Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 1-10-20

Acts 9:10-21 The Message (MSG)

Lately, it seems like every time I read an article or listen to the news I am exposed to some kind of argument that involves verbal assassinations. Whatever happened to the art of persuasion using evidence and facts? Scripture teaches one day every human being will stand before Christ—the Living Word—and give an account for the words we have chosen to use. I am reminded Jesus told those abusing their power through words, ”Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation” (Matt 12:38).

Yesterday, we read about how Saul had gotten on the wrong side of God’s plan; his flesh was actually working against the Lord. So, God got his attention. Well, today we are going to read about a man named Ananias. It is a part of God’s plan to use Ananias to bring salvation and healing to Saul. Does Ananias want to help Saul? Does he think it is a good idea to go near Saul who has been such a threat? Nope! But, he chooses not to argue with the Lord. Because Ananias goes and fulfills God’s plan, Saul is filled with the Spirit and begins to share about Jesus Messiah. Does he engage in verbal assassinations to get his message out to those who oppose him? No. He employs the art of persuasion using evidence and facts. As a result, people listen and respond to the Truth. Pray and ask God to help you take your words seriously.

10 There was a disciple in Damascus by the name of Ananias. The Master spoke to him in a vision: “Ananias.”
“Yes, Master?” he answered.

11-12 “Get up and go over to Straight Avenue. Ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus. His name is Saul. He’s there praying. He has just had a dream in which he saw a man named Ananias enter the house and lay hands on him so he could see again.”

13-14 Ananias protested, “Master, you can’t be serious. Everybody’s talking about this man and the terrible things he’s been doing, his reign of terror against your people in Jerusalem! And now he’s shown up here with papers from the Chief Priest that give him license to do the same to us.”

15-16 But the Master said, “Don’t argue. Go! I have picked him as my personal representative to non-Jews and kings and Jews. And now I’m about to show him what he’s in for—the hard suffering that goes with this job.”

Prayer: Lord, please help me take my words seriously; help me be a loving and persuasive influencer for your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 1-9-20

Acts 9:1-9 New Life Version (NLV)

Being on the wrong side of God’s plan and will is never a good location in which to find oneself. In that place, human flesh is actually working against what God is planning to do; what has been spoken (Word) and is being guided (Spirit) into motion. Either the perfect will of God or the will of rebellious humanity has to give way. Since God is all-powerful and nothing is beyond his sovereign control, human flesh is going to experience defeat.

In our passage today, Saul—a leader of the Pharisees—is hunting down the followers of Christ; he thinks he is doing Yahweh a favor by silencing and killing these ignorant and misdirected fanatics. We find Saul sitting smugly on his spiritual high horse when the Lord knocks him to the ground. This is Saul’s turning point; experiencing God in Spirit and in Truth and realizing he does not really “know’ the heart of God nor has he been serving Him. Saul has been serving his flesh. May we work with the Lord—who is Love—and not against him when he reveals Truth to us.

Acts 9:1-8 Saul Becomes a Christian on the Way to Damascus
9 Saul was still talking much about how he would like to kill the followers of the Lord. He went to the head religious leader. 2 He asked for letters to be written to the Jewish places of worship in the city of Damascus. The letters were to say that if he found any men or women following the Way of Christ he might bring them to Jerusalem in chains.

3 He went on his way until he came near Damascus. All at once he saw a light from heaven shining around him. 4 He fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why are you working so hard against Me?” 5 Saul answered, “Who are You, Lord?” He said, “I am Jesus, the One Whom you are working against. You hurt yourself by trying to hurt Me.” 6 Saul was shaken and surprised. Then he said, “What do You want me to do, Lord?” The Lord said to him, “Get up! Go into the city and you will be told what to do.”

7 Those with Saul were not able to say anything. They heard a voice but saw no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground. When he opened his eyes, he saw nothing. They took him by the hand and led him to Damascus. 9 He could not see for three days. During that time he did not eat or drink.

Prayer: Lord, may each day I find myself working with you and not against you to bring ongoing transformation to my soul. May I allow my mind to be changed in how I see your plan. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 1-8-20

Ephesians 4:1-7 The Passion Translation (TPT)

From the beginning, it was the plan of God to form humanity in the likeness of his Son—“let us make man in our image”—and Jesus is the visible image and perfect likeness of God. Of course, sin darkened and stained our glorious likeness. Now, it is our divine destiny to be transformed; to return to the likeness of Christ.

The Apostle Paul reminds us, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Rom 12:2). That means Christ must be formed within us; sin has to go. Some stuff in our human flesh is not like Christ, so the Spirit works on us in order to cut it away. To allow the Spirit to do the necessary work within us, we must know and love God. And, the more we know and love God the more we will trust him to do what needs to be done in our lives. Growth takes time and obedience. Reach for your divine calling.

Ephesians 4:1-7 Our Divine Calling
1 As a prisoner of the Lord, I plead with you to walk holy, in a way that is suitable to your high rank (joint-heirs with Christ), given to you in your divine calling. 2 With tender humility and quiet patience, always demonstrate gentleness and generous [stretching] love toward one another, especially toward those who may try your patience. 3 Be faithful to guard the sweet harmony of the Holy Spirit among you in the bonds of peace, 4 being one body and one spirit, as you were all called into the same glorious hope of divine destiny.

5 For the Lord God is one, and so are we, for we share in one faith, one baptism, and one Father. 6 And He is the perfect Father who leads us all, works through us all, and lives in us all!

The Grace-Gifts of Christ
7 And he has generously given each one of us supernatural grace, according to the size of the gift of Christ.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the transforming work of your Spirit in my life. Continue the work that must be done in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 1-7-20

Ephesians 3:14-16 The Passion Translation (TPT)

The biblical gospels teach a great deal about how Jesus went about doing good. In other words, in everything he did and everywhere he went Jesus looked for ways to reveal the loving heart of the Father to someone with a need. Jesus is the Revealer—the Firstborn of many revealers. As followers of Christ, we are given opportunities every day to bring revelation of God’s love to others. Revelation is biblically defined as an act of “unveiling” a hidden Truth. Well, God wants to unveil the Truth of his presence in you to those with needs around you. Therefore, his grace—unlimited riches of his glory—will be with you, too.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul prays for the Ephesians to grasp what is hidden and needs to be unveiled or revealed. Buckle your spiritual seatbelt, today. Wait until you catch the impact of this Truth to be unveiled in you!

Ephesians 3:14-16 Paul Prays for Love to Overflow
14 So I kneel humbly in awe before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, 15 the perfect Father of every father and child[a] in heaven and on the earth. 16 And I pray that he would unveil within you the unlimited riches of his glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with his divine might and explosive power.

Prayer: Lord, as a living expression of your Truth and grace, please help me grab ahold and appropriate the understanding that you have supernatural strength, divine might, and explosive power already abiding within me and I need to learn how to live that out each day. Holy Spirit, please draw my attention to the opportunities, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 1-6-20

Isaiah 60:1-2 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Most of the time, I am an early riser. I was up early yesterday morning three hours before worship. I looked out the window as the sun was breaking through the horizon and I thought, “What a glorious new day! A new day to shine the glory of Christ into the lives of others around me.” I renewed my commitment right then to make this new year of 2020 about living in obedience to God’s Word in order to bring glory to God. I want to be a Living Expression of the Word—Jesus Messiah.

In our passage today, the prophet Isaiah reminds God’s people that a glorious new day is coming in Messiah. That day has arrived,. As believers in Christ, we are now invited to respond to God’s Holy Spirit who works in our lives to bring glory to God. Allow the Lord to arise upon you; reflect his glorious presence and celebrate his amazing grace. Today is a Glorious New Day!

Isaiah 60:1-2 The Glorious New Day
60 “Rise up in splendor and be radiant, for your light has dawned,
    and Yahweh’s glory now streams from you!


Look carefully! Darkness blankets the earth,
    and thick gloom covers the nations,
    but Yahweh arises upon you
    and the brightness of his glory appears over you!

Prayer: Lord, your glorious presence ministers to my heart. Your grace protects, strengthens, and provides for me. Help me today to turn and release your streams of glory into the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 1-3-20


Exodus 3:1-5 New Life Version (NLV)

Every now and then we may encounter something peculiar (out of the ordinary) along our path and decide it is necessary to stop and take a closer look. Such is the case with Moses in our lesson today. Moses notices a fire in a bush and when he goes to take a closer look, God speaks to him from within the bush. God notices that Moses steps in to take a closer look. We need to stay alert in our day to day experiences, because God may use an unexpected source to speak to us. Be willing to stop what you’re doing, pray, and take a closer look.

Exodus 3:1-3 Moses and the Burning Bush
3 Now Moses was taking care of the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the religious leader of Midian. He led the flock to the west side of the desert, and came to Horeb (Mount Sinai), the mountain of God. 2 There the Angel of the Lord showed Himself to Moses in a burning fire from inside a bush. Moses looked and saw that the bush was burning with fire, but it was not being burned up. 3 So Moses said, “I must step aside and see this great thing, why the bush is not being burned up.”

4 The Lord saw him step aside to look. And God called to him from inside the bush, saying, “Moses, Moses!” Moses answered, “Here I am.” 5 God said, “Do not come near. Take your shoes off your feet. For the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

Prayer: Lord, I am always looking for you. Thank you for noticing my desire to see you revealed in all things. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 1-2-20

Hebrews 11:6

When standing on the turn of day two of 2020, may we—as believers—remember two things about our future. First, Almighty God—the unseen Creator and Ruler of heaven and earth—exists, controls all things, and does not depend upon us for support. We put our confidence in this Ruler. Our obedient actions and behaviors reflect our trust in God even when we don’t understand His ways. Two, this unseen Ruler is all-loving and full of grace to those who seek him in Truth—Christ. Therefore, we commit to a purposeful and practical faith; we seek to practice the loving character of God. We don’t use our limited understanding and try to make God in our own image; rather, we place our trust in His design for our transformation. We trust Christ the Savior to make good on His promises to lead us into abundant living.

Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who give all their passion and strength into seeking him.

Prayer: Father, I place my confident trust in your promise to teach me every day how to walk by faith and practice your character. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 1-1-20

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 The Message (MSG)

The phrase “for auld lang syne” can essentially be summed up with the words “for the sake of old times.” The song calls for the protection of our oldest and beloved friendships; to extend kindness and appreciation to the people who surround us. Getting together on New Year’s Eve can be a way to reminisce about the good times, as well as acknowledge the hard times. Life is full of both.

In our passage today, Solomon reminds his readers that life presents many times and seasons, but all of them are best lived in fellowship with God. So, for this New Year of 2020, please treasure your family and friends, give of yourself to the people around you, and live closer to God than you have ever lived before. Happy New Year!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8There’s a Right Time for Everything
3 There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:
2-8 
A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

Prayer: Lord, may this New Year be the best one yet; may my devotion to you grow exponentially. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-31-19

John 8:12-19 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Has God’s Word of Love ever stopped you in your tracks? Caused you to scratch your head in wonder? Sometimes, if we are honest, because we do not understand the context or circumstances that form the setting of Scripture we can find ourselves hesitant to receive it as Truth. Perhaps we may even find ourselves shrinking away from the Truth of God’s Word, because the Light reveals something about ourselves we would rather not acknowledge. The Word is to bring Light or revelation in our daily walk of faith in order to live in a way that pleases Almighty God. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One in understanding. Therefore, we need to sync to divine understanding in order to apply the Truth to our lives. The Spirit helps us “walk” the Word.

In our passage today, Jesus offends the religious leaders with a declaration of himself. He knows who he is and can boldly speak the Truth. But those listening think he is merely “full of himself.” Actually, they do not realize he is righteous Love wrapped in sinless human flesh; the Perfect Light for all humanity to follow in order to bring glory to God. If you know Jesus, you are connect to Truth. So, allow Jesus to Light your path as you walk the Word, today.

John 8:12-19 Jesus, the Light of the World
12 Then Jesus said, “I am light to the world and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.”

13 The Pharisees were immediately offended and said, “You’re just boasting about yourself! Since we only have your word on this, it makes your testimony invalid!”

14 Jesus responded, “Just because I am the one making these claims doesn’t mean they’re invalid. For I absolutely know who I am, where I’ve come from, and where I’m going. But you Pharisees have no idea about what I’m saying. 15 For you’ve set yourselves up as judges of others based on outward appearances, but I certainly never judge others in that way. 16 For I discern the truth. And I am not alone in my judgments, for my Father and I have the same understanding in all things, and he has sent me to you.

17 “Isn’t it written in the law of Moses that the testimony of two men is trustworthy? 18 Then what I say about who I am is true, for I am not alone in my testimony—my Father is the other witness, and we testify together of the truth.”

19 Then they asked, “Just who is this ‘Father’ of yours? Where is he?”
Jesus answered, “You wouldn’t ask that question if you knew who I am, or my Father. For if you knew me, you would recognize my Father too.”

Prayer: Lord, I desire for my life to testify to the Truth of your redeeming love. Help me to walk the Word, today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Devotional from Pastor Mary 12-30-19

December 30, 2019
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Life presents many challenges and some days we may feel like we are at the end of our so-called ‘rope.’ You know what I mean; we have no further patience, resources, abilities, or energy left to cope with a situation any longer. Yet, that is the very time we need to refocus our thinking; time to ask the Spirit to help us meet this life-challenge with eternal resources and abilities.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul encourages us to know that when we find ourselves at the end of our rope, that is the very time the Holy Spirit wants to come and be the inner strength we need. We can deny we feel the way we do, but that is not faith nor will it bring supernatural help. Rather, we need to come boldly before God’s throne of Grace and ask for the Spirit to bring the inner strength we need to sustain us. That is faith…and faith stirs our hope and brings answers. Hang on!

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 So no wonder we don’t give up. For even though our outer person gradually wears out, our inner being is renewed every single day. 17 We view our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison, 18 because we don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the encouragement of your Word. Life can truly be challenging. I feel it all the time as I share in life with others. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for being my strength. Thank you for strengthening the people I love and keeping us all moving forward. I know an eternal reward awaits us so we hope on…In Jesus’ name. Amen.