Pastor Mary Haley

Today’s passage is another letter from Paul to the church in Corinth. In these verses, Paul exposes arrogance by contrasting the humble life of the Apostles to the prideful life of the Corinthians. The Corinthians believed that as Christians they were self-sufficient, while the Apostles suffered earthly judgment and circumstances for the sake of Christ. To many, the appearance was that the Apostles were weak, while the Corinthians were strong; but, to those who love Christ, we know that the Apostles were being guided by the Holy Spirit in the Wisdom of Christ. They were following the teachings and examples set out in front of them by Jesus Himself (Luke 6:28 & Matthew 5:44). Jesus directs us, as His followers, to love the unlovable and to pray for those who curse us, that they will be blessed. It seems like such a big ask at times, because in our flesh it’s easier to get angry, frustrated, or annoyed. But, as believers, we are called to speak like Christ, to walk like Christ, to listen like Christ, to pray like Christ, and ultimately, to love like Christ. Because, we know that only He will judge and that only He can save. So, our work is clear, we have to be His humble and loving representatives so that He can do what only He can do through us, and that is to bring more hearts to His Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 4:9-13 (MSG)

9-13 It seems to me that God has put us who bear his Message on stage in a theater in which no one wants to buy a ticket. We’re something everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street. We’re the Messiah’s misfits. You might be sure of yourselves, but we live in the midst of frailties and uncertainties. You might be well-thought-of by others, but we’re mostly kicked around. Much of the time we don’t have enough to eat, we wear patched and threadbare clothes, we get doors slammed in our faces, and we pick up odd jobs anywhere we can to eke out a living. When they call us names, we say, “God bless you.” When they spread rumors about us, we put in a good word for them. We’re treated like garbage, the leftovers that nobody wants. And it’s not getting any better.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for the example You set for me. Please forgive me when I fail, and help me to quickly acknowledge my sin, to repent, and to move forward on the path You have for me. Guide me to not judge others, to love when someone is unlovable, and to pray for those who curse me to be blessed. Help to quicken my soul to understand that when I’m being cursed it isn’t about me at all, rather it’s because of You and they don’t truly know You. I pray for those who don’t know You, may they have an encounter with True Love, You, Jesus. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written By: Jen Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

When was last time you prayed and asked Jesus to increase your faith? Is it something you do daily? Do you ask others to pray for you in this place? Maybe you’re thinking I don’t need to because “I trust Jesus with my entire life and my faith in Him is firmly rooted every day in His Word.” Do you think it’s fair to say that the disciples, who walked with Him, thought the same way? Today’s message is crucial for all believers as the fragility of our faith is real because we are all imperfect human beings who reside in a fallen world. In today’s passage, we see how the disciples, who were physically present with Jesus, were unable to free a possessed child, which they had done at an earlier date. In response to this entire situation, Jesus’s own words reveal this inaction is due to their lack of faith and lack of prayer. This lesson leaves me with the realization that at times I too can be the arguing crowd, the desperate father, and the imperfect disciple. Jesus’s words (in red) help me to realize that He is calling me to be His representative everywhere, He wants me to submit all circumstances to Him in prayer, and He is urging me to confess my unbelief, lack of trust, and little faith during times of despair, so He can replace those places with full confidence, trust, and faith in Him, and Him alone.

Mark 9:14-29 (NLT)
Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy

14 When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. 15 When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him.

16 “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked.

17 One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. 18 And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

19 Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

20 So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.

21 “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father.

He replied, “Since he was a little boy. 22 The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.”

23 “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

25 When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”

26 Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”

29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”

Prayer: Jesus, I confess that I do not always have the confidence, trust, and faith in You that I need to. Please forgive me and increase these places and help to break any unbelief. Quicken me to call on You in prayer in every moment of each day. I love You and ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written By: Jen Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

2 Corinthians 9:1-5 (NIV)

1There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. 2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

Chapter 9 is a continuation of chapter 8, of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. He is writing to encourage these believers in Christ to remain enthusiastic and committed to their promise of a generous gift to help the Christians who are suffering in Jerusalem. He even boasts about their gift to the poor churches in Macedonian. To ensure that their commitment has not faded, Paul sends Titus and brothers from other churches ahead of his arrival.

You might be thinking, what’s the big deal if these believers decide to adjust their committed gift or if they choose to not give at all? Paul goes on within the chapter to help us understand that when we make a commitment it is a heart matter (agreement) between us and God, “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (9:6). God blesses those who are a blessing and who allow His work to operate through them. These blessings go far beyond this physical journey; as “others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the Gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else” (9:13) So, the “committed gift” ends up being a huge deal, not because it’s monetary, but because it’s a “confession of the Gospel of Christ” and it’s about your “generosity in sharing with everyone”.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for Your precious Word which ministers to my heart. Please guide me to remain committed to where you call me each day and may Your generous Spirit flow through me so that I may share the most precious gift of confessing Your Gospel. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written By: Jen Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

Psalm 88:9 NLT“My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O LORD; I lift my hands to you for mercy.”

When you are faced with a storm in your life what do you do? As your “eyes are blinded by tears”, amid the storm, where are you? While the storm surrounds you are you “lifting your hands to the Lord” in prayer and trusting in His “mercy”? Here is a simple question, do you face a storm like cattle (cows/bulls) or like buffalo? Before you think I’ve completely lost my mind, a herd of cattle respond completely different than a herd of buffalo to a severe storm. When a herd of cattle see a storm coming, after lying down, they turn and move/run in the opposite direction; and when a herd of buffalo see a storm coming, they wait for the storm to be overhead, and then they charge into the storm. The cattle unfortunately are not fast and never outrun the storm. In fact, they get caught up in the storm and many times end up running with it. Both herds inevitably face the storm, only the cattle face it longer and with exhaustion, while the buffalo minimize the storm’s impact by breaking through it, with more energy, and into the LIGHT of the sun (SON) which is visible when on the other side of the storm.

Jesus never promised us that we wouldn’t face storms on our earthly journeys; in fact, as we learned during last week’s time of worship, and from the Gospel of Mark (4:35-41), Jesus calls us to have faith in Him during life’s storms.

So, what happens when the storm feels too big, as felt from the Psalmist of 88, and fear begins to rise, and you question if the Light is too far away? It is the time to get with other believers and pray, and to stay rooted in the Word of God. Come to Tuesday Morning Prayer at 7:00 a.m., come to Wednesday Night L.I.F.E. Lessons at 7:00 p.m. and ask for prayer, come early or stay late Sunday during 9:45 a.m. Worship and ask any of the Team to pray with you, and/or call (727-230-9723) for prayer and discussion about the Word of God. If you are tempted to stay away, it’s not Jesus “tempting” you. Jesus calls us to His Body and to His Word. It is always important to listen to that call, but it is imperative to listen more closely during the storms of life, because the enemy wants to use the circumstances and noises of the storm as a distraction from the only ONE who can calm the storm, JESUS!

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for allowing me the privilege of being just one part of Your Body. As I find myself in a storm, I praise You for allowing me to witness Your mercy, love, and compassion through Your Word, while in prayer, and through my Brothers and Sisters in Your Body. Help me to remember these moments and actions, so that I may be a blessing to others during their storms. Thank You for holding me in this place as I trust that You are using it for good. In Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written By: Jen Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

Psalm 30:4-5 (NLT)
4 
Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
    Praise his holy name.
5 
For his anger lasts only a moment,
    but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may last through the night,
    but joy comes with the morning.

What is grace? God’s unmerited favor is called grace. The grace the Father lavishes upon us permeates us until we return to God through our physical death. Grace is like a mantle or wrap that keeps us snug near God’s heart. What does grace do in our lives? Grace makes a way for us to be blessed by God; to be held, healed, and helped by God. It gives us victory over sin (James 4:6). We are saved by grace through faith in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, because Jesus is the embodiment of grace and Truth (Eph. 2:8; John 1:14). We have eternal hope because of grace (2 Thes. 2:16). If you are grateful for this amazing grace God has given you, then, like the psalmist, take time today to sing and praise his holy name.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for your extravagant grace that covers me for a lifetime. This life can be difficult and hard. Though I have faced times of weeping, your grace has always brought me joy and restoration. I love and appreciate you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 130:3-4 (NLT)
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 you.

Are you a record keeper with your family or friends? You know what I mean; if someone says or does something hurtful to you it sticks to your brain like a tally sheet. As humans, we may be tempted to keep score when we face injustice, but God is never tempted to do so. In fact, he offers forgiveness in exchange for our repentance simply because he wants us to love, respect, and learn from him. To fear the Lord is to honor his holy name by living in a way that pleases him. Live in the fear of the Lord, today.

Prayer: Lord, by your mercy and forgiveness I am saved from the penalty of sin. In my repentance, you remember my sin no more. Glory to God! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mark 6:45-52 (MSG) Walking on the Sea
45-46 As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead across to Bethsaida while he dismissed the congregation. After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to pray.

47-49 Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by himself on land. He could see his men struggling with the oars, the wind having come up against them. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed, scared to death.

50-52 Jesus was quick to comfort them: “Courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what was going on. They didn’t understand what he had done at the supper. None of this had yet penetrated their hearts.

Sometimes things we read in Scripture can get stuck in our heads. We may work to process the information mentally, but can find ourselves only getting frustrated because understanding eludes us. Here is the reason: Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. Therefore, we cannot really understand the supernatural spiritual ways of God with our natural minds. We need to invite the Holy Spirit to bring revelation knowledge (Truth) to our hearts. Then we invite the Spirit to help us understand the Truth we gain. Lastly, the Lord provides Wisdom to know how to apply that Truth to our lives.

In our passage today, the disciples have not been able to make sense of how Christ was able to feed the five thousand on two fish and five barley loaves of bread (with 12 baskets of leftovers), speak to the storm and bring peace, or walk on top of the sea. Where’s gravity during that last miracle? I would struggle trying to mentally process those things, too. That is why Jesus tells us we must trust him; he leads us to the knowledge of the Truth, through understanding the Truth, and into the application of the Truth. Jesus is the Truth and he knows where he is going in the Spirit! So, trust him.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for bringing Truth, understanding, and wisdom into my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 119:113-117 (TPT) Trust and Obey
113 
I despise those who can’t keep commitments,
    for I passionately love your revelation-light!
114 
You’re my place of quiet retreat, and your wraparound presence
    becomes my shield as I wrap myself in your Word!
115 
Go away! Leave me, all you workers of wickedness,
    for you can’t stop me from following every command of my God.
116 
Lord, strengthen my inner being by the promises of your Word
    so that I may live faithful and unashamed for you.
117 
Lift me up and I will be safe.
    Empower me to live every moment in the light of your ways.

In our passage today, the psalmist encourages us to be “all in” with the Lord. Sin causes us to be double-minded; floundering back and forth between obedience and disobedience. Sin causes a lack of trust that God’s Word really teaches what is best for us. As well, disobedience opens the door to evil and we must keep that door shut. We cannot honor God the way we should if we continue to be double-minded; we must make up our minds to belong Him—make Him Lord. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters” (Matt. 6:24). Obedience is to live “in Christ.”

Verse 114 of our passage is really special for me. I pour myself out every day to take care of others around me and it is such a joy to have the Lord as my place of quiet retreat. I can testify to his wraparound presence and the peace that he imparts when we belong to Him. May you find everything you need, today, in the wraparound love of Christ.

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust and obey your every Word without being double-minded. There is a great reward for making you Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

June 21, 2021
Acts 27:10-21 (TPT)

10 “Men, I can see that our voyage would be disastrous for us and bring great loss, not only to our ship and cargo but also to our own lives. We should remain here.” [prophetic revelation]

11 But the officer in charge was persuaded more by the ship’s helmsman and captain [ship owner] than he was by Paul. 12 So the majority decided to put out to sea, since Fair Haven was an exposed harbor and not suitable to winter in. They had hoped to somehow reach the Cretan port of Phoenix, which was a more suitable port because it was facing south.
13 When a gentle south breeze began to blow, they assumed they could make it, so they pulled up anchor and sailed close to Crete. 14 But it wasn’t long before the weather abruptly worsened and a storm of hurricane force called the Nor’easter [typhoon] tore across the island and blew us out to sea. 15 The sailors weren’t able to turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it be driven by the gale winds [surrendered to its power].

16 As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were barely able to get the ship’s lifeboat under control, 17 so the crew hoisted the dinghy aboard. The sailors used ropes and cables to undergird the ship, fearing they would run aground on the shoals of Syrtis [Lybia/Benghazi]. They lowered the drag anchor to slow its speed and let the ship be driven along.

18 The next day, because of being battered severely by the storm, the sailors jettisoned the cargo, 19 and by the third day they even threw the ship’s tackle and rigging overboard. 20 After many days of seeing neither the sun nor the stars, and with the violent storm continuing to rage against us, all hope of ever getting through it alive was abandoned.

21 After being without food for a long time, Paul stepped before them all and said, “Men, you should have obeyed me and avoided all of this pain and suffering by not leaving Crete.

In our passage today, the disobedience of the men in charge of the ship actually lead the ship and its occupants into danger. The Apostle Paul is given a prophetic message before they ever leave the harbor, “We should remain here,” but in rejecting the authority of God through Paul, everyone has to endure a terrible and frightening encounter with a typhoon-like storm.

Life is going to bring spiritual storms to our souls; some times we provoke these storms through our disobedience and some times we simply have to endure the storms provoked by evil. Either way, we must pray and set our lives before the Lord; prayer positions us in the Father’s care. God has promised his children the necessary grace to bring us his presence, provision, and protection in spite of the storms. Our greatest responsibility is to obey the Word of God, so we avoid making the same mistakes over and over again. When we are aligned in oneness with God’s love, by faith we can rebuke the storm and demand it “submit to the will of God” (Mark 4:39).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the lessons you have been teaching on how to properly endure the storms provoked by sin. It is always a battle against your authority, but if I will position myself with you and rest in your protective care, I will see your salvation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 9:1-2 (TPT) Delighting in God [psalm of David]
1 
I will worship you, Yahweh, with extended hands
    as my whole heart erupts with praise! [Hebrew: yadah]
    I will tell everyone everywhere about your wonderful works!
2 
I will be glad and shout in triumph.
    I will sing praise to your exalted name, O Most High.

In our passage, today, David has decided to praise his way into spiritual victory. God has spilled a freshness within David’s heart and he bursts into ecstatic praise. He cannot be silent about the goodness of Yahweh. To worship in this level of praise is like throwing a shout toward heaven; like an arrow shooting toward the heavenlies. To worship with this level of praise is to break strongholds and anything that would try to hold one back from a place of intimate oneness [worship] with the Lord.

Scripture teaches what will one day happen to the wicked; those who reject God and his ways. They will “fall” into the darkness of death, because of the absence of their worship. The lives of believers share a purpose to “rise up” in worship and shed light over that wicked and worldly darkness. This way of living reveals a great contrast between people. When we really understand the goodness of God deep in our souls, we will throw shouts toward heaven and break every stronghold that tries to hinder us. Nothing will be able to silence us or hold back our worship of Yahweh. Tell others about the goodness and wonderful works of the Lord, today; erupt with praise and live as a worshiper!

Prayer: Lord, I delight myself in you. I praise you for all the wonderful things you bring into my life. As my soul erupts with praise, every enemy has to flee. Thank you for always being with me and making me strong when I need it the most. In Jesus’ name. Amen.