Pastor Mary Haley

Psalm 91:1-8
1 
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
3 
For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
4 
He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 
Though a thousand fall at your side,
    though ten thousand are dying around you,
    these evils will not touch you.
8 
Just open your eyes,
    and see how the wicked are punished.

Pause in his presence

Lenten Reflection: God has promised to be our Shelter. He wants to be the One to whom we run when we are afraid. If you feel afraid during this time of the dread disease, please ask God to take those fears and increase your faith. Then trust him to act on his promise. He will take your soul to a place of rest beyond the reach of evil.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being my shelter. I place my trust in you alone! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 130:7-8
7 
O Israel (people of God), keep hoping, keep trusting, and keep waiting on the Lord,
for he is tenderhearted, kind, and forgiving.
He has a thousand ways to set you free!
8 
He himself will redeem you;
he will ransom you from the cruel slavery of your sins!

Pause in his presence

Lenten Reflection: Loyalty is revealed through our actions. Scripture teaches we are to love God with our whole being; God commands the action of loyalty. God is perfectly loyal, so when we place our hope in him we have acted wisely. He demonstrates his loyalty by how he loves his human family. Our passage reminds us God is tenderhearted, kind, and forgiving. We always need forgiveness, don’t we? Even when we are isolated or quarantined, evil knows our address. As long as we have choices of any kind, we will find sin (failure to love God or others) as one of the options. God is Good and even during this time he is seeking to deliver us from evil. Stay positive and keep trusting the Lord!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for challenging me all the time to look in at the attitude of my heart. I can never get away from my true self no matter how isolated I am. Set me free and help me love like you. Turn my vantage point toward your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 130:5-6
5 
I am counting on the Lord;
    yes, I am counting on him.
    I have put my hope in his word.
6 
I long for the Lord
    more than sentries long for the dawn,
    yes, more than sentries long for the dawn.

Pause in his presence

Lenten Reflection: We must trust God’s Word; we have every reason to do so. Within the pages of Scripture, God reveals his unfailing love for his sinful human creation. The Lord desires to have a relationship with humanity that is built upon trust in his goodness and hope in his love for us. God’s Word actually imparts hope to our souls; it contains the promises of God that he will rescue us from anything that seeks to destroy us if we will humbly turn to him. When we long or hope for something, we wait expectantly for it. Hope in the Lord!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your Word and for imparting hope to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

March 26, 2020

Psalm 130:1-4
A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 
From the depths of despair, O Lord,
    I call for your help.
2 
Hear my cry, O Lord.
    Pay attention to my prayer.
3 
Lord, if you kept a record of our sins,
    who, O Lord, could ever survive?
4 
But you offer forgiveness,
    that we might learn to fear (reverence) you.
Pause in his presence

Lenten Reflection: Despair is the absence of Hope. We were never created to live in despair. God, the source of all Hope, wants to fill us completely with joy and peace as we trust him, but we must pray (Romans 15:13). Prayer connects us with Almighty God. Pray for God’s mercy and grace to flow over his children; the blood of Jesus to protect those marked by the Spirit. Pray for help and wisdom as you navigate through this time of isolation; may you listen to the Voice of the Spirit. Pray for God to impart wisdom to our national and state leaders. Pray for God to heal the sick and protect our medical and emergency teams. Pray for the world to turn to Christ for salvation. Pray, there is much more to pray about…God is listening!

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the blood of Jesus and power outflowing his resurrection. I pray to see the manifestation of your miraculous presence in this world now! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 146:7b-10 Our True Help

The Lord frees the prisoners.
8 
    The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.
    The Lord loves the godly.
9 
The Lord protects the foreigners among us.
    He cares for the orphans and widows,
    but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.
10 
The Lord will reign forever.
    He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations. Praise the Lord!

Pause in his presence

Lenten Reflection: God values things that are not worldly. In fact, what the Lord values is typically just the opposite of what society values. Remember, Jesus turned things upside down when he came to earth the first time and it appears he is doing it before he returns again. God is going to bring good out of this negative situation, because he has promised to help those who call upon his name. This is all a part of his plan to draw his creation to himself. We must care about the things God values. Now is our moment. We should have plenty of time to care about helping people come to salvation in Christ.

Prayer: Lord, you amaze me with your goodness. In even this hard place, I see you reaching for hearts and calling people to trust you. You are my God. May I do my part to be a helper for your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 146:5-7 Our True Help
5
But joyful are those who have the God of Israel[Jacob] as their helper,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.
6 
He made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them.
    He keeps every promise forever.
7 
He gives justice to the oppressed
    and food to the hungry.

Pause in his presence

Lenten Reflection: When we think about how the Living God has chosen to make his home in our hearts (making our bodies his temple) we know that he will be directing and guiding our lives from within; this is the work of the Holy Spirit. That is why we should be joyful to have the Lord as our God and Helper. Our Lord attends to our needs whether they are spiritual, physical, or social. He is always available, his help is lasting and complete, and he is faithful to every promise. Whatever you face, today, call upon God’s guidance and direction and he will be there for you.

Prayer: Lord, I am filled with joy knowing you are with me and in me. I will be listening to your guidance and direction each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 146 Our True Help
1
Praise the Lord!
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
2
I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.
3
Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
there is no help for you there.
4
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.

Pause in his presence

Lenten Reflection: True confidence is place in God alone as our Helper. Praise is one way to guard against false confidence, because it takes our minds off our problems and focuses our thoughts on the goodness of God and his character. Praise lifts our perspective from the earthly to the heavenly realm; we can better understand the heart of God as we praise. Man was never created to be the savior; that job is already taken. So, let’s place our hope where it belongs…upon Almighty God and his great love for us.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the perfect love you pour over your children. I place my confidence in you as the Savior I need during these challenging times. Thank you for being my Helper; I look forward to fulfilling the plan you have for my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 23:5-6 (TPT)
5 
You become my delicious feast
even when my enemies dare to fight.
You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit; you give me all I can drink of you until my heart overflows.
6 
So why would I fear the future? For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life. Then afterward, when my life is through, I’ll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you!

Pause in his presence

Lenten Reflection: The enemy does not have a chance when Christ in you rises up through you to live the Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. Our Lord is gentle and kind as he guides us, but he is the Lion to the enemy who seeks to rob us. Our duty to our King and Lord is to get into agreement with him. Are you fearful of the future? Please don’t be afraid. You are pursued by a holy and good God. Run to him and invite his goodness to fill you until your heart overflows.

Prayer: Lord, please anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit. Fill my heart until I overflow with your goodness and love. Make me a blessing to others and keep me moving forward for the advancement of your Kingdom. Be glorified in my life, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 23:4 (TPT)
4 
Lord, even when your path takes me through
the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.

Pause in his presence

Lenten Reflection: When the Lord conquers our hearts, we simply cannot be conquered by fear. Perfect love casts out fear and Jesus is perfect Love! (1 John 4:18). Allow the Word of God to have authority over your life and live in the peace that passes all understanding (Phil 4:7). In all your ways, today, acknowledge and serve him (Pro. 3:5-6). There is no need to fear, because Jesus is near. Praise God!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being near me and conquering the darkness that tries to bring fear. You are the Light I need—the Light the whole world needs. As I stand to honor your authority and live by your Word, thank you for bringing strength to my life, as well as the lives of my loved ones. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 23: 1 (TPT) The Good Shepherd
David’s poetic praise to God
1
The Lord is my best Friend and my Shepherd.
I always have more than enough.

Pause in his presence

Lenten Reflection: The word most commonly used for “shepherd” is taken from the root word ra‘ah, which is also the Hebrew word for “best Friend.” This biblical translation includes both meanings. In our passage today, David praises the Lord in a beautiful and adoring way. We can learn a great deal from David in how he views his Friend who always provides “more than enough.” The Lord is the Good Shepherd—our Good Friend—so let’s follow him.

Someone near you, today, may need a friend. Perhaps they are frightened by the status of our country or the spread of the virus and you can be the friend who brings hope by turning them toward the Lord. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me” (John 10:27-28). Your Friend, Jesus, makes that promise to not only you, but anyone who calls upon his name. Share with others the name of your “best Friend.”

Prayer: Lord, I have more than enough and I know you have provided for me. How beautiful is your supply, because you not only take care of me, but you enable me to be generous with others and encourage them to enjoy a friendship with you, as well. In Jesus’ name. Amen.