Pastor Mary Haley

Intro: I like to stay focused on a task until it is done and then move on. That would be Mary’s perfect mode of operation. Check and done! However, there are very few times when that actually happens. Instead, I seem to face a slew of interruptions that require me to stop what I am doing in order to turn my attention and address a new thing. I scramble to designate a stopping place, so I don’t miss something important. Yet, sometimes the something more important is actually what is going on inside of me because of the interruption. Am I talking to you? If so, what we really need in those moments is the Light of the World.

Preceding our passage for today, Jesus is teaching in the temple courts following the Feast of Tabernacles. Suddenly, he is interrupted as the Pharisees drag in a woman caught in the act of adultery. These leaders demand to know what Jesus is going to do about this woman’s guilt; but Jesus knows their judgmental hearts are the bigger issue. So, with great wisdom, Jesus defuses the condemnation of this woman and shines a holy light on the judgmental attitudes and behaviors of the Pharisees.

In our passage today, Jesus goes back to his teaching and chooses to proclaim, “I am the Light of the world” as he stands near the oil-filled and lighted bowls in the temple court (v.12). These huge menorahs are part of the Illumination of the Temple; a celebration that God promised to send a Messiah to shine light on the darkness of sin. Jesus is standing there and the Pharisees miss the whole message. Jesus is proclaiming to be that Light, the Pharisees hate and reject what he says…and more interruptions to Jesus’ teaching ensue.

When we think about Jesus as the Light of the World, we must pay attention to the fact that he reveals [shines the light] on unrighteous things within us that we do not want to face. However, if we are wise, we will not resist the Light he provides in order to protect and guide us. Instead, we should allow Jesus to remove the darkness and shine the Way to God’s plan for our lives.

Interruptions can serve as opportunities for our spiritual growth. Let’s face them with grace.

John 8:12-19 NLT Jesus, the Light of the World
12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
13 The Pharisees replied, “You are making those claims about yourself! Such testimony is not valid.” [void of two witnesses]

14 Jesus told them, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me. 15 You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone. 16 And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me. 17 Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. 18 I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.”
19 “Where is your father?” they asked.
Jesus answered, “Since you don’t know who I am, you don’t know who my Father is. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being my inner Great Light of Truth. Continue to shine the Light and help me address the things that are truly important to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Would you describe yourself as resilient? Resilience is a powerful and important quality for believers to understand and develop if we are going to follow Jesus the Christ [Anointed One]. When we are resilient, we have the capacity to see and deal with stressful pressures or life changes and use them as a way to grow deeper spiritually. We are changed by tragedy, loss, and hardship, but the Spirit makes us capable of staying focused on Christ rather than fixated on the adversity we are facing at the time.
Scripture teaches Satan is the Adversary of God. In difficult times, we need to stay focused on the love of the Savior, so our faith remains strong and resilient. We are taught by the Word, the Kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of this world are always in the midst of a battle between good and evil. So, we should not be taken unaware when we find ourselves experiencing the tangible effects of that spiritual war, because Jesus (indwelling you) gives the world a taste of the Kingdom of God.

Christ makes us strong when we are weak, brokenhearted, or struggling with the pressures of life; he wants to reveal himself through us to those around us. Christ is our sustaining power; our River of Life. This is the Gospel message, my friends—the Gospel is all about the “living treasure” inside. For this reason, we leave sinful living behind and choose to witness to the holiness and glory of the One within.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul reinforces this understanding by casting our focus on Christ as our priceless treasure and not on our fragile human bodies—clay jars. Think about the mystery of God’s plan for a minute; believers hold the righteous character and power of God so how we choose to live matters greatly! The Almighty God has mercifully chosen to live and dwell among our human weakness in order to show what the divine nature can do in a surrendered life. This understanding should motivate us and keep us strong, today, because God’s righteous power is at work within us making us more than conquerors (Ro 8:37).

2 Corinthians 4:1-12 NLT
1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.

3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

Prayer: Father, thank you for making believers your dwelling place. May we be mindful, today, of your presence within us and our need to remain resilient. Holy Spirit, be our righteous power and keep us focused on Christ! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro:  In the days in which we live, it has become very clear to me that many human beings devalue God’s wisdom. In fact, Satan and the forces of evil are working overtime to “reduce” humanity’s interest in gaining godly wisdom by exalting technology, science, and human intellect—certainly not bad things in and of themselves, but neither are they the wisest source of study and knowledge upon which to build our spiritual lives. We were never created to make an intellectual assent into God’s presence—we must use faith in Christ.

Last year, the average person spent 403 minutes each day on the internet seeking information and gaining a form of “knowledge.” Friends, I suspect people spend much more time researching the internet searching for information that reinforces their views and affirms their desires; rather than praying, reading God’s Word, and seeking God for His divine wisdom to help govern and direct their lives. In this way, we have become people pleasers rather than God’s pleasers on a journey toward personal autonomy.  

Here’s a simple definition of science: Science is the pursuit and application of knowledge and understanding of the natural and social world following a systematic methodology based on evidence. Every time I look at a beautiful sunrise or sunset I see the “evidence” or handiwork of Creator God. Wouldn’t it be great if humanity was on a quest for truth based on the One who is True and created all things?  

In our passage today, the apostle James reminds us godly wisdom provides spiritual understanding and practical discernment to pursue righteousness [to be right in God’s eyes] which is God’s purpose for his human creation. God’s wisdom is not of this world, so we must humbly submit ourselves to the Word of God [deference] and ask the Holy Spirit to supernaturally help us apply the Truth to our lives. This is how we build our spiritual lives in God’s wisdom.

Have a fabulous weekend! Hope to see you in worship…

James 3:13-18 NLV Wisdom from Above

13 Who among you is wise and understands? Let that one show from a good life by the things he does that he is wise and gentle. 14 If you have jealousy in your heart and fight to have many things, do not be proud of it. Do not lie against the truth. 15 This is not the kind of wisdom that comes from God. But this wisdom comes from the world and from that which is not Christian and from the devil. 16 Wherever you find jealousy and fighting, there will be trouble and every other kind of wrong-doing. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure. Then it gives peace. It is gentle and willing to obey. It is full of loving-kindness and of doing good. It has no doubts and does not pretend to be something it is not. 18 Those who plant seeds of peace will gather what is right and good.

Prayer:  Lord, your peace is about the wholeness only you can bring our lives. We try to fill our emptiness with stuff and fix ourselves, but you have created us for the salvation only you can bring into the personal chaos of the human soul. So, help us humbly reach for your pure Truth by asking for the wisdom we need each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Recently, God has been leading me to teach about genuine faith. Now, real faith is about action to what Christ has made known. Christ is the Living Word, so when we gain and understand truth from God’s Word we need to live and practice it; this is known as the obedience of faith. Jesus taught his disciples that love for him was shown through obedience to the commands/teachings of God (John 14:21). The Word of God opens our faith toward obedience and conformity to Christ—and God get’s the glory. We are to be imitators of God (Eph 5:1). This is a picture of genuine faith.

In our passage today, the apostle John wants us to focus on Christ—the Son of God. Three things in our verses stand out to me: 1) We must believe in Christ to be born of God; 2) We must obey God’s Word or Commands in order to love God and others in a righteous way; and 3) We overcome and defeat evil through the obedience of genuine faith in Christ! This is all such Good News!

1 John 5:1-5 NLT Faith in the Son of God
1 Everyone who believes [as fact] that Jesus is the Christ [Messiah] has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments [remain mindful of his teaching]. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome [oppressive]. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

Prayer: Father, thank you for sending your Son to bring salvation to your children. Jesus, thank you for being the Word we so desperately need in order to understand the Truth. Holy Spirit, thank you for guiding and empowering us to live for the glory of God! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: If you know me, you know I love teamwork; a team works together to achieve a common goal. Much can be accomplished with a focused and devoted team. As disciples of Christ, we are on God’s team for the purpose of reconciliation or restoration. Jesus doesn’t need us to be successful; he is powerful and victorious by himself. But, he chooses to gather a team of people and serve “with” them. This relationship and teamwork with Christ changes ordinary lives and makes them extraordinary in love and power. This is the true picture of the Church with Christ as the Head (Col 1:18).

In our passage from Luke today, Jesus comes down the mountain with his disciples and the crowds gathered to hear his teachings. The people have heard about the power of Jesus to deliver a person from evil, as well as the healing found in just one touch of his hand. The disciples are there to work as a team with Jesus in serving the tremendous needs of these people.

Crowds Follow Jesus
17 When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. 19 Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.

Prayer: Lord, you truly make the lives of your children extraordinary with how you form and equip us as your team to reveal the power found in serving others. Give us a fresh glimpse today of ways we can join in your purpose of restoration. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Teamwork by E. A. Guest
“Its all very well to have courage and skill
And it’s fine to be counted a star,
But the single deed with its touch of thrill
Doesn’t tell the man you are;
For there’s no lone hand in the game we play,
We must work to a bigger scheme,
And the thing that counts in the world today
Is, How do you pull with the team?”

Intro: Yesterday, John and I were expecting the delivery of a new washer and dryer. It was the second appointment for delivery we had been given, because the first set of appliances associated with the first appointment were damaged before they got to our house. Unfortunately, the second appointment for delivery did not go any better than the first appointment. What was my response? I promptly called Customer Service. Although, the representative who answered my call was kind and apparently wanted to be helpful, the guidelines he was given to read to me for problem-solving was of no value for the issue we were facing. Friends, I am grateful God’s guidelines are always perfect for the problems I face.

Elizabeth George once said, “God has written His divine guidelines for your life right in the Bible.” In our passage today, David affirms this truth. Good guidelines can be very helpful when we have questions about what God may want from us as his children. Rules are associated with laws and permanent policies, but divine guidelines are recommendations that lead to the best behaviors or practices. It was David’s desire to dwell in the presence of God; therefore, he sought the guidelines of Scripture to learn how to dwell or remain in God’s love.

Even though David failed to live in moral excellence during portions of his life, he wanted his future to be filled with success. God wants that same success for all his children. The world’s standards, morality, and ethics may be eroding, but God’s guidelines will never be shaken and always stand the test of time. So, may we pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help us honor these guidelines for our lives.

Psalm 15 The Voice/Amplified Bible
1
Eternal One, who is invited [as a guest] to stay in Your dwelling?
    Who is granted [continual] passage to Your holy mountain?
2 
Here is the answer: The one who lives with integrity, does what is right,
    and speaks honestly with truth from [what is held in] the heart.
3 
The one who doesn’t speak evil against others
    or wrong his neighbor,
    or slander his friends.
4 
The one who loathes the loathsome,
    honors those who fear the Eternal [worship with obedient, reverent, and submissive wonder],
And keeps all promises no matter the cost [for his own benefit].
5 
The one who does not lend money with gain in mind [to a fellow believer]
    and cannot be bought to harm an innocent name.
If you live this way, you will not be shaken and will live together with the Lord.

Prayer: Lord, many of your guidelines in this passage today address the evil humans can do with words. Help me to speak honestly and deny evil the use of my mouth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Do you associate righteous conduct with God’s blessing? I hope so, because God tells us we are blessed with divine righteous love in order to be a blessing to others (Gen 12:2-3). God releases his righteous love into our lives, because he loves to share himself by serving us. When we serve and bless others, we receive more blessing from God to prepare us for more service. God’s blessing is a picture of a reciprocal love that just moves and flows through the lives of his children like spiritual nutrition. Feast on the love of God + Share the love of God = BLESSING!

In our passage today, the Apostle Peter reminds all Christians of how we must treat one another in order to stay in the flow of that sweet reciprocal love and blessing of God. Peter emphasizes some righteous behaviors: Sympathy, familial love, tenderheartedness, humility, and self-control. When we genuinely sympathize and understand one of our family members has a problem and needs help, we are gentle in our treatment and response, because we value the relationship we share in Christ.
So, if you want to enjoy the genuine blessing of God, remember righteous conduct is associated with God’s blessing. We bless others, not out of duty, but out of love and choice, because this is how God treats us. God desires to bless us, so let’s position ourselves to receive the blessing of his love and allow the Spirit to motivate us toward righteous conduct in our relationships.

1 Peter 3:8-12 NLT/Amplified Bible 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 [deceit].
11 
Turn away from evil and do good.    Search for peace [with God, self, and others], and work [actively pursue] to maintain it.
12 
The eyes of the Lord watch [favorably] over those who do right,    and his ears are open to their prayers [eager to answer].But the Lord turns his face    against those who do evil.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for how you love us as your children and provide your blessing so we can serve others. You have set abundance within us, so help us today to release the blessing into the lives of others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Some stories have predictable endings. However, our lessons and stories in Scripture are always packed with twists, shifts, and surprises. Sometimes when we think we know how something should end, we witness once again that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and that He is the God of the impossible. I will stop right here and shout out a praise for our miraculous, mysterious, and unfathomable God!

In our passage today, Luke reminds us the disciples thought the death of Jesus was the end; however, the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead and he spent 40 days with the disciples. They just got used to having Jesus around again and suddenly he ascends back into heaven. Then, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit and the story continues! So, read your Bible and enjoy the resurrected Christ teaching you as his disciple. Believe in the power he alone can provide you to live as a new creation. Finally, join with your spiritual family in the love of God and be the hands and feet of Jesus for the community. The Holy Spirit will bring you all you need; you have the Father’s promise. Have a blessed weekend.

Acts 1:1-5 The Promise of the Holy Spirit
1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus [name means ‘one who loves God’], about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for writing not only every story in the Bible, but for continuing to write your story through every disciple who will follow you, today. You are the Beginning and the End. Help us to embrace your power, Holy Spirit! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: As human beings, we hunger for the Truth because our souls [mind/will/emotions] were created by God to live and dwell in the Truth. The world and sin leaves our souls spiritually empty, but Truth is our supply and abundant Home. If we are open to the possible existence of absolute Truth, we can choose to live according to the Word. Otherwise, we will live by our misdirected worldly cravings and fleshly demands that vie to fill our emptiness. Trying to fill our spiritual emptiness with worldly desires can lead us into all kinds of evil and hard places from which we must find a way of escape. Friends, when we find ourselves lost because of our choices…Jesus is the Way back to God [John 14:6].

Certainly, very few people like the idea of absolute Truth [something is true for all people, at all times, and in all places], but doubting the existence of absolute Truth is faulty reasoning, because Truth is a Person; Christ the Living Word and Creator is the absolute authority for all creation. So, our perspective and interpretation of Truth is the problem; we traverse a world that encourages us to trust lies. God’s nature and character never changes, so if we want to know the Truth about God and His plan for our lives, we must go to Him and wait for guidance.

Our passage today is a song from David sung to glorify his Lord and Shepherd. He sings about his experiences with God. He shares about his failures and need for a Savior. Then, he breaks into praise, because David knows when he places his trust in God and waits patiently, God comes as the Redeeming Rescuer. Real joy comes from knowing the Truth of God’s love for us! If you are struggling today, please pray, ask for God’s help, and wait patiently, because God will faithfully turn to you and lift you out of the spiritual mire of the world’s lies and into a better place for his glory! Embrace Truth!

Psalm 40:1-4a NLT
1 
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
    and he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
    out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
    and steadied me as I walked along.
3 
He has given me a new song to sing,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
    They will put their trust in the Lord.
4
Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord,

Prayer: Lord, I want to thank you for always being there for me. You patiently wait for me to come to you and patiently wait for me to align myself to the Truth. You work in such amazing ways when I trust you. So, thank you for the joy of my salvation. Like David, I will share the experiences of my faith with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen.