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And there was war again...

2012-01-12T14:23:00.000-05:00

As I was reading and praying about this coming Sunday’s communion service, a statement from our text in 1 Samuel jumped out at me: “And there was war again.” (1 Sam 19:8)

It’s not an overly deep theological statement. The thing that jumped out at me was this truth: In this world we are never in a place of 100% peace.

Certainly we are at peace with God. We can be at peace with our fellow man. But the fact of the matter is that there is always a battle that rages all around us, each and every day. Our enemy, Satan and his demonic forces, never sleep. They never give us pause. They are always lurking around us looking for an opportunity to pounce.

My youngest son likes to watch Big Cat Dairies, and one of the highlights of the show is when they show footage of a big cat stealthily creeping up to a group of gazelle. While the gazelle are peacefully grazing, this cat is slowly getting closer and closer, looking for an opportunity to make a quick kill. It’s the same picture that our bible gives us:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Pet 5:8)

Now I don’t believe we should be looking around every corner, expecting the devil to jump out. But I do believe that we should be aware – not afraid, but aware – that our enemy seeks to destroy us. Just like David, I’ll go through a period of relative calm, then BAM! Another battle is upon me! Just as the scripture says, “…and there was war again!“ Then I think of the song we recently learned:

Always

My foes are many, they rise against me,

But I will hold my ground.

I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm.

My help is on the way, my help is on the way.

Oh, my God, He will not delay.

My refuge and strength always.

I will not fear, His promise is true.

My God will come through always!

Troubles surround me, chaos abounding.

My soul will rest in You.

I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm.

My help is on the way, my help is on the way.

(then comes the awesome bridge…)

I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord!

What a powerful declaration! What a powerful truth to trust!

My friends, Jesus came to bring us life, to make all things new, and to set the captives free! This coming Sunday, when we gather in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, lets expect chains to be broken, captives to be set free, and lives to be changed forever. Let’s expect VICTORY!

Pastor Clay

Preparation for Greatness

2012-01-06T10:35:00.000-05:00

We opened up 2012 with a challenge: God has a purpose and a plan for each of us:

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

As His special people, God calls us to be set apart, different from the rest of the world. Not so that we can think we are better or more holy, but so that the world can see the peace, beauty, and love in our lives, in contrast to the conflict, carnage, and pain of the rest of the world.

God calls on us to live in such a way that our very lives, and the lives of our family and children, would be lights to a dark and dying world. That everything in our life: our possessions, our career, our relationships, even our checkbook, these things would be a testimony to the God we serve.

But as we move forward in our purpose, there will be many twists and turns along the way. There will be challenges, and there will be difficulties. There will be events and situations that God will use as a honing stone in our lives, to prepare us for the things we will face in the future.

David was anointed as king as a young boy, but he was far from walking in the fullness of who God had called him to be. Starting on the day that he stepped into the valley of Elam to face Goliath, David would face many challenges, each one an important part of Gods preparation for the role that David was going to fulfill as King of Israel.

As we walk through this series, I believe its important for not to see this as simply a study of David’s life. We need to see these challenges, and how David responds to them, in the context of our own lives. We need to understand how God will use the events and situations in our lives, especially the negative ones, to prepare us for the future roles that God has planned for us.

Join us Sunday as we begin the next phase of our 1 Samuel series: “The Rise of the Kings: Preparation for Greatness”

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Living with Purpose...

2012-01-01T19:27:00.000-05:00

(excerpt from today's message) If we truly believe that God is real, that He created us in His image, that there is an eternal realm where God exists, and that the day will come when Jesus Christ returns for His bride, and we will spend eternity with Him, then I have to ask myself: Am I living my life with that end in mind?

Peter is making a spiritual comparison of us, New Testament believers, to the nation of Israel: God’s chosen people. It is a remarkable and high calling.

See God didn't chose Israel because they were better, or more spiritual: He chose them because He chose to chose them. When God gave the law through Moses, He was not trying to keep the Israelites from having fun: He was setting them apart to he holy, distinct, different from all the other nations. He gave them special instructions for eating, for marriage, for raising their children, so that over time the other nations would see the harmony and peace that following God brought to their lives, and they would be a light to the nations!

And that is our purpose as NT Christians. God calls us to live lives that are set apart, different from the rest of the world, not so that we can think we are better or more holy, but so that the world can see the peace, beauty, and love of our lives in contrast to the conflict, carnage, and pain of the rest of the world!

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. (2 Cor 5:20)

We are called to live in a way that, by our very lives, and the lives of our family and children, that we would be lights to a dark and dying world. That everything in our lives: our possessions, our career, our relationships, even our checkbook – these things would be a testimony to the God we serve!

May the Lord bless you as you seek Him for purpose in the coming year.

Pastor Clay

New Things I Declare

2011-12-29T11:14:00.000-05:00

Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. (Is 42:9)

The dawn of a new year is a unique time. Many of us will reflect on our lives over the course of the past year; was it a “good year?” “Bad year?” Somewhere in between?

I suppose that the thing that determines whether we consider 2011 a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ year has something to do with our perspective; how we measure the past year of our life. If I asked you to rate the past year, what criteria would you use?

Finances? Career? Health? Relationships? Spiritual growth?

In reality, all of these are valid areas to evaluate, as they are all important aspects of our lives.

From a biblical standpoint, there isn’t a scripture that tells us that on January 1^st we should take stock of our lives, and make new years resolutions. But there are verses that tell us to examine ourselves. For instance, Galatians 6:4 tell us:

But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. (Gal 6:4)

This Sunday I’ll be sharing more on this subject, but until then I will leave you with three questions to ponder:

#1 Are the things I am doing today; physically, emotionally, spiritually, working for my life?

#2 Am I being a good and faithful steward of the things God has entrusted to me?

#3 Am I living my life with purpose?

Join us Sunday at 9 or 11 am for our New Years Day service: New Things I Declare.

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The Greatest Gift

2011-12-17T16:04:00.000-05:00

This week as I’ve been preparing for the message on Sunday, the Lord took me, of all places, to Malachi. Malachi is an interesting book in that the message to Israel came at a time when there was a great cloud of spiritual apathy hovering over the nation. The people were half-hearted towards the things of God. There was a great divide between God and His people, and no matter how much God encouraged His people to turn back to Him, they seemed to have this “ho hum” attitude towards Him. The people were so focused on their own lives, their prosperity, and their comfort, they didn't really have time for God.

In a way this scenario reminds me of the attitude our society has towards Christmas. The focus is on whether sales will be up or flat; or how people are adjusting to the new financial situation; or whether a town can display a nativity scene on public property.

Perhaps just as Malachi urged the nation of Israel to turn their hearts back to God, we should be urged to recognize this holiday for it’s true meaning: The celebration of the greatest gift ever given, God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Join us this Sunday for "Christ, the Greatest Gift"

Pastor Clay

Love Believes the Best

2011-12-08T10:54:00.000-05:00

Now it had happened as they were coming home, when David was returning from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women had come out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy, and with musical instruments. So the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

Then Saul was very angry, and the saying displeased him; and he said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed only thousands. Now what more can he have but the kingdom?” So Saul eyed David from that day forward. (1 Sam 18:6-9)

What an interesting study of human behavior this little section of scripture is. See, you would think that because David was so highly regarded by the people, it would be a good thing for the Kingdom. For Saul to have a person on staff that was doing a great job and that the people were totally excited about, it should have been a reflection of Saul’s wisdom in promoting David. But because Saul was self-absorbed, he saw David’s popularity as a threat to his leadership, even his position as king.

From this point forward Saul’s mind is filled with suspicion towards David. He’ll begin to hear most everything David says with suspicious ears. He’ll look at most all David’s actions with suspicious eyes. His thoughts about David will be twisted by suspicion. In Saul we see the exact opposite of what God calls us to:

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor 13:4-7)

In other words, as God’s people we are called to believe the best about people. I have found this principle to be life changing in every relationship in my life. When someone does or says something that I don’t like I can do one of two things:

I can assume the worst: That they don’t like me, that they are trying to hurt me, that they have an agenda against me.

Or, I can assume the best: Perhaps I misunderstood them, perhaps what they said didn’t come out the way they meant it, or perhaps they were just having a bad day!

See when I believe the worst about a person or a situation, I start taking everything they say or do personal. I start wondering what else they may have said about me. Before too long, I have convicted and condemned that person in my mind. And of course, once I’ve convicted them of the crime, the next logical step is the punishment. My thoughts can very easily lead to negative actions against them.

But if I am willing to be obedient to Gods word, and believe the best about that person, the complete opposite happens. I don’t worry about what else they might be saying, or what they really think about me. I don’t take what they say or do personal. I give grace. My thoughts still lead to actions, but they are positive actions!

So next time someone says or does something that upsets you, consider 1 Cor 13, and ask the God to help you believe the best about that person!

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Give Thanks...

2011-11-23T11:19:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, and people everywhere are busy preparing, traveling, cleaning, and getting ready for company. Things are no different here at CCW, as we are preparing for our Thanksgiving Feast tomorrow, where we expect to feed over 200 people (CLICK HERE for more info).

But before we get too busy, let’s take time to remember why we are thankful. Sure we are thankful for having a place to live, food to eat, family, these are not small things. But as Christians we have so much more reason to be thankful, because we have been given a kingdom which cannot be shaken (Heb 12:28), we have been given eternal life (John 3:15), we have been given abundant life (John 10:10), all through the person of Jesus Christ!

O Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, And a great King above all gods, In whose hand are the depths of the earth; The peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it; And His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. -- Psalm 95:1-6

This Sunday will be normal service times, 9 & 11 am, and we’ll be finishing up the account of David and Goliath: Rally in the Valley Part 2!

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Rally in the Valley

2011-11-17T11:30:00.001-05:00

This Sunday we are going to explore what could be said to be the most famous battle ever fought: David & Goliath. It’s the quintessential story of good vs evil, of the weak vs the strong, the story of the victory of the underdog. It’s the Old Testament version of Rocky!

Something that really intrigues me about this account is the aspect of God’s plan, linked together with David’s obedience, empowered by David’s faith and God’s Spirit working in David, produced a result that absolutely no one was expecting. No one, that is, except God!

See sometimes it seems that we’re all alone in our endeavor. No one is for us, and no one is willing to go into the battle with us. But saints, we are NOT alone. God is for us, and He will empower us if we will step out in faith to what He has called us to. Even slaying giants!

Join us Sunday, for 1 Samuel 17, Rally in the Valley!

…till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The Power of Worship

2011-11-16T09:47:00.000-05:00

And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him. – 1 Sam 16:23

This past Sunday we learned a powerful truth that I believe has the power to change our walk with Christ: The Power of Worship.

We learned that worship has power: Power to bring refreshment, power to bring victory, and power to bring the Kingdom!

But why is worship really important? What’s the big deal? Isn’t it just music?

Worship can involve music, but it is so much more. Worship is something that dates to eternity past that involved an angel who was called the “seal of perfection.” His name was Lucifer:

“You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.
“You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
-- Ez 28:12-14

Ezekiel is describing an angelic being that radiated the splendor of God in all of His creative ability. This being was crafted to produce beauty: He was beautiful to look upon, and beautiful to listen to. This being was created to bring glory to the Living God in the eternal realm.

But there was a problem – apparently Lucifer was so splendid, so incredible, that he became completely enamored of himself, and decided that he should be the one receiving worship. And this was a problem:

You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.
“By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.
“Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you.
-- Ez 28:12-17

Isaiah 14 describes the fall:

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, and the sound of your stringed instruments; The maggot is spread under you, and worms cover you.’
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart:‘ I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.
“Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying:‘ Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,
Who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?’
-- Is 14:11-17

From this we learn that worship is holy, that it is set apart for God alone, for God alone is the only being worthy of our worship. Lucifer, who we now call Satan, is not worthy of our worship, yet he desires it more than anything else. That tells you something about the importance and value of worship. And it brings us back to our truth about what worship brings:

Refreshment

When we are engaged in worship of the true and Living God, the result is refreshment. But its not refreshing because the music is nice, it is refreshing because God is enthroned on the praise of His people:

But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. – Ps 22:3

In other words, when we praise Him, a spiritual reality is happening, we are enthroning God in our praise. As we enthrone God, God refreshes us – as rain refreshes the fields:

Ask the LORD for rain, in the time of the latter rain.The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone.
– Zech 10:1

Victory

This is pretty simple to me. Satan desires to receive worship as God, but he isn’t God. When we worship the true God, it throws that reality right in Satan’s face! He can’t stand it. The enemies of God flee when God’s people worship Him. In military terms, when you’re enemy runs away, it’s called victory!

Kingdom

As Christians we live with the promise of the future eternal kingdom of God in heaven, but there is a present sense of the kingdom of God that we should not miss: God working in and through us! When the Pharisee’s asked Jesus about the kingdom, He replied:

The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you. -- Luke 17:20-21

Saints, we should keep our eye’s focused on the coming of our Lord:

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ… -- Phil 3:20

But we also should walk in the power and freedom of the kingdom of God that is within us. Worship is something that recognizes that kingdom, embraces that kingdom, and manifests the power and presence of the Living God in our lives right now – today!

Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength.
Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.
-- Ps 96:1-9

Think about these truths the next time you come to worship the Lord, whether in church, your home, or sitting on the beach.

Pastor Clay

God's Plan for your life

2011-11-08T17:18:00.000-05:00

Last week we were introduced to a young man named David, who at the time was only a young boy keeping sheep, but we know that God had bigger plans for David’s life!

I hear many people ask the question: “Does God have a plan for my life?” Here’s the deal: The question is NOT “does God have a plan,” but rather “What is God’s plan for my life?” Because rest assured, God DOES have a plan for your life! You may not know it yet, God may not have revealed it to you completely, but I want you to know, for sure, God has a plan for you! The problem is that often we see ourselves as just one of billions, and we think God has other, more important people to work with.

This past week the population of the earth passed seven BILLION. That is a lot of people! But here’s the thing:

You are not just a speck of life in a pool of humanity; God specifically designed you in your mother’s womb as a unique individual, different from each and every other of the seven billion people on this planet.

And if God custom designed you, then it stands to reason that He custom designed you for a purpose! And that purpose cannot be fulfilled by any other of the seven billion people on this planet, because they are not YOU! And it really doesn’t matter if our purpose seems to be as important as the next person because everything that God does works together to fulfill His great commission: to spread the gospel message from one end of the earth to the other. There are no minor parts. Every part is important.

So folks, don’t limit what God can do through based on your view of your importance, or your age, or even your ability’s, because that is not what God needs. God only needs two things in order to work through us, like we learned about David:

#1 – A heart that seeks after God

#2 – The filling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

That’s it! I know, it sounds simple. That’s why a lot of people miss it completely. I think it’s time we begin to fully and completely seek after God, and ask be filled with the Holy Spirit of God, and let’s just see what God might do! Trust me, if you seek Him, He will answer. Jesus promised it:

For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Luke 11:10

Pastor Clay

David, God's Chosen King

2011-11-03T13:51:00.000-04:00

One of the things that Christians often struggle with is knowing the will and call of God on their life. We’ll assess our gifts, our abilities, and our circumstances, and try to figure out what God has in store for us.

The problem is we often see ourselves as small and unimportant; a mere speck in the pool of seven billion lives on this planet. But if that is how we see ourselves, we would be wrong! Each and every life is important to God. Each and every believer has a plan and a purpose for the life they have received. Jesus said

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly! -- John 10:10

You see, God’s ways are higher than ours. He see’s the future, we cannot. He see’s what we are capable of, while we do not. Even more important, God can see what He is going to accomplish through us by the working of His mighty power in our lives.

This Sunday we will be introduced to a young man named David who, it could be said, was fairly obscure. He was the youngest of eight brothers. He was the least of all the members of his family. He was so unimportant that when the prophet Samuel invited his family to a sacrifice and a meal, he wasn’t even invited. But God knew who David was. God had already searched the heart of this young man named David, and saw things in his future that David had never even dreamed of.

What was the defining characteristic of David? Was he big and strong? Was he valiant? Was he skilled with a sword? Doubtful, as David was probably between 10-15 years old at that time. But there were two things in particular that set David apart:

#1 – David was a man after God’s heart:

The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people – 1 Sam 13:14

#2 – The Spirit of the Lord was on David:

…the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. -- 1 Sam 16:13

The interesting thing about these two attributes is that we aren’t born with them, and they aren’t the result of good genes or family endowment. These are attributes that are available to any born-again believer that is willing to submit their life to God, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

God’s choice of David shows that we don’t have to quit our jobs and enter into full-time ministry to be people after God’s own heart. We don’t need to be famous or prominent to be people after God’s own heart. We don’t need to be respected or even liked by others to be people after God’s own heart. We don’t need status, influence, power, the respect or approval of men, or great responsibilities to be people after God’s own heart.All we need is a heart that is submitted to God and to the Holy Spirit that lives within us.

Don’t miss this Sunday, as we open a new chapter in our study of 1 Samuel: David, God’s Chosen King

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Manly Revolution

2011-10-31T09:59:00.000-04:00

What an incredible weekend at Calvary Wilmington! We had a great turnout for the Manly Revolution men’s conference, powerful worship, hard-hitting teaching, and some super manly completion (let’s hear it for the GREEN team!)!

I really appreciated Pastor Sandy Adams coming to teach, encourage, exhort, and even correct us with God’s word. We learned some powerful truths about being a godly man, a godly husband, and a godly father. For me personally, I gained a new respect for the responsibility that God has given me to raise up the next generation of world-changers and god-lovers.

This weekend has also given me a vision for the 2012 Men’s Breakfast emphasis, to continue the Manly Revolution here at Calvary of Wilmington. I will be asking you men to pray with me as I seek the Lord to put together the teachings and the events for next year. Starting in 1Q12, we will be focusing our monthly sessions on digging deeper into our role as men, husbands, and fathers. I can’t wait to see the results!

Yesterday I took my boys to see Courageous, and I bumped into several men from the church (awesome!). At the end of the movie, the main character stood at the podium of his church and challenged the men sitting in the congregation, “who will stand and fight for our families,” then he answers his own question: “I WILL!” While that might have been a great movie scene, the question begs to be answered in our own churches: "Who will stand and fight for our families?" I hope your answer is "I WILL!"

FYI, if you missed the conference, we will have the conference audio sessions available in about 2 weeks.

Pastor Clay

The Offering

2011-10-19T13:11:00.000-04:00

Dear church,

recently we have made some changes to our services. One of the changes was to have one of the pastors come up and pray for the offering. I have received feedback on this part of our service; some positive, some negative.

I realize that there will be many perspectives among the church regarding something as personal as the offering, and I know that it is not possible to please everyone regarding this matter, but I do feel it’s important to let you know where our hearts are regarding this part of our service.

As a pastoral staff, our heart is to find a balance where…

We ensure the congregation has an understanding of how money and possessions are dealt with in God’s kingdom;
We give people an opportunity to participate in His kingdom, both spiritually, practically, and financially.
We do not make people feel guilty if the aren't able to give, or don't want to give.

I realize that having one of the pastors come up to bless the offering may seem we are bringing attention to the offering time, but please know that is not our intent. Our intent is that our offering would be a time of spiritual worship and thanksgiving. If we get the sense that the way we take the offering is not what’s best for the church and the congregation, we will change it.

Also, we’ve been reminding the congregation about the offering we are taking this Sunday for the Children’s Ministry modular classroom. This follows the model that the apostle Paul gave us in 2 Corinthians 9, as he sent word to the church that he was coming to collect an offering for the saints in Jerusalem. He told them what the need was, that he was coming to pick it up, and that he wanted them to be prepared. He then went on to preach a mini-sermon on giving:

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, 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. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

– 2 Cor 9:6-15 (NIV)

It is an interesting fact: There are approximately five hundred verses in the bible that deal with prayer, approximately five hundred verses that deal with faith, but there are over two thousand verses that deal with the subject of money and possessions. Jesus talked about money in sixteen of His thirty eight parables. While I would not go so far to say that money is a central theme of the bible, or Jesus’ ministry, it is clear that God wants us to understand His principles concerning money and possessions.

So I will leave you with this: At CCW our desire is to do all we have been given by the Lord with excellence and integrity, and we will trust the Lord to provide all that we need for every work that He gives us. There will be times where we let you know what the needs are so that you may seek the Lord regarding your gift, and as Paul noted “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

...in the multitude of Your mercy.

2011-10-06T12:17:00.000-04:00

This coming Sunday is communion service. To be honest, I was unaware of it until someone texted me and ask about it. Yes, I have an excuse: I have been having some serious technical issues with my computer and my ‘smart phone’ (which, it turns out, isn’t so smart!). All of my calendar events were wiped out, including my reminder of Communion this Sunday.

But then as I started reviewing the latter part of 1 Samuel 14, something really jumped out at me. See I was reading about how Saul, once he saw that the Philistine army was in chaos, made the men of the army take an oath that they would not eat anything until the Philistine army was defeated. His exact words were “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies” (1 Sam 14:24).

What Saul did was wrong on so many level’s (which we will get into later!), but there was one specific way that stood out to me: Saul took something that was good and spiritual, a fast, and forced it on his men.

As I read that, and contemplated on our upcoming communion service, I had to ask: Are we doing it just because it’s on our calendar, and we always do it the second Sunday of the month? Or are we coming to communion with hearts ready to fellowship with the Lord, and with one another?

I don’t know about you, but I never want to approach something as holy and spiritual as the Lord’s Supper with an attitude of “well, it’s communion Sunday again!” For me, I am going to take time this week to reflect on who Jesus Christ is to me, what He has done for me, and how I can be closer to Him. I encourage you to do the same, and then on Sunday let’s come together, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in our presence, and worship our Lord and our King!

But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. Ps 5:7

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Does the bible have application for us today?

2011-10-06T11:20:00.000-04:00

Edmund Allenby, the "bloody bull"

Last week we learned about how Jonathan used a unique rock formation to his advantage in gaining an upper hand against the Philistines, even though he was on lower ground. God was working supernaturally, through the natural. Godwins the same kind of victories today. In fact, one military man read thisaccount and used Jonathan’s exact strategy to win an important battle. Here isthe story from Major Vivian Gilbert, a British Army Officer

-------------------

In theFirst World War a brigade major in Allenby’s army in Palestine was on oneoccasion searching his Bible with the light of a candle, looking for a certainname. His brigade had received orders to take a village that stood on a rockyprominence on the other side of a deep valley. It was called Michmash and thename seemed somehow familiar. Eventually he found it in 1 Samuel 13 and readthere:

“And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present withthem, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.”

Itthen went on to tell how Jonathan and his armour-bearer crossed over during thenight “to the Philistines’ garrison” on the other side, and how they passed twosharp rocks: “there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on theother side: and the name of the one was Bozez and the name of the other Seneh.”They clambered up the cliff and overpowered the garrison, “within as it were ahalf acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plough.” The main body of theenemy awakened by the melee thought they were surrounded by Saul’s troops and“melted away and they went on beating down one another.” Thereupon Saulattacked with his whole force and beat the enemy. “So the Lord saved Israelthat day.”

Thebrigade major reflected that there must still be this narrow passage throughthe rocks, between two spurs, and at the end of it the “half acre of land.” Hewoke the commander and there read the passage through together once more.Patrols were sent out. They found the pass, which was thinly held by the Turks,and which led past two jagged rocks - obviously Bozez and Seneh. Up on top,beside Michmash, they could see by the light of the moon a small flat field.The brigadier altered his plan of attack. Instead of deploying the whole brigadehe sent one company through the pass under cover of darkness. The few Turkswhom they met were overpowered without a sound, the cliffs were scaled, andshortly before daybreak the company had taken up a position on “the half acreof land.”

TheTurks woke up and took to their heels in disorder since they thought they werebeing surrounded by Allenby’s army. They were all killed or taken prisoner. Andso, after thousands of years British troops successfully copied the tactics ofSaul and Jonathan. (Keller, The Bible AsHistory, pages 179-180)

------------------

Does the bible have application for us today? Just ask Allenby!

Fearless - follow up

2011-10-05T13:20:00.000-04:00

Last week we looked at 1 Samuel 14, and how Jonathan was a man that was fearless and full of faith! We learned four great truths from the scriptures last week:

Lesson #1 - Sometimes we have to step out in faith

We can sit around and hope God raises up someone to go into the Philistine camp…

Or we can stand up and say “here I am God, I’m ready, use me”

Lesson #2 - When we step out into God’s plan, God will meet us there.

We can say “Oh look, God is working over there, that is just so awesome…” as we sit under our tree.

Or we can get up and get involved in what God is doing!

Lesson #3 - The enemy is not as tough as we think.

We can look at our circumstances, our situation, and think “I can’t be used by God right now, because I have too many problems”, “or I’m too busy,” or “it’s too big for me to handle,” or “it won’t work…”

Or we can get up and face our Philistines in the power of the Living God!

Lesson #4 - Our faith encourages others

There may be people around you that are too afraid to move, paralyzed by their situations, sitting in fear, perhaps even walked away from God altogether.

Saints, when those people see you step out, fearless and full of faith, it will give them the courage to get up, and get back into the fight!

So, where are you today with the Lord?

Are you like Saul, sitting in the shade of your Pomegranate tree, wondering what to do next?

Or are you like Jonathan, looking out at the world around you, and thinking “I’m going to step out in faith, and see what God might do through me?”

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Fearless

2011-09-29T16:44:00.000-04:00

Our journey in 1 Samuel has been quite a ride! But what is really amazing to me is that wherever we are in God’s word, there is application that speaks directly into our lives today: as individuals, and as a church.

Last week we looked at 1 Sam 13:1-14 as an encouragement that we never want to find ourselves in the situation where we are lamenting “what could have been, if only I had obeyed God!” This message challenged me, as I know it did many of you, that we should seek to live our lives in full obedience to God, no matter what He calls us to. For in that obedience we will find our true fulfillment, our purpose for which we were created!

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. – Eph 2:10

But stepping out in obedience can be a little risky. Actually it can be very risky. What if we fail? What if God isn’t with us? What if…??

This Sunday we’ll be introduced to a young man who believes God, and is not afraid to put that belief to the test. While his dad Saul sits under a tree, Jonathan goes up to face the Philistines with only his armor-bearer at his side. There is only one word to describe this young man, Jonathan: Fearless!

I love it. Just when it looks like things are going south, their leader has failed them, most of the men have melted away into the forest or into caves, here comes this young man, fearless and full of faith!

It never ceases to amaze me what God can do through a single person. Imagine what He can do through five people, or ten people, or a hundred saints, full of faith and fearless!

Join us Sunday at 9 & 11 am, 1 Samuel 13:15-14:23 – Fearless.

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

What could have been...

2011-09-22T12:24:00.000-04:00

“You acted foolishly,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if only you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.” 1 Samuel 13:13

It’s a moment you never want to have. A 13:13 moment.

A 13:13 moment is that moment you realize what you could have had, if only you had ______ (fill in the blank).

What a scary verse this is. Besides the fact that you have a double instance of an unlucky number (13:13), what Samuel is saying to Saul should be a cautionary note to all of us: I never want to say “I could have had the blessing of God, if only I had…”

See, when we think about the consequences of sin or disobeying a specific instruction from God, we usually focus on the negative consequences that happen to us as a result.

…if you sleep around, you could get an STD or get pregnant.

…if you cut a corner at work, you could lose your job.

…if you ignore God’s calling, you could end up in the wrong career.

Those are definitely bad consequences, but there is another side of the equation that we should consider: If we are unwilling to obey God, we may miss an incredible blessing that God has planned for our lives.

...the ministry you could have had.

...the marriage you could have had.

...the life you could have had.

Last week I challenged you to go home to fast and pray, and seek the Lord as to what He would have for you.

...what ministry He has for you.

...who He wants you to reach out to.

...what He wants you to invest in His kingdom.

Whatever God is asking of you, believe me, it’s not about what He wants from you. It’s what He wants for you.

And you can have it, if only you will…

Join us Sunday, as we return to our study of 1 Samuel 13.

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Audacious Prayers

2011-09-21T13:55:00.000-04:00

This morning, as we do every Wednesday, our pastors came together to pray for YOU, the church. It’s a great time of fellowship and unity, praying in agreement for the ministries and the people!

But I wanted you to know that we are not just praying, we are PRAYING BIG. We are asking God to do BIG THINGS in our church. Not so much “make us the biggest church,” but rather “Lord, do big things in the life of every person that we come in contact with!”

When a person walks in that is addicted to alcohol or drugs, God we ask you to do a big thing: Break the bondage of addiction and set them free!
When a marriage is on the rocks, God we ask you to do a big thing: Remove the anger and bitterness, and set that couple on a path of reconciliation in love and humility.
When a family is struggling financially, God we ask you to do a big thing: Open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that cannot be contained!

We often proclaim how big our God is, and how great His power is, but do we pray expecting big and great things? I have to admit, sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I pray and ask for the minimum. Why do I do that? Perhaps because I'm not sure God will come through, so only ask for a little bit, and if nothing happens, then perhaps no one will notice. Enough of that! God is changing how I pray. No more little prayers. No more asking for the bare minimum. From now on I want to pray big prayers. Audacious prayers!

James had it right when he said

“You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” -- James 4:2-3

Jesus told His disciples that if they had faith, they could move mountains…

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” – Matt 21:21-22

I’ll be honest church; there are some mountains in our midst that need to be moved. There are some big things God wants to do, and we wont be able to do them without the power of God on our lives (Eph 1:18-21).

Will we believe God for the big things? Will we even ask for the big things?

Church, I believe we should ask for the big things.

Will you go?

2011-09-16T09:59:00.000-04:00

Each week I use the lead article in the Calvary Connection to give a preamble to the message that God has given me for Sunday. This week will be no exception.

The message this week will be a check up, a snapshot of where we are as a church. Many of you were here this past January when I laid out the vision that God had given us for 2011. I shared some of the challenges we faced, as well as the work that God was leading us into. This week I went back and looked at my notes from that meeting, and it was pretty cool to see how God has been moving and working in the areas we talked about! But as is usually the case, there is still work to do. There are areas that God still wants to grow us, and even stretch us as a church.

And so now as we head into the final chapter of 2011, we need to do a little status check: To celebrate what God has done, and also to press in to some areas that still need some attention.

The question is never “will God do a work”, the question is always “will I engage in what God is doing?” The question is never “why doesn’t God bless me,” the question is always “am I putting myself in a position for God to bless me?”

God is moving in our church. God is blessing. Are you a part of it?

So get ready church, God is not finished!

… till the whole world hears,

Love your enemy?

2011-09-08T11:35:00.000-04:00

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…” – Matt 5:43-45

Sometimes it can be hard to love your neighbor, especially when he blows his leaves into your yard, or his huge dog comes over and relieves himself in your next to your front walk. I have a neighbor that throws some loud parties that go on well into the night. These people can really get on our nerves, and love isn’t exactly the feeling that we are having. Yet we are still to love them. OK, I can do that.

But Jesus doesn’t just tell us to love our neighbor; He goes on to tell us to love our enemies. OK, so exactly who is our enemy? Is it the guy that cut us off from traffic? Is it the woman who broke line in front of us at the movie theater? What about the guy that smashes out a car window and steals a laptop? These people may be harder to love, but hey we’re Christians! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us!

But what about the men that spent years working on a sinister plan; learning how to pilot a jet airliner, studying flight plans, and figuring our what flights had the most people aboard. The men who boarded several planes, murdered the flight crews, commandeered those aircraft, and flew them and the passengers into the tallest buildings in New York city? How are we supposed to love the men who knew their actions would kill and injure thousands of innocent people? How are we supposed to love the people who are, even as I write this, planning more sinister attacks against us? Certainly no one, not even God, would expect us to love those men. Or would He?

Join us Sunday as we take the Lords Supper together, and reflect on Jesus teaching regarding love.

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Life after Failure - 1 Sam 12

2011-09-01T11:25:00.003-04:00

Then Samuel said to the people, “Do not fear. You have done all this wickedness; yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
– 1 Sam 12:20

Choices. We’ve been talking about them a lot recently. Specifically how our enemy, the devil, will attempt to connive or intimidate us into making a bad choice. Satan will use every trick in his little book of tricks to cause us to make a choice that will bring pain and affliction into our lives, and then he’ll use that choice against us and tell us what a failure we are as Christians. (Man, I hate that guy!)

Then last week we looked at the rescue of Jabesh Gilead, and how that is a picture of how God is willing and able to come to our rescue when we call upon His name, even after a bad choice. An awesome truth for sure! One of the promises we learned was from Lamentations:

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” – Lam 3:22-24

(Interestingly, Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah as he lamented the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar; God’s punishment upon Israel for their disobedience)

But what about those choices we make that we cannot undo? Some things just cannot be ‘undone.’ There is no delete button in life. What happens in the aftermath of a wrong choice that sets in motion permanent changes in our life that we cannot undo? Is there life after failure?

1 Samuel chapter 12 gives us hope in that situation. Not a fairy-tale hope that time will be erased, and our life restored to be exactly the way it was before; but hope that God will once again move and work in our lives. Hope that He will form new lives for us that can be a blessing to us and to others. New lives where we can live for Him and enjoy the blessing and peace that only God can give to us.

We may not be able to erase the mistakes of our past, and we may have to live in the reality of that choice for the rest of our life on earth. That husband or wife may never return. That person we wronged may never forgive us. But if we will turn to the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all of our hearts, He will give us new life that will glorify Him. I don't know about you, but that is a promise that gives me hope!

Join us Sunday for “Life after failure”

…till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

God is Able! 1 Samuel 11

2011-08-25T13:54:00.000-04:00

Last week we looked at the situation in Jabesh, and how in that scenario there are pictures of how Satan will use certain tactics to destroy us:

He looks for weakness
He asks permission to work in our lives
He’ll try and intimidate us

And we learned that if we let our guard down, and allow him access into our life, and cave in to his intimidation, the result is always the same: He brings pain and affliction into our lives, and he uses that to humiliate us and exalt himself over us. A tough place to be no matter how you slice it!

But that is not where we have to stay… we serve a gracious God, and a mighty God, a God that is always willing and able (note the song connection!) to step in on our behalf and SAVE US! One of the songs we’ll sing this Sunday says it all:

God is able / He will never fail

He is Almighty God

Greater than all we seek / Greater than all we ask

He has done great things

Lifted up He / defeated the grave

Raised to life / our God is able

In His Name / we overcome

For the Lord our God is able

God is with us / God is on our side

He will make a way

Far above all we know / Far above all we hope

He has done great things

God is with us / He will go before

He will never leave us / He will never leave us

God is for us / He has open arms

He will never fail us / He will never fail us

(God is Able, Hillsong United)

In other words, no matter what situation we get ourselves into, no matter how far from God we run, no matter how deep the hole, God is able and willing:

To restore marriages…

To break the bonds of addictions…

To heal the broken hearted…

To heal the sick…

He is with us…

He is for us…

He will never leave us…

His arms are always open wide, ready to receive us!

Join us Sunday morning, 9 & 11, as we walk through 1 Samuel 11, God is Able!

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Is there any hope for me?

2011-08-23T09:19:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday we looked at 1 Samuel 11:1-3, where Nahash the Ammonite king intended to gouge out the right eye of every person in Jabesh. We saw in this that there are four tactics that Satan uses:

#1 – Satan looks for an opportunity to attack us

#2 – Satan has to have our permission to work in our life

#3 – Satan will try to intimidate us into serving him

#4 – When we allow Satan a foothold in our life, he will work to humiliate us and exalt himself over us.

While it’s crucial to understand his tactics so that we can always be on guard and NOT fall victim to his attack, most of us have experienced a time where we dropped our guard, opened a door, allowed Satan to come in, and he then proceeded to wreak havoc in our lives. At that point, when the consequences are overwhelming us, we ask “is there any hope for me?”

To answer that, I think of the apostle Paul, who in his past life persecuted Christians, putting them in jail, splitting up families, even participating in the stoning of Stephen. But Paul found something in the cross of Jesus Christ; GRACE.

For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. – 1 Cor 15:9-10

Paul knew he had done terrible things to God’s people, yet by the grace of God through Jesus Christ, God restored him and gave him a ministry.

I think of David, who lusted after a woman, committed adultery with her, then had her husband killed. When David looked in the mirror, he saw an adulterer, liar, and murderer. It was at this time that he penned his heart thoughts, in Ps 38…

O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your wrath, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure! For Your arrows pierce me deeply, and Your hand presses me down. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger, nor any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festering because of my foolishness. – Ps 38:1-5

David is in a place that many of us can releate to: We have blown it big time, and we feel so overwhelmed by our sin that we just want to lie in a heap on the ground. But David didn’t stay on the ground. David experienced the grace of God when he brought his sin before the throne of forgiveness, and cried out to God.

I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth—Praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the LORD. – Ps 40:1-3

See, there is hope when we fail. There is grace when we blow it. We can seek the Lord, receive forgiveness and restoration! Can will forgive us, cleanse us, and even restore us! When a person experiences the grace, forgiveness, and restoration of God, our natural response can be “The LORD be magnified!”

Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified! Ps 40:16

Church, spread the word, hope is here!

Pastor Clay

The Cost of Compromise

2011-08-18T15:54:00.000-04:00

In 1 Samuel 11 we come to an interesting little side drama. The tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had settled on the east side of the Jordan River 350 years earlier (Joshua 1). This location left them at risk militarily, as they were somewhat separated from the other tribes. Sure enough, right after Saul becomes king, an Ammonite king by the name of Nahash, sets a siege against the city of Jabesh Gilead. The people of Jabesh, not wanting to die, decided to make a deal. A compromise. They sent a message to Nahash, saying “We’ll serve you as slaves if you will let us live.” Nahash’s response was quick and to the point, “No problem, you can be my slaves, and I’ll let you live. Oh, and you have to let me poke out the right eye of all your men.” Wow. I doubt that was what the men of Jabesh had hoped for.

But this example makes me think of how important it is for us, God’s people, to never compromise with our enemy. Who is our enemy? The world, the devil, and our flesh!

See we are faced with decisions every day of our lives. Some are big, some are small, but every decision has at least two paths. One is to do what is best and right in obedience to God and His word. The other options are usually some form of compromise. The God option often looks hard, and may affect something we want or desire. The other options may seem easier, but may require us to compromise something in obedience to God and His word. We may weigh those compromises, thinking “it won’t be that bad.” Right.

The fact of the matter is that there is always a price to pay for compromise. We may think it’s the ‘easier way’ but in fact that compromise will cost us more than we ever bargained for. A pastor once told me “sin will take you farther than you wanted to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and cost you more than you wanted to pay.” Word.

When faced with a decision it’s important to remember that God does have a better way, we just have to come to the place in our life that we are willing to trust Him for that better way.

Join us Sunday for 1 Samuel 11, “The Cost of Compromise”.

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

...and God gave him a new heart. 1 Sam 10:9

2011-08-11T15:58:00.000-04:00

So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart. – 1 Sam 10:9

In 1 Samuel chapter 11 Saul is going to encounter the first test of his kingship, when Nahash the Ammonite comes to Jabesh Gilead, which was on the east side of the Jordan river. (This area was where the tribe of Reuben and Gad had settled, sort of “the other side of the river”)

Now, some 400 years later, they need help – Nahash is telling them “hey, you submit to me, and by the way I’m gonna gouge out your right eye just for good measure!” So, yea these guys need some help, and so they send messengers out to find Saul. Saul better be ready for action.

Which is why I go back to 1 Sam 10:9, because as we noted last week: before we can fulfill the call of God on our life, God has to give us a new heart! See, if this part of us does not belong to God, then God is hindered from being able to move powerfully in our life. Sure, He can guide us to the right place at the right time through circumstances and lost donkeys, but that is not the same as having His power in our lives.

…but if we will surrender our heart to God, allow Him to give us a new heart, then we are able to be powerfully moved by His Spirit.

…and if we are submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives, God is then able to work in a powerful and meaningful way in our lives.

…calling us to tasks that are beyond our comfort zone.

…empowering us to do things that are beyond our ability.

And that is where Saul is on this day, he is about to be called upon to do something he’s never done before, something he would not be able to do on his own, and as preparation, what does God do? God gave him another heart.

And what happens after that? He has an encounter with a two groups of men…

One group are carrying some interesting supplies: a sacrifice, some bread, and some wine. (hmm what does that sound like?)

And another group is doing something also interesting: they are playing music, worshiping God, and prophesying, or speaking the things of the Lord.

Hmmm, a sacrifice, bread, wine, worship, moving of the Holy Spirit, what does that make me think of?

It makes me think of our communion service, coming up this Sunday at Calvary of Wilmington. Don’t miss it!

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Hiding

2011-08-04T12:35:00.000-04:00

In 1 Samuel 10 we find Saul, having been chosen by God to be the first king of Israel, I would have to guess feeling a little bewildered. I mean think about it: One day he is out looking for some lost donkeys, and the next day the prophet Samuel is anointing him king of the nation. Things are happening fast! Saul is not only told he will be king, but Samuel also tells him some very specific and supernatural things that will happen to him on his way back home, then after seven days Samuel will come to him and give him further instruction. Sure enough, everything that Samuel told Saul came to pass.

Then comes the big day, when Samuel gathers all of the people to the town of Mizpah to present their new king. Of all the tribes of Israel, one man will be chosen. The selection process begins: The tribe of Benjamin is selected, then the family of Matri, then from that family God singles out one man, Saul! But Saul is nowhere to be found, and when Samuel inquires to the Lord, God responds, “There he is, hiding among the equipment.” Not very king-like!

Why would Saul hide on what was surely the biggest day of his life?

Was it humility, not wanting the attention?

Was it self-doubt, not sure that he could live up to the challenge?

Or was it self-preservation, where Saul wasn’t really sure he wanted to follow this call of God on his life?

Perhaps the bigger question is this: What would Saul do when faced with the reality of God’s better plan for his life? Would he embrace it, or would he run and hide from it?

Perhaps we should ask ourselves the same question. Since last week we discovered that God not only has a plan for our life, He has a plan that is better than anything that we could ever come up with, we now have a decision to make: Will we embrace Gods better plan, or will we run and hide from it?

Join us Sunday for 1 Samuel 10, “Hiding”

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Hearing God

2011-08-03T13:50:00.000-04:00

Sunday (1 Samuel 9) we talked about the stark contrast between Saul and Samuel: Samuel is expecting to hear from God, he is seeking to hear from God, He has a relationship with God to where it is quite normal for him to hear from God.

Saul, while we are not told that he is “un-godly”, up to this point there has been no indication that he is seeking God at all:

… there is no indication that he wants to hear from God;

… there is no indication that he has any real relationship with God

Saul is being led by God through circumstance, situations, and lost donkeys. The difference in these two men is clear:

Samuel is seeking “heavenly things”; the will of God for Israel and his life. Saul is seeking “earthly things”; donkeys!

There is a parallel that we can apply to our lives: Some Christians are led by God in a conscious way; where they hear from God, they understand what God is saying, and they obey.

God leads others in an unconscious way, in ignorance. God has to use circumstances and situations to guide them. The interesting thing is that either way, God’s will is accomplished! The real question becomes this: Do I choose to be an active participant in God’s work, or a blind participant?

And my point here is that we do not have to go through life blindly led by God through circumstances, blind situations, or lost donkeys for that matter. We can live a life where we are led by hearing His voice, heeding His call, watching for Him to move in our lives.

We can lead lives where, like Samuel, it is quite normal for us to hear from God, for Him to guide us, each and every day.

How? By submitting our hearts and our lives to the Living God, and being led by Him daily, even moment by moment, through His Holy Spirit, and trusting that He has a better plan for our life than anything we could ever come up with… Gods Better Plan!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Prov 3:5-7

A Better Plan

2011-07-29T00:30:00.003-04:00

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you were looking for one thing, and found something else? Something that was completely different? Something that was better?

Sometimes in life we will go in a direction, or set off on a mission, and we think we know what we’re looking for, we think we know where we are going, but we come to find out that God has an altogether different plan. A better plan.

Some twenty-five years ago I went looking for something. In 1985 I had just moved back home, and after I moved in my mom informed me that she thought I needed help! So she gave me an ultimatum: Get some help for my “alleged” substance abuse problems, and I could live there. Now mind you, I didn’t think I needed any help, but apparently she thought I did, and if I wanted to crash at her house I was going to have to play by her rules. I had a pretty good job at the time, so I called our “Employee Assistance Hotline”, and told them I might, perhaps, drink a little too much, and could they recommend something for that. They gave me another number to call, and within a few hours I was enrolled in some kind of program meeting ”thing” that I had to be at that next Tuesday night. So that evening I got the address, got in my truck and drove over to an office park, walked into this room full of people I didn’t know, where some guy named Woody was up front talking about getting sober or something, I really wasn’t paying much attention to Woody. My attention was focused on a cute little blond chick up on the front row that I felt like I really needed to introduce myself to.

Now I tell you this because on that day back in November of 1985 I thought I knew what I was looking for, I thought I knew what I was doing, I thought I knew where I was going. But I came to find out that God had a completely and radically different plan for me, a better plan, and I really didn’t have a clue. It was several years before I was able to put together the pieces and begin to understand what God was doing in my life on that night in 1985.

In 1 Samuel chapter 9, we find a young man named Saul in a very similar situation. Saul is on a mission to find some lost donkeys, but he ends up finding out that God has a completely different plan for his life. A better plan. Join us Sunday for the rest of the story!

…till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Our Money, or Gods?

2011-07-21T21:55:00.001-04:00

A year or so ago I shared a series of posts about the area of finances. Since we as a church mostly teach through books of the bible, I don’t get as many changes to teach topically. So every once in a while I feel its good to re-issue some of those past posts.

The reason that it is important to teach our congregation about finances is not so that the church will have more money, but so that we can all experience the full blessing of God in this area of your life!

I pray that this series of posts will enrich your lives, and reveal a new perspective of God's unchanging principles. May you be richly blessed.

Pastor Clay

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The Principles of Firstborn and Firstfruits

When it comes to money, often we think the main issue is “how much do I have” coupled with “how can I get more.” But in reality issue is not how much money we have, but moreso, what does God want to teach us about money?

Fact: there are approx 500 verses in the bible that deal with prayer, approx 500 verses that deal with faith, but there are over 2000 verses that deal with the subject of money and possessions. Jesus talked about money in 16 of His 38 parables. Clearly, from the bible's standpoint, God wants us to understand His principles concerning money and possessions.

Why? Perhaps it is because money is a test of our faith & our priorities. Money is something that is near and dear to us. We need it to live. We use it to buy stuff that we need, and stuff that we want. How we manage money reveals volumes about what is important to us.

In this first issue, we are going to explore two principles: The principles of the firstborn and firstfruits.

Principle of Firstborn

The principle of firstborn is found throughout the bible, from Exodus to Revelation. The first place we see this principle is in Exodus 13:

"Consecrate to Me all the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and beast; it is Mine." -- Ex 13:1-2

Here, God makes a declarative statement; "the firstborn is Mine". In fact, sixteen times God makes this statement in Exodus: Every firstborn was to be sacrificed or redeemed. Every time an animal delivered its firstborn, it was to be sacrificed to the Lord. If it were born unclean (with a spot or blemish), then it was to be redeemed.

But the firstborn of the animals, which should be the LORD's firstborn, no man shall dedicate; whether it is an ox or sheep, it is the LORD's. And if it is an unclean animal, then he shall redeem it according to your valuation, and shall add one-fifth to it; or if it is not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to your valuation. -- Lev 27:26-27

This principle was true for man as well, as the firstborn sons of Israel were to be set apart for service to God; they were to be the priests! Later on, after the golden calf incident, God set apart the Levites for His service (and also re-affirmed the principle of the firstborn):

"Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be Mine, because all the firstborn are Mine.
-- Num 3:12-13

Why is this important? This is a picture of our redemption in Christ, as when Jesus approached John the Baptist, John proclaimed:

"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
-- John 1:29-30

Because man is born with a sin nature, we were born 'unclean'. We need to be redeemed. God redeemed us to Himself with the perfect, spotless, Lamb of God. Jesus was God's 'firstborn", His only begotten Son. So this principle is not based on "we do all the giving", but in reality God gave to us first. God gave to us first, while we were yet sinners; He gave us His Son Jesus Christ. He gave us something that we could never put a price tag on. I mean, how much would you pay to be assured heaven? Everything you had!

The Principle of Firstfruits

Having noted that, there is a parallel principle that ties into the principle of the firstborn, and that is the principle of the firstruits.

The first of the firstfruits of your land you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God. -- Ex 23:19

This scripture tells us two things: Bring your firstfruits, and bring them into the house of the Lord. Let's look at these two points.

First Things First
The bible doesn't tell us "give God what is left over". It says to give God our first. When an animal gave birth to it's first offspring, that first offspring was given to the Lord. When the crops were harvested, the first were given to the Lord.

How does this apply to us? When we sit down and write our bills, the first check we write should be our tithe to the Lord. This may sound somewhat ritualistic to some people, but trust me, this has meaning. What we do first says something about what we hold to be most important.

You see, as fallen people we are naturally selfish. Think about it, when the paycheck comes, our mind goes to the things we want or need to buy. Bills, clothes, dinner out, parts for my motorcycle. We hope that there is something left at the end so we can splurge a little. Why is it that our first thought is not "I get to give to the Lord!"

Guess what, God knows how we are. So God, in His infinite wisdom, tells me that I need to sit down and give to Him first, to establish a pattern in my life where I am thinking "Praise the Lord, I can give to the Lord! Thank you for your provision Lord!"

Think about it; When we give to the Lord first, it says "Lord I trust you."

... see the next post for Part II

Our Money, or Gods? (Part II)

2011-07-21T21:54:00.001-04:00

Faith Before Feelings
How many times have we run out of money before we run out of bills? Or we have to determine what we pay now, and what we pay later? When we are in this situation, it can seem easy to skip the tithe (we certainly can't let our cable TV get shut off!). Our feelings tell us "I have bills to pay! I have stuff I need!". We feel bound to our bills. But what that says is "God, these bills are a higher priority than you are."

In other words, it requires an activation of our faith to give the tithe first. Giving the tithe first says "God, I am going to be obedient to you, and trust you for the rest." Faith is being obedient to God when we cannot see the outcome. Faith is knowing that it may require the supernatural hand of God to meet our budget needs.

Think about it:

The first animal was to be given to God; there were no guarantees that more animals would be born.

The first of the crop was to be given to God; there were no guarantees that more crops would come up.

God told Abraham to give his firstborn son, and at Abraham's age, it was a certainty that there would be no more children!

When we give to God first, we are saying to God "I trust you". Do you think He will let us down? In my own experience, the answer to that question is unequivocal - NO! God will always come through! Why? Because it is His promise!

"Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers. And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain and your new wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flock, -- Deut 7:12-13

So when Satan comes at you and puts the thought in your mind "you're going to go broke if you tithe", you can respond: "No I won't, because God's Word says that God is going to bless me, and He will rebuke the devourer for my sakes!"

The House of God

Our scripture said to "bring your firstfruits into the house of the Lord, your God." It didn't say "give your firstfruits to whom you feel led". That means we don't give our firstfruits to a TV ministry, or to a missionary, or to some other organization as our "tithe". Now don't get me wrong, giving to worthwhile ministries and supporting missionaries are important, but we are not to take away from our giving to the house of the Lord in order to do so.

We've all heard Christian say "I gave to so-and-so ministry (or person) as my tithe." Think about it; would you send part of your mortgage payment to another bill? I'm sure they would understand. Thankfully, God does not foreclose on us (!), but we should heed the point: The firstfruits belong to God, and it belongs in His house! Paul echoed this to the church at Corinth:

For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? -- 1 Cor 9:9-11

The church is the place that we go for spiritual feeding, for ministry to our families. It is where we turn when we are having difficulties. It is where we turn when we have a financial need. But more than that, the church is a place where we come and communally worship the Lord! And guess what, our giving is a form of worship. That's why giving is a matter of the heart:

God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. -- 2 Cor 9:7-8

When our hearts are turned to the Lord, we are fully aware that all that we have is a gift from Him. He is the source of our provision. When we give the tithe, it is an act of worship, acknowledging God as our provider. And God promises us, that when our heart is in this place, He will direct to us "all sufficiency in all things", so we will "have an abundance for every good work!"

Robbing God?

Many of us are familiar with this scripture:

"Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. -- Mal 3:8-9

This scripture is often used to beat the flock into tithing, but let's look at the reality of what God is saying here:

The tithe belongs to Him

He considers it robbing from Him if we withhold it (the same as not paying something you owe)

OK. Those two points need no expounding on. We get it! But there are two additional points that we should look at:

If we withhold the tithe, we are cursed with a curse
If we give the tithe, we are the recipients of a blessing!

... see the next post for Part III

Our money, or Gods? (Part III)

2011-07-21T21:53:00.000-04:00

Curses

A curse is simply a state that is the opposite of blessing, in other words a state where things don't work, where our efforts are hindered. The simple way to think of this is: When I am withholding from God what is rightfully His, then I don't have the power of God on my work, my business, and my efforts to get ahead.

I can't think of a better example that that of Achan.

We recently went through Joshua where God had told the Israelites that when they went into Jericho:

"all the silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are consecrated to the LORD; they shall come into the treasury of the LORD" -- Josh 6:19

In other words, the loot from Jericho was the firstfruits, and it belonged to God. The rest of the cities that they conquered, they could keep all the loot they could hold.

What happened? A man named Achan took some of the loot for himself. And when the Israelites went into the next battle, they were defeated - powerless against their enemies. When Joshua asked God "what happened?", God told Joshua:

"My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff." -- Josh 7:11

God called the stuff that was taken "accursed things", because it was stolen from God. And the result of this theft was that the power of God was no longer with the Israelites. They were ineffective, hindered. I am not trying to be overdramatic here, but when we withhold from God what is rightfully His, we are effectively signing our own "Declaration of Defeat." And we can't blame God, He told us what to do, we just didn't do it!

Now, before we get too depressed, let's rejoice that the opposite is also true!

If I am faithful to give to the Lord what is His, then instead of a curse on my efforts, I can expect a blessing. The world's wisest man told us:

Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. -- Prov 3:9-10

Solomon probably knew something about provision - he was also the worlds richest man! God tells us in the next verses in Malachi:

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the LORD of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it."And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," -- Mal 3:10-11

What this means is that if I am faithful to God the area of giving, it unlocks the blessings of God upon my life, and my efforts will not be hindered. God will bless my efforts! He will keep the enemy from hindering my efforts. We will have the power of God behind me!

Now stop and think about this for a second: What would I prefer, the blessings of God on my efforts, or a curse on my efforts? Well, that is a no-brainer. (I'll take blessings for $100, Alex.) Let's take it a step further: Do I believe what God says? (this is a "yes or no" question in case you were wondering!)

But now comes the hard part: Am I willing to put my belief into practice?

You see, to say "I believe", but then not act on that belief, is not really belief at all. It is self-serving. It's saying "God, I want your blessings, but I am not really into this obedience thing."

Law vs Grace

Now some people will say "But Pastor Clay, that is the Old Testament. That's the law. I am no longer under the law, but grace." True, we are no longer under the law, but that does not give us liberty to disobey God.

The Israelites had made the same type of assumption that they didn't really need to obey all this "old stuff" anymore, and God told them straight up:

For I am the LORD, I do not change… -- Mal 3:6

Even though we are in the "age of grace", we still know that murder, adultery, stealing, and lying are sin. None of these "laws" went away when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus said:

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. -- 5:17

Paul taught the church at Corinth:

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart. -- 2 Cor 9:7-8

Some might see this statement as meaning "so I can give whatever I purpose in my heart". That is exactly correct.

The first question is: Where is your heart? Do you love the Lord? Do you see that all that you have comes through His hands? Is your heart open to what He wants for your life, His plan, His purpose?

The second question is: What do you purpose in your heart? Do you want the blessings of God and the power of God on your life, your business, your job? If Then give according to that which you purpose in your heart. If you want big blessings, give big!

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. - 2 Cor 9:6-7

The Unchanging Principle

Paul was affirming the unchanging principle that had been established by an unchanging God - Give to the Lord, and He will bless you. This is not a formual; He does not bless "because we give", He blesses because He see's our heart!

And that is where I see our church growing and flourishing. As we learn to be faithful and give to the house of the Lord, "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work".

When we as a church are giving abundantly, God is going to bring into our lives the resources that will ensure that we have abundance for every good work. That means that the "good works" that God has put on our heart as a church to do, they will be fully funded!

... see the next post for the final installment, Part IV

Our money, or Gods? (Part IV)

2011-07-21T21:52:00.000-04:00

Ownership vs Stewardship

In our last installment, we talked about how the New Testament believer lives under grace and not the law, and how we are to give as we purpose in our hearts. This week, we are going to look at how that grace is played out in a practical way in our lives. How we are not commanded by the law to give to the Lord, but we are grateful recipients of God’s blessings, and we want to give to Him, because we understand that we are stewards!

As we noted earlier, when it comes to giving, some Christians will say “I am not under law, I am under grace” as a way of explaining why they do not regularly give to the Lord. But when this excuse (excuse my bluntness!) is rolled out, it reveals that the person has completely missed the basic principle of ownership vs stewardship.

If we go all the way back to Adam and Eve in the garden, we see that God gave Adam and Eve some specific instructions:

Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” -- Gen 2:15-17

In other words, God gave them stewardship over everything. They could utilize all of the resources of the entire world, except for one thing: The tree of knowledge of good and evil. That tree was off-limits. If they ate of that tree, they would die. Everything else they were free to partake of, free to utilize.

Being good stewards over God’s creation was literally life to them. Taking something that God had told them was not theirs, meant death. So, when Eve, and then Adam, ate of the fruit of that tree, they experienced death. In this one act, revealed a change in perspective: They placed themselves into the role of owners, rather than stewards. They determined that they were capable of deciding what resources that they would use.

In a similar way, God has give us stewardship over all that He has brought into our lives – namely our abilities, our gifts, our income, and our increase. Notice I said what He has brought into our lives, because in fact we brought nothing:

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
-- 1 Tim 6:7

We brought nothing into this world. Whatever we have, God has given us. We are, therefore, stewards of what the Lord has given us. Look at the exhortation that Paul gives to those whom God has blessed with much:

Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. --1 Tim 6:17-19

So we see that some will be blessed more than others, and God calls that person to trust in the Lord, to do good works, and to be ready to give, etc. Paul tells us that there is a reward for that person in heaven if they are faithful in this. In Luke 12 Jesus gave a parable:

"The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry."' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." --Luke 12:16-21

Jesus told this parable in the context of a man who wanted to be sure he got “what was his” (his inheritance). Jesus pointed out to this man that, in fact, nothing was his. And this man’s attitude towards his abundance (“my crops”) caused his judgment. Jesus calls this “laying up treasure for himself.” It belies a perspective that “this is mine, why should I give any of it away?” This man failed to realize that God had blessed him, and he should have honored the Lord in response to that blessing.

The same holds true in our life: Nothing that we possess actually belongs to me, it all belongs to God. We are but stewards of His resources, and I believe God is watching to see how we manage and use the resources He has given us. We can choose to “lay up treasures for ourselves”, or we can choose to honor the Lord with out increase. And I for one believe that when we are faithful stewards in regards to the one area that God calls us to, the firstfruits, God honors that obedience.

For a great illustration, 2 Chronicles tells us how King Hezekiah enacted reforms throughout the nation, and he called on all the children of Israel to bring the firstfruits into the house of the Lord. For seven months the tithes came in. When it had been collected, Hezekiah looked at the mounds and questioned the Levites (perhaps he wondered if the people had anything left to eat!). The Levites responded:

"Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left, for the LORD has blessed His people; and what is left is this great abundance." -- 2 Chron 31:10

If we are being faithful, especially in giving Him the firstfruits (which is all He asked for), then He will be able to bring more into our lives, because He knows He can trust us. God was doing exactly what He promised in Deuteronomy:

And what is echoed in the NT:

God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. -- 2 Cor 9:7-8

What does all this mean? It means that for me to honor God with my giving is to acknowledge that He is my God, that He is my provision, and that I know full well that all I have and all I receive comes directly through His hands into mine. It means that I realize that I am not an owner, but a steward of all that God has entrusted into my life. It means that I have an appreciation that God has allowed me all things to enjoy, and that He only encourages me to be free and give to His house and His work in a cheerful and obedient way.

... Pastor Clay

I want it - NOW!

2011-07-21T12:43:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had something that you really wanted? And as you pondered that thing, and thought about it, the desire became greater and greater. And so you ask the Lord “Lord, give me _______. (fill in the blank)” Perhaps you had good intentions…

“Lord if you give me this job, I’ll have more money to tithe with.”

“Lord if you’ll let us get this bigger house, we can use it to hold small groups in and minister to more people!”

“Lord if you’ll make her go out with me, I can win her to Jesus and we can serve you together!”

"Lord it’s gonna be awesome!"

But tell me something; in those instances where God granted that wish, when He answered that prayer and gave you what you asked for, how many times did it work out well? I can tell you that many of my requests to God have turned out to be total duds. When I got what I thought I really wanted, it caused me more problems than I had bargained for.

When we got that new job, it demanded so much of our time that it took us away from serving the Lord.

When we got that big house we had to work so hard to keep it we never had time to hold small groups.

When that girl or guy did go out with us, they ended up drawing us away from the Lord instead of us drawing them to God.

See our problem is two-fold:

#1 We cannot see the future

#2 The desires of our flesh are often the driving force behind our motives.

But guess who can see the future? Guess who is not affected by those desires? If you guessed “God”, you guessed right on both accounts! We think we know what’s best for us, what we really need, but in reality we don’t have a clue what’s best for us. And sometimes God will allow us to have what we want, so that we can see for ourselves that His way is always best. In 1^st Samuel chapter 8 we see God giving the nation of Israel exactly what they want, even though it’s not what’s best.

It’s a hard thing to admit that we don’t know what’s best for us, but a wise person will accept the fact that God knows what is best in every situation, and that He always has our best interest at heart.

Join us Sunday as we continue our study of 1^st Samuel, chapter 8

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Turn and LIVE!

2011-07-19T12:38:00.000-04:00

If you are returning to the LORD with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. – 1 Sam 7:3

If there’s ever as a message that’s appropriate for our generation today, it is this: Put away your fake and false gods, and commit yourselves fully to the Lord!

If we want to be free from the things that bind us up, the things that oppress us, then we must make a decision to put away those things and devote ourselves to the Lord. Really, there is no other way! Jesus said “you cannot serve two masters…” and it’s true. If we try and hang on to our sin, even just a little bit, then we’ll never be free. The fact is, when we offer ourselves to sin, we become its slave:

Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? – Rom 6:16

Which is why the power of repentance is so important. Not only does God forgive us, He gives us the power, through His Holy Spirit, to be set free from the power of sin!

You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. – Rom 6:18

The fake and false gods of our time: sensuality, money, power, drink & drug, they will lead us into bondage and affliction… every single time. Who needs it? Put away your gods, turn to the Lord, and LIVE!

...till the whole world hears

Pastor Clay

The Power of Repentance

2011-07-14T07:56:00.001-04:00

This morning Tammy and I are heading up to Duke to have my surgically implanted torture device removed (happiness!). I want to sincerely thank all of you who have been and will be praying for the procedure! It shouldn’t be a big deal: They’ll put me to sleep, take out a few screws, and wake me up. I should be home for dinner (which I am looking forward to after not eating since last night!)

This Sunday we’ll be going into chapter 7 of 1 Samuel. The ark has been returned, but after the event at Beth Shemesh (50,070 died after peeking into the ark), the Israelites are as afraid of God as the Philistines were! So they move the ark to Kirjath Jearim, and according to the scriptures, “all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.” The reality of God, His power, His majesty, His mighty hand, has had a different effect on the Israelites than it did the Philistines. Instead of turning God away, they are turning to God. In essence, the house of Israel is coming to a place of repentance before God.

Repentance is a topic that is often overlooked, a practice that is often disregarded, because it brings us into conflict with one of our deepest weaknesses: Our inability to admit we have done something wrong.

However repentance is one of the most important elements of our spiritual walk. Matter of fact, without it we would have no spiritual walk at all, as repentance is the beginning point of our relationship with God. But it not only is the beginning point, it helps us stay in fellowship with the Lord.

Join us Sunday as we look into the power of repentance.

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God?

2011-07-07T12:14:00.001-04:00

In 1 Sam 5 the Philistines got a taste of the hand of God weighing heavy on the land, and they wanted no more of it. So they made the decision to send the ark back to Israel in hopes that the affliction would end. Away goes the ark, carried on a cart by two milk cows, lowing their way back to Beth Shemesh.

But once the cart arrives in Beth Shemesh, after the initial rejoicing of getting the ark back, the men of that city make a fateful decision to peek inside the ark. Maybe they were curious, maybe the wanted to see if the Philistines had taken anything. Either way, they paid dearly for it: 50,070 men were consumed by the Lord. Wow, that was harsh! The response of the men of that town says it all, “Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God?” Indeed. Deuteronomy 4:24 tells us “For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.”

So should we be afraid of God? Should we be cautious in approaching Him? Perhaps it depends on the condition of our heart, because we read in Psalms:

In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. – Ps 5:3

and…

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. – Ps 5:11

and Hebrews 4 tells us…

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need – Heb 4:16

It seems to me that our God indeed is a consuming fire, and He is worthy our our awe, our reverence, and our worship. He does not take lightly those who would profane His name (Hophni and Phinehas come to mind). But God is also gracious and loving, and He is ready and willing to receive all who come before Him with humble hearts, as James notes:

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. – James 4:10

Join us Sunday, as we continue our study of 1 Samuel 6-7, with “Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God?”.

Pastor Clay

PWNED!

2011-07-01T10:21:00.001-04:00

1 Samuel 4: Epilogue

After the terrible outcome in the battle between Israel and the Philistines chronicled in 1 Samuel 4, it would seem that Israel was done for. They had been defeated on the battlefield, they had lost thirty four thousand men (which doesn’t even count the wounded), the High Priest and his two sons were dead, and worst of all: The holy ark of the Lord had been captured by the Philistines. I can imagine that the people were pretty depressed. The scene in 1 Sam 4:19-22 says it all: “[Ichabod] The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

But in the midst of this terrible situation, something rather incredible is about to happen. You see, when things look terrible, when it looks as though life as we know it is finished, there is one thing we need to always remember: God is not finished! God is always working, always moving, in spite of the circumstances. God is about to reveal Himself: To the Philistines, and to Israel, if they’ll listen.

One of my boys likes to play video games, and he's pretty sick (in other words, he's really good). During a game when he totally dominates an opponent, the appropriate term to describe the victory is "PWNED" (sounds like "owned" but with a "P"). It basically means "to own" or to totally dominate an opponent or situation, as if by some god-like force (E.G. "dude, you've been PWNED!).

So the ark is now in the possession of the Philistines, but it doesn’t turn out quite the way the Philistines expected. The Philistines had brought the ark and placed it into the temple of their main god, Dagon. Sort of a victory thing, as in "our God took out your god!" But once the ark is placed into the temple, let’s just say PWNED is the right word to describe what happens next.

Join us Sunday for 1 Samuel 5-7, “PWNED!”

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

God in a Box

2011-06-23T12:37:00.000-04:00

Often I’ll hear people say “don’t put God in a box”, meaning we should never attempt to limit what God can do in a situation. (and incidentally, can we agree to never use that term again? "Overused" is putting it mildly). But there is another perspective of the metaphor “God in a box,” and that would be to view God as some spiritual resource that can be called upon when needed.

This might look like the person that is going along, doing their thing, perhaps even going through the motions of Christianity, but then when a tough time hits they pull out their “God Box.” Suddenly they’ll start praying, they’ll break out their bible, go to church more often, even giving a little when the offering plate comes around. They might go out and buy that new Christian book that promises “seven steps to freedom,” and sign up to get that new daily devotion delivered via text. Their Facebook wall will be covered with scripture posts. And by doing all of these things, and jumping through all these hoops, they’ll expect God to jump out of the box and make their problem go away.

This is what the ancient Israelites did in 1 Samuel 4: They went out to battle the Philistines, and in the first skirmish they lost four thousand men. Not good. So they had an idea: “Let’s go get the Ark of the Covenant! It’ll give us the edge we need to beat these guys!” Yep, God in a Box. Just point and shoot, and all those pesky Philistines will be blown away.

We might look at this event and think “those guys were idiots”, but really are we so different? How many times have we allowed our spiritual life to slide, and then suddenly when we are faced with a tough situation, we think if we get back into church, start reading our bible again, start praying more, (____ add your favorite hoop to jump through)… that suddenly we’ll have the power of God back in our lives?

Guys, God doesn’t work like that. Yes, being in church, bible study, prayer, worship, giving, all of these things are important to our spiritual health, but God does not move in our lives because of what we do. God moves in our lives because of who He is, and who we are to Him.

God wants to do mighty things in the lives of His people, but the power of His work springs not from our motions of religion or ritual, but from the relationship we have with Him!

Join us Sunday for 1 Samuel 4, “God in a Box.”

Pastor Clay

The Cover up...

2011-06-16T09:37:00.000-04:00

Today I posted a scripture from our One Year Bible reading:

He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends. Prov 17:9

At first glance it would seem that this scripture is encouraging us that if we see someone do something wrong, we're supposed to sweep it under the rug. Hide it. Not talk about it.

Now obviously if WE do something wrong, of course we're going to hide it. Well, maybe we act like we wouldn't hide it, but human nature and 50 years on this planet have shown me that everyone hides their own transgressions. But when we someone else 'transgresses', we'll that's altogether different, isn't it? I mean, aren't we supposed to expose darkness? Eph 5 says it right here:

For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. -- Eph 5:12-13

But there is another thought here - that perhaps the things that are exposed are the things that God exposes, not the things that we decide need to be exposed in the lives of others.

To me the point of this proverb is to be a guide for our relationships with one another, and instead of looking at each others faults, we should always seek to love and bless one another, and to even overlook each others faults.

In other words, if I see a fault in your life, it's better that I not point it out, but let the Lord and you work that out in your life. And the worst thing I can do is to mention it to another person, because now I have tainted that persons perspective of you - FOREVER. Words cannot be taken back. Once they are planted in a persons mind, they remain.

Perhaps that is why Paul encouraged us to love one another, and told us that love "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Cor 13:7).

We would all do well to overlook the faults we see in others, and ask the Lord to help us love one another, in spite of our faults.

Pastor Clay

Upside Down Sunday

2011-06-15T15:30:00.002-04:00

This Sunday is going to be different…upside down!

So what is that all about? Well this Sunday, instead of having a time of worship and then a message, the Lord is leading us in a difference direction. This Sunday is communion, and also we are at 1 Samuel chapter 3, which is all about hearing from God. So this Sunday we will be doing things a little different.

No announcements – no welcome – no meet and greet: We’ll open with a few songs, I am going to talk about hearing from God from 1 Samuel 3, and then we are going to go back to worship, and wait to hear from God. (somewhere in there we’ll take communion!)

Be ready - I expect for God to turn some things upside down.

The Birth of a Prophet

2011-06-02T12:10:00.000-04:00

This week we will be opening our study of Samuel with the account of the birth of the prophet Samuel. Samuel was born into the family of a man named Elkanah who had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Hannah, the wife whom Elkanah loved, was not able to have children. Peninnah, who was apparently the second wife, was what we would call in the south ‘fertile Myrtle!” Peninnah had multiple sons and daughters by Elkanah, and she didn’t hesitate to use that fact to taunt and provoke Hannah. Now on the one hand we can view this as a historical account of an obscure family, but we know that nothing goes into the word of God without an express purpose. If we look closer we can see the spiritual messages that abound in the picture of this family.

Hannah’s barrenness is a perfect picture of the spiritual state of the nation of Israel. The Israelites, the people to whom God had manifested Himself, had fallen into a state of utter spiritual barrenness. The priesthood which God had set up with the tabernacle and the rituals -- the means by which the people would have access to him – had deteriorated to mere ritual, and the son’s of Eli were using the tabernacle to serve their own selfish desires.

Penninah’s fertility is a picture of the pride and arrogance of man: Confident in his own abilities, prideful in his accomplishments, and seeing no need for dependency upon God. This attitude of arrogance is noted in Hannah’s song:

Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord to a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength.

-- 1 Samuel 2:3-4 RSV

That was the problem with Israel. The priesthood was failing, not because there was anything wrong with the priesthood (which was a picture of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ), but because the people refused to bow before the Lord. They refused to come for cleansing and to turn from idolatrous worship. As a result, the priesthood had ceased to be an effective means of mediation between the people and God.

And so once again, God moves in the midst of a great need in the lives of His people. A need that they may not have even been aware of, but a great need nonetheless.

So as we open our study we will be examining this eternal conflict between the proud heart, which finds confidence in itself and its ability to do things, and the humble spirit which looks to God in utter dependence, receiving all the fullness of divine blessing.

Join us Sunday, as we open our study of 1 Samuel.

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

1 & 2 Samuel - The Rise of the Kings

2011-05-26T16:17:00.000-04:00

This Sunday we will be opening up a new study at Calvary Chapel of Wilmington: 1 & 2 Samuel. These two books (which were originally one work) chronicle the transition of the nation of Israel from a theocracy, or a nation led by God, to a monarchy, being led by a king. You see, after Israel had taken possession of the Promised Land, the nation went through a period of approximately two hundred years where they were led by “judges.” Israel would do well for a while, serving and worshipping the true God. But then they would start falling away, or as the bible says, “…did evil in the sight of the Lord.” The Lord would discipline them by causing the pagan nations that surrounded them to rise up and oppress them. Then Israel would call out to God for help, God would raise up a judge to deliver them, and the cycle would repeat itself all over again.

By about 1100 B.C., the people came to the conclusion that they wanted to be like the nations around them, and have a king of their own. I’m sure it seemed like a good idea at the time. The nation was at a low point spiritually, and even the priesthood was corrupt. With a king they could have a strong leader to look up to, and to lead them into battle. They could have the glory of royalty, and they would have someone to blame if things went wrong. So the people came to the prophet Samuel to demand a king. God answered their request, and gave them Israel’s first king; Saul.

And so 1 & 2 Samuel gives us the account of the ministry of the prophet Samuel, the rise and fall of Israel’s first King, Saul, and the account of Saul’s successor, King David.

Of the many things we will learn from this study, one thing that will stand out is that the people of ancient Israel were just like we are today. They had their strengths, their weaknesses, and sometimes they completely blew it! We will learn about leadership. We will learn about trusting God. We will learn about the importance of obedience. We will see the consequences of compromise played out in the lives of men and women.

But through it all we will see that God remains sovereign, and His plan for Israel and for mankind will be accomplished, even if through imperfect men and women.

Join us Sunday, for the introduction to 1 Samuel.

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Israel and US Support - waning by the day

2011-05-20T12:58:00.001-04:00

Yesterday President Obama gave his much-anticipate Middle East speech. Among the many things he touched on, one of particular interest to bible students was the comments that he made regarding the “Peace Process” with the Palestinians.

Specifically the President stated that Israel would have to “return to the pre-1967 borders” in order to facilitate the peace process as outlined by the US and UN. This statement has both political and spiritual ramifications, the first of which I will address will be the spiritual aspect:

For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. -- Joel 3:1-2

The Key to understanding the scriptures in Joel 3:1-2 is to actually read what it says.

It will be a judgment of God on the nations that have done certain things to Israel.
It will be in the last days when God comes to bring the final deliverance to Israel and the city of Jerusalem.
It will be a judgment on those that have scattered Israel into the nations.
It will be a judgment upon those that have parted or divided the land of Israel.

In other words, God does not look kindly to those who would come against Israel, or attempt to divide the land. In effect, that is exactly what Israel is being told to do: Give up land for peace. The problem with this directive is that the entity that they are being asked to broker this ‘peace agreement’ with is in fact not interested in peace at all, but in the complete destruction of Israel. It’s no secret, it’s written into the charter that formed Hamas.

Just look at what the Hamas Prime Minister said as recently as this week:

“Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh spoke to Muslim worshipers on Sunday morning, telling them to pray for an end to Israel,” reports the Jerusalem Post. “‘Palestinians mark the Nakba with great hope of bringing to an end the Zionist project in Palestine,’ Haniyeh told 10,000 people at Gaza City’s al-Omari mosque, AP reported. ‘To achieve our goals in the liberation of our occupied land, we should have one leadership,’ he reportedly said, praising the recent unity accord between Hamas and Fatah. Haniyeh added that Hamas would not recognize Israel.”

We find an interesting note in Daniel concerning Israel and the end times:

Daniel 11:39: Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

I am not saying that Obama is the anti-Christ, but I believe we are seeing and alignment between the US government, the UN, and what will become the government of the anti-Christ, who will in fact divide Israel.

From a political perspective, if you look closely at what President Obama said in his speech, you will find the following points of commission and omission:

He said Israel has to concede its right to defensible borders as a precondition for negotiations;
>>> In other words, Israel will not be allowed to defend herself.
He didn't say he opposes the Palestinian demand for open immigration of millions of foreign Arabs into Israel;
>>> In other words, Israel will be forced to allow millions of Israel-hating Arabs to come into Israel unhindered.
He again ignored Bush's 2004 letter to Sharon opposing a return to the 1949 armistice lines, supporting the large settlements, defensible borders and opposing mass Arab immigration into Israel;
>>> In other words, Israel will be split in two by the peace accord.
He said he was leaving Jerusalem out but actually brought it in by calling for an Israeli retreat to the 1949 lines;
>>> In other words, all of Jerusalem would be part of the Palestinian state.
He called for Israel to be cut in two when he called for the Palestinians state to be contiguous;
He called for Israel to withdraw from the Jordan Valley - without which it is powerless against invasion - by saying that the Palestinian State will have an international border with Jordan.

These are indeed dark times for Israel, as our President has essentially given the signal to Israel that they can no longer count on our support. Our President is making a strategic shift in US foreign relations policy in the Middle East from that of support for Israel, our one and only democratic and free ally, to that of giving our support to the Arab nations that are sworn enemies of Israel, freedom, Christianity, and the US.

President Obama’s statement that the US will "support the governments that will be elected later this year" in Egypt and Tunisia is also of great concern. We currently do not know what type of government will emerge from these Arab uprisings, especially given the involvement of the Muslim Brotherhood. To commit support for a government that has not yet been formed means that our President is naïve and foolhardy, or he has already made commitments to these future governments that we do not know about.

Either way, there is great cause for concern for the future of the US, both spiritually and politically. Pray for our country, God knows we need it.

Judgment Day?

2011-05-20T11:09:00.000-04:00

There has been a lot of talk recently concerning “Judgment Day” coming on Saturday, May 21, when the rapture will supposedly occur and the world will be destroyed. These rumors and stories have all originated from the teaching of a Mr. Harold Camping.

Mr. Camping is a Christian broadcaster and president of Colorado-based Family Radio (not the Wilmington Family Radio). Mr. Camping is a long-time student of the bible, and seems to have a particular interest in attempting to decipher dates from the bible to uncover when the Day of the Lord will occur. Mr. Camping seems to have settled on May 21, 2011 as the “Day of the Lord.”

This is not the first time that Camping has predicted Judgment day. Back in the 90’s, Camping predicted that the world would end in September of 1994. When the Lord did not return on that date, Camping adjusted his prophecy (a sure sign that he is NOT a true prophet) to say that 1994 marked the “end of the church age” and that the world is now in the last days, with May 21, 2011 being the true day of judgment.

While attempting to figure out the date of Jesus return may be an interesting exercise, it is in fact a pointless exercise. When Jesus disciples asked Him about His return, Jesus told them:

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

-- Matt 24:36

In other words, God the Father knows the day and hour that Jesus will return, but no one else knows, including Jesus and the angels. While Jesus did not pinpoint the date of His return, He did tell us about the signs that would lead up to His return:

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for allthese things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. – Matt 24:4-14

In other words, Jesus wanted us to be able to see the times and the signs to be able to understand the day in which we live. But Jesus NEVER called us to try and pinpoint that date. Matter of fact He was quite clear: NO ONE knows the day and hour except God the Father.

I do believe that as Christians we are called watch for the return of Christ, and we are to live our lives as if He could return at any moment. The apostle Paul encouraged the church at Thessolonica:

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. – 1 Thess 4:13-18

So all this talk about Saturday being "Judgment Day" is nothing but speculation, and pointless in my opinion. So don't fear, and don't run up your credit card! Live for today, love God, love people, serve the Living God, and await His return.

For more info, you can listen to my teaching series from the book of Revelation, you can start at chapter 19 which deals with the return of the Lord.

http://www.calvaryofwilmington.org/TLW/Revelation/revelation.html

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Love - beyond the church walls

2011-05-18T01:18:00.000-04:00

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. – Acts 2:42

As I write this I am sitting in a hotel somewhere in Arkansas, catching some rest before Chelsea and I hit the road again tomorrow. I was able to catch a little of the Sunday service on our LiveStream webcast, but it wasn’t the same as being there! I so look forward to being back in Wilmington and seeing you all on Sunday.

As you know we finished up our study of Hebrews, and have told you that our next study will be in 1 Samuel, looking at the lives of Saul, David, and Solomon. But before we begin God has put a message on my heart that I plan on sharing with you Sunday. The message that the Lord has given me has to do with fellowship.

Jesus told us:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” – Matt 13:34-35

Don’t misunderstand my intentions; I believe that our church is a very loving church! But I get the sense from Jesus that for us to “love one another” requires more than being nice and greeting one another at church.

Join us Sunday as we look at love beyond the walls of the church.

Pastor Clay

Holy Grounds in the News!

2011-05-12T12:55:00.000-04:00

Did you catch the WECT news feature of Holy Ground on Wed? On Wednesday morning during our staff meeting, WECT reporter Casey Roman came into Holy Grounds and wanted to see what God was doing here! She had heard about our Coffee Shop/Food Pantry from the guys over at 88.5 The Edge (shout out to Scott and Earl!), and came to see for herself. Well, herself and all the WECT viewers!

Now sometimes I get a little on edge when the news wants to do a story on what God is doing. The news station may have an agenda, or they may not capture the heart of what God is doing. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the piece; Casey and the WECT crew did a great job of capturing the heart of Holy Grounds.

But not only do I thank the WECT crew; the one I really want to thank is THE LORD! You see, I believe God orchestrated that feature so that more people could hear and see what He is doing in and through us here at Calvary Chapel of Wilmington. When we are willing to reach out and bless others, sharing the love of Christ and meeting the needs of people, God will expand our borders!

Tammy’s quote captures it completely: "Every time they come in and bring a can of food or buy a cup of coffee they are making a difference in someone's life," said Tammy. "Although it may be small, it's real and it's happening here."

This week I will be flying to Costa Mesa to attend Chelsea’s graduation from the CC School of Worship, then driving back to NC with her (road trip!). Pastor Ron Dozler from CC Myrtle Beach will be teaching this week, and I know that you will give him a warm and friend CCW welcome!

Keepin it Real...

2011-05-05T19:53:00.000-04:00

We have been in Hebrews for seven months now – from Sept of 2010 until this Sunday when we will finish Hebrews (yep, finally!). All through this incredible book we have sailed the heights of theological imagery, learning how the events and circumstances of this physical world bring us into direct connection with the spiritual realities of the heavenly realm. Deep stuff man!

But now we come to the end, and the writer suddenly drops into a section where we are presented with simple and practical encouragements regarding our daily Christian life. Yes the lofty spiritual things are important, but there comes a time when we need to practice the practical aspects of our Christian walk, one day at a time. And it’s all here: relationships, hospitality, the oppressed, marriage, contentment. How to live the Christian life. Just keeping it real!

Oh, and this Sunday is communion. So come to church with hearts ready to worship the Lord, take the Lord’s supper, and be strengthened in the Lord!

...till the whole world hears

Pastor Clay

On the death of OBL...

2011-05-02T12:23:00.000-04:00

Today will be one of those days. The entire country will be glued to the news channel, or news websites, blogs, twitter feeds, Facebook – we will be getting every nuance and angle of the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death in Pakistan. I bet productivity today will drop by 50%!

And certainly it has been a long awaited day. In the entire history of our country, I don’t think any other single person has caused us more pain, aroused greater emotion, or consumed more of our military and intelligence resources than Osama Bin Laden.

OBL’s death has sparked a litany of thoughts, feelings, and emotion. Millions are celebrating. Vindication seems to be the prevailing feeling. People are proud of our military, who have performed bravely. Those who lost loved ones have a sense of closure.

The death of OBL has also raised questions among Christians. How should we feel about this? Is it OK to celebrate a man’s death? Proverbs 11 provides some perspective:

"When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting."

- Proverbs 11:10

This scripture simply acknowledges the reality that when a evil person dies, people rejoice. People are relieved that OBL can no longer hurt them. People feel a sense of justice. So it should not be considered “wrong” that there is some elation over OBL’s death.

How does God feel about all of this? Certainly no one can claim to precisely know God’s position on OBL, but there are a few biblical accounts that can help us understand.

First I think of the account of Jezebel, one of the most wicked queens that had ever existed among God’s people. She murdered the prophets of God, murdered innocent men for personal gain, and led the nation to worship a false god. God spoke through the prophet Elijah regarding Jezabel:

“And concerning Jezebel the LORD also spoke, saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’

– 1 Kings 21:23.

In the account of Jezebel, recorded in 1 Kings, we see God intervening in the situation using Elijah, Jehu, and a few eunuchs that were standing near Jezebel at an opportune time, and they tossed her out a window.

But there is a flip side, in that while God may intervene to remove a wicked person, that does not mean He takes pleasure in their death. In Ezekiel we read:

Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live? – Ez 18:23

In other words, God loves all people, and His greatest desire for an evil person is that they would repent and turn away from their evil ways, worship the true God, and live! Even people like OBL. Just think of what could have been had OBL repented, and renounced violent jihad.

Our God is a consuming fire...

2011-04-29T10:59:00.000-04:00

Fire is an interesting process. I call it a process because it is not a ‘thing’, per se. It is a chemical reaction – oxidation to be precise. The flames that we see are the glowing of the hot gases that are being released during the rapid oxidation of the fuel in the chemical process of combustion.

Fire is useful in that is can produce energy, heat, can cook food, illuminate a dark night, and scare away hungry animals! But fire also has a destructive side – it consumes the material that is its fuel. That might be the wick of a candle, a pile of logs, or a huge forest. Houses, even entire cities can be consumed by it. When dealing with a fire, our opinions of how fire should react are moot; fire must be dealt with based on the reality of the natural laws of combustion.

Fire also plays a prominent role in the bible. In Genesis it was a tool of God’s judgment against the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Exodus it was the medium though which God spoke to Moses in the burning bush. Fire was a guiding light as a column of fire guided the Israelites in the desert. Fire was a part of the sacrificial ritual, consuming the burnt offering as it was placed on the altar.

In the New Testament, Paul noted that each person’s work will be tested by fire, and what passes through will be what we are rewarded on. Peter tells us that at the end of this age the heavens and the earth will be dissolved with fire, making way for a new heaven and a new earth. Finally in Revelation, we are told that there exists a lake of fire, and it is reserved for Satan and those who follow Him in rebellion against the Lord, followed by the sober statement “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

And in Hebrews 12, we find this statement: “For our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:29). On initial reading, that statement might have the affect of us keeping our distance. Who wants to be burned and consumed by fire? Yet the statement is made in the context of a letter that encourages to “draw near to God” (Heb 7:19 & 10:22). It is made in the context of a section of scripture that is encouraging us “come to Mt Zion, to the city of the living God” (Heb 12:22). We are encouraged to hear His voice, the voice of the one who shakes the earth when He speaks. I believe the point is this: Since God is in fact a consuming fire, we must come to Him on His terms. We cannot approach Him on our terms. God is God, we are not, and He sets the terms, and the only terms by which we can approach God is the unmerited approval that we have in Jesus. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6). All who come to the Father through Jesus Christ are free to approach the throne boldly. All who are outside of that sphere will be consumed.

Perhaps some fear facing God, but we are promised:

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel – Heb 12:22-24

Join us Sunday, as we finish up Hebrews 12 - "Our God is a Consuming Fire."

Pastor Clay

A Fun Week

2011-04-23T11:14:00.000-04:00

As most of you know this past week I had another surgery on my leg to straighten out the prior surgery, which had ended with my right foot pointed 25 degree’s due east. A fun week indeed! I now have this Iron-man looking gizmo attached to my lower leg that will slowly turn my foot back to the correct orientation. The wonders of modern technology!

But even as wonderful as our medical technology is, one thing is true; my leg will never be the same as it was. Unfortunately we all have the same problem, as the effects of time and entropy is causing all of our bodies to slowly degrade, until one day our body will stop working altogether and they will box us up and put us in the ground.

And that point brings me to our celebration of Easter (strange, I know). Think about it, what do we celebrate at Easter? We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! In the year 32 AD Jesus experienced something that millions before Him, and millions after Him experienced: Death. But what makes Easter unique, what made Jesus unique, is the fact that death was not the end for Jesus. Jesus experienced death, but then Jesus rose from the grave! We could say Easter was pretty special for Jesus. But Easter is special for us too, because Jesus resurrection was a PROMISE to mankind that what He experienced, we can also experience! Jesus went to the cross willingly because He knew what was on the other side of it, and we can take comfort in that. We can celebrate Easter because we know that we too will be raised from the dead, just as Jesus was:

And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. – Rom 8:23

Join us tomorrow at Calvary Chapel for our Easter Celebration, at 9 & 11 am, followed buy a cookout and family fun day!

…till the whole world hears.

Pastor Clay

Rising above the Fray

2011-04-15T11:16:00.000-04:00

Last week we talked about how when the trials and tribulations of life come, the one place we can look is to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!

But did you ever stop to consider that the difficulties of life actually serve a purpose? Most of us instinctively avoid trials. I mean, who wants problems? But in reality, it is the difficulties that come into our life that shape and mold us. It is the trials in life that strengthen us. And make no mistake, God is aware that a life of ease and tranquility will never develop the life of faith that we will need to walk where God has called us to walk. When Jeremiah complained that the life of ministry was too tough, the Lord encouraged him:

“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan? – Jer 12:5

Trials can also be a powerful tool in the hands of a loving God to put us back on course when we stray. They are a form a discipline.

Trials also are a testimony to the world. No one is impressed if the person that has a perfect life loves God. “Of course they love God” they say, “look how God has blessed them.” But if we can sing words of praise while we are walking through a tough situation, that says something. (I think of Job when said “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” Job 13:15).

Guys, every situation that comes into our lives has been sifted through the hands of our loving Heavenly Father.

Join us Sunday as we dive into Hebrews 12, as we continue the race to faith.

Pastor Clay

We can be Heroes

2011-04-01T12:02:00.000-04:00

I remember as a kid I used to imagine being a super-hero. The thought of being able to fly, lift heavy objects, having bullets bounce off my chest… how cool would that be! But once I got older, reality set in, and I came to terms with the fact that I was, well, just normal.

But as we have been walking through Hebrews 11, my crazy kid imagination has been reborn! My passion for greatness has need reignited! For if what we are reading is in fact true, as bearers of the faith of Christ, we have the ability to be transformed into the supernatural! Indeed, we can be heroes. Heroes of faith!

You see in Hebrews chapter 11 the writer goes through a list of the hero’s of the faith in such a way as to encourage us that they same faith that empowered them also empowers us! The same God that led them also leads us! God has not changed. Faith has not changed.

So the bigger question is – what is holding us back? What is weighing us down? I think the writer is presenting us with a challenge. Look at your race, identify your weakness, throw it off, and get in the race. The crowd is waiting, the other runners are lined up, the official has the gun in the air, ready to fire. Are you ready?

Join us Sunday for Heroes of the Faith.

…till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The Affliction of Faith

2011-03-24T15:36:00.000-04:00

In Hebrews 11:23 we are presented with Moses. A baby born to an obscure Jewish family who were toiling away as worker-slaves for the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose I, building the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses. At that time the Israelites were not only working hard, they were procreating rapidly! Pharaoh looked at the birthrate and knew that at some point in the future, the Israelites would outnumber the Egyptians, and they would be able to revolt and overthrow the dynasty. So Pharaoh had a solution; Every male born of the Israelites was to be tossed into the Nile and drowned. Problem solved! But something happened with Moses. His parents, at great risk to themselves, hid Moses away from Pharaohs guards.

Apparently Moses parents knew that there was something special about Moses, and so they hid him away, and they devised a plan to where he would be placed into the Nile right where the daughter of Pharaoh took her daily bath. And through a series of incredible events, Moses was adopted by the Pharaohs daughter, and raised up as royalty. Brought up with all of the royalty of the palace, all of the riches of the royal family, put through the best schools of art and sciences, trained in the most advanced military tactics – Moses had the world at his fingertips.

But then, in one fateful day, Moses came to the defense of an Israelite being beaten by his Egyptian slave-master, and ended up killing the man. In one moment, with one decision, Moses threw it all away. Or did he?

You see, in this short but concise review of Moses life, here in Hebrews 11, the writer uses a curious phrase to describe Moses choices. He uses the phrase “by faith.” If I were writing this passage, I would have used a different phrase. “Dumb move” comes to mind. “Insane choice” would also work. From a strictly human perspective, we would say that Moses threw away a life of luxury to help a man that he had never met.

But then there’s that phrase… “by faith.” That phrase tells us that something else was at work here. It tells us that Moses was not really inspired by righteous anger or a sense of standing up for the helpless. Moses was inspired by the thing we have been talking about for weeks: Faith! But perhaps a different shade of faith.

We have been talking about faith from the perspective of obedience, as with Able and Noah. We have been talking about faith from the perspective of believing God for the impossible, such as Sarah, or walking into the unknown, as with Abraham. But in the case of Moses we see faith from a different angle: Faith is walking into the known, realizing that it will not be pretty. Here, faith is shown as making a choice that we know full well will propel us into a situation that will be difficult, perhaps even deadly. Why would someone knowingly make such a choice?

Join us Sunday as we explore the affliction of faith.

Pastor Clay

Ministry to Japan

2011-03-18T19:36:00.000-04:00

Dear CCW,

Some have contacted us asking how they can minister to the people in Japan affected by the earthquake and tsunami. I have some updated information…

First – PRAY! Pray for comfort for the people, for those who have lost or are missing loved ones. Pray for the relief efforts, and especially that God’s love would be evident to the people of Japan, 70% of whom say they have no personal faith.

Second – There are relief efforts being coordinated through Calvary Chapel affiliates. Calvary Chapel La Habra is the main church that has developed outreaches and planted churches in Japan, and they have already begin organizing relief efforts through Committed Relief, which began in 1995 to minister to the people affected by the 1995 Kobe earthquake.

You can learn more about how to get involved by visiting their website:

www.committedrelief.org

Pastor Clay

Washingtons Prayer

2011-03-16T10:14:00.000-04:00

I ran across this today in the opening pages of the Army and Navy Song and Service Book for Ship and Field, published in 1942. It is an open letter, written by George Washington, to the governors of all the states, upon the disbanding of the revolutionary army in 1783. The ending is Washington's prayer for the nation, that he desired to be read in the presence of each state legislators.

===================

I have thus freely declared what I wished to make known, before I surrendered up my public trust to those who committed it to me. The task is now accomplished. I now bid adieu to your Excellency, as the chief magistrate of your State, at the same time I bid a last farewell to the cares of office and all the employments of public life.

It remains, then, to be my final and only request that your Excellency will communicate these sentiments to your legislature at their next meeting, and that they may be considered the legacy of one, who has ardently wished, on all occasions, to be useful to his country, and who, even in the shade of retirement, will not fail to implore the divine benediction on it.

Almighty God, we make it our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy Protection, that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to the government, and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large.

And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind, which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy nation.

Grant our supplications, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(Written at Newburg, and sent to the Governors of all the States on the Disbanding of the Army, June 14, 1783)

The same old lie...

2011-03-10T09:57:00.000-05:00

Today I heard one of the most disturbing things I have heard in a long time. A well-known political activist was speaking to a group of college students at a college in Colorado Springs, and he made some very disturbing statements to that group of students:

He stated that there had been a time in the past that people needed to respect their parents, but that time had passed.
He stated that this young generation is intellectually superior to their parents.
That told the students that they were “walking superpowers” thanks to their smart phones and macbooks, etc.
He told that that they are essentially “like gods”

I don’t think I can remember a more blatant attack on the role of parents, and elders in general. I use this example not to personally rail against this person (although I do believe his rhetoric to be inherently dangerous), but to show you that this is the world system we are up against. We are swimming in closed world system that has been infected by a humanistic and godless perversion that grows stronger over time. These lies and perversion of truth has infiltrated our schools and so-called “institutions of higher learning”. These institutions are indoctrinating our young generation with lies such as:

Having two dads or two moms is perfectly normal and acceptable.
That believing in creation is the same as believing the earth is flat.
That it is good and normal for kids to experiment sexually with one another, and these institutions will provide instruction and birth-control to enable thie behavior, outside of the counsel of the parents.
That kids really don’t need to listen to their parents, that they should be able to make their own decisions about their bodies and their lives.

Certainly we can work in the social and political systems to resist these trends, and as concerned citizens we should fully carry out our civic duty relating to these matters.

But I believe that the more important point is this: That we cannot allow this world system to shape our children. We must be persistent and determined to train up our children in the truth of the Word of God so that they are not influenced by the lies our enemy, Satan.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
– Rom 12:2

Our children are a gift from God, and it is our responsibility, our DUTY as parents, to teach them the truth about God, about life, about humanity – so that they are not sucked into the Satan-inspired humanistic vortex of this age.

What struck me about this particular screed was the almost perfect match with the admonitions of God’s word:

Lie #1 - There was a time in the past that people needed to respect their parents, but that time had passed.

Admonition:
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you – Ex 20:12
Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord – Col 3:20

Lie #2 - This young generation is intellectually superior to their parents.

Admonition:

Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the LORD is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed -- 1 Sam 2:3

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. – James 4:10

Lie #3 - Young people are “walking superpowers”, they are essentially “like gods”

Admonition:
I am the LORD, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. – Is 42:8
For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another. – Is 48:11

This talk made me think of when Satan came to Eve in the garden, using a serpent as the instrument to deliver his seed of deception:

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. – Gen 3:4-6

Look at the parallel; it’s the same lie. Essentially Satan told Eve that the information she had been given by her heavenly Father was wrong. He told her that she didn’t really need God anymore, that she was fully capable of making her own decisions, that she could take control of her own destiny. The hook that Satan used to seal the deal with Eve was that He told her “you will be like God”.

Parents beware, Satan will use people as mouthpieces to delivery his clever lies, and that is exactly what is happening in these last days. Be diligent. Be purposeful. Be strong.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. – 2 Tim 4:3-4

Pastor Clay

The Reality of Faith

2011-03-04T11:09:00.000-05:00

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. – Heb 11:1-2

I think in many ways faith is misunderstood in the Christian culture we live in today. Some see it as some invisible force through which we can make things happen (if you have faith, you’ll be healed!). Others see it as a noun to describe religion, “The Christian Faith.” Some see it as “believing something to be true” which comes closer to the real meaning, but still lacks the complete picture.

The thing is, faith seems to be very important to God, for the bible tell us in Hebrews 11:6 “…without faith it is impossible to please Him.” So if as Christians we want to please God, it is incumbent on us to attempt to fully understand not only what faith is, but how it should be exemplified in our lives, what it should look like.

As we being this next section of Hebrews, we are going to be confronted with the reality of faith. We will see examples of faith. We will have men and women held up before us as heroes of the faith. God doesn’t want to keep us in the dark, but wants us to be able to wrap our arms around this simple yet elusive term. One of the first things we are going to see is that faith changes us. It is an action word.

A.W. Tozier wrote:

“Plain horse sense ought to tell us that anything that makes no change in the man who professes it makes no difference to God either, and it is an easily observable fact that for countless numbers of persons the change from no-faith to faith makes no actual difference in the life.”

In other words, if faith is at work in a persons life, there will be a visible, unmistakable change in the nature, character, and actions of that person. A comment in my Nelson study bible sums it up quite nicely:

“Those who do not have faith cannot see past the physical world around them. They are limited by their temporal circumstances and are blind to what God is doing. But those who open their spiritual eyes can see the spiritual realities which transcend this world.”

Join us Sunday, as we begin our journey of learning about faith!

Pastor Clay

Introduction to Faith

2011-02-24T13:28:00.000-05:00

Check it out, we’re almost there! Almost where, you say? We’re almost to that grand section in the bible that heralds the great hero’s of the faith! Great men and women such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, David, Samuel. Men and women who…

“…through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again.

(Heb 11:33-35)

But before we tackle these accounts, there is a matter that must be settled: “If it was by faith in Christ through which I was saved, why do I need to keep having faith? Is it really important in my daily Christian walk?”

It is important, because without holding fast in faith we could never subdue kingdoms, work righteousness, obtain promises, stop the mouths of lions, quench the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword, out of weakness be made strong, become valiant in battle, and turn to flight the armies of the aliens!

See guys, getting saved was the beginning of our journey, not the end! We entered into a new identity, a new relationship, a new standing, and a new reality – but that does not mean that our road will be easy. As a matter of fact, our journey will likely be harder. Jesus told us in John 16:33 “In the world you will have tribulation.”

We live in a world that is in direct opposition to God, and the ruler of this world (the devil) will use everything at his disposal in an effort to shut us down, to try and cause us to turn around and run back to our old lives. That is exactly where faith comes in! When the trials and tribulation of life come, and they will come, that is when we will need to draw on the resource of faith to keep on living for Christ. That is exactly why the writer of Hebrews encourages us over and over to press forward, to not turn back!

One glance at the news and we can see that turmoil is increasing everywhere. Our country is experiencing a financial crisis, which is leading us into a political crisis. Protests are mounting in many states as governments start cutting budgets. The Mid-east is in flames – upheaval is happening in country after country. No one knows what group will emerge as the new power in those countries, which incidentally provide a significant amount of the energy our economy depends on.

But it is in these times when the words of the writer of Hebrews jump forth from the page…

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

(Heb 10:23-25)

The bible tells us - the world will not get better, but will get worse. Jesus said in Matthew 24:

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. (Matt 24:6-7)

Jesus is coming! But until then we have a purpose and a calling, to reach the world for Christ. It won't be easy, but Jesus promised He would be with us to the end, and that He would empower us through the Holy Spirit, and we will live by faith.

Join us Sunday as we delve into the introduction of faith.

Pastor Clay

Time to Live...

2011-02-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

I don’t know if you have noticed, but we have spent a considerable amount of time in our study of Hebrews looking at the superiority of Jesus Christ. He is superior to the law, superior to the patriarchs, superior to the tabernacle, and superior to the Levitical priesthood.

Add to that the promise of the New Covenant that was given to Abraham (through your seed all nations will be blessed), and how we are assured “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.” The promise of the New Covenant, spoken of by the prophet Jeremiah, “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,” that was fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.

All of these points were brought home in the last two messages that focused on how Jesus is our superior sacrifice, made in a more perfect tabernacle, offering His blood on the mercy seat in the heavenly tabernacle. The New Covenant in Jesus blood is not only a game-changer, it’s a world-changer! Brought into reality through Jesus’ more perfect sacrifice, we have been given a new inheritance, a new reality for our lives:

A new heart - “I will put My laws into their hearts”
A new identity - “I will be their God, and they shall be My people”
A new relationship - “for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them”
A new standing before God - “their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more”

And then in chapter 10, verse 19, we come to the word “therefore.” The positioning of this word, to me, gives the sense of launching pad. In other words, now that we have been given these promises, these assurances, this new realty…. WHAT NOW? GO AND LIVE!!!

Hebrews 10:19 is a turning point, where our attention will be shifted from who Jesus Christ is, and what we have been given, to now propel us forward - how we are to live. Receiving a new reality isn’t meaningful if it doesn’t change how we live our lives. Now that we know who we are, and what we have been given, let us move on into living our lives in accordance with our new reality!

Join us Sunday, as we are encouraged to go forward - its time to Live!

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb 10:19-25)

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Family Study Update

2011-02-12T21:36:00.000-05:00

For those attending the Wed Night Family Study
-------------------------
Hi all – so I have already gotten some feedback about chapter 2 being REALLY long (yes, we men need it!), and some concern that we may have trouble getting through it all in one week. So I suggest that we cover 1/2 of the chapter. If you work through “Conditional Love” and stop at page 21, we’ll pick up at “Sacrificial Love” for NEXT WEEK.

This will push out the study by one week. I’m thinking we may need to do the same with chapter 3.

So this week we will work and discuss up through page 21 – stop at “Sacrificial Love”.

For those still waiting for books – something got messed up with the order and the books did not come in. BUMMER! We will have copies of chapter 1 for you, so swing by the INFO desk tomorrow and pick up the copies. The books should be here, Lord willing, this week.

See you all Wed night!

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay