Pastor Mary Haley

Intro: If we are going to profess Christ, we must choose to accept the invitation he offers to live in his righteousness. Otherwise, he does not know us through an intimate spiritual connection—because we have disregarded his commands on how to live righteously in the Spirit (Mat 7:23). Christ is righteous and we are invited to follow his righteous ways of eternal or abundant living—love God wholeheartedly and love others as much as we love ourselves (Mat 22:37-40). When we demand our own way, is God really in charge of our lives?

My friends, if we are going to remain devoted in our commitment to Christ, we will need to daily acknowledge our own sinfulness and repent (give our unrighteousness to Christ), we must pick up our cross of selfish inclination and personal ambition (take authority over anything unrighteous in us), and choose to be living sacrifices (by following Christ) into Father God’s will for righteous living. This is the way we worship him (Ro 12:1-2).

Christ carried the cross that caused suffering to his flesh and we are going to have to follow him by carrying our own (Mat 16:24). Our flesh—those areas within us that are still unrighteous, unrenewed, and opposed to God—suffers when we deny it. We will always try to avoid any kind of suffering, right? Well, our flesh will and must suffer if we are going to pursue Christ’s righteousness for our lives. This is what it means to live in Christ as a people called by his name (2 Chronicles 7:14).

In our passage today, Jesus reminds his disciples (then, now, and forever) that if they will humbly acknowledge their inadequacy to save themselves and accept their own weaknesses, God will be there to provide his power, strength, and resources. God values very different things than this world. Christ calls us to live obediently according to God’s standards and if we will follow him, we will have his power and strength to overcome our sinful flesh. Grace is not a way to get out of dealing with our sinful habits; it covers us while we learn to be Christ’s followers. The grace Jesus provided with his death, cost him everything. To follow Jesus, will cost us, too. We must say “no” to our sinful flesh and “yes” to the Spirit of righteousness.

Luke 6:20-23 NLT The Beatitudes
20 Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,
“God blesses you who are poor,    for the Kingdom of God is yours.
21 
God blesses you who are hungry now,    for you will be satisfied.God blesses you who weep now,    for in due time you will laugh.

22 What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. 23 When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the abundance of grace you provide to all the children called by your name. I thank you for my portion of grace, today. It will be exactly what I need in order to live for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: We serve the God of all comfort; the One who surrounds us with encouragement in the midst of affliction—crushing pressure . Sometimes that encouragement comes through words, but sometimes it comes when someone graciously walks along side us to offer help when we need it most. Comfort is sent by God to strengthen us and to lift our souls [mind/will/emotions] out of a place of pressure, lack, or grief. Comfort brings us courage and the perseverance to press on in faith. When we are sent to comfort others, our mission is to pass on the relief we have experienced. Did you know the Holy Spirit is our divine Comforter—the One who comes along side to help—who brings us the ability to comfort others?

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul is filled with gratitude, because even though he has faced many challenges and struggles, God has covered him with mercy and brought him comfort. Because we are the children of God, we face things that reveal the power and presence of God with us. We are not alone—we have God and one another—so we experience the comfort of our salvation. God gives us grace and one another, so we will have a sense of well-being even in the midst of difficulties.

Are you in a place of lack or grief? If so, invite the Comforter to come and bring you relief. Look around you and reach for a spiritual brother or sister who is ready to help. Realize that God never wastes our suffering, but uses it to lift the next child of His who may need comfort, too.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7 NLT God Offers Comfort to All
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being my Comforter, so that I may comfort others. If your children are determined to live in righteousness, we will need the comfort you alone can provide. Holy Spirit, please continue to build patience and endurance in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Preceding our passage for today, the religious elders and leaders once again reveal their spiritual blindness to Jesus when they demand to know by what authority Jesus clears the temple and performs his many miracles. Because they refuse to repent, the leaders cannot understand the Truth of God standing before them. To receive salvation, we must believe in God, repent of our sin, receive the sacrifice of Jesus, and through acts of our faith, welcome the Spirit who helps us become the children of God (John 1:12).

Jesus is the Word or authority of God; therefore, he offends these Jewish leaders when he boldly tells them God’s children are true to their word—they don’t say one thing and do another. To do so reveals hypocrisy. Therefore, these leaders lack integrity and the ability to be forthright. They deny the work of John the Baptist because he proclaims the need for repentance and the arrival of Messiah’s kingdom. These are Words they do not want to believe even though they proclaim to serve God. So, Jesus tells them a parable [a Word story] to help them understand their hearts better.

The authority of Jesus has always been under attack and remains as such, today. People love the idea of Jesus—the loving and indwelling Savior—but we do not necessarily like the way the Word instructs us to live. Most of the time our flesh demands its own way and we find ourselves with a spiritual battle raging within. If we ask God to save us, we need to follow his instructions. And, we need to care about the salvation of others around us.

Matthew 21:28-32 NLT Parable of the Two Sons
28 “But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. 30 Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.
31 “Which of the two obeyed his father?”
They replied, “The first.”

Then Jesus explained his meaning: “I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. 32 For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be authentic to your Word and follow in your Way. We do not want to be phony Christians; we want to become the children made in your image. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, the psalmist along with God’s people express their joy as they ascend God’s holy mountain—Jerusalem—the City of Peace. They are making their way to the Temple so they can worship the Lord. The desire for God’s presence overwhelms them; they anticipate God’s goodness and love expressed toward them.
For the Old Testament saints, coming to the Temple is not only where they worshiped, it is how they would experience God’s presence. The journey in coming to God, was difficult and many became weary along the way, but the thought of experiencing God’s presence refreshed them, so they pressed on. Being in God’s house even one day was better than a thousand days living in a world filled with wickedness.

For New Testament believers, every day we can come boldly to God’s glorious throne and receive the mercy and grace we need (Heb 4:16). God’s presence brings great peace to our souls; we can handle life with our Helper. Let’s be real, life can be extremely difficult sometimes; even traumatic. To face those difficulties or trauma without God with us is unimaginable. In God’s presence we experience His goodness, grace, and glory; life from his perspective is unveiled before us. Our spirits are renewed and refreshed in God’s presence. He is ready to provide for us and protect us; the Lord is our Shield.

If you are feeling weary today and your soul needs refreshing, please go boldly to the throne of God, now. You do not need to remain dry or empty. God will never withhold anything good from you if your heart is seeking his righteousness [his way of being right]. Trust him and lean into his goodness.

Psalm 84:8-12 NLT
8
O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, hear my prayer.    Listen, O God of Jacob. Interlude
9 
O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield!    Show favor to the one you have anointed.
10 
A single day in your courts    is better than a thousand anywhere else!I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God    than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
11 
For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.    He gives us grace and glory.The Lord will withhold no good thing    from those who do what is right.
12 
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,    what joy for those who trust in you.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the privilege of coming into your presence each day. We bow before your love and mercy and graciously receive the refreshing joy of the Spirit in our souls. Be glorified with how we use your grace, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: We live in what Scripture refers to as the last days—the age of grace following the resurrection of Christ and the impartation of the Holy Spirit. The last days and the times of difficulty involve the clash of two kingdoms—the world and heaven. The closer we come to the return of Christ, the more difficult and volatile times will become; sin will be rampant (Mat 24:12). However, we cannot give in to the world’s pressure to reject Christ’s righteous commands of love (Mat 22:37-38).

In our passage today, Paul is instructing Timothy to hold onto sound teaching and to give the Church—the redeemed people of God—a solid foundation to serve Christ and his kingdom. The appearance of godliness is not enough; God cares about the inner attitudes and beliefs of our hearts. Our daily behavior identifies the kingdom we serve. How we treat people matters greatly to God.

2 Timothy 3:1-5 NLT The Dangers of the Last Days
1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.

Prayer: Lord, help us to set aside our selfish inclinations and genuinely care about people coming to know you. We reject the spirit of pride and look to please you in how we love and serve your kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In 2012, I stood in the Garden of Gethsemane which is located near the foot of the Mount of Olives. I looked at the Olive Trees all gnarled—noticeably old and weathered. I wondered about the true age of these olive trees. Did you know the existing trees in the Garden might be 900 years old? Actually, research was done in 2012 to three of these trees; they were found to be among the oldest trees known to science. The carbon dating from these three trees reveal they could have been sprouts reviving from the roots of the trees that actually sheltered Jesus as he prayed [olive trees can grow back from roots after being cut down]. There’s a great message in the three olive trees! If God can revive the olive trees after trauma, God can revive us, too.

In our passage today, Luke does not tell us Jesus is in Gethsemane [Aramaic—meaning “oil press”], but Matthew and Mark tell us this Garden is the location for Christ’s agony— his intense struggle with evil (Mat 26:36; Mark 14:31). Christ agonized over the cup of suffering that lay ahead; he prayed for the Father’s will over his own and an angel of the Lord came and strengthened him. In contrast, the disciples fell asleep exhausted from grief even though Jesus warned them about the temptation they would face to deny God’s Word. What made the difference for Christ? Prayer. Prayer brought the Father’s provision—strength—to remain obedient. Whatever you are facing today, pray about it and let God bring you an angel of strength.

Luke 22:39-46 NLT Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives
39 Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. 40 There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.”

41 He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.

45 At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the wisdom we find in your Word, today. Help us to pray about everything and trust you will give us the strength to step into victory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: People who spend time in the Word of God understand a day of judgment will one day arrive. Scripture offers us warnings, as well as promises about that approaching day. Prophets have been sent throughout the ages to warn people about being on the wrong side of God—living in ungodliness—while waiting, because the day of judgment for the world is the day of reward for the Church (Mat 5:11-12).

In our passage today, James wants us to be patient with people. To be specific, believers are to be patiently enduring for the glory of God. Patience is frequently developed in the lives of believers during moments of suffering; it is a spiritual fruit that is very desirable to the Lord, but takes time to ripen. Developing patience takes courage and humility. That means we may have to patiently endure mistreatment without grumbling while are waiting on our reward. Let’s be real, suffering mistreatment is a difficult place, because we are dealing with unkind, uncaring, or ungodly people. I don’t know anyone who has endured mistreatment without grumbling except Jesus. Grace is essential for those who want to develop genuine patience; therefore, we must persevere in Christ. How patient are you with people who mistreat you?

James 5:7-11 Patience and Endurance
7 Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.

9 Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!

10 For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping us as your children develop more of your character each day while we wait for your return. We ask for you to develop patience within us knowing it means we will experience pressing moments. However, you have promised to use our difficulties for our good and in a way that brings honor and glory to you. Daily

Intro: The integrity of our words is a big deal with God, because we are reflections of Him and His Word. In Christ, we are called to be the living gospel. When we say we are going to do something, God expects us to follow-through reflecting His character. God is faithful to His Word and we must be faithful to our word, because we belong to Christ. God knows His children, because we turn from evil (v.19). We have no right to change God’s Word [falsely interpret] simply because we want it to read a certain way in order to please our flesh. We must be workers or ministers of the gospel who seek to live a life that pleases God. Never forget, it is God’s will that we bear abundant righteous spiritual fruit with our words and actions (Gal 5:22-23).

In our passage this morning, the Apostle Paul is sharing a lesson with Timothy about staying true to the gospel teaching of Christ. Timothy is to remain faithful in what he shares with others in Jesus’ name. During this time, as is the case today, teachers of false doctrine were using their words to steer people in a wrong spiritual direction. They were people pleasers and the people where living ungodly lives as a result. Paul knew this was going on so he instructed Timothy to interpret the Word as Christ revealed throughout His life as He lead God’s people into godliness—abundant Truth.

As Christians, why is what we say such a big deal? Because we will give an account to the Lord on the day of judgment for our careless or fruitless words (Mat 12:36). This is not just for pastors or teachers, my friends. This passage is a reminder for us as Christians to use every word we speak in a way that reflects and glorifies God. Have a blessed weekend!

2 Timothy 2:15-19 NLT An Approved Worker
15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. 18 They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.

19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping us learn the Truth each day about the importance of reflecting you properly. May you have your way in our hearts, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In 2012, I went to Athens Greece with a group of fellow seminarians. While we were there, we toured the Acropolis hill: the citadel that contains the remains of the Parthenon Temple—dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena. Thinking about history and strolling the ancient ruins was fascinating, but what was even more awe-inspiring was standing on Areopagus Hill or Mars Hill. The view of the Acropolis from Mars Hill is absolutely incredible. Originally, Mars Hill was a place for worshiping three female goddesses of vengeance. Then, in around the 7th or 8th century, it became the location of the supreme court for homicide trials—a meeting of aristocrats who served a lifelong tenure debating cases.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul has reached Athens with his quest to spread the Gospel of Christ. He begins to talk about the death and resurrection of Jesus in the synagogues. He goes to Mars Hill where he is invited to deliver a sermon to this Areopagus council of stoics and philosophers. Paul is confused by the many altars erected to strange gods—idols—surrounding him. Essentially, these gods were not even being obeyed by the council; they just had the altars to ensure they did not make any of them angry. These aristocrats actually worshiped either temporal materialism or pantheism—the idea that the divine is the universe. The Apostle walks by an altar built “to an Unknown God” and he takes off on his message using this specific altar to point to Christ as being that God, but who actually wants to be know.

Even today, people may find it foolish to think it is possible to know a sovereign and supreme God of love and compassion—a God who made everything that exists and yet desires to be known through a personal relationship (John 1:1-3). This God is Jesus who serves as our high priest, sacrificial lamb, and the final altar or cross upon which he offers the sacrifice of himself for our sin, so we may know Father God. Never forget sin blinds us to the truth; so salvation brings revelation and opens our eyes to the things to which we have been ignorant. Never stand in spiritual ignorance, let Jesus open your eyes.

If you have never asked the Lord for salvation, please do so, today. If you do not have Christ as your Savior, you will pay the penalty for your own sin against Creator God because we all sin (Ro 6:23). Simply pray, “Jesus, have mercy on me and save me! Please forgive me for my selfish sin against your holy commands of love. Come and make your home in the core of my being, because I want to know you. Now, I realize I am your offspring and in you I live and move and exist. Fill me with the perfect presence of your Spirit and help me live obedient to your love.”

Acts 17:22-34 NLT 22 So Paul, standing before the council,[Mars Hill] addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.

24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. 26 From one man [one blood line] he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

27 “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”

32 When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” 33 That ended Paul’s discussion with them, 34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Prayer: Lord, as human beings we can be so very full of pride and arrogance. Please forgive us. As believers, we know your holy ways and divine thoughts are so much higher than ours. Thank you for Paul’s message today. The Truth helps us know that as we share the Gospel of Jesus, we can find common ground and then witness to the difference he makes in our lives each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.