Pastor Mary Haley

New systems and new ways to connect. Sometimes we have to get used to the new. Yesterday, my phone experienced a new update and I am still trying to learn how to access certain areas, apps and ways to navigate the new format. Everything looks new and none of the old buttons are available. I like new when it comes to items and fun experiences; not so much this new phone update. I have a lot to learn. Do you like learning new ways of doing things?

In our passage today, Jesus is questioned about why his disciples are not honoring the old ritual of fasting as a sign of repentance to prepare for Messiah’s coming; why are they not honoring the establish system to connect with God? Jesus quickly answers the question by telling them fasting was not necessary in the moment, because the Messiah was with them bringing a new covenant. This new covenant will require a new way of living; embracing new practices. Then, Jesus goes on to explain the covenant by using two parables that reveal the need for expansion—identity, discipleship, and growth.

The old religious system was no longer the proper practice; the gospel would never be contained in the old fabric or wineskins of religious traditions. Jesus came to offer forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God by grace, through faith, to provide eternal peace. The gospel was providing a new way for humanity to connect with God and enjoy life in his care—“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9). All that wonderful love and power…would burst the seams of anything that tried to restrict it!

For this reasons, our love walk must grow so we can receive all the new gifts and experiences Jesus wants to bring into our lives. Your heart contains the living Lord. He wants to do amazing and extraordinary things without restrictions in all of our lives. As we allow the Spirit to grow us in Christ’s character, we can handle the powerful expansion of the new. If we stay in the comfortable shallow realm of human ability to restore ourselves, we will never grow and taste the best wine! So connect to Christ!

Matthew 9:14-17 NLT A Discussion about Fasting
14 One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?”

15 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

16 “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.

17 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this wonderful and exciting message about the power of the gospel to expand our love walk and the rewards of tasting all that is good in Christ! We welcome your work, Holy Spirit. Help us to stay the course and drink in the best of your goodness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our love for God is expressed through worship [our humble submission to his will for our lives], as well as mission [our deliberate choice to love others the way Christ loves us]. Yet, worship is not WHAT we do, it is WHO we are before God; we are submitted believers learning to be ambassadors on God’s rescue mission. We share with others the sacrifice of Christ for sin—which is something every human being wrestles. Humanity can know the cleansing power of Christ’s salvation and the power to testify to the story.

Many believers humbly gather together as a community or spiritual family weekly to worship [Heb. Shachah (שָׁחָה)] or sink into God’s presence, express respect, and to honor God for the sacrifice he made to save humanity. Gratitude and praise is on our lips and released through our songs. However, in our worship, we must also position ourselves before the Word to learn HOW to grow as grateful disciples, so we can live up to our heavenly calling. Jesus is the Perfect One and, although our spirits have been made perfect by his sacrifice and presence, our souls have a long way to go! It is a lifelong pursuit toward perfection [maturity] (Mat 5:48).

I believe these times in “family” worship are very valuable to our goal for learning and growing in the image of Christ, because for the rest of the week we will need the wisdom we gain. God prepares us for the days ahead. He knows what Word we will need and the power it will take to live it out. Therefore, worship is really a lifestyle [style of life] we embrace, because Christ is making us obedient and holy. We practice the values, behaviors, and choices revealed by our Lord—we are putting on the character of Christ each day wherever we go. In this way, we begin to see life from God’s selfless perspective.
In our passage today, the writer reminds us the law of Moses was a shadow of things to come—because the law could never cleanse and forgive humanity. Only the new covenant with Christ can cleanse and make us whole [perfectly cleansed, forgiven and ready to mature]. While we are growing, we are accepted, forgiven, and cleansed by God, as well as invited into his holy presence. Thank you, Lord!

Hebrews 10:1-4 NLT Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
1 The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2 If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

3 But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4 For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being the sacrifice we need to be cleansed and forgiven. Now, we can come boldly to your throne of grace, ask for mercy, and set before you our every need. You are there waiting to be with us. We are truly blessed by you, Lord. Thank you for setting us free from sin and death. We praise your holy name. Amen.

Evangelism can be difficult for people. Some folks see salvation as personal and; therefore, keep to themselves. Others may be bold, brassy, and a bit offensive; therefore, their manner of communication may push people away. Lastly, sometimes people are such concrete thinkers they make everything about God intellectual and void of the Spirit. None of these practices are the best for the gospel.

In our lesson today, we meet Philip. This is how we could describe the evangelist, Philip: a real Christ follower on fire for the Lord! Philip was sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit; he was bold, confident, and concise with how he shared the loving gospel of Christ.

Philip made himself available to God and the work of evangelism. Because God alone knows when a person is at his or her darkest moment or greatest need, we must listen and wait for God’s opportunity or appointed time to share Christ. Philip did not delay; when he felt the leading of the Spirit, Philip ran right up to start a conversation with a question. Yet, he waited for an invitation to explain things further—to share the story of Jesus.

You and I can do the same. Jesus wants to bring people into his family by testimony and acts of love. It is a great privilege to introduce a lost person to the Savior who sacrificially loves them. Ask God for your opportunity and get ready to be an evangelist!

Acts 8:26-40 NLT Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.
    And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,
    he did not open his mouth.
33 
He was humiliated and received no justice.
    Who can speak of his descendants?
    For his life was taken from the earth.”

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” 38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for this lesson from the Acts of the Apostles and how Philip quickly ran to your appointed time to bring salvation to the eunuch official. Like Philip, give us your wisdom and help us form wise questions so we are ready to share Christ’s story. Help us devise a plan to share salvation with others through our testimony, as well as our acts of service. We will be listening to the Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I am so very grateful to have the sacrifice of Christ for the sins of the world, restored communion with Father God, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit of Truth. As a human race, we can be so indifferent to the unrighteous motives of our own hearts. We may see our character and motivation through rose-colored glasses, but we often use a microscope to assess and tear apart the motives and reasoning of others. We are inclined to exalt and place ourselves in the center of life. Even with the love of God seeking to transform us, we can simply want God to affirm and bless our perspectives. It is only the Spirit who, with Christ in the center of life, can convict us of ungodly thinking, reveal the Truth to us about judgment, and move us along in the Father’s loving care.

In our LIFE Lesson on Wednesday evening, we continued in our study, The Inner Struggle for Holiness. We are looking at the whole of Scripture and focusing on active covenantal faith, righteous fruit production, spiritual family purpose, and the future judgment of those who desire to be friends of God—those responding to God’s transforming gift of love in Christ. So far, we have studied the fruit of love, joy, peace, and self-control—with love and self-control being the bookends of Christ’s character.

Jesus spent his ministry talking about the Kingdom of God—a Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit where Jesus is the King—the Center of Life. To enter this Kingdom, we must take a humble posture, exalt Jesus, and serve his purpose for believers—to partner in the reconciliation of our neighbors to God. As we serve God, we must always remember this word, “partnership.” We are not asked to go out in our own strength to change hearts and the world. We are commanded to wait for the Gift of the Spirit. While we wait, we live by faith, produce fruit, love and encourage the spiritual family to remain faithful even in suffering, and seek to judge ourselves by the character of Christ—our First Love.

In our passage today from the Acts of the Apostles, Luke writes about some essential information Jesus gave to disciples before he ascended to heaven. “Do not leave Jerusalem [City of Peace]…until…” (Acts 1:4). The Spirit is our promised Gift and divine Helper who causes us to see by faith, reveal the Truth, serve in unity, and live for eternity.
We are called to partner as servants who are allowing the Lord to begin his healing transformation of our own souls by filling us with love [agape] and producing within our hearts the character of Christ. Let the Spirit give you vision through a posture of humility and you will see more clearly how to be a blessing to the Kingdom and extend honor and glory to our King.

Acts 1:1-5 NLT The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1 In my first book [Gospel of Luke] I told you, Theophilus [friend of God], about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with [in] water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this reminder of our great need for the work of the Spirit. We need a proper vision and the Spirit provides it as we seek the Truth. We need empowerment to go when and where you send us; the Spirit provides your power and grace for each assignment. May you be glorified in all we do. We pray for your Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sometimes I am still startled by the spiritual and even moral decline—low standard for living—of professing Christians. Obviously, every human being faces the temptation of sin; we may fight the temptation or we may step into it. The Bible defines this decline as a “degenerate” state. If a person lives in a degenerate state, he or she has strayed or turned aside from the righteous narrow path.

Grace is God’s provision for degeneracy. We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). The grace of God extended to sinful human beings is precious and should never be used as some kind of bandaid for sin. “Before every person lies a road that seems to be right, but the end of that road is death and destruction” (Pro 14:12). Frankly, degeneracy can be seen in a state of legalism, as well as a state of secularism.

Legalism is essentially trying to earn salvation and righteousness through performance to the law, rules, rituals, etc—the Pharisees were pros at legalism. Well, we cannot earn grace, because it is a Gift from God at the expense of Jesus’s life. Nor, can we change our own hearts to make them like Jesus in order to live righteously without God. Secularism disregards the truth of God and the salvation he actually offers, because one desires to claim grace, but deliberately live and practice life in opposition to our righteous Plumb line—Jesus.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul is writing to Christians in the region of Galatia and their choice to stray from the Truth due to legalism. Paul wants them to know Jesus came to deliver them “from” something; in this case a turning away from grace and the person of Christ—the Savior. The believers in Galatia, as well as all believers, must stay focused on Jesus.

So the teaching of the gospel must remain true to our faith in Christ—we are saved by the grace of God and faith in Jesus, being made in the image of the Truth [Jesus], and we are committed to the cost of discipleship and Jesus’ Lordship. Jesus said, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way” (Mat 7:13).

Throughout history, there have been religious legalists and secularists who have been fooled by the twisting of the truth. Your faith cannot be based purely on the human constructs and vision of a particular religious organization or group. The Church is actually an organism [possessing intrinsic life], committed to the Lord—Jesus the Christ; therefore, we must be rooted in Truth and led by the Spirit. That is the Good News of great JOY!

Galatians 1:6-12 NLT There Is Only One Good News
6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.

8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.

10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

Paul’s Message Comes from Christ
11 Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. 12 I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the life you have giving us; a life born from above. We have intrinsic value to you and as we remain committed to being made in your image, we do not have to fear falling for a twisted gospel. Instead, we can love you and love our neighbors while you lovingly transform us. It is so simple, yet still brings a struggle to obey. Thank you for your mercy and your patience. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

God has promised to be our Comforter; his presence brings heavenly peace, grace, and power in the Spirit to his beloved people of faith. Therefore, we should not be afraid of the sinful deeds plaguing this temporal world. The irrational and chaotic actions of human beings cannot be compared to God’s power; there is no end to the eternal strength and wisdom of God. Remember, in the beginning, God took chaos and transformed it into a heavily Paradise for his human family…yet, the people God desired to bless with perfection, did not want what God said would fulfill them. Instead, they desired the behaviors associated with sin and chose those things over God.

Instead of fear, we must choose faith-driven prayer; to settle down and share communion with God. The hearts of humanity needs deliverance from evil. Right now, our country—One nation under God—needs deliverance from evil and restoration in the hands of our Creator. Come Lord, Jesus!

On Monday, we explored a passage from the psalter about the struggle for inner holiness; a safe place to rest in God’s holy presence. On Tuesday, we looked at the prophet Jeremiah and how God promised to be with him; God would put His Word in the mouth of Jeremiah and empower him to speak in the Spirit of Truth in order to influence people and nations to repent. Today, we share encouragement from the prophet Isaiah and his encounter with the Lord to proclaim a way to peace with God. Isaiah calls God’s people to use their faith, pray, and look beyond their fears, because God is the Supreme Creator and the One who sets the boundaries of creation. The battle belongs to the Lord, but we have a part to play.

Only God can bring the peace, protection, and power his people need. Our sovereign God is in control of our communities and countries; he is in control over those nations steeped in war and conflict. So, we pray, receive his supernatural peace, and ask for our divine Father’s protection, care, and comfort; but, we never stop speaking about his powerful name and his goodness.

To be called by God’s name is to be a covenant people who belong to God and serve him; we are sealed and protected by the Spirit of God. Christ has put his name upon us and he holds our destiny. By faith, we must freely choose to live out that identity in a fallen world filled with people who literally hate the Truth.

Franklin Graham [Samaritan’s Purse] is asking God’s people to join in faith and pray today at 12:00PM for our country and the world. We need to humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God, because humanity is a twisted, sinful, and prideful mess. We have demanded our own way for far too long, people are lost and wandering in the darkness without even knowing it. We open ourselves up to deception when we reject inner holiness. Many people don’t even recognize their sinful hatred of their fellow human beings. Instead, people have chosen to set themselves up as judges of righteousness—a huge mistake. The Judge is Jesus—the Living Word of God—and he has the last Word!

Isaiah 51:12-16 NLT
12 
“I, yes I, am the one who comforts you.
    So why are you afraid of mere humans,
    who wither like the grass and disappear?
13 
Yet you have forgotten the Lord, your Creator,
    the one who stretched out the sky like a canopy
    and laid the foundations of the earth.
Will you remain in constant dread of human oppressors?
    Will you continue to fear the anger of your enemies?
Where is their fury and anger now?
    It is gone!
14 
Soon all you captives will be released!
    Imprisonment, starvation, and death will not be your fate!
15 
For I am the Lord your God,
    who stirs up the sea, causing its waves to roar.
    My name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
16 
And I have put my words in your mouth
    and hidden you safely in my hand.
I stretched out the sky like a canopy
    and laid the foundations of the earth.

Prayer: Lord, today we humbly bow before your throne of grace and ask for mercy; to ask for your help and deliverance from this move of evil to destroy. You have put your words in our mouths for a reason. Help us to speak the Truth in love and cast down everything that seeks to exalt itself above your great name. This earth is yours and you will be the faithful One to bring justice. As your children, you have taught us to submit ourselves to you, resist evil, and it has to leave. So, today, we run to you, refuse to be a part of any unholy conflict, and look for your salvation of deliverance to heal our land. We are your image bearers, Lord, so make us bright for your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Word can be a stumbling block for people’s understanding of God. That’s why Jesus said, “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me” (Mat 11:6). Many times we come with expectations of how Jesus—the Living Word of God—should say things in Scripture, lead our lives, or answer our prayers. Sometimes, we need to hang on to our faith even when we may feel disappointed with the outcome. We have all been there and must remember we see in part, but God sees the whole picture (1 Cor 13:12).

Over the years, I have heard things like, “I don’t get it,” “It contradicts itself,” and even, “It was written by people, how can it be the Word of God?” We must understand the Word is supernatural and not of this world. God is Spirit. So, trying to wrap our finite knowledge around the infinite and omnipotent Lord is fruitless. The Word of God is for speaking spirits with souls that were created to carry his holy presence—believers.

The Word of God has been given to reveal the pure love of God and bring transformation to the whole fallen human race. If we feel guilty about something, the Word may place the weight [glory] there to help us repent and deal with the emotions that are hindering our relationship with God. If we feel convicted, the Spirit may be prompting us to stop sinning before we harm ourselves. And, sometimes we just don’t want to hear the Truth, because it’s painful to our souls. We seldom run to sacrifice or self-denial. “For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12).

In our passage this morning from the prophet Jeremiah, the Word of God comes to this young man to bring, love, encouragement, instruction, and power. It is not Jeremiah’s education that qualifies him to preach the Word of God; it is his willingness to listen and follow in order to reveal the Truth. God has put his Word in people’s mouths since the beginning of time. He does so with believers and he does so with unbelievers when it suits the purpose he has planned. God put his Word in Jeremiah’s mouth, because he planned to use him to bring truth to the nations.

God has put his Word in the heart of genuine believers—those who will listen and follow the Spirit. This is the call of the Church. When we spend time in the Word to gain understanding, it changes us and we are to share that experience with others. Not everyone is called to be a pastor, but every believer is called to preach the Truth with how we live. In doing so, we reveal how God’s Word has uprooted and overthrown the lies of the enemy trying to operate in our lives, as well as how the Word has built us up in one faith, one baptism, and in One Lord! Preach it, Church!

Jeremiah 1:4-10 NLT Jeremiah’s Call and First Visions
4 The Lord gave me this message:
5 
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.
    Before you were born I set you apart
    and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
6 “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”
7 The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. 8 And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!” 9 Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said,
“Look, I have put my words in your mouth!
10 
Today I appoint you to stand up
    against nations and kingdoms.
Some you must uproot and tear down,
    destroy and overthrow.
Others you must build up
    and plant.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the power of your Word to change lives. Help us to open ourselves up to greater revelation as we spend time in your Word. You always have something to say, Lord. May we make ourselves ready to receive the Truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

On Wednesday evening, during our new LIFE Lessons series, “The Inner Struggle for Holiness,” we revisited the covenants God made with five Old Testament biblical heroes of the faith. A covenant is formed as a relational bond—a binding agreement to participate in a common goal for success. The covenants God initiates in Scripture display a rescuing and redemptive theme that leads partners into a new and transformed state of being. The terms are clearly defined and the covenant is sealed in the Spirit. Thus, to break the covenant comes with a penalty [judgment].

God is always faithful to his covenants. He promises to be faithful to love and restore his human creation from the destructive work of sin, but not every person agrees to the sacrificial and selfless love [agape] God offers. The way toward God’s holiness is challenging to our souls. Sometimes people forget a covenant promise is built upon faithfully honoring the commitment made by obediently moving toward the goal of holiness—loving God wholeheartedly the way he loves us.

We looked at the covenant God made with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, before Jesus ushered in the Covenant of Grace and the commandment of Love. As believers—participants in God’s Covenant of Grace—we cannot say we honor and love Father God, while loving the world’s way of living (1 John 2:15-17). The Spirit works to cut the world’s unholy ways of living off from believers. Thus, the inner struggle. We are learning to live as citizens of heaven while in the world (John 17:14-16).

In our passage today, the psalmist praises God’s power and faithfulness. Nothing compares to the Lord and his steadfast love for all of creation. As well, the psalmist praises God for the eternal covenant he made with King David; the promise that his dynasty would never end. Although David died and his lineage failed to live for and serve God in righteousness, Jesus came to be the fulfillment of that covenant of love that would lead disciples into God’s holy presence.

You and I are learning to live in Christ. It is not an easy journey, but it is of eternal importance. We will never get beyond the struggle as long as we live on earth, because evil wants to rule the world. Yet, according to the Covenant of Grace, God has promised to love, protect, provide, and spiritually prosper all those who seek his holy presence. The struggle is for the reality of heaven, so let’s press on in obedience and allow the Spirit to trim off our excess flesh or worldly “fat!”

Psalm 89:5-37 NLT
5
All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord;
    myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.
6 
For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord?
    What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord?
7 
The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
    He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.
8 
O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies!
    Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord?
    You are entirely faithful.
9 
You rule the oceans.
    You subdue their storm-tossed waves.
10 
You crushed the great sea monster.[chaos]
    You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11 
The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
    everything in the world is yours—you created it all.
12 
You created north and south.
    Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.
13 
Powerful is your arm!
    Strong is your hand!
    Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.
14 
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
    Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.
15 
Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship,
    for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
16 
They rejoice all day long in your wonderful reputation.
    They exult in your righteousness.
17 
You are their glorious strength.
    It pleases you to make us strong.
18 
Yes, our protection comes from the Lord,
    and he, the Holy One of Israel, has given us our king.
19 
Long ago you spoke in a vision to your faithful people.
You said, “I have raised up a warrior.
    I have selected him from the common people to be king.
20 
I have found my servant David.
    I have anointed him with my holy oil.
21 
I will steady him with my hand;
    with my powerful arm I will make him strong.
22 
His enemies will not defeat him,
    nor will the wicked overpower him.
23 
I will beat down his adversaries before him
    and destroy those who hate him.
24 
My faithfulness and unfailing love will be with him,
    and by my authority he will grow in power.
25 
I will extend his rule over the sea,
    his dominion over the rivers.
26 
And he will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
    my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’
27 
I will make him my firstborn son,
    the mightiest king on earth.
28 
I will love him and be kind to him forever;
    my covenant with him will never end.
29 
I will preserve an heir for him;
    his throne will be as endless as the days of heaven.
30 
But if his descendants forsake my instructions
    and fail to obey my regulations,
31 
if they do not obey my decrees
    and fail to keep my commands,
32 
then I will punish their sin with the rod,
    and their disobedience with beating.
33 
But I will never stop loving him
    nor fail to keep my promise to him.
34 
No, I will not break my covenant;
    I will not take back a single word I said.
35 
I have sworn an oath to David,
    and in my holiness I cannot lie:
36 
His dynasty will go on forever;
    his kingdom will endure as the sun.
37 
It will be as eternal as the moon,
    my faithful witness in the sky!”

Prayer: Lord, you have given us so much to think about today in our devotion. It can be hard to take it all in, but you always simplify things when we seek you. Thank you. According to your Covenant of Grace, as believers we make a mutual commitment to the salvation or rebirth of our spirits and the transformation of our souls [minds, will, emotions] leading us into a new way to live. We are becoming new creations. This covenant has been cut in the blood of Jesus. You have placed heaven in our hearts, so while we live in a fallen world, the Spirit of Truth will confront us when we choose to wander off your path. This wandering is the inner struggle for holiness. Please continue to spiritually cut off any flesh or worldly ways that would hinder our progress to live in your holiness and bear the fruit of your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Last Sunday, in our sermon time, I mentioned how Saul was persecuting Christians in Jerusalem and decided to head for Damascus in order to destroy or murder even more early believers. It was on the road to Damascus, Saul encountered the Lord, was thrown to the ground, and found himself blinded by the Light of Truth. Saul realized he was persecuting the living Lord and turned to Christ for salvation.

God used a man, Ananias, to visit Saul, pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to restore Saul’s eyesight and fill him. Initially, Ananias was leery of meeting with Saul, because of his quest to destroy Christians. But, God revealed to Ananias that Saul was his chosen vessel to bring the gospel to the Gentiles.

In our passage today, we continue the journey with Saul and his new life being led by God’s Spirit. To say that Paul’s conversion stunned a few folks is an understatement. This was a huge change for Saul; he was now heading in a completely different direction as he preached the gospel. However, many of Christ’s early disciples and believers still struggled with a lack of trust when thinking about fellowshipping and sharing ministry with Saul. It wasn’t until Barnabas stood up and encouraged the apostles to embrace Saul that he was welcomed into their group of witnesses.

It is miraculous how the love of Jesus and the work of the Spirit can change a heart and turn a life around. God partners with and uses unlikely people like Saul, you, and me. Sure, not everyone will accept us or be willing to see the grace on our lives, but we are not on earth to please people. We are here to worship and glorify our King. Remember, you carry the supernatural and redeeming gospel of peace, so go today and grow the Kingdom. The Holy Spirit goes with you…

Acts 9:19-31 NLT Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
19 Saul stayed with the believers [disciples] in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”

22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. 23 After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. 24 They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. 25 So during the night, some of the other believers[his disciples] lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. 30 When the believers [brothers] heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.
31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this lesson from Saul and for helping us all remember how you have turned our lives around, too. We are ordinary people who serve an extraordinary Lord. Thank you for living in us and filling us with your Spirit of Truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.