Pastor Mary Haley

Intro: Have you ever noticed that your mind can wander when you are reading something even if it is important? You can find yourself turning the pages, but you cannot remember the details of what you have read, because your mind was focused elsewhere. This is important to remember as we read and seek to comprehend the Word of God. We must stay focused on the Spirit’s work of making us in Christ’s image. “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Tim 3:16). We need to approach the Word of God with prayer and expectation, because transformation will always be Christ’s goal for us.

In our passage today, even though the disciples had studied the Torah and the sacred writings, they did not truly comprehended the prophesied work of Messiah. The prophets wrote about his suffering for the forgiveness of sins in order to offer believers reconciliation with the Father, but when he chose to ascend back to heaven it baffled them. So, Jesus opens the disciple’s minds to receive the truth, promises to send the Holy Spirit to give them power, and then commissions them to go and preach that truth in his name.

As believers, if we are going to proclaim Christ’s message in his name, we must stay focused on Christ and how he wants to lead our lives. We are called to live the gospel message by honoring Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In this way, we become witnesses to the transformation Jesus alone can bring our lives. He is transforming you in his holiness, so stay the course and look for the blessings to follow.

Luke 24:44-53 NLT 44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations [all peoples], beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The Ascension
50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for opening our minds so we can comprehend your will and plan for our lives. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit who bears witness to the Truth when we read or hear the Word. Please bring righteous transformation and growth to our lives; we are dependent upon you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: “I don’t understand!” Surprisingly, I hear myself saying that phrase quite frequently. Sometimes, my frame of reference, experience, or my fund of existing knowledge is just not sufficient. Therefore, I need supernatural help understanding the circumstances before me. I don’t have a problem acknowledging things that do not make sense to my natural mind. However, I know it means I must press in for greater wisdom and understanding from my Lord who has promised to equip me for life with him.

In our passage today, the disciples are struggling to understand the words of Christ. Jesus tells them he’s leaving, but will be returning. Huh? They know their present level of understanding is inadequate. Jesus knows this as well; so he promises the disciples the ability to ask for more understanding soon.

The disciples realize later on, Jesus has been telling them he is going to die, but in the resurrection he will be returning in power and authority. Because of Christ’s resurrection and the impartation and power of the Holy Spirit, every believer can now enjoy divine guidance. Believers can have the wisdom we need, pray for understanding, and know Christ intercedes for us with the Father to release God’s plan.

Maybe you find yourself not understanding certain things in your life right now, but do not despair because the greater One—the Spirit of Christ—lives within you. When you need help to know the Truth, all you need to do is pray and ask; your prayer will be successful. Confusion is not from God; it is from the world under Satan’s influence. Rejoice and rise above all the confusion and chaos by listening to the Voice of the Lord who guides your life into all Truth. Trust and wait…you will receive.

John 16:16-24 NLT Sadness Will Be Turned to Joy
16 “In a little while you won’t see me anymore. But a little while after that, you will see me again.”
17 Some of the disciples asked each other, “What does he mean when he says, ‘In a little while you won’t see me, but then you will see me,’ and ‘I am going to the Father’? 18 And what does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand.”

19 Jesus realized they wanted to ask him about it, so he said, “Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in a little while you won’t see me, but a little while after that you will see me again. 20 I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy. 21 It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. 22 So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. 23 At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. 24 You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving us wisdom and understanding. We need both and you are the living Lord who provides for us. Please continue to help us rise above the confusing things that are plaguing the world; we know your Voice and we will not follow a stranger. We will ask in the name of Jesus knowing we have a connection to the Father. Being filled with your Spirit beings us great joy; so Lord fill us to overflowing. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, the Apostle Peter wants believers to look at life as a whole through the lens of God’s love. I imagine we would all theologically agree with Peter; however, when someone we care about is verbally unkind to us or speaks critically about us, those actions can be very difficult to forgive or emotionally move beyond. Our minds spin as we try to understand that person’s motive. Words can convey blessings or curses. When we are verbally wounded or cursed, the temptation arrises to protect ourselves from further interaction or insult.

If we come into our relationships with “one mind” and remain focused on sharing life, we will find it easier to keep compassion at the center of our actions. This should certainly be the mindset of believers to one another. We are to approach our spiritual brothers and sisters with a humble and sympathetic mindset—to rejoice with them or cry with them. If we notice someone is facing challenging times, we should come alongside him or her to share our concern through prayer. If we notice someone is rejoicing over spiritual breakthroughs and answers to prayer, we should join him or her to offer praise. When we work for this kind of peace—oneness—between us, we set ourselves up to be blessed by our Lord.

Blessings are gifts from God to his children; they all flow from our Creator’s love for us. God’s blessings empower, strengthen, and enrich our lives with righteous things that lead us into fruitful living and spiritual well-being. We can help one another share and enjoy these wonderful blessings. But, let’s never forget, the greatest blessing we will ever be given is the salvation and new life we receive by faith in Christ. Blessings for your day!

1 Peter 3:8-12 NLT All Christians
8 Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 9 Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. 10 For the Scriptures say,
“If you want to enjoy life
and see many happy days,
keep your tongue from speaking evil
and your lips from telling lies.
11
Turn away from evil and do good.
Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
12
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right,
and his ears are open to their prayers.
But the Lord turns his face
against those who do evil.”

Prayer: Lord, it is a temptation to retaliate when we are insulted or diminished by others. Although this should never be the case among your children, we know it can and will happen if we focus on ourselves more than you and the call we have to work for peace. Help and empower us to speak the truth in love to one another. Holy Spirit, increase our self-control to tame our tongues, so we can share life and do good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: How patient are you? Every time I read Scripture, I have to confess how very patient God is with his human creation; how patient he is with me. The Lord epitomizes the word “long-suffering” in spite of the trouble and disorder on earth caused by human beings. When we think about human corruption or the sinful state of people, we may be tempted to focus only upon our present culture. However, that would be a terrible mistake and a dangerous one, as well. Biblical history is important to know, because it reveals the wickedness of human beings, as well as what happens when God’s patience has been push too far.

In our passage from Genesis today, God said to Noah it was time to get in the boat; the flood was coming in seven days, because the wickedness on earth had become consistently and totally evil (Gen 6:5; 7:1). God sent Noah to be a preacher of righteousness; announcing to the people they needed to leave evil and turn to God, but his announcements were rejected (2 Peter 2:5). Therefore, God promised to keep Noah and his family safe in the ark which is a picture of the salvation we can have in Christ (Gen 6:22).

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his followers something important to remember about his Second Coming. “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People did not realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes” (Mat 24:37-39). We need to wake up and seek God with all our hearts; to live ready in Christ’s righteousness. We have been warned there is a limit to God’s patience.

Genesis 7:1-5 NLT The Flood Covers the Earth
1 When everything was ready, the Lord said to Noah, “Go into the boat with all your family, for among all the people of the earth, I can see that you alone are righteous. 2 Take with you seven pairs—male and female—of each animal I have approved for eating and for sacrifice, and take one pair of each of the others. 3 Also take seven pairs of every kind of bird. There must be a male and a female in each pair to ensure that all life will survive on the earth after the flood. 4 Seven days from now I will make the rains pour down on the earth. And it will rain for forty days and forty nights, until I have wiped from the earth all the living things I have created.”
5 So Noah did everything as the Lord commanded him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the unfathomable patience you continue to extend to your human creation. Help us to heed the warnings in your Word and live ready for your return. It does not matter if your return is near or far; Holy Spirit, help us to live in a way that honors you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Every human being requires restoration—the act of returning to our original created state. Restoration means we must be willing to embrace God’s purpose for us while on earth, to increase in our knowledge of him, and to bear the righteous fruit of Christ’s character and nature. Therefore, confession is an ongoing way of living as we move toward the restoration God requires. Lastly, true confession brings with it a desire to stop living in a way we know is wrong. God is not mocked; whatever we sow into or plant, we will reap or harvest (Gal 6:7). God knows our hearts, so we must be transparent with him and ourselves to experience restoration.

In our passage today, the psalmist is singing about the victory that has followed a great battle. He testifies to God’s love and faithfulness in the midst of a terrible fight. When we find ourselves in spiritual battles, we are encouraged to pray, confess our sin and need for restoration, because God listens to the prayers of the humble. If you are fighting a battle and growing weary, continue to pray and press on forward, because God is your Rescuer and Restorer. He is faithful to love you and bring good change to your life.

Psalm 66:8-20 NLT
16 
Come and listen, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell you what he did for me.
17 
For I cried out to him for help,
    praising him as I spoke.
18 
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened.
19 
But God did listen!
    He paid attention to my prayer.
20 
Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
    or withdraw his unfailing love from me.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for bringing restoration to the lives of your children. Thank you for not leaving us broken or troubled. Instead, you lift us from sin and death, bring healing for our souls, and lead us into life abundant and free. We place our trust in you as we confess our need for the restoration only you can bring. Many of your children need a miracle, today, Lord. Please hear our prayer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro:  Yesterday, we started our reading in Proverbs and discovered how wisdom is asking God to help us see life from his perspective and then choosing to follow him on the path of Truth. Our passage continues in chapter three by drawing our attention to the importance of having both divine wisdom [giving God his proper place in our lives/proper perspective] and divine understanding [knowledge of the Holy One/His ways and character] (Pro 9:10).

Wisdom is like eating ripe righteous fruit from the tree of life.  From the beginning of time, God created us to feed on his wisdom. The Bible really connects humanity and how we are to live in wisdom which is to live in Christ the Way, the Truth, and the Life with God.  When we ask for wisdom and understanding, our lives experience a greater measure of harmony and peace, because God created us to conform to his righteousness; this is the desire of his heart for us.

Proverbs 3:13-18 NLV 13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding. 14 For it is better than getting silver and fine gold. 15 She is worth more than stones of great worth. Nothing you can wish for compares with her. 16 Long life is in her right hand. Riches and honor are in her left hand. 17 Her ways are pleasing, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her. Happy are all who hold her near.

Prayer:  Lord, our hearts long to be filled with your wisdom and understanding.  May we allow  these precious gifts to grow us in your character and in your likeness.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Intro: It would be a natural tendency to think we know what is right or wrong for our lives and call it wisdom, but in reality any inclination or decision that does not have Christ at the center of it is biblically questionable. Wisdom is learning to see life from God’s perspective and trusting him to guide us as we follow. For the children of God, wisdom is associated with godly human conduct—the character of Christ—who “for our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself” (1 Cor 1:30).

Preceding our passage today from the Wisdom Book of Proverbs, God calls to his children, “Store my commands in your heart” (v. 1). God does not call us to memorize his commands, but rather to make his commands an integral part of our being so we are ready to act on them. In our verses that follow, we learn the path of wisdom is the embodiment of God’s Word. If we honor God as the Source of all we have and seek his will in all we do, God will reward and bless the wisdom we demonstrate—an obedient Christ follower receiving God’s covenant blessings.

Proverbs 3:5-9 NLT
5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
6 
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take.
7 
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
    Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
8 
Then you will have healing for your body
    and strength for your bones.
9 
Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the best part of everything you produce.
10
Then he will fill your barns with grain,
    and your vats will overflow with good wine.

Prayer: Lord, information swirls all around us and we can find ourselves grabbing ahold of what impresses us, but void of wisdom. Help us to discern wisely and live to honor your character and name. You are the Source of all things, so thank you for being our Helper and our Provider. May how we live bring you glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: It is not unusual for the Lord to lead his children out of the familiar and into the unfamiliar, because this is how we grow. Sometimes, we are called by the Lord out of the familiar yet unhealthy habits or places, because if we stay we will self-slaughter. Still other times, we may be called out of the familiar in order to stretch our faith, trust, and endurance. Out of divine design, venturing into the unfamiliar requires a devotion to the Lord, because it is not a “comfy” journey spiritually, emotionally, or physically.

In our passage today, the Lord calls Abram to leave the familiar, but within that call and suffering there are many promises. If Abram will move toward the unfamiliar, God will provide the grace needed for he and his family to live a blessed life—offering such abundance they will be able to bless others. But there is more. God promises to share his goodness (cup of salvation) or his curses (cup of wrath) with the world one day depending on how others treat his people. Abram is renamed Abraham by God when he was called to be the father of multitudes. Jesus is the true offspring of Abraham; the blessed One of Abraham’s covenant. We are heirs of Abraham’s blessing, because of Jesus.

Genesis 12:1-3 NLT The Call of Abram
12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

Prayer: Lord, when we face the unfamiliar we get anxious and try to figure out how things will work out. Yet, we know we must walk by faith and not by sight. Thank you for blessing us and making us a blessing. Thank you, as well, for dealing with those in the world who would mistreat us as your children. You will have the final say, so we trust you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: The glorious kingdom realm is God’s eternal domain; everything concerning the kingdom or dwelling within it belongs to the Lord. Therefore, God is free to pour his goodness and favor out upon his followers and leaders as he pleases. Scripture reminds us again and again, God views rewards for leadership from a very different perspective than the world. In God’s kingdom, a true leader is humble and quick to serve others—no task too small if God requires it—because he or she loves and values people the way God does. A genuine leader—as a follower of Christ—should model for others the proper attitude followed by humble action.

In our passage today, the mother of James and John requests the honor of her sons sitting next to Jesus in his glorious Kingdom. In all fairness to James and John, Jesus has just shared a previous teaching with his disciples about what to expect when the world is made new and he sits upon his glorious throne. Jesus tells his followers they will sit with him on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Mat 19:28). All by itself, the vision Jesus sets forth in that verse sounds attractive (Mat 19:28). Yet, we find out in the verses that follow, such places of honor—ones greatly rewarded by the Father—are for those who suffer for the sake of righteousness (Mat 19:29-30). For the greatest, suffering and reward go together.

Matthew 20:20-28 NLT Jesus Teaches about Serving Others
20 Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. 21 “What is your request?” he asked.

She replied, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left.”

22 But Jesus answered by saying to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

“Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”

23 Jesus told them, “You will indeed drink from my bitter cup. But I have no right to say who will sit on my right or my left. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen.”
24 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant.
25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Prayer: Lord, please groom us to be servant leaders for your kingdom. Help us to push away from worldly ambition, so we can bring glory to your name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.