Pastor Mary Haley

1 Thessalonians 4:1-7
You’re God-Taught
4 1-3 One final word, friends. We ask you—urge is more like it—that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance. You know the guidelines we laid out for you from the Master Jesus. God wants you to live a pure life. Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity.

4-5 Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God.

6-7 Don’t run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. Their concerns are God’s concerns, and hewill take care of them. We’ve warned you about this before. God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful—as beautiful on the inside as the outside.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul reminds the believers in Thessalonica of their call as Christ’s followers to live in a way that pleases God; to live in a spirited dance to the guidelines for a pure life laid out by Christ. Grace was not given so God’s family could be covered while we live sinful like the world. Grace is for salvation from sin and the power to live on the outside the new life we have received on the inside.

Christians are those who are committed to live in Christ. We can all say we accept the work of Christ for salvation and eternal life, but that is only true when we actually follow Christ toward holiness with the Holy Spirit. This is what it means to “know” God. This is the definition of a Christian—we invite the Spirit to make us in Christ’s likeness by following his teachings.

This Sunday we begin our celebration of Christ’s first advent, but we also wait and watch with great hope for his second advent when he returns for his followers. Is our greatest hope for Christ to find us living each day in a spirited dance for his glory?

Prayer: Lord, when you come back for your spiritual family, may I be dancing with hope and living each day in your power and under your holy gaze. In your second coming, may you break through the eastern sky and see your reflection in your family…please Lord in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Colossians 3:17 The Message
Let every detail in your lives – words, actions, whatever – be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

We have probably all heard the saying “it’s all in the details!” It basically means that many times small things matter as much as big things; sometimes small details matter more. That may not always be true in the world’s perspective or culture, but it is certainly true in God’s kingdom economy. The Spirit of the Lord is in the big and small details of your life and he is working everything out for your highest and best. The details hold your blessings, so be grateful for how God diligently and divinely directs your paths. As believers, if we fail to become grateful in word and action, we will lean toward bitterness. Honor to God and gratitude for his care is like a guardrail protecting us from the ditch of bitterness. May seem like a small detail not worth sweating about to some folks, but is it?

You may not understand it all nor celebrate the sacrifices you have been called to make, but you can still be grateful for your life and purpose in God’s story. God’s plans are higher than your plans, because his thoughts are higher than your thoughts. God wants our baby steps of contented faith to grow into leaps of courageous evil-conquering faith. Evil has certainly been busy in 2020, and we have been called to make some leaps we never saw coming.

So, this Thanksgiving Day, put on a spirit of gratitude; give him glory. God blesses us all the time; his very presence in us is the greatest blessing we will ever experience. The Lord is in the righteous details, my friends, and he is making you into a trophy of his grace every step of the way. Happy Thanksgiving!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the many, many blessings you have poured into my life this year alone. I’m so grateful for the details of your love and care. Let my words and actions be done in Jesus’ name as you direct my steps. Amen.

Psalm 7:14-15
14–15 Look how the wicked conceive their evil schemes.
They go into labor with their lies and give birth to trouble.
They dig a pit for others to fall into,
not knowing that they will be the very ones
who will fall into their own pit of failure.
16 For you, God, will see to it that every pit-digger
who works to trap and harm others
will be trapped and harmed by his own treachery.
17 But I will give all my thanks to you, Lord,
for you make everything right in the end.
I will sing my highest praise to the God of the Highest Place.

In our passage today, King David praises God for dealing with the pit-diggers in his life. Other biblical leaders found themselves dealing with wicked schemers, too. Joseph had to deal with his brothers, as well as Potiphar’s wife. Esther had to deal with Haman. Jesus had to deal with the Pharisees.

Have you experienced the work of pit-diggers?The pit-diggers are those who seek to trap others, but their desire to destroy will backfire in time. They will come face-to-face with God and he will turn the tables to make things right for his chosen ones. All the lying, cheating and scheming the wicked do will only bring themselves trouble with God. Give thanks to the Lord, today, for he faithfully deals with the work of the wicked. Sing praises of gratitude for the Lord knows how to make things right in your life.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for protecting me from wicked pit-diggers. I know you will see they are trapped by their own wicked devices. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 28:6-9
6 But may your name be blessed and built up!
For you have answered my passionate cry for mercy.
7 You are my strength and my shield from every danger.
When I fully trust in you, help is on the way.
I jump for joy and burst forth with ecstatic, passionate praise!
I will sing songs of what you mean to me!
8 You will be the inner strength of all your people,
the mighty protector of all,
the saving strength for all your anointed ones.
9 Keep protecting and cherishing your chosen ones; in you they will never fall.
Like a shepherd going before us, keep leading us forward, forever carrying us in your arms!

In our passage today, King David reminds us about the importance of our actions to invoke the powerful presence of God. David sings of God’s provision “when” he fully trusts the Lord. The word “when” is a very powerful conjunction in Scripture; it means “every time that…”. Every time that we place our trust in Christ, the Anointed One, to get us through something difficult, we are assured that help is on the way. We must choose to trust the Lord over all other people or things. He desires to be the Helper for his chosen ones. So, as you venture into your day, remember any time you approach something that challenges you take time to bow, pray, and place your trust in Christ. He is your saving strength!

Prayer: Lord, I need your saving strength everyday, so I fully place my trust in you, today. Protect me and my family; be our Shepherd and carry us in your arms. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

2 Timothy 2:8-13

8 But make Jesus, the Anointed One, your focus in life and ministry. For he came to earth as the descendant of David and rose from the dead, according to the revelation of the gospel that God has given me. 9 This is the reason I am persecuted and imprisoned by evildoers, enduring the suffering of these chains—but the Word of God can never be chained! 10 I endure all these hardships for the benefit of the chosen ones in Christ so that they may also discover the overcoming life that is in Jesus Christ, and experience a glory that lasts forever!
11 You can trust these words:
If we were joined with him in his death, then we are joined with him in his life! 12 If we are joined with him in his sufferings, then we will reign together with him in his triumph. But if we disregard him, then he will also disregard us. 13 But even if we are faithless, he will still be full of faith, for he never wavers in his faithfulness to us!

We all crave the freedom to make our own choices, but sometimes the choices we must make for the sake of Christ the Anointed One are actually really hard or even painful. Christ may lead us into difficult situations to make choices that help us, as his followers, better understand and experience his life on earth. We may face persecution for our choices if we are committed to shine for the glory of God as the “chosen ones.”

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul exhorts Timothy to preach the revelation of the gospel so the chosen ones might know the life of Christ. Who are the chosen ones? They are the people who allow Christ, the righteous Lord, room [to rule] in their hearts. They are the ones who know the word of God is life and are willing to face the persecution and death of their flesh or sinful nature in order to glorify the rule of Christ in their lives. They are the ones who understand to disobey the word of God is to deny Christ. Lastly, they know by the Spirit their destiny in Christ is to become the living word of God to others in the world.

Prayer: Lord, please make my life a testimony of your presence living in me. Thank you for choosing me to reflect the living word. Help me to obey your word and to be faithful to my destiny, because you are always faithful. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Matthew 12:46-50 TPT
Jesus’ True Family
46 While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers came and stood outside, asking for him to come out and speak with them. 47 Then someone said, “Look, your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to have a word with you.” 48 But Jesus just looked at him and said, “Let me introduce you to my true mother and brothers.” 49 Then gesturing to the disciples gathered around him, he said, “Look closely, for this is my true family. 50 When you obey my heavenly Father, that makes you a part of my true family.”

In our passage today, while Jesus is teaching to a crowd of people, he is given a message that his mother and brothers request his attention. Seems like a reasonable interruption since Jesus is presently preoccupied with a crowd of strangers. Jewish tradition is focused on honoring one’s mother and father. So, Jesus’ answer probably takes many of those listening by surprise. How a Jew loves and honors his or her parents reflects how that person loves and honors God.

The truth of God’s spiritual family can easily be misunderstood if we do not allow the Spirit to help us view things from an eternal perspective. We are called to love and honor God above all other people, bloodlines, relationships, or traditions; obedience to love Father God first and wholeheartedly. In our passage, Jesus’ comments reflect that obedience and truth. People may want to claim Jesus as their heir and brother, but he does not want anyone to get the wrong idea of what connects people to the Father’s true (eternal) family. If we truly want to be in Christ’s spiritual family, we will put God first and obey his commands.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making things clear about how I can rest assured of being a member of your family. Thank you for an eternal perspective. Help me to honor you and your commands better each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Praise God
100:4-5

A poetic song for thanksgiving

4 You can pass through his open gates with the password of praise.
Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him and affectionately bless his beautiful name!

5 For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you.
He’s so loving that it will amaze you—
so kind that it will astound you!
And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted,
for he keeps his promises to every generation!

Two words are extremely important to our Father. In fact, two words sincerely expressed from the heart comprise the password which opens the gate to the Lord’s presence. These two words are very powerful in all relationships, but sadly many people fail to use them anymore. What are these two words? Thank you! How many ways will you find to say thank you to God today? He is ready to receive you to himself.

Prayer: Father, thank you for all you have done, are doing, and will forever do to care for me. I place all my trust in you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.