tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77039256187658594012024-02-18T20:50:47.223-08:00An Unnatural LifeCyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.comBlogger417125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-55096463246144684682020-04-28T08:30:00.000-07:002020-04-28T08:30:41.803-07:00This Will Change Your Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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That was a good day - the day we honored the service of one of our matriarchs, Mrs. Marylene. It was a good day because it was filled with thankfulness and with thanksgiving. Choosing to honor Marylene created a wave of thanks. We weren't just thankful for her, but for so many others who have demonstrated their love for us and for God. We were thankful for the fellowship, the hugs (remember hugs?), the food, the fellowship, and the Lord.<br />
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Giving thanks transforms us. It turns our attention from what is bad to what is good. It changes our speach from complaining to praising. As we surrender our hearts, minds, and mouths to the Lord, the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with the warmth and joy of thankfulness.<br />
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There is so much to gripe about today. There is so much to fear. There are so many to blame. Don't! Do this instead. Give thanks.<br />
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Give thanks for your neigbor, your friend, that stranger. Yes, they got too close, no they don't have on a mask, and they aren't washing their hands like they should. Give thanks that they're trying.<br />
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Give thanks for Facebook Live, ZOOM, Youtube, and Vimeo. No, it's not in person, but it's allowed us to stay connected. Imagine what life would be like without it right now.<br />
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Give thanks for the government. Why? God said to. And, give thanks that you're not the president or the governor. Then we'd all be mad at you.<br />
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Give thanks for all those who are doing so much - pastors, elders, deacons, SS teachers, children's workers, church musicians, police, first responders, doctors, nurses, social workers, Walmart checkers, restaurant owners, and the list goes on, and on, and on.<br />
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"I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offerin prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:3-4)<br />
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Give thanks. It will change your day.<br />
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<br />Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-28623972904938215762019-08-30T11:25:00.001-07:002019-08-30T11:25:48.788-07:00Harry Potter, Gandalf, Sauron, Dr. Strange, Obi Wan, Gabriel, Jesus, & Mickey Mouse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>"He has also set eternity in their heart,"</b> (Eccl. 3:11)<br />
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I started a study of angels and demons at our church this week and commented that so much of our entertainment is filled with the super-natural or super-human. 8 of the top 10 highest grossing movie franchises are filled with the super-natural - magic, super human abilities, "the force", mind control or consciousness expansion, trans-humanism (the integration of technology into the human brain and body). The bottom line is that human beings are extraodinarily intrigued with the super-natural, including super-human abilities and have been throughout history.<br />
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Some of us like to criticize certain aspects of the genre. It's easy to pick on the magic in Harry Potter while ignoring the magic in the Lord Of The Rings or the force in Star Wars. We seem to forget that even Mickey Mouse dabbled in the dark arts as the sorcerer's apprentice in Fantasia. I'm not writing this to pick on your favorite movie or show because it advocates magic, the force, etc.<br />
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Evolutionists say that the idea of a God or gods and religion is simply an evolutionary characteristic that has somehow enhanced our survival. Scientists, while finding no evidence of life anywhere other than on this earth, all insist that there is other-than-human life somewhere out there. Statistics, they say, demand it.<br />
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I have a Biblical explanation. I believe that "eternity in our hearts" in Ecclesiastes 3:11 means we are hard-wired by our Creator to seek something out there beyond what we can see with our eyes. It is a God-given desire to seek God and eternal life, but it is a dangerous desire when it is not submitted to the search for the one true God. It is dangerous because there are beings out there who interact with our thoughts and ideas, and, according to the Bible, a third of them are malevolent rather than benevolent.<br />
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God says there are multitudes of beings whose primary residence is not on this earth. There may be millions of them - beings who share our existence in this universe, who are almost always invisible to humanity, and yet who exist as surely as we exist. In 34 of the 66 books of the Bible, these beings are referred to and described because they not only exist in the spiritual realm but also interact consistently with the physical realm.<br />
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I may be making too much of this, but I do not find it strange that as people believe in God less and less, they continue to believe or at least hope in something beyond this existence. What else fuels the billions spent on entertainment that illustrates that desire for something super-human, super-natural?<br />
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This human fascination and preoccupation causes two reactions in me. The first is hope. Humanity's desire for something beyond itself affirms my faith in the design of God. The second is concern. Humanity's willingness to consider un-biblical answers to the design of God concerns me. If you are a follower of Christ, I believe it should concern you, too. Here's why.<br />
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Holy angels who have remained faithful to God are real. They worship God, do His bidding, minister to His people, and implement His judgment. Unholy angels, who we often call demons, do not worship God, they work against His desire, they resist and do battle against His people, and they lead people astray so that they incur His judgment.<br />
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I think that 8 out of 10 of the top entertainment franchises are successful because they play to this desire. I do not think, however, that they are neutral, benign expressions of ideas. They offer an escape from the mundane through means that are not Godly. They entertain our desire for something beyond ourselves to ensnare us, not to enrich us. They encourage us to believe our desire can be satisfied through human evolution, human manipulation, and human wisdom or through some other-than-God supernatural means.<br />
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"Pastor, you have taken this too far." Maybe. It is just entertainment. Well, if it's just entertainment, why do we spend hours upon hours, dollars upon dollars, investing in it? Why do some of the "most brilliant minds" hope beyond hope that we are not alone in the universe? Why do we get offended when someone criticizes the moral or spiritual content of our favorite movie if it's just entertainment?<br />
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The idea that we can answer the desire within our hearts for eternity through manipulation of magical force, or cosmic energy, or through the evolution of technology and the expansion of the human mind is an ancient one. The hope that man can become a god was offered to Adam and Eve at the very beginning by a fallen angelic being. They reached out for infinite knowledge and eternal life and found knowledge that destroyed their communion with God and their oneness with one another. It also resulted in the downfall of their entire race.<br />
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We treat entertainment as if it is only entertainment. Is it? Entertainment is full of ideas. Those ideas are based on beliefs. Who is behind each belief? Is God and His truth, or Satan and His untruth? We are so immersed in this culture that is so controlled by the world of entertainment that most of us will never consider the possibility that we are being deceived and led away from God through entertainment that is manipulated by the demonic.<br />
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I know. I'm just blowing all of this out of proportion. Don't worry about what you spend hours watching. It's just entertainment. Is it really?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Picture Attribution: Fabi1994 at the German language Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]</span>Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-79531538511611479502019-08-12T09:46:00.000-07:002019-08-12T09:46:14.698-07:00If You Were The Last Follower Of Christ<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Another Christian leader has renounced the Christian faith. A few weeks ago, it was Josh Harris, author and once pastor. Today it's Marty Sampson, a writer of praise music for Hillsong and other Christian groups and artists.<br />
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Denying Christ is nothing new. Apostates are referenced in the Bible. Peter denied Christ to save his skin, repented, and eventually died for the faith. Paul recorded, "Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from he faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, through he hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared." (1Tim.4:1-2) Apostasy is nothing new, but it's always sad and sobering to me.<br />
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So, I pose a scenario to you that will never happen. It's just for the sake of discussion. What if you were the last follower of Jesus Christ? What if all the others had denied Him and the world had refused to believe, but you stubbornly clung to your faith in Christ until the very end? What do you think they would say about you at your funeral.<br />
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If they were respectful atheists, they might talk about "your" belief in God, in Christ, in Heaven and Hell. Even if they were kind, they would surely contrast your "irrational" beliefs with their rational system based on faith in science. If they were honest, they would have to label you a fool for clinging to what they considered misinformed and backward.<br />
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What would be wrong with that? What would be so wrong with being considered a fool for Christ's sake? Just as Christian apostasy is nothing new, neither is being considered a fool for following Him. It's time for us to once again embrace being fools in the eyes of the world. If you won't face ridicule for Christ, you will deny Him. So, if there's no one left but you, be the one that is left. Be the fool for Christ.<br />
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Picture Credit: <a href="https://www.maxpixel.net/Easter-Christ-Crucifixion-Good-Friday-Resurrection-3779943">https://www.maxpixel.net/Easter-Christ-Crucifixion-Good-Friday-Resurrection-3779943</a>Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-86064747388095832672019-07-16T11:03:00.001-07:002019-07-16T14:39:53.762-07:00Calm Down Or Freak Out: How do you know what to do?<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="ljgn" data-offset-key="17cj1-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<span data-offset-key="17cj1-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Before you stress out on one more thing, take time to read the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead in <b><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+11%3A1-44&version=CSB" target="_blank">John 11:1-44</a></b>. Jesus didn't respond to a situation like we would - a situation that appeared to be a clear emergency.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are significant differences between emergencies, crises, and stress. Take an auto accident. All accidents are stressful, some are crises, and some are emergencies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">An emergency is any situation that demands an immediate decision. In other words, emergencies demand that you stop everything else and handle the situation. If the person in the accident has life-threatening injuries, you must stop everything else and manage the injuries. If you don't, the person will die.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A crisis is any situation that requires a decision. It's not just stress. It's a stressful decision that you have to make a decision about. Emergencies make the decisions for you. Crises force you to make a decision. If the car is totaled but the driver isn't hurt seriously, decisions must be made. How will the driver get home? Out of an abundance of caution, should he go to the ER to get checked out? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stress is any demand placed on the body - emotional, spiritual or physical. Sometimes we treat a stressful situation like an emergency or a crisis. If the car isn't totaled and the driver isn't hurt, she can drive on to work. She may have to decide what car repair shop to use, but no decision has to be made on the day of the accident. It's not life or death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What made the difference between the three situations? Why is an emergency an emergency, a crisis a crisis, and stress stress? It's not the situation. It's the priority that precedes the situation. In the car wreck scenario, the value of physical life is the priority that determines if it's an emergency, a crisis, or a stressful situation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The priorities of your life will determine your reaction to every situation you face. Some of us are on high alert all the time. We see every situation as crisis at best and as emergency at worse. Flat tires, rejection, and bullet wounds elicit the same emotional responses from us. Why? We have the wrong priorities. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pastors have wrong priorities. I've totally lost it over a broken air conditioner at the church property. Why? Sometimes it's because of my fear of lack of financial security. A/C repair is expensive. The money required for repairs may not be there, that threatens the ministry of the church, and that, in turn, threatens me. Money to make expensive repairs is stressful, but it's not an emergency. It's not life or death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Churches (church people) have wrong priorities. Sometimes we get in a panic over the least important things like when the air conditioner isn't working on Sunday morning. That is clearly stressful, and it is somewhat of a crisis, but it's not an emergency. It's not life or death. Sometimes the situation seems like life and death. Some churches totally panic when their pastor resigns and moves to another church. They honestly believe they cannot do the work of the ministry without a pastor for any longer than a week or two. That is a stressful situation. It is also a crisis. The situation requires decisions. It is not an emergency. They have to act, but it's not life or death.</span></div>
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There are some clear life and death situations in life that require us to stop everything else that we are doing and attend to them. There are some clear crisis situations that require us to make decisions about future actions. We need to make sure we have our priorities set according to the grand scheme of things in order to differentiate between the two. </div>
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There are three clear spiritual priorities in the Bible. The first is that we are to love God. No matter what is happening, loving God by faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, is a life or death situation - eternal life and eternal death. The second is loving others. No matter what is happening, loving our neighbors as we love ourselves is more important than car accidents, A/C repairs, and staff changes. Each of these is fleshed out in the third priority that we call the Great Commission. </div>
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Preaching the Gospel, leading people to saving faith in Jesus Christ, and then making them into a disciple who does the same is the third priority. These priorities help us determine how to react to car accidents, A/C repairs, and pastoral changes. The Great Commission is a life or death priority. </div>
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Treat the love of God, the love of others, and the Great Commission like the priorities that they are and you'll be able to triage all situations in your life much more effectively. Most emergencies will take on a new light. Many crises will become nothing more than decisions that have to be made. You will no longer be stressed about things that really, in eternity, don't matter. It's not that they're not important. They're just not life or death. </div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-74674690610766144152019-03-25T11:13:00.001-07:002019-03-25T11:13:39.818-07:00Pastors Carry A Burden That Most Do Not Understand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">A young pastor felt lonely and frustrated, because it seemed to him that no one really cared about the whole church. "All they care about is their own little world," he said to an older pastor one day at a prayer breakfast. The older man leaned in and said, "That's because you're the pastor." </span></div>
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Paul might agree with the seasoned servant. He'd been continually persecuted for following Christ - whipped, beaten, stoned, left for dead, adrift at sea, nearly drowned in rivers, robbed, attacked by Jews, attacked by Gentiles, attacked in the city, attacked in the wilderness, betrayed, going days without sleep, food, and shelter (2 Cor. 11:24-27). On top of all of that, was a constant pressure that was unique to those in ministry leadership like apostles and pastors. <span style="text-align: center;"><b>Not to mention other things, there is a daily pressure on me: my concern for all the churches.</b> (</span><span style="text-align: center;">2 Cor. 11:28)</span></div>
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Pastor, few understood Paul's burden and few will ever understand yours. You deal with the normal stresses of life - car payments, mortgages, health issues, raising kids, marriage. In addition to that you carry a unique burden. You carry the weight of the concern for the spiritual condition of all the people you pastor. Others in the church carry a similar weight for their family, or their group, or their ministry area. You, however, carry a weight that is that of the entire flock, like a shepherd trying to carry an entire flock of sheep on his shoulders. </div>
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I have felt the loneliness and frustration of the young pastor, and I have occasionally experienced the wisdom of the older one. So, if you'll allow me, I'd like to share a few things with you that may help you through. </div>
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<b>His Grace Is Sufficient, So Cling To Him In Prayer</b> - The one who called you to this work will also provide you with the comfort and strength to complete it. (2 Cor. 11:29-10)</div>
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<b>You Are Not Alone, So Pray For And Encourage Other Pastors</b> - Every other pastor worth his salt carries the same burden, and none carried it more than our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 5:9) Spend time encouraging others who share your calling. It will help you more than you know.</div>
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<b>God Called You To This, So Don't Complain Or Whine </b>- Pour out your heart, including your complaint, to God rather than others. If you don't like the added weight of the calling, you have a problem with God. Complaining to others that no one understands is really an accusation against God for calling you and against the people in your church for not being all you think they should be. </div>
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<b>Pray For And Cultivate A Pastoral Prayer Support Team - </b>People may not fully understand your burden, but some will be willing to pray for those things that concern you. You need to be careful at this step with how you share information and prayer requests, but seek out those in your church who would join you in praying for some of those big issues that you feel you carry alone.</div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-27296039196080322592019-03-19T13:07:00.000-07:002019-03-19T13:07:29.452-07:00Jesus' Disciples Are Fat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>As they were travelling on the road someone said to Him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus told him, "Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Then He said to another, "Follow me." "Lord," he said, "first let me go and bury my father." But He told him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and spread the news of the kingdom of God." Another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me go and say goodbye to those at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."</b> Luke 9:59-62</div>
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There was a guy who said he would follow Jesus, but following Jesus requires us to give up comforts and Jesus knew this guy wasn't going to do that. There was another one who said he would follow Jesus, but he had to wait until his father died. There was no more sacred cultural responsibility in his world than to bury your parents. There was another one said he would follow Jesus, but he didn't want to give up his time with his friends. </div>
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Essentially, Jesus said no to every one of them. We don't think about Jesus being that way. We think any time we say, "Hey, Jesus, I want to follow you," He is overjoyed and says, "Come on, whatever it takes, whatever terms you have, I'm down. Come on." That's not how it is. </div>
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He rejected the guy who wanted comfort, because following Jesus requires sacrifice. He rejected the guy who wanted to wait until it was convenient for his family, because following Jesus requires us to love Him more than everyone else, even our families. He rejected the guy who wanted to have a going away party, because following Jesus requires an immediate choice. The kingdom has come. You snooze, you lose. None of these guys became disciples of Jesus, because disciples of Jesus are <b>F.A.T. </b></div>
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Every disciple of Jesus is <b>Faithful</b>. That means their commitment to Christ supersedes all other commitments, even to self. </div>
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Every disciple of Jesus is <b>Available</b>. That means that they rearrange their lives around Christ, they don't fit Christ into their existing schedule. </div>
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Every disciple of Jesus is <b>Teachable</b>. That means they don't think they know it all, or every know it all, and are continually being taught and reshaped by Jesus' words and ways.</div>
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Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die to self. A lot of people want to follow Jesus, but only the F.A.T. ones do. Only those who lay down their lives, take up their crosses and follow Him are His disciples.</div>
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If you thought you were going to just add Jesus to the schedule, you misunderstood. The abundant life He promises is an exchange, not an addition. Yes, we start where we are and we grow. Yes, our faith matures over time as we follow, but we don't grow or mature if we don't follow. Want to experience the abundant life He provides. You've got to be F.A.T.</div>
Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-87203053223346384682019-02-28T05:08:00.000-08:002019-02-28T05:19:19.804-08:00The One Question That Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!</b></div>
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I wanted to talk to her after our worship gathering, since this was her first time there. She made her way to me as the service closed and asked, "Preacher, do you ever shout, or stomp, or snort when you preach?" That wasn't exactly what I expected. I have been known to get excited, but when I snort it's usually because of allergies. "I do get excited, but I'm not really a stomper and a snorter." She knew that already, and added, "Well, I just don't feel like I've been to church if the preacher don't shout and stomp a little." I told her that what she saw that Sunday was probably what she would get on a regular basis, and I gave her the names of a few area churches where I knew preachers who might fit her bill. </div>
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People looking for churches ask questions. Usually they want to know if there are ministries for kids, youth, young adults, women, etc. Sometimes they ask what our music style is. Occasionally they want to know what version of the Bible we use. Not often, but more often than you'd think, people want to know about our doctrine. All of those things are important, and I would want to know most of them, too. There's one question, though, that is much more important and rarely ever asked. If the answer to this question is wrong, then all the shouting, snorting, stomping, and children's ministries in the world will be wrong.<br />
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<i>What must I do to be saved? </i>If the answer to that question isn't from the lips of Jesus and the Apostles, then that's not a place anyone needs to be. If the answer to that question adds to or takes away from the sufficient and completed work of Christ on the cross on our behalf, you need to run from that church, that pastor, that author, that teacher, that mentor, that religious movement like your eternal life depends upon it.</div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-8390427433733419892019-02-19T09:04:00.001-08:002019-02-19T09:10:48.263-08:00Earthshine, Half Moons And Half Sins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>But actually, I wrote you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister and is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or verbally abusive, a drunkard or a swindler. Do not even eat with such a person.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I used to be an amateur astronomer. That doesn't mean I read the stars and told the future. That would be an astrologer. I was just a guy with a telescope who liked to look at and photograph planets, star clusters, galaxies and nebulae. I wasn't all that interested in the moon, though. In my telescope it was just too bright and I had to use a filter to be able to study the detail of the craters and plains. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One evening a friend and I were out setting up our scopes for a night of viewing. We were waiting for the twilight to fade so we could see dim objects better. The moon new, so you couldn't see it in the light of the sun. You could only see it in the light reflected from the earth, which is called earthshine. It took on a whole other dimension in the dim light of the earthshine, and always enjoyed finding the new moon in that dim glow. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It doesn't matter whether the moon is dark, a half or crescent moon, or if it's lit only with the dim light of the sun reflected off the earth. It's still the moon.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My sin is sin because God is the creator and judge of all and says it's sin. It doesn't matter what light it's seen in. When I sin, I sin. You may think it's not sin. I may think it's not sin. It may not look like much of a sin compared to the sin of others, or I may think it is hideous compared to the sins of others. But, just like the moon, whether hidden in the dark, half sin or full sin, it's all still sin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's popular to think our sin is not as sinful as the sin of others. It's also popular to attack others as sinners when they point out our sin. One says, "Your homosexuality is sin," while ignoring their own heterosexual lust. The other says, "I am gay, but you have no right to tell me that's a sin. You're a lustful heterosexual." Another listens in to the conversation of these two sexually immoral people and thinks, "Man, I thought I was bad because my wife said I'm verbally abusive. I'm doing really good compared to these two guys."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">God says they're all sinners. We . . . are all sinners. So, whenever we think we are less sinners than others, we are wrong. And, whenever we think that another person has no right to tell us that our behaviors or attitudes are sinful, we are wrong. We are all sinners, in need of repentance. We are all sinners, who are required by the sinless God to preach His full counsel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jesus does tell us to deal with our own sin before addressing the sin of others, but we are not qualified to talk about sin because we are sinless. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The only non-sinner who ever spoke the Word of God was the Word of God, the Logos, Jesus Christ. We are never qualified to talk about sin. We're not qualified, but we are required. We are simply required to hear God's Word, repent of our own sin, and proclaim His truth to all sinners. Only sinners repent, and only the repentant will ever be forgiven, and only the forgiven will enter the kingdom of Heaven.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Photo by Torsten Edelman, used by permission from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HalfMoon.jpg, not modified, usage does not imply the owner approves or disapproves of this article</span></div>
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<br />Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-58780013270760709192019-02-13T06:48:00.001-08:002019-02-13T06:48:40.793-08:00Two Grandmothers Who Rescued My Daughter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking. They are to teach what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children,"</b></div>
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Titus 2:3-4</div>
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People say that children are resilient, that they handle change better than those of us who are older. They say children adapt and bounce back. My daughter was four when we moved to another state to serve the Lord in the church and community where we raised her and her brother. It was quite a move for us - over 450 miles from home, another state, far from friends and family. While the move was exciting and we knew we were doing what God wanted, it was hard for us all. It was especially hard for our daughter.</div>
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She had never been physically far away from her grandmother. In her brief life, there had been few weeks when she didn't spend face-to-face time with her Mimi. We thought we were prepared for the adjustments we would all make as we left one community and became part of another. We were not prepared for the sadness that our precious four year old daughter would experience. She didn't just adjust and bounce back. Our excitement in following the Lord was blunted by our deep concern for her. </div>
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We shared our concerns with people in our church, asking them to pray. Our Calvary family has always been so good to us, and they were all supportive and prayerful. Two of them, however, did more than pray. They chose to demonstrate Christ's love to us by adopting our sad little girl as their own granddaughter. They didn't try to take the place of her Mimi. They simply loved her, served her, cared for her just as they did their own grandchildren. Jesus, through Marylene and Aloyesse, rescued our daughter from sadness and helped her four year old broken heart heal. Through their love, expressed in real, practical, self-sacrificial ways, they taught her the nature of Christ's love and they taught her to love others in the same, real, practical way.</div>
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The picture above is my precious little girl on her wedding day standing with the two grandmothers who rescued her twenty years before. There is someone in your life who needs the love of Christ desperately. They will see Him when you love them in real, practical, self-sacrificial ways. </div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-60469135145366080502019-02-12T09:17:00.000-08:002019-02-12T09:22:18.243-08:00Two Grumpy Old Ladies Helped Me Out This Morning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>"Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me hand."</b></div>
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Luke 10:40</div>
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God's design is to love other people through you. Let me tell you how that worked out for me this morning. It was her first day on the job. She was young, polite, making minimum wage and was patiently putting up with a pile of rudeness from two older ladies at the fast food restaurant. I understand grumpy, having practiced that unchristlike attitude often myself. </div>
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These two ladies were beyond grumpy. If they knew Jesus, their smirks, harrumphs, and demands were not showing it at all. They were arrogant, demanding, and condescending and I was just about to go prophetic on them, but I'm not sure they would have understood. I'm also sure it wouldn't have helped the server.</div>
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I subdued my desire to overturn the witches cauldron being stirred by these two lovely ladies, and instead tried to demonstrate the love of Christ to the object of their wrath. I thanked the young server about three times for taking my order. She went to get a cup and the pot was empty. She gingerly said, "I'm sorry, we have to make a fresh pot." I assured her that was no problem, that I didn't mind waiting. When she gave me my cup, I thanked her again twice. When she came by later to freshen up my coffee and that of my friends, I smiled, thanked her twice again, and looked for an opportunity to encourage her. They don't allow tips at this place, or I would have given her a generous one.</div>
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One day Jesus was in the house. Martha was up getting supper ready. Mary took time off to sit at His feet. Grumpy Martha griped to Jesus that Mary wasn't helping. Jesus told Martha that He was serving Mary and that Martha should basically sit down and let him serve her, too. He wasn't worried about getting supper. He was focused on serving. </div>
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If you want to be like Jesus today, if you are His disciple, then take the opportunity to serve your server today - at the fast food restaurant, at the grocery store, at the church, or at your house. Serve the server and demonstrate the Love of God.</div>
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(Public domain pic: https://pixabay.com/en/old-angry-woman-person-white-face-607710/)</div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-10805614181825135562019-02-11T09:21:00.001-08:002019-02-11T09:21:43.298-08:00God Wants To Love Your Spouse Through You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints - and by continuing to serve them.</b></div>
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Hebrews 6:10 - CSB</div>
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I ran into a friend yesterday as we left a grocery store together. He was preaching at a church several miles north of his home and our community. Afterwards he stopped by to pick up a bouquet of roses for his wife. I patted him on the back and said, "Well, done, brother." He explained that his work was taking him out of town this week, so he wouldn't be home for Valentines Day. Again, I congratulated him on thinking ahead. I jested that he was sure to get some brownie points for his action. He joked back that he just hoped to break even. I know this guy. I know he loves Jesus. I know he loves his wife. I know that his wife knows the same about him. I wonder if she knows that Jesus is loving her through the love of her husband? </div>
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Christian brother, sister, your faith in Christ and the Valentines holiday this week created a unique opportunity for you. Jesus came to serve. He came into your life to serve through you. This week there is one person I am sure Jesus wants to love through you if you're married. That's your spouse. I know that for some of us the idea of combining the love of Christ with romance is foreign, but take it out of the realm of eros (romantic love) for a moment. Bring it into the realm of agape (the love of God). How can Jesus love your spouse through you this week? </div>
Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-23859835510478996672019-02-05T12:32:00.000-08:002019-02-05T12:32:25.345-08:00Idols, Ghosts, Mediums, Seances, etc.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/English_ouija_board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="436" data-original-width="590" height="236" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/English_ouija_board.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Preacher, do you believe in ghosts?" Fortune tellers, palm readers, and Quija boards and all things magical (like Harry Potter). . . there are believers and unbelievers. I'm surprised how many people I've met who, while they don't believe in most of it, they do believe their dead relatives have in some way communicated with them or are watching over them from Heaven.<br />
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So, what does it matter? Well, this morning I was reading the Bible and came to Isaiah 19. It contains a prophecy of God's wrath against the Egyptians who put their faith in "idols, ghosts, and spiritists." (Isa.19:3) They worshiped a multitude of gods, consulted with and worshiped their dead ancestors (ghosts), and consulted those who could give advice and predict the future by conversing with the spirit world.<br />
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What does it matter if you believe in ghosts or don't, think a Ouija board is a parlor trick or a doorway to the demonic, or think it's o.k. to have a lucky coin or think that's an idol? I'm not going to take the time here to expound on all these issues. I am just going to make one point.<br />
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Whenever you consult any spiritual power other than God, you are practicing idolatry and idolatry is spiritual adultery. Egypt did that and God's wrath was released upon them. Paul wrote, "For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." (Rom.1:18) So, don't consult those things. If they are fake, your faith is fake. If they are real, your faith is demonic. Worship, consult and follow the words of only One God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then your faith will be real and your life eternal.<br />
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<br />Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-32659975299896302652019-02-01T07:41:00.000-08:002019-02-01T07:44:14.614-08:00Is Abortion A Compassionate Alternative For Less Than Perfect Children?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIw_i8vavq2Nlsx2WNDc2qiaUNszfVnf1hW7SR9QVSqdJfEzRKkOzRKccbbxG759CmmSNjY1MMNvzYU2h36pe_qe_f1aTXa55Pc9snu_aWbgmTdHiEFJLjC-k5xTJYK9VUsPf9UC_XBdk/s1600/Boy_with_Down_Syndrome.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1162" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIw_i8vavq2Nlsx2WNDc2qiaUNszfVnf1hW7SR9QVSqdJfEzRKkOzRKccbbxG759CmmSNjY1MMNvzYU2h36pe_qe_f1aTXa55Pc9snu_aWbgmTdHiEFJLjC-k5xTJYK9VUsPf9UC_XBdk/s320/Boy_with_Down_Syndrome.JPG" width="232" /></a></div>
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<b>"I am a man with Down's Syndrome, and my life is worth living."</b></div>
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John Franklin Stephens<br />
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Tom Ed used to come by our house on his way home. His genetic disorder forced this man to ride a tricycle rather than drive a car as he made his rounds selling Grit newspapers. He would save one of the papers for my dad to buy. I really liked Tom, even though he always wanted me to fix something on his trike. My memory fails me, but I'm sure I wasn't always kind to him. I'm sure I joked with friends about the way he talked or looked as he made his way down the streets of our little town.</div>
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I'm also sure I will never forget him, and I'll never forget the day he did a flop off the high diving board at the city pool. Tom wore a life preserver, because he couldn't swim. The crowd dared him to jump off the high board, and he took the dare. All of us want the approval of the crowd. When he hit the water, he hit flat since he lacked the coordination to dive. Some gasped, most laughed and cheered. </div>
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I hope I never forget that day. I hope I never forget the guilty, sinful pleasure of laughing and cheering with the crowd. I hope I never forget the shame I felt when Tom came up out of the water crying out in pain from the sting of the water. I hope God continues to use that day to remind me that He loves all of the children He sends into the world, that all of them are precious in His sight, and that we must love and value them all as well.</div>
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One argument for free, frequent and unrestricted abortion is that it is a woman's right, that what a woman does with her womb is none of our business. On the one hand, I agree. I do not believe that a society has any business telling people whether they can have children, telling a woman if she can or should not have a child. What if one day our nation decides that no one can have a child without permission from the government, our government determines that Christians are mentally ill, and therefore cannot be given permission to have children? For a Christ following woman, the issue of who controls her womb is settled. She follows Christ, and so He and His teachings will inform all her decisions. But, for the rest of society, there is no such guide. That is why we have laws. We have laws because society only functions if there is an external standard. We have laws because we are not surrendered to Christ. </div>
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What a woman does with her womb is her business, but what she does with the person within her womb is another issue. The rights that extend to the mother must also extend to the child, whether surrounded by a womb or a receiving blanket. That child must be allowed to decide for himself or herself what life they will lead, how they will live. That child, regardless of genetic predispositions or limitations, is a human being, a person, who deserves the same protection under the law as you and I and its mother now enjoy.</div>
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We must not allow the mother, upon the advice of a physician or any other, to remove that right. As citizens of the United States who enjoy the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness we must assure that those rights extend to all citizens in this country including those in the womb. We must not accept that the mother or her physician are soothsayers. They do not know what the future holds for the child in the womb. They cannot predict what Trisomy 21 (Down Syndrome) or any other genetic disorder will mean for that child or for our society. We must not advocate laws that place the rights of the mother above the rights of the child.</div>
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Tom Ed is one reason. John Franklin Stephens is another. He has starred in award winning movies. He has spoken before presidents, congress, the United Nations, and hundreds of thousands through TV and personal engagements. He was a global messenger for the Special Olympics. He is a remarkable human being who has Down Syndrome, and in one way he is remarkable because he was born with that disorder. Please do not overlook the phrase, "because he was <i>BORN</i>."</div>
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Many argue that abortion is a compassionate choice to end a life of suffering. If you follow that logic, then you must choose to abort all babies and euthanize all people since all of us suffer. Yes, genetic disorder make life more difficult, but they do not make life less than life. Caring for a special needs child is a great weight, and so the followers of Christ must come alongside and share that burden. Caring for anyone with increased needs limits choice, increases costs, and transforms lives. However, life without struggle is bland, meaningless, and flat. The greatest in the kingdom of God are those who serve. All suffering in service is rewarded eternally, and it is also rewarded temporally. Even those who do not believe in God understand that there is no real meaning or purpose in life if there are no trials or challenges to overcome.</div>
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Neither of my children is genetically perfect, nor are you or yours. My daughter's heart was far from perfect, and my son's eyes required surgeries to function properly. Neither of them has had a perfect life, nor have their parents. No, I have never had to make the kinds of decisions that many women and men have to make. I have never heard from a physician that my child would be born with severe disabilities. I have also never experienced the pain of losing a child to homicide to know that laws should be made that forbid murder. When I hear someone say that abortion is the compassionate end of a life that would have to suffer, I think about my daughter's heart, my son's eyes, and I think about Tom.</div>
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I think about Tom and dozens of people I know with genetic abnormalities. I think about how they have so blessed my life and enriched this world. (I don't name them here out of respect since they are still alive). I am moved by the courage, contribution and humanity of hundreds of patients I served through a mental health center in Texas. I realize how significantly they have contributed to my life and to the lives of thousands. </div>
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You may not disagree with much I have written, but would you do one thing? Would you watch John Franklin Stephens' testimony before Congress in 2017? Then, if you want to know what he's talking about, read the article here about the research being done to cure Alzheimers: <b><a href="https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/types-of-dementia/down-syndrome?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=google_grants&utm_content=types_of_dementia&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoPDendea4AIV1bjACh1QbgxsEAAYAyAAEgJsG_D_BwE" target="_blank"> Downs Syndrome And Alzheimer's Disease</a></b>), I've watched it several times as I've written this article here in my study, and I've been moved deeply every time. </div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yQJEoRhkapw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yQJEoRhkapw?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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(Phone used with permission from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQJEoRhkapw )</div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-57419120638697796642019-01-21T10:24:00.003-08:002019-01-22T08:46:36.807-08:00Latin For "This Mess We're In"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>"Status quo, you know, is Latin for the mess we're in."</b></div>
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~ Ronald Reagan</div>
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We live everywhere from the desert to the rain forest, from the depths of the ocean to near earth orbit, from the frigid plains near the north pole to the deserts at the equator. We settle in and then do whatever it takes to make it as comfortable as possible. Human beings can live almost anywhere, but wherever we are we work hard to maintain a comfort zone.</div>
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Most other creatures aren't like that. Fish don't live in the desert, and most of them live in a fairly narrow environmental band. Some live only in the depths of the ocean, and some only in high mountain streams. Some creatures adapt but most have very little ability to manipulate their environment. Frogs bury themselves in the muck in winter and bears find a den, but they don't build fires to keep themselves warm. We do. We work hard to maintain the status quo, our comfort zone.</div>
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I presume that churches do the same thing that their human being members do. They work to maintain the comfort zone - a.k.a., the status quo. Whether the church is cold or hot, the atmosphere is dry or it's raining, the people who make up local churches like to stay the same. Even if the church is in a mess, individual churches will, more likely than not, do all they can to change as little as possible. That's probably why so many are stagnant or declining. Jesus said that His kingdom grows, so it's safe to assume a spiritually health church is growing. </div>
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Dr. Bill Day at the Leavell Center for Evangelism and Church Health has compiled reams of research and has developed a definition for a healthy growing church. It's based on how a church has performed in a few areas over a period of five years. His definition of a healthy growing church is one that 1) has had a total worship attendance increase of 10% over 5 years, 2) had at least one baptism of a new believer in the first and last year of the last 5 years, and 3) has a worship-attendance-to-baptism ratio of no greater than 15:1. That means that a church that baptized 2 people last year would have 30 in worship, a church that baptized 10 would have 150 in worship, etc. </div>
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Guess what percentage of churches met that percentage in 2015. Well, in Southern Baptist life, only 5.4% of Southern Baptist churches were healthy, growing churches. Some other denominations are doing a bit better, but most are worse. That means about 95% of churches are not healthy and are not growing. </div>
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Ronald Reagan said that status quo was just another term for "this mess we're in." If we're living in a mess and do nothing to change the mess, then the only people we can blame for the mess is ourselves. Sometimes a Christian realizes his stagnation. Sometimes a church sounds the alarm. How many times, though, does the Christian or church answer the alarm with more of the same? Don't mistake doing the same thing with more enthusiasm as what's needed. </div>
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Have you ever gotten your vehicle stuck in the mud? What do most people do when they're stuck? They press down on the accelerator and spin their tires faster and faster hoping that by doing the same thing harder and harder they'll get different results. Sounds like the way most of us deal with the mess we're in.</div>
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If you keep going the way you're going, no matter how hard you go that way, you'll end up in the same place you were going before you tried harder. Most Christians and churches are plateaued. They are stagnant. That's not healthy. If your focus is on maintenance, you're going to lose. Here's why. </div>
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God has created us to be healthy, and healthy means growing. Maintaining the status quo is not growth, so it's not healthy. Unhealthy Christians and unhealthy churches don't stay the same for long. They decline and die.</div>
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If you're going to church and your comfortable the way you're church is going, your church will probably keep going the way it's going. If it's healthy and growing, that's great. If it's plateaued that's unhealthy.</div>
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Of course most people aren't going to church like they used to go. So, their church is declining. Their comfort with "not going" has become the way their church is going. No, going to church meetings is not the only part of being the church. But, is commanded. We need to gather with our church for what it does for us, and we need to gather for what we can do for others. Neither you nor your church will be spiritually healthy if you're not going, because healthy Christians are those who serve and healthy churches are filled with servants. </div>
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Once more, healthy, growing churches are filled with n't churches where the members are satisfied merely with going. They are filled with Christians who go to serve - who've learned that only in using their gifts to make other disciples can they find the fulfillment that God promises. </div>
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A biblical term for a healthy, growing Christian is a disciple. A healthy, growing church is a disciple-making church. The only status quo that disciples and disciple-making churches try to maintain is the image of Christ. Their goal is Christ-likeness. Since they have not yet arrived at that goal, their status quo is growth. They live to grow, not to remain the same.</div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-30759995958131943582019-01-15T10:25:00.000-08:002019-01-15T10:25:47.726-08:00We Need Quarterback Eyes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!</b></div>
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Matthew 6:22-23</div>
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Watch any football game and the commentators will talk about the quarterback's ability to see the field. He can have a great arm, but he has to see which receiver is open. He has to read the defense and his own team. He has to have quarterback eyes, the kind that are always looking in the right place, at the right time. If he doesn't, he may have a good arm but won't be a good quarterback.</div>
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Christians need to keep their eyes on the field of play. We need to read the Bible, and we need to read the defense. What's happening in our community? What are the real needs? Where are the doorways of opportunity God has opened for us to walk through? We also need to keep our eyes open to what God is doing in our own church. Who He has brought here? What talents are available? Which people are faithful and can be trusted with leadership? Which people need to be trained and developed?</div>
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If the enemy can distract us, get us looking at the wrong thing, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, there's no way we will do the right thing, in the right place, at the right time. There are some obvious places we need to not look. If what we're looking at leads us into one of the three categories of sin, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life, then we need to look somewhere else quickly.</div>
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There is another place that we don't need to look. We don't need to look at what other churches are doing nearly as much as we do. "Pastor, did you see what First Church is doing on Sundays? We ought to do that. . . Did you see what their youth group is doing? Man, we should try that." There's nothing wrong with seeing what others are doing and letting God use that to stir up our creative and innovative juices. Usually, though, what they're doing isn't what we should be doing.</div>
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Instead of looking at what first or second church is doing, we should be looking where Jesus is looking. <b>"Don't you say, 'There are still four more months, and then comes the harvest?' Listen to what I'm telling you: Open your eyes and look at the fields, because they are ready for harvest." </b>(John 4:35) Facebook is not the field. Other churches are not the field. The world is the field.</div>
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Open your eyes. Look at the field. See the needs. See the opportunities. Look at yourself. Look at your church. What do you already have that you can use to begin to serve the people in the fields, to reach the people in the fields? Where you look controls where you live.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Photo by Keith Allison, obtained by permission from https://www.flickr.com/photos/kellbailey/5340620261/in/set-72157625662191367/)</span></div>
Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-64031487510510122252019-01-02T10:49:00.001-08:002019-01-02T11:00:07.994-08:00You Can Pick Your Friends, But You Can't Pick Your Family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Click on the pic to read the entire article.</i></span></div>
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He called himself an evangelical Christian (like I do), but what he said was stupid, insensitive, and in opposition to the ethical and moral teachings of Scripture. I really wanted to disown him. Then I realized he wouldn't care, so I decided to take the radical step of changing my identity. I decided I would no longer identify as an 'evangelical' Christian. I would be a 'follower of Christ,' or a 'disciple of Jesus,' or something else. </div>
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Why? Because being identified with him made it harder for me to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and to make disciples of Jesus Christ. I had to overcome the bias of anyone against this goofball Christian just to start a conversation. It's hard enough sharing the gospel with all the very public failings of those who call themselves Christians. People disown religion every day, "I'm Christian, not religious. . . you don't have to be religious to get to heaven. . . religion doesn't save." So, why couldn't I just disown this guy and the label? </div>
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Maybe I couldn't because you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family. I have an idea that no follower of Jesus Christ is perfect yet in their beliefs, which means they aren't perfect yet in what they say, and they are also not perfect yet in what they do. And, sometimes, they act like total goofballs and you really want to disown them. Now, I'm sure no one has ever wanted to disown me, right. Surely I've been more Biblical with my beliefs all my life, more careful with every word, and more scripturally ethical and moral with my behavior. Yeah, that's me.</div>
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Look, I'm not advocating the approval of faulty beliefs or the excusing of immoral or unethical speech and behavior. There are times when God says we must part company with a so-called brother or sister who advocates false teaching and heretical behavior. Yes, it would be great if every Christian behaved like Christ every moment of every day, but they don't. We don't. You don't. I don't. We have to do ministry in a world that makes clear that we are all sinners in need of a Savior, even once we have been saved. If you go about disowning all the goofy, stupid Christians out there, it won't be long before you, too, will be disowned.</div>
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Thank God for the grace, mercy, and truth of God. They are not a license for stupidity, but they are a remedy for the stupid. Stop worrying about what goofy Christians do. Go and make disciples of all people. </div>
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(Picture is public domain and acquired from: https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=215446&picture=goofy-face)</div>
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<br />Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-58135693896006975892018-12-27T07:27:00.002-08:002018-12-27T07:31:35.679-08:00Drew Brees, Priorities & Winning In Life In 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Drew_Brees_prepares_to_pass_vs_Seahawks_in_2011_NFC_wildcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="800" height="205" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Drew_Brees_prepares_to_pass_vs_Seahawks_in_2011_NFC_wildcard.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The average NFL quarterback is 6' 4" tall and weighs 235 lbs. Drew Brees is 6' 0" tall and weighs 205. He has thrown completions to receivers he can't even see because of his height and the height of defenders. He has simply studied and prepared with his team so that he knows where the receiver will be and throws there. He is arguably the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. How did he do it?<br />
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He will be the first to give credit to God, his family, and his team. As talented as he is, others are just as talented. He also prioritizes the game he is playing. Zack Strief, offensive tackle who played with Brees for 12 years, said, "He's a coach on the field." So, he's not just there, he's leading. Streif also said, "He's in install meetings. He's in game-plan meetings. He watches so much tape. He knows what we're all doing. I hate when people try and say he's a system quarterback. He is the system."</div>
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(information above and quotes from an article at <b><a href="https://247sports.com/nfl/new-orleans-saints/Article/Saints-likely-first-round-playoff-opponents-126868961" target="_blank">247Sports</a></b>)</div>
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I don't know if you've ever watched a game, but the moment the offense leaves the field Brees has a pad in his hand reviewing video and plays. He has his priorities straight, and it has resulted in success in his faith, family, and football. Listen to people who know him talk about him and they say that his priorities guide his incredible work ethic and his dedication to God, family and football, and all of that is crucial to the success of the Saints. He studies, he participates, he contributes, he leads, and he wins.</div>
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If you want to win eternally, then you've got to get your priorities straight. Every successful follower of Jesus Christ has the same priorities. Remember, God does not define success like the world does. This isn't football. Success in God's kingdom is defined with one word - "faithful." </div>
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Four priorities that result in four practices that are essential. If you make them your habits, you will grow in faithfulness to God and His kingdom. If you don't make them your habits, you will fail. It's that simple. Here they are.</div>
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Faithfully <b>Read the Bible</b> (Daily)</div>
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Faithfully <b>Pray </b>(Daily)</div>
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Faithfully <b>Gather When Your Church Gathers</b></div>
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Faithfully <b>Make Disciples</b> (share the Gospel, be in small group, give & serve)</div>
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You may have great gifts and talents, but your size and talents don't count for that much in the kingdom of God. Undersized, under-gifted Christians become great in the Kingdom when those priorities are their priorities, because God is the one who makes us great.</div>
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Now to help you read the Bible daily, I've included a link. It gives you 16 different reading plans to help you systematically, faithfully read God's Word in 2019. Please click on the link below, pick one, and do it. </div>
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<b><a href="https://www.ligonier.org/blog/bible-reading-plans/?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTVRVMFpURTROR1l6TURNMyIsInQiOiJyTGo2WWpyUXFyYkkwTmZVUkl5MVRuTFlJV0xRZzJGN25MTFNHSXJxeWViYmdIZEh4U212c29nREFCSVNqMlkrbEFCbjkyekoxeVo3UUJzaVhhb2x4em5MSmlYVmRydEdGenJSMnJOY0E5blJpUjZlUWNnV3dBXC9Wdms4dHV5T2QifQ%3D%3D" target="_blank">2019 Bible Reading Plans</a></b></div>
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Then, if you're a member of Calvary in Many, get ready for January 20th when we will kick off a month of equipping us all to Worship (Read the Bible & Pray), Share the Gospel, Study the Word, and Serve. January and February are going to be empowering months at Calvary. It's called No Sweat Discipleship. If you want to learn more about it, click on this link - <b><a href="https://www.nosweatdiscipleship.com/" target="_blank">No Sweat Discipleship</a></b>.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">* The picture above was used by permission from <b><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drew_Brees_prepares_to_pass_vs_Seahawks_in_2011_NFC_wildcard.jpg" target="_blank">Wikipedia Commons</a></b>. Click on that link for attribution.</span></div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-14581819698852241182018-11-07T07:30:00.000-08:002018-11-07T07:30:21.584-08:00Servant Celebration Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="color: black;">Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord's work, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;">1 Corinthians 15:58</span></div>
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The first time I coached little league baseball we didn't do too well in the opening tournament, but it didn't matter. Every member of our team still got a trophy. I remember one of the little boys asking, "Why did we get a trophy? We didn't do anything." Sometimes you have to love the insight of a child. That loss motivated us. We worked hard, and actually ended up making the all-stars that year.</div>
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Sometimes we give "participation awards," but sometimes we give awards for much more than just showing up. We had the joy of doing that Sunday morning. Marylene Lawrence has been a steady, consistent servant of the Lord and this church for over 50 years. We recognized that Sunday morning. She didn't want us to, but we did anyway. We celebrated what God can and will do with a willing vessel. We encouraged one another with the knowledge that what we do in His service for His kingdom and His people is not forgotten.</div>
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We taught His Word, we worshiped His name, we honored His servants, we remembered His death and renewed our hope at His return as we ate the Lord's Supper. Then we enjoyed the fellowship of His Spirit and His people by breaking bread together. After lunch, we returned to the worship center and ordained four men to the deacon servant ministry. These men were not ordained to serve. They were ordained because they already serve. Tony, David, Eric, and Dustin are not the only men who serve at our church. Marylene is not the only servant. They are part of a corps of men and women who serve the Lord, His Kingdom, and His people.</div>
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It was a good day. Thank you, Lord, for those who do so much more than just show up. Thank you for the servants. Thank you that they are the greatest in Your Kingdom, and that their labor in You will not be forgotten.</div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-43138818746510976782018-10-30T10:38:00.000-07:002018-10-30T10:43:06.457-07:00Psycho-babble And The Christian Mind<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>They are darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts.</b></div>
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I was waiting patiently for my eye appointment when he walked out the front door of the office and immediately and loudly said, "&#!&#! That ain't gonna work!" He turned around back into the tiny waiting room, quickly made his way to the window and asked for some of those "shade things" to put over his glasses. The doctor had dilated his eyes, the sun was bright, and there was apparently a direct connection between his retina and the off-color language center of his brain.</div>
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I think I'm safe in saying that most people think that most of what they say and read makes sense. The words they live by seem rational, plausible, workable, and full of wisdom. In their eyes these words to live by look good, they're even comfortable. Here are a few examples.</div>
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<i>"There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a person being themselves. Imagine going through your day being unapologetically you." (Steve Maraboli)</i> "<i>When you undervalue who you are, the world will undervalue who you are."</i> <i>(Oprah Winfrey)</i></div>
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If Steve Maraboli is right, then you are the answer to all your problems. All you have to be is you, perfectly you, and all will be well. That's contrary to the purpose of Christ. He came, lived, died, and rose again to deliver us from us. If Oprah is right, then our entire existence is based on our valuation of ourselves. If she's right, then when we finally value ourselves as valuably as we should, everyone else will, too. Look, there are so many things wrong with this that it's hard to narrow it down.</div>
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I'm not picking on Oprah, but she says so much that is out of line with what God says, as in <i>"Surround yourself only with people who are going to take you higher."</i> That sounds really good, especially since God says bad company corrupts good morals. But, every time I read this quote or one like it, I think about Jesus. I am so glad that he did not only surround himself with people who were going to take him higher. If Jesus followed this saying, none of us would ever get to be with him. How could we possibly fulfill the Great Commission if we never spend time with lost people who are still living in sin?</div>
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I write stuff, and I read stuff, and I post pithy sayings from Christian authors, theologians, and others, but every time I do I ask, "does this line up with an orthodox interpretation of God's Word?" I do that, because I don't want to one day be blinded by the light as my fellow eye clinic friend was. Life is too important to live by psycho-babble. Live it <b>BY</b> the word of God. To do that, you have to spend time <b>IN</b> the word rather than in the world of psycho-babble.</div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-5565802580635766202018-09-19T09:33:00.000-07:002018-09-19T09:37:27.007-07:00When Picking Sides<br />
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<b>"I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life."</b></div>
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Philippians 4:2-3</div>
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Here's what we know about these two women. First, Paul believed them to be true believers, since he noted their names were in the book of life. Second, they were members of the same church and active in the gospel ministry with Paul and others. Third, their dispute was not personal but doctrinal, because Paul always addressed doctrinal disputes directly. Fourth, their divided relationship clearly had the potential to divide the church, which is likely why Paul addressed it so prominently. That also indicates that people within the church had chosen sides.</div>
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That's surprising, isn't it? People in the church actually chose sides. Why I've never heard of such a thing. Oh, wait, yes, I have heard of such a thing. As a matter of fact, I cannot remember a single conflict, inside or outside of the local church, in which people haven't picked sides. He said, she said, they said, we said. Everyone has an opinion, and then everyone takes sides. Always, not usually, but always the whole truth is not what either side says it is. The whole truth is somewhere in between.</div>
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Actually, the truth is not somewhere in between the two opposing stories. The truth sits on the throne of Heaven. That's why Paul wrote that they were to "agree in the Lord." That's the only way human beings will ever really agree. We will always be tempted to pick sides in any argument or disagreement. The only way out is to pick the third side, the Lord's side. </div>
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They say that blood is thicker than water, and that's usually true in conflict. We are often tempted to take the side of a family member. We usually take the side of our close friends, even if we know they're not entirely right. </div>
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The only way to deal with the multitude of disagreements that arise as the result of living in a fallen world is to pick God's side, His truth, found in His Word, often made clear by a third party who hasn't chosen sides. Pick the right blood. Pick the blood and the truth of Jesus.</div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-20619313115571397132018-09-11T05:35:00.000-07:002018-09-11T05:40:27.599-07:00The Generation That Does Not Remember 9/11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just before I laid down last night, I remembered what happened the following morning 17 years ago. I remembered and I wondered how many had forgotten. I read an article early this morning written by a University professor. She talked about the state of students she teaches. She said most see all the wars of the last hundred years all mixed up. </div>
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She grew up in Washington, D.C. when Congress controlled the public school curriculum for the District of Columbia. As a result, every student took American history in elementary, junior, and high school. She was steeped in the history of our country. Today, she wrote, almost all her students cannot distinguish between Korea, WWII, or Viet Nam. They have no living memory and they have not been taught, so they have no concept of why our nation is what it is - for good or ill.</div>
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These same students are the least Christian in the history of our nation. They are the greatest unbelieving generation in the history of our country, and perhaps in all of Western civilization. </div>
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Could it be for the same reasons that they do not know the history of their own nation? </div>
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Could it be that they simply have no living memory of Christ? What I mean is, could it be that, even if they were raised in a church, they never heard the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ, truly repented and truly believed? Could it be that they have no living memory because they saw no "living" followers of Christ? Could it be they simply have not been made disciples? </div>
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They may have been taken to church, but were they continually taken to Jesus? Did His teachings not only permeate their Sunday School classes, but did they also permeate the lives of their parents, their teachers, and their friends. Discipleship requires teaching, but teaching is not only in the classroom. It is in the living room, the dining room, the locker room, the classroom, and the break room at work. </div>
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Our purpose and mission is to make disciples. That is a life-long commitment to learn who Jesus is and follow Him with every step. Disciple-making does not guarantee that our followers will follow Him, but to fail to make disciples virtually guarantees that they will not follow Him. Don't despair, though, because the Lord Himself has given us the plan to further His kingdom. It is the kingdom that cannot be stopped by the gates of Hell. Go, make disciples.</div>
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Photo Credit: NIST Robert Miller - https://acrhive.org/details/NISC_9-11_Relea23_29 Public Domain Mark 1.0<br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-12777663272255104982018-08-16T15:03:00.001-07:002018-08-17T06:15:00.119-07:00It's Me, It's Me, O Lord, Who Needs To Give Up My Seat<br />
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We were looking for a church in the city in which we lived. We settled on a large "First Church" for that particular Sunday. Piano, organ, and a small worship orchestra led the large choir and music filled the air where over a thousand were seated. I was seated on the last seat on the row, my wife beside me. There was one empty seat in our section immediately in front of me. To the right of it were two older ladies who appeared well-to-do. One of them was wearing a fur jacket.<br />
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Movement caught my eye. A woman, late middle-aged, came to the open seat. She was not well-to-do. She was thin, wearing a worn, sky blue polyester pant suit. Her purse was worn, too. I could smell her. She had the odor people have when they live on the streets and don't get but one or two showers a week at the shelter<br />
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She motioned to the empty seat in front of us, asking the well-to-do lady in fur if it was available. Either in surprise or fear, she turned wide-eyed to look at her well-to-do friend, and then looked back at the thin woman. I heard her say, "It's taken. My husband is coming to sit there." The lady turned around and walked toward the back, presumably looking for another seat. The well-to-do ladies exchanged knowing glances. Her husband never did come and sit there.<br />
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Every time I tell that story people are appalled at the reaction of the well-to-do ladies. It was appalling. How could they conspire to deny her a seat because she was not like them when Christ offered them a place in eternity in spite of their great difference from him? But, something troubles me. It's not the well-to-do who trouble me. It's me.<br />
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My wife and I were sitting on the end of the row. There was no extra seat beside us, but there was a seat available. That seat was mine.<br />
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Why did I not get up and give her my seat?<br />
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<br />Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-50623838826895596452018-07-24T05:30:00.000-07:002018-12-27T07:52:58.717-08:00The Fruit On Your Own Tree Is Always Sweeter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The picture is of a tree a friend of mine grafted and gave me a few years ago. These persimmons need another tree to pollinate, but if a skillful arborist grafts two trees together it will self-fruit, pollinate itself. There's a whole spiritual application there about us being grafted into Christ, but that's not what I'm thinking about this morning as I write. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I planted that tree, watered it, fertilized it, weeded it, sprayed it for bugs, and was terrifically excited when, after two years of potential fruit, I finally saw those little green orbs forming on the branches. This Fall, if the opossums don't get them first, I am going to pluck those persimmons when they become perfectly ripe and enjoy the sweetest, bestest, most awesome persimmons I have ever had.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Those persimmons will be better than any I have ever tasted, for one reason alone. They came off my very own persimmon tree in my very own orchard. If you have an orchard, or grow a vegetable garden, you know something other people don't. The fruit off your own tree and the vegetables out of your own garden are far more satisfying to eat than anything anyone can buy in any green market or store. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> You really need to get that truth. There is a lot of sweet fruit in this life. There are worship services that lift our sous. There are teachers and preachers that stimulate our minds. There are books and studies that open our eyes to tasty Biblical truths. There are conferences we return home from that we think everyone else just absolutely must attend when they come around again. Mimi and Paw-paw have such a genuine faith, and we are so blessed when we are around them. That child's response to the children's sermon was so precious. It is all so good, but none of it is as sweet as the fruit on your own tree.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> While the world needs to see the fruit of God in and on your life, it's there for another reason. It is there for you to enjoy, realizing how sweet it is that the great and gracious Creator has grafted you into Christ through faith in Christ, placing His Spirit within you so that you will bare fruit. But,<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> that fruit does not grow unless you water the tree, fertilize the tree, spray the tree for bugs, nurture the tree, protect the fruit from predators, and do all of that continually until the fruit is ready to eat. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> You must believe in Christ. You must choose to surrender your life to His plan and process. You must abide in His Word, prayer, worship and service. You must obey. You will never experience the joy of the abundant life, never joyfully taste the sweet, sweet fruit of Christ if you don't.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Please, take time to read more: John 14 & 15</span></span></div>
Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-67638073756497050502018-06-18T12:37:00.000-07:002018-06-19T05:24:13.279-07:00The Last Sunset<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>And just as it is appointed for people to die once - and after this, judgment - so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.</b></div>
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Hebrews 9:27-28</div>
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We were fishing with friends and a strange thought drifted through my mind. That's not unusual. Many strange thoughts drift through the vast empty space between my ears, but this one continues to remind me it's there. "This could be the last sunset I ever see." </div>
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A few days after that sunset, the mother of a friend of mine died suddenly. I had coffee with her only a week or so before. The next day his mother-in-law died. They had both lived full lives in the faith, but those days were numbered. A couple of weeks ago a pastor friend of mine who had recently moved back into the area was struck and killed while jogging. I had seen him at a prayer breakfast just three days before. He was 46. In the last few years I've lost several good friends - some young, some old. We had our last conversation, prayed together the last time, enjoyed a last supper. </div>
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Sometimes we get angry with God because someone dies. That's understandable, but unfair. He did promise, after all, that there is a final day appointed for each of us. None of us knows the day, but we know it's coming. Whether it's a sunset, a fishing trip, a cup of coffee, a breakfast, or a special time with family or friends, one of those will be the last one of those.</div>
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Each of us will have a last dance, a last sunset. That's reality and so is what comes on the other side of our last sunset. If we believe in Jesus and follow him here, we'll enter eternity with him by our side. If, however, we haven't followed him here, then we'll will face the judgment with him as our opposition. </div>
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I'm glad for that sunset and the thought that continues to echo in my mind. It, along with God's Word, reminds me that he's never lied, even about death. He hasn't promised earthly immortality. How awful would it be to have to live forever in this world, forever dealing with its mess? He's promised that one day all this will end and our joy will be full. That's only frightening if we don't know him. It's only unfulfilling if we think this world is superior to the one that's coming. </div>
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So, until that day, let's live as if we were already there. Let's patiently await his perfect timing, holding onto him while we make our way through this life. We're here for a purpose, whether we can figure it all out or not. We're here to glorify God, to make Him, His love, and His gospel known until He calls us home. So, let's dance while we can, but let's always remember that nothing here is as wonderful as everything there will be. And, above all, let's believe in Jesus, follow him, and give thanks that meeting him face-to-face will be the best part of life on the other side of the last sunset. </div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7703925618765859401.post-48340335635103015542018-06-13T10:00:00.001-07:002018-06-13T10:00:38.480-07:00Does Father Know Best?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.</b></div>
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Ephesians 6:1-4</div>
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Sunday is Father's Day, and since I'm a preacher I'm expected to say something about Fathers. Preachers are warned not to use paternal holidays to lay into mothers and fathers. That's good counsel. The flipside, however, is to pour on the schmooze. Being a father makes that a bit awkward, kind of like me preaching how great pastors are on pastor appreciation Sunday.</div>
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Did you know Father's Day was an afterthought? One story says it was begun in 1909, the year after a mine explosion in Virginia that killed 361 men. Grace Golden Clayton suggested to her pastor that a special service should be held in honor of fathers. The other story of its founding says it was begun in 1910, the year after Sonora Smart Dodd heard a Mother's Day sermon and suggested to her pastor that father's deserved at least a mention. Either way, thank you for the day Grace and Sonora.</div>
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I've been reading a lot about parenting recently. Guess I'm having flashbacks to my good old days working on my family ministry degree. It's interesting that the debate hasn't changed much. Parents are still the most important people in society. There's apparently an entire generation that hasn't been parented well, since we now have to have "Adulting" classes for young adults. </div>
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Some say that most of society's problems should be laid at the feet of parents, particularly, it seems from popular opinion, fathers. There's the movement toward more authoritarian parenting, lauded by some and villainized by others. There's a more tempered approach, labelled "authoritative parenting". Parents become more deal-makers than rule-enforcers. Then there's the egalitarian approach, where who knows who's in charge. </div>
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I can show you scientific research supporting every side of every issue. By the way, scientific research isn't all it's cracked up to be (there was a good article about that in 2013 in in<b><a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2013/10/21/how-science-goes-wrong"> <span style="color: blue;">The Economis</span><span style="color: black;">t</span></a></b><span style="color: black;">). </span><span style="color: white;">The science you trust today will very often be proven inaccurate tomorrow. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> So, how should you parent? Does father really know best? Whoop (that's spank for those of you who know no rednecks), don't whoop, play let's make a deal or tell them "because I said so", dress boys as boys and girls as girls or let them choose the too-too or the gladiator outfit, make them go to church or let them choose, think there are gender-specific roles or not, father is head of the house or mom is or the three year old is . . . seriously, what do we do?</span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> Well, I don't know what you do if you're not a follower of Jesus Christ. Punt, I guess. Join the parenting-philosophy-of-the-month club. Do it like your parents because you thought they did great, or don't do it like them because you think they were idiots. I don't think anyone intends to be a bad parent, but, how do you really, honestly, know what a good parent is? Is a perfect child the product of perfect parenting? If it is, then any imperfection is the result of failed parenting, and that's just not entirely true. Both great and totally dysfunctional young adults come from the same home. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> Here's what you do if you're a follower of Christ. First, stop evaluating your parenting solely on current fruit in your kids lives. You should take an honest look at your parenting, but good parents can have rotten kids. It's the Holy Spirit who produces fruit in your kids' lives. You are just one of the tools he uses. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> Then, pick up the Bible and read all that God says about parenting, but before that read all it says about being a parent, and before that read all it says about being a child of the Heavenly Father. Who you are in Christ, how you are following Him, is far more important than what parenting method you used. Focus on your own childhood as a child of God. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> Finally, love learning. Read, learn, evaluate, but don't live your life by the observations and ideas of the world. Live and parent by the design of the designer. That won't make a lot of people happy, but following Jesus never does. </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"> Earthly fathers don't always know best, but there is a father who does. . . "our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name."</span></div>
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Cyle Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01751472680847031691noreply@blogger.com0