Devotionals

It was after we had lived in our home many years that we began the process of making it special for us; to give each room the true flavor of our lives through remodeling. Before we began the work, we hired an architect and a contractor to make sure of the foundation and the structural integrity of the existing building and materials. It became apparent the rear of the house was doing a bit of sinking/settling so we had to bring in a civil engineer to work with the architect and contractor. It was a very necessary step in the process, because the remodeling needed a level and solid foundation. We could have avoided this important first step, but it would not have been at all wise.

Intro: In our passage today, the Apostle Paul sets out the gospel [good news] for the church at Corinth. He wants them to understand God will be building them—as the Church— into a beautiful temple placed on the solid foundation of Christ and his love; no sinking beneath or settling for less than Christ’s righteousness. Therefore, the builders (preachers/teachers) must share the true message of Christ and his righteous standard, not the pattern of the world and its ways. Gold [divine substance], silver [redemption’s fruit], and beautiful stones [reformed lives] are all symbolic of the work of the Holy Spirit. Wood, hay, and straw are symbolic of the work of human flesh—works of humans not God.

Fire is what brings the proof of whether we are building in the power of the Spirit or in the power of our flesh. Fire will cause gold, silver, and precious stones to glow even brighter, but fire will consume wood, hay, and straw leaving nothing left. We must always build upon the foundation of Christ, but we must also allow the Spirit to guide us in how we build and what materials we use. May the teaching we consistently share at Connect2Christ Church—based on the truth/wisdom of the gospel of Christ—cause us to build lives that will stand strong during every spiritual test of fire. Then our worship will truly be for the glory of God!

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 (TPT)
10 God has given me unique gifts [of grace] as a skilled master builder [first-class architect/contractor] who lays a good foundation. Afterward another craftsman comes and builds on it. So builders beware! Let every builder do his work carefully, according to God’s standards. 11 For no one is empowered to lay an alternative foundation other than the good foundation that exists, which is Jesus Christ!

12–13 The quality of materials used by anyone building on this foundation will soon be made apparent, whether it has been built with gold, silver, and costly stones, or wood, hay, and straw. Their work will soon become evident, for the Day [when Christ is glorified in his holy ones] will make it clear, because it will be revealed by blazing fire! And the fire will test and prove the workmanship of each builder. 14 If his work stands the test of fire, he will be rewarded. 15 If his work is consumed by the fire, he will suffer great loss. Yet he himself will barely escape destruction, like one being rescued out of a burning house.

Prayer: Lord, as human beings made in your image, you alone are our Designer, Architect, and our Contractor. I pray for believers to stay the course; focused on your righteous standard and learning to submit to all your ways. I pray for my heart, as a preacher and teacher, to stay true to your Word and to equip your people to walk according to your Spirit. Life will bring fiery situations to us all, but in the midst may we glow even brighter for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

December 27, 2021

Today’s passage helps us to remember our need for God’s divine wisdom within our lives and warns us of the dangers of rejecting His wisdom. Our passage is from Solomon’s Book of Proverbs, which is often referred to as one of the Books of Wisdom. We are looking at the last five verses of chapter 8. However, let’s remember that chapter 7 ended with a description of a woman, which Solomon did back in chapter 1. He personified wisdom as a woman. We see this continue in chapter 8 and through chapter 9. Let’s recall the verses that preceded today’s passage:

Verses 1-5: She (wisdom) cries out for all to listen to her message. You and I need godly wisdom at all times. When we think that wisdom is hard to find, we need to remember that God’s wisdom is readily available all of the time, it’s constantly calling out to you and me…we just need to listen, submit, and obey.

Verses 6-11: Wisdom speaks the Truth and detests evil. Her advice is wholesome and nothing about her is crooked. Wisdom is more valuable than any precious stone, silver, and gold. Friends, we must remember that the things of this world are temporal, but the treasures of Heaven are eternal. Wisdom is a Heavenly gift that we get to treasure now, it is our direct connection to Christ, Himself, as He is made wisdom for us. What are you grabbing on to and storing up…earthly treasures or Heavenly treasures?

Verses 12-13: Wisdom lives with good judgement, knowledge, and discernment. She hates evil, and all who hate evil with her fear the Lord. When we are truly living in reverence and awe of Almighty God and His power in and through us, we are allowing His wisdom to operate in our lives and we are no longer prideful, and we are quick to turn away from arrogance, and corruption.

Verses 14-21: Wisdom reminds us that she loves all who love her, and rewards all who seek her, even rulers and leaders. Leaders are to hate evil too and are to fear the Lord. She expresses, again, that the value of godly wisdom is greater than the finest gold. Friends, I don’t know about you, but I want to inherit the wealth that the Lord offers, not that anyone, or this world, offers, and so I pray that He grows His wisdom within my life every day.

Verses 22-31: In these 10 verses, wisdom speaks about how she existed from the beginning, before all of creation, and how she rejoices in all of creation. I can’t help but to be reminded of John 1:1, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” We know that this was Jesus, He existed from the beginning, before creation. Jesus is wisdom. He wants to be our wisdom, our guide, our love for all eternity. When you call on God’s wisdom, remember you are asking Jesus for His Almighty guidance.

In today’s verses, wisdom encourages us to follow her ways because they are joyful. She reminds us that whoever finds her receives favor with the Lord, eternal life, not death. Don’t miss it friends, Solomon wrote this almost 1,000 years before the Apostle Paul, who walked with Wisdom Himself, JESUS, would teaches us this: “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” (Ephesians 5:15-17)

Proverbs 8:32-36 (NLT)

32 “And so, my children, listen to me,
for all who follow my ways are joyful.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise.
Don’t ignore it.
34 Joyful are those who listen to me,
watching for me daily at my gates,
waiting for me outside my home!
35 For whoever finds me finds life
and receives favor from the Lord.
36 But those who miss me injure themselves.
All who hate me love death.”

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for Your wisdom. Please impart Your wisdom to me daily and help me to quickly turn back to You when I am not walking in Your wisdom. I see so much of our world that needs Your wisdom. Please use me as a vessel to help others see, hear, and know You. I ask all of this in Your Precious and Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

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

Intro: Sometimes what is extremely important in heaven is not seen as important on earth. Such is the case with the birth of Messiah. When God wanted to announce the greatest event the world would ever know, he sent an angel to announce the news to shepherds. Shepherds were the ones taking care of the sheep used as a sacrifice for sin at the temple. Jesus Messiah would become both the Shepherd and the Lamb (John 1:29;10:11).

The shepherds quickly ran to the stable to worship Jesus; they knew the miraculous had come to earth. Like the shepherds, Caesar should have come to worship Jesus, but he did not. Herod should have come to worship Jesus, but he did not. The people of Israel should have come to worship Jesus, because they were waiting for the Savior, but most did not. All nations should have come to worship Jesus, because the world would otherwise be lost from fellowship with God, but they did not. However, all of heaven worshiped and rejoiced at this most important event.

It is Christmas, and your Savior awaits your response and worship, because he is God’s greatest Gift. Ponder in your heart this Good News and be filled with great joy. Join with the heavenly choir this morning and sing, “Glory to God in the highest!” Merry Christmas to you all!

Luke 2:8-20 An Angelic Encounter
8 That night, in a field near Bethlehem, shepherds were watching over their flocks. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant splendor before them, lighting up the field with the blazing glory of God, and the shepherds were terrified! 10 But the angel reassured them, saying, “Don’t be afraid, for I have come to bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! And it is for everyone everywhere! 11 For today in Bethlehem a rescuer was born for you. He is the Lord Yahweh, the Messiah. 12 You will recognize him by this miraculous sign: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in the feeding trough!”

13 Then all at once in the night sky, a vast number of glorious angels appeared, the very armies of heaven! And they all praised God, singing:
14 
“Glory to God in the highest realms of heaven!
    For there is peace and a good hope given to the sons of men.”

15 When the choir of angels disappeared and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go! Let’s hurry and find this Word who is born in Bethlehem and see for ourselves what the Lord has revealed to us.” 16 So they hurried off and found their way to Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in a feeding trough.

17 Upon seeing this miraculous sign, the shepherds recounted what had just happened. 18 Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was astonished by what they were told.

19 But Mary treasured all these things in her heart and often pondered what they meant.
20 The shepherds returned to their flock, ecstatic over what had happened. They praised God and glorified him for all they had heard and seen for themselves, just like the angel had said.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for rescuing me from the penalty of sin and death with your perfect life; you are my Lamb and my Shepherd. I am born anew, because you have been born in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, the psalmist reminds us why we can place our absolute confidence in God—because he cannot act unrighteously in his judgements. In this world, leaders can rise to power in unrighteous ways; therefore, their power is self-serving and corrupt. However, God has absolute power and we are safe with his rule, because he can never make decisions or act against his perfect character and love for us. Aren’t you ready for this Ruler?

As we continue our celebration of the Advent of God’s Love expressed in Christ, we must remember we cannot love God with our whole being—heart, soul, and mind—and still love and accept as good the things God hates (Mat 22:37). These include putting others down while considering ourselves superior, spreading lies and rumors, spilling the blood of the innocent, plotting evil in our hearts toward another, gloating over doing what’s plainly wrong, spouting lies in false testimony, and stirring up strife and deception (Pro 6:16-19). These things are the work of evil and they all stand in a rebellious heart seeking to usurp the authority of God. Sin and corruption is not something believers love, because it grieves the heart of our First Love—Jesus. If we want to live with God protecting us, rescuing us from the wicked, shining light to guide our lives, and imparting joy to our very souls, we must live in God’s righteousness. Christ in the manger of our hearts brings the only answer for peace with God and our neighbors. Rejoice, because God is good to his people and living in Christ should be an easy choice to make.

Psalm 97:10-12 (NLT)
10 
You who love the Lord, hate evil!
    He protects the lives of his godly people
    and rescues them from the power of the wicked.
11 
Light shines on the godly,
    and joy on those whose hearts are right.
12 
May all who are godly rejoice in the Lord
    and praise his holy name!

Prayer: Lord, may any sin in my life grieve me as much as it does you. Help me to walk in your righteousness, so I may enjoy the beauty of your loving care each day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: As we come to rest this week on the Love of God during our celebration of Christ’s First Advent, we must pay attention to the importance of prophecy as the Way to prepare our hearts for the Second Advent of Christ. Prophecy is a word from God; spoken or written. Jesus is the Living Word of God, so if we are going to grow, we must decide to allow Jesus to speak into our lives, right?

In our passage today, the Apostle Peter wants us to focus on the resurrected Christ whose very breath is embedded in Scripture. The purpose of the Word is to lead us into the depths of God’s holiness. “God has transmitted his very substance into every Scripture [Old and New Testaments] for it is God-breathed [his breath is embedded in his Word]. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. Then you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you (2 Tim 3:16-17).

When we come to the Word of God, we must rely on the Helper—the Holy Spirit—or we will not understand the deeper meaning of God’s prophetic Word to our hearts. God is Love and he wants to communicate the Truth of Love to our souls; therefore, may we invite the Holy Spirit to subdue the darkness that tries to cloud our thinking and instead welcome the Truth. That means when the Word exposes our rebellion, we must welcome the necessary correction.

2 Peter 1:19-21 (TPT) Prophecy
19 And so we have been given the prophetic word—the written message of the prophets, made more reliable and fully validated by the confirming voice of God on the Mount of Transfiguration. And you will continue to do well if you stay focused on it. For this prophetic message is like a piercing light [lamp] shining in a gloomy place [dark] until the dawning of a new day, when the Morning Star [Light Bearer] rises in your hearts [subduing the darkness].

20 You must understand this at the outset: Interpretation of scriptural prophecy requires the Holy Spirit, for it does not originate from someone’s own imagination. 21 No true prophecy comes from human initiative but is inspired by the moving of the Holy Spirit upon those [holy men and women] who spoke the message that came from God [his inspired and trustworthy words].

Prayer: Lord, thank you for leading your children by your prophetic word. Be the Light in my darkness and inspire me to move with your Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, Mary demonstrates some very important spiritual attitudes to have regarding God’s Gift of salvation found in Jesus the Messiah. A praise song bursts forth from her lips; her heart is filled with divine love. She cannot contain this love without expressing it. Salvation is about a miraculous life that impregnates us with the divine presence. Stop and think about it, because Mary is struck with such awe at God’s plan she ponders it all in her heart and then erupts into praise…as should every believer!

First, Mary humbly receives God’s Gift; she serves the Messiah in her womb. She welcomes God’s plan and willingly denies herself in exchange for the favor of God. Mary sings to the goodness of God. Second, Mary praises God for the miracle he was not only bringing to her life but to the whole world. By faith, Mary connects her part in God’s plan for salvation to the promise God gave to Abraham. Mary sings to the faithfulness of God even though it remains a mystery to her. Third, Mary sets aside any opportunity to stand in pride in order to magnified the Lord.

As believers, we must approach God’s Glorious Gift for salvation with humble hearts; we have done nothing to deserve such favor and goodness. Salvation is personal, but it is also for the world and we must witness the faithfulness of God to his promises. Lastly, pride can cause us to refuse God’s Gift as intended or try to take credit for “doing” something that draws attention to our flesh, so we must cast down all spiritual arrogance and magnify the name of the Lord! We are loved by a life-giving God and our souls should be ecstatic, as well!

Luke 1:46-55 (TPT) Mary’s Prophetic Song
46 And Mary sang this song:
    “My soul is ecstatic, overflowing with praises to God!
47 
My spirit bursts with joy over my life-giving God! [Savior]
48 
For he set his tender gaze upon me, his lowly [humble] servant girl.
    And from here on, everyone will know
    that I have been favored and blessed.
49 
The Mighty One has worked a mighty miracle for me;
    holy is his name!
50 
Mercy kisses all who fear him,
    from one generation to the next.
51 
Mighty power flows from him
    to scatter all those who walk in pride.
52 
Powerful princes he tears from their thrones
    and he lifts up the lowly to take their place.
53 
Those who hunger for him will always be filled,
    but the smug and self-satisfied he will send away empty.
54 
Because he can never forget to show mercy,
    he has helped his chosen servant, Israel,
55 
keeping his promises to Abraham
    and to his descendants forever.”

Prayer: Lord, let my heart sing with Mary, today. I praise your goodness, faithfulness, and I magnify your name above all other names. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: This week we continue our Advent Journey as we celebrate the Love of God—Jesus [God is Salvation]—who came down from heaven to save us. To love God in response to his self-revelation and this act of Love is to seek him for salvation, as well as learn how to live according to his plan. He is the Architect of our destinies and the Designer of our souls and the sooner humanity begins to understand that reality, the better off all of creation will be. God searches our hearts; the Lord is constantly watching everyone, and he gives strength to those who faithfully love and obey him (2 Chr. 16:9). God already knows those who belong to him, but someday soon the whole world will have the revelation of God’s sons and daughters of righteousness. Sin has no power over God’s children. Those who have been born into God’s family reflect his righteousness and do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them (1 John 3:9). Remember, Immanuel—God with us.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul speaks about God’s sons and daughters who have been awaken by the Spirit and the destiny awaiting them. Sin robbed humanity, but now believers are being made holy by the Spirit and every aspect of our lives works toward the goal of growing us up into Christ. So, allow the Spirit to affirm you and be convinced of God’s extravagant love for you. He has lovingly put everything into motion in order to bring believers back into the wholeness of his righteousness—Shalom. Thank you, Father! Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Holy Spirit!

Romans 8:18-30 A Glorious Destiny
18 I am convinced that any suffering we endure is less than nothing compared to the magnitude of glory [radiant beauty] that is about to be unveiled within us. 19 The entire universe is standing on tiptoe [intense anticipation], yearning to see the unveiling of God’s glorious sons and daughters!

20 For against its will the universe itself has had to endure the empty futility [chaos/frustration] resulting from the consequences of human sin. But now, with eager expectation, 21 all creation longs for freedom from its slavery to decay and to experience with us the wonderful freedom coming to God’s children. 22 To this day we are aware of the universal agony and groaning of creation, as if it were in the contractions of labor for childbirth.

23 And it’s not just creation. We who have already experienced the firstfruits of the Spirit [awakening of the Spirit] also inwardly groan as we passionately long to experience our full status as God’s sons and daughters—including our physical bodies being transformed. 24 For this is the hope of our salvation. But hope means that we must trust and wait for what is still unseen. For why would we need to hope for something we already have? 25 So because our hope is set on what is yet to be seen, we patiently keep on waiting for its fulfillment.

26 And in a similar way, the Holy Spirit takes hold of us in our human frailty to empower us in our weakness. For example, at times we don’t even know how to pray, or know the best things to ask for. But the Holy Spirit rises up within us to super-intercede on our behalf, pleading to God with emotional sighs [groanings] too deep for words.

27 God, the searcher of the heart, knows fully our longings, yet he also understands the desires of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit passionately pleads before God for us, his holy ones, in perfect harmony with God’s plan and our destiny.

28 So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designed purpose. 29 For he knew all about us before we were born and he destined us [marked us] from the beginning to share the likeness of his Son. This means the Son is the oldest among a vast family of brothers and sisters who will become just like him.

30 Having determined our destiny ahead of time, he called us to himself and transferred his perfect righteousness to everyone he called. And those who possess his perfect righteousness he co-glorified with his Son!

Prayer: Lord, bring your sons and daughters of Love into perfect harmony with your Spirit and cause us to be made holy in your hands. Reveal in me the markings of your love and righteousness. In Jesus’ name.

December 20, 2021

Today’s devotion is a prayerful meditation and celebration of Psalm 113. Psalms 113 – 118 are knows as the Egyptian Hallel. “Hallel” is a portion of a service for certain Jewish festivals. It’s often a special prayer said/sung on those holidays to give thanks and praise to God. Psalm 113 is typically connected with the Passover meal and other Jewish festivals as a reflection of God’s redemption of His people, the Israelites, as they commemorate their Exodus from slavery in Egypt.

You and I are directly connected as God’s people. We, too, have been redeemed, by the loving sacrifice that Jesus made by laying down His life for the forgiveness of our sins. We should celebrate that gift, of pure selfless love, every second of every day! Friends, we are free from the slavery of sin, and today’s Psalm didn’t only apply to the freedom of the Israelites in the Old Testament, it also applied to the freedom of the disciples in the New Testament. During The Last Supper, both Matthew and Mark recount within their Gospels that after The Supper “then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives” (Matt 26:30 & Mark 14:26). It is likely that one of these Psalms, which celebrated freedom from slavery, were sang. It was a song of praise to foreshadow the freedom and salvation we ALL have in Christ’s death.

This week is the 4th and final week of Advent, the week of Love, the week we celebrate the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His Name literally means “God Saves”, and He does it for ALL people when they turn to Him and accept His Eternal Love into their lives. He deserves our praises, His love is the reason we bless His Name forever, and nothing will ever compare to Him.
Psalm 113 – NLT

1 Praise the Lord!
Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord.
Praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
now and forever.
3 Everywhere—from east to west—
praise the name of the Lord.
4 For the Lord is high above the nations;
his glory is higher than the heavens.

5 Who can be compared with the Lord our God,
who is enthroned on high?
6 He stoops to look down
on heaven and on earth.
7 He lifts the poor from the dust
and the needy from the garbage dump.
8 He sets them among princes,
even the princes of his own people!
9 He gives the childless woman a family,
making her a happy mother.

Praise the Lord!

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for saving me! Please help me this week to be reminded and to be a reminder to others of Your Love. This week is about You. I pray, Lord Jesus, that my heart is constantly fixated on You, and that I do not allow the commercialism of the holiday season to get ahead of You. You are above all things, and You deserve to be praised. I ask all of this in Your Precious and Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

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

Intro: Christmas is about salvation and God’s plan to reconcile humanity to himself. For believers, we live with hope, because we have our gaze fixed upon Jesus Christ the Author and Finisher of our faith. Believers live by the power of God, so we enjoy peace and security that escapes the world. Even when we face trials, believers rejoice in the midst of them because we are confident in God’s love and purpose for our lives. The trials are not to show God our faith; rather, the trials are to reveal our enduring faith to the world. You are an example for people around you each day, so make a special effort to share your hope, peace, joy, and love with others who need Jesus.

1 Peter 1:8-9 You love him passionately although you have not seen him, but through believing in him you are saturated with an ecstatic joy, indescribably sublime and immersed in glory. 9 For you are reaping the harvest of your faith—the full salvation promised you—your souls’ victory! [salvation]

Prayer: Lord, the joy we find in your kingdom is beyond the power of our words to express. Thank you for building my faith and trust in your care each day. Please continue to produce the fruit of joy as you work in my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: It is always wonderful to hear the Christmas story being read; God’s Son of love coming down from heaven to save us produces awe and amazement in our souls. How does one contemplate or even mentally process such a sacrificial love Gift for all of creation? God humbled himself to save us, because we could not do anything to save ourselves! The Helper came for the helplessly lost. Our hope, peace, and joy all come together in this Christmas love Gift from God. There is no greater love (John 15:13).

Even as believers we can get fixated on the human expressions of Christmas, as well as our “feelings” and responses to our human celebrations, but to stop there is extremely superficial and worldly. Christmas is about the purpose of God to love and save a selfish and sinful world (John 3:16). Our celebrations should be all about receiving the salvation Gift of God’s Son and making room for him in our hearts, relationships, communities, nations, and his world.

In our passage today, the writer of Hebrews wants us to understand the Gift of Christ is given to those who choose to be made holy. Christmas begins with the birth of Christ in human hearts, but God’s Story continues. Christ keeps working in hearts and through human lives until every enemy of the Truth humbly bows to his holiness. If we will take this Truth to heart, it will forever inwardly change us and we will—like the angels, shepherds, Joseph, Mary, and the wisemen, begin to live with passion the Christmas Story–become hearts filled with Christ!

Hebrews 10:10-18 (TPT)
10 For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,

16
“This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”

17 Then he says,
“I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds.”

18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being my Christmas Gift every day. For all that you are and have done for me, may my life be an offering back to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.