Devotionals

Psalm 61:1-4 (TPT) A Psalm of Prayer by King David
1
O God, hear my prayer. Listen to my heart’s cry.
2
For no matter where I am, even when I’m far from home,
I will cry out to you for a father’s help.
When I’m feeble and overwhelmed by life,
guide me into your glory, where I am safe and sheltered.
3
Lord, you are a paradise of protection to me.
You lift me high above the fray.
None of my foes can touch me
when I’m held firmly in your wraparound presence!
4
Keep me in this glory.
Let me live continually under your splendor-shadow,
hiding my life in you forever.

Although it was wonderful to venture away and do some exploring on our recent vacation, it was also wonderful to come home. We may have been away from our physical home and spiritual church home in Florida, but we never left our privilege to commune with God. We carried an awareness of God with us and brought our devotion to Him along while we were on our adventure. In fact, John, Mary, and Jesus enjoyed fellowship—meaningful communication—in Michigan through a variety of new experiences each day.

In our passage today, King David finds himself away from his home, but he prays with faith and understanding that God is with him, guiding him, and protecting him. God is always present no matter where we go—revealing his omnipresence or his ability to be present everywhere at the same time. God is always aware of how to guide us to abundant places—revealing his omniscience or all-knowing wisdom for our good and well-being. God is always ready to protect us—revealing his omnipotence or all-powerful ability to deal with every unholy enemy. God is always everything we need, so let’s remember we must always commune—abide and be in close communication. Glory be to God!

“He who communes with God is always home…our residence with God is not for a limited period of time, but for ages of ages, for time and for eternity; this is our highest and most heavenly privilege.” Charles Spurgeon

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this great privilege and promise to be my home even away from home. I love you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21 (TPT)
20 Now may the God who brought us peace by raising from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ so that he would be the Great Shepherd of his flock; and by the power of the blood of the eternal covenant 21 may he work perfection into every part of you giving you all that you need to fulfill your destiny. And may he express through you all that is excellent and pleasing [beautiful] to him through your life-union with Jesus the Anointed One who is to receive all glory forever! Amen!

Christ’s death and resurrection sets us up to receive God’s work in making our lives pleasing to him; as we yield this is a picture of worshiping in Spirit and Truth. Certainly, we desire to please God, but only the Spirit can bring the power to accomplish it as we trust and obey him. As well, it is the work of the Spirit to equip us so we can do the work that pleases God; this is a picture of true mission. The Spirit will inspire and lead us into being fruitful with the work of our hands, as well as the message of the Gospel. What a privilege it is to know God is always right there to help us step into the beauty and glory of his plan.

In our humanity, we tend to use our thoughts and ideas to decide how God is going to do things. Afterall, some of us have been Christians for many years and we do have experience, right? But rather than being an advantage, this mindset can be a disadvantage. The Prophet Isaiah reminds us what God said about this very thing, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). Therefore, we need to remain devoted to doing things God’s way; to allow him to do the work in us and through us.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the many gifts you have bestowed on your children for the benefit of your Kingdom. May we all find our places where we shine and make a difference. Lead and guide us Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Acts 17:22-28 Paul Speaks to the Leaders of Athens
22 So Paul stood in the middle of the leadership council and said, “Respected leaders of Athens, it is clear to me how extravagant you are in your worship of idols. 23 For as I walked through your city, I was captivated by the many shrines and objects of your worship. I even found an inscription on one altar that read, “To the Unknown God. [translates “Hidden God”] I have come to introduce to you this God whom you worship without even knowing anything about him.

24 “The true God is the Creator of all things. He is the owner and Lord of the heavenly realm and the earthly realm, and he doesn’t live in man-made temples. 25 He supplies life and breath and all things to every living being. He doesn’t lack a thing that we mortals could supply for him, for he has all things and everything he needs. 26 From one man, Adam, he made every man and woman and every race of humanity, and he spread us over all the earth. He sets the boundaries of people and nations, determining their appointed times in history. 27 He has done this so that every person would long for God, feel their way to him, and find him—for he is the God who is easy to discover! 28 It is through him that we live and function and have our identity; just as your own poets have said, ‘Our lineage comes from him.’[from his genes]

In January of 2012, I stood upon Mars Hill—the very place where, in our passage today, the Apostle Paul delivers his message to the leaders of Athens. Paul witnesses the entire city being entrenched in idolatry with manmade shrines. He uses the shrine to the “Unknown or Hidden God” in order to speak about the one true God to whom they cannot see, but is actually the Lord of everything in heaven and on earth; in fact, he tells them their very breath is a sign of his existence and sovereignty. Therefore, this God is the One they should worship. Paul reminds the Athenians, every race—including their own—flows from the lineage or gene pool of this God. And, this God has chosen to send his Son into the world to die for sin, so the people of the world could choose to serve this Savior and know peace with God.

Much like the people of Athens, many people even today think about idolatry in terms of some graven image. But, although that is an expression of idolatry, true idolatry is about the devotion of the heart. I want to share the perspective and quotes of two respected theologians that should help us understand the nature or soul of idolatry. First, A.W. Tozer taught, ”The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.” Idolatry is trying to make God fit into our finite human thoughts and understanding, as well as thinking he will dismiss our practice of sin simply because he is merciful. Second, Samuel Rutherford proclaimed, “Verily, we know not what an evil it is to indulge ourselves, and to make an idol of our will.” Our culture seems to thrive on exalting self—idolatry—but Jesus said we are to deny self. Our souls—mind, will, emotions—may hate being denied, but our spirits will rejoice as we apply the Truth, because it brings salvation and peace with God. In this way, we are offering our bodies as a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God (Ro 12:1). Let’s serve the One True Master.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this lesson about idolatry and how easily we can fall into it. Guard my heart from demanding my own way and help me to honor your name and sovereign plan. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Colossians 1:15-23 Made Holy through Christ
21–22 Even though you were once distant from him, living in the shadows of your evil thoughts and actions, he reconnected you back to himself. He released his supernatural peace to you through the sacrifice of his own body as the sin-payment on your behalf so that you would dwell in his presence. And now there is nothing between you and Father God, for he sees you as holy, flawless, and restored,[no indictment against you] 23 “if” indeed you continue to advance in faith, assured of a firm foundation to grow upon. Never be shaken from the hope of the gospel you have believed in. And this is the glorious news I preach all over the world.

Every day I grow in the revelation that grace and faith are essential for every aspect of my life. Twenty-four hours a day I need the grace of the Lord; I place my faith there. Grace is all about God’s favor covering me even though I do not deserve it. Grace is a priceless Gift of salvation given to me (and you) at a great cost to God. Any sin in my life—the sin I have committed against God’s Word of which I am aware or even unaware—is enough to convict and sentence me to death; so, God provided grace as the Life-Giving solution. God sent Jesus to pay the penalty for the sins of the world; but, we must place our faith in the work he has done, reject sin, and become devoted to God. Without a connection to Christ, I have no way to be forgiven for the sins I have committed. As well, without the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, I have no way of understanding what He calls sin or the wisdom on how to use my faith so I have the power to overcome it.

In our passage today, we see the conjunction “if” that serves as a conditional clause. A conditional sentence is made up of a “main clause” that expresses an action that can only take place when connected to the clause with the “if” that follows. Let’s look at one of our verses for a minute. “And now there is nothing between you and Father God, for he sees you as holy, flawless, and restored, [no indictment against you] 23 if indeed you continue to advance in faith, assured of a firm foundation to grow upon.”

Faith is the confident trust that God will do what he says he will do in his Word. So, “if” we are advancing in faith, we are growing in that trust, not only in our belief that we are forgiven of sin and will one day join God in heaven, but that we are trusting him with everything we need each day…even the things we view as simple, my friends! We overcome by faith, so let’s be honest enough to recognize our advancement in true faith will be painful to our flesh because we must grow in the likeness of Christ (Mat 16:24). Our sinful wills, attitudes, and actions must die, so Christ’s godly will, attitude, and action will live through us instead (Ro 5:13). Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Ro 10:17). Our lives are changed and brought into godliness through faith and trust in Christ. Make a decision today to advance in faith and in the likeness of Christ. Grace is sufficient and is there for you! (2 Cor 12:9).

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making me aware of this conditional standing. You love me unconditionally, but if I am really loving you the way you deserve, I will grow in the likeness of Christ. After all, he is the Vine and I am a branch of his life to the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Luke 7:31-34 (TPT)
31 Jesus continued, saying, “How could I describe the people of this generation? Can’t you see? 32 You’re like children playing games on the playground, complaining to friends, ‘You don’t like it when we want to play Wedding. And you don’t like it when we want to play Funeral. Why will you neither dance nor mourn?’

33 “When the prophet John came fasting and refused to drink wine, you said, ‘He’s crazy! There’s a demon in him.’ 34 Yet when the Son of Man came feasting and drinking, you said, ‘Look at this man! He is nothing but a glutton and a drunkard. He spends all his time with tax collectors and other notorious sinners.’

35 “Nevertheless, the wisdom of God will be proven true by the expressions of godliness in everyone who follows me.”

In our passage today, Jesus basically tells the Pharisees there is just no making them happy. Although their messages were similar—proclaiming the need for a relationship with God—John the Baptist was perceived very differently than Jesus. John invited people to repent, be baptized, and get ready for the Messiah; to move beyond dead religion in order to enjoy a relationship of blessing with God. The Pharisees rejected John’s message, because it was outside the Temple, too sad, required self-sacrifice (rather than animal sacrifice), and he was too odd and extreme for them as an individual; therefore, they labeled God’s messenger demonic. They would not accept that John actually spoke under the loving unction of God’s Spirit, so they could be prepared for the liberating Bridegroom and the Wedding feast Messiah would soon offer to the world.

Then, Jesus is revealed—as the fulfillment of John’s prophecy—and he is feasting, drinking wine, healing the lame, restoring broken lives, and performing miracle after miracle, and the Pharisees see him as too casual, self-indulging, lawless, and unprofessional to be their Messiah or Bridegroom; therefore, they labeled him demonic, too. The very Grace that offered them salvation was rejected, because this messenger of God did not make them happy either. Remember, arrogance opens the door to deception; we are to come humbly to God. Deception causes people to proclaim what is actually holy and true to be demonic and false because it does not make their flesh happy.

Interestingly, both John and Jesus accomplished the purpose for which they were sent whether or not anyone believed them. The proof of Truth is found in changed lives: 1) If we believe God sent John with the message of repentance, we will turn from wickedness and cry out to God for salvation; and 2) If we believe God sent Jesus to shed his blood in order to save and forgive us, we will welcome and respond to the work of grace and the godliness extended to us by the Holy Spirit. How could Jesus describe the people of this generation?

Prayer: Lord, I have heard the message of John and Jesus; please guide me toward expressions of godliness, so others will know I am following your Holy Spirit. Manifest your presence in and through me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 142: 1-4 (Voice) Prayer of David
1 
I call out loudly to the Eternal One;
    I lift my voice to the Eternal begging for His favor.
2 
I let everything that’s going wrong spill out of my mouth;
    I spell out all my troubles to Him.
3 
When my spirit buckled under the burdens I bear,
    You knew my way.
They conspired to trip me up and trap me
    on the path where I was walking.
4 
Take a look around and see—to the right, to the left—
    no one is there who cares for me.
There’s no way out of here;
    no one cares about the state of my soul.

David has been running from Saul, who is trying to kill him, and he finds shelter in a cave. He is trapped by life and waiting for the salvation of the Lord. He has time to think about his life and his destiny. He is suffering from the attacks of his enemies, the rejection of his family, the indifference of his friends, and the temporary silence of His Lord. He knows God wants to be his refuge and deliverer; yet, here in this cave David hides in his troubled state. What does he do? He prays. Prayer is David’s weapon and it is ours, as well.

Sometimes we may feel trapped by our circumstances while we are waiting for God to work in our behalf. Even though God is using our difficulties to grow our character, endurance, and our faith; like David, we may feel the darkness has delivered us to a dead end. In his prayer, David is real with God: 1) real in his burdens and 2) real in his desire for blessing. David confesses his physical suffering and his emotional burdens, but he knows God is his answer. Every difficulty, whether physical or emotional, needs an eternal spiritual answer and a supernatural move of God, because every good and perfect gift comes from the God who never changes in his love for his creation (James 1:17). When we feel alone and discouraged, we always have an Advocate in Jesus. So, be real with God in your prayers for help, because no one cares more for your soul than Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the freedom to call out to my Advocate for relief and blessing. Help me to focus my attention upon you and the answers you alone will bring. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

2 Samuel 6:6-12a

In our Old Testament passage, today, David decides to move the Ark of the Covenant—a national treasure—from Judah to Jerusalem. The Ark is understood as the sacred dwelling place of the Lord on earth; the God from whom all blessings flow. The Ark has been in the home of Abinadab for twenty years. During this time, Abinadab is blessed of the Lord. Therefore, as Israel’s enthroned leader, King David desires to have the presence of God near him. He wants the entire nation of Israel to be blessed.

History is important and it is essential to learn and remember the valuable lessons from it. In the past, God had already instructed the Israelites on how to properly move the Ark of his holy presence. Only the Levitical priests were to carry the Ark; they were to use two wooden poles inserted through rings on the four corners of the Ark. God declared that no one was to touch the Ark or they would die.
In our lesson, the Ark is obviously not being moved according to God’s commands. Instead, the Israelites place the Ark on a cart carried by oxen. When the Ark begins to tilt, Uzzah—who is walking next to the Ark—reaches to steady it.

2 Samuel 6:6 But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah put out his hand to steady the Ark. 7 Then the anger of the Lord flared out against Uzzah and he killed him for doing this, so he died there beside the Ark. 8 David was angry at what the Lord had done, and named the spot “The Place of Wrath upon Uzzah.”

9 David was now afraid of the Lord and asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark home?” 10 So he decided against taking it into the City of David, but carried it instead to the home of Obed-edom, who had come from Gath. 11 It remained there for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

12 When David heard this, he brought the Ark to the City of David with a great celebration.

It is never wise to find oneself on the opposing side of God. David is actually mad at God for taking the life of a well-meaning man. After all, it appears Uzzah was simply trying to steady the Ark and keep it from falling. Our best efforts die before the holiness of God. If God declares his will about something, then we must respect it. If God sets a warning out for us, then we must honor it. No matter how good our intentions may be, God commands righteousness. Disobedience to divine law—sin—is costly, so we must never forget God’s Word is connected to the blessings. That is why we need Jesus; he is the sinless Savior we need in order to dwell in the holiness of God and receive his blessings. May we honor and respect our holy God and live according to his commands.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for reminding me today about your holy presence. Thank you for Jesus who helps me understand your holiness and how to live obedient to your Word. I welcome your blessings in Jesus’ name. Amen.

In today’s passage we hear again from the Apostle Paul as he addresses the Church in Colossae in his 4th and final letter to them. In the first 3 letters he spoke about the redemption of Christ in and through their lives, as believers. Now, in this letter he encourages them to pick up their own cross and become responsible in sharing the Gospel. Paul points out three specific areas that are crucial for them, and us, as the Gospel is shared and specifically with unbelievers: How we Pray, How we Live, and How we Speak.

Colossians 4:2-6 (NLV)
Some Things to Do

2 You must keep praying. Keep watching! Be thankful always. 3 As you pray, be sure to pray for us also. Pray that God will open the door for us to preach the Word. We want to tell the secret of Christ. And this is the reason I am in prison. 4 Pray that I will be able to preach so everyone can understand. This is the way I should speak. 5 Be wise in the way you live around those who are not Christians. Make good use of your time. 6 Speak with them in such a way they will want to listen to you. Do not let your talk sound foolish. Know how to give the right answer to anyone.

How we Pray: Paul tells us to continually pray, to be thankful in prayer, and while in prayer to keep watch for the day of the Lord’s return. He also asks for prayers for “us”, and we see this request many times throughout the Gospels. In Luke 11 Jesus teaches us about prayer and how to pray. Within that passage is the Lord’s Prayer, and “us” is mentioned several times: “Give us each day the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.” (v.3-4) We must be in prayer for one another all of the time.

How we Live: “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog – it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” (James 4:14) Paul understood this Truth and thus he cautions us to be wise when around unbelievers, to make good use of our time when with them, and to not be foolish. We love the Lord, and thus our lives should be examples of love, the kind that everyone wants to learn about and ultimately share.

How we Speak: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37). The Bible contains approximately 397 verses which speak about the mouth, and the actual word “mouth” is mentioned in scripture about 442 times. If that doesn’t tell you how critical our words are to the Lord, I don’t know what will. Paul reminds us to speak in a way that unbelievers will want to listen. Just because you know the Gospel message doesn’t mean others do, and it certainly doesn’t mean you are better than them. It means you are called to lovingly share the love of the Lord with them. Jesus never forced himself on anyone, he lovingly met them where they found themselves, and as they were willing to follow Him, He extended His hand to bring them along. He tasks us with the same call on our lives, each, and everyday.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for prayer, for welcoming me into Your presence at any place and time. Please help me to be more vigilant in prayer, for myself, for other, and for all of Your creation. Please continue to guide me with Your wisdom. I want my life to reflect You all of the time. Help me Lord to be quick to listen and slow to respond. I pray for my words to be bathed in Your love before they escape my mouth. Lead me in places where I can share Your love with those who do not know You or those who are lost and need to reconnect with You. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

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

As I studied today’s passage, from the Apostle Paul to the Church in Colossae and Laodicea, I kept reading about individualism and collectivism. In basic terms, collectivism is when one puts the community’s needs ahead of their own; and individualism is when one puts their own needs ahead of the community’s needs. To understand if God desires one or both, I looked to Jesus and allowed His Words to speak Truth to my own heart.

First, when the Pharisees got together, and one of them, as an “expert in the law”, tested Jesus with a question about the greatest commandment in the Law, His reply was “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:34-37). It’s clear that God’s desire, for His people, is to love Him above all else. That means we are not intended to live for ourselves or for others. Rather, we are to live for God and to seek His purpose for our lives. In that place He can use us, and a balance of individualistic and collectivistic approaches, to grow us and others as a part of His plan and Family.

In this message, Paul states that his goal is that “they may be encouraged in heart and united in love”. If we allow God to individually work to refine our hearts, we can collectively unite in love to do God’s work, as His Church (Family), to bring more hearts to know Him. Jesus spoke the ultimate words of encouragement, when He described to the disciples (and to us) how grief in His death means eternal peace in our salvation: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). Jesus also prayed for all believers, and believers to come, for unity as one in Love: “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:20-21)

Colossians 2:1-5 (NIV)

1 I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5 For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! Your Word encourages my soul, bringing it Your peace, and allowing the Spirit to move within my life. I treasure my Family in You. I could not make this journey of faith alone. I know that one day I, alone, will come face-to-face with You, and what a glorious day that will be, but until then, You have provided Brothers and Sister of the faith that love me and who I love so very much. I ask that You protect our Family, guide us with Your wisdom, grow us in our faith, and raise us up to love beyond our human understanding. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

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

I’m writing this devotion at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, and one of the very outer bands of Tropical Storm Elsa just brought down some hard rain within my area. At this time, the storm is expected to hit our area of Florida as a Category 1 Hurricane later this evening. A hurricane, for those who live in Florida, should always be a reminder of God’s power over all His creation. I never think there are coincidences on this earthly journey, rather I believe God’s divine timing is perfect, just as He is perfect. So, I love when He allows me a glimpse of His perfect love as a reminder that the heavenly realm is truly operating in tandem with the earthly realm. I envision all of heaven’s army is constantly rooting for me to hang onto the fact that I am truly not a resident of this earth, rather I am an eternal resident of heaven. So, I want you to image how big my smile was when I read today’s passage and saw the title, “Hope Despite the Disaster”. I have hope as I sit in my home, and as I just heard and saw God’s Mighty Power through this first band of the storm. Now, things are quiet, and my attention is drawn to the next section of today’s passage which is titled, “Jeremiah’s Prayer of Confidence”.

This entire passage is the perfect reminder that God is always in control of all things, and just as He is not finished with His people of Israel, He is also not finished doing His work through you and me. So, we must bow before the Lord’s Mighty Power, give thanks to Him for being our strength in the storm, and repent for anything we have put before Him.

Jeremiah 16:14-21 (NLT)

Hope Despite the Disaster

14 “But the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when people who are taking an oath will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.’ 15 Instead, they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ For I will bring them back to this land that I gave their ancestors.

16 “But now I am sending for many fishermen who will catch them,” says the Lord. “I am sending for hunters who will hunt them down in the mountains, hills, and caves. 17 I am watching them closely, and I see every sin. They cannot hope to hide from me. 18 I will double their punishment for all their sins, because they have defiled my land with lifeless images of their detestable gods and have filled my territory with their evil deeds.”

Jeremiah’s Prayer of Confidence

19 Lord, you are my strength and fortress,
my refuge in the day of trouble!
Nations from around the world
will come to you and say,
“Our ancestors left us a foolish heritage,
for they worshiped worthless idols.
20 Can people make their own gods?
These are not real gods at all!”
21 The Lord says,
“Now I will show them my power;
now I will show them my might.
At last they will know and understand
that I am the Lord.

Prayer: Jesus, tonight’s storm is a reminder of Your power and the fact that only You are in control. I submit to You and trust that in this storm, and in all of life’s storms, that You will carry me through them. I call on Your strength and peace to fill and surround me when this world tries to rob me of those eternal promises. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

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