Devotionals

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

These days it seems like being “short staffed” within restaurants and retail stores is the new “normal”. Far too often, I see signs in the windows of these establishments that are requesting patience and kindness because of this overwhelming issue. So, what is your response when your favorite spot is either too busy or just simply closed for being short staffed? Do your thoughts, words, and/or actions come directly from 1 Corinthians 13, where the example of Christ as the Greatest Love, is patient and kind? I’d like to say that is exactly my response all the time, but Jesus is still refining my patience to be more and more like Him and He is increasing my endurance as I wait on His return.

In today’s passage James gives us several vital examples of patience and endurance:

James 5:7-12 (NLT)
Patience and Endurance

7 Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. 8 You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.

9 Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!

10 For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.

12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.

We are to patiently wait for the Lord’s return, and James provides an example of what that looks like, through the farmer. While we are waiting, we are not to complain against one another, for “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). James continues by shining a light on how we are to maintain our patience even during suffering, and that is where endurance in Christ is found. He uses Job as the perfect example; that we may “also glory in suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character hope” (Romans 5:3-4) and our only hope needs to be in Christ, alone, and His return. Finally, James gives us a warning to speak the simple Truth, “for my mouth will utter truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips” (Proverbs 8:7).

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for being the perfect example of patience and endurance; and thank You for providing Your Word which is the perfect guide so that I may follow and grow in both. Please help me, Lord, to be the farmer and quicken my thoughts, words, and actions to be patient with others. Grow and refine my character so that I may have Your endurance. I so look forward to Your return and I want You to be ready for You. I pray all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

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

Today’s passage contains 8 verses from a mere 176 verses…YES, you read that correctly, Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm, and chapter, in the Bible with 176 verses. It’s an acrostic poem using the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 119 is divided into 22 sections, with 8 verses in each section. Another amazing fact is that this Psalm focuses entirely on the importance and value of the Word of God. Almost every verse contains various synonyms that are often used throughout scripture for the Word.

In these 8 verses I can relate to the palmist as in my own life I find myself clinging to my salvation in Christ and to His every Word. I always need Jesus, but it is especially clear to me that I need Him to deliver me from the trials and evil of this world. Only Jesus can spare my life as I obey His greatest commandment to love the Lord with all of my heart, soul, and mind; and the second to love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:37-39).

Psalm 119:81-88 (TPT)
Deliver Me

81 I’m lovesick with yearnings for more of your salvation,
for my heart is entwined with your Word.
82 I’m consumed with longings for your promises,
so I ask, “When will they all come true?”
83 My soul feels dry and shriveled, useless and forgotten,
but I will never forget your living truth.
84 How much longer must I wait until you punish my persecutors?
For I am your loving servant.
85 Arrogant men who hate your truth and never obey your laws
have laid a trap for my life.
86 They don’t know that everything you say is true,
so they harass me with their lies. Help me, Lord!
87 They’ve nearly destroyed my life, but I refuse to yield;
I still live according to your Word.
88 Revive me with your tender love and
spare my life by your kindness, and I will continue to obey you.

Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

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

Today’s devotion includes all of Psalm 123. It’s very possible that the psalmist wrote this song to be sang by ancient Israel, while on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, as a form of worship after they were exiled. The psalm is titled “A Song of the Stairway” and in the first verse eyes are lifted, in worship, up to the Sovereign Lord. This is a powerful expression of spiritual eyes of the heart bowing before God for hope amid oppression. Only His faithful people understand that He, and He alone, is worthy of praise. The way love is described in the next verse is as fully dependent on the Lord. The psalm continues and ends with God’s people understand the great importance of receiving the His mercy and grace, not because they’ve earned it, but because it’s a gift that only God can give. This psalm is just as relevant today, even though much of our unbelieving contemporary culture would think otherwise, those of us who believe understand the great importance of lifting our spiritual eyes to the LORD, loving Him above all else, and praying for His mercy and grace.

Psalm 123 (TPT)
A Song of the Stairway

1 O God-Enthroned in heaven, I lift my eyes toward you in worship.
2 The way I love you
is like the way a servant wants to please his master,
the way a maid waits for the orders of her mistress.
We look to you, our God, with passionate longing
to please you and discover more of your mercy and grace.
3–4 For we’ve had more than our fill of this scoffing and scorn—
this mistreatment by the wealthy elite.
Lord, show us your mercy!
Lord, show us your grace!

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Your Word which is always relevant. I am so grateful to be a part of Your Family, and I bow my heart before You and ask for You to keep my spiritual eyes fixated on You. I love you, and please allow our relationship to grow. Help me to continue to lose my independence so that my dependence on You grows deeper. Please continue to show me your mercy and grace. I ask all of this in Your Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.

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

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