Pastor Mary Haley

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!

Every single day I ask the Lord for help of some kind. I have no trouble admitting that if I go into a day without asking for the Lord’s help, I will fall short of bringing him glory and honor. Sometimes I ask for the Lord to help me be courageous, strong, and resilient. Sometimes I ask for the Lord to help me forgive, be humble, believe the best of others, and grow in how I love all people. Sometimes I ask the Lord to help me trust his plan even though I may not see things clearly. We must stay the course and never give up, because the Lord is with us and has promised to lead us all the way to glory. He will lead us today and he will lead us into tomorrow, but we must take the necessary steps forward.

Our passage today, reminds me of the song lyrics by Doyle Dawson and Quicksilver, “Just hold on a little longer help is on the way. A better day is coming for those who believe and pray. Help won’t help tomorrow, if you give up today. Just hold on a little longer, help is on the way.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the power of prayer, your offer to be the Helper I need, and for the work of faith that causes me to take each step. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

2 Peter 2:4-10 TPT

4 Now, don’t forget, God had no pity for the angels when they sinned [rebelled against God] but threw them into the lowest, darkest dungeon of gloom [hell] and locked them in chains, where they are firmly held until the judgment of torment.

5 And he did not spare the former world in the days of Noah when he sent a flood to destroy a depraved world [devoid of awe for God] although he protected Noah, the preacher of righteousness, along with seven members of his family.

6 And don’t forget that he reduced to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, condemning them to ruin and destruction. God appointed them to be examples as to what is coming to the ungodly. 7 Yet he rescued a righteous man, Lot, suffering the indignity of the unbridled lusts of the lawless. 8 For righteous Lot lived among them day after day, distressed in his righteous soul by the rebellious deeds he saw and heard.

9 If the Lord Yahweh rescued Lot, he knows how to continually rescue the godly from their trials and to reserve the ungodly for punishment on the day of judgment. 10 And this especially applies to those who live their lives despising authorities and who abandon themselves to chasing the depraved lusts of their flesh.

History was written and preserved, so we “don’t forget.” The Bible is preserved to provide a history of God as he reveals himself as the Creator and establishes his authority within his creation. It is written so we “don’t forget” the ways of God and his expectations for the human race to receive his love, redemption, and salvation. God desires to have a relationship with his creation. In our passage today, we want to remember how God did not spare even the angels when they rebelled against his authority. Throughout biblical history, rebellious human beings have had to face the judgment of God for their lawless sin. According to Scripture, every human being must face the responsibility of his or her choices. If we choose to rebel against God and his authority to govern our lives, we will face judgment. We will either be examples to the world of righteousness (right standing with God) or wicked lawlessness (rebellion against God). While some in our culture would like to erase history, may those who are wise take this time to get right with God; “don’t forget!”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving your creation so much that you left us with your written Word so we do not forget your love, work of redemption, or righteous expectations for us. I will not forget. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 105: 1-6 CEV
The Lord Can Be Trusted
1
Praise the Lord
    and pray in his name!
    Tell everyone
    what he has done.
2 
Sing praises to the Lord!
    Tell about his miracles.
3 
Celebrate and worship
his holy name
    with all your heart.
4 
Trust the Lord
    and his mighty power.
5 
Remember his miracles
and all his wonders
    and his fair decisions.
6 
You belong to the family
    of Abraham, his servant;
    you are his chosen ones,
    the descendants of Jacob.

I am encouraging you to participate in a “praise-a-thon” that erupts from your mouth, is texted or penned through your hand, every single day that draws attention away from the world and casts it upon the Savior. What if we shared words of praise and images of abundant life instead of words or images of negativity or defeat? As believers and followers of the Word, we will never be defeated; we will always overcome in Christ. The Lord has done great miracles in my life; his power has been revealed over and over and over again and I am sure it is the same for you because he is no respecter of persons! The world is a mess, because it is feasting on an evil and destructive lawless spirit and not the Word of God. We belong to Christ—a Kingdom people fed truth—and you are his treasure—Beloved of the Lord. Let’s praise the one who is enthroned in our hearts! (Ps. 22:3)

Prayer: Lord, thank you for calling me into your family. Please let my praise-filled words and the worship of my heart bless you and be an example to others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 85:8-12 Living Bible
8 I am listening carefully to all the Lord is saying—for he speaks peace to his people, his saints, if they will only stop their sinning. 9 Surely his salvation is near to those who reverence him; our land will be filled with his glory.

10 Mercy and truth have met together. Grim justice [righteousness] and peace have kissed! 11 Truth rises from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven.

12 Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings on the land, and it yields its bountiful crops. 13 Justice goes before him to make a pathway for his steps. [we are set in the ways of his steps]

In our passage today, the psalmist reminds us that reverence (fear of the Lord) leads to divine forgiveness and the restoration of our love and joy for God and his presence in our lives. We need God to revive us by pouring his love over us as individuals and as a community of believers worldwide. God promises to care for his own—those who will listen carefully to the Spirit and walk in obedience to the Word. The quality of his care is seen in the love, truth, righteousness and peace we have been imparted for our new life in Christ. Believers are new creations in Christ; born from above. We are not born again so we can be tolerant of sin; our lives now reveal the presence of peace and the work of righteousness for his glory. We are not born again so we can listen to the lies of the enemy which leads to destruction; our lives now reveal the Truth of God’s Word transforming us from glory to glory. We need the blessings of the Lord in our land, so pray for righteousness to rise up in believers everywhere and pave the way for his steps—his glory and eternal reign. He is the King of Glory who is returning for his own and we serve him with our very lives!

Prayer: Come Lord, Jesus! Revive me in your love and help me to reveal truth, righteousness, and peace. May I be set in the ways of your steps! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Isaiah 43: 1-2
The Savior of Israel (People chosen by God for a purpose)
1
But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
    O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 
When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.

In our passage today, believers should recognize God’s faithfulness to protect us from the things that would normally destroy us. The strength of God is essential and all we need to do, as God’s children, is to humble ourselves and cry out for help. Fear is not the proper response of believers, because we belong to God and acknowledge his authority to govern our lives. Faith in his promise to love us is where we must stand, because he has chosen to stand with us and save us. If God be for us, who can be against us?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for saving me and being with me when I feel like the waters of life rush to knock me off my feet. Thank you for your promise to walk with me through difficult times, so I am not drained of spiritual focus and energy in serving your Kingdom. Thank you for the power of grace that deflects the oppression that exists in the world, so as you walk with me I do not find myself possessed by fear. You are GOOD to me Lord and I praise you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 2:42-47
The Community of Believers
42 Every believer was faithfully devoted to following the teachings of the apostles. Their hearts were mutually linked to one another,[connected in Christ] sharing communion and coming together regularly for prayer. 43 A deep sense of holy awe [fear or respect of the Lord] swept over everyone, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.[in Jerusalem] 44 All the believers were in fellowship as one body, and they shared with one another whatever they had. 45 Out of generosity they even sold their assets to distribute the proceeds to those who were in need among them. 46 Daily they met together in the temple courts and in one another’s homes to celebrate communion. They shared meals together with joyful hearts and tender humility. 47 They were continually filled with praises to God, enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were coming to life.

The early Church or the Body of Christ understood the need to love and care for one another. These early believers needed to gather in order to gain a holy perspective and revelation of the life Christ died to provide. As believers, we need to understand the power of life together in Christ. The gathering of believers to strengthen one another is an act of obedience that leads to power, provision, and wholeness. It is why the enemy strategically works to hinder and halt spiritual assembly. We need the fellowship of one another; otherwise, the Body lacks all its parts and therefore lacks vitality. If God has called you to a Body of believers and you are not attending due to Covid 19, we understand, but you are going to be terribly missed and the whole will experience your absence. I know I am missing many members of my spiritual family right now.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for creating us to be a community of believers. We need you and we need one another. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Matthew 7:7-8 (TPT
7 “Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door.

Being persistent is a necessity in life; we must continue a course of action even against opposition and discouragement. To be victorious in our spiritual lives, we must be persistent in turning our attention and energies away from the world and toward God. This is a daily practice to which every believer is called. In our passage today, Jesus is teaching those listening about prayer and being persistent in their search for God. We must ask God from a humble posture, because we must be honest about our need for help. We seek God from a hungry state, because the world has left us spiritually unfulfilled, drained, and empty. We knock on heaven’s doors, because we know only God can open opportunities for us that bring meaning to our lives. So, ask, seek, and knock, today!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping me remain persistent in my prayers. I turn my attention and energies toward you, because I need you above all things. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Romans 9:6-13 (TPT)
6 Clearly, God has not failed to fulfill his promises to Israel, for that will never happen! But not everyone who has descended from Israel belongs to Israel. 7 Physical descent from Abraham doesn’t guarantee the inheritance, because God has said: “Through Isaac your descendants will be counted as part of your lineage.”

8 This confirms that it is not merely the natural offspring of Abraham who are considered the children of God; rather, the children born because of God’s promise are counted as descendants [children of the kingdom]. 9 For God promised Abraham: “In nine months from now your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”

God’s Freedom of Choice
10 Now, this son was our ancestor, Isaac, who, with his wife, Rebekah, conceived twins. 11–12 And before her twin sons were born, God spoke to Rebekah and said: “The oldest will serve the younger.”

God spoke these words before the sons had done anything good or bad, which proves that God calls people not on the basis of their good or bad works, but according to his divine purpose. 13 For in the words of Scripture: “Jacob I have chosen, but Esau I have rejected.”

We all want freedom of choice for our lives. Today, even in the midst of Covid 19 limitations, you will make many choices. Some of the choices you will make out of necessity, some out of habit, and some out of interest or desire. With every choice comes the responsibility of gaining wisdom and understanding about how each choice impacts our lives, as well as the lives around us. Our righteous choices, as well as our sinful choices affect others. We were created to seek God for salvation individually, as well as live to honor him as a whole; this is God’s divine purpose for the world.

Here’s something I believe people either forget or are completely ignorant to the truth of life with God. God has complete freedom of choice. God chose Abraham, gave him a promise to bless his descendants, and Abraham responded to God and chose to have faith in his Word. God chose himself as the standard of holiness and love for those who would choose to recognize and repent from sinning against God. God chose himself as the Savior and came into the world to pay the penalty of sin for those who would choose to be born of the promise and belong to God. God chose his Spirit and character to occupy his obedient children who would choose to live by faith in the promise and provision of God. You and I do not have any power to control these choices put into place by our Creator God; we do have the freedom of choice to respond with honor.

Prayer: Lord, I desire to honor your divine purpose in my life. Thank you for all you have done to provide me a life of blessing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Philippians 4:12-13 (TPT)
12–13 I know what it means to lack,[be humbled] and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance. For I’m trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger. And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty.

Let’s be honest. Sometimes, during life, we have to make major adjustments in order to handle the unplanned or unavoidable challenges in which we find ourselves. Recently in our country, many people have had to make major adjustments in order to deal with the injury left in the wake of Covid 19 and the CDC directed mandates. We have had to face and seek to overcome financial and emotional trauma imposed upon us like a suffocating blanket to our freedom, security, and our relationships. Some people were fortunate to be able to work from home or work in an “essential” area; therefore, financial support remained consistent even though they may have been forced to face a state of emotional trauma that left them feeling isolated and alone. However, for those people who were laid off, furloughed, or forced to closed their businesses, it stretched and depleted their resources for living, as well as pushed them emotionally into an unsettled or helpless state of thinking and existing. Whatever lack people face in life, whether they realize it or not, the spiritual need is the same; everyone needs the Conquering Savior. And, just to be clear, although I honor our government structure, the government is not your savior. In God we Trust!

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul shares about the power of God’s conquering Spirit to take him through the financial and emotional challenges of life. In Christ, Paul learns to adjust and trust no matter what is going on. He puts his faith in the power of Christ to gain the strength of God so he can endure and press through every difficulty. The beauty of life with Christ, as the Lord of our lives, is we never face things alone. Even when we are financially strapped or emotionally weary, God is powerful and his Spirit rises to bring spiritual power that fuels us with ideas, resources, and hope. Christ teaches and imparts the wisdom to look at things differently, adjust our vantage point, and call for the Helper. I believe the challenges we have been facing is a spiritual training time for Christians and a spiritual wake up call for the unbelieving world. I pray we all pay attention and find our lives under God’s rule for he alone cannot be shaken. He is the Conqueror and the rightful Ruler of every heart who is able to train us in the secret of overcoming all things.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for always being with me to bring the strength I need to overcome every challenge life brings. You make me a conqueror as I trust my life under your rule. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mark 4:30-34 (TPT)
Parable of the Tiny Mustard Seed
30 And he told them this parable: “How can I describe God’s kingdom realm? Let me illustrate it with this parable. 31 It is like the mustard seed, the tiniest of all the seeds, 32 yet when it springs up and grows, it becomes the largest plant in the garden. And with so many enormous spreading branches, even birds can nest in its shade.”[God’s realm will become the greatest Kingdom of all]

Jesus Always Taught Using Parables
33 Jesus used many parables such as these as he taught the people, and they learned according to their ability to understand. 34 He never spoke to them without using parables, but would wait until they were alone before he explained their meanings to his disciples.[Jesus unveils things to his disciples when we are alone with him]

Christianity seems to be under attack in different places in the world. If we listen to the news or read current event articles we are aware of the attacks against Christ and his followers—the Church. Such things should not take us by surprise, because the Word—Jesus—said it would happen. Still, by faith we look for God to make a community of believers in every nation before Christ returns, so we faithfully pray and ask for God to increase us and enlarge our territories. In our passage today, Jesus teaches how the Kingdom has small beginnings, but as people connect to the Word, the Kingdom grows and grows in size and influence. Abide in the Word of God and find yourself growing; thinking and living more like Christ. Make no mistake you need your spiritual armor; Satan is never far from believers. What is his goal? To attack the living Word of Truth in the hearts of believers in order to diminish faith and trust in God’s love and care for his own. You belong to Christ and you are his treasure. Don’t believe Satan; he’s a liar!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your perfect love and care of me each day. I walk by faith knowing I belong to you and I pray for the advancement of your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.