I hope you’re ready for some depth in the Word! As I was reading from Genesis recently, the Lord reminded me of something of His nature that He revealed through the prophet Isaiah: “Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning…” -Isaiah 46:9-10 He declares the end from the beginning! There is so much spiritual meat in the book of Genesis, which in Hebrew is “B’resheet,” meaning “beginning.” For example, in Genesis 1, it is written: Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” -Genesis 1:14 The stars, sun and moon do more than just mark time and provide pretty lights. They are also given for “signs” and for “seasons.” The word “seasons” does not mean spring, summer, fall, winter. It is the Hebrew word “moedim,” which means “appointments.” So, God sets up a calendar in the very beginning. Part of this biblical calendar God sets up includes “appointments.” Later, in Leviticus, God talks about His calendar when he says to Moses: “These are the appointed times of the LORD, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at the times appointed for them.” -Levitucus 23:4 “Appointed times” is the same word used in Genesis for “seasons,” (moedim). Amazing! Some people have referred to these times as “Jewish holidays.” Actually, these times were given for ALL of God’s people before there even was such a thing as “Jewish” people. This calendar that God gave His people has been kept for thousands of years. And we are at the beginning of one of the most important seasons God talks about in His word. During this season, or time of God’s special appointments, we will be honoring these times as a community. Here’s the outline, with a brief description of what each special event means biblically (See Leviticus 23), and how we will be honoring them: Yom Teruah (Day of Blowing) Actual Day: September 29-30 Meaning: A wake up call for God’s people, announcing the beginning of the “season.” The Lord comes with the sound of a trumpet! Activity: (Past) We gathered at Flattop, sounded trumpets and shofars, prayed, worshiped, and interceded for our city, state and friends. Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Actual Day: October 7-8 Meaning: Day when the sins of the people were placed on the scapegoat to be removed from the camp. Jesus has removed our sins! Activity: We will recognize and teach about atonement in our October 9 Sunday worship service, with communion and baptism. Sukkot (Tabernacles) Actual Days: October 12-19 Meaning: Days when God’s people were to remember that the Lord dwelled with them in tents in the wilderness, and that He will dwell with them forever in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21). God dwells with us now in His Holy Spirit and we will live with Him forever! Activity: On October 16 Sunday worship service, we will set up a “sukka” in the auditorium and use it to teach about the Presence of God. We will also share a pot-luck meal and fellowship time, so bring food to share. A big part of these appointments with God included His people preparing their hearts. In honor of this emphasis, I will be teaching a Freedom Conference, focusing on ridding our hearts of bitterness, self-bitterness, rejection, and other works of the enemy. It really is a time of cleansing. The conference times are as follows: Freedom Conference: Sunday, October 2, 11am (during regular Sunday worship service) Sunday, October 2, 6pm Monday, October 3, 7pm Tuesday, October 4, 7pm Wednesday, October 5, 7pm How to Minister to Others Monday, October 3, 10am (room 210) Tuesday, October 4, 10am (room 210) Wednesday, October 5, 10am (room 210) I encourage you to come, pray, invite your friends, and experience the miracle of God’s healing power in your lives! May you be blessed to grow with the Lord during these times. May you find new levels of freedom and joy as you experience Him in new ways. Pastor Pat Hadley

Greetings Wellspring family in the name of the One who loves you and gave Himself for you! 

This week’s seeds are from the words of Jesus in Matthew 7: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”       –Matthew 7:1-5

The plank or log in the eyes of God’s people is often this “judgment” thing. The word judge is “krino” in the Greek language, and it means:  To separate, approve or disapprove, to pass judgment on, to condemn. 

Quite simply put, it is NEVER appropriate for the Christ follower to judge another human being.  Why? Because judgment leads to thoughts of intent and motive. And no human being ever knows another’s motive. In other words, only God knows the heart. Furthermore, only God is “qualified” to make and pronounce judgment, because God knows the heart and loves with perfect love.

…because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.  –James 2:13

Did you catch that? Mercy triumphs over judgment! I am so thankful!

Beloved, as the Lord himself is abundantly merciful to us, so we must learn how to show the same mercy. We begin by removing the plank of judgment from our eye. When we do, it is a real miracle of Jesus giving sight to the blind!

Lord, forgive us for all the ways we have judged others.  And please remove the plank from our eyes.  Give us your vision, and heal us.

In the mighty name of Jesus!

Pastor Pat Hadley

Scripture Readings for August 14-20

“Ekev”

Deut. 7:12–11:25

Isaiah 49:14–51:3

John 13:31–15:27

Matthew 23 is known as the “Woe” chapter, because in it, Jesus addresses the religious leaders of his day with 6 “Woe to you” statements where he explains in detail the difference between the “false religion” they practice, and the true heart of love God is really looking for.

He says they:

They do not practice what they preach. (v3)

They put heavy loads on people and never help people with the loads they have. (v4)

Everything they do is so people to notice them. (v5)

They love places of honor and to be called by important titles. (v6-7)

They do not enter the true kingdom and keep others from entering. (v13-14)

They go to great lengths to convert people and make them fit for nothing but the trash heap. (v15)

They don’t keep their word. (v16-22)

They neglect the most important teachings of God: Justice, mercy, and trust. (v23)

They clean up outside appearances and leave the heart full of hypocrisy. (v25-28)

They sin just like their ancestors. (v29-32)

Because their hearts are not really for God, they are empty and condemned.  “God is abandoning your house to you, leaving it desolate.” (v38)

The Lord will not dwell where he is not wanted.

BUT the Lord gives great promises and words of encouragement to those who love him.

To those who desire him, he is ready to come and take up residence. 

Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.

Those who are thirsty will drink from his life giving water.

Those who ask, seek, and knock will find the door open for them.

Those who seek him with all their hearts will find him.

Those who love him will find mercy for a thousand generations.

To those who open the door to him, he will come in and share a meal with them.

And on and on his promises go, too many to write, abundantly overflowing into the lives of his children.

I don’t know about you, but I’m thirsty!

Drinking the Living Water,

Pastor Pat Hadley

Scripture Readings for July 24-30

Massel

Numbers 33::1-36:13

Jeremiah 2:4-3:4

Matthew 24:1-25:46

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”  -Mark 12:28-31

The scribe’s question is really THE QUESTION isn’t it?  He is asking the question all of us want to know.  The Bible is a really big book with so much information.  History, genealogies, commandments, covenants, promises, warnings, stories, parables, poems, letters, etc.  What’s it all about?  What is my part?  What am I to do?  The commandments alone seem so overwhelming.

Our Lord’s answer is simple, powerful and very helpful. 

It’s all about love.  We are learning how to love.  Love the one true God, love ourselves, and love those around us.  There’s nothing more important.  In fact, all true religious activity, all spiritual gifts including every prophecy, all parables, and all commandments are to help us with this one thing:  LOVE.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.  -1 Corinthians 13:13

The Apostle John wrote:

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.  -1 John 4:7

The Apostle Peter wrote:

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.  -1Peter 4:8

The Apostle James wrote:

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well…  -James 2:8

So, beloved, let us keep the main thing the main thing.  As we worship and work together, may we keep love at the forefront as our method and our goal.  Being transformed more and more into the image of our Messiah means our love is growing day by day.

Lovingly,

Pastor Pat Hadley

Scripture Readings for July 17-23

Mattot

Numbers 30:1-32:42

Jeremiah 1:1-2:3

Matthew 23:1-39

Numbers 22:2-25:9; Micah 5:6-6:8; Mark 11:12-26

In the three readings above, there are similar problems and solutions. One of the main problems is this: God’s great mission of bringing light and life to all people on earth had been sidetracked by empty religious observance. Not that all religious observance is wrong; but empty religious observance is not just wrong, but dangerous. It leads people to believe they are “right with God,” when in fact they are far, far away from Him. 

Micah sums it up:

“No, O people, the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”  -Micah 6:8

In Mark’s gospel, we find Jesus cursing a fig tree for not bearing fruit, although it gave every appearance of being ready to bear fruit. He then enters the temple, finds the religious leaders setting up an unfair marketplace, and he drives them out of the temple with this statement from Isaiah:

“…’My temple will be called a place of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”  –Mark 11:17

The temple was where religious observance happened, but religious observance was never “the point.” Religious observance was meant to point to “the point,” which was life, love, righteousness, forgiveness, and true worship.  Our lives are to be temples as we walk with God and DO what is right.

Years ago, musician Don Fransisco wrote these words in “The Steeple Song:”

I don’t care how many buses you own

Or the size of your sanctuary

It doesn’t matter how steep your steeple is

If it’s sittin’ on a cemetery

I don’t care if you pave your parking lot

Or put pads upon your pews

What good is picture perfect stage

If you’re missin’ all the cues?

I don’t care if your pastor’s super-powered

And your program’s always new

What you need is love and truth

And men are going to come to you

It doesn’t matter that you know the Bible

If it’s all just in your head

The thing I need to ask you is

Have you done the things I said?

Do you love your wife?

For her and for your children

Are you layin’ down your life?

What about the others?

Are you livin’ as a servant to

Your sisters and your brothers?

Do you make the poor man beg you for a bone?

Do the widow and the orphan cry alone?

I don’t care if you pray for miracles

I don’t care if you speak with tongues

I don’t care if you said you love Me

In every song you’ve sung

It doesn’t matter that your sacrifice of praise

Is loud enough to raise the dead

The thing I need to ask you is

Have you done the things I said?

Do you love your wife?

With all you’ve got inside you

Are you layin’ down your life?

What about the others?

Are you living as a servant

To your sisters and your brothers?

Do you make the poor man beg you for a bone?

Do the widow and the orphan cry alone?

Beloved, may we be a people who go beyond religious observance.  May we be empowered as those who do what is right, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.  May we look to Jesus as our perfect example of the One who leads us in the way of righteousness, mercy and humility.

Following with you,

Pastor Pat Hadley

Scripture Readings July 10-16

Pinchas

Numbers 25:10-29:40

1 Kings 18:46-19:21

Mark 11:27-12:37

In the Isaiah passage above, Isaiah is prophesying (speaking God’s words) to two groups of people.  One group is performing required religious rituals, but with no real heart for God.  This doesn’t work out well for them, because the LORD has always been looking for those who will seek Him with their hearts.  The other group is people who have indeed given their hearts to the LORD.  So, Isaiah says

But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.  –Isaiah 66:2

The Message translation says:

But there is something I’m looking for: a person simple and plain, reverently responsive to what I say.  –Isaiah 66:2 The Message

In Matthew 21, we see the same two groups of people.  As Jesus humbly enters the temple area in Jerusalem, he finds the religious leaders and money changers who are supposedly performing all the right rituals.  Their hearts, however are not for the LORD, but for themselves and making a profit.  Jesus drives them out of the temple!

But he finds another group of people in the temple, and the scene is totally different:

The point is not that it is good or Godly to be blind and lame.  The point is that those who are in need spiritually, recognize their need, and come to Him with open, responsive hearts get the real touch from God.  This is not a matter of outward show.  It is a matter of inward humility that obeys Him from the heart.  The LORD knows and continually looks on the heart.

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…  -2 Chronicles 16:9

To the one whose heart is loyal to Him, the LORD promises to “show Himself strong.”

So it is always good to do a heart check-up that goes something like this:

LORD, where is my heart?  What is its condition?  I confess that I need You continually in my life.  Forgive me for any coldness or disobedience that is in my heart.  And forgive me for going about my life in my own strength.  I come to You ready and open to hear Your Word and obey…from the heart.  I thank You that through Jesus You have given me a new heart.

In Luke 19:11-27, Jesus tells a parable about a nobleman who went on a journey to receive a kingdom, and entrusted his business to those who worked for him.  In the beginning of the parable, many of the people under his authority hated him and said, “We do not want this man to reign over us.” (v14).  

This is the unfortunate condition, or should I say position, of many people in our world.  Like Israel in much of the Bible, people don’t like the idea of God reigning over them.  In simple terms, it is the position of rebellion, and it is a dangerous position that leads to death.  In the parable, when the nobleman returned, those who were hardened in rebellion were put to death (v27). 

This should be a great reminder to those who know the Lord, the true King and Creator of the universe to proclaim His message of reconciliation and life change to those who do not know.  If they only knew that He was a good king who had their best interest in mind!

Also, in the parable, those who worked for the nobleman were entrusted with sums of money.  Upon his return, two of the workers brought an increase of what they had been given.  His famous words to them were, “Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority…” (v17).  But a third worker came with no increase, saying, “for I was afraid of you…” (v21).  Because of fear, that worker hid what he had been given.

For many who know God and work in His kingdom, it is fear that keeps them from seeing an increase in what the Lord has entrusted to them.  “Protecting,” or squandering what the Lord has given for increase is another form of rebellion that does not end up in a good place.  To that position, the Master said, “I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away” (v26).

For me, I hear the Spirit say, “work with Me to increase what I have entrusted to you.”  What has entrusted us with?  Faith, hope, love, the Good News of the Kingdom, spiritual and physical blessings, and the joy of knowing Him more are all gifts from God that we steward.  Stewarding is never hoarding.  It is not hiding.  It is based in faith, not fear.  True stewarding always works to increase.   

May you be filled with such faith!  May you have the joy of increasing what He has given you, and may you experience the fruit of that increase in your life and household.  May all rebellion and fear be cast from your life, and may you hear the Spirit saying to you, “Well done, good servant!”

In the name of the Master,

Pastor Pat Hadley

Dear Saints of the Lord, 

As part of our life together, I have made it a goal to provide some scripture readings every week from different parts of the Word.  I believe this will help provide a framework for study that will keep us moving together.  I will be using one or more of these readings to comment on every week.  I encourage you to read with Holy Spirit enlightenment, and even write and journal adjustments that the Lord may make in your life in response to His Word.  I will list the readings in our Sunday bulletin, in this “seeds” devotional, and on our website.  In this edition of Seeds, I will provide readings for both this week and next week.  You will notice a Hebrew word at the beginning of each set of readings that actually brings a title to the readings.  Many congregations all over the world read these same texts during the same week.  May you be blessed and encouraged as you grow in Him!

Readings for June 11-17 

Shelach (“Sent”)

Seeds:

In the Numbers text, we find Israel rebelling against the Lord’s command to go in and spy out, then take the Land.  The spy’s went into the land and brought back all of the “logical” reasons they should NOT go and take the land.  Their reasoning was based on simple fear of the enemy.  This fear caused them to harden their hearts against the Lord’s command to be strong and take the land.  The result was that the rebellious ones died in the wilderness, never tasting the fruit and joy of the promised land.

In the Joshua text, Israel gets another chance, one generation later.  This time, they moved forward, and were helped by what the Scripture says was “a harlot,” who hid the spies from the enemy.

In Mark, we find Jesus (1) answering questions about laws regarding divorce; (2) inviting a rich young ruler to give up all he has and follow the Master; and (3) giving lessons on true greatness in the kingdom.

At first glance, one might ask what in the world these stories have to do with each other.  The reality is, all three passages speak greatly to the choices the Lord gives us daily to harden or soften our hearts to His ways. 

In Psalm 95:8 and Hebrews 3:8, Israel’s refusal to go into the land was called a hardening of their hearts:

“Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness…” (Psalm 95:8, Hebrews 3:8)

When Jesus deals with the issue of divorce, he says that the Torah allows people to divorce, not because it was God’s original intention, but due to the hardness of people’s hearts:

“Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept” (Mark 10:5).

The bottom line is this:  We are offered choices on a daily basis to allow the Holy Spirit to do work on our hearts.  We can either harden them in rebellion, or allow them to soften to His will.  Likewise, we can harden our hearts to one another, or soften them as we choose to love our neighbor.  Every choice brings either hardening or softening. 

One thing I’ve noticed from the Scriptures and life in general: Every decision to “harden” seems to make it harder to choose right.  Every decision to “soften” seems to make it easier to choose right.  Yes, God will help you.  But you get to choose. 

The Lord’s will in this is simple:

Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19)

May your hearts be softened by the Love of the Father, that your will may be strengthened to follow Him.

In the Name of Jesus,

Pastor Pat Hadley