Pastor Mary Haley

March 28, 2022

Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

About six years ago I attended my first Bible study, EVER! The study was on the Book of Revelation, and it was taught by Pastor Mary (Haley). To begin my biblical journey at the “end” of the Bible seemed odd to me, and if I’m being completely honest, much of that study seemed odd at the time. However, I kept attending, and when I didn’t understand things, I would park them in a folder that Pastor Mary asked me to create within my head. She told me that Jesus would bring wisdom to those things within His time. Following that study, and over the next couple of years, I did many deep dive studies on my own into the Book of Revelation. At the same time, I studied many other Books within the Bible, and so when Pastor Mary offered another Bible study on Revelation (about 3 years following my first study) I was so excited to attend. I was amazed at how the Lord took things that I had parked within that “head folder” and guided me with His wisdom to bring spiritually understand to my soul (my mind, will, and emotions). All of this to say, I am humbled that I get to share with you a piece of Revelation in today’s devotion. Full disclaimer, there are many different theological views for this section, I will be sharing one that speaks to me, and I encourage you to further study.

Our passage is the “Songs of Victory in Heaven” from Revelation 19:1-10. In order to understand why there is this great praise in this section, we must first understand that Revelation 18 “The Fall of Babylon” happens and then there is a continuation into chapter 19 of praise for that fall. Many of us want to know what, where, and who is Babylon? There are many different views, but for today’s devotion we will focus on Babylon as representing the whole political and religious system of the world. So, what causes Babylon to fall? Her excessive luxuries, pride, and evil deeds (18:3-7) oppress God’s people (18:20) and thus her sins and broken systems cause her to fall. There are many who will mourn Babylon’s fall: the kings of the earth (18:9-10), the merchants (18:11-17), and the sea captains and sailors (18:18). However, there are many who will rejoice with heaven at the fall of Babylon the Great (19:2-3).

So, will you mourn the fall, or will you rejoice? It might seem like a simple question. If Babylon, the worldly “prostitute”, is so awful and against God you will rejoice with heaven…right? But, keep in mind, you and I reside within these human vessels that have a vested interest in the future of earthly institutions, society, and our country. Which means that choice will be difficult. You and I MUST never lose sight that we were, are, and will for all of eternity be spirits, within these “flesh suits”, that belong to God. Jesus reminds us that we MUST “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matt 7:13-14)

FRIENDS, I firmly believe that Jesus is talking to us, His followers, and we do NOT want to follow the earthly wide gate and broad road, we MUST follow Jesus into His small gate and narrow road. This path will be difficult, and it will not be accepted by the world.

John reminds us of who we are within today’s passage (19:7-8), we are Jesus’s bride, which is the complete opposite of an earthly prostitute. But Jesus teaches us to come prepared for the wedding (Matt 22:1-14), we need to be living clean and holy lives; and we cannot get distracted or be late when Jesus returns (Matt 25:1-13).

Revelation 19:1-10 (NLT)
Songs of Victory in Heaven

1 After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting,

“Praise the Lord!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.
2 His judgments are true and just.
He has punished the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality.
He has avenged the murder of his servants.”

3 And again their voices rang out:

“Praise the Lord!
The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!”

4 Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, “Amen! Praise the Lord!”

5 And from the throne came a voice that said,

“Praise our God,
all his servants,
all who fear him,
from the least to the greatest.”

6 Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder:

“Praise the Lord!
For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
7 Let us be glad and rejoice,
and let us give honor to him.
For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb,
and his bride has prepared herself.
8 She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.”
For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people.

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”

10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.”

Prayer: Jesus, I praise You and thank You for being my bridegroom. Help me, Lord, to continuously cleanse in Your baptismal water. I want to be a holy bride who is ready for You at any moment. Please continue to prepare my heart for Your return. I pray all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Intro: Our sin against God is a horrible thing and the cross reveals the true gravity of our sin. Even though our culture tries to minimize it, let us not forget it was humanity’s sin that sent Jesus to the cross. In Biblical Greek, sin is translated in four different ways: Hamartia: Missing the target, Adikia: unrighteousness/iniquity, Parabasis: stepping over a known boundary, or Anomia: lawlessness. Sin is rebellion against the authority of God.

Believers must be progressively growing in holiness, but we can still be tempted by sin because Satan is cunning and our flesh is weak. We open the door to sin, every time we turn away from God’s commands of love. There are no big sins and certainly there are no small sins. Sin is not just about personal injury; every time we sin against ourselves we also rebel against God. Salvation comes to those who take responsibility for their lives and because of Jesus’ work on the cross ask God for mercy and forgiveness.

In our passage today, Moses has been up on Mount Sinai with God. In the meantime, sin is having its way with God’s people at the base of the mountain. Clearly, God has never nor will he ever condone sin, because rather than sin being simply an action, sin comes from within the heart of each person (Mark 7:21-23). “For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will (Rom 8:7). One day, God will pour out his anger/wrath and destroy sin forever; those living with sin as their master instead of Christ will perish. So, today is the day to ask Christ for salvation. Please don’t hesitate…
Exodus 32:7-14 NLT

7 The Lord told Moses, “Quick! Go down the mountain! Your people whom you brought from the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. 8 How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live! They have melted down gold and made a calf, and they have bowed down and sacrificed to it. They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”

9 Then the Lord said, “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. 10 Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.”

11 But Moses tried to pacify the Lord his God. “O Lord!” he said. “Why are you so angry with your own people whom you brought from the land of Egypt with such great power and such a strong hand? 12 Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people!

13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’”
14 So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.

Prayer: Lord thank you for this lesson from Moses, today. May your children understand the gravity of sin and our need to turn from it and stay connected to Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, the Pharisees and teachers of the law condemn Jesus for spending time and eating with sinners. The Jews understood two classes of humans: clean and unclean. However, Jesus uses a parable to teach these religious leaders the two classes of humans are actually the lost and the found. The heart of Jesus is to reclaim the lost—those whom the religious leaders regard as unclean.

So, who are the lost? Sinners who have wandered away from God and are unable to find their way back to Him. Never forget because of sin we are born lost; we need a Shepherd to save us. So Jesus came to find His lost sheep and bring each person safely into His presence. Through faith the lost can be forgiven and enjoy new life in Christ. We may try religion in order to find our way back to God, but it is only through a relationship with Christ that we actually make a divine connection.

Luke 15:1-7 (NLT) Parable of the Lost Sheep
1 Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them!

3 So Jesus told them this story: 4 “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for finding me so many years ago. May the people in your world wake up to understand without you they are lost and in need of the Good Shepherd. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, the Apostle Paul basically tells the church at Corinth, “Don’t lose heart and quit!” When we lose heart, we have stopped believing we can be successful; maybe in our relationships, secular work environment, or even in ministry. Things like depression, anxiety, or bitterness stand ready to pounce upon those who are tempted to lose heart. Do you know who actually causes God’s kids to lose heart? Of course you do; evil works to defeat God’s children and demonic forces are focused on devouring faith and suffocating the believer’s joy in serving Christ. Evil celebrates each time a believer forgets “why” he or she lives to serve Christ and steps away. We may want to blame others for our struggles, but most of the time it is our own insecurities that God allows us to feel so we will grow up in His character. Don’t miss this: God tests our motive and commitment in unusual ways, friends! His ways are “far beyond anything you could imagine” (Is 55:8).

What does it take for you to “feel” successful? Kingdom people can be highly successful in God’s eyes, but may feel or look like failures in the eyes of the world. If we understand true success in God’s economy, we will not be so quick to lose heart. Success is obedience to God. It is allowing our lives to be motivated by God’s love and empowered by God’s Spirit to advance His Kingdom in spite of the challenges we face. Sometimes in ministry we think everything God calls us to do should be flourishing and successful; everyone thrilled. Yet, there are times when God cares more about the “why” we do something and he allows us to experience His discipline through conflict or confrontation. Our hearts are the construction zone and what God is doing is not always immediately visible.

I may not be successful reaching every heart when I share a teaching, preach a sermon, or share my devotional time, but if I reach one person and help him or her see God in a truer light and inspire each to know Him better, I have succeeded. Jesus is all about touching one heart at a time and bringing each one to the eternal throne for healing; because, we are ALL broken by sin. Can you say with me, “That’s Truth!” Because of grace, we never fail in God’s economy; we simply grow in our understanding of what is really important to Him—hearts seeking ETERNITY!

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Prayer: Lord, renew our spirits each day, so we serve with the right motives. Help us look beyond our present challenges to see you are working in our hearts, helping us evaluate our motives, and bringing grace to align our lives in your will for your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: It does not matter in which direction I look, I can see the evidence of people who live according to the law of God, as well as people who live against it. Even in places where people may not have a Bible, there will be those who live according to God’s standard of love. How is that even possible if they haven’t heard about God’s commands? The answer: If we are truly honest, we know the difference between right and wrong. However; because of sin, we simply have an innate driving hunger for the wrong things. That is why God gave us the Helper—the Holy Spirit who leads us away from what is false [not glorifying to God’s character] and into what is true [glorify to God’s character].

The older I get the more I appreciate God’s standard for my life; the image of Christ. I accept that I need divine boundaries and I welcome the work of the Spirit to produce holiness in me. In His Word, God graciously gives me a moral compass to follow so I do not sin against myself, a social standard of behavior upon which to build my relationships so I do not sin against others, and a spiritual Guide who leads me into a righteous life that produces fruit so I do not sin against God. Friends, God has set us up for success.

God has written the essence of His laws on human hearts, so we know how to love God and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. He gives us grace [favor] for the journey. We do not need to guess what God expects from us as His children. We simply need to be willing to align ourselves with His standard and obey. May we pause to think about the hunger in our hearts, today. Is it really for righteousness above all else? Remember, we can hold no secrets from God’s all-knowing presence.

Romans 2:12-16 NLT
12 When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. 13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. 14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. 16 And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for writing your standard of living on human hearts. Your standard of love helps me gain a greater understanding of You, helps me nurture healthy relationships with family and friends, and helps me see myself through the eyes of Christ. Thank you for releasing spiritual understanding within me, so I know and seek to live the Truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

March 21, 2022 Monday

When was the last time you judged someone? Be honest because Jesus knows our hearts. We can’t hide anything from Him.

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul holds a mirror up for us to look at ourselves. He wants us to realize that when we judge others, for anything, we are no better than “religious people” and we are sinning against God, because He is the ONLY Judge. In The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.” (Matthew 7:1-2)

Do you believe that when you sin Jesus is sitting there thinking poorly about you or talking bad about you; or do you believe that He wants the highest and best for you? Of course, He wants what is best for us, and for us to turn away from sin and back to Him. So, if that is the case, why would we ever think that we have the right to judge someone else for anything at all? The next time you or I want to judge someone else, we need to pause, and immediately pray. We need to ask Jesus for the presence of His Holy Spirit to overflow withing our hearts. We need to seek His kindness, tolerance, and patience to be within our hearts for others, just as He is kind, tolerant, and patient with us.

Romans 2:1-4 NLT
God’s Judgment of Sin

1 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for Your forgiveness of my sins. Please help me, Lord, to not judge others. I want to view others with Your heart, a heart that is kind, tolerant, and patient. Help me, Lord, to be more and more like You each day. I pray all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

March 14, 2022 (Monday)

Today we will be looking at the first 6 verses of Psalm 105. These verses can also be found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-13. They are a portion of verses that are presented there from King David and were most likely sung as the ark of the covenant was brought into Jerusalem. Although this Psalm is addressed to Israel, there is so much that you and I can glean from it today. Let’s break it down into a couple of sections:

Verses 1-3: Within these verses we are reminded that as the people of God we are called to a place of:

Gratitude – we must “give thanks to the Lord” for all that He has done, is doing, and will do.
Praise – we must “sing His praises” because He is so good.
Evangelism – we must “tell everyone about his wonderful deeds” in order to spread His truth.
Worship – we must “worship the Lord” and exult His holy name all of the time.

Verses 4-6: Within these verses we are reminded that as the people of God we must seek His:

Strength – in order to make it in this fallen world we must seek the Lord’s strength each day.
Miracles – YOU are alive and breathing, that is a daily miracle, never forget all that God is doing.
Godhead – we are a part of God’s great nation through Abraham, we are children of God.

Psalm 105:1-6 NLT

1 Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.
2 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
3 Exult in his holy name;
rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
4 Search for the Lord and for his strength;
continually seek him.
5 Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,
6 you children of his servant Abraham,
you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for all that You have done, are doing, and will do within my life and in the lives of those who call on Your Holy Name. Help me, and all of my brothers and sisters of faith, to speak the Good News of Your eternal love. Keep each of us filled with Your strength so that we can continue to move forward in doing Your Kingdom’s work. I pray all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

Intro:  In our passage today, the Apostle Paul challenges some well meaning but self-indulgent Christians.  These Christians do not emulate the life and character of Christ, yet they profess to know him.  Paul uses himself as a model, not because he thinks he is perfect—he has told us he is not—but his motive for living is righteous before God. In other words, Paul has committed to live for God’s glory and he wants others to witness this truth by how he lives each day by faith in Christ.  

Paul’s motive to be an example of Christ is a profound challenge that causes me to spend time reflecting on my life this morning.  Do the people around me see the character of Jesus revealed in my actions?  Do they understand I desire to emulate him, not out of duty, but out of the depth of my love for him?  Do they see I am willing to pick up my cross—death to my carnal will and desires—in order to better reflect his character? 

If our minds are always focused on the people and things around us and how we are affected by them—positively or negatively—we have made the pleasure of self the center of life.  If we are self-indulgent we tend to live how we want especially if it satisfies our personal desires for pleasure. When Jesus is our greatest Pleasure, we are filled with joy and satisfaction, because we have chosen to live for his glory above all other things.  This means there will be times we must deny ourselves.  Paul wants us to know living for the glory of God is what brings the most satisfaction.

Philippians 3:17-20 (NLT)

17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to be an example of your character by giving me an ever-increasing appetite for holiness. In Jesus’ name.   Amen. 

Intro: Human achievements, no matter how fantastic they may be, never bring salvation for our souls nor can those deeds produce eternal life in us. Our credentials in the world really do not impress God. Our hearts on the other hand—should we bow our wills before God and serve one another in Christ’s love—have the power to please God immensely. When we are obedient to allow Christ to work a spiritual rebirth in us, by our faith Christ immediately ushers us into God’s presence to provide us with grace for our needs. This is why the prayer of the righteous has great power and produces wonderful results (James 5:16).

May we all gain the revelation no matter how kind, understanding, merciful, or loving we think we are salvation comes by grace through faith in the resurrecting work of Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). I don’t care who you are and how long you have profess to “know” God, we all need Christ to lift us out of dead living; it is a process made available by our commitment. If we try to bring change in the power of our human flesh, we are not welcoming the supernatural work of Christ for salvation.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul reminds the Philippians that if salvation was about his human achievements or his religious training he would be at the top of the heap before God. He used to think those things were important; but, since meeting Jesus he views them as “garbage” compared to the life he now experiences. To have a personal relationship with Christ that is flourishing with righteous fruit should be the goal of every Christian. Today, let’s each ask ourselves, “What do I value most in life?” Be careful when you come to the answer, because we can make certain people, material things, self-sufficiency, and even success an idol that displaces Christ in our lives. To really know Christ is to actively experience his resurrecting power in our lives—to become more like Christ!

Philippians 3:5b-11(NLT)
5 I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ [through Christ’s faithfulness]. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for causing me to grow in your righteousness. You are what I value most. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Attending the Festival of Unleavened Bread—Passover—was mandatory for Jewish males ages 12 years and older. This was a very important time in Israel’s history to remember; multitudes would have faithfully attended this seven day festival. In the midst of what should have been a joyous and holy time drawing near to God, the religious priests and teachers are planning to kill Jesus. These wicked leaders are not afraid of killing the Son of God; they are afraid of the people’s reaction. So, they look for earthly political leverage to manipulate what they want to do.

In our passage today, Satan enters Judas which tells us evil thought the death of Jesus would end God’s mission and plan for redemption. Maybe when Jesus starting talking about his death, Judas decided he wasn’t the real Messiah; therefore, he decided to make his betrayal of Christ financially lucrative. Little did Satan/Judas know he was playing right into the righteous plan of God for the salvation of the world.

Be aware of the tactics of Satan. First, Satan uses a false religion to work in opposition to God. Secondly, people may think they are right with God because they attend a worship assembly, but it is possible they do not even know the true God. Third, if we really know Jesus, we understand He invites us to come and die to our selfish and rebellious ways against the commands of God. “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it (Mat 16:24-25). To live any other way and think we are professing Christ is to betray him.

Luke 22:1-6 (NLT) Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
22 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

3 Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. 6 So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

Prayer: Lord, Satan is always trying to get your people to betray you, but help us to remain faithful to leave our selfish desires behind and surrender to your will and way. In Jesus name. Amen.