Pastor Mary Haley

Intro: Some things are always true in this life, because when God speaks and declares a thing it always happens. For example, Adam and Eve were tempted by Satan and sinned in the Garden of Eden; their sin was to exalt their flesh or will over God’s command. Because God had already spoken the truth about the consequences they would face before they sinned—the curse of separation, suffering, and death—it most assuredly came to pass when they did not heed God’s word. So, one minute Adam and Eve are “genuine” [Heb. meaning belonging to the original stock/God’s glorious image] and the next minute they are stripped naked and “barren” [Heb. meaning to be torn away from the family stock]. And time rolls on…

In our passage today from Isaiah—perhaps 3500 years later—God promises to provide forgiveness for the world’s sin against him. Some 700 years following, God provides salvation in Messiah. God wants the return of his “genuine” creation. Since we cannot redeem ourselves because of a sin nature, we must declare allegiance to God. Humanity must now seek the Lord who offers “genuine” salvation.

Humanity is still struggling with allegiance to the Creator; I see it in every direction. God is the only One who can offer us righteousness—which we need in order to receive eternal life once again. Yet, there is a battle all the time with the human will. We cannot have it all; a sacrifice of self and a rejection of evil is the Way; it has always been the Way.

“Genuine” believers are the carriers of God’s righteousness, models of his love, and boasters of his glorious presence for salvation. So, take time today to thank God for his faithfulness to an unfaithful creation and praise him as he takes you on a journey to reveal his glorious righteousness living in you!

Isaiah 45:20-25 NLT
22 
Let all the world look to me for salvation!
    For I am God; there is no other.
23 
I have sworn by my own name;
    I have spoken the truth,
    and I will never go back on my word:
Every knee will bend to me,
    and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.”
24 
The people will declare,
    “The Lord is the source of all my righteousness and strength.”
And all who were angry with him
    will come to him and be ashamed.
25 
In the Lord all the generations of Israel will be justified,
    and in him they will boast.

Prayer: Lord, we pray for all of your creation to bow in allegiance to your Word and Way of salvation. Forgive our stubborn attempts to rule ourselves; we continually ask for your merciful hand to strengthen our commitment to live as the genuine. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Some things in life have the ability to send us quickly into a state of panic—a sense of terror, danger, and body-numbing fear. Life can be so unpredictable and that leaves human emotions susceptible to fear. In fact, only those who have a relationship with Christ can cast down that kind of fear when it rises up in human emotions. Jesus is the Prince of Peace we all need as we live in this chaotic world!

When I think about the people of Lahaina, Hawaii, as they dealt with the wildfires ravaging the island and coastline last week, it must have been so terrifying for everyone. I read that many people tried to use their garden hoses to fight back the flames, but with very little water pressure they had no chance of subduing or extinguishing the fiery flames approaching their homes. In praying for them and their recovery, I pray the people reach for the Peace and Comfort of Almighty God to get them through this long and emotionally painful process.

I saw a photo in the Washington Post of the charred remains of Lahaina and above the Pu’u Kukui mountains there was a rainbow in the sky—God’s sign and promise. According to Genesis 9:16, after the flood of judgment, God said to Noah, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. I will remember my promise…” Fear [awe and respect] of God is the way into successful living while we are in this shakable world.

In our passage today from the Gospel of Matthew, the disciples find themselves in a state of panic and terror; they fear death. Jesus and the disciples are in a boat [powered by sails and oars] when a terrible storm rolls across the Sea of Galilee. Twelve disciples with oars have no chance to outrun any storm. Jesus is in the boat sleeping peacefully; however, the disciples are filled with fear. What do they do? They wake up Messiah and they learn a whole more about his power to protect!

Matthew 8:23-27 NLT Jesus Calms the Storm
23 Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

26 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being the calm for our storms, because life is unpredictable and you are the only One who can protect us and help us prepare for each day. Be our Peace. Be our Comfort. And, Lord, help us to share who you are in our lives, so others will choose to call for your protection and salvation, as well. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In order for you to forgive someone, do they first need to apologize to you? It is a common but misguided thought that holding onto anger and resentment is acceptable until someone takes responsibility for the mistreatment. Forgiveness is a command; it is one of the hardest decisions to make and one of the most challenging actions to extend to others who have hurt or harmed us.

To forgive is to let go of resentment and anger. In fact, as we forgive others we emulate Christ who forgave all of our sin. Offering genuine forgiveness cannot be done in our human strength; rather, it is based on our decision to trust God to make things right in his time. We can then receive God’s power to live in his shalom or peace. To let go of a spirit of resentment and embrace forgiveness is liberating for the soul.

Leading up to our passage for today, Joseph has experienced tremendous abuse by loved ones. Even the prophetic gifts God gave Joseph are not appreciated by his family. At the age of seventeen, Joseph is sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and alienated from everyone familiar. He is transported to Egypt and purchased by Potiphar who is working with the king of Egypt. Our passage, today, picks up at this point.

Is Joseph resentful or sitting in a pool of self-pity? No, in fact, he is working with utmost integrity to serve his new master, Potiphar. Therefore, God blesses Joseph with favor which makes him successful in everything. But, the blessing does not stop there. Not only is Joseph blessed by God, Potiphar’s household is blessed by God through Joseph…and, the blessing continues until Egypt is blessed by God through Joseph. Forgiveness sets Joseph free to receive the blessing of God and multiplication of the blessing continues from that one righteous act. When we forgive others based on God’s command, we position ourselves for blessing, as well.

Genesis 39:1-6 NLT Joseph in Potiphar’s House
1 When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer. Potiphar was captain of the guard for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

2 The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. 3 Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did. 4 This pleased Potiphar, so he soon made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. 5 From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the Lord began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake. All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished. 6 So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for teaching us the value of letting go of resentment and anger; to forgive others as we have been forgiven by you. Joseph made a decision to forgive long before his brothers asked for it. In the meantime, you blessed Joseph and caused him to walk in your ways and blessings. Injustice is a part of this fallen world and we know we will all need to forgive others at different times in our lives. Help us, Lord, to forgive and live free in your blessing. What the enemy meant for harm in Joseph’s life, you redeemed and made it work for his good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: When it comes to Jesus, people can always find a reason not to believe he is the only way to experience the fullness of God, as well as connect to salvation. People are skeptical about such claims, because so many different religions profess to know, serve, and worship a god. Jesus himself taught it was possible for people to have a form of godliness, but their hearts be estranged and lawless (Mat 23:27-28). For this reason, Jesus came to offer the humble and repentant heart a relationship and an opportunity to learn the truth about God, because to know Jesus is to know God (John 10:14-15).

To experience the fullness of God in relationship is to discover his amazing attributes and character, to taste his perfect holiness, to experience his supernatural life, and live fueled by his powerful love. Jesus is the fullness of God in human form (Col 2:9). And, to take it a bit further, “So you (believers) also are complete through your connection with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority” (Col 2:10).

In our passage today, we encounter skeptics. The religious leaders—Pharisees and the Sadducees—of God’s people have failed to recognize Jesus as the long-promised Messiah (the Christ) even though he had been doing many miracles around them. These two groups of religious leaders were very different in their beliefs; they held very little in common. However, both groups did believe only God could provide a sign revealed in the sky. I guess one sky sign was not enough, because the miraculous star over Bethlehem marking the birthplace of Messiah—the Light of the World—did not convince them.

The Pharisees were fastidious about their rules and traditions and how honoring them gave favor with God. As well, the Pharisees honored the authority of the sacred Scriptures and writings and believed in the resurrection from the dead. The Sadducees only honored the Torah—5 books of Moses—and did not believe in the resurrection. Really, the only thing these two religious groups absolutely agreed on was to terminate Jesus.

If you have never chosen to begin a relationship with Jesus, please do so today. Skepticism has no power when we decide to trust our lives and understanding to Christ. We learn and experience the truth from the Living Lord to whom every knee will bow (Ro 14:11). The truth sets us free from further doubt and disbelief (John 8:31-32).

Matthew 16:1-4 NLT Leaders Demand a Miraculous Sign
1 One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

2 He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; 3 red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times! 4 Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah” (a metaphor for Christ’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection). Then Jesus left them and went away.

Prayer: Lord, you are living and loving us all the time. Thank you for making a home for us in your heart. Please continue to teach us about your perfect nature, character, and love in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: As I was watching the news this morning, I witnessed a report about “magic mushrooms” that are being used in U.S. churches in California, Oregon, Alabama, and Utah. Magic mushrooms and cannabis buds are being given as “sacraments.” In fact, in Oakland, CA, the church founder believes and states, “There’s no doubt in my mind that mushrooms were the first way our ancient ancestors understood there was more to this existence.” This church has 80,000 registered members who pay $5 per month to pick up a “sacrament” in order to experience spiritual development by bringing people closer to the “divine” and the “theological heart of faith.” ($400K/mo) Here’s my thoughts: Not a chance! This is a church acting as a drug dispensary that leaves the mind open and unprotected to evil spirits.

What does it mean to be open-minded? According to Merriam Webster, we are open-minded when we are willing to listen to or accept different ideas or opinions. As I sit here considering that definition this morning, it occurs to me that my mind and the minds of all people have a different starting point of thought or understanding based on individual exposure. Besides, all minds are affected by sin and tempted to follow deception. I cannot just leave myself open-minded to just anything; I must guard my mind because it affects my life (Pro 4:23). So, I must decide where to find the truth and build my understanding from there or I will believe just about anything.

Scripture teaches the Lord is the one who opens our minds to the truth (Luke 24:45) It is the work of the Holy Spirit to witness to our spirit; “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). “His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7).

In our passage today, the Bereans are an example of being properly open-minded. They listen to the message from Paul and Silas, then they allow the Old Testament Scripture to be their filter for the truth about the Messiah, because at this time the New Testament had not been written. These people gather, because they want to learn the truth about Christ; they know there is truth to discover as they read Scripture and wait on the Holy Spirit. Beware, “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” (Pro 14:12).

Acts 17:10-15 NLT Paul and Silas in Berea
10 That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth. 12 As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men.

13 But when some Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God in Berea, they went there and stirred up trouble. 14 The believers acted at once, sending Paul on to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind. 15 Those escorting Paul went with him all the way to Athens; then they returned to Berea with instructions for Silas and Timothy to hurry and join him.

Prayer: Lord, this morning I simply bow humbly before your throne of grace and call for mercy for those deceived by false shepherds. I pray for the ability to speak and share the truth that leads others into abundant living and righteous peace in the Spirit. Please help guard our thoughts, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Since we shared about repentance yesterday, let’s go a step beyond and ask, “What does it mean for the repentant heart to live a life that has been ransomed by God?” Before the work of Christ on the cross, our lives, as human beings, were in jeopardy because of sin. We had no power over evil or the sin that would lead every person toward death (spiritually and physically). Death is the penalty for sin, but for those who allow themselves to be ransomed by Christ’s sacrifice, they receive eternal life (Rom 6:23). Jesus’ death—the shedding of his blood on the cross—satisfied the legal requirements of God’s law for justice (Lev 17:11; Heb 9:22).

The blood of the sinless Christ paid ransom to God and defeated evil and sin’s power over those who come to him for forgiveness. When Scripture tells us we (believers) have been liberated from the power and penalty of sin, it is because we now belong to the Lord and his Kingdom not to Satan and the system of the world. We can love and serve the Lord wholeheartedly, as well as love and serve our neighbors as we love ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). If you have invited Jesus into your heart, you belong to him in a beautiful way. When the Father looks at you, he sees Jesus who covers you with his blood. Because of the miracle of salvation, you are the forgiven.

Now, through the ongoing work of repentance and ransom, we can be RESCUED! I could stop right here and lose myself in praise, because the Lord has rescued me so many times! Jesus is the miraculous Rescuer of those whom he has ransomed and, as Lord of our lives, he fights our spiritual battles when evil attacks and tries to tempt us into sin. We are not human conquerors in our worldly flesh, we are human conquers in the Holy Spirit, because Christ is for us not against us and we can never be separated from his love (Rom 8:31-39).

In our passage today, David reminds us of the truth: as the repentant, we are the ransomed and the rescued. So, don’t fear the deep waters of trials, rivers of difficulty, or fires of oppression…you belong to God and the Rescuer lives within. Blessings my dear conquerors in Christ!
Psalm 17:1-2 NLT
1
But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you.
    O Israel, the one who formed you says,
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.
2 
When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for paying the penalty for our sin and lifting us out of the very things the enemy sends to destroy us. You are our wisdom, courage, protection, and the love we require…we are yours! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: What does it mean to have a repentant heart? In order to understand a biblical definition of repentance, we must be willing to first see it as a gift from God to bring humanity into a place of divine peace and wholeness. Repentance has to do with turning away from sin and evil and returning to God and His goodness for salvation. Although this is truly a great definition all by itself, I think it is also important to recognize the state or position of the heart for genuine repentance since our heart is connected to what we treasure (Mat 6:21).

To have a repentant or a contrite heart is to be broken-hearted and grieving about our sin against God (Acts 2:37). We must acknowledge we have allowed sin to interrupt our personal relationship with the glorious One who died for us to have victory over sin. If we have a repentant heart, we find ourselves being filled with a greater desire to fight against the temptation to sin in order to abide uninterrupted in the glorious goodness of God found in Christ! It is in the glory of God’s presence we experience His miraculous power and grace for living. When our greatest desire is to dwell with the glorious One [our Treasure], sin loses its power.

In the Book of Acts, Peter proclaims to the crowd that the crucified Jesus—through his life, death, and resurrection—is the promised Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. Peter goes on to tell the people that the apostles—all chosen by Christ himself—are eyewitnesses to the miracles of Jesus and repentance from sin is the way to know this God of all miracles. Peter tells the crowd having a repentant heart and a willingness to follow Christ away from sin would bring them the greatest miracle of all—salvation life in the Spirit and fellowship with God and His family. Three thousand repentant hearts responded to the truth spoken by Peter.

Acts 2:37-42 37 NLT Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

The Believers Form a Community
42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gift of repentance you have provided. Stir within every one of your children a passionate desire for you as our Treasure. Please destroy the sin that tries to rob us.  Fill us with the Holy Spirit and help us to love and care for one another. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: What makes people effective with work or any given task? I’m sure there are many things that are important and must work together, but an essential element must be having a positive attitude that radiates confidence and commitment. If we are going to be effective, we must begin with ourselves—be a self-starter with a positive “I can do it as I focus my faith on Jesus” attitude. Then, we must follow-through in order to please God!

Some background for our passage today from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has been teaching about being judgmental—before pointing out the speck in our neighbor’s eye, first we need to attend to the log in our own eye, because only then can we see properly to effectively help others (Mat 7:3-5). The desire to help is essential, but the willingness to first invite Jesus to cleanse and direct our hearts and way is what makes the help we give truly effective. After sharing about our personal need for his help to make us effective disciples, Jesus shifts his teaching to effective prayer.

What makes people effective with prayer? Clearly, we see the need for confident faith, a positive attitude, a focus on God’s plan, and a commitment to follow-through when we want answers. Through prayer we search for God and ask for his purpose to be manifest in our hearts and as we reach out to help others. Jesus teaches us there are “intensities of effort,” and he shares these as asking, seeking, and knocking.

We persist in asking for Father God’s will with confidence because we know he loves and cares for the souls of all his children; asking keeps us humble. Seeking diligently is key, because God has promised, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me” (Jeremiah 29:13). And, when we keep knocking or persevering for the door to open and release grace to fulfill God’s purpose, we will be rewarded. God is good and will never withhold good things from us. However, he wants us focused on what is important to him and trust in his timing, because then we bring glory to his name.

Matthew 7:7-11 NLT Effective Prayer
7 “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

9 “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

Prayer: Lord, we want to be effective for the work of your Kingdom and we understand we do so by inviting you to first bring the necessary changes in our hearts and attitudes. Please work to cleanse us and set us free from the things that do not honor you. By asking, seeking, and knocking, we want to position ourselves to receive your help in touching lives for the Kingdom. We are going to persevere in prayer and remain confident that you will bring the good gifts we need at the appointed time. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: As I sit here quietly, I have many praises to offer up, today. God is good and loving to walk with me through life; I am blessed beyond measure. Granted not everything is easy, but God has been, remains, and will always be with me in Spirit, love, and truth. I can praise him everyday, because the Spirit helps me know God’s merciful heart as he helps me reach up to love the Lord wholeheartedly, as well as helps me to reach out and love others as I love myself. Our God is a beautiful and priceless Treasure and his action toward us flows out of his perfect character.

The Book of Psalms is a book of praises. In our passage today, we praise God, because his nature is essential for us to live a life of meaning and wholeness. We must learn to praise God as individuals and we must also gather to learn how to praise God as a spiritual community. Life can be heavy these days, but we must diligently keep our focus on the all-encompassing goodness of our God who is with us.

If we were never needing mercy, we would not need the God of all mercy. If we never struggled with selfishness, we would not need the unfailing love of God. If we were sure-footed and never failed, we would not need the God who lifts and rescues us. If we could find fulfillment in our worldly endeavors, we would not need the God of truth who satisfies us. There are so many ways and reasons to praise God, but only those who respect (fear) him will actually do so. I need God to extend mercy, compassion, love, goodness, help, spiritual food, refreshment for my soul, kindness, as well as the truth to me rescue me, so living wickedly (with no regard for righteousness) is not an option. Praise the Lord, today!

Psalm 145:8-9, 14-20 NLT
8
The Lord is merciful and compassionate,
    slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 
The Lord is good to everyone.
    He showers compassion on all his creation.
14
The Lord helps the fallen
    and lifts those bent beneath their loads.
15 
The eyes of all look to you in hope;
    you give them their food as they need it.
16 
When you open your hand,
    you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.
17 
The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
    he is filled with kindness.
18 
The Lord is close to all who call on him,
    yes, to all who call on him in truth.
19 
He grants the desires of those who fear him;
    he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
20 
The Lord protects all those who love him,
    but he destroys the wicked.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for this day and your goodness that surrounds all your children. Please keep us looking in your righteous direction and put praise on our lips as we know you are with us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Small beginnings seem to be the way of God; he is the Author of seed time and harvest. “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Gen 8:22). God delights in his creation; he saw that it was good. As human beings, life starts when a seed is planted and cells begin to multiply; following birth we grow and develop, learn, and mature. God does the same in our salvation, because our new life begins as a Seed of righteousness implanted in our hearts and grows making us into fruit-bearing, gift-using, gospel-proclaiming mature disciples.

Throughout the gospels, Jesus spoke a great deal about the Kingdom and he is referred to as the Seed of the woman (Gen 3:15). Scripture teaches Christ has complete authority over heaven and earth, as well as a plan to redeem it. In the midst of this fallen world, God’s Kingdom was established by the defeat of sin and death when Jesus gave his life to pay for our sin. Now, the growth of the Kingdom is to spread through the proclamation of Christ’s disciples as they model life with God. The Lord invites every believer to use the power stored up in the Kingdom—grace and the work of the Helper. Therefore, we also have the power over sin and can help others find new life and wholeness for their lives. The gospel is truly Good News, and we must enjoy and share it.

In our passage today from the gospel of Mark, Jesus describes the Kingdom of God as being like a mustard seed—it has a very small beginning but ends with an abundant result. Just like all seeds, the Kingdom goes through stages of growth and will end in a ripe crop with a harvest of souls—the angels will one day swing the sickle of God’s judgment. (Rev 14:14-19).

Mark 4:30-34 Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? 31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, 32 but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”

33 Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. 34 In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for small beginnings, as well as the promise of fulfillment or maturity. Help us to stay focused on what you are saying and doing as we follow you each day. Give us courage and endurance, as well as vision and direction. Multiply us we pray! In Jesus’ name. Amen.