Pastor Mary Haley

September 25, 2018

Proverbs 27:17-21 New Living Translation (NLT)

Character plays a huge role in God’s idea of success and that reality motivated my father and mother.  I was blessed with parents who continually pointed at my responsibility to respect God, others, and myself when it came to success.  We need to include ourselves in that respect line up, because if we disrespect ourselves with how we live we can never get away from ourselves, can we?  You and I can accomplish all kinds of things the world may deem successful, but if we do not develop the right attitudes and character, we can find ourselves filled with lust, greed, pride, and arrogance which snuff the spiritual light and life out of us.

In our proverb today, we are reminded about the need for integrity and great character as an essential  portion of what God calls success.  Praise reveals a lot about our character; it works in our souls like high temperatures test metal.  Do we work just to get praise?  Is that our attitude and goal for success?  When people around us praise everything we do is that the only time we feel good inside?  If we try our hardest and no one praises us do we still feel successful? To grow in true personal success, we must ask ourselves: 1) “why” we do the things we do; 2) “what” we care most about in life; and 3) “where” we want to lead other people by our words and actions.

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September 24, 2018

James 4:8-17  New Living Translation (NLT)

God is calling his children toward holiness; he is getting us ready for his second coming.  We can judge ourselves and submit to his purification process, or we can wait for God to judge us and purify us then. According to God, it is an easier path and pleases God for us to submit and draw close to him now.   If we are going to embrace God’s plan as his children, we are going to need to stay on the path with his instructions and welcome the purification process as he deems necessary.  He is the only one who can make us holy, because he is holy.  

In our passage today, the Apostle James is calling for the people of God to stop being divided in how they are living.  They have allowed the world and their flesh to tempt them and cause them to deviate from their devotion to God. In true fashion, we like to look at the lives of others so we can say we are more holy than “that person.”  But, judging another person is not our job.  So, if we are inclined to judge others, we should stop, get out the duct tape, put it over our mouths, and bow our own lives before God.  Keeping track of our own sins and repenting is enough work to keep us busy. Amen?

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September 21, 2018

Romans 11:25-32 The Message (MSG)

In God’s economy of love, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord benefits.  God loves everyone so he opens the door for relationship and everyone who reaches for God experiences that love.  It’s really a win-win, because God extends love and receives love as we receive love and return love.  

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul is sharing about Israel—the people of God—and their future since many Jews rejected their Messiah in his first coming.  Can there still be a win-win?  Can Gentiles and Jews find themselves being loved by a holy God even though at one time we were both outside of his love?   According to Scripture, God has the final say over all creation.  He has declared to be faithful to his “oldest friends.”

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September 20, 2018

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

In yesterday’s devotion, we were reminded of two kinds of wisdom:  heavenly and earthly. According to James, “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere” (3:17). 

In our lesson today, the Apostle Paul—who had a dramatic encounter with the risen Christ on the Road to Damascus—was sharing his story with others in Corinth about Jesus.  Greek culture valued earthly wisdom, so those listening to Paul wanted to argue point by point with the purpose of pridefully proving him wrong.  Paul let these folks know he did not base his words on earthly wisdom and rhetoric; rather, his words of wisdom were heavenly empowered by the Spirit of truth who raised Jesus Christ from the dead.  No argument could refute Paul’s experience with Christ; it happened (truth) and it changed Paul’s whole mindset and direction for life.  Earthly wisdom had nothing to do with it and deserves no credit according to Paul. Heavenly wisdom is imparted through faith in Christ.

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September 19, 2018

Proverbs 29:15-20 The Message (MSG)

There are two kinds of wisdom: earthly and heavenly.  Heavenly wisdom is essential to spiritual victory.  We are to allow heavenly wisdom to guide all of our paths and when we do so God leads us into spiritual success in His shalom.  God has promised to never leave us or forsake us, so the presence of the Spirit of Christ must speak and we must listen.  

Wisdom grows as we allow God’s Word to correct us in order to transform our souls (mind, will, emotion) and reestablish our lives according to God’s plumbline who is Jesus Christ.  It means discipline and that is never really enjoyable.  However, when we allow God to correct us we become so much stronger.  Then, it becomes easier for others to see Christ as the standard to which we have chosen to connect. Our part is to pause long enough to gain God’s will and then do the next thing He asks of us.  

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September 18, 2018

Colossians 3:1-11 New Living Translation (NLT)

When I was a child, I loved playing the game hide and seek.  I was petite for my age, so I could find some great places to hide until I wanted to be found.  Sometimes spiritual things are hidden or veiled. God is all about order and timing; until his appointed time arrives some things remain hidden no matter how diligent we seek. 

According to Scripture, our lives in Christ are somewhat hidden from the world until God decides the time to reveal him in us.  Can you imagine what that appointed time will be like?  In a twinkling of an eye to be found in the complete likeness of Jesus!  It will be revealed that Christ is tabernacling or inhabiting us.  Until that day, while we are hidden in Christ, we must allow the work of the Spirit to transform us from the inside out for the new life; to give us new desires as we put to death our old way of living. Everyone who believes in the work of Christ’s redeeming love is on this hidden journey and seeks to be found living the new life.  Christ is the Master of this spiritual hide and seek.  I am ready to be found…are you?

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September 17, 2018

Proverbs 22:1-21 New Living Translation (NLT)

The Book of Proverbs shares practical snippets of wisdom for living; that wisdom is usually contrasted with a foolish way to live. We can choose to live wisely or foolishly. For those who desire to serve God and live in fellowship with him, we seek to follow the righteous path vs. the foolish path. Yet, we cannot do that in our own strength or righteousness.  Good behavior alone does not bring salvation; belief in Christ brings salvation and a desire to please God.

God desires for us to have a pure heart before him and Jesus brings deliverance and forgiveness; we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s pure requirements. Our sin has caused us to be separated from God.  Jesus is the Savior who died for humanity and paid the price for our sin-filled lives, so we could re-connect with the Father.  The blood of Jesus makes spiritual purity possible and obedience to God’s Word keeps our hearts tender and ready for the change new life in Christ requires.  To stay on the righteous path, we must be willing to allow the work of the Spirit to bring transformation to how we think, how we speak, and how we act.  Because of Jesus, we can enjoy life with God; the way we were originally created to live before human sin.  So, practice wisdom and follow the Lord with your life.

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September 14, 2018

James 2:17-26 Contemporary English Version (CEV)

According to the Bible, every child of faith is called to share “good deeds.” It is a natural outflow of spiritual salvation in the grace of God.  Apart from the grace of God we are spiritually empty.  God generously (even ecstatically) gives of himself pouring love into us and awaits our response.  What will we do with what we have been given?  

Good deeds are actions of obedience that come from having Christ as the Lord of our lives.  Christ brings a lifestyle change; he shifts our perspective from our own inclination of selfishness and turns it toward his generous heart.  The Holy Spirit helps us live each day with the desire to glorify God by releasing good everywhere we go, because in essence it is releasing God.  True faith—a living faith—involves a commitment of one’s whole self to the work of God which must include good deeds.

In our passage today, James is reminding the early church that faith is more than a mental or emotional assent to God.  As well, it is more than just giving a bunch of supplies to the needy.  Faith is revealed in how we live each day in response to a loving God and being willing to share the love of Christ with others in tangible ways.  This is the path of lasting joy.   Live in his joy, today!

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September 13, 2018

Hebrews 11:17-22 Good News Translation (GNT)

What do you prize most or hold dear in life?  Sometimes we hold possessions, people, jobs, dreams, etc.; yet, God must be our first love.  Uncontrolled circumstances in life have a way of revealing what we hold most dear.  This morning I am praying for the people whose lives are about to be impacted and faith tested with the approach of Hurricane Florence to the southeastern coast of the United States.  I ask you to join me in prayer as this storm will be devastating to many, many people.  May those with living faith in God’s love grab ahold of him for strength, courage, shelter, supply and find him faithful.  May those searching for the truth of God—in the midst of the storm—find their eyes have been opened to the existence, great power, and love of God who promises to raise humanity from the ashes of this temporal life into eternal life.

Living faith is speaking and acting in a way today about what we believe God has promised to provide and do in the future.  It is walking in obedience to God when our faith is tested like Abraham, remaining hopeful when everything in us wants to feel discouraged because only pieces of his promise have manifest.  Living faith is holding on to the promise even if it does not take place in our lifetime like Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.  Living faith is built on eternal promises and the character of Almighty God and acts accordingly.  When life challenges us and our faith is tempted to topple, we must remember God has perfect character and he has promised to provide for his children.  We may trust Abba!

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September 12, 2018

Matthew 17:14-15 Amplified Bible (AMP)

As we explored in our passage on Monday, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things yet unseen.  As we learned from our passage on Tuesday, we must have faith that when God corrects us and disciplines us, he sees something in us that must be surrendered so we can move forward in his plan.  In our passage today, Jesus tells the disciples the reason they were unable to cast out a demon was because of their “little faith.”

Our faith can move mountains, but that faith must be “living faith.”  In other words, our faith must be accompanied by actions that reveal our devotion and our confidence in God.  Our lives will bear the fruit of active faith as we put ourselves in God’s hands and allow the Spirit to make us more like Jesus who knew the will of God. With God all things are possible and he works upon our faith.  So continue to set your faith out for the work of good…of God.

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