Can You Feel It?

Can you feel it? There is an excitement in the church. I’m not sure how to describe it, but I sense that God I moving in a powerful way. I sense in the people that I have met with over the past few weeks. I sense it in the worship service. I sense it in the new people that I see coming in each week. I sense it in a new surge of purpose and focus.

I sensed it last night when we were finishing up our study of Judges chapters 6-8, in the account of Gideon. How God loves to take people – sometimes people of little faith, people that are the “least of their clan”, and use them in a mighty way!

Gideon was a guy that, well, had little faith and was a bit timid! He was amazed that God would use him. He kept asking for more signs and confirmations. But God used him anyway!

Gideon was willing to go and tear down the family altars (Judg 6:25). Are there altars in our lives that need to come down? Gideon was faithful in the small things, and he started right at his own house. Gideon stepped out in faith – in small ways. Then, God used him in a mighty way!

I believe that God wants to use Calvary Chapel of Wilmington in a mighty way, and that we are just scratching the surface of what He is going to do. All that’s required of us is that we take that next step of faith towards His purpose and His calling!

Don’t forget to plan on coming to the beach with us this Sunday for our Baptism. Come a little early and hang out!


...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay
calvaryofwilmington.blogspot.com

Being a Deborah

Greetings Saints in the Lord!

Last night we looked a really interesting account of Deborah, the only female judge to serve in Israel (girl power – yea!). One of the interesting dynamics was between Deborah and Barak. God had called Barak to gather the armies of Israel and go to war with Jabin, who was oppressing Isreal. Barak basically said “I’ll go, but only if you (Deborah) will go with me.” Deborah didn’t lead the army, or fight in the battle, but her presence and her words gave confidence and strength to Barak to complete the task. He could not have done it without her. It can be that way in our own lives, in that sometimes we need a “Deborah” to be there for us. We are stuck in bondage or oppression, we know that God has called us out, and that He will deliver us. But we need someone to speak strength and encouragement to us along the way.

That is what the Christian life is supposed to be – each of us encouraging one another, praying for one another, speaking strength into each others lives.

Think about someone you know that may be going through a hard time. Why don’t you call them up, or email them, and speak some words of strength and encouragement to them? It may help them to win the victory!

Look forward to seeing you all on Sunday, as we examine Matthew 5, “The Temptation of Christ.”

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Nothing Like a Cool Room

Greetings Saints in the Lord!

I pray that this weeks edition of the Calvary Connection finds you blessed and encouraged in the Lord!

I have some good news this week – we have air-conditioning at the church again! Praise the Lord! Our new units were installed this week, and they are running fine, so we’ll be nice and cool this Sunday, no matter what the temperature is outside! (also, we have a chain-link fence going up to protect our new units!) Thank you all for your patience during this time.

Next, I was blessed to see some donations last week for the Youth Building construction project. Zech and I spent some time this week looking over the space and getting things rolling again. From the looks of the children’s classes on Sunday mornings, we REALLY need the space! Once the space is finished, we’ll move the youth over to their “own space” and free up some classrooms for the younger kids. Please continue to pray and to give towards the project.

Lastly, I have been seeing a lot of new faces at the church. Would you all help us welcome these new folks? If you see someone you don’t know, go up to them and introduce yourself. Make them feel wanted and loved - everyone wants to be wanted, especially when they come to a new place.

I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday, as we dig deeper into the Gospel of Matthew.

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Want to know whats happening @ CCW? Go to our web calendar! Be sure and bookmark it!

R U Wise?

Today we had a really cool service, being July 4th weekend, we had some good tie-in with "Freedom", even rolling in several songs in that theme, including "I Am Free", one of me personal favorite U2 type worship songs! To wrap up the worship segment, I spoke about the biblical foundation of our country's government, and then my daughter Chelsea sang the Star Spangled Banner. She totally rocked. People cried. It was awesome!

In the service we looked at Matthew 2 where the "wise men" seek out Jesus, and worship Him. There is a really interesting comparison with the three characters in the situation: Herod, the scribes, and the wise men.

In Herod, we find a man who came against Jesus in a pretty big way, even killing all the male children in the Bethlehem area in an effort to snuff out the Savior. The comparison is the person who is against anything that has to do with God or Jesus - the "antagonist."

Then there were the scribes and Pharisee's. These guys should have known who Jesus was, but they just didn't care. Like the person who "knows about God", or even "believes in God", but is not really interested in a relationship with Jesus - this person is ambivalent towards the Lord.

Then there were the wise men. These guys were not even Jewish. They could n't even worship at the temple, yet the read the scriptures, and they believed! They put their belief into action, making a 500 mile road trip to go and see the Lord Jesus! And when they found Him, they "fell down and worshiped Him!"

These guys understood something - that there is a God, and He sent His Son Jesus Christ to this world to die - for me and you - so that we might live with Him forever. Have you made Him your King?

If you missed the message, click here for the audio.

Freedom Day

This week finds us heading into July 4^th weekend. Independence Day, the day we celebrate our freedom. But what are we free from?? Our Founding Fathers would tell us plainly:

• Free from tyranny
• Free from taxation without representation
• Free from unreasonable search and seizure
• Free from cruel or unusual punshment

What freedoms do we enjoy?

• Freedom of religion
• Freedom of speech
• Freedom of assembly
• Freedom to keep and bear arms
• Freedom of due process, a trial by jury, to face our accuser, etc.

(taken from Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and The Bill of Rights)

Gallant men gave their lives for this cause, fought and died for this cause, all so that today we can enjoy the life that we live in the greatest country in the world. As we enjoy this weekend (maybe at home because we cant afford to drive!), lets remember the price that was paid for our freedoms.

But there is a greater freedom still that God has endowed upon man, the freedom that is found in Jesus Christ

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:32-35

As Christians, we have a two-fold reason to celebrate, first the freedoms we enjoy as US citizens, but greater still the eternal freedom we have in Christ.

In Christ, we are:

• Free from bondage (Luke 4:18)
• Free from sin and death (Rom 8:2)
• Free from condemnation (Rom 8:1)
• Free from accusation (Col 1:22)
• Free from the power of sin (Rom 6:7)

And we are truly free – Free to love, free to worship, free to commune with the Lord, free to approach the throne of grace boldy!

May you all have a blessed July 4^th!

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay