Pastor Mary Haley

May 2, 2018

John 14:21-28 The Message (MSG)

Jesus left us with two commandment.  He said all the other commands of Father God could be summed up this way:  “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

We are to love the LORD—Christ who is the visible image of the invisible God—with all our hearts.  That means we love him and obey him; in other words we keep his commandments of love.  How blessed we are that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to help and teach us to love the way God requires. You may feel that certain people are beyond your capability to love and that may be true.  But they are not beyond God’s capability to love through you.  We must allow God’s love to flow.  Stay strong and stay committed to love the LORD and allow him to have his way of love in and through your life. 

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May 1, 2018

James 3:17-18 New Living Translation (NLT)

Wisdom is revealed by the depth of a person’s Christ-like character.  If we are operating in true wisdom, we are sincere and our lives demonstrate integrity or wholeness; our actions accurately reflect what is on the inside.  If we have wisdom operating on the inside it will be confirmed by our actions; it will be a place of shalom or peace between our heart and our actions.  It will be a posture of sincerity.

A true apple tree produces apples; not oranges. The tree could believe and declare its identity as an apple tree all day long, but if the fruit it bears are oranges it is not an apple tree.  A tree of wisdom in a person’s life will produce the character of Christ who was led by the Spirit.  God has made Christ to be wisdom itself for our benefit. Therefore, the spiritual fruit we bear should be love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  

If we are bearing the fruit of anger, bitterness, worry, unforgiveness—essentially unbelief in God’s power to deliver us from such things in our actions—we are not representing Christ in integrity.  We are not operating in wisdom.   We can call ourselves Christians all day long, but the fruit will reveal the truth.  So, we must stay in the Word of God and allow the Spirit to help us bear good fruit, righteous fruit, and much of it.  May our Heavenly Father have mercy on us and the Holy Spirit help us to embrace Christ—Wisdom—for the glory of God.

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April 30, 2018

Galatians 5:16-26 New Living Translation (NLT)

The Holy Spirit develops within believers the character traits that abide in the nature of Christ.  If we want the fruit of the Spirit to be developed within us we must connect to Christ and abide in his Word.  We can know Christ more intimately, love and follow him more obediently, and imitate him more accurately.  In order to do so, we must live by the Spirit’s Power.

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April 27, 2018

Mark 4:30-32 Good News Translation (GNT)

By our faith, God is building a kingdom in our hearts and one day he will build a worldwide Kingdom here on earth.  The kingdom may have started as a small seed in our hearts, but in time it will take over the world and every nation; it will overshadow the world and cause many to be uncomfortable.  God’s kingdom will become unwelcome in the world much like the mustard plant in our parable that starts as a seed but begins to take over the garden.  

Our parable today includes a man (Christ), a seed (the Word), field/garden (the world), growth (time), and birds (the presence of evil). Ponder this: If Jesus’ reference to the birds finding shelter was from his previous parable about the sower and seed, the birds might also be unfavorable.  The birds are taking advantage of the benefits of the kingdom while diluting it with evil.  The growth of the mustard plant gives even a place for evil to nest because the kingdom welcomes whosoever calls on the name of the Lord.   If we are going to be open to the King, all kinds of undesirable things may show up as Truth shines the Light.   After all, Jesus came to save sinners (human beings) who have given shelter to the work of evil in their souls, so we live messy lives until we allow Jesus to be Lord.  

We have an opportunity to be builders with the Master Builder of his eternal kingdom, so let’s allow the love of Christ to build us in his image each day and be a part of establishing His reign on earth. 

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April 26, 2018

Psalm 22:25-31 New Living Translation (NLT)

King David found himself rejected by family and friends; he became a target for his enemies, but he stayed focused on God’s great love and faithfulness that had been revealed to him.  He believed God would lead him out of his present feelings of hopelessness, because God had always been faithful in the past.  So, David put on praise, lived according to God’s Word of love, and told others of the goodness of the Lord and the power of his might.

Future generations will be depending on our faithful witness of Christ’s love, salvation, and deliverance today.  How will they recognize and acknowledge the goodness of God unless we witness and model Christ’s miraculous love and goodness now?  We must continue to plant the seeds of Truth in the lives of others, so the Vine can grow and reach all nations.

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April 25, 2018

Mark 14:26-31 New Living Translation (NLT)

Have you ever found yourself emphatic about something only to find later you were wrong?  In our passage today, Jesus tells the disciples they will desert him when trouble comes.  Peter proclaims emphatically that he will NEVER desert or deny Christ even if he has to die in the process.  We shall see that Jesus knew Peter better than Peter knew himself.  Jesus knows each one of us better than we know ourselves and the sooner we accept that as truth the better off we will be for the work of the kingdom.

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April 24, 2018

Psalm 95 The Message (MSG)

Our minds are continuously busy aren’t they?  There is always something near to capture our attention and occupy our time.  It’s a real part of our culture.  Have you ever just tried to sit for five minutes and focus on enjoying God’s presence? It can be a challenge to stay focused.  I’m not talking about sitting and trying to wrap your thoughts around who God is or trying to make sense of your life. This is not an exercise where you come with an agenda or do anything; it is an exercise in trust and spiritual “rest.”  I’m asking if you make time to sit quietly for five minutes and just breath, open your heart, and whisper for God’s abiding presence to connect with you in a powerful way? 

If we do not learn the posture of rest before God, we cannot rise in the power of His Spirit.  That does not mean we do nothing all day long.  It means we spend time with God, gain guidance for our day, and then tell our souls (mind, will, emotions) to rest and allow him to live and move and have his being in us.  In other words, we stop fighting the process outflowing his resurrection; we embrace trust and obedience.  He has come in the Spirit to live through us, remember?

In our passage today, the psalmist is singing about the greatness of God, the power of his mighty love, and the rest and obedience He requires to guide our lives. Let’s learn from this psalmist today.  So, sit for five minutes and focus on praising and enjoying God, my friends!  He wants to speak to you.

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April 23, 2018

1 Peter 5:1-5  New Living Translation (NLT)

What makes a good or great leader for the work of God?  Is it education alone?  Is it experience alone?  Scripture teaches the making of a good leader has everything to do with character and spiritual formation.  A leader who is listening to and following the Spirit will care for God”s flock and be eager to wholeheartedly serve each member.  He or she will be motivated by what can be imparted to others that feed them, rather than by what can be gained personally.   And, here is something very important to keep in mind; a good leader humbly leads by example.  During his earthly ministry, Jesus followed the Spirit, loved and served the Father’s flock, and led as a humble example.  Would Christ’s true shepherd’s today be any different?

Before Christ ascended, he told Peter, “If you love me, feed my sheep.”  In our passage today, we can tell Peter was doing the very thing the Good Shepherd had asked of him.  Scripture teaches one day Christ will come out into the open with his rule.  At his second coming, Christ will take his rightful place as the Great Shepherd. Every Christ follower will bring something valuable to the Kingdom; we will then find ourselves governed and positioned under his reign for eternity.  Will you be ready for what he has called you to be and do?

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April 20, 2018

Psalm 23 New Living Translation (NLT)

Contentment is a very valuable condition in which to live; a state of happiness, satisfaction, and ease of mind.  When we are content, we are mentally and emotionally satisfied with where things are in our lives.  That does not mean everything is great; rather, it means we are content in the care of the Father.  Biblical contentment has to do with trust and confidence because we are satisfied that God knows who we are, what we have, and where we are going. 

Jesus teaches we are to be content with no worries, because the Father knows all things.  If you find yourself struggling with worry, it is time to spend some time with the Lord and receive the assurance of his love and gain his peace.  He truly desires to shepherd each one of us into a state of contentment.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), the Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20), and the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4).  If we are willing to follow our Shepherd, he will lead us into contentment. David learned contentment from the Shepherd, as well.

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April 19, 2018

Acts 3:17-26 New Living Translation (NLT)

When we are warm and tired, something refreshing to drink is a great comfort.  Sometimes in our spiritual life we need the refreshment of the Spirit for the draining difficulties of our natural life.  We do not always know what has drained us or worn us out, but we are aware when we need refreshment.

Peter tells those who will listen about the refreshment that comes from the presence of the Lord.  In ignorance, the people killed their Source of refreshment.  So, Peter tells them how to reconnect and get the necessary refreshment for their spirits.

To enjoy heavenly refreshment, we must turn from our sinful self-preserving busy tendencies and rest in the holy work of Messiah who comes to liberate us and restore us. Our part is to cooperate with the restoration process.

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