Pastor Mary Haley

Mark 11:12-14, 20-24 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Most of us work hard at taking care of our outward appearances; we represent the Lord so it is right to be clean and neat. However, we are wise if we remember that God looks at the inward motives of our hearts; he is looking deep in our souls for fertile ground and the evidence of budding fruit. He knows if we are ever going to bear the fruit of righteousness outwardly as a testimony of salvation to the world, we are going to need a healthy root system. We need to be rooted in Christ if we are going to bear fruit.

In our lesson today, Jesus sees a fig tree off in the distance and he is hungry, so he goes over to the tree to look for the first fruit of the harvest. You see a fig tree produces some figs before it produces leaves. This fig tree has lots of leaves, but is barren of fruit. The tree looks good on the outside, but will feed no one. Much the same way Christian lives can go through the religious motions, but be absent of producing the fruit of the Spirit that will spiritually feed others.

Our lives, as followers of Christ, are to bring glory to God. We were created to live for God’s glory. Jesus said, “I am the Vine and you are the branches. When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. For apart from me you can do nothing. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father” (John 15:5, 8). When you pray to ask the Spirit to produce much fruit in your life, you are praying by faith for the will of God and it will be given to you.

Mark 11:12-14, 20-24
12 On the next day, when they had left Bethany, He was hungry. 13 Seeing at a distance a fig tree in leaf, He went to see if He would find anything on it. But He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 He said to it, “No one will ever eat fruit from you again!” And His disciples were listening [to what He said].

20 In the morning, as they were passing by, the disciples saw that the fig tree had withered away from the roots up. 21 And remembering, Peter said to Him, “Rabbi (Master), look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered!” 22 Jesus replied, “Have faith in God [constantly]. 23 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea!’ and [a]does not doubt in his heart [in God’s unlimited power], but believes that what he says is going to take place, it will be done for him [in accordance with God’s will]. 24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer [in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the power to bear fruit as I remain in you. Heavenly Father, may my life bring you glory as I yield to the work of your Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 John 5:1-5 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

If you believe Jesus is the Son of God—the Messiah who brings salvation from sin—you are a world conqueror. It is true! You overcome the world’s ways through your faith in the Anointed One who lives in you. We have the power to defeat sin, because we love God, obey his Word, and ask Jesus to help us. I cannot speak for you, but I need the help of Jesus everyday. I am so grateful he delights in being my Helper and Deliverer.

In our passage today, the Apostle John sends us a great reminder. Sure, each day we may be handed a fight—doing battle with the sin in the world that tries to gain access to our hearts—but Jesus is the Door and no evil can come near when he is Lord of our lives. Make Jesus your Master and Lord and use your faith in Christ to defeat sin.

1 John 5:1-5 Victory over the World
5 If we believe that Jesus is truly Christ, we are God’s children. Everyone who loves the Father will also love his children. 2 If we love and obey God, we know that we will love his children. 3 We show our love for God by obeying his commandments, and they are not hard to follow.

4 Every child of God can defeat the world, and our faith is what gives us this victory. 5 No one can defeat the world without having faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making me your child and for helping me defeat the sin that tries to destroy my faith in your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

James 1:2-8 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

The testing of our faith through experiential learning is what helps us to grow toward spiritual maturity. Peace governs us as we mature in our faith. Peace or shalom is a realm where we are whole and resting in the love of God. We trust God to love us and care for us and we refuse to worry, because we know the resources of heaven will see us through.

We need a Guide as we embark on this journey, so we need to boldly ask the Spirit of Christ to guide us in wisdom. Otherwise, we will struggle with double-mindedness; our flesh will war against righteousness. We must believe the Lord desires to give wisdom to us when we ask and that Christ will see that we lack nothing for our journey. “Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel” (Philippians 4:7).

James 1:2-8 Faith and Wisdom
2 My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. 3 You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. 4 But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.

5 If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. 6 But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. 7-8 If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for guiding me toward spiritual maturity. You are so faithful to teach me each day how to emulate your love. Thank you for your wisdom and your patience. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Matthew 20:29-34 New Living Translation (NLT)

I find the work of gaining spiritual understanding absolutely amazing; the Holy Spirit is such an incredible Giver of insight and revelation. For example, how is it that we may know something in the Spirit—by revelation—and not really have thought about it, spent time analyzing it, or visually seen the evidence of it manifest? It’s because God weaves threads of spiritual understanding throughout Scripture and it is up to every child of God to use faith to see the whole picture and how he or she fits into it. When we apply wisdom and understanding to our lives, we can find the truth revealed and we know how to please God with our lives.

When Scripture teaches Christ opens the eyes of the blind, it is both a literal action, as well as a spiritual figure of speech. During Christ’s time, it was perceived that blind eyes were closed to spiritual things and seeing eyes were open to spiritual things. In our passage today, Jesus comes near two blind men. Based on the promises of God through the prophets to send a Savior, these blind men cry out to Jesus to heal them; they have spiritual understanding of who Jesus is because they have put prophetic Scripture together with the news of Christ’s miracles. Therefore, they know the healing Messiah (the one who will come to open the eyes of the blind) will be a descendant of David. It is interesting that these blind men have spiritual understanding of Christ’s identity and power before he heals their eyesight, but the Pharisees and religious leaders who have seeing eyes cannot put the pieces together in order to understand the very miracles they have witnessed Jesus perform is because he is the promised Messiah.

Christ is the Wisdom we need to understand Scripture; the work of the Spirit bears witness when we have heard the Truth of God’s heart, love, and salvation. May we call on the name of Jesus and invite the Holy Spirit to help us every day with spiritual understanding.

Matthew 20:29-34 Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
29 As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.
But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”
33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping me gain spiritual understanding as I read Scripture and make the necessary connections in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 37 New Living Translation

Trust is a very important piece in all relationships. When we lose our trust in someone, it is a struggle to regain it (although it can be done). Jesus teaches we are to forgive those who sin against us; those who violate our trust. In fact, being a follower of Christ involves forgiving others; giving the offending person and issue to God. The battle to bring justice then belongs to the Lord. Forgiveness is a matter of redirecting our focus off from the offender and onto the Lord who is the God of perfect Justice.

In our passage today, David reminds us about trust; we must trust God to care for us in the midst of injustice, disappointment, or challenging times. If we place more trust in people, knowledge, and the world than we do in God, we have displaced the One in whom we can always trust. Our hearts were created to believe every Word that flows from the mouth of God, but sin has caused us to doubt the very one in whom we alone can trust with our hearts. So, trust the Lord above all, delight yourself in his perfect love, and commit your life to his care. He wants more for you than you want for yourself. Others may violate your trust and you will need to forgive them; God will help you with forgiveness. Yet, here is a great Truth you should never forget… You can trust the Lord completely to bring only good to your life!

Psalm 37 A psalm of David.
1
Don’t worry about the wicked
or envy those who do wrong.
2
For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like spring flowers, they soon wither.
3
Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
4
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
5
Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
6
He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.
7
Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.
8
Stop being angry!
Turn from your rage!
Do not lose your temper—
it only leads to harm.
9
For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land.

Prayer: Lord, I never want to place my trust in anyone or anything more than you. Holy Spirit, please continue to guide my commitment to trust my all to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Matthew 19:16-22 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)

God has commanded us, as his children, to love Him with the totality of our being. As well, God has commanded us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. We cannot love our neighbor without first receiving the love of God into our hearts; without the Lord we have no capacity to exemplify the love required. We want people to extend us mercy when we make mistakes. We want people to forgive us when we sin against them. We want people to express compassion and empathy when we are hurt or wounded. We want to be offered understanding without judgement. So, when Jesus says,”Love your neighbor as you love yourself,” he is saying everything we want for ourselves we should be willing to give to our neighbors.

In our passage today, the rich man comes to Jesus to have a religious problem solved; how to obtain eternal life. In other words, the man asks Jesus how to be saved. Jesus knows all things and he knows the heart of this man is hindered by his desire for accumulating earthly wealth. He has the resources to help his neighbor but has no desire to do so. Thus, even though he says he has fulfilled the commandments, he has not. Jesus offers a saving word to the rich man; he gives the man an assignment. But, the man does not like the answer or Word he receives. Jesus is the Anointed One and when he speaks into our lives, we must listen and obey. He alone can break the chains of the things holding us back from the promises of God.

Matthew 19:16-22
16 And behold, there came a man up to Him, saying, Teacher, what excellent and perfectly and essentially good deed must I do to possess eternal life?

17 And He said to him, Why do you ask Me about the perfectly and essentially good? There is only One Who is good [perfectly and essentially]—God. If you would enter into the Life, you must continually keep the commandments.

18 He said to Him, What [a]sort of commandments? [Or, which ones?] And Jesus answered, You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness,
19 Honor your father and your mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.
20 The young man said, I have observed all these from my youth; what still do I lack?

21 Jesus answered him, If you would be perfect [that is, [b]have that spiritual maturity which accompanies self-sacrificing character], go and sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; and come, [c]be My disciple [side with My party and follow Me].

22 But when the young man heard this, he went away sad (grieved and in much distress), for he had great possessions.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving me the love I need to love my neighbor in a righteous way. You deserve the glory. Holy Spirit, help me rise to each challenge as I love my neighbor. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 62:8-12

Do you believe the Lord desires to reward you for the good you do in representing Him to the world? The Bible is full of passages that reveal God’s promise to bring rewards to those who diligently seek Him and obediently walk by faith to manifest His glorious presence in a world darkened and deceived by sin. God rewards us to keep us in balance; to bring us hope and endurance for the journey set before us. He knows just when to bring a blessing that stirs and motivates us to press on.

In our passage today, David reminds us to place our hope in God. The Lord’s strength and unfailing love will always sustain us. Even when we deal with injustice, physical illness, or emotional distress, we can trust God to be faithful. His reward is always the beauty of His powerful presence moving in our lives. There is nothing better, nor any Higher reward.

Psalm 62:8-12
8
Trust God, my friends,
and always tell him
each one of your concerns.
God is our place of safety.
9
We humans are only a breath;
none of us are truly great.
All of us together weigh less
than a puff of air.
10
Don’t trust in violence
or depend on dishonesty
or rely on great wealth.
11
I heard God say two things:
“I am powerful,
12
and I am very kind.”
The Lord rewards each of us
according to what we do.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for bringing your powerful presence to my aid every time I call for salvation. You are so loving, faithful, and infinitely trustworthy. May you be glorified above all things in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Revelation 3:14-22 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Spiritual indifference is a dangerous attitude that arises from a sinful root in the soul. The Bible defines indifference as a neutral attitude toward God that is as dangerous as hostility. It is condemned as rejection of God’s love, as well as the needs of others. A person who suffers spiritual indifference has no desire to diligently seek God’s presence and no problem refusing to follow God’s Word. God reaches out to correct and discipline his children of indifference. Repentance, study, and worship is used by the Spirit to bring people to the Truth; however, when a person has deep roots in this destructive attitude many times he or she ignores the warnings and care nothing about the spiritual peril involved.

In our passage today, Jesus is speaking to the church at Laodicea. The Lord sends an angel to reveal to the people their state of spiritual indifference. The problem stems from their limited understanding of God’s heart. The people have decided since they have accumulated material possessions that must be a sign of God’s blessing in their lives; in other words they are certain God approves of their spiritual state. But, that is not the case. The Lord tells them they have become satisfied with the world’s goods and no longer press in for the true spiritual treasures he longs to give them. True value and riches only come from a right relationship with God. We need to live to please God by always heeding his correction.

Revelation 3:14-22 The Letter to Laodicea
14 This is what you must write to the angel of the church in Laodicea:
I am the one called Amen! I am the faithful and true witness and the source of God’s creation. Listen to what I say.

15 I know everything you have done, and you are not cold or hot. I wish you were either one or the other. 16 But since you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 You claim to be rich and successful and to have everything you need. But you don’t know how bad off you are. You are pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.

18 Buy your gold from me. It has been refined in a fire, and it will make you rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them and you can cover up your shameful nakedness. Buy medicine for your eyes, so that you will be able to see.

19 I correct and punish everyone I love. So make up your minds to turn away from your sins. 20 Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together. 21 Everyone who wins the victory will sit with me on my throne, just as I won the victory and sat with my Father on his throne.

22 If you have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this reminder about spiritual indifference. Holy Spirit, keep my spirit stirred and passionate; I will leave the door of my heart open to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Ephesians 2:1-5 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

As I look at the world and I listen to the news, I must remind myself over and over again that all powers are subjected to Jesus—the sinless Son of God—and one day he will be Head over all creation. Things in the world are so antagonistic to a godly life; demonic forces always seeking to diminish our perfect Teacher—Jesus Christ—who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life of God (John 14:6).

Believers are called to live holy lives; holiness comes only through a right relationship with God. The Lord mercifully pours his love into us and we receive in a posture of worship; we obediently Love God with our whole being and go into the world to give his love to others. Only God can take us from a spiritually dead state, breathe life into us, and make us holy. No human being can take credit for appropriating spiritual life or holiness. To follow Christ into holiness, we must be willing to disconnect from what is unholy; truly, we become like the host to which we connect. We must choose wisely between Christ and the world. As we connect to Christ and remain in that connection, he confers holiness to us. What a wonderful Savior is Jesus our Lord!

Ephesians 2:1-5 From Death to Life
2 In the past you were dead because you sinned and fought against God. 2 You followed the ways of this world and obeyed the devil. He rules the world, and his spirit has power over everyone who doesn’t obey God. 3 Once we were also ruled by the selfish desires of our bodies and minds. We had made God angry, and we were going to be punished like everyone else.

4-5 But God was merciful! We were dead because of our sins, but God loved us so much that he made us alive with Christ, and God’s wonderful kindness is what saves you.

Prayer: Lord, I am so grateful that all powers are subjected to you. Thank you for saving me! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 91:1-4, 11 The Voice (VOICE)

Do you believe in guardian angels? Guardian angels serve Almighty God and are messengers sent to help and protect God’s people against the attempts of evil. In the Book of Exodus, God promises to be with his people by sending angels to protect them on their journey and lead them into the Promised Land (23:20). In the Book of Revelation, four angels will hold back God’s judgment until His people are sealed and the angels will bind Satan for 1,000 years during the millennial reign of Christ (7:1, 20:1-3). Angels—guardians of God’s people, worshipers and proclaiming of God’s holy and powerful presence—have been a part of God’s story from Genesis through Revelation. Angels are never to be worshiped, but they are a great blessing sent by God to guard and protect the beloved Bride of Christ.

In our passage today from the Psalter, the psalmist leads us into a place of trust as we focus on our Protector—Almighty God—who puts his angels around those who take refuge in him.

Psalm 9:1-4, 11
1
He who takes refuge in the shelter of the Most High
will be safe in the shadow of the Almighty.
2
He will say to the Eternal, “My shelter, my mighty fortress,
my God, I place all my trust in You.”
3
For He will rescue you from the snares set by your enemies who entrap you
and from deadly plagues.
4
Like a bird protecting its young, God will cover you with His feathers,
will protect you under His great wings;
His faithfulness will form a shield around you, a rock-solid wall to protect you.
11
He will command His heavenly messengers to guard you,
to keep you safe in every way.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your guardian angels who watch over all who take shelter in you; who live in obedience to enjoy your holy and faithful presence. Thank you for appointing angels to protect me and my loved ones. You are my shelter, my mighty fortress, my God in whom I trust. In Jesus’ name. Amen.