Fifty-Eight.

Isaiah 58

“Cry loudly, do not hold back;
Raise your voice like a trumpet,
And declare to My people their transgression
And to the house of Jacob their sins.

“Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways,
As a nation that has done righteousness
And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God.
They ask Me for just decisions,
They delight in the nearness of God.
‘Why have we fasted and You do not see?
Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’
Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire,
And drive hard all your workers.

“Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist.
You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.

“Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed
And for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed?
Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord?

“Is this not the fast which I choose,
To loosen the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the bands of the yoke,
And to let the oppressed go free
And break every yoke?

“Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry
And bring the homeless poor into the house;
When you see the naked, to cover him;
And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

“Then your light will break out like the dawn,
And your recovery will speedily spring forth;
And your righteousness will go before you;
The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

“Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’
If you remove the yoke from your midst,
The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness,
And if you give yourself to the hungry
And satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
Then your light will rise in darkness
And your gloom will become like midday.

“And the Lord will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

“Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
You will raise up the age-old foundations;
And you will be called the repairer of the breach,
The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.

“If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot
From doing your own pleasure on My holy day,
And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable,
And honor it, desisting from your own ways,
From seeking your own pleasure
And speaking your own word,
Then you will take delight in the Lord,
And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Window-Watcher.

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:10)

“He knew that people were out to get him.” (Pastor Shane)

Daniel was committed to the One true God, and his commitment to God was not shaken by the leaders who sought to remove him from his position.

What would you do if someone threatened to harm you if you were “caught” in the act of praying? Pastor Shane noted that, for some of us, our strategy would perhaps be to change our routine: pray in secret, pray silently, or pray somewhere else. But Daniel continued to live out the routine he had established.

• His prayer was public; the windows were open.
• His prayer had a specific posture; he got down on his knees.
• His prayer was positional; the windows opened toward Jerusalem, the beloved land from which he was exiled.
• His prayer was positive; he did not wail about having been exiled, but rather gave thanks to God.

In fact, it seems that Daniel did not concern himself at all with his detractors. He knew that petitioning God was the right thing to do.

After Pastor Shane's sermon, Pastor Andy took the podium and said, “We stand in the midst of Babylon, open our windows, and declare that we trust in our God.” I pray that is true for all of us.

Where do you stand today? Are you a person of prayer? Are you afraid to be “caught” praying? Do you have a place to pray? Is your prayer life consistent?

Just Trust.

Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. (Daniel 3:28, NASB)

During Sunday's sermon, Pastor Shane shared a brief illustration of trust. He asked a child to face away from him and lean backwards into a fall, promising that he would catch the child.

Did the child trust Pastor Shane? Eventually, yes. But initially, the child looked back at Pastor Shane several times, evoking laughter from the congregation.

Can I really trust you to catch my fall?

In Daniel chapter 3 we read the famed story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into a fiery furnace. The three young men offered an astounding testimony to King Nebuchadnezzar just prior to their being thrown into the flames: Our God can save us-- but we will take our trust in Him a step further. We will remain loyal to Him. Even if He doesn't save us, we will not bow to the idol you set up.

What about us? How sure is our loyalty to God? Will we still love Him if He doesn't rescue us?

I wish we could all avoid crises. But as we go through our challenges, people around us have the opportunity to see real faith in action: the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (see Hebrews 11:1). We trust God even as modern-day King Nebuchadnezzars rant and rail over our refusal to bow to the "ism"s of the postmodern age. We trust God as the flames are increased, destroying even the lives of those sent to toss us into the furnace. And we trust God as we walk in the midst of the fire. Why? Because we are accompanied by the Chief Fire-Walker, the One with burnished feet (see Revelation 1:10-18) who keeps us alive and well in the raging flames.

At the end of the day, God gets the glory. What did King Nebuchadnezzar say? "Wow, those guys are cool..."? No. He said, and the canon records, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego."

Lord, that is what we want! Take us through fires, floods, challenges, and crises. We are not afraid to walk through the fire, because we have full assurance that Your Spirit will not leave us. Spirit of Christ, thank You for sustaining us in the midst of ranting kings and raging flames. You prevail. You receive glory and honor. We promise that we will never abandon our faith and trust in You.

At Your Service...

Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles, youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king’s court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans... As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s personal service. As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm. (Daniel 1:3-4, 17-20)

Talk like a servant of the king. When King Nebuchadnezzar carried captives into Babylon, he was deliberate in his choice of captives. He only took the persons who appeared to have "ability for serving in the king's court." But, after taking them, he ordered his chief to re-educate them in the Chaldean way. After three years of re-education, the king took the best students. Daniel and his three friends had successfully mastered the Chaldean way, so much so that they were chosen to be the king's personal servants. Even though they were foreigners, they were given the highest serving positions available in the land.

But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials, and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.” So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. At the end of ten days their appearance seemed better and they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables. (Daniel 1:8-16)

Live like a servant of the Lord. Daniel knew that the food and wine provided by the king would defile his body, and he spoke to his commanding officer to request that he and his three friends not be forced to defile themselves. Although Daniel was in Babylon, the ethic of Babylon was not in Daniel. Over the years of his captivity, he remained faithful to the directive of God.

What about us? How do we conduct ourselves in light of the pressure to live "the Chaldean way"? Let's take a lesson from the lives of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. They did not pretend they were ignorant. They did not fight against the re-education process. God had given them wisdom and understanding, and they learned all that they could possibly learn. They were not embarrassed to be at the top of their class. At the same time, though, they understood that their true service was not to King Nebuchadnezzar. They were forever servants of the Most High God, and their choices of worship and lifestyle reflected their love for the Lord of all the earth. When the day came where they had to state their loyalty, it was clear to all that their loyalty was to the God of Israel.

Lord God, give us the wisdom to know all... and the wisdom to serve One.

Please, Please, Please, Read.

"I encourage you to dig into Daniel." (Pastor Shane)

In this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Shane echoed Pastor Sam's appeal of the previous two Sundays: it is the appeal of the Lord. Read your Bible. Read these passages that My servants faithfully documented. 

Pastor Shane noted that the first six chapters of Daniel give us the story of how Daniel came to Babylon (and what he experienced there). The storyline also takes time to recount the experiences of Daniel's three friends.

The book of Daniel is a snapshot of radical, revolutionary faith in God. Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were not the only four individuals carried off to Babylon in exile. There were other young men, from nobility and from royal families, who found themselves conscripted into the service of a pagan king. But Daniel and his friends chose to remain faithful to the God of Israel, while the other young men bowed their knees to foreign gods.

Why does God keep pointing us to these stories of life in exile? Why does the Lord keep appealing to Bronx Bethany to become absorbed in these narratives, to learn from them, to study them, and to live them out in this twenty-first century? In this year which our leaders have themed Pursuing Holiness, Promoting Healing, why are the lives of Joseph and Daniel (and Esther) continuing to resurface? I will leave you, readers, to answer the questions. But I hope that you are noticing the move of God, and that you are heeding His call to "dig in" to His word.

In a world of quick fixes and lives lived by third-party hearsay, even the act of reading for one's self is a revolutionary move. I pray that we all will heed the call. Have you still not read the book of Daniel? Please read it, even if you have read it before. God desires to speak to each of us through His word. There are keys to appropriating revolutionary faith which the Lord desires to show us. Those keys, though they will be touched upon over the next few days of Glossa Water, are better and more fully discovered as we read our Bibles and seek God's wisdom for ourselves.

Do you desire to hear from your Lord today? Fix your eyes on His word; hear Him speak.

Consider Daniel... consider yourself.

No Fear Here.

In titling his sermon "Don't Be Afraid To Be Radical", Pastor Shane tapped into the paradox of post-modern life: We want to be unique, but we don't want to stand out.

Our pastor shared, and I paraphrase, that it takes a radical commitment to Christ in order to function as the the body of Christ. To represent Christ in the world is to choose to stand out as righteous representatives of an eternal kingdom, rejecting the lure of decadence and moral decay.

Pastor Shane showed a video that referenced the Azusa Street revival. At one point the narrator in the video asked, "What about now?" Good question. Where are the revolutionary moments of the twenty-first century? Where are the new conversions to Christ (as opposed to inter-church transfers)? Is the Lord's Christ still drawing men to Himself by means of the hands and feet and hearts of faithful workers? Are people still willing to stand out, apart from the world, as ambassadors of Christ?

Thankfully, the answer is yes. The Lord has called, and the people of the Lord have responded to the call. My prayer is that you, reader, are one of those people.

Are you radically committed to bearing the cross of Christ, no matter what? If not, why not?

Active Duty!

As we consider Bronx Bethany's strategy for mission engagement (loving God, growing together, serving the world), let's take a few minutes to reflect on how our church recently approached the strategy of serving the world.

Over this summer, our pastoral staff launched Summer Serve, a series of workshops and community events designed to serve persons and create awareness of issues outside of Bronx Bethany. For the first time, our annual Street Fair included a health and wellness component (including a mammogram van, children's dental care van, stations for checking blood pressure and blood sugar, and mini-workshops on health and nutrition). Several Wednesday evenings were devoted to classes on immigration law, caring for children with special needs, health insurance, boundaries and relationships, and social justice. There were also off-site service projects (painting community fire hydrants and cleaning up trash near the I-95 entrance ramp in our district), and a month-long missions trip to Colombia, South America. This evening, Summer Serve wraps up with a "Back-to-School" youth rally at a local public school, where our teens and young adults will give away school supplies and share the love of Christ with our community.

It's been a busy summer, one in which we have fully given ourselves to this strategy of serving the world. And, interestingly, this process of serving the world has re-ignited in some the excitement of serving Christ. We have heard testimonies from men, women, and teens who spoke of the impact of Summer Serve on their prayer life, their level of compassion for the disenfranchised, their reading of the word, and their diligence in preparing themselves for works of service "in the Bronx and in the world".

The summer will soon be over, but the call to serve the world remains. May the fire that was ignited in Summer Serve continue to burn brightly, to the glory of God.

Why Didn't Anyone Visit Me? (Because No One Knew You Were Sick.)

As we continue our reflection on Bronx Bethany's process of mission engagement (loving God, growing together, and serving the world), let's consider the aspect of growing together.

Our discipleship model stresses the importance of ministry moments with small groups. If you have attended Bronx Bethany for any length of time, you will have heard our pastors urging us to be connected in what we call "care groups". These groups generally meet once a week in the fall and early winter for fellowship, prayer, and study of a topic that has been selected by our pastors.

The value of being in a care group really emerges in moments of crisis. In a church with hundreds of members scattered over four services, it is not surprising that persons outside of care groups can be out of church for weeks without being missed by anyone. However, our experience has been that persons connected with care groups have a network of between five and ten people whom they can contact (or who will contact them). Persons in care groups are known, loved, and cared for.

Is a choir a sort of large-scale care group? It is not. Choir rehearsals are scheduled for the purpose of rehearsing music, not for the purpose of spiritual development. Choir rehearsals, at best, only block out a few minutes for devotions and prayer. Fellowship is limited and accountability is virtually nonexistent. If you are reading this and you are in a choir, please do not be offended when leadership encourages you to join a care group. It is in the messy, risky, loving care group setting that we journey from spiritual infancy to spiritual maturity.

The intimacy of the care group setting also gives us a wonderful opportunity to use our spiritual gifts for each others' benefit. If God has given you the gift of encouragement, but you never speak to any of your fellow congregants, then you are depriving them, and yourself, from being built up and strengthened in the faith (First Peter 4:10). How do we grow? We grow together. Remember: we are in a spiritual war. To live the Christian life as a loner is to invite the devil to devour you, just as a lamb separated from the flock becomes an easy kill for a wolf.

I encourage all of us to pray and seek God as we approach this next season of care group ministry. You need a care group. A care group needs you. Let's make it happen this year.

Going Back To The Hurt Of Worship?

From time to time, Pastor Sam shares a little story with us. The gist of the story is this:

A man tells his wife that he is leaving town for a short period of time, for work-related purposes. As he goes through the airport, he decides to order some flowers to have them shipped to her. The intent of the floral shipment is to give the indication that he misses her and is thinking about her. The reality, however, is that he is not working. He has made arrangements to spend his days with another woman with whom he is having an affair. He is actually not considering his wife at all. The floral arrangement, an international symbol of affection and care, is being used as a cover for treachery.

Our pastor's story is an allegory for our worship experience. Is our worship of God a floral arrangement of love, or a flowery veneer covering treachery?

"I know that the musicians are not Christians. But you know what? They show up on time; they are always fully prepared; their musicianship is excellent; and they don't give me attitude. They don't have to love God."

"I notice that she never comes to church unless it's her choir's turn to sing; and when she's finished singing, she just walks out without staying for the sermon. She works in my office and is always bragging about how indispensable she is to her choir, but her work performance is poor and she has a nasty attitude. You should see her emails."

"It's so unfortunate. God has been so good to the man, and he is so ungrateful. The other week when my pastor was preaching on giving, he turned to his friend and said loud enough for our whole row to hear, 'I ain't givin' nothin'.'"

At Bronx Bethany, we endeavor to have a simple, three-part ministry process. We love God, we grow together, and we serve the world. The first part of our process, loving God, is worked out in our experience of Him in corporate worship.

It is important to note that "worship" is not a synonym for "singing". Although singing can occur as part of the worship process, the definition of worship is "to ascribe worth". Our church joins together in community on Saturdays and Sundays, and together we ascribe worth to our great God who does all things well. How do we ascribe worth to God? We do it through obedience to His word, through individual and corporate prayer, through the joyful giving of our tithes and offerings, through our expression of love to Him (sung or spoken or played), and by our reflection of His love to others.

The church around the world sings, and gives, and prays. It looks good on the surface... but I wonder what God sees as He looks at each of His children.

Please consider your own worship experience. Why are you "giving God flowers"? To authenticate your love, or to attempt to cover your treachery? Does the worship from your lips accurately reflect the position of your heart?

"I have seen You in the sanctuary
and beheld Your power and Your glory;
Because Your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify You...
Because You are my help,
I will sing in the shadow of Your wings;
My soul clings to You;
Your right hand upholds me."
(Psalm 63, verses 2,3,7, and 8)

Gift Return?

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam shared a point I would like us to reflect on today (paraphrased here): We can appropriate entire sanctification that allows us to be forgiven from sin, and that empowers us to resist the temptation to sin.

It is curious, and even sad, that Christians do not seek to avail themselves of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. What has Jesus said of the Holy Spirit? "He will take of what is Mine and will disclose it to you." (see John 16:13-15) The gift of the Holy Spirit is the means by which we receive the revelation of God. He teaches; He warns; He loves. To refuse this gift is to refuse the Giver of Life, the Counselor, the Comforter, and the Intercessor.

Our pastor reminded us of a proverb: "God can keep the fresh fish in the salt sea." If we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, then He will empower each of us to live a life of holiness and integrity even as we live in a world where sin and duplicity are rampant. There is a Helper who longs to stand at our side. There is no need for us to continue falling into patterns of besetting sin.

Where do you stand today? Is the person and work of the Holy Spirit a reality in your life?

Lord Jesus, You sent Your Spirit to live in us and remind us of all You said and did, for the sake of our soul's salvation and deliverance. Give us grace to joyfully receive Your Holy Spirit into our lives, so that we will be empowered to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions. Amen.

Work Performance...

"Jesus, go before us and do Your work Yourself; and You will get the glory." (Pastor Sam)

During Pastor Sam's pre-sermon prayer, he made this appeal to our Lord and Christ. It is an appeal very appropriate for today, a holiday on which persons in the countries of Canada and the United States of America take time to honor working people.

Christians are commissioned to carry out certain works of worship and service. Those of us at Bronx Bethany have been called to live out three particular mandates: we love God, we grow together, and we serve the world. If the Spirit of Christ is free to work in us, then His Light will shine through us as we engage these aspects of ministry.

Certainly, there are persons in the world who perform their work without the presence of God's Spirit. I have in my possession an incredibly well-thought-out, well-produced CD of an avowed non-Christian singing Christmas carols. In the liner notes the person stated that, though it was a Christmas CD, Christ was not the priority; performance was the priority.

And to be frank, there are avowed Christians who do not make Christ their priority; they too are "performing". As another of our pastors prayed over the weekend, our concern is that the Lord will find a percentage of our Bronx Bethany community who praise God with their lips, "but their hearts are far" from Him (Isaiah 29:13-14; Matthew 15:8-9). Let no man think that the Lord will reward such duplicity.

And so I echo the prayer of Pastor Sam. I hope you will do the same.

Jesus, go before Me.
Jesus, work Your works in me and through Me.
Jesus, may You alone receive all glory.
Amen.

Welcome To Year Six!

Victoria Falls (Livingstone, Zambia/Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe).
Photo Credit: Wikipedia.

Glossa Water began on August 31, 2008. Its purpose has remained the same over the years: to provide a means by which the sermons from Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene can be reflected on throughout the week. I am happy that you have walked with me into this first day of Year Six!

My prayer is that that you will always be found walking in obedience to Christ; always be found hungering and thirsting after His word; and always be found ready to share "the hope of your calling" with the world. God bless you all.

Love,
g-force

Reading, Revisited: A Second Appeal.

Last Sunday, Pastor Sam encouraged us to read three sections of Scripture which corresponded to the three individuals highlighted in the sermon: Genesis chapters 37 and 39 through 50 (Joseph); the book of Daniel; and the book of Esther.

How cool it would be if all of us could tell our pastor the next time we see him, "Pastor Sam, I did the readings!" Not because we want to please him, but because we want to please God by excelling in our attention to His word.

There are some of us who are not able to read, or not able to see, and are assisted by computer software that "reads" words on our behalf . Some of us have the Bible on CD or cassette; some of us have audio Bibles on our computers; and so we hear the written word of God. I say this to say that God has made a way for His word to be accessed.

That said, though, I will add a disclaimer: in the world, there are still areas where the word of God is not available in any form. There are still regions where Christian bibles are banned. Not everyone in the world can "do the reading" in that regard. But for those of us in Bronx Bethany who have heard our pastor's appeal these two Sundays in a row, I would imagine that we are well able to access the Scriptures, written and spoken, that are available for free. We have no restrictions imposed upon us. We can lay hold of God's word as we please. We are blessed beyond measure.

Unrestricted access to the written word of God is a blessing. Will you appropriate your blessing today?

God Will Vindicate Me!

"My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king." (Daniel 6:22)

"At the king's command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lion's den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones." (Daniel 6:24)

Do people who see us recognize the power of God working on our behalf? Our pastor shared two things during Sunday's sermon that I would like us to reflect upon today:

We must know what they know without being what they are. As Christians living in a Christ-hating context, we do not shy away from the way the world functions. In fact, we endeavor to out-shine the world with our God-given abilities. The testimony concerning Daniel and his friends was that "in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the whole kingdom." (Daniel 1:20) These young men distinguished themselves because, as servants of God, they refused the food that was offered to idols. They also distinguished themselves by gaining a solid grasp of the culture, language, and educational expectations of Babylon in only three years of study.

God can cause "natural outcomes" of events not to happen. Because Daniel lived his life in honor of his God, there resulted an outflow of jealousy from the other leaders in the region. When Daniel was thrown into the lions' den, God sent one angel to prevent the lions from acting upon their natural instincts. The shifting of nature was not a new phenomenon: in Daniel's youth he was witness to his friends Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah (Abednego), who astonished King Nebuchadnezzar by walking out of the fiery furnace with no smell of smoke on them. In Daniel's old age, he astonished King Darius by surviving the night in the lions' den, walking out the next morning without even a scratch.

The Scripture, as if to underscore the fact that God trumps nature on behalf of His people, tells us that God did not adjust the natural outcome of events for the enemies of God. The men who threw Daniel's friends into the fire were consumed by the heat of the flames (3:22). The men who colluded to have Daniel thrown into the lions' den were, along with their families, consumed by the lions (6:24).

Most of us, I imagine, would prefer not to be thrown into a den of lions or a fiery furnace. But, as our pastor shared, God sometimes permits us to experience devastating situations for the sake of His glory. Pastor Sam referred to Hebrews chapter 11, which ends with a death-parade of men and women who were persecuted and martyred for the sake of God's gospel. We won't all have Daniel's testimony of dramatic rescue. But, whether we live or die, we have this assurance: God is a vindicator of His people.

Lord God, how I thank You that You have promised to vindicate Your people! I promise to continually seek Your face and exercise the gifts and abilities You have entrusted to me. I will not balk when You place me in the center of the fire or in the crags of the lions' den; I know You are with me even there. Thank You for Your word that even causes nature to abandon its normal course for the sake of Your glory. I give You glory and wait patiently for Your vindication, whether on earth or in heaven. Amen.

God Is Represented By Me!

"The king said to Daniel, 'May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!'" (Daniel 6:16b)

The crisis of the nominal Christian? He or she wants representation, but does not want to represent.

One of the hallmarks of Daniel's life was that he chose to represent God. He represented God by excelling in his studies. He represented God by refusing to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols. He represented God by continuing to pray when the law pressed him to abandon that discipline for thirty days, knowing that his choice would land him into a den of lions. 

In what other ways do we represent God? Let us consider a few more actions engaged by Daniel:

• Corporate prayer. Daniel did not "go it alone"; he urged his friends to join with him in pleading for the mercy of God. (2:18)
• Praise. Daniel offered praise and thanksgiving to God. (2:19-23)
• Ascription. Daniel credited God, and God alone, for his abilities. (2:27-28)
• Intercession. Daniel, though he was exiled in Babylon, fasted and confessed sins on behalf of all Israel. (9:1-19)

Let us pray continually.
Let us praise and thank our God.
Let us give God His rightful place: first place.
Let us bear the heavy load of intercession.
Let us glorify God by caring for our bodies.
Let us demonstrate excellence in our endeavors.
Let us obey the laws of God without compromise.
Let us represent.

On Sunday, Pastor Sam asked a question that I would like each of us to reflect on today:
Are you known as someone who "serves your God continually"?

God Is With Me!

In Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam referred to the life of Joseph. Joseph's birth is mentioned in Genesis chapter 30, and the remainder of his life story is found in chapters 37 and 39 through 50. Joseph was a man who had "God-consciousness"; that is, Joseph's rationale for his personal conduct was based not on the opinions of men, but on his relationship with God.

It is interesting to note that Joseph, in addition to having God-consciousness, was sin-conscious. His response to Potiphar's wife, "How could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" (39:9), indicated the he had not just a sense of the presence of God, but also had a knowledge of what pleased and displeased God. Long before God wrote His laws onto stone tablets, He chose to impress His laws upon Joseph's heart.

Joseph had a challenging life. He was hated by his brothers, sold into a foreign land, re-sold into slavery, sexually harassed by his supervisor's wife, falsely accused of attempted rape, falsely imprisoned, and lied to by his brothers for years after their reconciliation. But in spite of the pains he suffered, Scripture carries a powerful testimony:

• The LORD was with Joseph and he prospered.
• Joseph's master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD gave him success in everything he did.
• The LORD blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph.
• While Joseph was in the prison, the LORD was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

Pastor Sam shared with us:
Sometimes it doesn't feel comfortable or easy, but God is still with us.

What about you? Are the laws of God impressed upon your heart? Are you assured of His presence with you, even in the worst of situations? Can it be said of you, as Pharaoh said of Joseph, "Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?" (41:38)

The LORD was with Joseph. The same LORD has promised to be with us. I pray that we will always be found in Him.

Lord, You have exhorted us to remain in You and to faithfully represent You at all times, regardless of the sufferings we experience in this life. Please give us Your grace to not only endure every crisis, but to live Your overcoming life in the midst of our struggles.

I'm A Space Cowgirl.

“Adjust yourself so that they find space.” (Pastor Sam)

In continuing our series on Bronx Bethany’s mission statement, Pastor Sam began yesterday’s ministry using the metaphor of crowds.

Can we make space?

Pastor Sam began the introduction to the sermon with a reference to the overcrowded nature of public transportation (in particular, his culture's limited mini-bus system and the appeal of the bus conductor: "Small-up yourself! Make room for the lady, she wants to get home too!") Part of our challenge in truthfully living our mission is the challenge of making space.

Our physical plant is a challenge. We must keep in mind that the addition of our new building is primarily to alleviate the crowding experienced in the ministries of our children and teenagers. Our adult ministries, particularly our Sunday services, will remain in the same space. This means that we who are adults will continue to be crowded into the pews. Can we joyfully endure the crowd for the sake of God’s kingdom?

Our psyche is a challenge. If we are demonstrating the power of God’s love as we make room for everyone, then it means that from Sunday to Sunday we may be sitting next to a person who perhaps does not smell so nice. It may even mean that we must give up our seat in order to bless someone else, as we stay to experience the entire service watching the monitor in the lobby or standing in the back of the sanctuary. 

But, what is our mindset as we make space for others? Do we believe that some people are less deserving of sanctuary space than others? Do we believe that we “have the right” to place ourselves above others because we have been at Bronx Bethany longer, or because we gave a huge donation to the ministry, or because we have known Pastor Sam since the day he was born, or because we “always sit here”? Some of us are more than happy to shift or shimmy over for a friend who wants sit next to us. But what of the stranger? What of the person who we assume is of a different class or race or socioeconomic status? 

“Can we make space?” Absolutely. That is what God has called us to do. We are asked to make space with our bodies, and we are also asked to make space with our mindset.

Will you do these things in loving service to our King?

“Bronx Bethany is a Spirit-filled community of love with a place for everyone.” God, that is how You see us! Give us grace to become what You say we are. 

Prayer As Sermon.

Can these bones live?

During pre-sermon prayer, Pastor Sam quoted from Ezekiel chapter 37.  In the passage, Ezekiel sees a vision of a large valley of dry bones. The Lord takes Ezekiel through a process of seeing the bones form into what looks like a mighty army, but the result of the process is an army incapable of conquest. They are an impressively large group, but they are dead. They cannot stand. They cannot fight. Is that what we look like in the eyes of God and man? Do we gather faithfully each week with no intent of acquiring the God-life necessary to win the battle against sin? Are we just going through the external motions of corporate worship and ministry, with hearts fully intent on collaborating with the devil throughout the week?

The LORD tells Ezekiel to prophesy to the breath and speak life into the bodies. As the breath-life of God moves over the group, they are empowered to stand in fighting formation. This is our desire! We may not yet be ready to fight the battles through which our enemy the devil will attack. But though we are not ready today, we continue to avail ourselves to the word of God, prayer, and corporate worship. Our gatherings are an important component of our preparation process. So we come together to worship the Lord, who promises to be powerfully present when we approach Him (Matthew 18:19-20). To refuse corporate worship is to choose to live the Christian life ill-equipped to love and completely unprepared for spiritual war. Have we arrived? Are we perfected? No, but we are determined to stay on the path. 

“Can these bones live?” Absolutely. We obtain the power to live as we submit ourselves to the power of the word of God.

We have gathered as a community of faith, and we need Your breath of life to infuse and empower us. Please keep speaking to our community. We promise to listen and joyfully obey Your word. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Did You Do The Reading?

In last Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam encouraged Bronx Bethany to take time to read John chapter 17. I encourage us all to read (or re-read) it today.

We who belong to God have received the profound gift of Jesus's prayers and intercession on our behalf. "I am not praying for the world, but for those You have given to Me, because they belong to You." (John 17:9, italics mine)

Jesus, I am ever grateful for Your prayers. Thank You.

Click here to read John 17 (Amplified Bible)

Light Makes Right.

"Lord, make us different so that we might make a difference." (Pastor Sam)

Pastor Sam shared three ways in which we employ the strategy of incarnational holiness: relevance, revelation, and redemption. Today we'll consider the last of of these sermon points: redemption.

Redemption

Our pastor shared with us that "nobody can see the glory of God and remain the same." Redemptive influence occurs because we have been successful in infiltrating the world without being corrupted by it: and, our infiltration influences the world to turn to the Lord. We, like Jesus, have become involved with people so that they can be introduced to the ways of the kingdom of God.

Through us, God has a means whereby He can shine His love to the world. Our presence in church is not merely to entertain ourselves, but to be equipped to leave the church building and influence those who are closest to us. As people recognize that we care for them, the day may come when they care enough to listen to us on matters of faith.

"The light can only shine if you have the real Light. So, brothers and sisters: 'In the world, not of the world, for the world'." Pastor Sam exhorted us to commit ourselves to God so that we will not be corrupted and co-opted by the world.  Our church has a corporate commitment to being a redemptive influence, and our prayer is that each individual will be sufficiently changed in order to be an effective agent of change in the world.

At the start of the altar call, Pastor Sam shared a prophetic insight regarding those who are not yet ready to be a redemptive influence for a world that needs the Lord. Christ says: "You are not coming from a place in Me that will be able to sustain you with them." For some of us, redemption will need to be real and integral in our own experience before we can be a vehicle of redemption for anyone else.

As we go through our day today, let us keep in mind the heart of Sunday's altar call: "Lord, help me to be somebody that is sufficiently changed, that I will be an agent of change."

God, form Your character in me so that You will be able to use me as a means of redemption.
Forgive us, Lord, for having a desire to escape from the world instead of seeking to redeem the world.
Forgive us, Lord, for wasting opportunities that You gave us to be a redemptive influence in the places that You put us every day.
Forgive us, Lord, for masking Your Light and refusing to infiltrate our sphere of influence.
Let us show You to people simply by being who You have made us to be.

Amen. We commit ourselves to being a redemptive influence in the Bronx, and in the world, to the glory of God.

Carry Out.

On this past Sunday, Pastor Sam shared three ways in which we employ the strategy of incarnational holiness: relevance, revelation, and redemption. In yesterday's post we discussed relevance. Today, we'll consider revelation.

Revelation

Our pastor noted that we are relevant not simply to maintain the status quo, but to offer the world a glimpse into our Christ-transformed lives. We are different! We must be different than the world in order to help it. We cannot be relevant if we do not carry the revelation.

How do we reveal the transforming power of Christ to the world? We do so as salt and light. Pastor Sam, in referencing Matthew 5:13, used the salt and light analogies to remind us of our need to share our faith. Salt in the saltshaker doesn't make sense. Light under a bushel doesn't make sense.

Light illumines; salt preserves. When light is shined into a dark space, the light is not overcome. When salt is added to food, the salt is not overwhelmed. What an encouragement that God has given us this assurance! It doesn't take much light to drive out darkness. It doesn't take much salt to flavor food. Our small testimony is a powerful thing in God's hands.

Will you be salt and light in the world today?

Thank You, Lord, that through You we can live these analogies! You have called us to be salt and light. Give us grace to walk, and talk, and live, in accordance with Your calling.

Meeting Needs. Planting Seeds.

"Are you in the world at all?" (Pastor Sam)

Pastor Sam shared three ways in which we employ the strategy of incarnational holiness: relevance, revelation, and redemption. Over the next three blog posts we'll consider each of these sermon points.

Relevance

In this past Sunday's sermon, we learned that relevance requires deliberate relationships with people. At Bronx Bethany, we have a vested interest in maintaining affinity groups. We do evangelism in the context of activities specific to our personal areas of interest or expertise: students help students, parents serve as a resource to other parents, and so on. Pastor Sam referenced Joel Edwards' concept of earning the right to be heard: because we have shared a common experience with non-Christians over a period of time, they are more amenable to listening to us when we share our faith and hope in Christ.

A key aspect of relevance is meeting people where they are. If we are absent, we cannot be relevant. Evangelism is not so much inviting people to a church building as it is being the expression of Christ's love wherever we go. As our pastor said (paraphrased here), we make ourselves accessible to people and we offer them something they need.

Where do we find ourselves challenged?

• Sometimes we won't go to where the people are; we are choosing not to tell anyone of the good things that God has done for us.
• Sometimes we make ourselves accessible to people, but we are not expressing the love of Christ towards them.

Today, let's assess our relevance quotient. Is our love of people informed by the love of Christ? And, is that love demonstrated in the world as we live from day to day?

Crowd's Source.

Pastor Sam shared two ways in which people of God pursue holiness. Monastic strategy is one way; the other is incarnational strategy.

In yesterday's post we considered two types of monastic strategy (physical and psychological) that, though beneficial for a personal drawing near to God, do not afford us much opportunity to be a redemptive influence drawing others to God.

What is incarnational strategy? It is the plan of God expressed in the life and ministry of Christ Jesus. Our pastor reminded us of the words of Jesus in John 20:21: "As the Father sent Me, so send I you."

In what way did the Father send Jesus? Pastor Sam summed up God's incarnational strategy in a few words: "Jesus went to weddings; He sat down and talked to people that other people were not talking to; ...He 'became flesh and dwelt among us'."

Jesus, according to Scripture, spent His days in community. In fact, the significant amounts of time He spent with non-religious people drew criticism from the religious leadership. The hallmark of incarnational strategy (as demonstrated in Jesus's ministry) was that although He spent time with people whom religious leadership deemed unworthy of their company, Jesus was never influenced by either the elitist stance of the leadership nor the evil nature of persons bound in sin. Rather, He was the influencer.

Pastor Sam noted that incarnational strategy is harder and riskier than monastic strategy. If we are not secure in our faith, then there is the risk of failing in our attempts to be the means by which people are drawn to the Lord. But what other option is there apart from interacting with the people around us? How will people know of Christ if they are not experiencing His love through us? Incarnational infiltration is the means by which we engage people and permit them to watch us as we live lives of holiness. Why? Not for our own glory, but that they might "see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

There was a question asked during the sermon that we can reflect on today: If Jesus prayed that we not be taken out of the world (John 17:14-18), then why are we trying to take ourselves out?

Lord, You are sending us in the same way the Father sent You: we are in the world to influence the world. Help us to represent You authentically.

Leaving Home.

I love being in church buildings of all sorts: cathedral, fan-shaped auditorium, movie theater, storefront church, whatever. When I am in the places that God has desired His people to gather, the special places dedicated to His glory, I feel instantly at home.

About three years after I began attending Bronx Bethany, I attended a revival service there that ended around 1:30 in the morning. Not wanting to leave the atmosphere, I asked if I could hang out at the church until daylight. Pastor Sam answered: "You cannot stay here." And I knew exactly what he meant. His comment was not so much an indicator that I had my own residence to go to that night, nor was it an indicator of the church's inability to accommodate my request. Rather, he was prophetically pointing out my shadow mission: a desire to remain in the church without ever leaving it to become the reflection of Christ in the world.

The challenge of monastic strategy. During Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam spoke briefly on the two types of monastic life found in our faith tradition: physical separation and psychological separation. As holiness people, we are conscious of the need to live a life unstained by the world. We understand that we are called to live a life separated to God. Physical separation was first modeled by early church fathers who sold their earthly goods and lived a life of subsistence alone in the desert, only occasionally leaving their monasteries to make statements of faith to curious pilgrims. Psychological separation, a more modern strategy, is marked by a Christian's unwillingness to interact with any person or system which is not also Christian. As our pastor noted, this is the type of person who has no non-Christian acquaintances (and even shows reluctance to converse with non-Christians they see on a regular basis).

But if we are called to "be a redemptive influence in the Bronx and in the world", then we must be willing to walk into environments and engage conversation where our redemptive influence is needed. So we leave our church homes and our church friends, and we share God's grace and mercy with persons whose lives cry out for His healing touch. As Pastor Sam shared (paraphrased here), we live a life of holiness not to be elite, but to be an example in order to draw others to Christ. If we have been transformed by the Spirit of Christ, then we will have the strength and the means necessary to be a redemptive influence in the world.

First Things First...

As I sat in church yesterday, a question came to me: What percentage of our congregation attends Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene primarily because they have a vested interest in holiness, both as a tradition and as a personal lifestyle?

I'll repeat a story here from a few years ago. Back then, I was teaching a class for the School of Christian Maturity. During one session, I asked the students: "If Pastor Sam left Bronx Bethany and the denomination replaced him with another pastor, would you still attend this church?"

Let's be real. Some of us attend our church primarily because they love Pastor Sam and/or Pastor Cole. Others were present because, primarily, they loved Pastor Benjie; and when he left, they left. And this phenomenon does not just occur in Bronx Bethany. We live in a city where churches are as plentiful as cars, and several of us are free to make choices based on our personal preferences. So our souls, which crave the healthy spiritual food that only Christ can offer, are instead fed with our carnal desire to be comfortable, with a little bit of spirituality sprinkled on top for garnish. Some of us are sitting in the pews of a Wesleyan-Holiness church, but are not really interested in learning what it means to live as a holy people of God.

What is our primary position as members of a Nazarene church? At the start of yesterday's sermon, Pastor Sam noted that we are custodians of the holiness tradition. If we have not committed ourselves to lives of holiness, then we will find ourselves ill-equipped for carrying out the mission and vision of our church. That is, in order to be a "redemptive influence in the Bronx and in the world", we must have an experiential understanding of the life of the redeemed. We don't just learn the Word; we live the Word.

As we go through our day today, let's keep in the mind one Scripture passage that Pastor Sam shared (written below). I encourage all of us to memorize it, in whatever translation is easiest for you to retain. Tomorrow, we will continue our reflection on this aspect of our church's mission statement.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age. (Titus 2:11-12)

Question: What is your primary reason for attendance and membership in your home church?

In A Scent.

Towards the end of Pastor Althea's sermon, she asked us: are we contributing to the funk, or the fragrance?

Sin, in its myriad manifestations, is common to life. But as we learned on Sunday, the Christian response to life's issues is supposed to be markedly different than the response of the world. As pursuers of holiness and promoters of healing, our desire is to daily be reflections of Christ's purity and power.

Today let us reflect on the following questions, taking time to confess and repent in those areas where we have neglected to show our love for God, our maturing faith, and our commitment to serving the world.

• Are there things that I am thinking and doing in my personal life that I know are damaging the corporate witness of the body of Christ? Have I become comfortable in acts that are a stench in the nostrils of God? (Psalm 50:16-23)
• Do I believe that God still answers prayer? If so, am I "praying without ceasing" (First Thessalonians 5:17)?
• Pastor Althea mentioned that Bronx Bethany's membership is about 900. Am I a member of a local church body? (Hebrews 10:25; First Corinthians 12:12-27)
• Our pastor also said, "I dream of a church where I don't have to pretend that I'm perfect." Am I living my life transparently before God and man, or am I wearing a mask?
• Is my response to known sin confession and repentance, with a heart cry to God for His Spirit to move me to change? Or do I respond to sin by further accommodating it, with a conscious intent to continue repeating the acts that displease God?
• When Jeremiah spoke the word of God, he was met with opposition and arrogance by the very people who claimed to be followers of God. How do I respond when the word of God is spoken to me? (Jeremiah 20:1-12)
• In light of the above questions, my prayer for today is... [complete the sentence]

When God sniffs at your heart, what does He smell?

Salt And Light And Dreams In The Night: A Reid's-Eye View.

"What do you dream of? Do you even dream?" -Pastor Althea

As we endeavor to be salt and light in the Bronx and in the world, are dreams even practical? Do dreams matter?

I would say yes. I believe that God plants dreams in our hearts, then gives us skills and opportunities to live out those dreams in reality. Let me use my little household as a case study.

My husband is an accomplished musician. Throughout his life God has blessed him to have excellent teachers. His most influential teacher, though, was a man who taught by example and not by precept. Dr. Paul Liljestrand, simply by loving God through musical and spiritual gifts, planted a dream in the heart of my husband when he was a young boy. My husband grew up, completed his musical training, and the dream became real. If you were to ask him today what his role is in the kingdom of God, he would tell you that he teaches the Bible through music. In his ministry he trains children and adults to not just play instruments and sing, but to do effective, relevant ministry appropriate to their skill levels and cultural/denominational contexts. He lives his dream by using music to turn people's hearts towards God.

I, on the other hand, did not begin dreaming until I was an adult. While growing up, I had no real sense of what "salt and light" looked like in my life. Then about five years ago, a conversation between myself and four people (Rev. Ronald Benjamin, Dr. Marilyn Maye, Ms. LillyJune Webb, and Dr. Sam Vassel) birthed a dream to have, in essence, an "e-mail forum" where discussion of the Sunday sermon could continue through the week. My dream morphed into what is now Glossa Water. Earlier this year God sent a fifth person, Rev. Joseph Henry Cortese, who encouraged me to post links to this blog through Facebook and Twitter. Pastor Joe's suggestion increased reader traffic from less than 300 to over 1000 views per month, with new readers viewing from as far away as Australia and the Far East. I now live my dream by using writing to turn people's hearts towards God.

Pastor Althea shared a very important point during her sermon last Sunday: "The church is not the building. It is the people of God." And we, the people of God, are privileged to take the church to the world. Most of us are not world-famous. I don't have millions of followers on social media. My husband doesn't have millions of students. But God can still use our ministries, no matter how small, to touch the world. He can use yours too!

I pray that we will surrender our gifts and our deep desires to the Lord. He may send us a dream that sets us on a path to touch millions, or thousands, or hundreds, or just one... but when the Spirit of God is at the core of our work, empowering us as we work, we can be sure that the work will bring glory to our great God. Dream! Pray! Be the salt! Shine the Light!

Be encouraged to dream God's will. Be empowered to do God's work.

Present And Accounted For.

"We're spending more time every place else except the presence of the living God." -Pastor Althea

We sometimes have a tendency to laud certain Scripture verses taken out of context. Jeremiah 33 is one of the chapters that often falls victim to this action. It is easy to quote Jeremiah 33:3, and in many churches it's easy to isolate the verse and preach a jump-and-shout message of hope: "God will answer you when you call to Him! He will show you unsearchable things! Hallelujah!" Run, roll, have a good time.

This past Sunday, we experienced Jeremiah 33:3 in its proper context: the first eleven verses of the chapter. Here is the complete message of hope: "Because you have chosen complacency and sin, the LORD has chastised you severely. However, if you repent of your rebellion, the LORD will forgive you."

Pastor Althea shared some things that I'd like us to reflect on today:

• God promises health, healing, peace, and security to those who love Him.
• Sin in the camp, continued in spite of God's grace and patience, will result in the wrath of God.
• The enemy seeks not just to disable us, but to destroy us. 

These three points read as if each stands alone, but they are interrelated. God longs to bless His people, but He is not a rewarder of unrighteousness and waywardness. Our love of sin will block us from inheriting what God has promised to us. Further, our adversary the devil holds an interest in preventing the people of God from seeking God's presence. I am reminded of a sermon by John Ortberg on shadow mission: in the sermon, he noted that a key strategy of the devil is to keep God's people just ten or fifteen degrees off course. Our being ten degrees off course may not be easily detected by the world, but it is immediately apparent to God, to the prophetic community, and to the person who is off course. A person who has become comfortable in this compromised position has "lost their first love" and is destined for destruction (see Revelation 2:1-5). (Click here to view John Ortberg's sermon.)

As Pastor Althea shared in Sunday's sermon, none of us is perfect. This is why we need to remain in the presence of God, the only One who can equip us with the power to live in accordance with His will. If we remain in Him, we will live our lives through Him and He will be glorified in us.

I encourage us all to take time to read Galatians 5:16-26 as a reminder and warning. God loves us and is calling us to love Him. I pray that today, and every day, we will take the time and make the effort to enter into His presence with prayers, love, and obedience to His word.

Oh, may we be found in Him.

Mapping Borders With Care; Crossing Oceans With Prayer.

Some years ago Bronx Bethany had a guest speaker who was involved in deliverance ministry. When he began praying for people, one person ran out of our main building and into the street, narrowly missing being hit by a car while attempting to run to the other side of Paulding Avenue against the traffic. Fortunately the person was returned to our church, and was blessed to experience deliverance from demonic influences. Back then I wondered, "Why run across the street instead of just running down the block, or why not just leave the sanctuary and sit downstairs instead of leaving the building? Why did the person try to bolt across the street?"

On Sunday, as I listened to Pastor Althea's sermon, God answered my puzzled question from over five years ago: It's a border issue.

On the morning of our Street Fair last Saturday, a few incidents requiring police intervention occurred just across the border from our church. Why do I say "across the border" instead of "across the street"? I say it because spiritual warfare is, among other things, a territorial activity.

During Sunday's sermon, Pastor Althea referred to the incidents (homicide, fighting, and domestic violence) using a particular phrase: the audacity of the devil to wreak havoc at the perimeter. That perimeter (the line that divides the east and west sides of Paulding Avenue between 227th and 228th Street) is one of several spiritual border lines in our community.

Scripture reveals that spiritual borders are indicated by space, place, and time. The dividing lines between peaceful and chaotic lands are determined by the strength or weakness of the ruling spirits in their assigned areas. Earthly events, in turn, are affected by heavenly activities. The book of Daniel gives a clear example of this. Daniel's fasting and prayer were received in heaven immediately, but spiritual war delayed the response by three weeks. The angel assigned to communicate to Daniel was confronted by a territorial spirit stronger than itself, and the archangel Michael had to be called in to join the fight. (You can read the scripture by clicking here.)

The New Testament reinforces this concept of spiritual war as territorial activity. When Jesus confronted the demonic spirits in the region of Gerasenes, what was their plea? "Do not send us out of the region." To leave the territory would mean a loss of power and influence, so they begged Jesus to cast them from the demoniac into the bodies of pigs who lived in the same territory-- not realizing that pigs are smart enough to choose death rather than living a life of demonic bondage. (You can read the scripture by clicking here.)

A related point here: Scripture also reveals that the human body is a coveted spiritual territory. What does Jesus say? "When an unclean spirit leaves a person, it goes out into desert places looking for rest but it does not find rest." Jesus goes on to say that if a person is empty (that is, if a person is not filled with the Holy Spirit), then the unclean spirit will return with reinforcements, making the state of the person far worse. (see Matthew 12:43-45)

Case Study: The success of Jamaica Day of prayer - a model of concerted effort to participate in winning territories for God

For the past several years, in early August, a few hundred Christians have gathered in various parts of the world to engage in concerted prayer for the nation of Jamaica. I believe that the swift answers to prayer for that nation have occurred because we have made the commitment to pray together, at the same time, in agreement, with fasting, with contrition, with repentance, and with a desire to be led by the Spirit of God. And here is where we find an example of an interesting paradox. Although spiritual territories are bounded by space and place and time, our prayers are not bound. Our prayers are the means by which we forcefully impact and transform regions to the honor and glory of God. Whether the object of our prayer is across the street, or across 588 miles, or on the other side of the globe, we can be effective participants in the redemptive process.

Each week at Bronx Bethany we affirm our commitment to being "a redemptive influence in the Bronx and in the world, to the glory of God." It is what we say. It is what we do. It is who we are. And our redemptive influence is firmly anchored in prayer.

Pray prayers. Transform territories.

The Rebellious Silence Of Man; The Terrifying Silence Of God.

At one point in yesterday's sermon, Pastor Althea made a couple of important observations that we can reflect on today. Let's consider these observations using the life of King David as a case study.

1. Before there can be healing, there must be an admission of sickness.

One crisis of individuals is that we fail to acknowledge our tendency towards sin as a sickness that must be confessed to God. Without confession, there cannot be forgiveness nor healing (First John 1:9). Further, without confession, one sin leads to another. David's covetousness towards Bathsheba led to the establishment of an adulterous relationship, which then led David to enlist other persons as unwitting participants in his murder of Bathsheba's husband Uriah, a man who had done nothing to deserve death.

A second crisis is that we, in some cases, prefer sickness to wellness. Pastor Althea mentioned several cases in which we, by our silence, indicate to God that our love for sin exceeds our love for Him. King David, in writing Psalm 51, is an example of a man whose love for God eventually moved him to prefer wellness over sickness.

A third crisis is the absence of contrition. King David spent several months opting to go on with his life as if it were "business as usual", seemingly untouched by his sins of covetousness, adultery and contract murder. At the point of confrontation by the prophet Nathan, David had a change of heart and was truly sorry for having sinned against God. 

2. Extended grace does not preclude severe chastisement.

The silence of God is an extension of grace. God has amazing patience. We see His patience even in the building of His church. The Scripture says that in eternity a Bride (the church) will be presented to Christ, without spot, blemish, or wrinkle. In the present, He loves us in spite of our flaws and urges us to continue to draw near to Him, so that we might become more like Him each day.

The silence of God is never a condoning of habitual sin. Psalm 50 is clear in revealing what the Lord says concerning His silence: You have done all these wicked things, I have kept silent, and in your audacity you think that I am altogether like you. You are wrong. I will strike you down, and there will be no remedy. Serve me and love me now, while you have a chance, and run far from sin.

The silence of God is the warning that judgement is at our doorstep. Let us continue with the example of King David. God did not send a prophetic word to David for almost a year. During this period, David was going about his life as if everything were normal. But at the point of confrontation by Nathan, after David's confession, the Lord sent a word: Yes, David, you have confessed and I have forgiven you, but judgement is not suspended: the sword will never leave your house. The latter years of David's life were horrendous, and he suffered indignity and embarrassment as his favorite son (Absalom) made a public display of wickedness and betrayal for all of Israel to see.

Fast-forward to 2013. There are questions we must ask and contemplation we must engage in light of this word:

• Are there areas of habitual sin in my life that I know break the heart of God? If so, why am I choosing to continually grieve God?
• Having read the Scriptures, am I genuinely interested in doing what pleases God and actively avoiding whatever displeases God? Or am I choosing to no longer read the Bible? Why or why not?
• Am I silent about my sins, or am I daily engaged in confession and repentance?
• Do I believe that God is powerful enough to keep me from always falling into the same sin day after day? Have I asked Him to send His Holy Spirit to help me live for Him every day?
• Do I understand that when no further prophetic word of warning is given to me, it means that judgement is on my doorstep?

Sadly, there are many of us who continue to feed pet sins without recognizing (or without caring) that we are breaking the heart of God and damaging His witness in the earth. But our pastor gave a clear word. We would do well to heed the word of the Lord.

Lord, give us grace to hear You speaking, and to obey before Your judgement falls.

Prayers Versus Expectations.

So the lame man paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, stand up and walk!” Then Peter took hold of him by the right hand and raised him up, and at once the man’s feet and ankles were made strong. He jumped up, stood and began walking around, and he entered the temple courts with them, walking and leaping and praising God. All the people saw him walking and praising God, and they recognized him as the man who used to sit and ask for donations at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with astonishment and amazement at what had happened to him. (Acts 3:5-10)

Peter and John did not say to one another, “Let’s go pray for the lame man who sits at Gate Beautiful.” The men were simply going to afternoon prayer with the rest of the community.

It seems that no one in the faith community was expecting the lame man to be healed. In Acts 3:8-10, we read that when the healed man walked into the temple courts with Peter and John, the crowd responded with amazement and astonishment. The only recorded praise in the chapter is attributed to the three people involved in the miracle: Peter, John, and the lame man.

How sad to see a praying community, in the face of a miracle, offering no word of thanks to God.

In Acts 3:11 through 4:22, we see that Peter and John had to explain their actions to both the praying community and the religious leadership. Even more disturbing is the fact that the leaders’ response was to tell Peter and John to stop healing people in the name of Jesus. As Pastor Sam noted in Sunday’s sermon, it seems there was a preference for maintaining “structural dependence on the religious system”—Stay sick, you lame man. Stay dependent on us. We don't expect you to improve.

I wonder if we, in spite of our prayer life, walk through our days with no real expectation of participating in the miraculous works of God.

I wonder if we, in spite of our alleged love for worship, fail to give praise and glory to God when we see a demonstration of His power.

I wonder if we, in spite of our knowing our own need for God’s healing, will not be His agents of healing to others who are “lame” according to the world’s system.

Lord, You have shown us a praying community in Acts 3, but it seems they were caught off guard when You acted. Help us to live our days expecting to experience Your Presence and Your power. Order our steps! Re-order our schedules! We, like Peter and John, will always be available to You. We pray. We expect.

Brother, Can You Spare Some Time?

When the lame man saw Peter and John about to go into the temple courts, he asked them for money. Peter looked directly at him (as did John) and said, “Look at us!” So the lame man paid attention to them, expecting to receive something from them. (Acts 3:3-5)

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sam shared (paraphrased here) that the modern and ancient myth was that problems are solved only by those who have money.

In some instances, it is easier to write a check than to go through the rigors of spiritual service. In Acts 3, the lame man at Gate Beautiful had become accustomed to getting donations of cash. But Peter and John came along with a donation of attention, conversation, and Divine healing.

Peter looked directly at him (as did John) and said, “Look at us!” (Acts 3:4) Our pastor noted that the response of Peter and John was not just a response of “simple relief”. Simple relief throws coins and moves on. But when believers see human need, 1) money does not have to be part of the equation and 2) time is taken for genuine interaction.

Pastor Sam, in saying “You are an extension of the presence of God”, gave us the key to our interaction with those in need: “Look at us” mirrors the response of our God, who has called us to “Look and live.”

The ministry of Peter and John is a reminder of God’s mercy towards us. In Numbers 21:4-9 we have the account of the ancient Israel’s grumbling, and the resultant curse of poisonous snakes in their camp. Moses, under God’s instruction, made a bronze snake on a pole. The people (bitten by poisonous snakes) that obeyed God by looking up at the cast snake would live.

Our Lord Jesus, in describing His own saving power, made reference to this event: “Even as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that whoever believes in Him will live forever.” (John 3:14-15) Today we can say to the disenfranchised and needy, “Look at us!” Not because we can offer anything on our own merit, but because we carry the presence of Christ, the One whose compassion and power far exceeds the value of any donation we could offer in our own strength.

Lord, we look to You! And Lord, we point others to You. May they always see You in us.

Working The Works.

The time of prayer was about three o'clock in the afternoon, and Peter and John were going into the temple. (Acts 3:1)

Today, let's reflect on a few of Pastor Sam's points (paraphrased here) concerning the role of prayer in the Christian's responsibility to "respond compassionately and practically to human need in the name of Christ."

• Three o'clock was prayer time for the community, not just for Peter and John.
• Peter's intent was to participate in the core function of the community: prayer.
• In our focus on prayer, we must not miss the man at the gate.
• If you don't see need, you can't respond to it.
• God hears groans and sees needs; the people of prayer must share His perspective.

What does it mean to have a heart of compassion? Ultimately, it means that we have the heart of God. The things that interest Him interest us. The things that He does, we do. As we draw near to God in prayer, we are able to discern His desire not just for ourselves, but also for our community. As we commune with Him through the priestly act of regular times of prayer, we are then empowered to do the social act of community care.

Perhaps this is where some of us fall short. We are engaged in the social work of service, but have neglected the priestly work of prayer. But our desire is not merely to provide for needs. Our desire is to demonstrate compassion as we meet human needs. As Nazarenes we believe this can only be accomplished by the person and work of Jesus Christ, whose Spirit lives in us.

After the miraculous healing at Gate Beautiful, a group of religious leaders questioned Peter and John (see Acts 4:5-20). As their dialogue progressed, the leaders' focus shifted. The issue was no longer the miracle; the issue was, "these men had been with Jesus."

Lord, that is what we want! Give us hearts to engage in corporate prayer and compassionate care: not for personal acclaim, but so that people will recognize Your Presence working in, with, and through us.

I Give My Dime, He Serves My Line.

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Sam yanked the covers off a most insidious Christian habit: the act of giving not because of our love for the person(s) in need, but because we want other people to see and laud us for our "generosity".

Some of us are engaging in what Jesus specifically warned us to avoid. Here is what He said:

Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen by people. Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven. Thus whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I tell you the truth, they have their reward. But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4)

I have seen the "photo opportunity" version of charitable giving. Perhaps you've seen it too. Pastor Sam gave a wonderful description of this phenomenon: if there are no cameras available to record the good will, then no gift is given. The needy are left in need until some sort of public accolade can be derived from the gift.

Here is the formula behind the phenomenon: Every time I (the consumer) give a beggar (the facilitator) ten dollars, he helps me to get high on the drug of recognition. He clearly needs help beyond my little donation, but he won't get more help. I need him to stay enslaved, so that he can continue to make me look generous. And, if no one is watching the transaction, I won't give a cent.

But is it worth losing heaven's reward?

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time for prayer, at three o’clock in the afternoon. And a man lame from birth was being carried up, who was placed at the temple gate called “the Beautiful Gate” every day so he could beg for money from those going into the temple courts. (Acts 3:1-2)

The lame man in Acts 3 is not on a side road fifty meters away. He is seated at the entrance to Gate Beautiful, the gate with the most traffic, where all the religious people can watch as other religious people give him alms. His placement there is an open invitation for the community of faith to disobey the directive of Jesus in Matthew 6.

What shall we choose? The attention of men, or the accolade of God?

Lord, give us pure satisfaction in knowing that You see our secret works, and that Your commendation is the only one that matters. You love us. You warn us. We are grateful.

Examen Nation.

In yesterday's English-language services, Pastor Sam spoke on a phrase from Bronx Bethany's mission statement: Responding compassionately and practically to human need in the name of Christ.

Our pastor made reference to the beginning of Acts chapter 3. Today, let's take a look at the passage and consider the following questions:

• Am I too busy to make time for daily prayer?
• Am I so busy praying that I fail to be compassionate and practical in meeting others' needs?
• How do I "pray without ceasing" (First Thessalonians 5:17) while still being sensitive to the needs of those around me?

Acts 3:1-10

One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Can I Have An Allowance?

Now people were bringing little children to Jesus for him to touch, but the disciples scolded those who brought them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” After he took the children in his arms, he placed his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Sam shared with us that providing access to the grace of God includes the aspect of allowance; that is, we must permit people in need of grace to receive it. He noted that sometimes, in our zeal to “stick to the program”, we lose opportunities to bless other people. In the Mark 10 account of the blessing of children, we see Jesus’s rationale for taking time for the children: “The kingdom of God belongs to such as these… whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” The children, rather than being the problem set, were the answer key.

As another pastor (Pastor Joy) had shared with us in an earlier sermon, there is a developmental progression in the life of the Christian. Infancy and childhood are marked by vulnerability and lack of awareness, even though infants and children are great examples of unconditional love, trust, and joy. It is in this stage where the patience and graciousness of mature adults help little children to develop in a healthy way. In the same way, our goal as mature Christians should be to allow new Christians the joy of being touched by Christ. From time to time, this may require us to suspend our normal routine.

Clearly, the aspect of allowance is grounded in the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were not sensitized to the heart of Jesus concerning His love for the people who sought His blessing for their children. Because they were not sensitive, they engaged in a response that was counter to the will of Christ. If we are not aware of the desire of the Holy Spirit in our corporate gatherings, if we are too busy following our pre-set agenda, then we too might mistake a ministry opportunity for a mere annoyance. As Pastor Sam shared, without Spirit-fullness, we will never get to the mission.

Lord, transform us, so that our interest in protocol will forever remain subjected to Your interest in blessing Your people. Give us grace to hear You speaking. With Your help, those in our community who need grace will always receive it: from Your hand, and from ours.