Pastor Mary Haley

One of my favorite games to play is bowling. I love being in the bowling alley and having the opportunity to improve my game as best as I can. One of the many things that I struggle with in this sport is how to hook the bowling ball. In other words, how to make it spin. I haven’t mastered it yet. When I try, it always fails every time. When I want it to go a certain way, it always goes the exact opposite. It’s like Paul in today’s passage from Romans 7:14-25. Paul discovers that he wants to do good, but when he does it always the exact opposite. In verse 19, he says “I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.” Our human self would kick in and take over our decision making and we end up doing the wrong thing when the reality is that we are supposed to do the right thing. In verse 23, Paul talks about a different kind of warfare. It says “But there is another power me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.” In the next verse, Paul says that he’s miserable and he asks just who can save me from this life that has been taken over or dominated by sin and death. In verse, 25, he discovers the answer. It says “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.”

I want to challenge you to keep Satan out of your mind. It’s easier said than done, but the reality is that God is on the throne. Think about positive thoughts and positive things. Philippians 4:8 explains how we need to think about good and positive thoughts. John 10:10 says that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus came so that we can have life and have it abundantly. Here’s my little prayer for you today: Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that we will continue to focus on You every single day. No matter what we face, let us glorify You in all that we say and all that we do. I pray that we will think more positive thoughts and positive things. I pray that we will be more positive in our lives when it comes to our thoughts, our thinking, our emotions, and our actions. Continue to remind us how we need to be more positive in our lives. We will give you all the glory. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Romans 7:14-25 NLT
Struggling with Sin

14 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15 I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17 So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

There is a very famous story that most children read and heard about called “Little Red Riding Hood.” It’s about a little girl who is on her way to see her grandmother. When she gets to the house, she begins to notice that something didn’t seem right about her grandmother. She had hair on her hands, big eyes, and she had big ears. Clearly it wasn’t her grandmother at all, but rather the big bad wolf. He was trying to trick her. I’m not sure if you know this or not but there are wolves in sheep’s clothing all around us. In other words, they are people who are trying to trick us into doing something that we clearly shouldn’t be doing. In today’s passage, Jesus is reminding us that we shouldn’t be afraid or worried about people in authoritative positions. Jesus says in Matthew 10:16, “Look, I am sending out as sheep among wolves. So be as a shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.” In other words, we as warriors for God will have a target on our backs when it comes to sharing the gospel to others. He says in verses 19-20, “When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” In the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus tells His disciples that they ought to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. Even though there will be people who aren’t going to like what we have to say, but we need to remind ourselves that we are not the ones doing the talking. God will be with us when it comes to us sharing the gospel. In Matthew 5:16, Jesus says for us to let our lights shine before others in a way that they may see our good deeds as well as glorify our Father in heaven.

I want to challenge you today to not be ashamed of the gospel. In Romans 1:16, Paul tells us that he isn’t ashamed of the gospel. If Paul isn’t ashamed of the gospel when he was in a Roman prison, then we shouldn’t be ashamed of the gospel when we share it with our friends and family. There are people who would use the gospel to try and trick us into believing something that isn’t scriptural or biblical. We just need to be careful about who the wolves are and who the sheep are as well. Be sure to be alert and paying attention in this life (1 Corinthians 16:13 and 1 Peter 5:8). Just be careful and remember that God is always with you no matter what.

Matthew 10:16-25 NLT

16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. 17 But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. 18 You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. 19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. 20 For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. 22 And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.

24 “Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. 25 Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!

I don’t know about you but I’m sure that we can agree that there are lots of different distractions. Whether it’s our phones, a sporting event, a hobby, or even our jobs. While these things can be fun and enjoyable, another key distraction are people. People, as a whole, can be very distracting. We need to be careful on what kind of people we are around. The reason is because they could either lead us away from God or helping us move towards God. In today’s passage, David is saying a prayer to the Lord about keeping Him focused with Him and to not let the people, specifically the evil people, impact him and making him conformed to their way of living. In Romans 12:2, Paul reminds us to not be confirmed, or copy the behaviors, to this world, but instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind. When we are around other people, we have the tendency to act and behave like them just so that we can fit in with the crowd. That’s not how we are supposed to live. In Ephesians 5:1, Paul tells us to be Christ-like, or be imitators of God. The word “Christian” means Christ-like. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:16 to let His light shine before others in such a way that they may see your good works and to glorify, or to lift up, the name of Jesus. Peter, in Matthew 14:22-33, wasn’t distracted by people but rather of the circumstances of himself and the apostles. When Peter was out on the water after being called by Jesus, he was focused on Jesus. When he lost his focus, he began to sink. Even though Jesus saved him, he asked him “why did you doubt me?” So often we would be distracted by people or the circumstances of the world that we begin to lose focus on what really matters.

I want to challenge you today to not get distracted by people who may be leading you away from the Lord or the circumstances of the season you are in, but instead stay focus on Jesus. The Hebrew writer says in Hebrews 12:2 to fix our eyes on Jesus. No matter what storm of ice you are in the midst of, continue to focus on Jesus because you will get out of that storm. It may not be on your timing because our time isn’t His time (Psalm 90:4, Isaiah 55:8-9, and 2 Peter 3:8), but you will get out of that season by the help of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5).

Psalm 75 NLT
For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph. A song to be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”
1 We thank you, O God!
We give thanks because you are near.
People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds.
2 God says, “At the time I have planned,
I will bring justice against the wicked.
3 When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil,
I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. Interlude

4 “I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’
I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists!
5 Don’t raise your fists in defiance at the heavens
or speak with such arrogance.’”
6 For no one on earth—from east or west,
or even from the wilderness—
should raise a defiant fist.[a]
7 It is God alone who judges;
he decides who will rise and who will fall.
8 For the LORD holds a cup in his hand
that is full of foaming wine mixed with spices.
He pours out the wine in judgment,
and all the wicked must drink it,
draining it to the dregs.

9 But as for me, I will always proclaim what God has done;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 For God says, “I will break the strength of the wicked,
but I will increase the power of the godly.”

Sometimes we get that feeling of loneliness. We feel like there’s no one there to support us, help us, or even pray with us. We have adapted to this mindset for a long time, but I want to remind you that you’re not alone in this life. You have someone who is constantly in your corner and someone who is always going to provide what is best for you. That person is God. He is always going to be with you no matter where you go. In today’s passage, Asaph talks about giving thanks to the Lord. In Psalm 75:1, it says “We thank you, O God! We give thanks because you are near.” Then jumping ahead to verse 3 of Psalm 75, it talks about how God will keep our foundations firm. What this means is that when He brings justice to the wicked and the people start to feel like they are living in turmoil, God is the only one who can keep its foundation solid or firm. Another thought to consider is to not be quick to judge. In Psalm 75:7, it says “It is God alone judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall.” We need to understand that God is the one person who can judge. James agrees with this in James 4:12 where he says “But you-who are you to judge your neighbor?” (NIV translation). We shouldn’t judge anyone based on external factors and features. While our external features and human self is different, God only looks at the heart of man.

I want to challenge you today to not judge anyone because there is no reason for us to go around and judging people. Instead of judging, let’s start loving on people. We all have differences and opinions about different things. One thing I was taught was that an opinion is like a belly button: everyone’s got one. When it comes to the kingdom of God, let’s put our differences aside and start loving others the way that Christ loves us (Romans 5:8).

Psalm 75 NLT
For the choir director: A psalm of Asaph. A song to be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”

1 We thank you, O God!
We give thanks because you are near.
People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds.

2 God says, “At the time I have planned,
I will bring justice against the wicked.
3 I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. Interlude

4 “I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’
I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists!
5 Don’t raise your fists in defiance at the heavens
or speak with such arrogance.’”
6 For no one on earth—from east or west,
or even from the wilderness—
should raise a defiant fist.
7 It is God alone who judges;
he decides who will rise and who will fall.
8 For the Lord holds a cup in his hand
that is full of foaming wine mixed with spices.
He pours out the wine in judgment,
and all the wicked must drink it,
draining it to the dregs.

9 But as for me, I will always proclaim what God has done;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 For God says, “I will break the strength of the wicked,
but I will increase the power of the godly.”

Intro: Self-denial—a willingness to obey Christ’s commands, serve one another, and suffer—has always been a part of Christ’s teaching, but most of us will agree it comes with a struggle. Our flesh leans toward self-indulgence instead of self-denial; our desire for personal pleasure is innate. In fact, everything in our culture points to the pursuit of pleasure and the more we indulge in it the more we want; self-indulgence knows no end because it is never satisfied.

In our passage today, Jesus is talking to the disciples about the fact that he must suffer, be rejected, and die. No one understands why the Messiah needs to die in order to fulfill God’s plan for salvation. Then, if that wasn’t enough of a stumbling block, Jesus addresses the crowd and invites them to follow him into self-denial; to lose their lives, too. I’m sure those listening were thinking, “Jesus, we asked God for a Messiah to save us from suffering, not lead us into it!”

To deny self is to pick up the cross. We cannot save ourselves, so without Christ we are destined to die. However, when we trust Christ for salvation and obey his commands, we actually find resurrection life. We can know Christ’s sacrificial love and experience his power and glory when we follow him.

To pick up your cross is to identify with Christ’s message of salvation. We must deny our selfish desires in this life, because Jesus offers something of much greater value. Comfort is important to us, so to follow Jesus is to accept that he may lead us to do something very uncomfortable. So, put on the joy of your salvation today, pick up your cross, follow Christ, and save your life!

Luke 9:21-27 Jesus Predicts His Death
21 Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. 22 “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels. 27 I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God.”

Prayer: Lord, I want what you have offered to your followers. Help me to obediently pick up my cross, today, and serve others. I know this is the way to eternal life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: It is fun to plan a trip that involves good times, loved ones, and relaxation. We all need these times, because the challenges of life press in on our souls [minds/wills/emotions] and make us weary in doing what is good before God (Gal 6:9). Restful and relaxing trips are a blessing; however, have you had to plan a trip that you knew would involve high levels of stress and conflict?

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul is planning a challenging trip, so he writes a letter, before his arrival, to some people he will be visiting. His letter to the Corinthians reveals the plan for this trip is not relaxation. Indeed, Paul plans a trip that potentially involves conflict, confrontation, as well as correction. Paul is planning his third trip to visit the church in Corinth in order to set them straight. They have been indoctrinated with a false gospel and it is wreaking havoc among the believers. Paul must go reset the righteous plumb line of God’s Word before them. He addresses them and basically says, “Look at yourselves and tell me if you see Jesus—the Living Word of God operating in your life!”

An array of personal pronouns seem to be emphasized in our present world, but Paul basically uses two pronouns in his address: “you” and “yourselves.” In other words, Paul makes them face their personal decisions and lifestyles before Almighty God. He points out the incongruity of their faith next to the Word of God as a way to validate a genuine faith. No opportunity to cast blame on anyone else. It is pretty simple really. God gave “you” life; how are “you” living it? Do you see the Christian faith as being about your heart, your attitudes, words, and behaviors before your God?

When the Apostle Paul arrived in Corinth, perhaps he had to publicly denounce the behavior of some sins, by proclaiming what the Word of God said about the matter. Or maybe Paul would need to call in the church leaders in order to address certain sins. Paul was ready to do what he needed to do, even though it was a trip he did not want to make. Paul was a leader who wanted God’s family to grow up and become mature. It wasn’t enough for people to make a profession of faith, nor was it enough for people to attend a few worship services. No, Paul wanted to help believers develop a genuine and mature faith that would produce righteous fruit that revealed God’s glorious Kingdom on earth.

We all have a sinful nature, but for some reason we tend to think our sin is small or hidden and someone else’s sin is BIG and glaring! There are no small or big sins, my friends. Every sin makes us guilty before God and in need of mercy and forgiveness. Sin requires humility before God, because every sin is ultimately against him. As well, sin requires hard work and conflict resolution, because we sin against one another. This is the message the people of Corinth needed to hear. Is it a message “you” need to hear, today?

2 Corinthians 13:5-10
5 Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. 6 As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognize that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority.

7 We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction. I hope we won’t need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come—even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority. 8 For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth. 9 We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature.

10 I am writing this to you before I come, hoping that I won’t need to deal severely with you when I do come. For I want to use the authority the Lord has given me to strengthen you, not to tear you down.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for reminding me about taking personal responsibility for my life; the life You gave to me as a gift. May I live for Your honor, today, as a gift back to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Goal setting is an important part of preparing for the future. When we set goals, we are declaring our desire for character growth and personal development. Perhaps this growth involves a job objective, a new skill, or a project we hope to complete. Goals are about forming a strategic action plan and following through with it.

Setting goals for our spiritual lives is also essential. God’s children should always have a righteous action plan to advance the work of the Kingdom with our King. It would be great if every person on earth was interested in righteous goals, but let’s never forget Satan comes with a devious action plan to advance wickedness in the world. He wants to stop the advancement of righteousness. Therefore, we experience a collision of goals (righteous vs. wicked) all the time—this what makes up the spiritual battle.

A spiritual goal might involve an increase of faith, deeper confidence or trust in God’s Word, more authority in the Spirit over our thoughts, speech, and actions that work to guide our lives, or a greater level of commitment to the Lord in serving. There is no end to the spiritual goals we could be inspired by the Spirit to pursue. Faith calls us to hang onto our goals no matter what is happening in our lives at the time. Fear is not from God and we must believe the Lord is guiding our lives into a future and a hope (Jer 29:11).

So, how should we view the work of the world through people who are devious in their goals? Let’s be real and honest; some people have evil goals that flow from a depraved heart. In time, that depravity is revealed. Certainly, those wrong-minded persons can make life pretty difficult for the people seeking to live righteously before the God of all justice. The world may seek to pervert the course of justice, but no one can successfully conspire against us—the redeemed—when we are under the protective wings of God. He knows everything that is happening around us and what affects us. If a person chooses to live deviously, they have to deal with the arrows of God, because He is sovereignly working to defeat evil. What goes through my mind right now is gratitude, because I want to be lovingly held and protected by God not defeated by Him. Being on the wrong side of God (righteousness) is a picture of what is to come when every evil goal meets its demise.

King David understood the spiritual collision of goals, so, he prayed. We must do likewise!

Psalm 64 (NLT) A psalm of David.
1 
O God, listen to my complaint.    Protect my life from my enemies’ threats.
2 
Hide me from the plots of this evil mob,    from this gang of wrongdoers.
3 
They sharpen their tongues like swords    and aim their bitter words like arrows.
4 
They shoot from ambush at the innocent,    attacking suddenly and fearlessly.
5 
They encourage each other to do evil    and plan how to set their traps in secret.    “Who will ever notice?” they ask.
6 
As they plot their crimes, they say,    “We have devised the perfect plan!”    Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.
7 
But God himself will shoot them with his arrows,    suddenly striking them down.
8 
Their own tongues will ruin them,    and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9 
Then everyone will be afraid;    they will proclaim the mighty acts of God    and realize all the amazing things he does.
10 
The godly will rejoice in the Lord    and find shelter in him.And those who do what is right    will praise him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the assurance that nothing—no work of evil—can hinder your plans for me. No weapon formed against your children will prosper. Thank you for striking down evil-doers. We lift our voices to rejoice and praise you, today! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: One of the things I so love about David in Scripture is just how real and honest he is about his feelings. David faces a myriad of emotions throughout his life; we know because he writes songs about where he finds himself in each season. David shares many emotions in the song we will look at, today (Ps 22). In the beginning, he laments—he passionately expresses his grief and sorrow. He feels hopeless and many of his days seem insurmountable. This giant killer struggles as his courage and spiritual vitality wanes. He feels forsaken and abandoned by God. David questions how God could allow this injustice to happen to him? David has always maintained a resilient trust in God, but for some reason God is silent and it is almost more than David can endure. Have you ever had a season when you grieved with a “no help” outlook?

David decides to take a good look at himself; he evaluates his emotions and he realizes he has allowed life’s challenges to diminish his trust in his Creator and Lord. God has always been faithful to his people; nothing has changed and God is not man that He should lie (Nu 23:19). So, David decides it’s time to stop trying to figure things out on his own and to humbly turn his burdens over to God. When he does, David experiences a breakthrough. In God’s timing, He moves in David’s behalf. David experiences a private deliverance that drives him to proclaim the goodness of God publicly.

At times in our lives, God is quietly working in our souls to bring deliverance. The challenge is to remain faithful during the times we may be hurting the most. During these times, let us hold fast to the truth that His grace is sufficient for all our needs and His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor 12:9). “When the righteous cry out, the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles” (Ps 34:17). So, like David, let’s pray when we are hurting, because prayer leads the way to praise!

Psalm 22:1-2, 19-28 NLT
1 
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?    Why are you so far away when I groan for help?
2 
Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer.    Every night I lift my voice, but I find no relief.
19 
O Lord, do not stay far away!    You are my strength; come quickly to my aid!
20 
Save me from the sword;    spare my precious life from these dogs.
21 
Snatch me from the lion’s jaws    and from the horns of these wild oxen.
22 
I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.    I will praise you among your assembled people.
23 
Praise the Lord, all you who fear him!    Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob!    Show him reverence, all you descendants of Israel!
24 
For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy.    He has not turned his back on them,    but has listened to their cries for help.
25 
I will praise you in the great assembly.    I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you.
26 
The poor will eat and be satisfied.    All who seek the Lord will praise him.    Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.
27 
The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him.    All the families of the nations will bow down before him.
28 
For royal power belongs to the Lord.    He rules all the nations.
29 
Let the rich of the earth feast and worship.    Bow before him, all who are mortal,    all whose lives will end as dust.
30 
Our children will also serve him.    Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.
31 
His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.    They will hear about everything he has done.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being with us in good times and in the hardest of times. I pray for the hearts of your human creation, today. May the world wake up and see that you are the Deliverer and the Righteous One who rules in justice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, the Apostle Paul has been talking to the Jews in Rome about their spiritual “sclerosis” or the hardening of their hearts. What causes a person to have a spiritually hard heart? According to Scripture, it is a refusal to repent of sin and accept the only way to forgiveness and salvation—Jesus Christ (Ro 2:4). Believers—the redeemed—are rescued by faith in the saving influence of the Spirit. Human deeds only reveal the evidence of salvation; righteous actions consistent with the Word of God are undeniably seen in the lives of the redeemed. What message do people get about God when they look at your life?

Circumcision refers to the sign of God’s special covenant with his people and it was something God required for all Jewish males. During this time, the Jews felt because they were descendants of Abraham and had been circumcised, they would enjoy a saving relationship with God. Therefore, they believed they could live any way they wanted and be sure of their salvation. However, Paul reminds them the outward act of circumcision was nothing without the inward circumcision to the heart [obedience to God’s Word]. The saving influence of the Spirit comes to cut [circumcise] unrighteous things out of the lives of God’s people that rebel against His Word or Testimony. So, Paul urges his Jewish brothers not to violate their consciences by sin and continually living in hypocrisy (Ro 2:21-23). To continually violate a conscience leads to spiritual “sclerosis,” a quenching of the Holy Spirit’s work, and a desensitizing of one’s moral compass. A hard heart leads a person into suffering and self-destruction; they are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God (Eph 4:18).

A true child of God and a true descendant of Abraham is a person who has allowed the Spirit to cut away or separate him/her from sin in order to live for God. Salvation is the work of the Spirit who convicts us of sin and does the necessary heart surgery—something we could never do for our selves. May we live in the Spirit with changed hearts—a genuine desire to please God. Practicing our faith in the Word and inward work of the Spirit is the true Way to salvation. When we live this way, we send a beautiful message of who God actively is within us.

Romans 2:25-29 (NLT)
25 The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. 26 And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people? 27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.

28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

Prayer: Lord, clearly You desire our heartfelt devotion and obedience to Your Word. Holy Spirit, stir that desire in all of Your children, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Two things believers should always remember about our faithful God’s covenant promises: 1) God’s promise of divine protection, and 2) God’s promise of divine provision. Life can seem pretty overwhelming at times, but we are never alone and are always surrounded by God’s protecting arms of love working in our behalf. He is our Creator and He knows our capabilities. As well, He knows our weaknesses, so he provides grace when we need it most.

Physical and spiritual attacks can threaten us, but God is our Protector. This world is fallen, my friends, and as a result we experience many hardships. David faced many angry and sinful people, but he still knew God was his Protector. Do you know God is your Protector? God is our spiritual hiding place; our refuge and shield. As well, He uses angels to protect us from evil (Ps 91:11-12). Actually, because God is the Creator, He can use anything as a means to protect His children. Sometimes, God even shields us from our own self-destructive behaviors.

God never promised that we would be exempt from the experience of physical pain or loss; He does promise to use all things as provision for us to grow spiritually stronger as we trust in His goodness. You are marked by the Spirit and you belong to the Lord. God has promised to protect His children from every spiritual attack and bring us into his glorious Kingdom (2 Tim 4:18).

Jesus—the Word of God—tells believers to ask God for provision, because the Father knows what we need (Mat 6:24-25). He will never withhold good things from those who walk with Him in righteousness into a quality of Kingdom life (Mat 6:33). The mystery of provision is revealed when we trust God and look for Him to bring the help we require. Sometimes, we just ask for the wrong things or with the wrong motives (James 4:3). May we remember God values righteous character development.

God’s love for you began before you were conceived in your mother womb, so He will always be Jehovah-Jireh, The Lord-Who-Provides and Jehovah-Ezer, The Lord-Our-Helper. If you are feeling overwhelmed today, David’s song is for you.
Psalm 124 (NLT) A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David.
1 
What if the Lord had not been on our side?
    Let all Israel [people of God] repeat:
2 
What if the Lord had not been on our side
    when people attacked us?
3 
They would have swallowed us alive
    in their burning anger.
4 
The waters would have engulfed us;
    a torrent would have overwhelmed us.
5 
Yes, the raging waters of their fury
    would have overwhelmed our very lives.
6 
Praise the Lord,
    who did not let their teeth tear us apart!
7 
We escaped like a bird from a hunter’s trap.
    The trap is broken, and we are free!
8 
Our help is from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the spiritual protection and provision you bring to the lives of Your children. You raise us above this fallen mess Your creation has made of Your world. Please forgive us and help us overcome the things that try to overwhelm us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.