Pastor Mary Haley

Intro: The practice of sin in our lives—failure to do what is righteous—is destructive and damaging. Sin rises from the heart and has three aspects: 1) disobedience to the law of God [transgress God’s Word]; 2) violation of relationships with people [transgress neighbor]; and 3) rebellion against God [transgress God’s rule]. Our sin grieves the heart of God, because he does not want his children to suffer the consequences of sin. God wants to share his goodness and blessings with his family.

In Scripture, sin is referred to as a “fall” from our original status as God’s creation. Sin cannot exist unless it has a host; it is a parasite of godly good. Sin causes us to mar or injure ourselves. It cuts us away from the Vine—life of God—and alienates us from God’s presence. For this reason, God sent his Son to redeem us and the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin.

In our passage today, David sings a song of repentance to the Lord; he has sinned against God. David experiences so many emotions; the consequences of his sin overwhelms him with guilt and sorrow. Yet, the hardest part for David is the suffering of not being able to enjoy the presence of the Lord with him. Therefore, David invites God to cleanse and restore him, so he can once again know the joy of the Lord’s presence.
Psalm 51:1-12 NLT
1
Have mercy on me, O God,    because of your unfailing love.Because of your great compassion,    blot out the stain of my sins.
2 
Wash me clean from my guilt.    Purify me from my sin.
3 
For I recognize my rebellion;    it haunts me day and night.
4 
Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;    I have done what is evil in your sight.You will be proved right in what you say,    and your judgment against me is just.
5 
For I was born a sinner—    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 
But you desire honesty from the womb,    teaching me wisdom even there.
7 
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 
Oh, give me back my joy again;    you have broken me—    now let me rejoice.
9 
Don’t keep looking at my sins.    Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 
Create in me a clean heart, O God.    Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 
Do not banish me from your presence,    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,    and make me willing to obey you.

Prayer: Lord, as we prepare our hearts through this season of reflection, please help us to clearly see any sin that lingers in our hearts. Please help us to be real and honest with you and ourselves, so we may repent and go forward enjoying your presence and finding our greatest delight in you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Today is Ash Wednesday and this evening we will be gathering at Connect2Christ Church at 7PM for a time of praise, reflection, prayer, and Communion. For those who desire it, I will offer the imposition of ashes—symbolic of the dust from which God created us, as well as our repentance from sin.

“Repent and believe in the Gospel of our Lord!”

Intro: On Sunday, I had invited our family (and extended family) over to the house after church for brunch to celebrate the dedication of our sweet new granddaughter, Amana, to the Lord. Since I would be at the church for several hours before the brunch, it was necessary to program a delayed start time for my oven in order to cook a french toast casserole. I rarely use this function on the oven, so I could not remember how to properly set it up for the desired result. Intently, I hunted for the oven instruction manual so I could understand how it was designed to work. I set the oven according to the instructions and when I returned home the most wonderful aroma filled the house. Success!

The Hebrew word for “instruction” is Torah. When God gave Israel the Torah, he was sharing the way humanity was designed to function and live before their Creator. Humanity was created to live righteously for God’s glory; as a reflection of his faithful and merciful love for the world. God provided grace that would be available to save and protect his people. If God’s people would listen to his instruction, they would know his plan and walk in his ways. The results would be abundant living.

In our passage today, the psalmist sings about the power of God and the lessons Israel learned and did not learn from their history. God rescued Israel from slavery and provided for them throughout their journey in the wilderness. This testimony of God’s faithfulness was to be passed down from parents to children in order to cause them to remember their rebellion against God’s law/instruction in the past. As well, knowing history would help future generations remain more faithful to God’s instructions.

I praise God every day for the love and sacrifice of Christ for my sin, because I cannot flawlessly follow God’s righteous instruction. However, every time I go to the instructive Word of God, I can refresh my thinking and grow in the Spirit; growth is progress. I am then reassured that saving grace has drawn me to God and perfecting grace will continue to grow Christ’s character in me before I return home to him. God has always wanted human lives to be successful—the sweet aroma or fragrance of Christ (the Living Word) in the world (2 Cor 2:15). Ask the Spirit to help you be the aroma of Christ for someone, today.

Psalm 78:1, 10-11, 17-18, 37-38, 52-54 VOICE
1
O my people [Israel], listen to me!    Hear my instruction; soak up every word of what I am about to tell you.

10
Yet, they [Israel] were not loyal to their covenant with God;
    they turned away and refused to walk in it;
11 
They did not remember all the wondrous things He had done,
    even the great miracles He had revealed to them.

17
Even after witnessing all of these miracles, they still chose to sin against God,
    to act against the will of the Most High in the desert!
18 
They tested God in their stubborn hearts
    by demanding whatever food they happened to be craving.

37 
They were not consistently faithful to Him,
    and they were untrue to their covenant with Him.
38 
Yet by His great compassion,
    He forgave them
    and decided not to put an end to them.
Most of the time, He held back His anger
    and did not unleash His wrath against them.

52
Then He guided His people like sheep to safety
    and led them like a flock into the desert to freedom;
53 
He took them on a safe route so that they would not be afraid,
    and He allowed the hungry sea to swallow all of their enemies.
54 
He led them to His sacred land—
    to this holy hill, which He had won by the power of His right hand.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for writing your instruction on our hearts. May our minds continue to be renewed in the Truth. Help us to honor your instruction, live in your ways, teach them to our children and grandchildren, so we can all live for your glory. We want our lives to be a sweet-smelling aroma that draws all people to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Believers are people who choose to live by faith, hope, and love in Christ (1 Cor 13:13). We know these three works—trinity of grace—are immortal gifts which go with us into eternal life [perfected when Christ returns]. Yet, until Christ comes, one of these graces is to be highly exalted in our lives—Love. Why? Because we cannot sustain genuine faith or hope without Love—God.

In the beginning of our passage today from a letter written to the Hebrew Christians, we read about the supernatural love of parents [Amram and Jochebed] for their baby of grace [Moses]. That love motivates their faith [trust in God] to act according to a very unusual rescue plan. These parents placed their confident hope in God’s promise of eternal life. Love must drive their faith and hope, because the full plan of God is not visible to them in this situation. But please read the full story, because miracle after miracle follows Moses and this trinity of grace (Ex. 2:1-10).

Moses continues to grow in the midst of the Egyptian culture, but he never stops identifying with the oppressed Israelite people who love God. Moses chooses the wealth of God’s promise over anything the world [Egypt] has to offer. Eventually, Moses lets go of everything familiar and comfortable in order to follow God into the unfamiliar and supernatural work of abundant grace. As Moses follows God in acts of faith and hope, not only does he become a very powerful tool in God’s hand, he becomes an Old Testament typology [symbolism] of the life of Christ. Christ is the perfect living revelation of faith, hope, and love in “I Am” [I Exist].

May we all have spiritual eyes to see the reward ahead promised by the Father and be willing to cling to God [Love] even while we are temporary pilgrims in this sinful world. We cannot live a hybrid faith—we must choose the Love of God over the world. The Holy Spirit will stir our faith and hope each day to live in the miraculous as we remain in God’s Love found only in Christ (John 15:9). “It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (Heb 11:6). If you have never tasted the pure love of God found through a relationship in Christ, simply pray and ask Christ to rescue your soul, today. Have a great weekend and hope to see you in worship on Sunday. Blessings…

Hebrews 11:23-28 NLV

23 By faith Moses, after his birth, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful and divinely favored child; and they were not afraid of the king’s (Pharaoh’s) decree. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 because he preferred to endure the hardship of the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of the Christ [that is, the rebuke he would suffer for his faithful obedience to God] to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt; for he looked ahead to the reward [promised by God]. 27 By faith he left Egypt, being unafraid of the wrath of the king; for he endured [steadfastly], as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he kept the Passover [which foreshadows the coming of the Messiah/Rescuer] and the sprinkling of the blood [on the doorposts], so that the destroyer [death] of the firstborn would not touch them (the firstborn of Israel/people of God).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the grace that protects us while we are growing in our understanding of what pleases you. Fill us with faith and hope as we walk in your love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: This morning as I sit praying about our Scripture verses for today, I am suddenly both saddened AND hopeful in my soul. Both sets of feelings are valid. I have heard this state of human emotion being described as “bittersweet.” This passage has lead me to experience a bittersweet lesson of love.

Yesterday, we observed Valentines Day—a time when many people focus on romantic love, as well as sweet friendships. Expressing our love to endearing people is to be the focus of the observance. For a plethora of reasons, this holiday can be bittersweet for many people. And, in the midst of the celebration do we express love for the One who actually is Love?

In our passage today, the psalmist pens a song about the lack of love the world has for the Lover (Creator) of their souls who is the eternal Lord. In the first few verses, we gain an understanding about the world’s great need for Messiah and his established order, because the rulers of the world actually fight against God. However, their efforts to diminish God are revealed in time to be futile and foolish.

Sadly, even today our Creator’s sweet and perfect love is considered undesirable by much of His creation. His rule of love is rejected by the nations; God’s authority (Word) is seen as enslavement and something from which to be freed. But Hope comes for those who are called according to the name of the Lord. We love and live for him now as Ruler of our hearts and we pray knowing he has promised to come take to his rightful position as the ultimate Ruler of the world. Then, there will be no more confusion about who is really in power.

Psalm 2:1-3 NLT
Why are the nations so angry?
    Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
2 
The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
    the rulers plot together
against the Lord
    and against his anointed one.
3 
“Let us break their chains,” they cry,
    “and free ourselves from slavery to God.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your patience and mercy with all of creation. Holy Spirit, we must humble ourselves, before our arrogance leads us toward destruction. Help us to seek you and welcome you into every area of our human brokenness and rebellion. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Of all the special insights we may desire to pass along to our children as they grow and develop, the most important would be for them to know God and choose to live their lives in His wisdom—in Christ. Fear has no place in godly wisdom, so fulness of life [in the liberating Spirit] can be experienced by our children. Oh, how I desire that for every child of God. Wisdom is like a precious guide to lead believers through the difficult times we will all face in this fallen world. When we invite Jesus into our hearts, we have invited wisdom to rule (1 Cor 1:30). Then, we need to remain attentive to the work of the Spirit who bears witness to the Truth, because the Spirit searches the depths of God (1 Cor 2:10).

In our passage today, a father guides his son to seek wisdom—a gift from God—because it will guard him against evil. So, obeying the Word and having a respect for God is the beginning of wisdom; obedience causes us to live in the protective care of God (Pro 9:10). We grow in godly wisdom by reading Scripture, inviting the Spirit to bring us understanding, and then applying it to our lives. Scripture teaches us, “Jesus himself grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and people” (Luke 2:52). Therefore, we have this journey in godly wisdom to make in Christ. An easy way to define and remember wisdom is: Applied Truth. Wisdom is the fruit of our faith in God and here is the best part…all a believer needs to do is ask for it! Thank you, Lord!

Proverbs 2:1-8 NLT The Benefits of Wisdom
1 
My child, listen to what I say,    and treasure my commands.
2 
Tune your ears to wisdom,    and concentrate on understanding.
3 
Cry out for insight,    and ask for understanding.
4 
Search for them as you would for silver;    seek them like hidden treasures.
5 
Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,    and you will gain knowledge of God.
6 
For the Lord grants wisdom!    From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
7 
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.    He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
8 
He guards the paths of the just    and protects those who are faithful to him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the wisdom you have made available in Christ to your children. May we treasure your godly wisdom and teach our children and loved ones to desire and ask for this extravagant gift from you. Holy Spirit, help us to apply godly wisdom from your Word to our lives every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: How do you handle instruction, direction, or criticism when you are working on a project around others? The world is filled with people who have different levels of knowledge, experience, or expertise to share. We will always run into folks who “know” how to do things better and are willing to tell us so. It is wise to simply listen and consider the information, because God may be trying to get our attention in order to reveal something about Kingdom life beyond our initial surface impression. It is also wise to remember, every single day Jesus is trying to teach us the deeper lessons of life by how we respond to the love of God and turn to love one another.

In our passage today from the gospel of Luke, Jesus chooses to call his first disciples—four fishermen. Now, with authority and instruction, Jesus begins to demonstrate the gospel of grace by taking over the boats of these fishermen. Then, he goes a step further by telling these fishermen how to catch fish. Is Jesus a fisherman? Nope; and they do not know more about him than what they have seen or heard thus far. Jesus then directs Peter to do something he is not interested in doing—going back out to fish when he just returned. Peter has human wisdom about this fishing situation, but he is about to learn the truth, work, and grace of God beyond his present understanding. Jesus is setting this fisherman up to be schooled! Jesus is moving Peter and the fish in the same direction! lol!

Our lesson teaches us about the abundance of grace that moves us deeper into a greater measure of dependence and trust in the Word of God. Be listening and willing to go into the deeper waters of love and truth, today. The experience Peter and his friends had in the love and grace of God that day was so powerful they left everything behind to follow Jesus. On this Valentine’s Day, please remember Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus died so humanity could enjoy life with God—this is the greatest love story ever told!

Luke 5:1-11 NLT The First Disciples
5 One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”
5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.
8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.
Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this wonderful lesson about the importance of seeing each day as a place of learning more about you and the power of your grace. Help us to respond humbly to your direction for our lives. Holy Spirit, cause our spiritual ears to be astute to the instruction you bring and continue to reveal blessings upon blessings. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Although I drive a six year old vehicle, it still has many features to help me understand the health of my car. When I first start the engine, the dashboard becomes alive with indicator lights. The colors of those lights are varied according to the importance of the sensory component it represents. For example, a white light means a component or feature is actively engaged [e.g. road departure mitigation or LDW]. I am grateful for this lane departure warning sensor and indicator light to keep me centered!

Sometimes if I wander too far left or right in the lane, I feel a tug at the steering wheel to correct my path. This reminds me of the work of the Spirit of God in my life.
In our passage for today, the Apostle John connects God’s command from the Old Testament to love one another with the new practical instructions from Jesus on how to overcome sin or darkness by staying on the righteous path of love (Lev 19:18). Jesus shines his divine light and brings a practical application for this command from God, so his children can stay spiritually healthy and powerful. We are to extend genuine respect to our spiritual brothers and sisters and sacrificially serve one another. When we are actively engaged in divine love—expressed through selfless giving and living—there is no tug from the Spirit on our soul to correct course. We are pleasing to God and we shine the glorious light of his approval.

John teaches our love for fellow believers is essential and must be actively engaged, otherwise, it indicates a warning that we have departed off the righteous road. The world is a selfish system that is under the influence of Satan who uses human desires and passions to steer people off course and away from our love for God and one another. Love is not necessarily easy, yet it is always a believer’s responsibility, as well as a choice and a commitment of our faith. Love is our indicator Light! I am praying we can stay centered on God’s righteous path. However, if the Holy Spirit tugs at our hearts, let’s be quick to correct course! Have a wonderful and blessed weekend. Hope to see you or share with you in worship on Sunday…

1 John 2:7-9, 15-17 NLT A New Commandment
7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.

9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness.

Do Not Love This World
15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the understanding you bring to your children about the essential work of love to protect our spiritual course for growth. Take us deeper in your love and position us in your family to be examples of selfless giving and living. If we wander off course, please tug at our souls and help us choose to stay centered on your path of love. In Jesus’ name.

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.