Spiritual Surgery

We went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment. (Ps 66:12)

As Christians we can sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that because we are Christians, and God loves us, that our life is supposed to be good, all the time. I mean, God is good, all the time, right?  Our lives ought to be one big bless-fest, and if anything comes into our live that is bad, or hard, then somewhere along the line we must have done something wrong.  Somehow we’ve failed God, and now He’s punishing us.  Funny that it never occurs to us that sometimes God allows difficult things into our life because he loves us.  Hard as it may seem to grasp, it’s true. 

The truth is, our Heavenly Father uses everything that comes into our live for a purpose, as Romans 8:28 teaches us “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” It doesn't say “good things work together,” it says “all things work together.”  

A difficulty in life can serve many purposes, for instance when we do something dumb, the ensuing repercussion is instrumental in teaching us a valuable lesson (I’ll never do that again!).

Another reason God allows a trial into our life to perform what I call “spiritual surgery.” Spiritual surgery is an event where God is either adding something to us that we are in desperate need of (I can think of many things He has had to add to me!), or removing something from us that is going to hinder us going forward.  Whatever the case, it’s never pleasant.

This Sunday we’ll be finishing up 1 Samuel 23, and watching as God performs spiritual surgery on David.  What is it God is removing from David?  You’ll just have to come and hear. 

Oh and also, we’ll be taking communion together.  Personally, I can’t wait!  (by the way, if you’re reading this and aren’t able to attend, you can get our messages each week by clicking here).

Pastor Clay

Surviving the Keilalites in your life

In 1 Samuel 23 David and his four-hundred men travel to a small town named Keilah to rescue its inhabitants from a marauding band of Philistines.  The Philistines were coming in at the end of the harvest season and raiding the food stocks of the town. Not really a big deal, I’m sure they could cruise over to Costco and get more grain.  Wait, they didn't have Costco’s back then.  Matter of fact, they was no safety net in that culture.  If you didn’t have food stored up for the winter, you didn't eat.  There was no Holy Grounds Food Pantry to sustain them through the winter. Losing their food stocks meant starvation. So for David and his men to come in and drive out the Philistines was a pretty big deal; they literally saved the lives of the people of that town.

But a funny thing happened after they drove out the Philistines.  God told David that the men of that town were going to turn on David, and hand him over to Saul. Perhaps “funny” isn’t the right word. “Sellout” might be a better description of these people.  “Ungrateful” fits too.  You have to ask, how could a town that had just experienced salvation through David and his men turn around and hand David over to crazy king Saul?

We may never know the answer to that question, as we really don't know what was in the hearts and minds of these folks.  But there is one thing that we can take away from this:  Sometimes the people that you sacrifice the most for, are the very ones that will toss you under the bus when it suits them.  The people that we love the most can sometimes become our “Keilalites.”

Perhaps you have experienced something like this.  A friend comes to you in a desperate situation.  You pray for them, counsel, talk to them on the phone, meet with them, and through your sacrifice you help them overcome the Philistines in their life. But once they’re over the hump, not only do you not hear from them anymore, you get word that that person has spoken badly and criticized you behind your back. What! Of all the nerve!  How could they do such a thing? That person that you poured yourself out for has become your Keilalite.  How do we respond to the Keilalites in our life?

Join us Sunday at 9:30 & 11:30, for the continuation of our series “The Rise of the Kings: Surviving the Keilalites in your life.”

GO! Share Your New Life

Suppose  one day at work your boss came up to you and said to you “go.”  "Go?" "Yes, go."  If you boss told you to go, you would need some clarity, some specificity.  Go where?  Go when? Go why?  Good questions, because how can you go unless you know where you’re going, when you’re going, and why you’re going?  If you boss said “go,” there would be additional, and important, information that you would need in order to commence the mission that your boss was sending you on.

In Matthew chapter 28, after Jesus rose from the grave, He met with His disciples in Galilee one last time, and He gave them a mission.  In verse nineteen Jesus told the disciples “Go.” But Jesus didn't stop there. He gave them the additional, and important information that they needed to commence the mission.

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt 28:19-20)

This Sunday we’ll be looking closely at this mission that Jesus gave to the disciples, because in truth, Jesus didn't just give that mission to the eleven disciples.  Jesus gave that mission to all disciples. If you are a disciple, otherwise known as a “Christian,” then Jesus was also speaking to you!  From that moment forward, every follower of Jesus Christ has a mission, directly from the Lord Jesus Christ, to GO.

Join us this Sunday, at 9:30 & 11:30 (new times), as we conclude our “Dawn of New Life” series: Chapter 4 – GO!  Share your new life.

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The Birth of New Life

The past two Sundays we have been examining Jesus Christ, looking to scripture to understand who He really is.  So far we have looked at the PROMISE that we have in Christ, the promise of eternal life.  We have looked at His Kingship, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who entered Jerusalem in 32 AD and presented Himself to the Jewish nation as the promised Messiah. Yet God’s people didn’t see it, didn’t get it, and didn't receive Him.  Five days after Jesus entered the city, the Jewish leaders, with support from the people, and under the authority of the Roman government, sentenced Jesus to the most severe punishment that was available:  Scourging, and crucifixion. We read the account in Matthew 27:

And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:

“They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.”

Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
(Matt 27:31-37)

This Sunday is Easter, the day that Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. 

Now, had Jesus been just another man, just another prophet, just a great teacher, this would have been the end of His story.

In Matthew 21, when Jesus had come into the city, the people wondered: “who is He?”  To me, the events that transpired after the crucifixion answer that question:  Jesus is the Son of God.  He is the promised Messiah.  He is the Anointed One.  He is the King of Kings.  He is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Folks, we serve a LIVING GOD – not a dead prophet.  He rose from the grave, He is alive, and He brings life to all that will accept Him.  If Jesus didn't rise from the grave, we as Christians are the most misled and pitiful people on earth.  But because He rose from the grave, we are the most joyful, hopeful, and powerful people on earth.  At least we should be.

Join us Sunday, as we look at part II of our Dawn of Life series, “The Birth of New Life.”

Pastor Clay