Judgment Day?

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

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

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

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

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

-- Matt 24:36

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Love - beyond the church walls

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

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

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

Jesus told us:

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

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

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

Pastor Clay

Holy Grounds in the News!

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

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

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

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

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

Keepin it Real...

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

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

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

...till the whole world hears

Pastor Clay

On the death of OBL...

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

 
And certainly it has been a long awaited day.  In the entire history of our country, I don’t think any other single person has caused us more pain, aroused greater emotion, or consumed more of our military and intelligence resources than Osama Bin Laden.
 
OBL’s death has sparked a litany of thoughts, feelings, and emotion.  Millions are celebrating.  Vindication seems to be the prevailing feeling. People are proud of our military, who have performed bravely. Those who lost loved ones have a sense of closure.
 
The death of OBL has also raised questions among Christians.  How should we feel about this? Is it OK to celebrate a man’s death? Proverbs 11 provides some perspective:

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

- Proverbs 11:10
 
This scripture simply acknowledges the reality that when a evil person dies, people rejoice.  People are relieved that OBL can no longer hurt them.  People feel a sense of justice. So it should not be considered “wrong” that there is some elation over OBL’s death.

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

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

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

– 1 Kings 21:23.

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

But there is a flip side, in that while God may intervene to remove a wicked person, that does not mean He takes pleasure in their death. In Ezekiel we read:
 
Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord GOD, “and not that he should turn from his ways and live? – Ez 18:23

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

Our God is a consuming fire...

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

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

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

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

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

Perhaps some fear facing God, but we are promised:

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

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

Pastor Clay

A Fun Week

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

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

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

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

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

…till the whole world hears.

Pastor Clay

Rising above the Fray

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pastor Clay

We can be Heroes

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

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

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

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

Join us Sunday for Heroes of the Faith.

…till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The Affliction of Faith

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

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

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

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

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

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

Join us Sunday as we explore the affliction of faith.

Pastor Clay

Ministry to Japan

Dear CCW,

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

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

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

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

www.committedrelief.org

Pastor Clay

Washingtons Prayer

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

 ===================

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

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

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

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

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

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

The same old lie...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Admonition:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pastor Clay

The Reality of Faith

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

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

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

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

A.W. Tozier wrote:

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

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

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

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

Pastor Clay

Introduction to Faith

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

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

(Heb 11:33-35)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Heb 10:23-25)

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

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

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

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

Pastor Clay

Time to Live...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Family Study Update

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

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

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

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

See you all Wed night!

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The Lord's Supper

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did He enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But He has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him (Heb 9:24-28)

This coming Sunday we will finish up chapter 9 of Hebrews, which is a perfect segue in to The Lords Supper. Last week we talked about the reality of what Jesus did:  In the physical realm He went to the cross, died, and rose again.  However in the spiritual realm Jesus entered heaven and went into the real tabernacle, into the real Most Holy Place, in the presence of God, and He sprinkled His blood on the real Mercy Seat!  When God looked upon that sacrifice, He declared that our sin, all of our sin, had been atoned for.  Paid in full.  For that reason we can claim the promise in Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus!”

So when we celebrate communion, we are not simply practicing a ritual; we are coming together, with the Spirit of God and the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and partaking of a physical activity that has implications in the spiritual realm. We are…

Proclaiming our unity with Him

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread (1 Cor 10:16-18)

Identifying with the new life we have been given

Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Cor 5:7-8)

Proclaiming His death

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Cor 11:26)

Participating in the fellowship of believers

And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers (Acts 2:42)

So we see The Lords Supper is a special time, a holy time, and we should treat it as such.  We are celebrating the New Covenant!  We should come with hearts that are ready to worship the Lord and proclaim that He is our Lord, and we are His people! 

This Sunday I look forward to taking communion with you all, as we come together in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Pastor Clay

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Cor 11:23-26)

... to serve the Living God

 Last week we looked at the four provisions of the New Covenant: a new heart, a new identity, a new relationship, and a new standing with God… basically – a NEW REALITY!

As we move further into Hebrews, we are being drawn by the writer into the importance of looking past the patina of the physical world, and through faith seeing into the realm of the spiritual world. The writer is building us up towards the important topic of FAITH.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
(Heb 11:1) 

 and...

(because) …without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Heb 11:6)

Remember we talked last week that there are three levels to our world:  Physical / Mind / Spirit.  Faith and belief  are needed to take us beyond the physical reality, so that with our mind we can believe, and through faith (being able to see the unseen) we can begin to experience the eternal spiritual world. 

Yes we currently operate in the physical world, but if we operate based only on the perspective that this is all there is, we will operate by sight. When we operate with the perspective that there is an eternal realm that we will one day inhabit, it changes how we live our lives!

Join us Sunday as we dive into Hebrews chapter 9, “…to serve the Living God.”

Pastor Clay

When the church prays...

No one is a firmer believer in the power of prayer than the devil; not that he practices it, but he suffers from it.  ~Guy H. King

Let me tell you a story.  For the past few months we have been putting together the new study we just started this past Wednesday (The House that God Builds).  Tammy and I both  felt led by the Lord to roll this out to the families in our church, and that God was going to work in a great way through the time we spend coming together to study God’s plan for family.

But this past week has been a little rough (yes I am minimizing).  Things going wrong, issues coming up, division, distortion.  It was as if the whole world were coming against us all at once!  So what did we do?  Simple.  WE PRAYED.  We sought the Lord, we pressed in, and you know what happened?  You guessed it:  The problems that were pressing in, they were solved.  The issues that were cropping up, they were resolved in a super-blessed way.  The fog division and distortion lifted like when the sun breaks through the fog on a San Francisco summer morning (you’d have to see it to understand, but it is a cool thing to witness!). And the result was that our first family bible study was an incredible success! 

We were so encouraged to watch what God was doing!  The devil wanted to sabotage what God was going to do, but God was victorious – and the victory was won IN PRAYER!  I felt like Joshua when he was fighting the Amalekites, and Moses was on the hill with his staff held high, and the power of God gave the Israelites victory over the enemies of God’s people! As Guy H. King said it, the devil suffered from our prayers.

What’s the point?  The point is that PRAYER WORKS! Church, if we will seek His face, call upon His name, God will do mighty things in and through us.  Our part is not to make it happen, but to pray, step out, and watch it happen!

All of this is a lead-in to another thing that God has put on our heart:  A time for our church to come together and pray.  Once a month, on the third Saturday at 9 am, we will come together as a church in prayer.  Our leaders will be there.  We invite you to join us. The first one will be:

Saturday February 19^th, at 9 – 10 am

Go to our facebook event page and let us know you coming!

…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Gods Incredible Gift

As we delve deeper into the book of Hebrews, it is becoming apparent that the writer is an intellectual giant!  In his letter the writer expounds on a multitude of allegorical threads:  Patterns; copies; shadows; and mystical priest-kings. Then, after wandering in the intellectual park for a bit, the writer will hit us with a powerful truth.  Last week we were introduced to the “better covenant”, a testament from God that delivers to mankind what the writer describes as 'a better hope:'  The New Covenant .

This new covenant that was declared by the prophet Jeremiah, and fulfilled in Jesus Christ, is not just a new ‘religious rite” that replaces Judaism. This new covenant is the biggest thing to ever hit this planet!  It is an incredibly unique and powerful testament that reaches into the very core of humanity…

• It answers the fundamental questions of life
• It addresses the fundamental problem of mankind
• It ushers a human being into that ‘one place’ that we so desperately long for but can never seem to reach through our own efforts…
• Money cannot buy it…
• Fame doesn’t bring it…
• Pleasures cannot experience it…

The new covenant ushers us into a new reality that our hearts and spirits have yearned for since the dawn of time: The reality of oneness with God. 

Join us Sunday as we explore Gods incredible gift to man - The New Covenant.

Pastor Clay

The Promises - follow up

Sunday before last I sent everyone home from the service with a list of promises (click here), and I encouraged you to spend some time meditating on them, and asking yourself the big question:  “Do I believe the promises of God?”

OK, so now the follow up…  how did it go?  Were there any promises that you found you struggled with? Was there any area of your life that you are not stepping out in faith into? 

If so, did you do anything about it?

Friends, God gave us these promises in His word – He wants us to know He has our back! He wants to work IN and THROUGH us, to change the world we live in. He wants us to walk in the fullness of His mighty power in our lives.

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being (Eph 3:16)

Pastor Clay

A Better Covenant...

Have you ever heard the phrase "a good thing never lasts?"  Unfortunately in this life, it's true!  Things are always changing, people change, our circumstances change.  There is no "happily ever after" in this life!

But as Christians we have a unique situation; we have been given a "better covenant" through our faith in Jesus Christ.  The writer of Hebrews explains to us that Jesus is our great High Priest, on the order of Melchizedek.  A High Priest who will never die, never change, never leave us, and will have a permanent ministry for us!  As Hebrews 7:26 tells us "...such a High Priest truly meets out need."

I am so encouraged that Jesus is such a high priest for us - truly ever after!

See you Sunday,

Pastor Clay

The Promises of God

Yesterday we handed out a list of some of the promises of God that we encouraged you to read and meditate on this week.  I am posting the list for those that missed the service or lost the paper.  

...and remember the three things we learned:

• Truth #1: God’s promises are not based on our ability, but are based fully and completely on the ability and character of God.
• Truth #2: Gods nature is holy and unchanging, He will never lie, and He will never change His mind.
• Truth #3: The fulfillment of God’s promises are not dependent on our faithfulness – but on His faithfulness to His word! (one note of clarification - I do not mean to imply that we can be disobedient and still receive God's blessings.  Abraham's faith faltered, and he took matters into his own hands with Hagar, but he heard from the Lord and continued in obedience, and Isaac was born.)

The Promises of God

God's presence -- "I will never leave you" (Heb. 13:5)

God's protection -- "I am your shield" (Gen. 15:1)

God's power -- "I will strengthen you" (Isa. 41:10)

God's provision -- But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus". (Phil 4:19)

God's purposes -- "I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil" (Jer. 20:11)

God’s equipping for ministry:  Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him⒊ (Heb 13:20-21)

God's rest -- "Come to Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28)

God's goodness -- "No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly" (Psalm 84:11)

God's faithfulness -- "The Lord will not forsake His people for His great name's sake" (1 Sam. 12:22)

God's sovereignty -- "All things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28)

God's forgiveness -- "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9) 

 Everlasting life -- whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:15)

His presence - And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matt 28:20)

The Blessing of Ishmael

 Today we talked about the “Ishmael incident” when Abraham took matters into his own hands and had a son by Hagar.  As promised, here is the part I cut out!

 =============

When God said to Abraham “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants,” we are told that Abraham believed God, and therefore he received what was promised.  But some of you might be thinking “but wait, didn’t Abraham take matters into his own hands?”

That he did – his wife Sarah became impatient, Abraham made a logical decision to impregnate Sarah’s Egyptian servant Hagar and had a child by her named Ishmael. Ishmael is therefore a representation to us as a “child of the flesh,” when Abraham took matters into his own hands,

This son Ishmael is considered by Muslims to be the father of all Arabs, and specifically the prophet Mohammad, the prophet of Islam, was a descendant of Ishmael.  The descendants of Ishmael have been a thorn in the side of Isaac (Israel) from that time until now, as foretold in scripture:

The angel of the LORD also said to her “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”  (Gen 16:11-12)

But before we are too hard on Ishmael, we should note that God also promised to bless Ishmael…

And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation (Gen 17:20)

Ishmael was sent away by Abraham, a hard thing to be sure. Yet there are many Arab Christians who believe that Ishmael, the father of the Arabs, the father of Islam, the child of the bond-servant, has longed to be reconciled to his father Abraham. If this is true then Ishmael has been deceived by Satan through the system of Islam.  If you look at the tenets of Islam, you can clearly see that it is a faith of bondage (like Hagar).

Allah, the god of Islam, does not love his subjects, there is no atonement for sin in Islam, there is no forgiveness of sin, there is no restoration – there is only obedience.  Allah demands total obedience from his followers or they are dealt severe punishment. Just look at Shariah law, you get the idea. The punishment for disobeying the Koran is brutal.  So in a very sad sense Islam is in fact an embodiment of Ishmael, working to earn is way back into a relationship with his father, trying to work his way back into the blessing of Abraham. How sad!

But there is hope for the Muslim, as the gospel message is taking hold in many Muslim nations.  Muslims are waking up to the reconciliation that they have longed for their entire existence; but this reconciliation not through obedience to the tenants of Islam, but through the person of Jesus Christ!

There is an interesting verse in Luke, in the Olivet discourse where Jesus lays out the events that will precede His return:

Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Luke 21:24)

The phrase “until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” is another way of saying “until God has gathered all the Gentiles who will hear the gospel message to Himself”, and guess what – Muslims are gentiles too!  They are actually the largest and last people group to hear the gospel message. 

Now some might think “how can Muslims get saved?  No way!” But what did Jesus say, “all things are possible with God!”

I believe that before Christ returns we will see a great revival in the Muslim world.  Ishmael will finally be reconciled to his father!

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay