Straying Sheep

What do we think when we see another Christian stray?  When someone we know goes off a cliff, heads off into the wilderness, into the darkness of the wilderness?  Perhaps we are sad.  Maybe mad.  Some might have a sense of righteous indignation.  Some might even feel a bit self-righteous. 

But more important is this:  How does God see the straying Christian?  What is God’s heart towards that person? Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:12:

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?  Matt 18:12

So, God ‘seeks after’ that sheep – perhaps with a whip? With judgment?  Perhaps so when He finds that sheep He can set them straight? Or maybe…

And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray

Wow – God rejoices when He finds that sheep.  In other words, He is so happy to bring one of His sheep back from the dark wilderness, and back into His fold.

Join us Sunday, as we explore God’s heart towards the straying sheep.

 

Till the whole world hears... 

Pastor Clay

Leading Astray

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Matt 18:6

 

Remember when we were kids, sometimes our moms took a particular dislike to a certain friend.  Perhaps they thought that friend would be a bad influence on us, they might “lead us astray.”  Funny how moms are, because sometimes years later, we can see where that person ended up, and we are so glad we are not there with them.

 

As keen as mom’s discernment might have been, God’s is even greater. For that reason we should be sensitive to the Spirit of the Lord if He gives us discernment about hanging with a certain crowd.  Sin loves company, and if we hang with the sinning crowd, we will be lead astray.  And guess what, Jesus is very protective of His “little ones”, insomuch as if someone leads one of His little ones astray in their walk with the Lord, that person will give an account of that before the Lord!

 

Join us Sunday for Part II of our series “The Model Citizen.”

 

(miss last week?  CLICK HERE to go to the Audio Sermon page)

 

Till the whole world hears...

 

Pastor Clay

 

Spiritual Headship

But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 
1 Cor 11:3

In 1 Corinthians Paul lays our a spiritual principle:  God is head over Jesus, Jesus is head over man, and man is head over woman.  OK, we all understand hierarchy – we have a boss, or we are the boss…  but often our view is tainted. We think of our boss as someone to avoid, or someone we try an make ourselves look good to. We think of ourselves as the boss from a perspective of “what I get to do,” or “what’s in it for me.”

In reality – the position, from God’s perspective, is so much more. From God’s perspective, the “head” is one who should look out for the those that he oversees.  Make sure they are taken care of – make sure they are trained - make sure that they are successful.  It is the only way that an organization will be truly successful.

Why do I say all this?  Because as men, I want you to see your role as the spiritual head as so much more than a title or something you pull out in an argument with your wife! As the spiritual head, you need to understand how God has defined your role, what authority you have, and what responsibilities come with the title.

Interested in knowing more?  Join us for Men’s Breakfast on Saturday morning, prayer at 7, breakfast starts at 8 am!

CLICK HERE to register

 

Till the whole world hears... 

Pastor Clay

 

Trusting God with the little things

When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?" He said, "Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?" Peter said to Him, "From strangers. Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.  Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."  

Matt 17:24-27  NKJV

Have you ever felt that some things were not big enough to bring to God?  Maybe your tax bill came, or a car payment is due, and you think to yourself:  “this is not a spiritual matter, I don’t need to bother God with this.”  But this small event, tucked away in the gospel of Matthew, reveals to us that God does care about the little things. He cares about our tax bill, the car payment, getting our lawnmower fixed… just as much as in some of the bigger problems that we have.  Why?  Think about it:  There are many people who will come to your aid when you have a big crisis, but ask them for a small favor and they may say “I don’t have time.”  But if someone takes the time to help you in a small matter, it reveals that they really care about you – ALL THE TIME, not just when you are in a big crisis. 

I believe God cares about us ALL THE TIME!

 

Till the whole world hears...

Pastor Clay

Mustard Seed Faith

“…for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”  Matt 17:20

Many times we hear that someone’s prayer wasn’t answered because that person “didn’t have enough faith.”  So then we have to ask ourselves, ‘how much faith is enough?”  Or we wonder how we can grow our faith, so that we can “have enough faith.”  We think that perhaps some people just naturally have great faith, and other people just ended up in the shallow end of the faith pool.

But Jesus tells us “if you have faith as a mustard seed”…  God will do great things. If that is true, then what is mustard seed faith?  And… how do I get it?

Perhaps Jesus is trying to get us to see that the important thing is not the initial size of the seed, but what it can do when it is planted, watered, and grows. 

Join us Sunday as we explore another teaching moment with Jesus.

 

Till the whole world hears...

 Pastor Clay

Wait for it

Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."  Matt 16:28  NKJV

 

There is an interesting phenomenon that happened in the years after Jesus ascended to Heaven.  His disciples seemed to be certain that He would return at some point in their lifetime and usher in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Accordingly, they lived their lives with the hope of the imminent return of Jesus Christ.  They gave all they had, sacrificed, most of them going to their death, with the hope of Christ before them. They believed what Jesus had told them:

 

In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.    And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.  John 14:2-3  NKJV

But, He did not return. Each of them lived, and died.  

So, what happened?  Did Jesus mislead his disciples?  Has He forgotten about us?  Is He too busy?  Thankfully not!  No, Jesus promised to return, and return He will, in the Fathers timing:

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  Mark 13:32-34  NKJV

And the disciples certainly did not miss out on anything:  When they died, they went into the presence of the Lord!

But due to the strange and uncertain times we are in, the question continues to arise, “Are we in the last days?”  The answer is – YES…but!  Yes we are in the Last Days, as the “Last Days” began with the ascension of Jesus into Heaven.  But, there are many things that God has for mankind, up through the centuries, including now, that will bring the timing of His arrival to perfect fruition.  God’s timing is always perfect.  Things are happening rapidly in our country and our world.  Things that indicate to me that change is indeed coming; and it may not be the change people expect. Global governance is coming, and it only confirms the prophecies given about the world system that will arise.

But we need not fret or worry.  Our place is not to worry, but to live our lives just like the disciples did – as if Jesus might return any day.  Each day we are given is another opportunity to live out our faith, to touch another person with the love of God, to live for Christ.

 

Till the whole world hears...

 Pastor Clay

 

The Way of the Cross

What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?

Matt 16:26

 

 

Did you know that the average man will spend 100,000 hours of his life working?  100,000 hours – that is a LONG TIME! What do you get for that 100,000 hours?  Perhaps you build up some savings, put together some investments, acquire some real estate, earn a pension.

Some people are able to do exceedingly well in the course of a lifetime, building up huge amounts of wealth. Yet one thing is for sure:  We came into this world with nothing, and we will leave the same way.

So, what’s the point?  Why should we work so hard, when at the end we are no better than the guy who sat around and watched grass grow?

When Jesus made the statement “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”, I don’t believe He was advising us to sit around and watch grass grow.  He was leading into another incredible point of awareness, which is this:  This world we live in is only temporary. But there is another reality, an eternal reality, and what we do in this life has a direct bearing on our place in that eternal reality. 

You can work your entire life and build up great riches and wealth, but in the end if you are not connected to the eternal reality of God, it will mean nothing!

So, “great” you say, “how do I get connected to this eternal reality?”  There is one way, and one way only.  But this way is not popular.  This way is not easy.  This way will not be readily accepted by the world we live in.  What is that way?  It is the way of the cross, where Jesus died for us, and where we must take up that cross, and follow him.

Join us Sunday morning, as we explore The Way of the Cross.

 

Till the whole world hears...

 

Pastor Clay

 

CCW Beach Baptism!

Calvary Chapel of Wilmington Beach Baptism
Wrightsville Beach, NC June 29, 2009




*video and editing by Matt Meehan

Let Freedom Ring

Hey everyone, I am sitting here on a Thursday morning, recovering from a late night at the youth concert last night. What an awesome night it was, there must have been 200 kids, 4 bands, and those kids had CHURCH! I was very cool. I just sat back in the sound booth and watched God work in a very – let us say – loud way!

While I watched the kids worship God in their own unique way, God spoke something to my heart. He showed me a comparison: In our church we worship with a music style that resonates with the adults of our church (hence their attendance!). It is somewhat like the music we grew up with, and it ministers to us. It is a style that we can freely worship to. For us, the organ / choir / hymn style just doesn’t resonate with us in the same way.

Well guess what – our worship style is like the organ / choir / hymnal style to today’s kids. It just doesn’t quite resonate with them the way it does for us. What resonates with these kids is something totally different. It might seem a little radical to us, but I am sure that some people think that our worship is a bit much. We were free to develop our own worship style, and so should our youth.

That is what “Freedom in Christ” is about. Being free to love God, love others, and be loved, in a way that can be totally unique. God is not looking for all Christians to be the same – He created each and every one of us unique and beautiful in our own way. Nothing in the bible tells us to be uniform.

What the bible does tell us is that our primary calling is to #1 Love God with all of our heart, and #2 to love others. The bible calls on us to have unity in the church – not uniformity. We are to be unified in our love for God, our love for others. We are to be unified in our pursuit of a relationship with God. We are to be unified in spreading the message of God’s love to others.

That is the beautiful tapestry that is the church – a bunch of really different people, embracing one another, and joining forces with the Living God to reach out to a hurting and dying world. That, my brothers and sisters, it true freedom!

"Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:34-36


Till the whole world hears...

Pastor Clay

Are we a Christian nation?

A while back our president traveled to Turkey, and proclaimed in a speech that "we are not a Christian nation." Really? Listen to Congressman Forbes response. You won't see this on CNN.

Keys to the Kingdom

How many keys are on your key ring?  Two?  Three?  Are you one of those folks who has dozens of keys?  They say that the more keys you have, the more important you must be!  I think that the number of keys you have isn’t as important as… what they go to!   My son collects keys, and he has dozens of them.  Most of them don’t go to anything!

 

But he does have one key that is more important than all the other keys in his possession; He has a key to our house.  That is an important key, because it gives him access to the place where we live.  It’s where he calls “home.”

 

In Matthew 16, Jesus tells Peter “and I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven…”  What are the keys to the kingdom?  Who has them now?  Where can we find them?

 

Join us Sunday as we explore what Jesus calls “the keys of the kingdom.”

 

 

Till the whole world hears...

 

Pastor Clay

 

Its a Heart Thing

 

"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.  And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'"   Matt 15:8-9  NKJV

 

One of the saddest things that can happen in the church is when a group of people have a lot of “religiosity” consisting of works, traditions, declarations, and worship activities; but their hearts are far from God.  How sad it must be for God to watch people ‘play church’, and yet not be in love with Jesus!

 

The church in Ephesus had that problem:  They had works, labor, patience, and righteous living.  But they lacked one thing – the most important thing:  A love for Christ.  They had lost their first love!  Jesus told them “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, (Rev 2:5).

 

Yes we want to have a well balanced life:  Worship, reading the Word, prayer, good works, evangelism – all of these things are important.  But the first thing trumps them all:

 

Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'   This is the first and great commandment.

Matt 22:37-38  NKJV

 

 

...till the whole world hears,

 

Pastor Clay

calvaryofwilmington.blogspot.com

 

Storms in Life

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled...  Matt 14:23-26

 

The other day my boys and I were out riding our motorcycles.  It was a beautiful, sunny day.  Then suddenly, dark clouds rolled over and the wind picked up.  Then the drizzle started, then the downpour.  Lightening struck within a few hundred yards.  After the worst of the storm died down we packed up (getting soaked and muddy in the process!), and headed back into town. Unbelievably, within a few miles the sun was out and the ground was a dry as a bone! It seemed as though the one spot we were in had stormed, and no other!

 

Sometimes life deals us a storm.  Everyone around me can be fine, biking, going to the beach, but I am in the middle of a deluge!  Some believe that once we come into fellowship with God, our lives become “smooth sailing.”  We should never have problems, but this is not true.  God will often allow storms into our lives, sometimes even sending us into the storm.  In the middle of these storms, we might wonder “where is God?   ...why has He allowed me to ride right into this storm?” Storms will always be a factor in our lives.  The question is “to whom will I turn to in the midst of the storm?”

 

The answer is hinted at in Isaiah 43:

 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. Isa 43:2

 

God promises us that no matter what life serves up; storms, floods, fire, that HE will be with us through it!

 

 

...till the whole world hears,

 

Pastor Clay

calvaryofwilmington.blogspot.com

 

I Want

The phrase “I want ____ (fill in the blank) is possibly one of the most often used phrases in our culture.  People seem to have a void that demands to be filled, and they spend tremendous amounts of time and energy trying to fill that void. The problem is that people will often try and fill the void with empty substitutes.  It’s akin to trying to satisfy your hunger with a Twinkie. You get a quick sugar fix, but the hunger is still there.

 

In Matthew 14, Jesus feeds a crowd of 5000 with a few fishes and loaves of bread. But the message is much more than meeting the physical need of the crown.  The event is a sermon in action:  A mass of hungry people, with nothing in sight to fill them.  But there is one, the Bread of Life, who has bread that will satisfy even the deepest spiritual craving.  Our world is spiritually starving, and spiritual Twinkie’s simply wont do.  We have the Bread of Live, ready and available to a hungry world.  Will you help serve it?

 

Join us Sunday as we explore the feeding of the five thousand.

 

 

...till the whole world hears,

 

Pastor Clay

 

Mothers - God's gift to mankind

What is it about mom's? What makes them special? Think about it for a moment:

• They are given a desire to carry children - a vessel of human continuity (true story, my wife didnt even like children, until we were married for about a year. Suddenly she wanted four. That's right - four.)
• They willingly take on carrying a parasite - a large parasite - for nine months. It makes them as big as a house.
• They go through 1-2 days of the worst pain known to man - like passing a watermelon. Then, inexplicably, they DO IT AGAIN - perhaps several times. Apparently God gives them some sort of amnesia, and they forget what they went through (if I carried the child, it would only happen ONCE).
• After birthing this child, going through the worst pain imaginable, having their beautiful bodies changed in ways that may never be recovered - they then spend the next 20+ years serving every need of their child. Feeding - changing - bathing - teaching - over and over - every day - a constant nurturing and meeting of endless needs. It makes me tired just thinking about it.
• For the rest of their lives a mother will think about, care for, and pray for that child.
  

What could posses a human to take on such a role? What would cause a person to make such sacrifices? I believe that God has programed into the very DNA of a female this purpose. He has given mothers a unique gift -the ability to love with agape love. Love that is one way, not expecting anything in return. Love that esteems the child above her own wants and needs. Even in our mixed up, immoral world, everyone knows that mothers love their children.

I think that today we should thank God for giving the world the gift of motherhood, because without it our world would be a cold and uncaring place.

And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
Gen 3:20 NKJV

Pastor Clay

A Mothers Love

Mother's Love
Her love is like
an island in life's ocean,
vast and wide
A peaceful, quiet shelter
From the wind, the rain, the tide.
'Tis bound on the north by Hope,
By Patience on the West,
By tender Counsel on the South
And on the East by Rest.
Above it like a beacon light
Shine Faith, and Truth, and Prayer;
And thro' the changing scenes of life
I find a haven there.

Author Unknown

This coming Sunday is Mothers Day, a day to express our love and appreciation to our moms! We'll have a special recognition for all mothers at CCW, join us as Pastor Mel brings the message!

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay
calvaryofwilmington.blogspot.com

 

Tying Gods Hands

Have you ever wondered why God is not more active in your life?  You hear accounts of how God did this awesome work in someone else’s life, how He moved mountains.  But when it comes to YOUR life He seems strangely inactive. Perhaps God has forgotten you, or He doesn’t think you’re that important compared to others.

Or perhaps the problem is not with God at all.  I know this is a radical thought, but perhaps the problem in with your belief. In Matthew chapter 13 we run across an interesting scenario.  Jesus goes back to His hometown of Nazareth, and when He is there, not many miracles happen:

Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Matt 13:58  NKJV

This little statement of thirteen words holds a powerful message:  We can hinder Gods power from working in our lives through our refusal to believe. We can tie God’s hands through our unbelief. 

It would be like me writing you a check for $500, putting it in your hand, and telling you “go cash this, be blessed!”  “Wow” you think, “I could really use $500!  But… what if it bounces, wouldn’t I get a charge?  What if Clay is just joking with me?  Maybe he is just testing me to see if I’ll cash it.  Maybe He’ll give me a bigger check if I don’t cash this one…”  On and on we agonize over the check – and the whole time it sits in your desk drawer, and after a while you forget about it.  You never receive the blessing.  (And my checkbook never balances!)

The point is this:  Don’t agonize over why God works, or how He works, or why He would want to work in your life.  Simply believe, trust Him, and receive what He has for you today! 

Join us Sunday as we look at unbelief!

 

...till the whole world hears, 

Pastor Clay

 

The Treasure

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Matt 13:44 

 

Have you ever noticed that one of the greatest needs that a person has is to be valued?  To be needed, even treasured, by someone?  Some people will go to almost any length to prove that they are valuable.  And the sad fact is, that need is almost never fully met.  No matter how much we feel valued by that others; at some point we’re always let down.

 

So, why would we be designed with this ‘need’ that seems to go unfilled?  It almost seems cruel.  But in reality, its not cruel – it’s destiny.  I believe God placed that great need to be valued into our very soul to draw us to the only source where that need can be met – to Him!  Saint, you need to know this:  God loves you!   Actually God treasures you, and He was willing to give all that He had in order to obtain you!  That, my friend, is true value.

 

Join us Sunday as we look at how God treasures you, how He considers you a “Pearl of great price!”

 

Pastor Clay

From Sunday

This is from the message on Sunday, for some reason I felt led to post it!
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Matt 13:1 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' 28 He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' 29 But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."

33 Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."
37 He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
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Some interpret parable of the mustard seed as meaning the “kingdom will grow mysteriously very big, and shelter people.” But I have two problems with this…

1. There has never in history been a mustard plant that grows into a tree. That would be abnormal, a monstrosity.
2. Whenever birds are noted, they speak of evil.

A better interpretation and one that fits better with the context of Jesus topic would that Jesus is warning about the Kingdom – I.E. the church, becoming big – organized – and becoming a monstrosity. In many ways the institutionalized church has become like the monstrous mustard plant, and the evil birds have roosted in its branches.

As for the parable of the leaven, your bible commentary might say that this is a picture of the “kingdom of God spreading all through the world…” The problem I have with this explanation is that in the bible, leaven is always associated with sin.

And check it out - three measures is the exact amount of meal customarily used in a grain offering to God, and leaven has absolutely no place in a grain offering.
This looks to me like a picture of a warning that sin cannot be hidden in the kingdom – because like leaven it will spread and corrupt the entire lump.

Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. 1 Cor 5:6-7

Summation - There have been so many wrongs done in the name of the church, and so many strange doctrines and practices, that some people hesitate to even admit that they belong to a church. It has gotten to the point where if someone says “I am a Christian”, that statement in and of itself doesn’t hold a firm meaning, because there are so many “brands” of Christianity. You have to dig deeper, identify a creed: “exactly what do you believe?”

That’s why many churches have a “Statement of Faith”, so that people can know what they believe. Things like: We believe Jesus is the Son of God, and the He rose on the third day, that the bible IS the inerrant word of God, etc, etc. Things that should be common understanding for a New Testament church.

When you think about it, it is ludicrous that we would even have to have such a document. It shows just how apostate the church has become.

In essence, I believe that in the parable of the tares, Jesus is:

… talking about the danger of institutionalizing His Church
… talking about the danger of having hidden sin – agendas, personal gain, corruption in His Church
… talking about people that seem to be in the Kingdom (the church), but are not really His people
… telling us that there is an adversary that comes against the Kingdom of God – that adversary is Satan.

He is telling us that our enemy will try and destroy the church from within.

But it also tells us this: We don’t have to worry or get upset about it. We don’t have to try and “root out the tares”. See the parable explains that trying to root out the tares before the harvest will damage the wheat. It tells us that going on witch-hunts and trying to identify the ‘posers’ and remove them will only hurt the church.
No – the separation of the wheat and the tares – the true church from the imposters – will be done by the angels at the end of this age.
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Matt 25:31-43
"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

41 "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'
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The bible also tells me to “not judge”:

"Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

The bible also tells me that we are to love one another:

By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35

In other words – it means that I am to love God, fulfill my personal purpose, and not worry too much about the tares – God will sort them out!

But… the parable also tells me that there will come a time where God will separate the wheat from the tares, the sheep from the goats. What will be the determining factor? How many good deeds? How many sins? How many times you went to church, or prayed, or gave money?

No – NONE of those things will determine whether someone goes into the kingdom – it is not a ‘weighing of good or bad”, but a separation of those who are God’s from those who are not. The determining factor will be “are you a wheat, or a tare?”

In other words – what is your identity? Are you of Gods children? Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ, accepted Him as the Messiah, made Him YOUR King? If you have, then Jesus’ sacrifice at the cross has become your sacrifice – His death has become your death – and His righteousness has become your righteousness.
---------------------------------------------
"There is none righteous, no, not one; Rom 3:10

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Rom 3:23


8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." Rom 10:8-13

Separating the Wheat from the Tares

Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  Matt 13:43

 

It’s that time of the year.  It’s time to prepare for battle, to arm ourselves, to get tough, to go to war.  Our opponent is tenacious; he spreads like wildfire, and is difficult to eradicate.  My plan is to prosecute a war with extreme prejudice.  But once I have achieved victory, and killed all of those weeds in my yard, I’ll have a beautiful green yard, all summer long!

 

The fact is, there are certain things that need to be weeded out or separated.

 

    * Buy a pineapple;  you cut out the core and the skin. 

    * When some food in your refrigerator gets that ‘fuzzy’ look, you toss it out.

 

We separate good from bad, the useful from useless, the working from broken.  The issue many people have is that they don’t want to accept the fact that one day God is going to separate the righteous from the lawless.  “How could a loving God send anyone to hell” they ask.  My response would be “how could He not?”  Do we really want the evil and lawlessness of this world following us into the Kingdom of God?  It would make heaven no better than earth, only we would be living forever in a corrupted place.

 

God’s plan is just the opposite:  He wants a reality for His people that will be uncorrupted.  A existence of beauty, love, and harmony.  A place where we, as God’s people, will shine forth as the sun.

 

In His Service,

 

Pastor Clay

 

What’s in a Parable?

Storytelling has existed since the beginning of time. People have used stories to pass on ancestry, traditions, and significant historical events. Story’s have been used to communicate thoughts, ideas, and moral and social codes. In ancient times stories were carved, scratched, painted, printed, or inked onto wood or bamboo, ivory, bones, pottery, clay tablets, skins (parchment), bark cloth; basically any material available. Stories have been written on paper, illustrated on canvass, and in modern times recorded on audio and video medium, and stored electronically in digital form.

Jesus often used a type of story called a parable. The word "parable" comes from the Greek word parabolē, which describes a fictive illustration in the form of a brief narrative, by which spiritual and moral matters might be conveyed.

The Parable of the Sower is a great example. Jesus used the parable to paint a word picture in our mind of a man sowing seeds in his field, throwing them all around. The seeds fall into different areas, land on different soil, and each soil type produces a different result for the planted seeds. In telling this parable, Jesus communicates a powerful message about God, about His word, about our lives, and about our ministry to others.

Join us Sunday as we look at begin our study of several parables Jesus used to communicate the principles of God’s Kingdom to us!

Moving Along

Man things are moving along with the youth building! Last week Zech and Jake finished the floors (thanks Jake - Immaculate Flooring!), and the concrete stain looks REALLY COOL! Today Dan and Robin came in and hung all the lighting, black track lighting with really cool heads - another sweet touch! And I started putting up the trim. The red mahogany looks really nice.

We are working hard for an April open. I really really really will put up some pics this week.

Clay

Cleaning Heart

"When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
Matt 12:43-45

In this statement, Jesus hits us with something that we all tend to do: Cleaning up the outside.

How many times have you heard someone say “Man, I’ve got to clean up my act?” And then they’ll commit to stopping some habit, or they’ll decide to start doing a good deed. But when you check in with them a few months later, things are worse than ever!

What happened? That person focused on changing the outer person, without first changing the inner person. They took a broom, went through the house, swept everything clean, stood back and thought “great, everything looks clean!” But let me tell you, as the father of two young boys, one sweep does not clean the house! Ten minutes later the ‘twin-tornados’ come back through, and it looks like a bomb went off!

Jesus is telling us that we cannot just “clean house,” we have to “clean heart!” And there is only one way to a clean heart. It’s not a program, or a new regimen, or a new outlook: It is the person of Jesus Christ, who came not to “reform” but to “regenerate!”

PC

Just Awesome!

Wow - that's all I can say. Sunday was just - wow. God is doing a great work in our midst. People are being broken before the Lord, coming to repentance, the worship service was just anointed. I love God, and I love God's people.

PC

The Unpardonable Sin

Have you ever thought that something you did was so bad that God could never forgive you? Have you every wondered if you had done so many wrong things in your life, that they could never be righted?

If so, I have good news for you - God's grace and forgiveness is all-encompassing, and all-including! There is no sin against God, or His Son Jesus, or another person, that cannot be forgiven! When Jesus was on the cross, He said "It is finished", and He meant it!

But there is one sin that cannot be forgiven, the unpardonable sin, and that is the "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit." This particular sin confuses many people, and some wonder if they have somehow committed it, and thus condemned themselves to an eternity of damnation.

What is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? Join us Sunday, and together we'll explore this teaching of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Clay


In His Service,

Pastor Clay

Dont Rock the Boat!

For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." Matt 12:8

Ever know someone who always "rocks the boat?" There are some people who are always stirring things up!

We tend to have a negative opinion about that person, but there are times when it can be a good thing to rock the boat, to stir things up. A person that stirs things up in a positive way can also be noted as "an agent of change." When we are able to impart change to something that has gotten stale, something that has gotten 'off-track", then we are implementing "positive change."

That is exactly what Jesus was doing as His ministry progressed. Under the Pharisees, worship had become stale, routine, and legalistic. Jesus came and brought new life, new wine into old wineskins, if you will. But the Pharisees were not happy at all about this change.

Chapter 12 begins a new period in Jesus ministry, when the Pharisees began to actively oppose and plot against Him. And the first point of opposition was the Sabbath.

Join us Sunday as we explore the Sabbath, and the Lord of the Sabbath!

Pastor Clay

The Lead Sled

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matt 11:29-30

Ever feel like your pulling a lead sled? Through two-feet deep muck? In the dead of winter? I could go on, but you get where I am going!

There are times in our lives that we are ‘doing-doing-doing’, but nothing seems to get done. Times when we are ‘going-going-going’, but we just can’t seem to get anywhere.

Question: During those times, do you ever stop and ask yourself “why am I doing this?” Then, examine the answer. Why are you involved in this activity, or doing that project? Is it because you feel like you are ‘supposed to’, or someone ‘expects you to’, or even worse, you have no idea why you are doing it?

Then ask yourself this question: “Is this something that God wants me to do?” Here’s why: I have found that Jesus’ yoke is, you guessed it, easy. His burden is, right again, light. In other words, when God puts you on something, it’s not a drag. It’s not going to weigh you down. His plan for you is tailored specifically just for you – a perfect fit! That’s not to say there won’t be some effort required, and some diligence, but you wont find yourself behind the lead sled, in two feet of muck, in the dead of winter.

“But”, you might say, “what is my yoke?” Well, that is the cool thing, we get to seek Him for guidance, trust Him for direction, and allow Him to set our feet on this right path!

Blessings from Raleigh (where I am helping my mom with a few things this week), and I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday!


...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Trying to fit in

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.'The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' But wisdom is justified by her children." Matt 11:18-19

Sometimes it seems like you just cant win. No matter what you do, someone is there to point out how wrong you are.

For example, some people criticized John the Baptist. He dressed funny, he ate bugs, he was always talking about repenting. He just didn't fit in.

Jesus, on the other hand, did fit in - too well. He hung out with sinners, forgave a prostitute, He just spent too much time with the wrong people.

I suppose there are two lessons here:

1 - Be careful before you judge. Some people are different, but how do you think God see's them? Does God think they are weird? I beleive God see's past our weirdness, and He loves us for who we are!

2 - Be careful trying to please people. When you know what God wants you to do, DO IT! Don't worry about what people say. You will never please everyone, but there is one that you should always seek to please - God!

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Gal 1:10

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

God's Reward System

"He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." Matt 10:40-42 NKJV

Do you ever worry that you will miss out on something?

Maybe you tried playing the lottery, and you didn't win anything. Perhaps you invested in some real estate, and now you are underwater. Maybe you feel you boss doesn't appreciate your efforts, and you may never make the salary you feel you deserve.

This life has it's ups and downs. We can have seasons where we are receiving, being blessed, and all is good! There are other times when we feel undervalued, unappreciated, and unrecognized!

Jesus is encouraging us to look beyond the rewards of this world, and instead focus on the rewards of His Kingdom!

Join us Sunday as we explore God's Reward System!

In His Service,

Pastor Clay

Real Life

Greetings Calvary Community!

Another week is closing out on us, a week that has been full of events! Most notably, we are watching the largest spending bill ever to be signed into law (for my particular take on this, visit my personal blog, clayritter.blogspot.com, which is completely personal and in no way connected to Calvary Chapel {disclaimer!}).

We live in a world where there is conflict between Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, but most of all between living for God, and living for self.

Jesus is clear - if we live for Him we will be in conflict with the world. The question we have to come to terms with is "Do I seek to please God, or myself?" For the most part, the people in our world seek to live for themselves. Jesus tells us to do the exact opposite, and by doing so we will in fact find that which we long for the most: A fulfilled life.

Join us Sunday morning for an in-depth look at Jesus teaching: He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.


In His Service,

Pastor Clay

Ambassadors

Dear saints, this Sunday we’ll be looking at part two of our “Ambassador” series, Matthew chapter 10. Last week we saw how Jesus picked twelve men who were not special in any way, other than the fact that they were ‘empowered’ by Jesus for the work He called them to. I hope that you were able to see yourself somewhere in the mix of those twelve men. We don’t have to be specially educated, or particularly gifted, in order for God to use us in a mighty way! We only need to have a heart that says “I will follow you Lord,” and a willingness to seek Him for the power to minister. Each one of us can be effective Ambassadors for Christ if we’ll seek Him for the empowerment!

Looking forward to Sunday!

Pastor Clay

Sent Out

This Sunday we’ll move into a new time in Jesus ministry, He sends out the twelve to preach the gospel. It must have been an exciting time for the disciples. Having been personally taught by Christ, He now empowers them and sends them out to put into action the things He had taught them. As well, they were probably a little unsure of themselves. How would it go? Would people receive them? Would they be able to handle the situations?

In a similar way, it’s an exciting time for our church. Our society is in a time of trial and stress. People are searching for answers, and nervous about their future. And we, the disciples of Christ, have been entrusted and empowered to go out into this environment to preach the good news of the gospel! We bring a message of hope, of peace, and of promise! Like the disciples, we might feel a little unsure of ourselves. But like the disciples, we have the power of Jesus Christ, the empowerment of His Spirit. Let’s do like the disciples and step out in faith and obedience, and watch God work marvelous things!

Pastor Clay

Two Down!

Great News!

This past week we were able to get two more milestones behind us with the Youth Building: We passed our plumbing and mechanical rough-in inspections! That puts us closer to our goal of getting the building finished, and open for the youth!

In the next few weeks, we will begin scheduling "work days", as we'll have lots of things to get done: Insulation, sheet-rock, painting, etc!

We will also be holding "Building Fund Raisers" to get the remaining work funded.

God is moving in so many ways here at CCW: The Women's ministry, men, youth, worship, outreach; We are so blessed to be a part of what He is doing!

I look forward to seeing you all Sunday!
In His Service,

Pastor Clay

The end of the world as we know it!

Seeing the media reports these days, we are being warned at every turn; The "financial crisis," the "mortgage crisis," the "job crisis," the "global warming crisis," the "Israeli-Palestinian crisis," and today I even read that scientists believe a solar storm could wipe out our power grid of our world any day! You would think that its the end of the world as we know it!

OK, I am over-dramatizing, but if you think about it, we do exist in a world of uncertainties. We are buffeted by forces beyond our control. But there is one force, one power, that remains constant: God!

As we delve back into the gospel of Matthew, we will continue on our journey of studying the life of Jesus Christ, who came into a dying world to bring life. Jesus knew the struggle that we would face in a world tainted by sin. He came to proclaim the gospel of truth and life; That we can know life, abundant life, through trusting Him; That we can have eternal life, through placing our faith in Him; That He came to set us free, free to live!

Looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday!

In His Service,

Pastor Clay

A New Thing

So it is January 1st, 2009. A new year! It's a time that we look at our lives and take stock of ourselves. Common New Year’s resolutions are: to quit smoking, to stop drinking, to manage money better, exercise more, eat better, and spend more time with family. Sadly, most people never stick with their resolutions; Many exercise machines rust away in the shed after a few uses!

Many Christians make New Year’s resolutions to pray more, to read the Bible every day, and to attend church more regularly. These are great goals. However, these New Year’s resolutions fail just as often as the non-spiritual resolutions, because there is no power in a New Year’s resolution.

We, as God's people, would be better served seeking Him, praying and asking if there are things that He would have us to focus on, and ask Him to give us the power to change according to His purpose.

Even better, we could seek Him for direction for our new year: Are there new things God wants to do in and through us in this coming year? As I said Sunday, God is into "new things", new things that He will do in our lives and in our world. New things that will further His Kingdom, and draw people into His love.

I pray that this will be a fantastic "new year" for you, in the Lord, as He works in and through you!

Behold, I will do a new thing,now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, the jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise. Isa 43:19-21 NKJV

In His Service,

Pastor Clay

Worship the King

I read an interesting article this morning that noted a shift in the mindset of the American people from the gilded excess of the past, to a more frugal lifestyle. Seventy three percent of the people in one study noted that they were planning to curtail their Christmas spending.

I believe that there is a real ‘gut-check’ happening in our country, and people are beginning to come to terms with the reality that they cannot keep buying and buying, and go deeper and deeper into debt. While this may be a bad sign for the retail industry, I think it will have some positive affect out our society as a whole. The current economic situation is dire, and many people will be affected. But we must realize that God often uses these types of situations to draw our hearts back to Him.

Perhaps people will focus less on shopping for Christmas, and pay more attention to the things that really matter: Family, friends, helping those who are struggling, and recognizing the Person that Christmas is intended to recognize – our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This Christmas, take time to be with those you love. Take time to be a blessing to someone who is hurting. Take time to worship the King, who was given to this world as a sign of God’s eternal and unconditional love for us. Worship the King!


...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

What in the world is going on?

Greetings Saints in the Lord!

I have been intrigued at some of the events that have been taking place in the last few weeks. A big uproar in Seattle Washington over the Christmas display, a sitting governor accused of trying to sell a Senate Seat, world-wide recession, A $700 BILLION dollar bailout, with more of our money being ponied up to help someone (except you and I!). What in the world is going on?

I’ll tell you, the world stage is being set, things are happening right before our eyes, like birth pangs:

"Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. 6 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. All these are the beginning of birth pains. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matt 24:4-8, 14 (from New International Version)

Dear people, the world stage is being set for the inevitable return of the King! Let’s remember the real “reason for the season” – the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Lord!

Don’t forget that this Sunday is the last week to reach out and share the love of Christ with someone, the outreach to the Seamen’s Center, Calvary Gives Back (to the military), and our Christmas blessing.

Look forward to seeing you all Sunday!

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

A Sacrifice of Praise

Greetings CCW!

I am writing my column a little early this week, so that our faithful office staff can shut down early and enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday, and not have to work on the Calvary Connection!

This week the topic is thanks – obviously as the holiday is Thanksgiving! But rather than hand out the standard “Let’s give God thanks for ___ and ___ (just fill in the blanks), I have been thinking recently; “What does it mean to be thankful?” Is thankfulness a state of being, an emotion, or is there something more to it?

Several dictionary sources describe it as an adjective, and give the definition as:
“feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative” “Aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful”

I personally like Webster’s version: “Impressed with a sense of kindness received, and ready to acknowledge it.” I I especially like the “ready to acknowledge it” part. I believe that is the sentiment expressed in Hebrews 13:15:
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.

To me, being thankful must be more than a feeling, or a state of mind. To have true meaning, our thankfulness must be a catalyst to a response; a proper response to the grace and kindness received. What is that proper response? The writer of Hebrews states it as “a sacrifice of praise.” In other words, praise that has value, or praise that actually costs me something.

If God opened to door for you, you might say “thanks, God.” But God has done so much more than open a door for us, He has offered us a lifeline out of hell, eternal separation from His presence. He has become involved in our lives by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit, giving us the most powerful force known in existence. He has freed us from the chains of sin, in that through Him we can find victory over the sins that plague the human race. And He has promised us entrance into the eternal kingdom of heaven, where we will exist for eternity free from sin, pain, death, and sorrow.

This thanksgiving, let’s continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, worship of God with every part of our being: Our hearts, our minds, our body, our gifts and talents, our resources. Give Him praise, worship the King!


...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The “not so clear and present danger”

This past weeks conference was a huge success! Not because we had a bunch of people (which we did), or because the worship was awesome (it was!), or because the teaching was “really good” (it was the best!). The conference was a success because we know that God did a work in the hearts and lives of many people! Based on the feedback I have received, God used last weekend to do a mighty work of clearly showing us that we are in a war against an evil enemy, but God (I love that phrase!) has given us the victory! We know that through his Word, which is a lamp unto our feet, and by his Spirit, which empowers us, we can walk in victory in this life! Amen!

Now that the conference is over, we don’t want to just walk away and say “that was great, OK back to life”. NO! We want to take what God has done and continue to allow it to grow us as a church! As the “next step” if you will, we will be launching a series of teachings, blog articles that will be geared towards helping us to avoid some of the “not so clear and present dangers” that are lurking about! The first teaching will be on Wednesday, December 3rd. Don’t miss it!

In the meantime, I will be focusing all of my “spare effort” on getting the Youth building completed by the end of the year. Many of you have offered to help with the final finishing of the space, and I will be calling on you soon!

Have a blessed week,

Pastor Clay

Where do we go from here?

Good day Saints!

Well it's two days after the elections, and now we just are letting the full reality of our local and national elections set in. I don't know about you, but I have mixed feelings.

On the one hand, it has been a historic campaign, in that a woman was on one ticket for VP, which would have been a first for our country and a great step forward for women's rights. On the other ticket, for the first time in our history, an African American was not only a contender, but won the position of President of the United States; a great step forward from our country's past history of racism.

Yet there are many that I have spoken to, including myself, that have great concern; not about race or gender, but about the moral and political direction of our country. With the evident shift to the left, what kind of society will we leave to our children?

Before we get too worried, we should remember this: God is still on the throne, and very much in control of events in heaven and on earth. I think of a similar situation, over two millennia ago, when a young man was left to ponder the fate of his people and his country. In the seventh century B.C., a young boy by the name of Daniel was taken from his home, and brought to a far-away country, ruled by a godless tyrant named Nebuchadnezzar. Yet rather than lament the terrible situation that he was in, he saw things through the eyes of eternity:


"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; Dan 2:20-21

In other words, Daniel trusted that for some higher purpose, God had placed this man Nebuchadnezzar into a position of power and authority. He told Nebuchadnezzar:

You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; Dan 2:37

Instead of formenting a revolution against the ruler, or critiquing his every decision, Daniel prayed and trusted God. As a matter of fact, Daniel became an "agent of change" in Nebuchadnezzar's palace.

Later on in his life, God gave Daniel a vision of what the "end times" would look like, including a time when a great king would arise, a man known as the anti-Christ. Many people will follow this great king. But in the end, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will return:

"At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.
Dan 12:1-3

So where do we go from here? UP! First, pray for our new leaders. They need it! We should support where we agree, and let our voice be heard, in a respectful manner, where we disagree. Regardless of who we voted for, these people are now OUR elected representatives.

Second, we as Christians are to keep our eyes on Christ, to seek first the Kingdom of heaven. We have just learned from Christ that wide is the road that leads to destruction, and man are on it. Narrow is the path that leads to life. If we will be like Daniel and see things through the eyes of eternity, we will see that this world is not going to become more Godly, or more moral. Our society is on a slow fade into destruction. Yet WE don't have to follow. We can follow Christ. And in the end, "Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever."

I can think of no better time to have a church conference where we are taught about the "Clear and Present Dangers" facing us today. If you have not registered yet, and you decide you need to come, please let us know, we'll make room!


...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay