Pastor Mary Haley

Acts 12:20-24 (VOICE)

Intro: In our passage today, Luke helps us understand the persecution that was going on against the Church because the people of God refused to be silenced. Herod Agrippa, King of Judea, has James [John’s brother] killed and Peter is imprisoned during the Passover celebration. Before Herod can bring Peter to trial, the Church prays and Peter is miraculously escorted out of prison by an angel of the Lord. When Peter cannot be found, Herod sentences the guards to death. As our passage picks up today, we have already seen the spiritual poverty of Herod. At this point, he is a lousy leader with control issues; however, the leaders of the surrounding countries indirectly mock him by flattering him in order to get what they want.

20 At this time there was major political upheaval. Herod was at odds with the populace of neighboring Tyre and Sidon, so the two cities sent a large group of representatives to meet with him. They won over one of Herod’s closest associates, Blastus, the director of the treasury; then they pressured Herod to drop his grudge. Cooperation was important to the two cities because they were all major trading partners and depended on Herod’s territory for food. 21 They struck a deal, and Herod came over to ratify it. Dressed in all his royal finery and seated high above them on a platform, he made a speech; 22 and the people of Tyre and Sidon interrupted with cheers to flatter him.

The People: This is the voice of a god! This is no mere mortal!

23 Herod should have given glory to the true God; but since he vainly accepted their flattery, that very day a messenger of the Lord struck him with an illness. It was an ugly disease, involving putrefaction and worms eating his flesh. Eventually he died.

24 Through all this upheaval, God’s message spread to new frontiers and attracted more and more people.

Herod’s arrogance is so deeply rooted in his soul, he does not even see a problem with the people exalting him. He does not publicly react in order to honor God. Herod may have had the throne for a moment, but he quickly got deposed by God’s judgment.

Even through this upheaval, the Church chose to continue sharing the message of Christ and the Kingdom grew exponentially. We are facing political upheavals as well, but continue to pray, my friends, because God is the rightful Ruler and he always has the last word! The Church needs to stay focused and keep sharing the Light of Christ! [Ps 119:105 The Word is a Lamp].

Prayer: Lord, help me to remember that during every upheaval, you are testing the character of leaders to see if they will honor your name and heart. I pray for my heart to be in sync with your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 4:23-31 (TPT)

Peter and John have an astounding influence upon people simply because of the time they have spent with Jesus—the Living Word. Since Christ’s ascension and the impartation of the Spirit these men are bold in their witness, they operate in divine Wisdom, and they have the power to heal broken lives. So, in order to control Peter and John, the council threatens them with harm if they speak further about the goodness of God or the righteous name of Jesus. Here is Peter and James’ fearless response to the council’s threats, “You can judge for yourselves—is it better to listen to you or to God? It’s impossible for us to stop speaking about all the things we’ve seen and heard!” [Acts 4:19-20]. The council had to release them, because they could not diminish the power of Christ in these men. Let’s read on…

The Church Prays
23 As soon as they were released from custody, Peter and John went to the other believers and explained all that had happened with the high priest and the elders. 24 When the believers heard their report, they raised their voices in unity and prayed, “Lord Yahweh, you are the Lord of all! You created the universe—the earth, the sky, the sea, and everything that is in them. 25 And you spoke by the Holy Spirit through your servant David, our forefather, saying:

‘How dare the nations plan a rebellion,
    ranting and raging against the Lord Most High?
    Their foolish plots are futile!
26 
Look at how the kings of the earth take their stand,
    with the rulers scheming and conspiring together
    against God [the Lord] and his anointed Messiah!’

27 “In fact, Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with Jews and non-Jews, met together to take their stand against your holy servant, Jesus the Messiah. 28 They did to him all that your purpose and will had determined, according to the destiny you had marked out for him. 29 So now, Lord, listen to their threats to harm us. Empower us, as your servants, to speak the word of God freely and courageously. 30 Stretch out your hand of power through us to heal, and to move in signs and wonders by the name of your holy Son, Jesus!”[servant]

31 As they prayed the earth shook beneath them, causing the building they were in to tremble [an earthquake]. Each one of them was filled with the Holy Spirit, and they proclaimed the word of God with unrestrained boldness [freedom of speech/Gk word used is Parresia].

Think about this amazing prayer that was offered by the Church—a people devoted to God. Essentially, in the power of the Spirit, they pray to receive the ability to speak what is on their minds without restraint and with great confidence. They desire to be honest—hiding nothing—so they can speak directly to the hearts of other people. The Greeks put into place what is known as the Parresiastic Contract: “If you tell me the truth no matter what that truth turns out to be, I will not punish you.” This contract was an essential part of Athenian democracy. It is a proclamation of boldness that is not tailored to make everyone happy but to speak the truth in spite of what it may cost. Speaking truth was to be protected.

Therefore, these believers pray for God to empower them to speak the truth about the love and goodness of God, as well as the power that flows from his name. Jesus prayed for the disciples before he died, “Your Word is truth! So make them holy by the truth” (John 17:17). If God’s Word says something that you or I do not want to hear, we may criticize the biblical version, interpretation, or decide it is archaic and no longer valid. However, I want you to think about God and how strongly he feels about the Truth. Jesus identified himself, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father [our destination] except through union with me [faith in me]. To know me is to know my Father, too [John 14:6]. To understand the Word of God properly, we must know Jesus. When we come across those passages in Scripture that cause us to question a further meaning, may we pray and thank the Father for giving us Jesus and then ask the Spirit to make us holy by the truth.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for setting me free to speak the truth. Open hearts to receive it and make us holy. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

John 8:21-30 (TPT) “I Am Not from This World”
21 One day Jesus said again, “I am about to leave you. You will want to find me, but you will still die in your sins. You won’t be able to come where I am going.”

22 This so confused the Jewish leaders that they began to say, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What’s he talking about—‘You won’t be able to come where I am going’?”

23 Jesus spoke up and said, “You are all from the earth; I am from above. I am not from this world like you are. 24 That’s why I’ve told you that you will all die in your sins if you fail to believe that I AM who I AM.”

25 So they asked him plainly, “Who are you?”
“I am the One I’ve always claimed to be.” Jesus replied. 26 “And I still have many more things to pronounce in judgment about you. For I will testify to the world of the truths that I have heard from my Father, and the Father who sent me is trustworthy.” 27 (Even after all of this, they still didn’t realize that he was speaking about his heavenly Father.)

28 “You will know me as ‘I AM’ after you have lifted me up from the earth as the Son of Man. Then you will realize that I do nothing on my own initiative, but I only speak the truth that the Father has revealed to me. 29 I am his messenger and he is always with me, for I only do that which delights his heart.” 30 These words caused many respected Jews to believe in him.

In our passage today, Jesus continues to speak to the crowd, religious leaders, and the disciples. This time his teaching comes as a warning. They need to understand life from a divine perspective, because they are trying to use their human intellect to comprehend the divine mysteries and character of God. So, Jesus sets them straight. Here’s what he says, “You are all from the earth; I am from above. I am not from this world like you are. That’s why I’ve told you that you will all die in your sins if you fail to believe that I AM who I AM.” Much like many people in our world today, these folks are not even close to identifying or understanding the truth because they do not accept the One True God, nor believe his Word offers precious salvation. Deception is always waiting for the open door of unbelief.

Over and over again in Scripture we are reminded through each lesson that God’s thoughts are not human thoughts and his ways are not human ways. As the Creator of heaven and earth, God has a whole different perspective of life and reality than you and me. While we tempted to focus on the earth and all of life’s temporal challenges here; God knows the name of every human being on earth who has never accepted the Christ and therefore will not be with him in eternity and he weeps. God is love so he pursues every person and longs to welcome him or her into relationship if they will accept his gesture of love; his willingness to die for their sins. He wants to tabernacle with every human being, but he never violates a person’s freedom of choice. May we take our eyes off from our problems long enough to understand the heart of God and how this evil world must break his heart. May we weep with him and know that he wants to reveal his love in us to others. Do something selfless: Exalt Christ—God incarnate—and be a lesson of love for him, today.

Prayer: Lord, when I am tempted to use my human understanding to either accept or reject your Word, help me quickly call upon the Spirit of Truth. I stand against any deception that may try to creep into my mind and instead reach for your Word that gives me Wisdom and understanding. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

James 4:8-10 (VOICE)

This morning, my heart is excited and longing to enjoy the presence of Papa God…so, I put on humility knowing I need the mercy, grace, and love of the One who has been pursing me from the beginning. My soul longs for him, so I come to the Word hungry and willing to learn. Papa has been pursuing you, too. He is calling to you, “Come closer today, child, so I can love you more.”

James 4:8 Come close to the one true God, and He will draw close to you. Wash your hands; you have dirtied them in sin. Cleanse your heart, because your mind is split down the middle, your love for God on one side and selfish pursuits on the other.

9 Now is the time to lament, to grieve, and to cry. Dissolve your laughter into sobbing, and exchange your joy for depression. 10 Lay yourself bare, facedown to the ground, in humility before the Lord; and He will lift your head so you can stand tall.

For the past year and a half, we have been persistently told by the CDC we must diligently wash our hands in order to rid them of germs and viruses that have the ability to make us sick unto death. The CDC proclaims the mission of “saving lives and protecting people.” This government agency has been put into place to defend America from physical health threats. There is physical truth in the work of this Center and I am grateful for their “critical science.” Therefore, I diligently wash my physical hands. However, according to the Word of God—Absolute Truth in every area of life—sin makes human beings a whole lot sicker than COVID or any other health threat. In fact, sin brings certain and eternal death and it doesn’t matter how many times and for how long you and I wash our physical hands with antibacterial or disinfecting soap. Sin is the biggest global threat for death to humanity, because it separates us from the loving salvation and care of Creator God.

Did you know God tells us to wash our hands, too? However, we are to wash our hands, because we have dirtied them with the deadly sin of the world. Our hands are actually physical, emotional, and spiritual implements. Hands have much more than germs on them; we have soiled them by selfish pursuits, disrespectful attitudes leading to wrong behaviors, and spiritual acts of rebellion against our Father and his commands. Yet, look at what it takes to really enjoy the presence of Papa; we need to wash our hands [open our spiritual minds/hearts for transformation], humble our minds/hearts [turn away from sin] by facing the ground from which Almighty God [by his authority] formed us, and weep for how we have treated the righteous presence [heart] and will of our Creator. If we will humble ourselves, the Lord will heal us, cleanse us from unrighteousness, and draw us ever closer to his heart. When we are not germ-laden and diseased by the sin of this world, we can stand tall and strong as children of the Day because God tabernacles (dwells) with us. Honor what God commands so you can shine for God my friends! The world is in desperate need for your radiant example of the Kingdom’s CDC. You are called to live as Christ’s Devoted Children who love God’s Word, because it brings eternal life. “The sting of death is sin…but God gave us victory by our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Cor. 15:56).

Prayer: Father, I wash my hands from sin this morning by being real with you about every struggle within me against your Word and authority. I long to live in a way that pleases you; however, I know every day I need your help to do so. Starting with this fresh new day, I turn to ask you to lift my head and make me stand tall in the Light of Truth you alone have the authority to outline. Make me shine for you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today begins Sukkot, which is commonly called the Feast of Tabernacles or in some translations the Festival of Shelters, and it lasts through next Monday. If you were not able to worship with us yesterday and glean from Jay Graves who taught about Sukkot, or if you did not get a chance to read Friday’s devotion, these 7 days are a time for us to “tabernacle” or “shelter” with the Lord as we reflect on His miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt. We must remember that this miraculous deliverance is directly connected to us, in the present day, as it illustrates how God seeks to free us from the bondage of our sin and the slavery we have to this world. He wants to abundantly bless our lives. But life is hard, and our circumstances are often extremely difficult. So, how can we seek God’s blessings during these difficult times? Well, we MUST remember to seek shelter (time) with Him, no matter how difficult the circumstances, because God knows our devotion to Him. He knows that the people who revere and honor Him are the ones who truly understand what it means to fear the Lord. It is in that high place of fear (reverence) where we can enjoy real time in tabernacle (residing) with the Lord, and then we can enjoy His blessings to come.

Psalm 128
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

1 How joyful are those who fear the Lord—
all who follow his ways!
2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How joyful and prosperous you will be!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine,
flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees
as they sit around your table.
4 That is the Lord’s blessing
for those who fear him.

5 May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
6 May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
May Israel have peace!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being our Shelter. We honor Your Holy Name, and we cannot thank You enough for our blessings. We lift those up to You who need Your healing touch, on their bodies, for their souls, and to align Your Holy Spirit to the spirit that dwells within each of us. May Your Spirit guide each of us today, Lord Jesus. Guide our actions, speak our words, and allow us to listen as You would listen. We ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

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

Romans 11:25-32 (VOICE)
25 My brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be in the dark about this mystery [sacred secret]—I am going to let you in on the plan so that you will not think too highly of yourselves. A part of Israel has been hardened [stubborn and unwilling to learn something new] to the good news until the full number of those outside the Jewish family have entered in.

26 This is the way that all of Israel will be saved. As it was written, so it also stands:
The Deliverer [Rescuer] will come from Zion;
    He will drive away wickedness [the evil one] from Jacob [Israel].
27 
And this is My covenant promise to them,
    on the day when I take away their sins.

28 It may seem strange. When it comes to the work of the gospel, the fact that they oppose it is actually for your benefit. But when you factor in God’s election, they are truly loved because they descended from faithful forefathers. 29 You see, when God gives a grace gift and issues a call to a people, He does not change His mind and take it back. 30 There was a time when you outsiders were disobedient to God and at odds with His purpose, but now you have experienced mercy as a result of their disobedience. 31 In the same way, their disobedience now will make a way for them to receive mercy as a result of the mercy shown to you. 32 For God has assigned all of us together—Jews and non-Jews, insiders and outsiders—to disobedience so He can show His mercy to all.

The other day a dear friend thanked me for having a graphic “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem” on the Connect2Christ Church electronic sign. I am not surprised at all by her comment, but it blessed me that she affirmed the magnitude of the message. Do you pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem which is also known as Mt. Zion?

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul imparts the Truth of God’s sacred plan to the believers in Rome and beyond. He encourages believers to identify with Jerusalem; to nurture a kinship with Israel. No arrogance against the Jews is valid before God. Jesus himself taught there and attended the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:14). So many of Christ’s teachings and miracles took place in and around Jerusalem. It remains the Cornerstone that joins the Jewish and Christian faith in worship of our Creator and Lord. As believers, we are instructed to pray for Jerusalem, because our spiritual life and energy flows from the root, Israel. God is the Gardner who has engrafted non-Jews with Jews. We pray for Israel to recognize Jesus and receive their Christ—Messiah. It was always a part of God’s plan to connect the human creation with himself—He is the Tree of Life.

Next Monday, we begin our celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles—Sukkot—recognizing the miracle of when God delivered Israel from Egypt—a land that played two roles: a place of refuge from famine or threat, as well as a place of bondage and slavery. This world can be both, right? God always wanted to be the King of his creation and to tabernacle with us; for this reason the Lord came to save and redeem the world with his own holiness. One day, Christ will return to rule in the realm called the New Jerusalem or Zion filled with people who have been clothed with glory and beauty because they have chosen Christ as King (Rev. 14:1-2).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for connecting your spiritual family to the root of Israel in order to bring salvation. Please come and bring the world under

Proverbs 30:5-9 (TPT) A Pure Heart Is Filled with God’s Word
5 
Every promise from the faithful God
    is pure and proves to be true.
    He is a wraparound shield of protection for all his lovers
    who run to hide in him.
6 
Never add to his words,
    or he will have to rebuke you and prove that you’re a liar.
7 
God, there are two things I’m asking you for before I die, only two:
8 
Empty out of my heart everything that is false—
    every lie, and every crooked thing.
    And give me neither undue poverty nor undue wealth—
    but rather, feed my soul with the measure of prosperity
    that pleases you.
9 
May my satisfaction be found in you.
    Don’t let me be so rich that I don’t need you
    or so poor that I have to resort to dishonesty
    just to make ends meet.
    Then my life will never detract from bringing glory to your name.

According to the main writer of Proverbs—King Solomon—“The fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom which [if you live right according to the Word] will result in good judgment…multiply your days…and, add years to your life. If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer” (Prov 9:10-12). In our passage from Proverbs today, we witness the sayings of Agur who is known as being a wise teacher [he models wisdom]. So Agur, knowing the value of wisdom and applying it to his life, asks God for two things before he dies: 1) To rid him of everything false hiding in his heart, so he can live according to the Truth of God’s Word and promises; and 2) To meet his needs for survival, but feed his soul [mind/will/emotions] with prosperity, so the Lord remains first in his life.

If you were given an opportunity to make only two requests of God between today and when you die, what would you ask God to do? This is a hard question to answer, because there are so many people and situations in our world that need the miracle-working touch of God. However, Agur wisely chooses to ask God to help him get his heart right before he dies.

For the believer, this is exactly what Christ—our High Priest—serves to do in a person’s life. Christ has been made wisdom for us and we need to listen to the Word and ask Christ to rid our soul of lies and help us live in the Truth, so He can be the wisdom and prosperity that satisfies our souls (1 Cor. 1:30). There is nothing in this world that can satisfy or replace the abiding presence and shalom of God. Be wise like Agur by making sure today your heart is right before the Lord.

Last evening, began what is called the Sabbath of Sabbaths or Yom Kippur—a solemn day of atonement when we seek to shed our sin and be reconciled with Creator God—and tonight it will end. This is your appointed time to ask the Lord to forgive your sins of dishonest living against His holy commands of Truth, so you can get your heart right before Almighty God, because only He can satisfy your life and give rest for your soul.

Prayer: Lord, I pray for you to rid my heart of any lie hiding within—take away any hypocrisy so I am genuinely living in the Truth. And, Lord, make my soul prosper as only you can. Impart to me the sense of well-being that only you can give. Draw people worldwide to your heart today, help them ask for forgiveness, and impart the life of Christ to them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Colossians 3:5-11 (TPT) New Creation Life
5 Live as one who has died to every form of sexual sin and impurity. Live as one who has died to the desires for forbidden things, [evil/darkness] including the desire for wealth (greed), which is the essence of idol worship. 6 When you live in these vices you ignite the anger of God against these acts of disobedience.

7–8 That’s how you once behaved, characterized by your evil deeds. But now it’s time to eliminate them from your lives once and for all—anger, fits of rage, all forms of hatred,[including self-hatred] cursing [slander], filthy speech, 9 and lying [living a lie]. Lay aside [take off the old life] your old Adam-self with its masquerade and disguise.

10 For you have acquired new creation life which is continually being renewed into the likeness of the One who created you; giving you the full revelation of God. 11 In this new creation life, your nationality makes no difference, nor your ethnicity, education, nor economic status—they matter nothing. For it is Christ that means everything as he lives in every one of us!

Our passage today is a continuation from yesterday and how we are to be One with Christ in his Glory. Here’s what we must do: shed our old lives. I think the word “shed” (eject or slough off) is a very good word for Christians to remember. Sinful stuff must be shed. Christ shed his life for our sins to bring us eternal life and we shed our old life in order to reveal the new one. Wow, such exciting news! We are being made into a new image—His! We are like the caterpillar shedding its chrysalis and emerging a butterfly. We supernaturally put on his attitude and character, allow the Word to be developed in the inner places of the heart, and change comes (Phil 2:5; Col 3:12-15). You are a new creation, my friend! Live out of that miracle!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for bringing me into your character and working to make me in your image. I know it must delight you to see your children being formed in your likeness. Blessings and honor be yours, Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Colossians 3:1-4 (TPT) One with Christ in Glory
1 Christ’s resurrection is your resurrection too. This is why we are to yearn for all that is above, for that’s where Christ sits enthroned at the place of all power, honor, and authority! [glory] 2 Yes, feast on all the treasures of the heavenly realm and fill your thoughts with heavenly realities, and not with the distractions of the natural realm.

3 Your crucifixion [your life and death are hidden in Messiah] with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ. 4 And as Christ himself is seen for who he really is, who you really are will also be revealed, for you are now one with him in his glory!

Yesterday, I was doing some “baking therapy” and as I was reading the banana bread recipe I noticed the words “add,” “combine,” and “mix.” In order for me to enjoy the finished product, I had to carefully measure, add every item on the list, and blend all the ingredients together; otherwise, I would be wrong to expect bread goodness coming out of my oven. So, I followed the instructions perfectly. Mmmm…so good!

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul is pretty much telling the church at Colossae about the recipe they must follow to be One with Christ. But, this recipe is more about what NOT to “add,” “combine,” and “mix.” If they expect the goodness and power of God to be revealed in their lives, they must NOT combine themselves with a sinful world. Christ has disconnected us from the world in order to connect us to himself! We belong to him, now! He chooses the recipe for his followers.

As Christians, we cannot allow the thoughts of the natural world to alter the power of the Living Bread in our lives. May the Spirit help us remain disconnected from the sin of this world. Remember, good things are supposed to flow from our lives; otherwise Jesus is not our Lord. Jesus told the crowd, “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?” (Luke 6:45).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for correcting your children to yourself and helping us follow your recipe for Christian living. We need your help and power leading us to victory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What is most valuable to you? If you write a list does your character, make that list? If so, where does it fall? Is your character beneath Jesus, Who is hopefully #1? Or does your family, friends, house, career, stuff, hobbies, activities, etc. come before your character? If we are made new in Christ Jesus, then our character should reflect Him in every aspect of our lives. Thus, it only makes sense that our character is of great value and should follow as a close #2 behind Jesus on our list.

So, keeping your character in mind, how would your family or close friends describe you? Basically, what is the impression that you leave with people? We know that Jesus embodied the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), and it was witnessed by everyone who had encounters with Him that He had the perfect character. Yet, those who chose to judge Him spoke of His reputation. They had ulterior motives and never sought to truly know Jesus’s character, rather they made determinations and created a false reputation for Him.

One of my favorite quotes is: “Worry about your character not your reputation. Your character is who you are, and your reputation is who people think you are.” For my life, I added to this quote: “Worry about your character not your reputation. Your character is who you are in CHRIST JESUS, and your reputation is who people think you are as they judge you from a worldly perspective”.

Proverbs 22:1-21 (NLT)

1 Choose a good reputation over great riches;
being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.

2 The rich and poor have this in common:
The Lord made them both.

3 A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.
The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

4 True humility and fear of the Lord
lead to riches, honor, and long life.

5 Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road;
whoever values life will avoid it.

6 Direct your children onto the right path,
and when they are older, they will not leave it.

7 Just as the rich rule the poor,
so the borrower is servant to the lender.

8 Those who plant injustice will harvest disaster,
and their reign of terror will come to an end.

9 Blessed are those who are generous,
because they feed the poor.

10 Throw out the mocker, and fighting goes, too.
Quarrels and insults will disappear.

11 Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech
will have the king as a friend.

12 The Lord preserves those with knowledge,
but he ruins the plans of the treacherous.

13 The lazy person claims, “There’s a lion out there!
If I go outside, I might be killed!”

14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a dangerous trap;
those who make the Lord angry will fall into it.

15 A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness,
but physical discipline will drive it far away.

16 A person who gets ahead by oppressing the poor
or by showering gifts on the rich will end in poverty.

Sayings of the Wise

17 Listen to the words of the wise;
apply your heart to my instruction.
18 For it is good to keep these sayings in your heart
and always ready on your lips.
19 I am teaching you today—yes, you—
so you will trust in the Lord.
20 I have written thirty sayings for you,
filled with advice and knowledge.
21 In this way, you may know the truth
and take an accurate report to those who sent you.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being the perfect example for my life. Please continue to groom my character so that it may be reflective of You and help me to live by the Fruits of the Spirit. I want to leave an impression of You with people. I love You, Lord, and ask this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

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