Pastor Mary Haley

Matthew 11:20-24 (NLT) Judgment for the Unbelievers
20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. 21 “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 22 I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.

23 “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.[hell] For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. 24 I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.”

Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum were Jewish villages near the Sea of Galilee where Jesus performed many powerful miracles. Korazin (Chorazin) was known for the quality of its wheat, but it was also filled with great wickedness. In fact, a synagogue in Korazin featured a stone carved head of Medusa—the snake haired goddess. Think about that for a minute. These Jewish people had gotten so far away from their God, they brought a statue from Greek mythology into the synagogue that was dedicated to Yahweh and worshipped this graven image. They broke the covenant, “You must not have any other god but me; do not make for yourself a graven image or idol” (Ex. 20:3-4).

Bethsaida and Capernaum were equally as wicked, because they did not turn from sin even though God in Christ came near to save them. We cannot hold onto wickedness and be near to God. The biblical definition of wickedness is evil committed consciously by free will or evil in practice. These people who thought they had a relationship with Yahweh because of their heritage or race are told by Christ they will receive the harshest judgment for their wickedness because they know better. As Christians, we must realize God’s expectation for us as his covenant people because his word reveals those expectations and we, too, know better. We cannot engage in the practice of evil or one day we will be confronted by the Lord’s judgment, as well.

Prayer: Lord, until you defeat evil once and for all, wickedness will remain a temptation in this world. I pray for my heart to know the Truth of your will and for my will to choose to live it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 John 4:1-6 (TPT) A Warning against False Teaching
4 Delightfully loved friends, don’t trust every spirit, but carefully examine what they say [prophesy] to determine if they are of God, because many false prophets have mingled into the world. 2 Here’s the test for those with the genuine Spirit of God: they will confess Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh [fully human and fully God to bring salvation—God with us]. 3 Everyone who does not acknowledge that Jesus is from God has the spirit of antichrist, which you heard was coming and is already active in the world.

4 Little children, you can be certain that you belong to God and have conquered them,[the spirit of antichrist that denies Jesus the Christ] for the One who is living in you is far greater than the one who is in the world [the devil and the culture of the world]. 5 They belong to this world and they articulate the spirit of this world, and the world listens to them. 6 But we belong to God, and whoever truly knows God listens to us. Those who refuse to listen to us do not belong to God. That is how we can know the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit [antichrist].

The Apostle John teaches in the Word there are eight ways we can discern the difference between a teacher of truth vs. deception: 1) they must confess Jesus as God—perfect and sinless Love—who came in a human body to save humanity through his death, burial and resurrection[vv. 2-3]; 2) they do not condone the spirit and culture of this world under Satan’s rule, rather they obey the commands of the Lord [v. 5]; 3) they listen and honor the Spirit of Truth who makes them fruitful [v. 6]; 4) they demonstrate sacrificial love [vv. 7-21]; 5) the Truth is in them growing and comes out as witnessed and affirmed by the Holy Spirit [vv. 4-6]; 6) they honor the written Word of God as the foundation for life [v. 6, 5:10, 2 Timothy 3:16]; 7) they are overcomers because Christ lives and serves in and through them [v. 4]; and 8) they have a commitment to the Body of Christ to see each member follow Christ’s commands and commission to make more disciples [Ephesians 4:12, 16].

Prayer: Father, in this world that is loaded with accusations and condemnation in every direction, help me to identify between truth and deception then empower me stand for Truth. Your Word teaches Satan is the Accuser of your sons and daughters and he is certainly busy right now. As Truth is revealed to my heart, help me to keep love as my focus for my words and to go about loving others. Help me put a watch over my mouth that I would not sin against you or my brothers and sisters in the faith. Holy Spirit, I offer myself to your work to make me a fit vessel in each of these areas to share the Truth of the Father’s heart and Love found in Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 (TPT) Loving Others
9 There’s no need for anyone to say much to you about loving your fellow believers, for God is continually teaching you to unselfishly love one another. 10 Indeed, your love is what you’re known for throughout Macedonia. We urge you, beloved ones, to let this unselfish love increase and flow through you more and more. 11 Aspire [make it your driving desire] to lead a calm and peaceful life as you mind your own business and earn your living, just as we’ve taught you. 12 By doing this you will live an honorable life, influencing others and commanding respect of even the unbelievers. Then you’ll be in need of nothing and not dependent upon others [self-supporting].

God’s Word teaches the preeminence of love in the lives of believers. In fact, the love God teaches and empowers in our lives increases; it is to flow first to the brothers and sisters in the faith and then out to the world. Do you have a driving desire to remain in peace and live an honorable life? Well, it becomes easier to remain in peace if we will mind our own business and stop pulling the world’s problems into our thought life; otherwise, we give negativity too much power. Recognize the problems, but instead of talking and talking and talking about them all, take time to pray and give every problem up to God. Use your faith and your love for God and others to pray for answers to come. We serve Almighty God to whom nothing is impossible.

Prayer: Lord, I aspire to unselfishly love you and others in an increasing fashion. You make it possible as I stay focused on what is most important—loving by your standard. I pray for our country, government leaders, believers, and unbelievers to gain an overwhelming awareness of your presence, your love, and your ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Luke 17:1-4 (TPT) Teachings about Forgiveness and Faith
One day Jesus taught his disciples this: “Betrayals are inevitable, but great devastation will come to the one guilty of betraying others. 2 It would be better for him to have a heavy boulder tied around his neck and be hurled into the deepest sea than to face the punishment of betraying one of my dear ones! So be alert to your brother’s condition, 3 and if you see him going the wrong direction, cry out and correct him. If there is true repentance on his part, forgive him. 4 No matter how many times in one day your brother sins against you and says, ‘I’m sorry; I am changing; forgive me,’ you need to forgive him each and every time.”

When someone hurts you, please do not pretend it never happened. We are called to be truthful. Otherwise, we will walk around and keep an internal record of the wrong we have endured. If left to grow, it will produce bitterness. Share your feelings with the person who betrayed you, but refrain from telling other people, because that is not an act of love. Then, when the person apologizes it is your duty to forgive and restore them.

Prayer: Lord, help me to be honest when I’m hurt and faithful to forgive. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 89:15-18 (TPT)
15
O Lord, how blessed are the people
who experience the shout of worship,
for they walk in the radiance of your presence.
16
We can do nothing but leap for joy all day long,
for we know who you are and what you do,
and you’ve exalted us on high.
17
The glory of your splendor is our strength,
and your marvelous favor makes us even stronger,
lifting us even higher!
18
You are our King, the holiest one of all;
your wrap-around presence is our protection.

If something wraps-around an object, it shapes to follow a contour or encircles and overlaps. God is love and his abiding presence is available to wrap around every believer. As we remain in his love, our souls (mind/will/emotions) are guided toward God’s protective love; our connection to Christ is essential as he is Perfect Love. In Christ, we cannot spew forth condemnation AND love from our lips at the same time. Either our mouths will speak and reveal the glorious love, strength, and presence of God in our inner lives, or we will give away our energy to the very evil that seeks to overtake and destroy us. Remember, the enemy comes to rob, steal, and destroy the word that leads to Life (John 10:10). And, we cannot serve two masters.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping me understand my own heart better each day. Continue to reveal things to me and renew my mind so I may enjoy the attitude of Christ and produce the fruit of your holiness. I love you! Be glorified in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 86:11-13 (NLT)
11 
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
    that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
    so that I may honor you .
12 
With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
    I will give glory to your name forever,
13 
for your love for me is very great.
    You have rescued me from the depths of death.

In our passage today from the Psalter, David displays his devotion to God. David humbly positions himself to the teachings of the Lord and he desires to walk in the paths of righteousness—that which is right before Almighty God. This is an example of how we should honor the Lord, as well. That word honor is translated “with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder.”

As believers, we bring our lives before God’s Word and we welcome the Spirit to teach us about love and life. We accept the fact that our inclination can lean toward “dead” or fruitless living; sin will always be a temptation the enemy strategically sets before us. So, we call for the mercy and deliverance of the Savior who helps us choose wisely in order to bring glory to the Father. Our submission is an essential key for honoring God and experiencing the wonder of the eternal Kingdom. God desires for us to experience more of himself; therefore, our desires must change in order to experience God’s highest and best for our lives. As life and death is set before us, may we choose the path that leads to life.

Prayer: Lord, two things must remain in my heart: my need for you to teach me and my responsibility to surrender to your Word. May I be quick to lay down my earthly desires in order to rise up and experience your glorious presence moving in my behalf. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Revelation 2:8-11 (TPT) Christ’s Letter to Smyrna
8 Write the following to the messenger of the congregation in Smyrna.[modern day Turkey] For these are the words of the one who is the Beginning and the End, the one who became a corpse, but came back to life:

9 I am aware of all the painful difficulties you have passed through and your financial hardships, even though, in fact, you possess rich treasure. And I am fully aware of the slander [blasphemy] that has come against you from those who claim to be Jews but are really not, for they are a satanic congregation. 10 Do not yield to fear in the face of the suffering to come, but be aware of this: the devil [slanderer and accuser] is about to have some of you thrown into prison to test your faith. For ten days [symbol of completeness] you will have distress, but remain faithful to the day you die and I will give you the victor’s crown of life.[for ruling in divine life] 11 The one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is presently saying to all the churches. The one who conquers will not be harmed by the second death. [hell]

The church at Smyrna was terribly persecuted by the Romans and the so-called Jews; these people suffered great hardship financially, emotionally, and physically. In fact, the name Smyrna comes from the word myrrh which is used as ointment for the suffering and dying. So, in the midst of this intense persecution, rather than complain, the people from the church in Smyrna chose to release a beautiful fragrance of worship before the Lord. They chose to turn their energy toward worship and exalting Christ.

When you are mistreated or suffer from false accusations or slander how do you handle it? Presently, many sons and daughters of God are suffering in some way in our culture; certainly accusations and slander abound in every direction. The enemy desires to exhaust our energy with negativity. My prayer for God’s family is when we experience such persecution, we will focus on exalting our vindicating King so our lives will release a beautiful fragrance of worship, too. In time, the Lord will deal with the Accuser.

Prayer: Lord, help me to remain faithful even in the midst of persecution or slander. I want my life to release a beautiful fragrance of worship before you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Revelation 2:1-7 (TPT) Christ’s Letter to Ephesus
2 Write the following to the messenger of the congregation in Ephesus [translates: Desirable]. For these are the words of the one who holds the seven stars firmly in his right hand, [symbolic of authority and power] who walks among the seven golden lampstands:

2 I know all that you’ve done for me—you have worked hard and persevered. I know that you don’t tolerate evil. You have tested those who claimed to be apostles and proved they are not, for they were imposters. 3 I also know how you have bravely endured trials and persecutions because of my name, yet you have not become discouraged.[endured without complaining] 4 But I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning. 5 Think about how far you have fallen! Repent [take the mind of Christ] and do the works of love you did at first. I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place of influence if you do not repent.

6 Although, to your credit, you despise the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also despise.[rituals to rule over people] 7 The one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying now to all the churches. To the one who overcomes [experiences victory] I will give access to feast on the fruit of the Tree of Life that is found in the paradise of God.[now in the hearts of Christ’s followers]

Whether we are working hard and persevering for Christ, taking a stand against evil, or enduring trials without complaining, our motivation for a life of service must be our passionate love for Christ. In fact, our love for Christ and for each other is how the world should be able to recognize the children of God. And our victory or reward for obediently revealing this great love is the ability to enjoy eternal life now. Is Christ your first love?

Prayer: Lord, you continue to make me stronger each day as I focus on loving you and being a blessing for the Kingdom. Holy Spirit, please continue to help me remain focused. In Jesus’ name.

Acts 5:17-20 (TPT) The Apostles Persecuted
17 The high priest and his officials, who formed the party of the Sadducees, became extremely jealous over all that was happening, 18 so they had the apostles arrested, placed in chains, and thrown into jail. 19 But during the night, the Lord[Yahweh] sent an angel who appeared before them. He supernaturally opened their prison doors and brought the apostles outside. 20 “Go,” the angel told them. “Stand in the temple courts and preach the words that bring life!”

When the Spirit of the Lord is released in the lives of believers and they speak the simple Truth of God’s extravagant love, forgiveness, and grace found in Christ, opposition will come. The enemy always endeavors to silence and snuff out the message that actually witnesses to life with God—Immanuel. In our passage today, the apostles face persecution while sharing the Word of God. This persecution does not come from unbelievers; rather, this persecution comes from legalistic religious spirits who are jealous of the anointing—the healing and restorative power of God outflowing the apostles. Jesus had prepared his followers for this very moment when he taught them about the cost of righteousness on the Mount of Beatitudes. “Blessed [Happy in life with God] are those who are persecuted for righteousness [demonstrating the attributes of God], because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven” (Mat. 5:10-12). So, as we follow Christ, don’t allow evil to hinder you or snuff out your passion. Be an example of life with God!

Prayer: Lord, I want to thank you for surrounding me with such a loving congregation who desire to walk out your righteousness in the life of Christ. As I am persecuted for living right with you, please let me be like the apostles and immediately return to preaching the words of life and modeling my devotion and appreciation for your unfailing love and grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hebrews 2:5-9 (TPT) Jesus, and the Destiny of Believers
5 For God will not place the coming world, of which we speak, under the government of angels. 6 But the Scriptures affirm:
What is man that you would even think about him,
    or care about Adam’s race.
7 
You made him lower than the angels for a little while.
    You placed your glory and honor
    upon his head as a crown.
    And you have given him dominion
    over the works of your hands,
8 
For you have placed everything under his authority. [The authority of God’s Son has not changed since creation] This means that God has left nothing outside the control of his Son, even if presently we have yet to see this accomplished. 9 But we see Jesus, who as a man, lived for a short time lower than the angels [because he took on flesh] and has now been crowned with glorious honor because of what he suffered in his death. For it was by God’s grace that he experienced death’s bitterness on behalf of everyone!

I truly hunger for the rule of the Son and his authority over this world. Since creation Father God has never rescinded his command for his children to take dominion. The problem is that sin confused—having the knowledge of good and evil—every human’s ability to discern God’s will or how he designed his creation to function. Because of this confusion, we need help knowing the difference between what God defines as good and evil. “Woe, to those who call evil good and good evil…” (Isa. 5:20).

Jesus came to bring salvation to humanity by paying the penalty for this sin and opening our eyes to wisdom and understanding so we can live righteously; he sent the Spirit who knows the heart of God on the matter of good and evil. The gift is to have the Word and the Holy Spirit living within us so we can be properly guided to live that which is good. The Word of God teaches the earth will one day be under the rulership of men and women who are under the rulership of Christ. Glory to God!

Prayer: Father, thank you for putting everything in place that keeps my life guided toward that which is good. Help me each day to listen for your voice and chose wisely In Jesus’ name. Amen.