Law and Order

Now the chief priests, the elders, and all the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none. Even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none. But at last two false witnesses came forward..."
Matt 26:59-60

The law is a funny thing.  It surrounds us, it constrains us, it protects us.  But at the same time it condemns us.  Laws are enacted by governments, yet they themselves selectively enforce only the laws they agree with. One recent political pundit commented that our own government has become “lawless.”  It gives new meaning to Jesus words in Matthew 24:

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold ...  Matt 24:12
This scripture also helps me to better understand the error of the Jewish religious leaders on that night, two thousand years ago, when they broke many of their own laws in order to condemn Jesus Christ to death.  Like our own government, the Jewish leaders had written a set of laws, based on God’s law.  Those laws were supposed to guide the process of administering justice when a person was accused of wrongdoing.  But on that night those laws got in the way of their personal agenda to get rid of this man, Jesus, so they simply broke them.

But before we judge them too harshly, we must ask ourselves:  What is my response when Gods law interferes with my agenda?  What happens when there is something that I want, some agenda that I have, and in order to get what I want I must break one of Gods laws. What choice do I make in that situation? Good question. I’ll leave you to determine your own answer.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.
Ps 1:1-3Till the whole world hears...

Pastor Clay

Walking in Freedom

Word for the day…

Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.
Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.  
Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared.
Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good.
How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness.
May your unfailing love come to me, O LORD, your salvation according to your promise; then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust in your word.
Do not snatch the word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws.
I will always obey your law, for ever and ever.
I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them.
I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees.
Ps 119:33-48

What an awesome proclamation of God's word!  The statement that jumps out at me is:  “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.” In other words, aligning our lives with God’s word brings freedom!

Often people think that following God means that we are “constrained”, that we are kept from doing things we want to do.  In fact, just the opposite is true.  When a person lives according to the desires of their own heart and mind, that person ends up being enslaved to his desires.  Our hearts are never satisfied, and so we always need more of whatever it is we think will make us happy.  It is a never-ending pursuit, fueled by the worlds system of marketing pleasure.

However when we align our lives with God, we find peace, joy, and yes, even happiness.

Ps 119:165
Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.

John 15:9-11
"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.  "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Prov 29:18
Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law.

Still Sleeping?

"Are you still sleeping and resting?”
Matt 26:45

Have you ever tried to pray, and found yourself sleepy?  You move around a but to wake up and start praying again, and then “man...my eyes are so heavy ... so sleepy.”

Don’t think it to be a coincidence that the disciples got sleepy, either.  I believe there were dark forces at work that night in the Garden of Gethsemane, working hard to distract the mission that was at hand. Christian, that same power wants to distract us today.  The cross is a done deal, the victory won.  We now stand in the power of the risen Christ, amen!  But if Satan can keep us from walking in the power of God by lulling us to sleep, make no mistake he will! 

If we allow ourselves to be lulled to sleep by the hum of the world, our senses dulled by the sensual pleasures of the flesh, our eyes blinded by the lies of the devil, we may completely miss the work God wants to do in and through us.  Wake up church, the day is at hand!

Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. 1 Thess 5:6-10

Join us Sunday for a deeper look at Jesus time in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Till the whole world hears...

Pastor Clay

Stepping out this Saturday!

This week CCW is going to step out and be a witness for the Lord in Wilmington!

 

In case you haven't heard, we are hosting some good friends and fellow workers in Christ "Agents for Christ."

 

AFC consists of a team of two family's:  The James family (Bill, Dani, Natalie and Nic), and the Chaffee family (Dave, Deanna, Logan and Liam).  They hail from Calvary Chapel Portland OR, and travel the country in RV"s spreading the good news of the gospel.

 

We'll be joining forces with them this Saturday at Greenfield Park for a "park outreach."  We'll have free food, live music, and an opportunity to reach out to people at the park with the love of Christ.

 

Whether you are comfortable sharing your faith or not, I hope you will join us!  Even if you just help us hand out food, hand out flyers, or just hang out and enjoy the fellowship, I believe you will be blessed to be a part of what God is going to do!

 

Also, we'll be having a 'cookout fellowship' on Friday night at Holy Grounds, and everyone is invited!  Scroll down for more information, but I hope to see you there!

 

 

Till the whole world hears...

 

 

Pastor Clay

Sellout

Then I said to them, "If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain." So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter" -- that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter. Zech 11:12-13

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him. Matt 26:14-16

You have to wonder if Judas knew his bible.  Most every Jewish boy was brought up memorizing the law and the prophets (quite unlike our schools today!).  I wonder if the scripture in Zechariah popped into Judas head when the priest uttered the words “thirty pieces of silver.”  Like that sinking feeling you get when you make a terrible decision, but you are not sure if you can face retreating from it. 

In the previous account of Mary anointing Jesus with spikenard, we see an act of true worship.  At about the same time, Judas also goes into action, except Judas was heading in a different direction altogether.

The contrast is stunning:  Mary showing her love and devotion in a way that was tremendously costly to her; Judas selling Jesus out for the price of a common slave.

Join us Sunday, as we look into the life of one disciple, Judas.


Pastor Clay

Worship at Bethany

What is Worship?
Songs we sing?  The 30 minutes of music before the teaching? A state of mind?  Do we have to bow?  Eyes open or closed?

When are we supposed to do it?
At church?  Home?  While driving? 

What is it supposed to do for us?

This week we are going to look at worship, perhaps from a different perspective.  We are going to look at worship from the perspective of a little known woman who lived more than two thousand years ago.  She only appears in the bible three times.  Three very brief appearances.  And yet in those three appearances, eleven verses in all, this woman speaks volumes to us about worship.

Join us Sunday as we examine Mary, and her worship at Bethany.

Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name when I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name
(Blessed be Your Name, Matt Redman)


Till the whole world hears...
Pastor Clay

The Millenial Kingdom

These last four sessions of our “The Last Days” series, Jesus has covered a lot of ground, but all of it has been centered on one major theme:  He is coming back! 

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day business of life, the struggles, the excitement, our plans for summer… the list goes on and on!  At the same time the nation looks with great interest to the economy, the political battles, and the next election cycle.  We fret about nukes in Iran, Russian hegemony, drug violence in Mexico. 

But rising above the 24 hour news cycle is a statement made two thousand years ago by the Lord Jesus Christ:

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. (Matt 25:31)

As Christians we are called to be model citizens, and we should always stand for what is right.  We can work to maintain the freedoms that we enjoy in our country, held up as a beacon of hope to the rest of the world.

But we should always maintain, at the very center of our being, the core of our heart, that we are citizens of heaven, and that our true King, Jesus Christ, will return one day in a blaze of glory. He will defeat the enemies of God in one fell swoop.  He will chain the embodiment of evil, called Satan, and toss him in the slammer for one thousand years.

And He will sit on the throne of His glory, in the Holy City Jerusalem.  And we will be His people,  Amen!

Join us Sunday for the final installment of “The Last Days: The Millennial Kingdom”

Till the whole world hears...

Pastor Clay

Prayer for Children's Ministry

Dear CCW community, here is something I want you all to pray about.  My wife Tammy has overseen the Childrens ministry for the past several years (thank you babe!).  This May she is going to be moving to the Youth ministry, and we are believing the Lord is going to raise up a person or couple to lead the Children's ministry at CCW. 

I want you all to begin praying NOW that God would begin to stir the heart of the person/couple that He has already called to lead this important ministry!

We'll be talking more soon!

Pastor Clay

God's Love...

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:16

Aren't you glad the verse does not read:

• "For God so loved the rich..."?
• Or, "For God so loved the famous..."?
• Or, "For God so loved the beautiful..."?

It doesn't. Nor does it read, "For God so loved the Europeans or Africans..." "the sober or successful..." "the young or the old..."

No, when we read John 3:16, it simply says, "For God so loved the world."

Are you included in the world? Then you are included in God's love. God's love is just for you! Unfortunately, there are places where you are not quite as welcome. Universities exclude you if you aren't smart enough. Businesses exclude you if you aren't qualified enough, and, sadly, some churches exclude you if you aren't good enough.

But though they may exclude you, Christ includes you. When asked to describe the width of His love, He stretched one hand to the right and the other to the left and had them nailed in that position so you would know He died loving you. 

But you see, Jesus didn't just die.  Amazingly, there is more to the story.












Join us Sunday, as we celebrate Life... Resurrected!

Pastor Clay

Stepping Up...

On Sunday my wife Tammy shared with the congregation that several childen's ministry teachers were stepping down in this spring to move into other areas of ministry.  We applaud these teachers, as several have served in Kingdom Kids for several years.  Tammy challenged some of the '30-something' members to pray about serving in the CM, and I am pleased to note that on Sunday morning alone five people came forward to answer the call!

One thing about our church - our congregation has a heart to serve:  to serve God, and serve His people! I am blessed to be a part of such an awesome fellowship!

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 
1 Cor 15:58

Pastor Clay

End Times Update - Sovereign Danger

"Watching Greece and now Portugal verge on financial default due to fiscal profligacy should send a chill up every American's spine. This is our fate, too, if we don't change course — and soon."  
March 24, 2010 Investors Business Daily.

End times teaching in the bible tells us that there will be an alignment of nations into a one-world government.  Many people thing this could never happen, but things are moving in that direction, and the catalyst will be the financial systems of the world.  When things get bad, people talk 'consolidation'.  Corporations do it all the time.

Our nation is heading towards a financial cliff, and we're not alone.  European nations are finding that the model of giving people cradle-to-grave entitlements cannot be sustained, and it is bankrupting one country after another.  The US is heading down the same path. 

When everyone is bankrupt, who do we turn to?  China?


(to read the full article click here)

End Times Update - Texas Town Cross Over Play's 'Gay' Christ

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. 2 Tim 3:1-5

Just in time for Easter, Tarleton State University is playing host to a student performance of Terrence McNally's 1998 play, "Corpus Christi," which depicts a gay Jesus performing a same-sex wedding for two of his apostles.  (read the entire story here)

What does it say about our times where not only is immorality is displayed, but our Lord Jesus Christ is blasphemed in the same event?  and its called 'art'.
PC

Faithful or Foolish?

This has been quite a week for our country.  After a full year of health care debate (or at least it being in the news constantly), our nation has passed a “health care reform” law.  I know that many of you are waiting to see what comment I might have about this event, being the outspoken person that I am.

To be honest I have been a little distracted for the past week or so, as I am working on an “extreme deck makeover” for my beautiful wife.  But I have been watching, and praying, and contemplating the events of the last few days. Truthfully, I am saddened.

Today, I read from Deuteronomy 4:

"Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? Only take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your children and your grandchildren… Deut 4:5-9

It really struck me that God told the nation of Israel that the reason they were to obey His laws and statutes was so that the people of other nations would look upon Israel and be amazed at  their closeness to God.  In other words, they would be a witness to the other nations around them. 

Now I know that God is speaking to Israel, and America has not replaced Israel in God’s eyes. But I find the parallels interesting.  You see since her birth, America has been “One nation, under God”. We have always been a country that was founded on Gods word, His law, and we declared that our basic human rights were given to us by our Creator. We were seen by all others as a country that stood for and practiced Christianity, while at the same time we allowed all people to freely practice the religion of their choice. Whether people agreed with our beliefs or not, other nations knew America was by and large a Christian nation. We have truly been a witness to the nations.

Well my friends, that reality is changing.  Our president declared it in a speech in Turkey, when he said “we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation”. Yes, a majority of people in our country consider themselves Christian, but our government and our institutions are rapidly turning away from our Christian heritage. I am saddened by this.  Not because I think our government should preach the gospel (heaven forbid), but because as a whole our country seems ready to discard the principles and values that have made us great.  I believe that just as Israel paid a price for moving away from God, so will America.

But on the other hand, these are exiting times. As we have been going through Jesus teaching of the “end of the age”, I can see that the time of the return of our Lord is coming soon!  The events of the world are aligning with bible prophecy.  And while the politicians of our day can pass laws, and declare great victories, all of their efforts to create a just and right world will fail, because the heart of man is desperately wicked.  Mankind is simply not capable of ruling this world.

But one day our King will return, and He will rule and reign.  The church will rule and reign with Him.  Where will He find you on that day?

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  Matt 24:45-47

Join us Sunday for the 5th installment of our “Olivet Discourse” series: The Contrast:  Faithful vs Foolish

Living to tell what He died to say

Pastor Clay

The Coming King

Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!   Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  (Matt 24:32-34)

 

Jesus was known for making some pretty radical statements, but the ones He made in Matthew 24 are still rattling people even to this day!  Jesus talked about His return, and then he gave a prediction that “this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.”  Ever since that statement Christians have been trying to figure out “are we that generation?” 

 

Then in the 20^th century an interesting even took place:  The nation of Israel was reborn in 1948.  That even really got Christians stirred up, and may held that Christ would return in 1984 (40 years, or “one generation” after the “fig tree”, Israel, put forth shoots).  But 1984 came and went, and no rapture.  But remember Jesus also said “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (v 36), so it would seem that Jesus is telling us we can know the season, but not the day or the hour.

 

So, are we in the final season?  

 

Join us Sunday, March 21, as we explore “The Rapture, and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ”.

 

 

Till the whole world hears...

 

Pastor Clay

 

The Great Tribulation

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.  But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.  Dan 12:1-4

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.  Matt 24:29-31

Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth -- to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people --  saying with a loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water."  Rev 14:6-7

One of the most misunderstood aspects of Christianity is probably the teaching of Jesus and the prophets concerning the time called “The Great Tribulation.”  One the one hand, the bible makes it pretty clear that this world-wide event will come to pass.  On the other hand, many Christians have a hard time grasping the severity of death, disaster, and suffering that is described in the book of Revelation.  As a result, some people explain away the event, saying that it is only ‘figurative’ and it will never come to pass literally.  Others dismiss it as colorful fiction that the biblical writers made up.  Some simply put it out of their minds and go about living their lives.

But I look at the teaching from a different perspective.  If a hurricane were coming towards our beach town, I would want to know about it.  I would be able to take action if I knew in advance.  If a category 5 storm were approaching, I would gather my family, but them in the car, and move them inland to safety.  But what would we think if the weather service knew a category 5 was approaching, and didn’t tell us?  How could we prepare? Wouldn’t we be caught unprepared?

Well a category 100 event is approaching this world.  Think Katrina, the Haiti earthquake, Mt St Helens, and Oklahoma tornado’s all rolled into one!  What would we think about God if He didn’t tell us that this event was coming?  Who wouldn’t want to know?  Unlike our hurricanes, there is no place on earth to hide from God’s judgment during the Great Tribulation.  But there is a safe place away from earth; Heaven! We can’t run away from the Great Tribulation, but we can tell everyone we know that God has an escape route – Salvation through Jesus Christ! In other words, knowing that something is coming allows us to prepare.  We can’t stop it, but we can be ready!

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.  Matt 24:44

Join us Sunday for our study “The Last Days – Part 3: The Great Tribulation”

Till the whole world hears...

Pastor Clay

A Greater Song

Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, bless His name;  Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations,His wonders among all peoples.  Ps 96:1-3

This past Sunday we learned a new song - A Greater Song by Paul Baloche and Matt Redman. The song really struck a chord in my heart, especially the second chorus line:

"Hallelujah we wanna lift You higher, Hallelujah we wanna lift you higher."

It was a powerful moment, standing in the sanctuary of God's house, in unison with God's people, singing out to our Lord ... "we wanna lift you higher!" It made me think of Psalm 96, a picture of God's people singing out and proclaiming to all the earth the greatness of His glory, and the blessing of His salvation!

I thought you might enjoy having the words to meditate on today.

PC
-------------------

A Greater Song
Paul Baloche and Matt Redman
Who could imagine a melody, true enough to tell of Your Mercy
Who could imagine a harmony, sweet enough to tell of Your love.
I see the heavens proclaining You day after day,
And I know in my heart that there must be a way.

To sing a greater song. A greater song to You on the earth.
To sing a greater song. A greater song to you on the earth.

Who can imagine a symphony, grand enough to tell of Your glory.
Our highest praise but a feeble breath, a whisper of Your thunderous worth
I see the heavens proclaiming You day after day,
And I know in my heart that there must be a way.

To sing a greater song. A greater song to You on the earth.
To sing a greater song. A greater song to you on the earth.
Hallelujah we wanna lift You higher, Hallelujah we wanna lift you higher.
Hallelujah we wanna lift You higher, Hallelujah we wanna lift you higher.


Listen:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yez8mNzQW08

Full Circle

As we approach chapter 23 of Matthew, there is a significant change in Jesus’ tone. In the sermon recorded in Matthew 23, Jesus goes from teaching to preaching. He moves from grace to judgment.

In Roman’s chapter 4 Paul tells us that it is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance. God’s grace and mercy are a great motivation to lead a person to receive salvation. But later Paul tells us in 1st Corinthians that some are “saved by fire”. In other words, some people have to be confronted with the sure damnation of hell and judgment in order to come to a decision about Christ. That may be why, in the last sermon that Jesus gives to the crowds in Jerusalem, just days before His death on the cross, Jesus preaches hellfire and judgment to the religious leaders.

But there is another interesting facet of this sermon; Jesus seems to be coming “full circle” in His ministry. In the beginning of His ministry, Jesus taught eight blessings on the form of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5). Here as He approaches the end of His ministry on earth, Jesus presents the religious leaders with a set of eight ‘woes’. Interesting how they parallel.

Join us Sunday as we dive into Matthew chapter 23!

Till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The Greatest Question

"What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?”

After being grilled by the religious leaders, Jesus asks this question of them. It’s a simple question: Who do you say that Jesus is? Was He a prophet? A great teacher? A good man? A person who died for a cause? If you ask ten different people, you might get ten different answers.

But the answer to the question lies not in what the Pharisees held, but what do YOU say about Jesus? How you answer the question, will determine your eternal destiny.

Join us Sunday as we finish Matthew 22, and answer the question “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?”

Till the whole world hears...

Pastor Clay

The Greatest Commandment

“What is the greatest commandment?”  Many have asked the question, and thought perhaps that there would be a deep theological answer.  Or maybe a long list of things that we have to do to please God.  But the fact is, Jesus made it really simple:  

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. Matt 22:36-38

Hmm… love God?  So what do I do with that?  How do I accomplish that? Obey all of his laws?  Follow perfectly the sayings of Christ? Go to church every Sunday?  Then Jesus goes on…

“And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matt 22:39-40

So how do I love my neighbor as myself?  Does that mean I have to love myself first?  Do I give him all my stuff?  Why am I so confused?  Well, let me tell you that Jesus doesn’t mean to confuse us, but He does want us to understand His meaning.  Join us Sunday as we explore the greatest commandment.

Till the whole world hears...

Pastor Clay

Animals in Heaven

After Sunday's message, I received several inquiry's from people asking whether their pet will be in heaven. 

Many people who love animals have wondered “will my cat/dog be with me in heaven?”  Unfortunately this is one of those topics where the bible does not give us a clear answer (…thus saith the Lord, thine cat will comfort thee…  !), but there are several scriptures that indicate that there will be animals in heaven:

Elijah was taken into heaven in a chariot with horses of fire…

Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
2 Kings 2:11

Isaiah describes heaven with animals existing without their predatory instincts…

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.  The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.
Isa 11:6-9

*Note – this verse may be referring to the 1000 year millennial reign.

Zechariah describes horses in heaven…

In that day"HOLINESS TO THE LORD" shall be engraved on the bells of the horses. Zech 14:20

And finally, John describes a white horse carrying the Lord Jesus Christ out of heaven…

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. Rev 19:11

These verses certainly indicate that some animals will be in heaven, so one could make the assumption that their pets could be in heaven also.

Psalm 37 promises us that if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart.  Perhaps if you need for your beloved pet to be with you for heaven to be heaven, the Lord will give you the desire of your heart.

Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Ps 37:4


Hank Hanegraaff, the well known apologist for Christianity, makes in interesting case (see below).
-----------------------------
Pets in Heaven
by Hank Hanegraaff

"If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than most humans." ~ James Herriot

Scripture does not exclusively tell us whether our pets will make it to heaven. However, the Bible does provide us with some significant clues that animals will inhabit the new heaven and the new earth.
First, the Garden of Eden was populated by animals, thus there is a precedent for believing that Eden restored will also be populated by animals.

Furthermore, the Scriptures --from first to last-- suggest that animals have souls. Both Moses in Genesis and John in Revelation communicate that the Creator endowed animals with souls (see Gen. 1:20, 24; Rev. 8:9). Throughout the history of the church, the classic understanding of living things has included the doctrine that animals, as well as humans, have souls.

Finally, while we cannot say for certain that the pets we enjoy today will be resurrected in eternity, I am not willing to preclude the possibility. Some of the keenest thinkers --from C.S. Lewis to Peter Kreeft--are not only convinced that animals in general, but that pets in particular, will be restored in the resurrection.

Dr. Kreeft, for example, is convinced that animals will exist throughout eternity. "Are there animals in Heaven? The simplest answer is: Why not? How irrational is the prejudice that would allow plants (green fields and flowers), but not animals into Heaven." Regarding pets, he writes: "Would the same animals be in Heaven as on earth? 'Is my dead cat in Heaven?' Again, why not? God can raise up the very grass; why not cats?

Though the blessed have better things to do than play with pets, the better does not exclude the lesser."
One thing is certain: Scripture provides us with a sufficient precedent for suggesting that animals will continue to exist after the return of our Lord. Isaiah 11:6-9 provides a particularly stirring image.

"The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different." ~ Hippocrates

"You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us." ~ Robert Louis Stevenson