time to empty ourselves. Emptied of food, the ultimate symbol of our physical comfort. Emptied of spiritual power, as we expend it through ministering life and healing to the lost. Emptied of self, as we seek to bring salvation to the masses.

Lord Jesus, we fast and reflect on how You emptied Yourself for us. Please help us to do the same for others.

High Fidelity!

Wednesday night was our final installment of this winter's revival services. Our guest speaker, Reverend Dr. Andrew Mercurio, spoke on the importance of our relationships with spouse and family.

His message centered around three themes: the spiritual models of family life, the spiritual mandate of family life, and the spiritual means for family life. The crux of the message, as summarized by our own Pastor Sam, was that the word of God is key to our modeling the love and life of Jesus in our homes.

How do we demonstrate the virtues of the living Christ? By loving and caring for those who are closest to us. Reverend Andrew reiterated the warning found in First Timothy: "If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (First Timothy 5:8, italics mine.) If the word of God equates familial neglect with denial of the faith, we would do well to take heed of such a warning.

Lord, please help us to stand firm in our faith. Please help us to express that faith in our most intimate environment, the one in which our family has center stage. May we be a blessing to our close relatives first. May we hold them in high regard and pray the plan of God over them. May we give You glory, Lord Jesus, by the way in which we bless our spouse and family. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.

Flash Photography.

Last night was our third evening of revival services. Our guest speaker, Reverend Dr. Melrose Rattary, spoke on Psalm 139 and Matthew 15.

The sermon revolved around a series of key truths:

-God knows us.
-God knows our hearts.
-God knows our thoughts.

And, in light of His holy knowledge of who we really are, we are cautioned to take heed:

-Does our lifestyle show the world that we know, and OBEY, the living God?
-Are our hearts repositories for the purity of Christian life and doctrine, or are our hearts filled with sin?
-If the thoughts in our minds were exposed to the world, what assessment would the world make of us?

There was a clear prophetic warning delivered to Bronx Bethany. The external exuberance of praise and worship, for some of us, is a false cover. In Matthew 15 Jesus quotes the prophet Isaiah: "These people draw near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." (Matthew 15:8)

What do we do in light of this indictment?

-We repent.
-We plead for mercy.
-We ask the Holy Spirit to tranform us by His power, so that we can reflect the image and likeness of God.

Lord, help us to hear and obey so that we will not be crushed by Your judgement.

We're All One!

Revival services continue at Bronx Bethany. On Sunday night Reverend Gabriel Salguero preached (totaling three sermons for the day), and on Monday night Reverend Garry Frost preached.

Both men, though preaching from different texts, echoed the same theme: There is a critical need for unity to be demonstrated in the body of Christ. Unity in our belief of who God is, unity between cultures, unity in our families, unity between denominations.

Reverend Garry led a prayer for the men in our church. We are encouraged to support our men in prayer, just as Moses's hands were held up until Israel's victory had been won.

And we have been exhorted to pray. Are you praying?

Faith In The Face Of Loss

It's revival time at Bronx Bethany!

Today's guest speaker, Reverend Gabriel Salguero, spoke on the importance of attaining to mature faith. We have been called to reflect on Biblical examples of mature faith:

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (see Daniel 1:6): The three Hebrew boys who expressed faith in God's power to deliver, then went a step further and proclaimed that their loyalty to God was not dependent on whether He rescued them.

Stephen (Acts 7): In his final moments, Stephen's faith caused him to see beyond the stoning and experience an open heaven. In seeing Jesus, Stephen was empowered to forgive the men who were killing him.

The Shunammite woman (Second Kings 4): Though her son had died in her arms, her response was to say "it is well". She demonstrated a faith that was not dependent on whether her son was revived.

Job (Job 1 and 2): Job's faith and integrity was such that God Himself pointed out Job: "Have you considered my servant Job?" In the face of losing everything, his response was to bless the Lord just as he had when his resources seemed endless.

How about you? As Pastor Sam said during the altar call (and I paraphrase here): Are you in love with God no matter what happens, or do you need Him to keep giving you lollipops?

"Our" Joel!

Another week of blogs comes to a close. And the question for all of us is, how does our personal and collective ministry reflect the heart of God for the poor of the earth?

Perhaps it is fitting that our guest speaker for this past Sunday is named Joel. Here in the U.S.A. there is a famous Joel who pastors a church of tens of thousands in the Midwest. But we have our own Joel! Joel Edwards, our brother in Christ whose work in the U.K. is a clear reflection of the heart of God for the poor of the earth. Micah Challenge is intentional in its mission to make a difference in the world, to the end of saving many lives.

I encourage you to support Micah Challenge in whatever way you can. Post a hyperlink on your blog, write an article, send money, add their link to the bottom of your emails, volunteer if you have the time and means. Let's spread the good news of what Micah Challenge is doing. And let's keep them in prayer.

Here at home (Bronx Bethany) we see clear indications of care for our community and our world. There is the food pantry, there is the low-cost afterschool program and summer day camp, there are international and local opportunities for missions, and the list goes on. There is no lack of opportunity for service to bless the poor. In serving, though, let us take care to reflect not just the heart of God, but the humility of our Lord Jesus who set the standard for servant leadership.

Thank You, Lord, for this privilege of serving the Bronx and the world in Your name. May You be pleased when You see the motives of our hearts as we engage in humble service, to Your honor and glory. Humility, mercy, and justice, all for You Jesus. Amen.

Three Men, Two Tenors.

During this past Sunday's sermon, Reverend Joel referred to a previous sermon he had preached last fall. It referenced the lives of three well-known Black leaders:

Mugabe, a man who was once was imprisoned, rose to power and ruined his country.
Martin, a man who was once imprisoned, influenced politics and became a key figure in changing the laws regarding racial and social justice in the U.S.A.
Mandela, a man who was once imprisoned, became an international symbol of the demise of apartheid and an example of the right way to do "succession planning".

Why is it that Mugabe did not have the same long-term legacy as Martin or Mandela?

In a word, humility. Reverend Joel shared with us that, when a man is able to recognize his strength without lording it over others, there results an environment in which men and women are empowered to do good. There is an example modeled in which men and women recognize that they, too, can be among the great influencers of the world without being cocky or rude.

We have two tenors: that is, we have two conditions. There is pride, and there is humility. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela? Definitely humility won the day in the transformative work of these men. Robert Mugabe? Well, as the Bible says, "Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). The land of Zimbabwe stands as testimony to the destructive consequences of the pride of man.

What about us? What tenor fuels the work we do?

Humble π

Why Humble Pi and not Humble Pie?

Pi, the famous mathematical constant, has the characteristic of transcendence: it is an expression that never ends.
Pie, especially if it is a good tasting pie, is transient: it will not last long at all.

This past Sunday, Reverend Joel caused us to reflect on the importance of humility. He shared that, although humility appears last in the short list of Micah 6:8, it is in fact the aspect of our being that must be present first in order to accomplish the other two aspects, justice and mercy.

Reverend Joel spoke of humility as not just a mental assent, but a practice that must be expressed in order to be relevant. It is the character trait that marks authentic prayer (see Second Chronicles 7:14). It is the thing that ushers in the grace of God (First Peter 5:5).

Another key point during the sermon was that humility is not a denial of our spiritual gifts and talents, but it is instead a means by which we use our gifts and talents to encourage and lift up other people. As Reverend Joel shared, and I paraphrase here, humility can only be exercised by those who legitimately have something to be proud about.

Let's have a slice of humble "Pi": constantly humble, eternally humble, for the sake of serving others with the gifts God has given us.

Lord, we thank You for giving us spiritual gifts and talents. And we recognize that we will not be on this planet forever. Please help us, while we have breath, to honor You by using these gifts and talents in the service of Your kingdom. And please help us to remember that Your kingdom has a special love for the poor, the widow, the stranger, the sick, the marginalized, and the disenfranchised.

Obligation Versus Obedience

[This week's blogs are reflections on Reverend Joel's sermon from this past Sunday.]

There are things that God requires, and there are things that God requires.

Micah 6:6-7 lists the inquiries of the people of God, which can be summed up in a current colloquialism: "What do You want from me?"

An interesting question. Perhaps some of us are are asking the same question today.

"God, what do you want me to do?"

Well, according to Micah 6:1-8, the question has a multi-part answer:

Enter the LORD's presence (Micah 6:6). With what? With praise and thanksgiving (see Psalm 100).

Bow before the LORD (Micah 6:6). With what? With the confession of His exclusive status as Lord and King (Philippians 2:9-11).

Bring offerings (Micah 6:6-7). What sort? Gifts that indicate our gratitude to God (Psalm 90); prayers that show our contrition and repentance from sin (James 5:16).

Make payment for rebellious acts (Micah 6:7). How? Through taking hold of the Christ, our Lord Jesus who gave Himself so that we might be saved (Isaiah 53:5).

But, beyond these things, God requires His people live in a way that brings glory to His name in the earth. Reverend Joel reminded us of the Matthew passage where Jesus picks up the strain: "Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, yet you neglect what is more important in the law- justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You should have done these things without neglecting the others" (Matthew 23:23). In other words, they were definitely fulfilling their religious obligations. But at the core of their being was a heart disobedient to what God said was the most important part of the law. It made their worship stink in the nostrils of God.

Lord, You have answered our inquiries by Your word. Please help us to appropriate Your word, and to live and walk faithfully- not merely fulfilling obligations, but demonstrating a joyful obedience in doing the things that really matter to You.

Ground Micah.

[This week's blogs are reflections on Reverend Joel's sermon from this past Sunday.]

Listen to what the LORD says: "Get up! Defend yourself before the mountains! Present your case before the hills! Hear the LORD's accusation, you mountains, you enduring foundations of the earth! For the LORD has a case against his people; he has a dispute with Israel!" (Micah 6:1-2)

The LORD has set up His courtroom. The mountains and hills are jury and spectators, and ancient Israel is on trial.

In Micah 6:1-8, the LORD presents His evidence: God has been great and gracious, while Israel has been unjust. And a rock-solid argument springs forth, the argument of a gracious God who sees that His people are not agents of grace. They are not meeting God's three-pronged criteria: doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly. The evidence sticks.

Millennia have passed since Micah was written. And, sadly, the evidence still sticks in much of the world. As was shared in our services this past Sunday, the church can come together in exuberant celebration of what God has done for "us". Certainly it's a good thing to do, keeping the mandate to assemble together in the name of the LORD (see Hebrews 10:24-25). But where is the exuberance in giving? Where is the joy in serving? What evidence is there that we as believers are extending ourselves for the sake of the poor and marginalized of the world? How are we treating the "them"?

The crux of God's controversy with ancient Israel, and with us here in the twenty-first century, is that we know the right thing to do but we're not doing it. "He has told you, O man, what is good" (Micah 6:8).

So why are we not doing what God wants? Perhaps it's because we're too absorbed in doing what God "wants". In tomorrow's blog we'll reflect more deeply on this paradox.

Extension Cord.

[This week's blogs will reflect on Reverend Joel's sermon from this past Sunday.]

Reverend Joel, during his sermon, mentioned a passage of scripture that is familiar to many of us. It is the story in Daniel chapter 4, where Daniel tries unsuccessfully to counsel King Nebuchadnezzar.

"O king, may my advice be pleasing to you. Break away from your sins by doing what is right, and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. Perhaps your prosperity will be prolonged." (Daniel 4:27)

At the close of yesterday's blog I briefly mentioned that God is aware of what we do, or don't do, to meet the concerns of the poor. And as Reverend Joel mentioned, the act of giving to the poor leads to consequences that can bless individuals, families, and even the world.

How does the Lord figure into the dialogue between the rich and the poor? Proverbs 19:17 gives us a clue: "The one who is gracious to the poor lends to the LORD, and the LORD will repay him for his good deed."

It seems that when the poor are lifted up by the well-off, then God Himself becomes a third party in the exchange. The rich give, the poor receive, the LORD rewards.

An interesting side note is that, in the case of Nebuchadnezzar, his refusal to heed Daniel's counsel did not result in immediate judgement. Twelve months passed before the fateful day came, in which God severely afflicted Nebuchadnezzar by removing his kingdom and his sanity. It is a warning for us all.

Lord, help us to have a heart like Yours... a heart to give to the poor, for the sake of Your name.

Edward-ian Architecture.

This Sunday we are privileged to have Reverend Joel Edwards as our guest minister. Those of us who have been at Bronx Bethany for a while will remember he joined us back in October of 2009 during a leadership conference.

Reverend Joel is the international director of Micah Challenge, a worldwide ministry that seeks to bring hope and provision to the disenfranchised of the world. Specifically, Micah Challenge seeks to hold governments accountable for the ways in which they care for the poor. The prayer of the organization is to see extreme poverty cut in half by 2015. You can read more at http://www.micahchallenge.org/.

Our church, and churches all over the world, are asked to do our part in helping to make this happen.

What is “extreme poverty”? It's living life on LESS THAN one dollar and twenty-five cents per day.

For about $1.25, in my neighborhood, I can get a quart of milk and have enough change to get one banana. No flour, no eggs, no fish- all those are well over $1.25.

If I may, can I challenge you to feel the condition that fuels the passion of Reverend Joel and the Micah Challenge staff? Try to live one day on less than $1.25.

Jesus did say we will always have the poor with us, but He also indicated that He keeps record of how we bless (or ignore) the poor.

Lord, please transform our hearts. Cause us to love deeply, to pray earnestly, and to give in a way that reflects Your heart for the poor, the widow, and the stranger in our gates.

Nothing Personal...

Prayers that are prayed according to the will of God are dangerous. When we let go of our personal agenda and submit ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit, there's no telling what might happen. But oh, the joy of complete submission to Christ Jesus!

I pray that as we give ourselves completely to Christ, we will also experience His greatness and glory as He moves in response to our prayers.

Allow Him to direct your prayers today... and every day.

-Are you open to being transformed in prayer, in such a way that people who see you will know that you have been in the presence of God?

-Are you willing to completely change your schedule and give God more time?

-Are you prepared to, with His help, exert the effort necessary to meet Him at the hours and places He chooses?

-Has God placed in you a passion for consistency in your prayer relationship with Him?

-Will you eagerly pursue these things even if God's response to your prayer petition is "no"?

Why “Us”? And why us?

The Lord has spoken clearly to our church leadership, and we are in the midst of experiencing the fruits of their obedience to Him. The intensified focus on prayer has made a palpable difference in the spiritual atmosphere of our church. Today, let’s reflect on two questions.

Why “Us”?
The Lord’s Prayer is distinguished by its use of plurals: “our” Father, give “us” this day, as “we” forgive. Pastor Sam has shared with us that when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, immediately we are reminded that we are never alone. We are in a community of believers, we are in partnership with God through Christ, and Jesus Himself is present to intercede for us as we pray.

Why us?
Bronx Bethany has long been called a place of prayer. So why is Bronx Bethany being called to prayer? It seems God has called us to a new level in this practice: intentional prayer, continual prayer, prayer according to God’s agenda and not our own. Pastor Sam has encouraged us not just to view prayer as a stand-alone activity, but to intentionally have prayer infused into everything we do.

Oh, there's a third question. Are you praying?
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you are also part of this community called to prayer. I encourage you to pray with us. We eagerly look forward to seeing the hand of God at work in us, in our families, in our communities, in our world.

God calls us to pray.
God hears when we pray.
God answers prayer.

You Can't Handle It!

Pastor Sam’s sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer (see Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:1-4) is currently looking at a wonderful and challenging section of the prayer: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

I find this to be challenging. After all, in Matthew 4 we see another phrase: “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” There is a place and a time when our faith in God must be tested, and our reactions/responses in those situations allow us to see where we stand in our Christian walk.

But the wonderful thing is that we can ask our Father to deliver us out of those situations!

In the sermon, Pastor Sam stressed the importance of avoiding temptation. There are certain occasions where it’s better to run than to fight. Of particular note is the insidious nature of sexual sin. Temptation is a deliberate trap set by a real devil, and we as the people of God are advised to pray both for avoidance and deliverance.

Avoidance. The book of Proverbs is chock-full of warnings against being in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people. The Word of God and the gentle leading of the Holy Spirit are available to us, so that we might be steered away from paths that lead to destruction.

Deliverance. Pastor Sam referred to that key verse, First Corinthians 10:13, that stresses the Lord’s provision of “a way of escape” when temptation occurs. We who believe in the Lord should make a habit of presenting ourselves before God in prayer, so that when we are tempted our first response is to seek God for help rather than seeking to handle situations on our own.

Sometimes, we falsely believe that we are “strong enough” to walk along the edge of a precipice without falling off. Folks, that’s not cool. Rather than testing our own limits, we are called to the discipline of hearing and heeding the still small voice of God. It is He who can explain to us the true nature of the situations we face. It is He who provides the way of escape.

Whether your walk with the Lord has been for ten days or forty years, the counsel is the same: We can’t handle temptation on our own.

Night Time? Right Time.

[This week's blogs are reflections based on Pastor Sam's sermon series on the Lord's Prayer.]

How does one develop a prayer life that models the prayers of Jesus?

Today, let's reflect on the importance of consistency in prayer.

“Pray without ceasing.” (First Thessalonians 5:17)

Earlier this week we referred to the Transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-8) as an example of transformation in prayer. Pastor Sam's recounting of that passage generated a few thoughts in my mind, a couple of which I'll share here:

Was this a unique occurrence, or did Jesus always have these awesome prayer times with the Father?
I'm thinking that it was the norm for Jesus to have some sort of physical or spiritual phenomenon occur as a normal part of His prayer life. As Pastor Sam shared the past two times he preached, the disciples must have had a reason for asking the question, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1). Maybe something He said, or something they saw. But there was some indicator that He was praying in a fashion that they wanted to emulate.

In the Scripture, on more than one occasion, we see that the disciples Peter, James, and John would fall asleep during Jesus's prayer sessions (Luke 9:32; Luke 22:45). I wonder if Jesus's face was reflecting the glory of God many a time, but the disciples had missed it because they slept through the manifestation.

What is it that keeps us from having profound experiences in prayer?
Well, I could say that prayer is hard work and we don't like to work so hard. But I see lots of hard-working people, and lots of praying people. Maybe it's rather that we have not developed a consistency in prayer.

How do we develop consistency? One way is through an ever-deepening relationship with God. As the Holy Spirit helps us to grow in grace, we increase in love for God and love for others. This love-fest births in us the desire to remain in the company and presence of our Lord.

A sense of obligation might cause us to get up at 3 in the morning for prayer. But what sort of prayer is generated from a heart that says “I have to do this”? Release yourself from obligation. Trade it in for love, a love that grows over time. And you may find that your getting up at 3 a.m. for prayer is a joyous loving exercise, because you are spending precious time with the Lover of your soul. Not because you have to, but because you long to (Psalm 42:1).

This is a good place for a cautious commercial. Our church is having a prayer meeting on February 17 from 8 p.m. to midnight. In Bibical terms, the meeting overlaps the first and second watches of the night. According to the template Jesus has established, night time is a wonderful time to pray.

But it's not so wonderful if you're showing up out of obligation.
It's not wonderful if your prayers are not in sync with God's agenda. Remember the Lord's Prayer? “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done”. Let us pray in a way that lines up squarely with the Word of God.

Yes Lord, the cry of our heart echoes the request of your disciples: "Lord, teach us to pray.”

F for Effort?

[This week's blogs are reflections based on Pastor Sam's sermon series on the Lord's Prayer.]

How does one develop a prayer life that models the prayer of Jesus?

Today, let's consider the aspect of effort in prayer.

“And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray... and about the fourth watch of the night He came to them” (Mark 6:46)

This past Sunday, our worship leader (Isaiah) shared his experience of being corrected and directed by God. The worship team's Saturday rehearsal fell flat because, although they were committed and exerted a lot of effort, they had failed to hear the gentle prompting of God to skip the rehearsal in order to minister for an event occurring during their rehearsal time.

In human logic, the worship team was correct to decline to minister. They had not rehearsed. They had not been told about the event until, literally, the last minute. They had one hour available to work together as a group and needed to maximize the time. But God's logic was different. Yes, His ways are not our ways.

So here we are, Sunday's over and we are still reflecting on prayer. What do we mean when we speak of effort in prayer? Definitely not our own effort. Left to ourselves, we are rarely inclined to “be like Jesus” and spend upwards of five or six or nine hours in prayer. Dude, that's like having another job.

YES! That is the job to have, that is the place to exert yourself, to wring yourself out. Effort in prayer is generated with the help of God Himself, who draws us in, who invites us to participate in His plan and program. It is not easy. That is why we must exert effort. “The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). Never forget we are at war. The strategy of the devil is to convince people that the effort of making time to pray the will of God is unnecessary. The strategy of the kingdom of God is to stay clothed in the armor of God, and to pray all kinds of prayers (see Ephesians 6:18).

Jesus is the perfect example of effort in prayer. At a time when most of his contemporaries were sleeping, he was praying through the night watches. He, in His human nature, would stay awake. Not staying awake for a party or last-minute packing for a trip. Not staying awake to be among the first shoppers at a store sale. Not a one-shot deal. Jesus made a habit of subjecting His body to the discipline of all-night prayer.

Jesus's effort in prayer was underlined by the locations of His “prayer closets”. Here are two of the verses from yesterday's blog:

“And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12)

“And in the day time He was teaching in the temple: and at night He went out, and abode in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives.” (Luke 21:37)

Not just prayer for hours, prayer all night, but also prayer in locations that required some hiking. Out in the wilderness, up in the mountainous regions. As our worship leader shared, sometimes God calls you to meet with Him in a particular place at a particular time. And meeting those criteria demands effort on our part.

Do we hit the mark? Do we even try to hit the mark? I guess each of us will have to answer for ourselves. I am reminded of a line from Keith Green's classic song Asleep in the Light: "Jesus rose from the grave, and you can't even get out of bed."

God help us all. Because, without His help, we can't sustain this practice of prayer.

Tomorrow we'll look at the third aspect: consistency.

Time For Prayer.

[This week's blogs are reflections based on Pastor Sam's sermon series on the Lord's Prayer.]

I am part of an online small group that is currently reflecting on the prayer of Jesus recorded in John 17. That prayer, which is sometimes referred to as the High Priestly Prayer, is famous for its selflessness (that's self-LESS-ness, not selfishness), its transparency, its depth of intimacy. Jesus is hours away from death on a cross, and He is not praying for Himself- he is in the depths of prayer for His disciples.

How does one develop such a prayer life?

It takes time. It takes effort. It takes consistency. Today, let's consider the aspect of time.

“And when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray... and about the fourth watch of the night He came to them” (Mark 6:46)

In Mark 6, we see the depth of time and energy Jesus exerts in His ministry. There is preaching in His hometown, there is the commissioning of His disciples for the ministry of healing and deliverance, there is the compassionate teaching ministry to the thousands who followed Jesus. There is the miracle meal, thousands fed from five loaves and two fishes.

Then Jesus does something interesting as evening approaches. First, he sends away His disciples. Then, He sends away the multitude. At last Jesus has some time to Himself... and He spends that time in prayer with His Father, not re-joining the disciples until during the fourth watch of the night (see Matthew 14:25 and Mark 6:48).

Scholars believe the fourth watch of the night was between 3 in the morning and sunrise. And the first watch of the night began at sunset. How much time would Jesus spend in a prayer session? Apparently, hours.

“And in the morning, rising a great while before day, He went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

“And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12)

“And in the day time He was teaching in the temple: and at night He went out, and abode in the mount that is called the Mount of Olives.” (Luke 21:37)

In light of the hours Jesus spent in prayer to the Father, the question Jesus asks in Gethsemane is no surprise: “Could you not watch with Me one hour?”

Will you watch with Him one hour?

Lord, Sovreign and Holy, forgive us for spending so little time with You! Give us a deep desire and move us, by Your Spirit, to release our schedules to You. You, Lord before time, re-order our time so that we might develop true intimacy with You.

Body in the Bronx. Spirit in Olathe.

[This week's blogs are reflections based on Pastor Sam's sermon series on the Lord's Prayer.]

For the past two Sundays Pastor Sam has, in his sermon introductions, touched upon a mystical aspect of prayer that we as “postmodern” Christians often don't discuss. It's the aspect of transformation in prayer.

We are okay with discussing transformation through prayer, or transformation as a result of prayer, but we hedge when confronted with the reality of transformation in prayer. What does Scripture say? Pastor Sam mentioned two examples of this transformation.

Spiritual. Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to a prayer session on a high mountain (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36). While in prayer, Jesus's face and clothing shone brightly as He conversed with Moses and Elijah.

Physical. In the Luke account of Jesus's prayer in Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-44), we are told that His sweat fell like great drops of blood.

Why does the Bible tell us these things? I don't know. But I can tell you that, especially over these last couple of Sundays, I've had two personal reactions. The first is a longing to get more serious about my relationship with God through prayer. The second is an incredible reluctance to get more serious about my relationship with God through prayer. No, that's not a contradiction- that's me being human. I want the benefit of spiritual highs without the price tag of the physical lows. But, we all know it doesn't work that way.

Are we serious about prayer? Then we have to accept the whole package. There's no avoiding it! When God sees our longing for Him, He calls us to draw near. And as our prayer life deepens, things happen that signal the power and presence of God. And like our Lord Jesus, every now and then there are people in our vicinity who see what transformational prayer does in us.

The prayer of blessing says it well: “The Lord make His face to shine upon you...” Do you want that? Moses, we are told, would descend from his encounters with God with a shining face. God shined on him, and the people were able to see that Moses had been with God.

It seems, though, that this deep relationship with God in prayer was a normal thing for our Lord Jesus: not because he was Lord, but because as Jesus He had made certain investments that resulted in the Presence of God being experienced. Tomorrow we'll consider the investment of time.

Doctor? Gee.

Dear Friends,

Glossa Water is coming back online. It may have a bit of a different flavor than it had when I stopped blogging in June of 2010, but I promise you it will still be unapologetically Christian, still unmistakeably Genise-esque, and still written with an eye towards challenging people to grow closer to our Lord Jesus for the sake of His kingdom.

During my one and a half year absence from Glossa Water I've completed and defended my doctoral dissertation, "How ministers understand and address emotional and sexual pressures in ministry work". The document will be available later this year on the ProQuest database. (I'll try to remember to tell you when it can be viewed.)

God has been gracious to allow me to return to writing this blog, and I am grateful to Him. I hope you'll check in on my page frequently as we continue to provide a forum for reflection on the word of God. Blessings and peace to you all.

Genise

Full Stop.

Well friends, I've gotten to the point in my dissertation where things are really busy, and I'll have to stop blogging in order to devote more time to completing my degree. Writing Glossa Water been a great experience over the past couple of years! And I sense that, in the future, God will have me doing a lot more writing. So perhaps you'll see me online again, or maybe it'll be some other forum... God knows.

Blessings and peace,

Love
Genise

Hitting The Pause Button... On Hiatus.

Friends, I will be away from Glossa Water for a while, probably at least through the end of the semester (mid-May). Am focusing on completing some work related to my doctorate, and some work related to my husband's degree completion and upcoming performances.

You're welcome to peruse the archive of older blogs in the meantime!

Blessings and peace to you.

Love,

Genise

Big Elephant. Bigger God.

As we anticipate next week's celebration of Pastor Sam's tenth year at Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene, I will take today's blog to talk about the elephant in the room.

The "elephant" is a metaphor for a small, but powerful, contingent of persons at BBCN who are dissatisfied with the direction God is moving in, and they are pouring out their dissatisfaction at the feet of Pastor Sam. In my five years at Bronx Bethany, I've seen some interesting and disturbing activities launched in a prolonged attack designed to discourage our senior pastor: Negativity spread through emails and phone calls. Refusal to give the Lord His tithe. Stealing Pastor Sam's portrait from the church lobby while leaving behind the portrait of the pastor who preceded him. Presenting a spirit of unbelief in the face of an appeal to exercise faith.

This contingent stands as representatives of the dominion of darkness. Their purpose is to undermine the plan and program of God. While God moves forward, they marshal every resource under their control in order to maintain the status quo. They are worshipping denominations, traditions, and cultural expectations. If you see yourself in this group, please know that I love you... and because I love you, I am warning you that God is not pleased. If God is calling us to move forward, and you are standing still, then you are in disobedience.

My prayer is that, instead of worshipping the Bronx Bethany of thirty years ago, or the Bronx Bethany of ten years ago, each one of us will joyfully embrace and fully support what God is doing today. Let's start by worshipping God and God alone. Let's continue by joyfully embracing and fully supporting our senior pastor as he seeks to carry out the will of God.

Pastor Sam, I love you and thank God for you. God bless you with health, strength, and a heart to always obey our great King regardless of what it costs you. "Stay in your lane." -Genise

Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper. (from Second Chronicles 20:20)

Tautologia.

This past Sunday, Evangelist Creary shared an alliterative tool to help us remember God's word to Solomon (which we find in Second Chronicles 7:14):

Principles;
Plans;
Prescriptions;
Promises.

We have this great "if-then" statement. If My people will do certain things, then I will do certain things. If we aren't doing what God asked, then perhaps we should not be surprised when we fail to experience God in His fullness.

A question: what is it that keeps you from humbling yourself, praying, seeking God's face, and turning from wickedness (forgetting God, forsaking God, ignoring God)?

LORD, You have laid out the blueprint, and it is crystal clear. Give us courage to obey You without concern for what the world may say or do. Give us hearts to follow You exclusively and obey You without hesitation. Amen.

Nobis, Culpa, Domine.

Let's continue our reflections on this past Sunday's sermon from Evangelist Creary.

In describing the phrase "turn from their wicked ways" (see Second Chronicles 7:14), we were given a short list of the ways in which wickedness manifests itself:

-forsaking God;
-forgetting God;
-rejecting God.

Our tendency is to associate "wickedness" with external activities such as murder, incest, or other sins that directly affect the lives of innocents. Or, we associate wickedness with activity that occurs outside of the church. But God indicates to us that His concept of wickedness relates directly to our treatment of Him and His holiness (see Jeremiah 23:11-16 as an example of this).

Are you saying things that are contrary to what God has said? Today is a good day to change your ways.

Lord, we are guilty: please forgive us of our wickedness: the pride, the ignoring of Your word, the lie to think that we can live our lives without seeking after You. We repent and we ask You to help us to change. Make us true representatives of Your holiness. May our lives turn the world to You. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.

Four Score.

This past Sunday we had a guest speaker. Evangelist McCreary used Second Chronicles 7:14 as his text. This week we'll take some time to think about the principles that were shared during the sermon.

If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and heal their land.

In this verse, we see four qualifications God expects from His people:

...humble themselves... When we recognize the greatness of God in light of our frailty and weakness, we respond in submission and humble obedience to Him.

...pray... The key to true revival is found in prayer: not formulaic prayers, but prayers from the heart.

...seek... As has been mentioned by our own pastoral staff, the soul who loves Jesus will always desire to know Him more intimately.

...turn from their wicked ways... Our wickedness is a snare that prevents our prayers from being heard (see Isaiah 59:2). If we want a response from God, then we must adhere to His standard of holiness and righteous living.

LORD, we pray that when You see us, you see these four things evident in us. Help us to obey You in these things, so that our prayers might be heard by You. We love You. In Jesus's name, Amen.

Fight! Fight!

Friends,

As we close out this week, I'd like to reflect a bit on Pastor Benji's comments that were shared towards the end of the sermon. In essence, Pastor Benji asked us to consider the reality of demonic oppression and how the realm of darkness presents itself in this twenty-first century.

In Bible times, demonic oppression was connected to physiological manifestations. So, we read in Scripture about people who were mute, or deaf, or blind, or prone to psychotic behaviors.

But is it limited to that?

In past blogs, I called for fasting and prayer concerning the actions and intents of Governor Paterson (for a sampling, see my blogs from 10/28/2009 and 12/3/2009). And I asked for fasting and prayer because I believed that certain decisions, if made law, would ultimately undermine both our society and our religious liberty. Do you think that some legislative endeavors are diametrically opposed to the advancement of the kingdom of God? I do. Would you go so far as to say that some legislative decisions are driven not by economy or politics, but by unseen demonic forces? I would.

So, what do we do when we recognize a spiritual force that is undermining the work of God's kingdom?

-We pray.
-We fast.
-We declare the word of God fearlessly.
-We inform and warn our community.

Speaking the truth occasionally lands us into trouble, especially when we have a microphone in our hands while we're speaking that truth. (Yes, I'm referring to that incident where some "dominion-of-darkness-supporter" person complained to headquarters about our senior pastor. As if that's going to stop us from speaking the truth.)

Guess what? We are in a war. Not a war against people or systems, but against principalities, powers, and unseen rulers (see Ephesians 6:12).

So fight on, my friends. Just make sure you're fighting on behalf of our victorious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Never be found fighting against Him.

See you next week!

Close Call.

Hello Friends,

Today let's finish up the "calls" from Pastor Benji's sermon:

A call to intimacy. One sign of our love for Jesus is evidenced in our knowledge of Him. Because we love Him, our desire is to get to know Him better every day.

A call to involvement. Our task is to make the kingdom of God known to everyone. In order to do so, we must act upon what we believe. We are called to share our faith, not keep it to ourselves.

A call to impact. The power of "we": no one is working alone. Though we each have different roles and tasks, the collaborative effort of Christians around the world is a powerful and relevant force.

A question to ponder: How can Bronx Bethany impact the local community?

Abandoned, Building.

In Luke 6:12-16 and Mark 3:13-19, we see that Jesus selected twelve of His followers and called them to a closer walk with Him. They obeyed, and Jesus equipped them with power to demonstrate signs of His kingdom.

Pastor Benji noted that these followers of Jesus has already embraced "the messianic hope": prior to Jesus's ministry, they had been followers of John the Baptist, Jesus's cousin who preached repentance. And when John identified Jesus as the Messiah, many of John's followers left to follow Jesus (see John 3:26-36).

Of the many, Jesus chose twelve.

These twelve, as was the custom in that culture, abandoned everything else and spent three years seeing Jesus up-close. They had a front row seat from which they could watch Him live. Pastor Benji shared with us that this "front row seat" allowed the twelve to see how Jesus responded to insults, misunderstanding, and prejudice. They saw how Jesus conducted Himself in ministry. And Scripture shows us that eleven of the twelve learned from watching Him.

To summarize, Pastor Benji gave us a short list of what this abandonment entailed:

-the Twelve abandoned people;
-the Twelve abandoned places;
-the Twelve abandoned practices.

What's that, you say? Leave my family? My neighborhood? My employment?

Yes! Who better to build up the kingdom of God than the men and women who are fully abandoned to Him?

Would you be willing to do a homework assignment? Read Matthew 19:27-30.

Lord, help us to be fully abandoned to You!

One Degree Of Separation.

Hello Friends,

We'll spend the remainder of this week sharing a few of the notes from Pastor Benji's sermon. I found the sermon personally challenging, and the Lord has really impressed upon me the necessity of not just hearing His word, but acting upon it. I pray that He is doing the same in your life, and that you're feeling the urge to respond to Him in loving obedience.

Today, let's consider two of the "calls" mentioned in the sermon.

The call to salvation. It's a call given out to everyone: the Lord desires that we all would be saved. May we lose our desire for sin, and every day draw closer to His grace and glory.

The call to service. Once we have been saved, then the Lord equips us for His service. We should heed the warning not to confuse talent with calling. There are many gifted orators, singers, and administrators in the church world. But the offering of talent, without one's having previously accepted the call to salvation, is an unacceptable offering. Jesus wants your heart above all else you can give.

Salvation first, then service. Have you ordered your "calls" correctly? If not, today is a great day to fix that!

Lord, please help us to be sure of where we stand in You. As we are warned in Scripture, please give us strength and courage to give You our hearts first, then give You our gifts. We trust You to accomplish this in us by Your Spirit. Amen.

Love Songs.

Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. -Psalm 24:10

God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. -Psalm 118:27

Who is this that we have met in the songs of Psalms 24 and 118?

He is God, the One with an army of angels too huge to count (see Revelation 5:11).
He is Jesus, the One who even now intercedes on our behalf (see Hebrews 7:25).
He is the Holy Spirit, the One who illuminates our understanding and guides us into all truth (see John 16:13).

My prayer is that you know Him.
My prayer is that you love Him.
My prayer is that you obey Him.

Lord, Lord of the armies of heaven, Lord of life, help us to embrace Your discipline, Your suffering, Your righteousness, and Your glory. You are our Lord: please help us live lives that show the world we belong to You. In Jesus's name we pray. Amen.

Do You Really Want To Be Blessed?

He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. -Psalm 24:5

Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. -Psalm 118:26

Ah, blessings. Everyone wants to be blessed. But in Psalms 24 and 118, we see a pattern: blessings do not stand alone.

How do we obtain blessing? In these Psalms, blessing is what comes after purification. Blessing is what comes after chastening. God help the preacher, or the Christian, who is quick to quote Psalm 118:25 ("send now prosperity") out of context.

Why is it that we don't want to share in the sufferings of Christ, but we long to experience His blessings? Friends, we can't have one without the other.

Our Lord takes this one step further: He gives a definition of "blessings" that we don't often hear from postmodern pulpits or Christian media. Jesus says, "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake" (Luke 6:22).

Let's long for that. Chastening from the Lord, and criticism from men.

Lord, take us there.

Whom The Lord Loves...

The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death. -Psalm 118:18

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart... -Psalm 24:3 and following

In my estimation, one of the great dangers in Christendom is the practice of individuals singing songs. It's not a matter of vocal safety. It's the habit of persons singing out of routine, without regard to the implications of what they are singing.

"Purify my heart..." "Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee..." "I surrender all..."

Are we really ready for God to wash our hands? Do we know the true cost of heart purification?

Yes, LORD, I have counted the cost and I am ready to follow You. Please do whatever is necessary in order to bring me into deeper relationship with You. I know that when You discipline, it is always for good and never for harm. I love You and I trust You to do what is right. You, my perfect, awesome, loving Lord. I embrace all that You send.

The Gate Way.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. -Psalm 24:7

Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. -Psalm 118:19-20

Thus saith the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened. And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate... -Ezekiel 46:1 and following

What a wonderful picture. Everyone who came to the temple brought offerings, but not everyone entered the temple in the same manner. Most worshippers entered through the north and south gates. But there was a special entrance for the prince, the leader of the people who had access to enter by the east gate. It was an exclusive entrance that would only be opened for the prince, and which would be shut immediately upon his leaving.

The writer of Psalm 118 offers a profound prophetic thought: "Open the gate... The righteous shall enter". Yes, we have access to enter the courts of the Lord through a special entrance. Not because of our own merit, but because we have submitted ourselves to the King of glory, the Prince of Peace, the Savior of all men. Jesus's righteousness has encompassed us, and we can offer ourselves to God wholeheartedly.

Jesus, my self to You I bring,
Abandoned in this offering;
Purge and heal,
As I appeal
For You to become my everything.

Follow The Leader.

Friends,

Many of you know that my husband works at two churches. Each Sunday we start our day of worship at BBCN's first service, then we head up to a different church in Westchester for their morning service, then we come back to the Bronx for the remainder of BBCN's second service.

But, there is one Sunday of the year when our routine doesn't work... yes, that would be Easter Sunday.

Bronx Bethany worshippers were at Truman High School (to hold one service in a space that could accommodate all its members and guests) at 11 a.m. And I was in Westchester with my husband, at a service that began at 11 a.m.

I don't have this past Sunday's BBCN sermon notes!

But there will still be postings for the rest of the week. I hope you'll visit between now and Saturday, and that the Lord will bless each of us as we reflect upon His word.

As preparation for the next blog, I'm asking that you read Psalm 24 and Psalm 118.

See you online tomorrow.

Tag Team Wrestling.

Friends, we are in a war for souls.

I suppose that's not a huge revelation for you: most of you who read this are associated with the Christian faith, and you know one of our main tenets is that there are two sides in this fight: the Lord's side, and the side of our enemy Satan.

Although there are two sides in the fight, there is only one true Captain. The Captain of the army is Jesus. (In this culture, we might say He's the commander-in-chief).

One of the characteristics of Satan is that he has a hatred of mankind: so, even if you think you're supporting the advancement of the dominion of darkness, that earns you no points with the devil. He will use you while you're useful to him, and then he will destroy you.

Jesus, on the other hand, longs to bring you fully into the knowledge and presence of Himself. He is a Captain who protects and defends His troops as we each live in obedience to Him. He will never discard or disown those who belong to Him.

During the Good Friday service, Pastor Sam and Pastor Benji shared words of hope, salvation, and warning. Our leaders are our fellow soldiers on the battlefield in this war for souls. They love the people that God has placed under their ministry, and their desire is to see us grow and mature in the faith. I hope that's what we all want: maturity, perfection, obedience, holiness, love.

Remember, friends, this fight only has one victor.

Who is on the LORD's side?

Check To See Whether Jesus Is Singing or Sobbing.

"For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." (Luke 19:43-44)

Friends, ignorance is not bliss.

Jesus, while weeping over the city, pronounces the judgement that will fall upon the city. He prophesies destruction, a merciless killing brought on by the enemies of Israel. He does this while the crowd shouts His praises and lines the streets of the city.

Friends, as we draw near to the end of Lent, let's be careful to not attend services out of habit... or just to follow the crowd... or to get a closer look at the Lord for the sake of "paparazzi-ism" rather than for the sake of a deeper relationship with Him.

Lord, please teach us of Your ways so that we will not be swept away with the ignorant crowd. Amen.

Judas Wasn't The Only Thief.

On this past Sunday evening, Pastor Sam preached at Butler Memorial United Methodist Church. His sermon focused on a part of the 'triumphal entry' story that is frequently left out: verses 45 and 46 of Luke 19.

And He went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; saying unto them, "It is written, 'My house is the house of prayer': but ye have made it a den of thieves."

The temple of God had been polluted by those who sought financial gain from the act of worship. And our Lord Jesus stepped in to clean house.

Specifically, a portion of the temple court that was intended for prayer had instead become a marketplace for the purchase of "acceptable" sacrifices and the exchange of currency. Gentiles who came to this court to seek the face of God were met with the bleating of sheep and the noises of buying and selling.

Jesus's rebuke, "You have made this house of prayer into a den of thieves", still echoes in the halls of some churches today. In this twenty-first century we are faced with the reality of church used as a cover for creative marketing. We face the reality of prayer marketed as a way to force God to give us what we want. Worship becomes an opportunity to sell CDs and videos. In this maze of fraudulence and gimmickry, the true worshipper is sabotaged and shortchanged. Based on Jesus's reaction, I think we can safely say that God has a problem with that. It's called thievery: stealing property, stealing money, and stealing the opportunity for authentic worship.

If you are part of the den of thieves, I ask you to repent and reform. It's a dangerous thing to be found standing against the plan of God. To paraphrase Pastor Sam's sermon points, our Lord still weeps... and our Lord still whips.

Friends, don't be so foolish as to break God's heart. After God cries, He will judge.

"Handel" With Care.

Let's continue our reflections on Pastor Sam's sermons from this past Sunday.

Pastor Sam made the point that, on occasion, there are signal spiritual events that happen. Those events are markers, landmarks, that are intended to be a lasting testimony in the lives of the people who experience it, and also in the lives of people who hear about it. The triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem is one such marker.

The tragedy, of course, is that the people who were present for the experience didn't understand what was really happening. They were swept up into the excitement of a spontaneous parade. They were following the crowd. But, as Pastor Sam said, they were also following the crowd on Good Friday, crying out for the crucifixion of the man they had been exalting just a few days earlier.

So, on to our question of the day:

What does it mean when we shout "Hosanna to the Son of David"?
Or I could ask you, Do you know what you're saying?

"Son of David" is not just a trite slogan to be tossed around. It is an indicator of kingship. It is an indicator of the King of whom God has said, 'His kingdom will never end'.

Some of you may recall Handel's great choral work "The Messiah", and the famous anthem that closes Part Two of that work: "Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth... and He shall reign forever and ever..."

If we believe that this statement of eternal reign is true, then our exaltation of this glorious Christ must extend beyond singing and shouting. There must be a response that is continuous and consistent. We must live our lives in a way that shows the world how we love and adore this King: not just when the crowd is shouting, but also when the crowd has deserted Him.

Will you still wave your palm branches and shout 'Hosanna' when you're the only one doing it?

That Is What We Do!

A blessed Holy Week to you!

On this past Sunday, Pastor Sam stuck to his tradition of going through the Palm Sunday story found in Luke 19. Some of us were privileged to attend not only the services at Bronx Bethany, but also an evening service at Butler Memorial United Methodist church where Pastor Sam was the guest speaker. For this week's blogs, I'll be sharing reflections from both the BBCN and the Butler sermons.

What was interesting about the sermons was that, although the Luke 19 passage is the traditional reading for Palm Sunday, there was nothing traditional about the sermons. Every year, and in each service, the Lord leads us to learn new insights about the passage and the resultant implications for us as we seek to walk more closely with the Lord.

Perhaps the great challenge of "sticking to tradition" is that, in its familiarity, there is the danger of engaging in religious activity only because it is 'something that has always been done'. That is, there is no love for God, no desire for spiritual growth, no longing for a deeper relationship with the Lord. When church attendance, prayer, Scripture reading, or worship activity becomes simply a routine, we are putting ourselves at risk. We'll talk about some of those risks this week.

In preparation for this week's blogs, I encourage you to re-read Luke 19:28-46. See you tomorrow my friends!

That's What I Want!

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. (Exodus 33:11)

Joshua had the privilege of being present to see the encounters that occurred between Moses and the LORD. Some of you might be able to speak in a similar manner: that is, maybe you have a family member or mentor whose walk with God is open to your scrutiny. Or maybe you've seen a pastor engaged in intercessory prayer.

Do you want what they have?

Do you long for it badly enough that you remain in the presence of God, even knowing that you don't currently have the sort of relationship with God that would allow you to have a "Moses"-like experience? Or are you merely a curious onlooker with no desire to encounter God for yourself?

We serve a gracious God who knows our hearts. If our delight is in Him, He will fulfill our heart's desire (see Psalm 37:4). Joshua was able to experience the transition from being a spectator to becoming a full participant in the plan of God. How about you?

Lord, please help us to want a deeper relationship with You!

Tempted By An Angel.

"I will send an angel before you... but I will not go with you" (see Exodus 33:1-3)
"If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here" (see Exodus 34:15)

What an offer. God, after striking the Israelites with a plague (because of their sin), tells Moses that an angel will be sent to lead the people into the Promised Land. Moses, in turn, pleads with God to remain with His people. Moses's question is one we can contemplate today: "What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (see Exodus 34:16).

Some years ago, I heard a sermon that referenced this passage. The preacher asked a question of the congregation. It went something like this: "If you knew that you would get everything God promised you, but you wouldn't have the benefit of His Presence, would you be okay with just following an angel? Would you have to think about the offer before answering?"

There is an old hymn that says 'I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today'... Really? You want Him more than your job? More than wealth? More than health? Moses had his priorities straight: yes, the Presence of God mattered above all else.

My prayer is that when we are faced with the offer of "everything but God", we will forsake everything and cling to our Lord. May His Spirit help us to do that.

Tongue-Tied.

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Rosemarie mentioned in passing a profound truth that we don't want to lose:

We cannot do battle in prayer if we hold unconfessed sin.

In other words, we become "all talk and no action" if our hearts are still bound to people, systems, or objects that God has warned us to let go of. And this is a great danger to the effectiveness of the body of Christ.

That's it, friends. No need to elaborate on this point. If you know that you're outside of the will of God, please don't act as if you have eternity to repent. Repent today.

Tent- Ative.

"Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshipped, each at the entrance to his tent." (Exodus 33:10)

"Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled." (Numbers 11:10)

At the beginning of this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Rosemarie asked an important question: what is happening at the entrance to our tent?

Worship brings honor to God. Friends, what would our church look like if we each, individually, were diligent in seeking the face of God? Have we relegated the task of intercession to the "Moses and Joshua"s of the world, or would a peek into our homes and hearts reveal a longing for God's program to be accomplished in the world? What an incredible response the Israelites showed: "God is speaking to our leader: I'm going to worship the LORD while He speaks to Moses." Would you be willing to do that for Pastor Sam and our pastoral team? "Lord, I worship You and I am trusting that as I worship You, You are revealing Your word to our pastors."

Wailing brings dishonor to God. When God has given us something to sustain and nourish us (as He did in ancient Israel by feeding them with manna), it's very dangerous to complain in the face of God's gracious provision. The Numbers 11 passage closes with the death of the Israelites who despised the manna and craved other food. Why? Because they angered God with their complaining and their continued longing after Egyptian cuisine. What were they saying? "God, we'd rather have remained slaves in Egypt than to walk with You." Wow. I hope we're not doing a modern-day equivalent of that sort of grumbling.

So, are you worshipping? Or are you wailing?

Tapestry!

Hello Friends!

The Lord has called us to demonstrate authentic Christian community through holy living, and through contemplative disciplines such as fasting and prayer.

Our guest speaker, Pastor Rosemarie, continued the exhortation that was begun by our elders (Pastor Joy, Pastor Sam, and Pastor Benji) over the past few weeks. This week we'll reflect on her sermon, "Being Distinguished By The Anointing".

As has happened before with other guest speakers, God used Pastor Rosemarie to confirm and reaffirm His word which was already shared by our own local pastors. Oh, I hope we're listening to Him.

Well, it might be helpful to take time to re-read Exodus 22 and 23 in preparation for this week's blogs. So I'll trust you to read those on your own, and we'll continue tomorrow.

*Special note for BBCN family and friends: for those of you who attended Pastor Rosemarie's seminars over the weekend, some of the material she used was from her book "The Cry God Answers". Because it is copyrighted material, I will not be extracting from it for this week's blogs. The book can be purchased at the "Book Nook", Sundays after each service.

...Yes, And Vitamin "A".

Friends, let's end this week with one last reflection on Ephesians 6.

We are admonished to take "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (see Ephesians 6:17).

Pastor Benji referenced the account of the temptation of Christ (found in Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:9-13, and Luke 4:1-13). And, our dear pastor reminded us that not everyone who quotes Scripture has our best interests at heart. After all, even the devil came to Jesus with Scriptures rolling off his tongue.

What is the point of knowing Scripture? What's the purpose of having this word of God hidden in our hearts? How do we effectively use this "sword"?

-The sword of the Spirit accomplishes the agenda of the kingdom of God. In the temptation of Christ, the devil attempted to use Scripture in order to undermine God's agenda. There is a danger present when we quote Scriptures as a form of justifying ourselves or our selfish motives.

-The sword of the Spirit anchors our souls in the truth. Yes, this word of God firmly plants our security in God. His word, handled correctly, is capable of crushing lies and revealing truths. Jesus's accurate handling of the word made it clear that He was the one in complete control, and that even in human form He was not subordinate to the devil in any regard.

-The sword of the Spirit authorizes the actions of the believer. Jesus, when confronted by the devil, was able to immediately give Biblical reasons for why He refused to engage in certain exercises that seemed spiritual on the surface, but in reality were actually affronts to the character and sovreignty of God.

What's the point of holding a weapon if you aren't sure how to use it? Friends, let's seek the help of God: to know His word, and also to know how to use His word. It's the only ammunition we have.

Here's to victory in Jesus!

"B" Vitamins...

I sometimes describe our BBCN pastors as "dangerous". I don't mean to imply that they should be avoided. Rather, I mean that they are true soldiers on the battlefield:

They are battle-trained- they are excellent students of Scripture, and they are wearing the full armor of God.
They are tactical- they are adept in fighting the enemy of our souls through spiritual warfare: prayer, discernment, and proclamation.
They are strategic- they aren't waiting for something to happen. Instead, they are making things happen in the kingdom of God.
They are compliant- they are quick to obey when a directive is given by our Commander-in-Chief, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor Benji, in one section of his sermon, gave some detailed tactical information regarding what we must be aware of as we engage in battle against the forces of evil seen and unseen.

-When we are planning, our enemy is also planning. Pastor Benji gave the example from Job, where Satan stands to accuse Job in the face of Job receiving God's commendation.

-We must resist the temptation for exhibition in an environment that requires production. Here, Pastor Benji shared the analogy of a person who trains and lifts weights to show off their physique, but who does not engage in any form of vocation (beyond fitness competitions) that requires such a level of strength. In other words, and pardon my yelling, THERE'S A LOT OF POSING AND GRUNTING GOING ON IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. BUT WHERE ARE THE WORKERS?

-We must always be conscious of who the enemy is. No, it's not the lady who got to church before you and sat in your favorite seat. And it's not the person who yelled at you at the office. Your enemy is Satan, the accuser of the children of God. Pastor Benji used the analogy of the war on drugs: the war is way beyond that guy on the corner selling dope. The real war involves persons of affluence, those who orchestrate an elaborate international supply system. In our war against sin, let's expend our energies in prayer against the top-level adversaries: principalities, powers, rulers, and other spiritual forces of evil (see Ephesians 6:12).

Lord, please help us to be true soldiers on the battlefield. Make us dangerous to the dominion of darkness! We want to be part of Your strategy for victory: yes, the world for Jesus. Thank You for enlisting us. In Jesus's name, Amen.

Ready To Rumble.

Well, at about this time yesterday some of us were attending the funeral of Sidney's mom.

She was not much older than me. And, in the face of attending the funeral of this 44 year old woman, I decided to spend the day reflecting on the event in light of Pastor Benji's sermon.

The day before the funeral, Pastor Benji had reminded me of one statement from the sermon: oftentimes, the place of your blessing is also the place of your battle. Yes, some of us have undergone very difficult battles. Not battles with guns and bombs, but battles being waged in our minds and hearts as the devil seeks to destroy us from within.

What does Paul do in Ephesians 6? He shows us how to cover ourselves. Truth. Faith. Righteousness. Peace. Salvation. If these things are bound to us, then we are bound to be victorious. This is a battle we can win.

Sometimes, the victory might not be visible to anyone else but ourselves. There may still be pain, sickness, and distresses, but deep within our hearts we know that something has happened to us... we know that God has rescued us. We are at peace and we have confidence in the power of God.

Friends, I pray that you have this confidence to live, and to die, covered in the full armor of God.

Loan Dr.

We are so blessed at Bronx Bethany! Not just one, but five very competent preachers. This past Sunday, Pastor Benji brought a word from the Lord that was timely and challenging. Pastor Sam said it well: Pastor Benji, in the style of a general, has laid out clear plans and prepared us to take the field for battle.

Some of you may have memorized the passage concerning the "full armor of God", found in Ephesians 6. Pastor Benji focused on this passage in the third and final installment of his sermon series "The Path Of Spiritual Effectiveness".

For those of you who don't remember the first two parts of this sermon series, check out my archived blogs to refresh your memory:

From Part One ("Being Established"): November 10, 11, 13, and 14, 2009.

From Part Two ("Being Equipped"): December 1 through 5, 2009.

Lastly, I'd recommend that we all read the "full armor" passage, Ephesians 6:10-20.

Pastor Benji reminded us that this is a battle we fight on our knees, in prayer... so let's pray.

Lord, thank You that You have established us and equipped us for the work You want us to do. We ask that You would give us courage and wisdom to put on the full armor of God, so that as we engage in spiritual warfare we will only do so fully clothed in the things You have given for our protection: faith, salvation, truth, righteousness, peace, and the word of God. We pray knowing that You hear, and believing that You will answer. We love You, Lord, and we pray this in Jesus's name. Amen.

Red Letter Day.

Today, let's finish out the rest of the alphabet...

Unconditional love, sincerity, & authenticity: I don't think we need to elaborate on this.

Valuing time: The wise use of every day, every moment, that God has given us.

Witnessing by our lifestyles: Yes, the loudest sermon you preach is not with your lips, but with your actions.

Xerox (TM) of Jesus: Everything He does, we copy Him.

Yearning to see more people saved: If you're not interested in seeing more people saved, then you're not an authentic copy of Jesus. Remember, the Lord doesn't want anyone to perish.

Zealous for the cause of Christ: Related to the previous five points, our zeal is expressed in our love, our lives, our planning, our execution of those plans, and our desire to see Jesus glorified on earth as He is in heaven.

A special thank you, again, to Pastor Joy for her obedience to the Spirit, and for her sharing of this list that will helps us all to draw nearer to the Lord Jesus.

See you next week, my friends!

Lingua...

Almost there! Let's continue our journey through Pastor Joy's sermon, in which she shared with us an alphabetical list showing the characteristics of Christian community.

Praying as we pursue purpose: We're not guessing. We're fully aware of what God has told us to do, and our prayers are reflective of our certainty.

Quick to show gratitude and peacefulness: In other words, when we're in a position to do something we do it right away. There's no reason for hesitation when it comes to being thankful and extending peacefulness to everyone.

Radical in our obedience to Christ: Whatever it takes, we must obey God rather than men. The first seven chapters of Acts are a wonderful testimony of radical obedience to our Lord Jesus.

Submitted to godly leadership: If you believe that God is leading your pastors, then submit to the leadership of those pastors.

Touching the untouchable: Intentionally loving and serving the disenfranchised of our community, reflecting into their lives the image of Jesus.

Tomorrow, we'll finish the alphabet. Today, let's take time to pray that these characteristics will be evident in our lives, for the sake of our Lord and His kingdom.

Spelling, Be.

Well, we're about halfway through the alphabet. Pastor Joy's sermon went into a lot more detail than my blogs will, but I hope this is sufficient to get you thinking about your walk with the Lord.

Kingdom builders: our job is to promote the agenda of the kingdom of God.

Lavishing grace: yes, we could argue that some people don't deserve the grace of God. But that argument would be wrong. God pours out His grace freely; we must follow His example.

Merciful to the unmerciful: As Pastor Joy said on Sunday, and as Jesus said millenia ago, it's an easy thing to reciprocate to those who love you. But our task is to go the extra mile and show mercy to those who, in our estimation, have not earned it.

Not for hire: Christianity is a full-time status, so we cannot hire ourselves out to the devil for moments of sin. No room in our schedule for that.

Oasis for the thirsty: give yourself away. Be an ambassador of Christ to reach the lost.

Love Letters!

Today, let's continue walking through the alphabet of Christian character.

Forgiving: that's it, folks. We forgive. Unforgiveness excludes us from the community of faith.

Gregarious through Christ: because we belong to Him, we love and live through Him.

Healing community: the admonition is to repair relationships at all costs.

In sync with the Spirit: we see what He sees, we say what He says, we do what He tells us.

Just in all our interactions: we live a lifestyle that demonstrates fairness and equity.

Tomorrow, we'll continue with the middle of the alphabet.

Kids, Don't Try This At Home!

Friends,

In a tradition-breaking mode, Pastor Sam didn't preach on Communion Sunday. He asked Pastor Joy to preach on the first Sunday of March. And Pastor Joy brought a challenging word to us, packaged in an alphabetical list.

For the next few days, we'll go through the alphabet she shared with us. Let's take time to pray about each of these aspects of Christian community. And let's ask ourselves: are we hitting the mark? Can God count on us to be mature, faithful, and trustworthy?


Atypical in our attachment: the things of the world don't have a hold on us.

Bankrupt of self: like the Acts 2 church, we don't hoard. We give freely to those in need.

Commitment to servanthood: in our world, "servant" is not a bad word. We are saved to serve.

Developmentally ready: we don't send boys to do a man's job. Spiritual maturity is a prerequisite to being able to carry out the mandates God has given us.

Energized by our vision: if we are not on board with the vision, then we really are not part of the community.

Caution: God At Work.

During the second service, Pastor Aurelio (while in the middle of his sermon) gave Pastor Sam a prophetic word. I won't repeat the prophecy here, but I do think it might be helpful if we consider how to respond in instances when the Spirit of God empowers a man to speak prophetically.

We respond in prayer.
We respond in faith.
We respond in support.

Of course, we have two assumptions going into today's blog: first, we are assuming that God still speaks prophetically through His servants; and second, we are assuming that it indeed was the Spirit of God who prompted the prophetic word shared by Pastor Aurelio. (I hope the Church of the Nazarene still believes in the ministry of the Holy Spirit as indicated in Scripture: if it doesn't, then tell me... so I can bail out.)

So, our response in light of our assumptions:

We pray for our pastor. We pray that he will seek God to confirm the word. We pray that he will measure the prophetic word against the written word of God, because God will never contradict His written word. We pray that there will be no hindrances that block him from walking in obedience to God. We pray that the word of the Lord will be fulfilled.

We engage faith. In our case, it's easy to receive the prophetic word by faith because the word given by Pastor Aurelio is the word we have heard from so many other guest speakers. We also have our own personal relationship with God and can hear from Him ourselves. If someone asks "What has God said about Bronx Bethany?", then most of us who have attended Bronx Bethany over the past few years can give a clear answer. We are agreeing with what God has said. That's faith.

We respond in support. Why? Because the work of God's kingdom is never done alone. As Pastor Martha shared towards the end of service, we each comprise one small part of the body of Christ, and each small part is needed in order for the body to work to its optimum level. So beyond praying, beyond believing God, we have to do something. The saying is still true: faith without works is dead (See James 2:17).

So, as we close out this week, let's ask:

In light of the spoken prophecies, in light of the written word of God, and in light of the example of Jesus Christ, what can I do to support the ministry of Pastor Sam, Bronx Bethany, the Church of the Nazarene, and the Church around the world?

The Best Precedent!

"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children..." (From Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

What will our legacy be?
How are we using our time and resources?
Are we leaving our loved ones the best legacy, which is a knowledge of the word of God?
How are we demonstrating that we are people of prayer?

Pastor Aurelio asked us these questions during this past Sunday's sermon, and we would do well to know the answers. Scripture is full of examples of men and women who were tagged for certain characteristics: Daniel was tagged as a man of prayer. David was tagged as a man of worship. Abraham was tagged as a man of faith.

We can think of modern men and women as well. There are those who have become so legendary in their passion for God that we know them instantly. Finney. Moody. Wilkerson. Cymbala.

And here at BBCN, yes, even our own Publio. The man who went from door to door, prayed over maps of the Bronx, walked through the neighborhood claiming souls for Jesus, laughed, danced, and loved honestly and deeply. We can say there was no question of his love, his faith, his worship, his prayer life. Everyone knew Publio was authentically and unapologetically Christian.

What will people say about you when you're gone?

Joyful, Joyful...

This past Sunday, Pastor Aurelio shared with us the importance of public testimony of our faith, particularly in the context of family. He stressed the value of parents allowing their children to see them pray, give, and worship our great God.

Pastor Aurelio also shared an important truism: children will remember what they see more than they'll remember what was said.

As parents, as leaders, as men and women of influence, let's be careful to live in a way that encourages our children to become complete followers of Jesus. How can we do this?

-Make an object lesson of our tithing. Show the children that we have taken the time to separate out the ten percent that belongs to God. Allow them to see open, joyful giving of our money into the work of the Lord.

-Make an object lesson of our praying. Permit the children to hear you as you pray for pastors and leaders. This indicates to them the importance of holding up our leadership in prayer. Encourage them to also bring their own leaders to the throne of grace in prayer: teachers, mentors, or other persons of influence.

-Make an object lesson of our enthusiasm for the things of God. Attend services as a family. Verbally express your excitement and love for the Lord, the Lord's church, the Lord's people, and the Lord's leaders whom He has given responsibility for preaching and teaching.

Of course, none of the above can be accomplished if you yourself are not a lover of Jesus, His church, His people, and His leaders.

Lord, help us to be excited about You! Help us to love You passionately and unreservedly! Help us to give freely and joyfully! Help us to be public about this passion we have for You, so that others will see and want to become involved in Your great work. In Jesus's name we pray these things. Amen.

Sent On A Mission.

Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. -Joshua 1:6

Joshua had spent years serving as Moses's assistant. We see in Exodus that when the Tent of Meeting was set up, Joshua would often remain there even after Moses had left (see Exodus 33:7-11). It must have been quite an experience for Joshua to be a first-hand witness to the encounters Moses had with God.

Later in life, Joshua himself experienced the power of God. Moses commissioned him as successor (see Deuteronomy 34:9), and it was Joshua who experienced great success as he led Israel into the promised land and conquered Israel's enemies.

We can take encouragement in knowing that it was God who dictated the mission, and God who gave the strength and resources needed to accomplish the mission. Joshua 1:1-5 recounts the word given to Joshua by God for his instruction and encouragement. That might be a good place to end today's blog. I hope that, as you read these verses, you will know and believe in your heart that God can also give you a clear vision for His work in this age.

After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them - to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates- all the Hittite country- to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."

Though Dead, He Speaks.

On this past Sunday, which was the first anniversary of the death of Pastor Publio Fajardo, we held services that combined the congregants of our English-speaking and Spanish-speaking congregations.

Our guest speaker, Pastor Aurelio, spoke on Joshua chapter one. We were challenged to consider our own mortality. We were also challenged to seize the opportunity to live lives that, when we are gone, will be spoken of by others as lives of influence.

I'd like to encourage you to read Joshua 1, and maybe we can take time today to remember men and women of influence that have paved the way for us:

A parent;
A Sunday School teacher;
A pastor;
A friend.

Lord, we remember these men and women that You sent into our lives, and we are grateful for their godly influence. Lord, please show us what we should be doing, who we should be reaching, so that when we are gone they will remember what we did, what we said, and who we were. Not for ourselves, not for any accolades, but for them to want to live as we did, to Your glory. Amen.