SERVE - The Rear Guard

Hi CCW, I wanted to follow up with our topic from Sunday; The Rear Guard.  There were three important points that I made on Sunday.

#1 - Our call to participate is EQUAL

Each of us have been given gifts and abilities, according to what Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills (1 Cor 12:7,11)

In other words you have been anointed and appointed with a call of God based on the wisdom and will of the Holy Spirit, who has the ultimate purpose of glorifying Jesus Christ. Your gift is no more or less important that anyone else’s gift. What IS important is that you discover and utilize your gift.

#2 - Our call to action is DIFFERENT

…based on the gift that God has given you, and the ability to utilize that gift. Paul noted “…the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” In other words each one of us has a different makeup, different gifts, different abilities, a different purpose, and each of those purposes are important:  Whether your call to action is to be on the front line, in the supply line, or in the prayer line, your call to action is NEEDED and IMPORTANT to the kingdom.  

And that call to action will be different for each based on ability.  Think about it:

A high schooler can reach a group of people that I, as a fifty-year-old, cannot reach as effectively. As well, that young person can work harder, and longer than I can.  So that young person's call to action is different than mine.

By the same token, an older person can reach people that the high schooler might not be able to reach. That older man or woman will have greater wisdom, and greater knowledge to apply to a situation.  Their call to action is different, but both are valuable

#3 - Our reward is the SURE:

For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. (Matt 16:27)

Note that our reward is not given according to the things we might think:

• Not according to the result.
• Not according to the magnitude of impact.
• Not according to the heat of the battle we endured.
• Not according to the risk we took.
• Nor according to what other people think of us.

Our reward is according to “his works.” In other words, our reward will be based on the things we do in obedience to the word of God and the leading of His Holy Spirit.

So regardless of whether you are on the front line, the supply line, or the prayer line, your place in the kingdom is important.

So what’s stopping you?  Below is a link to the first step – SERVE.  Click the link, fill out the form, and see what God does!

To discover your gift and USE it - CLICK HERE!  

In His Service, 

Pastor Clay

Restored - 1 Samuel 30

Week before last I started on 1 Samuel 29 & 30, but before Sunday came the Lord directed me to split my message up into two messages (thank you Lord, it would have been a LONG message that day!).

I even had a title for this weeks message - "Ripped Off,"  because that is exactly what our enemy likes to do, rip us off:

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10)

But Satan is not interested in your car, your golf clubs, or your flat screen TV. No, Satan is more interested in ripping you off in the things that matter spiritually:

• Your gifts
• Your calling
• Your future

Yet the real message is NOT that Satan likes to rip us off, the real message is that GOD RESTORES! We serve a God that when we turn to Him, just like David in 1 Samuel 30, God restores to us what we allowed the enemy to steal.

That is a pretty incredible truth when I stop to thing about it:  I can make a dumb decision, allow myself to be in a vulnerable place, and the enemy will swoop in and rip me off.  I can sit there and think "I had it coming, I blew it, it's my fault."  True.  But God... God is so awesome that if I will turn to Him, and seek His face, He will RESTORE my fellowship with Him, He will move mountains in my life, and RESTORE what the enemy took.  ALL OF IT.

Wow. That truth deserves to be more fully explored.

Join us this Sunday at Calvary Chapel, 9:30 or 11:30 am, for 1 Sam 30:  Restored.

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Ripped Off!

Most Christians know that Satan is real (I hope), that he is our enemy, and that one of his primary objectives is to rip off believers:

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10)

But the things our enemy  wants to steal from us are not possessions.  Satan is not interested in your car, your golf clubs, or your flat screen TV (perhaps with the exception of what comes through it!). No, Satan is more interested in the things that matter spiritually:

• Your gifintgs
• Your calling
• Your future

This Sunday we'll be looking at 1 Samuel 29-30, and we'll talk about what to do when Satan has ripped us off!

Join us at 9:30 or 11:30 am, for 1 Sam 29-30 - Ripped Off

Pastor Clay

Follow up - When God is Silent

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. (1 Samuel 28:6)

Last week we looked at five reasons that God may be silent in your life:

#1 – To bring us to repentance

In other words, there may be something in your life that is blocking you from being able to hear God's voice.  This was totally Saul’s issue:  Saul was sorry he sinned, he felt bad about it, he made great proclamations about it, but he never repented to the Lord.

Psalm 66:18 says,

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear, (Ps 66:18)

(click the link below to read the entire article)

When God goes silent

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. (1 Sam 28:6)

In 1 Samuel 28 we find both David and Saul in a tough spot.  David is living with pirates, and Saul is facing a huge army. ...and God is silent.  Saul seeks the Lord for direction, and nothing.  Zip. God has his phone on silent, all calls are going straight to voicemail.

Maybe you have experienced a time in your life when God was silent.  In times past God had spoken clearly to you, giving you supernatural words of wisdom, direction, even prophecy.  But now, at a time when you feel you really need Him, He is silent.  You pray, you ask, you worship, you sit on the beach with bible in hand, and nothing.  Then the doubt begins to creep in.  Is God done with me?  Have I gone too far? Can I ever get back to that place? Fret not Christian, there is an answer.

Join us this Sunday at Calvary Chapel of Wilmington, for “When God goes silent”

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Replacing Lies with Truth

And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.” (1 Sam 27:1)

 

Sunday we looked at David's sudden departure from the truth that God was his source of protection and his refuge, to thinking the only choice that he had was to escape Saul was to go and live with the Philistines, the mortal enemy of God's people.  The key phrase being "And David said in his heart..."  


We learned that what we say in our heart can affect our decisions in some pretty big ways.  The word of God tells us:

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. (Prov 23:7)

What we say in our heart has great power for good or evil, for life or death.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. (Prov 18:21)

We looked at four very common lies that Christians experience, the the truth that we need to replace it with:

Lie: “God doesn’t care about me,”

Truth: “God DOES cares about you”

…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Lie: “God is not going to provide for me…”

Truth: “God IS going to provide for you…”

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:19)

Lie: “This trial is going to overcome me,” 

Truth: “God WILL see you through this trial”

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Is 41:10)

Lie: “God doesn't have any plans for me,” 

Truth: “God DOES have a plan for you”

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jer 29:11)

You will notice that each of these lies is contrary to what God's word tells us about Him, and His relationship to us.  Our adversary, Satan, is a liar, and he will attempt to deceive you into believing a lie rather than the truth.  Guys, the key is knowing the TRUTH of the word of God, and how to apply it to our lives. 

Follow up - David's many wives

Last week we looked at David’s multiple wives(1 Sam 25:36-44), and we were able to make a comparison to our own Christian walk:  That trying to walk with God, and dance with the world at the same time is a recipe for disaster!

When we dance with the world, relationships are formed that vie for our attention, we establish a place in the social network, we make compromises that we have to hide.  And these things impact our ability to walk with God

They will pull us away from the people of God

They will pull us away from the house of God

We form connections to people and practices that can impact us for the rest of our lives.  We end up doing things that we cannot undo.

It’s been said that the most miserable place for a Christian to be is to have one foot in the church, and one foot in the world.  Why? Because it places you in the middle of a war

David's Many Wives

And David sent and proposed to Abigail, to take her as his wife. When the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her saying, “David sent us to you, to ask you to become his wife.” Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, “Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and so both of them were his wives. (1 Sam 25:39-43)

I stumbled upon a web site recently titled “Polygamy in the bible – it really is biblical!”  It was a site dedicated to showing how great men of the bible had multiple wives, and therefore, so should we! The site used David as an example; before it’s all over David will have eighteen wives. Wow.  It’s all I can do to be a good husband to one wife; I can’t imagine eighteen.

But there is something that I believe should be pointed out:  In the instances when David inquires of the Lord about a matter, and heeds the voice of the Lord, things turn out well for David. 

However, when David goes forward without seeking the counsel of Lord, things usually blow up. And come to think of it, I don’t see one instance in scripture where David seeks counsel from the Lord on which woman he should marry, or how many women he should marry. This leads me to believe that as much as David was a man after Gods heart, David may have had an area of weakness in his life; Women! And this weakness led to all kinds of problems in David house.  

Join us Sunday as we continue our study in 1 Samuel.

The Fool in Me

This past Sunday we walked through an account where David came very close to ruining his future as king (1 Sam 25).  A harsh, evil man named Nabal rejected David’s request for compensation for protecting his flocks, and he disrespected David in front of his men.  I can imaging as David heard the words of Nabal repeated to him by the young men sent to collect the gift, the anger came like a wave.  This could not be tolerated. David knew what needed to be done to teach this man a lesson:  He would pay a visit to Nabal, and he would kill Nabal, and every single male in his household.  Nabal was a fool, and David was going to cure his foolishness. Like, forever!

(click below to read the full article)

Five things from the life of Samuel

Last Sunday at Calvary Chapel of Wilmington we looked at the life of Samuel the prophet.  Samuel was a transitional figure between the time that God ruled the nation of Israel through His appointed judges, and the monarchy that we established under king Saul.  But Samuel was also much more than just a judge; he was a model of godly leadership. Samuel was a man who had learned to hear the voice of God, be obedient to His words, and speak the truth, no matter what the consequences might be. Samuel was like EF Hutton: When he spoke, everyone listened!

(click below to read the rest of the article)

Then Samuel Died...

This Sunday we are going to make great strides in our study of 1 Samuel; we’re going to cover ONE VERSE!

Then Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah.  (1 Sam 25:1)

I thought it worth taking a scenic diversion to highlight the life of God’s man during the transition period from the nation being led by prophet/judges, to kings: Samuel. We’ll look at a panorama of his life and see what we can learn from this great man of God.

Samuel was a one of the greatest men in the bible (not my words, but God’s, see Jeremiah 15:1).  What was it that made him such an incredible man of God?  Was he born into this greatness? Was he special?  Was he just lucky to be born at the right time, in the right place? Actually, none of these things could account for Samuel's greatness.  Samuel was a great man of God because of three things:

• He sought to hear the voice of God
• He was obedient to God’s voice
• He truthfully spoke the word of God.

 Join us Sunday, 9:30 & 11:30, as we look at the life and times of Samuel.

Pastor Clay

PAYBACK!

All of us at some point have experienced someone doing us wrong, or deliberately hurting us. When it happens, it stings!  But its interesting that many times the tables will eventually turn.  Somewhere along the way the very person that hurt us will be in a position of needing something from us.  At some juncture we'll be in a position where we are the one in power, where we can harm them.  What goes around, comes around, as they say.

When that happens the question is rarely "what do i want to do?"  We KNOW what we want to do; Its PAYBACK TIME!  I think the real questions is "what WILL I do?"  Will I be led by my flesh, which always wants payback, or will I be led by the Spirit and word of God, which tells us " Vengeance is Mine, I will repay" (Rom 12:9)? 

It is those moments when we are in control, when we have the power, that reveals what is truly in our heart.  Those are the defining moments of our lives.  

In 1 Samuel 24 we find David in that exact situation:  Saul is vulnerable, he has been delivered up to Davids hand, and David can do with Saul whatever seems good to David.  What will David do?

Join us Sunday, May 13, for PAYBACK! a study of 1 Samuel 24.

Pastor Clay

This might be the tipping point

Many thoughtful and sincere friends have given me counsel about my public comments regarding politics, and our president, noting that “being political” could hamper my effectiveness as a pastor.  I understand their sentiments, and their concern for the church in general.

But this week our president has done something that may well push me past the point of silence.  No, it wasn’t his coming out in support of gay marriage.  I can disagree with the president on an issue (actually many issues), and still respect the position of president (Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. 1 Peter 2:7).

What president Obama did that I find particularly offensive is that in his statements in support for gay marriage, he invoked the name of Jesus Christ:

“This is something that, you know, [Michelle and I have] talked about over the years and she, you know, she feels the same way, she feels the same way that I do. And that is that, in the end the values that I care most deeply about and she cares most deeply about is how we treat other people and, you know, I, you know, we are both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but, you know, when we think about our faith, the thing at root that we think about is, not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf, but it’s also the Golden Rule, you know, treat others the way you would want to be treated…”

So let me get this straight Mr. President; You support homosexual relationships, and your basis for that support is your faith in Jesus Christ? You believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of mankind, and that means we must promote and condone a lifestyle that is not only at odds with “others,” but is at odds with God’s word?

Mr. President, I support your right to hold whatever position you wish on the issue of gay marriage. But I take offense that you would invoke the name of Jesus Christ as the basis for that support, as if Jesus Himself would support gay marriage.  If you wish to know Jesus’ position on marriage, He stated it quite clearly in Matthew 19:

Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’  and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. (Matt 19:4-6)

Yes we are instructed in scripture to honor the king, but that doesn’t mean that we must stay silent when the name of Jesus is blasphemed.  John the Baptist was imprisoned, then beheaded, because he confronted Herod over this marriage to his brothers wife, Herodias:

For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her. Because John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife. (Mark 6:17-18)

I encourage every follower of Jesus Christ to contact the White House, and RESPECTFULLY state your position on the president’s comments.  (Honor the Lord in all you do, including raising an objection to our political leaders.)

and ... PRAY for our nation.  that our leaders would seek the face of God, and that there would be revival and repentance in the land.  

Why is it important?  For one, he has grossly misrepresented the name and nature of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Second, it deceives those who may not know any better, leading them to believe that somehow God would condone gay marriage. Third, God sees the sins of a nation, and at some point when those sins are filled up, God will bring judgment to that nation (see Ezekiel 22 below). 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments

(I notice that the white house contact form is currently “undergoing maintenance.  Hmmm.)

you can also phone: 202-456-1111

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’ The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured people; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord had not spoken. The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord God. (Ez 22:23-31)

JUMP!

Have I not commanded you? “Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

FACT: Most Americans have never taken a significant risk in any area of their lives. The ease of our lifestyle and the comfort of our standard of living has, in many ways, created a risk-averse societal perspective. In America we love our life, and so we like to stay in the “safety zone.” Most people stay within their family boundaries for their entire life. Many have never ventured outside of the state in which they live, they will never see the shores of a foreign country. Few people have ever jumped out of a plane, scuba dived, gone over 70 mph in a car, or played a contact sport.

But in the context of our Christian walk, there is this thing called FAITH, and faith often requires us to be willing to step outside of that safety zone, and take a risk.  My question to you this week:  Are you living in the “spiritual safe zone?

This Sunday we’ll be hearing from some of our CCW folks who took a risk, stepped out, and obeyed God.  They got on a plane and flew to a far-away country.  They took a venture of faith, and Sunday you will hear their story.  Don’t miss it.

Pastor Clay

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