And What Do You Do For A Living?

One of the more interesting moments during Pastor Martha’s sermon was when she asked the congregation whether they saw themselves as leaders and ministers. Most of them did not.

It is a sad commentary on the preparedness and willingness of our congregation to be salt and light in the world. It was a painful exercise to experience, especially in light of the lessons we learn from the book of Nehemiah. Pastor Martha made the point that Nehemiah was a man who rose through the ranks, and who presented himself as a leader in each position he held. We, like him, are called to lead.

Leadership is not necessarily correlated to the position we hold. The first job we see Nehemiah doing, “cupbearer to the king” (Nehemiah 1:11), was an unenviable task. Nehemiah’s job, essentially, was to make sure that the king’s food and drink were safe to ingest. If some random betrayer decided to poison the king’s meal, Nehemiah would have been the one to die.

On the first read, his job seems like a thankless task. But Nehemiah served faithfully, and he planned carefully. When he heard of the disrepair in his hometown of Jerusalem, Nehemiah first appealed to God, then to the king. And Nehemiah’s job, dangerous as it was, provided him with an opportunity to obtain financial and political support for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. He was no longer a mere cupbearer; he became a cupbearer with an awesome sabbatical assignment: Rebuild.

Nehemiah did not take his assignment lightly. As Pastor Martha shared, he spent his time of preparation in prayer, fasting, and planning. His life of discipline and preparedness was the training ground for his future leadership role.

Let’s evaluate our own leadership preparedness in light of Nehemiah’s. What are we doing from day-to-day as we work what might be a thankless job?

The rebuilder carried a toolkit: prayer, fasting, planning, and more. Tomorrow we’ll continue our reflection on Nehemiah’s emergence as a leader among his people.

Rebuilder.

As is our tradition during five-Sunday months, yesterday's service combined our English- and Spanish-speaking congregations. Pastor Martha continued the theme of transformational prayer with a message on Nehemiah.

Her previous fifth-Sunday messages, which focused on Elijah and Daniel, were indicators that the prayer of one man has the power to change nations and empires. Nehemiah, too, was a leader who changed the fate of a nation through his prayers.

For today, let's remind ourselves of the Scripture passage which was used as the foundation of Pastor Martha's sermon.

The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah:

In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire. ”

When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said:

“O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

“Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’

“They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

I was cupbearer to the king. (Nehemiah, chapter 1)

Second In Command.

Mordecai the Jew was second only to King Ahasuerus. He was the highest-ranking Jew, and he was admired by his numerous relatives. He worked enthusiastically for the good of his people and was an advocate for the welfare of all his descendants. (Esther 10:3)

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself bears witness to our spirit that we are God’s children. And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ) – if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that our present sufferings cannot even be compared to the glory that will be revealed to us. (Romans 8:15-18)

The book of Esther has an interesting end. Its focus is not on the queen, but on the relationship between the king and Mordecai. Mordecai has taken Haman’s place as second in rank and authority, and we read of the good works Mordecai did for his people. The sufferings that he and Esther experienced resulted in promotion for themselves, and life for their fellow Jews.

We, too, are called to do good works. Our Commander and King has set the example through Jesus Christ: His sufferings brought about our redemption, and we are now equipped to do good works for the people of the world. We, as children of God, are promoted to the position of “heir of God”, and our lives are a reflection of His glory, grace, and compassion.

The book of Esther serves as a wake-up call to those who believe their life choices are made in a vacuum. Our personal decisions can affect nations. Had Esther chosen to not listen to Mordecai, and if Esther had not appealed to the king, the trail of Jewish history would have been drastically altered.

God has called you to take risks, to suffer, to stand and speak against unjust acts, to appeal to His power and authority on behalf of the masses. Have you chosen to stay comfortable and embrace anonymity when God has called you to public ministry as His royal heir? Are you living under obligation to His Spirit, or are you too busy loving the world?

The strength to stand as "second in command" is only found as we submit ourselves to the Spirit of God. “So then, brothers and sisters, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh (for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:12-14) Brothers and sisters, let's stand strong.

The spirit of Haman still exists. The enemy of your soul has decreed your death, and his strategy is to cause you to ignore and avoid the rule of God your King. Your death would affect not only you, but also your family and community. So I encourage you, I urge you, to stand in faith and live a life of holiness by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is what confirms your status as an heir, and it is how you stand strong in the face of suffering. Seek the Lord, put on your royal attire, and live.

Authorization.

If I perish, I perish! (Esther 4:16)

Frankly, the other famous quote in this chapter is more appealing: “Who knows if you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14) We like the idea of being given a place of favor and recognition by God. Sometimes, we even like having the attention and accolades of man. But not too many of us like to embrace the idea of suffering or dying for a cause that we believe in.

Kairos time, the opportune moment in which we are called to step forward and do something, sometimes arrives with accompanying signs. Not celebratory handshakes, but accusatory remarks: Who do you think you are? Who invited you to the leadership meeting? Esther had favor with King Ahasuerus, but she also had to contend with Haman’s hatred of her people.

In Esther chapter 5, we see that the queen engaged a process of appealing to the king which extended over several days. Her unauthorized, but accepted, appearance in the king’s inner court was followed up by two banquet invitations. In the first banquet, she was a gracious hostess to the king and to Haman. Esther held her peace and did not make a single appeal during the first banquet meal.

Perhaps we can learn from this incredible exercise of restraint. Have you ever had to host your sworn enemy? Have you ever been placed in the position of showing love and maintaining decorum as you stand face-to-face with the person who is intent on destroying you and all you hold dear? Have you ever had to serve your modern-day Haman, providing sustenance for the person who has influenced the heart of your King Ahasuerus against you?

Haman was not just a man enjoying a free meal. Haman was a man who had been given a promotion by the king. Haman had been given ten thousand talents of silver by the king. Haman had been given the king’s signet ring and had the authority to write and send letters with the king’s signature on it. Further, Haman had already been in exclusive events with the king where Esther had not been invited. Esther’s inclusion of Haman, to some degree, seems to have validated his position of favor with the king rather than her own (see Esther 3:8-15).

God had a plan, and through Esther He brought deliverance for His people. But first, she had to establish herself as a woman of wisdom and peace in the face of impending loss. And in the act of blessing her sworn enemy, she set the stage for a soon-to-follow, incredible, undeniable act of deliverance.

Esther, I am taking notes.

Fast Track.

Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast in my behalf. Don’t eat and don’t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law. If I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:15-16)

In Arthur Wallis’s classic book God’s Chosen Fast, we are told that a fast such as the one called by Esther was a rare occurrence. The few biblical instances of fasting from all food and drink were either cases of supernatural sustenance (as in the forty-day absolute fasts) or extreme spiritual emergency or upheaval (as in the three-day absolute fasts). According to Wallis, “A crisis of the utmost gravity threatened the whole Jewish race with extermination. Even Esther herself could expect no immunity because she was queen. She called this absolute fast because desperate situations require desperate measures.”

Esther exercised incredible wisdom in her response to Mordecai. Her call for an absolute fast changed the dynamic of her appeal for mercy: rather than merely appealing to King Ahasuerus, she began the process by spending three days in appeal to God, King of all the universe.

It is also important to note that Esther did not act alone. She asked Mordecai to involve every Jewish person in the community, and Esther involved each of her attendants in the three-day fast. After the fast, Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king.

Why fasting and not prayer? Or, why fasting apart from prayer? The book of Esther does not give a specific answer. But we do have evidence from Christ Himself that prayer and fasting can be engaged as separate entities. In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus outlines various spiritual disciplines. He says, “When you give…”; “When you pray…”; “When you fast…”. (See Matthew 6:1-18) And He tells us that the Father, who sees what we do in secret, will reward us openly. Esther experienced the privilege of having her life spared, and having an opportunity to appeal to King Ahasuerus for the life of her people, because she engaged in fasting.

O Lord, I make appeal to Your grace;
My legitimate needs are tossed aside.
Renouncing food and drink, I seek Your face;
Through fasting I ask You to take Your place.
No devil’s threat can stand where You reside.

Utterly destroy the enemy’s plan:
Make my self-denial Your burning spear,
Pierce through selfish hearts as only You can.
Break the contract between Hell and man;
Cause Your swift deliverance to appear.

Saints of God, are you caught in a spiritual emergency? Reclaim your lost weapon of warfare. Fast. Absolutely.

Roles and Rules.

“All the servants of the king and the people of the king’s provinces know that there is only one law applicable to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court – that person will be put to death, unless the king extends to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days!” (Esther 4:11)

Esther had good reason to be concerned about breaking the rules. Her predecessor, Queen Vashti, had been removed from her post because she disobeyed the order of the king (see Esther 1:10-19). Mordecai’s word to Esther was that she must petition the king for the life of the Jewish people. Esther’s word to Mordecai was that she had no legal right to do so.

Are we in the same predicament?

There are good reasons, legally sound reasons, for not “speaking up”. We share Esther’s concern. Life may have blessed us with a title and a position of authority, yet we do not feel empowered to do much more than stand and look beautiful in our post. If we speak up on behalf of the disenfranchised, it may cost us our position, our title, our career. So we keep the title, keep the paycheck, and dutifully send money to “the cause”, whatever it may be. And we justify ourselves: after all, the position empowers us to give every once in a while, so it’s not like we’re totally ignoring the cause.

What’s the problem? The cause isn’t ameliorated by a donation. The cause cries out for attention, for a place at the table, for relevant dialogue that leads to relevant change. In Esther’s case, it meant breaking the rule and stepping into the inner court to appeal to the king .

We tread carefully on this path, because we don’t like the idea of breaking rules. Yet we see, even in the life of Jesus, that there are instances where the law became a hindrance to the grace and power of God. Jesus was criticized for healing people on the Sabbath day, yet His acts of mercy and grace were the means of salvation and deliverance for many.

Mordecai, in Esther 4:14, adds another dimension to the dialogue. There are times when our position of leadership gives us a platform from which we can challenge the law. We are in a position to stand in the gap for the disenfranchised: not as a rule-breaker, but as a respected leader seeking relevant change. Our minds recall the life-changing movements made alive by Ghandi, King, and others who peacefully sought to transform nations for the sake of the people.

The temptation is to downplay our own ability to effect change. Resist the temptation.

“Don’t imagine that because you are part of the king’s household you will be the one Jew who will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source, while you and your father’s household perish. It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this!” (Esther 4:14)

Lord, help us to transform nations through the positions and abilities You’ve given us.

The "Anguish" Of The Affluent.

[For this week's blogs I am indebted to Pastor Sam, who provided me with a summary of Dr. Mac Pier's sermon content.]

When Esther’s female attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her about Mordecai’s behavior, the queen was overcome with anguish. Although she sent garments for Mordecai to put on so that he could remove his sackcloth, he would not accept them. (Esther 4:4)

Sackcloth and ashes, in Old Testament times, were a sign of mourning and despair. Esther’s uncle, Mordecai, took the measure of wearing sackcloth and ashes after learning of the plot to destroy the Jews.

Esther’s first response was to seek to give Mordecai proper clothing to replace his clothes of mourning. But, as anyone knows who has been in deep despair, a new set of clothes was not a viable response to the conditions that led Mordecai to put on the clothes of mourning.

Perhaps some of us are in the same predicament. We see the desperate situation of our brothers and sisters in poorer nations, and our first response is to send “clothing” of our choosing. For some of us, it’s to write a check or mail a care package. But our surface giving has not touched the deeper issues. Like Mordecai and the Jews of old, there are nationalities and cultures today that have been given a death sentence. Today’s Mordecai might not be killed by the edicts of kings, but lives are lost in the crossfire of conversations about sustainability, wealth distribution, compassionate aid, and long-term solutions to poverty. Our Socratic conversations, our donations offered out of our relative abundance, and the “compassionate care package” have become the garments we export to cover the sackcloth of those who mourn… and to cover our own anguish at seeing their condition.

“Although she sent garments… he would not accept them.” Mordecai, in refusing the clothing, gave testimony to the fact that a change of clothes was not a change of condition. The edict still stood, and the Jews were still destined to destruction. His refusal was a statement to his niece Esther: Your donation is insufficient to address the emergency our people are facing. You have to make a bolder step and become personally involved.

Lord, help us to move from making a contribution to being personally engaged. Help us to send the clothing of Your choosing, which is our selves.

Here am I, my Lord, send me.

Mac On A Mission.

[For this week's blogs I am indebted to Pastor Sam, who provided me with a summary of Dr. Mac Pier's sermon content.]

On Saturday and Sunday, our guest speaker was Dr. Mac Pier. He has been an important force behind the scenes at Bronx Bethany, helping us in our mandate to reach "the Bronx and the world". He's connected us with Willow Creek's Global Leadership Summit; he led our congregation in an awesome prayer meeting a few years ago; he brought Bronx Bethany leadership into Movement Day (a successful ministry event that links pastors, administrators, and business leaders from all over New York City); and the list goes on. And though Pastor Sam said it jokingly, it seems to be more and more true that Dr. Pier is one of those rare people in the world that is known simply by his first name.

This weekend, Mac was with us to encourage us to connect (and for some, re-connect) to World Vision in a tangible way. The economic challenges we face here in the Bronx and surrounding areas pale in comparison to the crises faced in many regions of Africa. World Vision continues its legacy of making a difference in the lives of children, families, and communities in underdeveloped countries.

Mac shared three points from the life of Esther which we will reflect on in our blogs this week. For today, though, I encourage us all to re-read Esther chapter 4. The NET Bible version can be accessed at
https://net.bible.org/#!search/esther 4

Lord, help us to consider and respond to the needs of Your children around the world.

Elisha, I Really Want An Appointment With You.

In Second Kings 4, we are told that the Shunammite woman journeyed from her home in Shunem to Mount Carmel in order to personally appeal to Elisha concerning her dead son.

Based on which scholar you read, the journey would have been somewhere between fifteen and twenty-five miles. On a donkey. On unpaved roads. The Shunammite was determined to see Elisha.

Prophetic engagement, as Pastor Joy shared with us, is time-consuming and inconvenient. The trials of life test us, and our colleagues and loved ones get a front-row seat as they watch our response to the inconveniences that accompany prophetic relationships. Sometimes it means having to travel a long way. At other times it means living with accusations or jealousies from those who don't comprehend the nuances of prophetic-faith exchange.

Sometimes it means we have to go overboard in our expression of love, and deal with the subsequent embarrassment and exposure. Many of us know the story of the woman who poured a substantial amount of expensive perfume onto Jesus (about half a liter or so). The result? Negative comments from His disciples, a home that reeked of spikenard, and a financial loss of the equivalent of a year's wages (see Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8).

Ah, but there was a benefit: the commendation of Christ Himself. "Leave her alone; she has done a good thing. Her story will be told wherever the gospel is preached." Yes, what a great reason to be inconvenienced!

I will say, in defense of Gehazi and his modern-day equivalents, that sometimes ministry assistants don't know why someone is "grabbing the feet" of a ministry leader, and the collective instinct of assistants is to protect their leader. But perhaps it might be better if we all step back and ask God to step in.

Has God called you to inconvenience yourself and radically bless Him by serving His ministers? Go for it.

Are you really unsure about this whole concept of prophetic-faith exchange? Ask God to work out His will in and through you, and to give you grace to bear the cost. You might be surprised at how God uses you to honor His name!

Shuna-Might.

In a culture where women were typically classed as subservient to men, the Shunammite stood out. She was described as a “well-to-do” woman. She owned property. She took the initiative of inviting Elisha to eat with her household. She planned the addition of another room to her house for the sake of the prophet. She personally traveled from Shunem to Mount Carmel to appeal directly to Elisha concerning her son. God placed her in a relationship where she was able to be a blessing, and to receive a blessing. Not a blessing mediated through Gehazi, nor through her husband, but a direct relationship between herself and the prophet.

For those of us who have read past Second Kings 4, we know that God maintained this prophetic dyad between Elisha and the Shunammite woman over a period of years. In Second Kings 8 we see Elisha return to warn her of impending famine, and she obeyed by moving to temporary housing in a different land for seven years. Upon her return to her homeland, Elisha’s servant Gehazi is found standing in the court of the king at the very moment that the Shunammite enters to appeal for the return of her house and field (see Second Kings 8:1-6).

Should we be looking to establish prophetic dyads on our own? No. Relationships forged apart from the will and direction of God are sources of confusion, error, and destruction. Our best and only Source is Christ Himself, the Lord of all creation. Our adoration, appeals, and petitions are to Him. But we, like the Shunammite woman, should obey when the Spirit of God leads us to bless the ministers of God who cross our path. We bless at His prompting, without seeking to gain something for ourselves. If God chooses to set up a prophetic exchange, using His servants to speak specific blessings into our lives, then that is His prerogative.

Lord, help us to live and serve according to Your leading.

The Prophetic-Faith Exchange.

The lifeless thing.

It may be a lost child, a lost job, or a lost marriage. And, figuratively speaking, we may hold the thing in our lap and watch helplessly until its last vestiges of life slip away. This was the experience of the Shunammite woman, whose son became ill and died.

Why did she never make arrangements to bury the lifeless thing? What kept her operating in faith?

The Shunammite continued to believe the promise.

Second Kings 4:8-36 illustrates the keeping power of a prophetic promise. It is that promise that keeps us encouraged even in the face of apparent loss.

It seems that from time to time God sets up prophetic encounters, short-term dyads between leadership and laity, where not even a spouse nor a ministry assistant is involved in producing the promise. We see this in the relationship between the Shunammite woman and Elisha. There had been an exchange between them: she had blessed Elisha with food and lodging, and he had blessed her by speaking prophetically into her life. God caused them to honor Him through this prophetic exchange: one room added to the physical house for the sake of the prophet, and one son added to the biological household for the sake of the woman.

And perhaps this is why the Shunammite's husband and Gehazi, though faithful men, could not be full participants in the miraculous. They stood outside of the circle of exchange. As Pastor Joy shared on Sunday, the Shunammite woman's husband questioned why she would want to see the prophet apart from a Sabbath or feast day (See Second Kings 4:23), and Gehazi even took the stance of attempting to push the Shunammite woman away from Elisha's feet (see Second Kings 4:27). They didn't understand what was happening.

We have loved ones and close colleagues who hold important positions in our lives (such as Gehazi and the Shunammite's husband did), but their status does not equip them to stand in the gap for us. Their lack of spiritual depth makes it impossible for them to offer authentic spiritual help in a time of crisis. They are close to us physically and emotionally, but somehow they aren't able to navigate the spiritual demands of walking in faith and courage when faced with "the lifeless thing".

There seems to be a correlation between participating in the prophetic promise and having the ability to exercise faith for the miraculous. In verses 21 and 33 of Second Kings 4, we see that the Shunammite woman and Elisha employed the action of shutting the door, an act that restricted the crisis response to the ones who had the necessary measure of faith to deal with the crisis. Jesus Himself employed the same action:

...people came from the synagogue ruler’s house saying, “Your daughter has died. Why trouble the teacher any longer?” But Jesus, paying no attention to what was said, told the synagogue ruler, “Do not be afraid; just believe.” He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James... he put them all outside and he took the child’s father and mother and his own companions and went into the room where the child was. (Mark 5:35-37, 40)

Pastor Joy made the observation that perhaps our needed miracles have been sidetracked because we've spent our energies on discussing our needs with those who, though close to us, are not equipped to help us. Perhaps it is time for us to take counsel from the Scriptures, from our Savior, and from the countless saints who have gone before us. The prophetic process has no place for unequipped spectators. It is a place for the faith-filled, the fearless, the few who can stand before the lifeless thing and speak life back into its being.

So be encouraged my friends, even in the face of loss. Keep hold of the prophetic promise. Have great faith. Dismiss the spectators. Shut the door. And speak life.

"Well" Spring.

The boy grew and one day he went out to see his father who was with the harvest workers. He said to his father, “My head! My head!” His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” So he picked him up and took him to his mother. He sat on her lap until noon and then died. She went up and laid him down on the prophet’s bed. She shut the door behind her and left. She called to her husband, “Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so I can go see the prophet quickly and then return.” He said, “Why do you want to go see him today? It is not the new moon or the Sabbath.” She said, “Everything’s fine.” (Second Kings 4:18-23)

Okay, we know everything is not fine when a loved one dies. There is anguish. There are questions. There is the deep sense of loss and finality. So why does the Shunammite woman take such unusual action upon the death of her son?

Pastor Joy asked the congregation to share their thoughts about the Shunammite's behavior, and they responded with words like faith, courage, trust, and hope. The Shunammite, although faced with extreme crisis, chose to cling to the promise of God that Elisha had given her.

Pastor Joy also shared some key insights about how to respond to crisis, based on the behavior of the Shunammite woman:

Return to the source of the prophecy. The Shunammite put the boy on the bed of the one who had promised her a son, and made arrangements to go and see Elisha personally.

Refrain from spreading gossip. The Shunammite did not involve anyone else in her crisis of faith, because they were not in a position to address the crisis.

Resist the offer of assistance from third parties. When Gehazi spoke to the Shunammite (see Second Kings 4:26), she did not give him the opportunity to step in on behalf of Elisha.

For many of us, these three areas are where we get tripped up in our faith walk. When God's promise to us is threatened, or even seems to have been crushed, what do we do? Call the church secretary and complain? Send an e-mail blast to the masses to tell the world how disappointed we are? Do we avoid going back to the prophetic source who is in a position to help us?

To quote Pastor Joy, "What have you done with the thing that has rocked your world?" If you are sure that God has spoken, and your circumstances have been thrown into turmoil, return to the Source. Appeal to the Prophet-Priest-King, our Lord Jesus, and watch Him work miracles on your behalf.

It is well.

Future Suture.

One day Elisha came for a visit; he went into the upper room and rested. He told his servant Gehazi, “Ask the Shunammite woman to come here.” So he did so and she came to him. Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her, ‘Look, you have treated us with such great respect. What can I do for you? Can I put in a good word for you with the king or the commander of the army?’” She replied, “I’m quite secure.” So he asked Gehazi, “What can I do for her?” Gehazi replied, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” (Second Kings 4:11-14)

During this past Sunday's sermon, Pastor Joy brought out the paradox of the Shunammite woman's plight. While the Scripture describes the Shunammite as a well-to-do woman, and the Shunammite herself gave a testimony of not needing anything (Second Kings 4:13, 4:28), Elisha's servant noted a critical challenge: in a context where widows were dependent on their children, Gehazi reveals that the Shunammite had no children. In effect, she had no means of continuing support. Though her husband was alive, he was old. The woman's state of childlessness meant that she would experience, as Pastor Joy said, "no Social Security" to sustain her upon her husband's death.

Is that our situation? Do we tell God and the world, "I'm okay", when in fact there is an imminent pressing need? Are we allowing the prophetic community to have a role in preparing us for handling life's challenges?

Maybe you have enough money and resources, and you've determined that you don't need anything. And maybe that's true, for today. But I ask that you prayerfully consider the uncertainties of the future. God has given us ministry leaders who, like Elisha, have the authority to speak to powers. If you, like the Shunammite, have treated them with kindness and respect, then take the next step and allow your leaders to be a blessing to you.

Inn Sense.

One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” (Second Kings 4:8-10)

In Sunday's sermon, Pastor Joy spoke on Second Kings 4:8-37. The account of the interaction between Elisha and the Shunammite woman provides several key thoughts for our reflection this week.

Verses 8 through 10 give us a glimpse of the wisdom and discernment of the Shunammite. After seeing Elisha on a number of occasions, she suggests to her husband that they create a space in their home for Elisha to rest in whenever he passes through their community.


At a recent event, I learned that each month several hundred ministers leave ministry. Why? Because ministry is often a life of high demands, low pay, and no encouragement or appreciation from the constituents they are called to serve.

Sometimes we are not conscious of the needs of our ministry leaders. We come to church for a myriad of reasons; more often than not, we expect to "get" something out of our attendance. It is a rare Christian who asks, "How can I bless my pastor? How can I bless the evangelist who passes through my town on a regular basis?"

The Shunammite woman models an answer: "I can bless this prophet by creating an atmosphere of refreshment and rest."

Now, I understand that we aren't all well-to-do like this woman was. Not everyone can renovate their home or open their apartment to host itinerant ministers. Not everyone is in a position to open their wallets or purses. But we can all open our hearts. We can create an atmosphere of refreshment and rest through our prayers for, and encouragement of, ministry leaders with whom we regularly interact.

Let's take a page from the life book of this Shunammite. Without fuss or fanfare, and without hidden agenda, she did her part to be a blessing to one of God's ministers. May God help us all to follow her lead.

Flash Flood Warning.

Over the past few weeks, in different parts of the world, people have experienced flash floods. These floods are distinguished by their swift and sudden appearance: what appears to be a standard thunderstorm or rain event transforms into a raging, uncontrollable river. Here in New York City, we can tolerate about one inch of rain per hour. Any more than that, the infrastructure suffers. Low-lying streets and highways become impassable. Delays abound in traffic and mass transit systems.

What does this have to do with Bronx Bethany? Well, we are on the verge of a flash flood. The Spirit of God will swiftly and suddenly manifest His presence, and we will be caught in His uncontrollable river. A river of grace for those who are submitted to Him, and a river of judgement for those who are not.

This is the impetus for our focus on building for the next generation. Most churches in the United States, when embarking on capital campaigns, seek to make their sanctuary bigger. Not us. We are seeking to create classroom space for our children and teenagers to be “taught and brought” into a deeper knowledge of Christ. My prayer is that we, the people of God, will be consumed with a desire to give freely, willingly, and joyfully into the work of the Lord. Not for ourselves, but for the many who will succeed us, so that they will receive grace when the flood of God appears.

God has spoken. The flood is imminent. Let's build the ark, prayerfully and practically.

“Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to You while You may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him.” (Psalm 32:6)

Take A Culture.

Pastor Cole, in this past Sunday’s sermon, spoke of the importance of progression in the Christian life. We are ever growing and developing in our relationship with the Lord. It is a maturation process that calls for spiritual discipline and the will to live a life of holiness in contrast to the life of compromise offered by the world.

The life of holiness is indeed countercultural. The world promotes the concept of humanity as a melting pot. However, as Pastor Cole shared so eloquently (and I paraphrase here), we Nazarenes don’t melt. We cannot compromise in matters pertaining to the word of God. We are called to model the lives and passionate hearts of the early Christians, who chose to die rather than to renounce Christ.

And that is the core of the struggle for Christians who are not completely sold out to Jesus. The carnal Christian tries to placate the demands of a world that has no love or regard for the rule of Christ. The Christian who is not completely sold out to Jesus will seek to straddle the fence.

But guess what? We can’t straddle this thing.

Paul wrote very plainly about believers who walked away from complete devotion to Jesus. “Demas deserted me, having loved the present age.” (Second Timothy 4:10) John echoed the theme: “They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us, because if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But they went out from us to demonstrate that all of them do not belong to us.” (First John 2:19)

So, it is one or the other. Either we renounce the ways of the world, or we renounce the way of Christ. In modern culture we have seen many a leader, some after decades of ministry, announce that they are not fully on board with the counsel of Christ. Some of these leaders have walked away from their ministry call. Others have lobbyied for substantial changes in their denominational bylaws so that their compromised life could be sanctioned by vote. (As if God’s law can be changed by human consensus.)

What about us? Are we immersed in the culture of the world? Or are we completely sold out to Jesus? Or are we trying in vain to live a double life?

Take the world but give me Jesus; in His cross my trust shall be
’til with clearer, brighter vision, face to face my Lord I see.
(Fanny Crosby/ Frances van Alstyne)

Pure Passion.

In Sunday’s sermon Pastor Cole shared, “No heart is pure that is not passionate.” When we have experienced Christian purification, then we respond with a passion and zeal in serving Christ. Pastor Cole made the important point that purification does not lead to legalism, but rather moves us to unbridled enthusiasm in doing the work of the Lord.

This is a particular challenge at Bronx Bethany. It’s very easy to pull together a group of people to get work done. But it’s not as easy to pull together a group of people that are passionate about the work they’re doing. Pastor Cole used the apropos example of choir members who come to rehearsals not because they are passionate about ministering for the glory of God, but because they feel the music director is nagging them into participation. So they are present, they are singing, but without passion or enthusiasm for the God who gave them the ability to sing. It’s pure legalism.

As was mentioned in the sermon, it is never a good thing to work for the Lord out of a sense of legalism. The Scripture shows us that legalistic service earns no commendation from God. It is, as Pastor Sam mentioned some years ago in his sermon on Psalm 50, “empty works.” All the tithing and giving in the world, all the service we can render in the house of God, is in vain if the King of Glory has not won our hearts.

Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me: all His wonderful passion and purity.
O Thou Spirit Divine, all my nature refine ’til the beauty of Jesus be seen in me. (Albert Orsborne)

Amen.

Timeshare? Terrible Investment.

Jesus gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people who are truly His, who are eager to do good. (Titus 2:14, italics mine)

Our Lord demands exclusivity. In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Cole used the term “uncontested possession”- that is, our sanctification marks us as belonging completely to God. When we belong completely to God, there is nothing left to share with the devil.

Perhaps this would be a good place to remind us that the devil is not known for his sharing skills. Satan, who seeks to counterfeit the divine, also wants to completely own people so that he can use them in the service of the demonic. As much as he hates humanity, he has no problem using humans to further his goal to “steal, kill, and destroy” all people (see John 10:7-10). A prime example of this is found in the life of Judas Iscariot. Judas’s apostolic authority was compromised when he chose to betray Jesus. A few days of clandestine activity resulted in heartache and destruction for Judas, who was driven to suicide. The book of Acts confirms that Judas was an authentic disciple (see Acts 1:16-17) who traded the beauty of holiness for the short-term pleasure of sin. His status as a true disciple did not save him from destruction.

As Nazarenes, as holiness people, we believe and expect that our hearts are continually experiencing what Wesley calls an “inner cleansing”. Jesus has cleansed us from our sins. We have received a pure heart, and we have embraced life in a community of like-minded people who daily live redeemed lives. Sin has lost its appeal! We are so deeply in love with Jesus that nothing can persuade us to disobey His law. Nothing can cause us to walk away from His love.

At least that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

Does sin still have a grip on you? Appeal to God. His Spirit is available to you. Embrace a complete and exclusive love relationship with God which will, every day, make your character look more and more like His. Ask Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit. He will give you the strength to renounce sin and cling to His grace.

Refiner’s Fire, my heart’s one desire is to be holy, set apart to You Lord.
I choose to be holy, set apart for You, my Master, ready to do Your will. (Brian Doerksen)

Soul Proprietor.

In this past Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Cole spoke on the importance of core character. He shared a quote he’d heard some time ago: “All shine on the outside, and all sham on the inside.”

Scripture informs us that Jesus had a controversy with the religious leaders of ancient Israel: there was plenty of form and ritual, and all the “right things” were being done in terms of worship protocol, but the lives of the leaders were out of sync with the heart of God. But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside as well?” (Luke 11:39-40) The crisis of the modern Nazarene church is that, in many instances, we have neglected to emphasize the importance of holiness doctrine in conjunction with holy living.

The apostle Paul picks up the theme, warning his fellow Christians in Corinth. Some scholars believe that the Corinthian culture was so influential that Christians had adopted Corinthian sayings that ran counter to the truth of God’s word. In First Corinthians 6, we see Paul responding to the error inherent in the cultural sayings of that time (such as “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”, “All things are lawful to me”), error which was evident in the behavior of the Corinthian church.

In addressing the Corinthians’ belief that sexual indiscretion was not a sin because they felt there was no moral relevance to how they used their physical bodies, Paul said: Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin a person commits is outside of the body” – but the immoral person sins against his own body. 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 6:18-19)

We do not belong to ourselves. Pastor Cole used the analogy of landlord and tenant: the tenant is permitted to manage a particular property, but the landlord is by definition the property owner. You and I are tenants, charged with managing our bodies, and God is the owner of our bodies. We are His property. As holiness people, we must provide the Holy Spirit with a body in which He is pleased to live. He is concerned about the core of our character, because we represent the character of Christ to the world. We should be concerned also.

Tenant, don’t get evicted. Manage your Landlord’s property well.

Yes, Again.

Bronx Bethany’s Pastor Emeritus, Rev. Dr. Seymour Cole, gave us a thought-provoking message yesterday. The topic was not new: for several weeks, we have heard sermons from many different preachers whose message carried the same warning of “all or nothing”.

As Christians, and in particular as Nazarene Christians, our lives should indicate that we are completely sold out to Jesus. Our effectiveness in ministry is inextricably tied to our obedience to Christ. When we remain in mindsets and activities that run contrary to the word of God, our message of Spirit-led transformation loses all credibility.

Over the next few days we’ll reflect on some of the specifics of Pastor Cole’s sermon. For today, though, let’s meditate on the Scripture reading he based his message upon.

Slaves are to be subject to their own masters in everything, to do what is wanted and not talk back, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, in order to bring credit to the teaching of God our Savior in everything. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, who are eager to do good. (Titus 2:9-14)