Pastor Mary Haley Daily Reading: 9-13-16
2 Peter 3:8-13 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
What do you look forward to each day? I look forward to enjoying relationships because that is what I value the most. In our passage, today, I notice God values relationships so much that he wants everyone saved. I am amazed by the intensity of God’s mercy. Yet, I am aware from reading our text that his eternal judgment will be severe. We need to be ready by accepting salvation in Christ.
Daily Reading: 9-12-16
1 Timothy 1:18-19 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
With regard to your faith, can you honestly say you lean completely on God with absolute trust and confidence in His guidance? The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to his spiritual son, Timothy. In it, Paul reminded Timothy to keep the faith, as well as maintain a clear conscience. In order to maintain a clear conscience, we must do what we know is right. When we ignore our consciences, our conviction for right and wrong diminishes.
Daily Reading: 9-9-16
Psalm 51:1-10Living Bible (TLB)
Scripture teaches that sin (rejection of God’s ways) comes with consequences. King David had an affair with a married woman and killed her husband. The consequences of that sin were long lasting and caused David great emotional pain; brokenness. But God forgave David’s sin and cleansed him of sin’s residue. God is the Healer of the brokenhearted. He is always interested in creating a clean heart within us and we need cleansing because we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. May we ask for forgiveness and receive healing.
Psalm 51:1-10
1 Written after Nathan the prophet had come to inform David of God’s judgment against him because of his adultery with Bathsheba, and his murder of Uriah, her husband.
O loving and kind God, have mercy. Have pity upon me and take away the awful stain of my transgressions. 2 Oh, wash me, cleanse me from this guilt. Let me be pure again. 3 For I admit my shameful deed—it haunts me day and night. 4 It is against you and you alone I sinned and did this terrible thing. You saw it all, and your sentence against me is just. 5 But I was born a sinner, yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. 6 You deserve honesty from the heart; yes, utter sincerity and truthfulness. Oh, give me this wisdom.
7 Sprinkle me with the cleansing blood[a] and I shall be clean again. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 And after you have punished me, give me back my joy again. 9 Don’t keep looking at my sins—erase them from your sight. 10 Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for creating a clean heart within me with right thoughts and right desires. Help me to continue to follow your ways, so joy fills me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Reading: 9-8-16
1 Timothy 1:1-11 The Message (MSG)
The Good News of the Gospel is that we can know and enjoy the love of God when our hearts are open to making Jesus the Lord. God desires for us to open our lives up to His rule. As you will read in our passage today, the law was given to bring revelation to to God’s family, so they would know when their lives were off track; when they had wandered off to live according to their own desires and inclinations. The law was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Now, when Jesus comes to live in our hearts, we are conformed to God by love and grace. The Spirit helps us turn from sin in order to keep our hearts pure before God. We are free, but not to live any way we want to live. We are to live freely under the authority of God’s Word.
Daily Reading: 9-7-16
Luke 18:18-30 Living Bible (TLB)
Sometimes Christ’s Word can make us feel very uncomfortable. Jesus can ask for us to follow him by surrendering something that makes us feel secure or to which we base our identity. What makes you feel secure or important? What is it that makes you feel like you stand out from the crowd? Chances are the thing that makes you feel the most important has the greatest chance of robbing you of receiving something even better. God is Good and He desires to bring forth supernatural promises, but sometimes we have to let go of what is presently in our hands.
In today’s reading, Jesus encounters a man who gains his worth and value out of his money and possessions. These things give the man a sense of authority and power in his community. Jesus asks the rich man to give it all away to the poor and follow him. The lesson for this man will be to find his security and identity in Christ; not his money or his possessions. God wants to take care of him. Great blessings await the rich man and Jesus reminds him of that truth. But, the request is just too much to ask and the man walks away humanly rich but spiritually robbed. If we are going to follow Christ into Kingdom living, we must focus on what we have to gain; rather, than focus on what God has asked us to surrender.
Daily Reading: 9-6-16
1 Timothy 3:14-4:2 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
The truth of the gospel is that Jesus was both divine and human, so we could know salvation. It’s a mystery that can cause people to doubt and stumble. However, because of Jesus, we can enjoy a divine relationship with God while our human nature is being made holy by the Spirit. If you think about it, you will realize it is an indescribable gift. Jesus lived in perfect harmony with Father God. We can do the same, because Jesus is Truth and Christ lives in us.
Division is always trying to pop up in the faith community to send the teaching of God’s love off course. Satan lies to our human side; we have to forbid him access to our thoughts. As well, we need to be able to identify when others are lying as instruments of Satan’s deception. We must turn our spiritual ear toward the Truth (the Spirit bears witness) so we can keep growing in the unity of faith that is modeled by Christ.
Daily Reading: 9-2-16
Psalm 1 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
If I were to ask you what makes you happy, how would you answer my question? Many people think happiness is based on temporal pleasures; when everything in life is going well we can be happy. Yet, Scripture teaches that happiness is actually simply knowing and following Truth (Jesus). We were created to live in the Truth of God’s love through the Savior. It is how God made us. So, when we do not align our lives with the Truth, we may know fleeting pleasure but not biblical happiness. If we are not discovering and following the Truth with our lives, who are we following? The advice of the Liar.
The word blessed is translated “happy or to be envied.” In our passage today, the Psalmist laid out the Way to Happiness or blessing; the way to success in everything we do.
Daily Reading: 9-1-16
Psalm 139:1-6 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
How does God know what’s going on inside us? In our passage from the Psalter, we are reminded that God looks in our hearts; He knows our desires. God knows our thoughts; he discovers them from heaven. God knows what we are going to say before we even open our mouths. Yikes! That thought comforts me and startles me all at the same time. God knows me.
Daily Reading: 8-31-16
Luke 14:15-24 Living Bible (TLB)
Like an excellent Host, God has extended two invitations for people to enter the Kingdom. One invitation was through Moses and the prophets; this was really to announce an upcoming event. Many religious people received this invitation. The second invitation was when God sent his Son into the world to announce the guests should now come because everything is ready for relationship. This second invitation has been met with all kinds of excuses through the years.
Our present culture may use different excuses, but they are still excuses for not attending and feasting on spiritual provision that is found in a relationship with Christ. By making excuses, people find themselves in spiritual starvation. How sad when the feast is ready and waiting.
While Jesus was having dinner with friends and family, he was sharing with them about the invitation to enter the Kingdom. A man listening to Jesus and witnessing his glory still did not understand how one could enter the Kingdom. So Jesus told the following parable.
Daily Reading: 8-29-16
Psalm 119:65-72 New Living Translation (NLT)
If I have calculated things correctly, today would have been Mother and Dad’s 68th wedding anniversary. It is hard to believe but it has been six years since Dad went home to be with Jesus; I miss him. In fact, I have thought a lot about Dad recently. He was a strict parent, but a good one. When Dad told us to do something; he meant it and wanted it done quickly. More than once I dallied too long and found myself in the thick of a discipline moment.
It can be the same with our heavenly Father. Sometimes we can be so slow to follow God’s commands for our lives we find ourselves being disciplined. God is honored when we pay attention to His Word and quickly step out to follow. In our passage today, the Psalmist reminds us what a blessing it is when we allow God to teach us.
Psalm 119:65-72
65
You have done many good things for me, Lord,
just as you promised.
66
I believe in your commands;
now teach me good judgment and knowledge.
67
I used to wander off until you disciplined me;
but now I closely follow your word.
68
You are good and do only good;
teach me your decrees.
69
Arrogant people smear me with lies,
but in truth I obey your commandments with all my heart.
70
Their hearts are dull and stupid,
but I delight in your instructions.
71
My suffering was good for me,
for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.
72
Your instructions are more valuable to me
than millions in gold and silver.
Prayer: Father, please continue to teach and instruct me; I need you. I want to thank you for the times you have disciplined me, too. I have learned many valuable insights even from my mistakes; I thank you for my ability to recognize the truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
