Devotionals

Intro: In our passage today, the Apostle Paul basically tells the church at Corinth, “Don’t lose heart and quit!” When we lose heart, we have stopped believing we can be successful; maybe in our relationships, secular work environment, or even in ministry. Things like depression, anxiety, or bitterness stand ready to pounce upon those who are tempted to lose heart. Do you know who actually causes God’s kids to lose heart? Of course you do; evil works to defeat God’s children and demonic forces are focused on devouring faith and suffocating the believer’s joy in serving Christ. Evil celebrates each time a believer forgets “why” he or she lives to serve Christ and steps away. We may want to blame others for our struggles, but most of the time it is our own insecurities that God allows us to feel so we will grow up in His character. Don’t miss this: God tests our motive and commitment in unusual ways, friends! His ways are “far beyond anything you could imagine” (Is 55:8).

What does it take for you to “feel” successful? Kingdom people can be highly successful in God’s eyes, but may feel or look like failures in the eyes of the world. If we understand true success in God’s economy, we will not be so quick to lose heart. Success is obedience to God. It is allowing our lives to be motivated by God’s love and empowered by God’s Spirit to advance His Kingdom in spite of the challenges we face. Sometimes in ministry we think everything God calls us to do should be flourishing and successful; everyone thrilled. Yet, there are times when God cares more about the “why” we do something and he allows us to experience His discipline through conflict or confrontation. Our hearts are the construction zone and what God is doing is not always immediately visible.

I may not be successful reaching every heart when I share a teaching, preach a sermon, or share my devotional time, but if I reach one person and help him or her see God in a truer light and inspire each to know Him better, I have succeeded. Jesus is all about touching one heart at a time and bringing each one to the eternal throne for healing; because, we are ALL broken by sin. Can you say with me, “That’s Truth!” Because of grace, we never fail in God’s economy; we simply grow in our understanding of what is really important to Him—hearts seeking ETERNITY!

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Prayer: Lord, renew our spirits each day, so we serve with the right motives. Help us look beyond our present challenges to see you are working in our hearts, helping us evaluate our motives, and bringing grace to align our lives in your will for your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: It does not matter in which direction I look, I can see the evidence of people who live according to the law of God, as well as people who live against it. Even in places where people may not have a Bible, there will be those who live according to God’s standard of love. How is that even possible if they haven’t heard about God’s commands? The answer: If we are truly honest, we know the difference between right and wrong. However; because of sin, we simply have an innate driving hunger for the wrong things. That is why God gave us the Helper—the Holy Spirit who leads us away from what is false [not glorifying to God’s character] and into what is true [glorify to God’s character].

The older I get the more I appreciate God’s standard for my life; the image of Christ. I accept that I need divine boundaries and I welcome the work of the Spirit to produce holiness in me. In His Word, God graciously gives me a moral compass to follow so I do not sin against myself, a social standard of behavior upon which to build my relationships so I do not sin against others, and a spiritual Guide who leads me into a righteous life that produces fruit so I do not sin against God. Friends, God has set us up for success.

God has written the essence of His laws on human hearts, so we know how to love God and love our neighbor as we love ourselves. He gives us grace [favor] for the journey. We do not need to guess what God expects from us as His children. We simply need to be willing to align ourselves with His standard and obey. May we pause to think about the hunger in our hearts, today. Is it really for righteousness above all else? Remember, we can hold no secrets from God’s all-knowing presence.

Romans 2:12-16 NLT
12 When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. 13 For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. 14 Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. 15 They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. 16 And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for writing your standard of living on human hearts. Your standard of love helps me gain a greater understanding of You, helps me nurture healthy relationships with family and friends, and helps me see myself through the eyes of Christ. Thank you for releasing spiritual understanding within me, so I know and seek to live the Truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

March 21, 2022 Monday

When was the last time you judged someone? Be honest because Jesus knows our hearts. We can’t hide anything from Him.

In today’s passage, the Apostle Paul holds a mirror up for us to look at ourselves. He wants us to realize that when we judge others, for anything, we are no better than “religious people” and we are sinning against God, because He is the ONLY Judge. In The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.” (Matthew 7:1-2)

Do you believe that when you sin Jesus is sitting there thinking poorly about you or talking bad about you; or do you believe that He wants the highest and best for you? Of course, He wants what is best for us, and for us to turn away from sin and back to Him. So, if that is the case, why would we ever think that we have the right to judge someone else for anything at all? The next time you or I want to judge someone else, we need to pause, and immediately pray. We need to ask Jesus for the presence of His Holy Spirit to overflow withing our hearts. We need to seek His kindness, tolerance, and patience to be within our hearts for others, just as He is kind, tolerant, and patient with us.

Romans 2:1-4 NLT
God’s Judgment of Sin

1 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for Your forgiveness of my sins. Please help me, Lord, to not judge others. I want to view others with Your heart, a heart that is kind, tolerant, and patient. Help me, Lord, to be more and more like You each day. I pray all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

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

March 14, 2022 (Monday)

Today we will be looking at the first 6 verses of Psalm 105. These verses can also be found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-13. They are a portion of verses that are presented there from King David and were most likely sung as the ark of the covenant was brought into Jerusalem. Although this Psalm is addressed to Israel, there is so much that you and I can glean from it today. Let’s break it down into a couple of sections:

Verses 1-3: Within these verses we are reminded that as the people of God we are called to a place of:

Gratitude – we must “give thanks to the Lord” for all that He has done, is doing, and will do.
Praise – we must “sing His praises” because He is so good.
Evangelism – we must “tell everyone about his wonderful deeds” in order to spread His truth.
Worship – we must “worship the Lord” and exult His holy name all of the time.

Verses 4-6: Within these verses we are reminded that as the people of God we must seek His:

Strength – in order to make it in this fallen world we must seek the Lord’s strength each day.
Miracles – YOU are alive and breathing, that is a daily miracle, never forget all that God is doing.
Godhead – we are a part of God’s great nation through Abraham, we are children of God.

Psalm 105:1-6 NLT

1 Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.
2 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
3 Exult in his holy name;
rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
4 Search for the Lord and for his strength;
continually seek him.
5 Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,
6 you children of his servant Abraham,
you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for all that You have done, are doing, and will do within my life and in the lives of those who call on Your Holy Name. Help me, and all of my brothers and sisters of faith, to speak the Good News of Your eternal love. Keep each of us filled with Your strength so that we can continue to move forward in doing Your Kingdom’s work. I pray all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

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

Intro:  In our passage today, the Apostle Paul challenges some well meaning but self-indulgent Christians.  These Christians do not emulate the life and character of Christ, yet they profess to know him.  Paul uses himself as a model, not because he thinks he is perfect—he has told us he is not—but his motive for living is righteous before God. In other words, Paul has committed to live for God’s glory and he wants others to witness this truth by how he lives each day by faith in Christ.  

Paul’s motive to be an example of Christ is a profound challenge that causes me to spend time reflecting on my life this morning.  Do the people around me see the character of Jesus revealed in my actions?  Do they understand I desire to emulate him, not out of duty, but out of the depth of my love for him?  Do they see I am willing to pick up my cross—death to my carnal will and desires—in order to better reflect his character? 

If our minds are always focused on the people and things around us and how we are affected by them—positively or negatively—we have made the pleasure of self the center of life.  If we are self-indulgent we tend to live how we want especially if it satisfies our personal desires for pleasure. When Jesus is our greatest Pleasure, we are filled with joy and satisfaction, because we have chosen to live for his glory above all other things.  This means there will be times we must deny ourselves.  Paul wants us to know living for the glory of God is what brings the most satisfaction.

Philippians 3:17-20 (NLT)

17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

Prayer:  Lord, help me to be an example of your character by giving me an ever-increasing appetite for holiness. In Jesus’ name.   Amen. 

Intro: Human achievements, no matter how fantastic they may be, never bring salvation for our souls nor can those deeds produce eternal life in us. Our credentials in the world really do not impress God. Our hearts on the other hand—should we bow our wills before God and serve one another in Christ’s love—have the power to please God immensely. When we are obedient to allow Christ to work a spiritual rebirth in us, by our faith Christ immediately ushers us into God’s presence to provide us with grace for our needs. This is why the prayer of the righteous has great power and produces wonderful results (James 5:16).

May we all gain the revelation no matter how kind, understanding, merciful, or loving we think we are salvation comes by grace through faith in the resurrecting work of Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). I don’t care who you are and how long you have profess to “know” God, we all need Christ to lift us out of dead living; it is a process made available by our commitment. If we try to bring change in the power of our human flesh, we are not welcoming the supernatural work of Christ for salvation.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul reminds the Philippians that if salvation was about his human achievements or his religious training he would be at the top of the heap before God. He used to think those things were important; but, since meeting Jesus he views them as “garbage” compared to the life he now experiences. To have a personal relationship with Christ that is flourishing with righteous fruit should be the goal of every Christian. Today, let’s each ask ourselves, “What do I value most in life?” Be careful when you come to the answer, because we can make certain people, material things, self-sufficiency, and even success an idol that displaces Christ in our lives. To really know Christ is to actively experience his resurrecting power in our lives—to become more like Christ!

Philippians 3:5b-11(NLT)
5 I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ [through Christ’s faithfulness]. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for causing me to grow in your righteousness. You are what I value most. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Attending the Festival of Unleavened Bread—Passover—was mandatory for Jewish males ages 12 years and older. This was a very important time in Israel’s history to remember; multitudes would have faithfully attended this seven day festival. In the midst of what should have been a joyous and holy time drawing near to God, the religious priests and teachers are planning to kill Jesus. These wicked leaders are not afraid of killing the Son of God; they are afraid of the people’s reaction. So, they look for earthly political leverage to manipulate what they want to do.

In our passage today, Satan enters Judas which tells us evil thought the death of Jesus would end God’s mission and plan for redemption. Maybe when Jesus starting talking about his death, Judas decided he wasn’t the real Messiah; therefore, he decided to make his betrayal of Christ financially lucrative. Little did Satan/Judas know he was playing right into the righteous plan of God for the salvation of the world.

Be aware of the tactics of Satan. First, Satan uses a false religion to work in opposition to God. Secondly, people may think they are right with God because they attend a worship assembly, but it is possible they do not even know the true God. Third, if we really know Jesus, we understand He invites us to come and die to our selfish and rebellious ways against the commands of God. “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it (Mat 16:24-25). To live any other way and think we are professing Christ is to betray him.

Luke 22:1-6 (NLT) Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
22 The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. 2 The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

3 Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, 4 and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. 5 They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. 6 So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around.

Prayer: Lord, Satan is always trying to get your people to betray you, but help us to remain faithful to leave our selfish desires behind and surrender to your will and way. In Jesus name. Amen.

Intro: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Tim 3:16-17). That means every word in Scripture we read has a spiritual meaning that is to “activate” something within us. God’s Word is active and purposeful to protect us, as well as move us forward in His plan for redemption (Heb 4:12).

Let’s keep those two Scriptures in mind as we come to our main passage for today. Dr. Luke wants us to listen to the warning of Christ who is telling his disciples what to expect about His return; calamities will shake the earth (Luke 21:25-26). Jesus wants his followers to be spiritually prepared for action, so if he lists certain things it is because those things cause people to be unprepared or too weighed down to take the proper action. The trials of life ahead may be so difficult that if we are not spiritually fit, we will not discern them accurately nor will we handle them righteously.

It is to our advantage that we see life from God’s perspective; to allow the Light of God’s Word to lead our way. If God’s kids are more interested in the sensual pleasures of the world, we will not be able to properly observe the signs God brings that the Kingdom is drawing near. If you and I are worried about worldly challenges, we will not focus on the one thing that is essential; to sit at the feet of Jesus and receive from him the love, peace, and wisdom found in His care. We must pay attention to our spiritual lives, because a healthy spirit will be focused on all the ways we can love other believers the way Christ loves us (John 13:34).

Luke 21:34-36 34 “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

Prayer: Lord, thank You for this passage today recorded by Dr. Luke. May we be waiting and watching for Your return each day. I pray for strength, Lord; help Your children escape the calamities of judgment by living in your righteous care. I pray for the people of Ukraine, Lord, they are suffering and being scattered; please raise Your children up in surrounding countries to welcome and care for them. Inspire within us, as a country, how to love them from a distance. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

March 7, 2022

Today we will be learning from the first epistle (or letter) of John. Since we will be in the second chapter, let’s take a moment to recall how this letter began in the first chapter. John opens with an introduction, and he reminds us that he has actually seen and heard from the One who is Eternal Life, Jesus Christ. John wants us to have fellowship with Jesus, so that we may fully share in His light, love, and joy. John goes on to share the message of living in light. He declares that God is light, and that there is no darkness in Him. “So, we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth.” (1:6) By living in the truth we are living in fellowship with one another and allowing Jesus to cleanse us of our sins so that we can live in His light and in true fellowship with Him.

When I think of fellowship I think of friendship or communing with someone. So, do you seek to sin against your friends? Do you want to hurt them with your words, actions, or inactions? If your answer is “no”…then, is your fellowship, or friendship, with Jesus less important than what you have with your friends? If again, your answer is “no”…then why do you sin against Jesus? Jesus tells us that when we sin against one another, or that whatever we do to His brothers and sisters, we are doing to Him. (Matt 7)

John urges us in today’s portion of his letter to not sin. He goes on to remind us that if we do sin that we have an advocate, One who will plead our case before the Father, and that is thankfully Jesus. He gives Jesus the title of “truly righteous”, and that means that He is in the right relationship with the Father, and with us, so He is the only One who can act as an advocate on our behalf between us and the Father. John also reminds us that we are to obey God’s commandments. Let’s face it, God is our Creator and only He knows what is best for us. His commandments come from a place of wanting the best for us. So, if we are seeking to grow closer to God, and if we truly love Him, then we must obey Him and His Word. In this place we are living for Him, and our lives should reflect the light and life of Christ.

1 John 2:1-6 NLT

1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

3 And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. 4 If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. 5 But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. 6 Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for being my advocate to the Father. Help me, Lord, to be more and more obedient to Your Word, and to be growing in fellowship with You. I ask for Your forgiveness of my sins. If there is anything that is sinful against You that I am not aware of, please bring awareness to me so that You can help me to change it. I want my life to reflect You, Jesus. I pray all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

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

ommandments. ⁴ If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. ⁵ But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. ⁶ Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. Prayer: Jesus, Thank You for being my advocate to the Father. Help me, Lord, to be more and more obedient to Your Word, and to be growing in fellowship with You. I ask for Your forgiveness of my sins. If there is anything that is sinful against You that I am not aware of, please bring awareness to me so that You can help me to change it. I want my life to reflect You, Jesus. I pray all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.
Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

Intro: Doing what is right in the eyes of the heavenly Father is not always an easy decision to make; we may not be eager to follow righteousness because most of the time it calls for a sacrifice to our souls. Our souls—minds, wills, and emotions—demand earthly fulfillment while our spirits crave and cry out for the things of heaven. Satan tempts us to follow our flesh, but the Spirit brings the power to follow righteousness. Therefore, there may be internal opposition in our souls. When we faithfully obey the Word of the Lord no matter how it affects our flesh/souls, we bring glory to God—we shine!

In our passage today, Jesus does not want to be separated from the Father; yet, to take on the sins of the world means he must be separated and judged in order to bring salvation. Christ has delivered us from Satan’s rule by his sacrifice. To remain free we must live by the Word of God and turn from evil. Jesus is the Light for the dark places in our hearts and in the world; he draws us to himself. We must walk in the Light, so we can become children of the Light.

John 12:27-36 (NLT)
27 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! 28 Father, bring glory to your name.”
Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” 29 When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him.

30 Then Jesus told them, “The voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out. 32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33 He said this to indicate how he was going to die.

34 The crowd responded, “We understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever. How can you say the Son of Man will die? Just who is this Son of Man, anyway?”

35 Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. 36 Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”

Prayer: Lord, help me live today in Your powerful Light of Truth.