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Articles from Pastor Jon's Blog

John 3:23-25 2007-05-07 00:00:00 John 2 - Conversion and Cleansing 3. (23-25) Jesus does not entrust Himself to the adoring crowds. Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. a. Many believed in His name when they saw the signs: Jesus knew that this was thin, superficial belief. It wasn?t based on anything other than an admiration of the spectacular. Knowing this, Jesus did not commit Himself to them. i. "If belief is nothing more than admiration for the spectacular, it will create in multitudes applause; but the Son of God cannot commit Himself to that kind of faith." (Morgan) b. He knew what was in man: Yet Jesus still loved the multitudes, though he would not commit Himself to them. We can love people without entrusting ourselves to them. Even though God knows exactly wh ...

Sunday Quotes 05.06.07 2007-05-06 05:00:00 God is sovereignly orchestrating all of the seemingly random circumstances of our lives. - Unknown God will not force you to revere Him, but He will make it impossible for you to be happy unless you do. - Unknown Apart from God life has no meaning. - Unknown There is a God we want, and there is a God who is. They are not the same God. The turning point of our lives is when we stop seeking the God we want and start seeking the God who is. - Unknown "This is the paradox of Christian worship: we seek to see the invisible, know the unknowable, comprehend the incomprehensible, and experience the eternal. Like David, we thirst after God and we are both satisfied and dissatisfied. Like Moses, we cry out for His glory, all the while knowing that our mortal eyes could never behold God's glory in its fullness. Like Peter we wrestle with a tension within: we want to follow Him, and yet we cry out, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man.'"  -- Warren Wiersbe, "Real Wors ...

Characteristics Of Revivals - Part 2 2007-05-06 05:00:00 Characteristics of Revivals By Richard M. Riss Historian Richard Riss has written books on revival including A Survey of 20th-Century Revival Movements in North America (Peabody , 1988) and Images of Revival (Revival Press, 1997). His doctoral research at Drew University includes study of the current awakening. The following summary indicates characteristics common to revivals and awakenings.       Characteristics of Revivals and Awakenings       1. How Awakenings Arise       a. They always emerge against a backdrop of very serious spiritual decline or intense spiritual dryness.       b. They are the product of intense prayer.       c. When people pray for reawakening, God seems to give the answer to their prayers in places that they least expect it.       d. At the beginning of an awakening, there is often an exhilarating sense of expectancy.   &nb ...

John 3:18-22 2007-05-06 00:00:00 John 2 - Conversion and Cleansing 2. (18-22) Jesus speaks of a new temple, and its destiny. So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said. a. What sign do You show to us, since You do these things? This wasn?t necessarily a bad question. Anyone who drove out the merchants from the temple courts claimed the authority to do it. The Jews wanted to know if Jesus really had this authority. The problem is that they demanded a sign from Jesus to prove it. b. Destroy this temple, and in three days I ...

Characteristics Of Revivals - Part 1 2007-05-05 05:00:00 Characteristics of RevivalsBy Richard M. Riss Historian Richard Riss has written books on revival including A Survey of 20th-Century Revival Movements in North America (Peabody, 1988) and Images of Revival (Revival Press, 1997). His doctoral research at Drew University includes study of the current awakening. Revivals and Misrepresentations During the course of my study of revivals over the past twenty-three years, one of the things that has fascinated me is the extent to which they are misrepresented. These misrepresentations are usually widely believed, creating stumbling blocks which prevent many people from partaking in the forgiveness, love, joy, refreshing, healing, reconciliation,  character development, and other benefits which are freely available through a move of God of this kind. Jonathan Edwards wrote of this phenomenon in connection with the outset of the Great Awakening, which began at his church in Northampton, Massachusetts in December of 1734. In the intro ...

John 2:13-17 2007-05-05 00:00:00 John 2 - Conversion and Cleansing 1. (13-17) Jesus drives out the moneychangers and sellers of expensive "approved" sacrificial animals. Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers? money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do not make My Father?s house a house of merchandise!" Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up." a. The Passover of the Jews was at hand: Jerusalem would be crowded with thousands of visitors coming at Passover. The temple mount would be particularly crowded, and Jesus saw many doing business in the outer courts of the temple. b. When He had made a whip of cords: When Jesus ...

These Are The Last Days 2007-05-04 20:18:41 Activists Want Chimp Declared a 'Person'.......Simply unbelievable.......We are so fallen.<:))))><< ...

Bill LaMorey & Rick Warren 2007-05-04 10:59:52 My friend Bill LaMorey is a church planter in West Hartford, CT. A couple of nights ago he had the opportunity to have dinner and a few hours of Q & A with Rick Warren. He found what Rick had to say insightful. Bill graciously allow me to post his article on our church's church planter blog, Laboring In The Fields. It is worth a read.<:))))><< ...

The Resolutions Of Jonathan Edwards 61-70 2007-05-04 05:00:00 The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD' S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST' S SAKE. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, etc. May 21, and July 13, 1723.62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty, and then according to Ephesians 6:6-8, to do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man: knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord. June 25 and July 13, 1723.63. On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in a ...

John 2:6-12 2007-05-04 00:00:00 John 2 - Conversion and Cleansing 2. (6-12) Water is converted into wine. Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, "Fill the waterpots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, "Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!" This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and ...

John 2:1-5 2007-05-03 00:00:00 John 2 - Conversion and Cleansing A. Water into wine at a wedding. 1. (1-5) Jesus (politely) replies to His mother?s request On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it." a. Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding: This is the first of many stories suggesting that Jesus was always welcome among those having a good time. Jesus didn?t spoil the good time. b. They ran out of wine: This was a major social faux pas. "To fail in providing adequately for the guests would involve social disgrace. In the closely knit communities of Jesus? day such an error would never be forgotten, and wou ...

What If? 2007-05-01 15:40:59 What if a blog was a web site? If that was so, would it mean that the blog becomes a web site? Or can a web site become a blog. If so, will I go crazy trying to figure it out??? Am I crazy for posting this? Anyway, we are in the process of moving the church web site to a blog (actually a series of blogs). There is audio from the Sunday teaching, the devotional THOT 4 2 DAY has found a home there. We are setting up blogs for missions, women's ministry, men's ministry, church planting, so forth and so on. Would you check the new site out and let me know what you think? Spelling is not my forte. Also, I would enjoy your thoughts on this departure from the norm. Thank you in advance. The site is Springfield Calvary. Jon Clayton<:))))><< ...

THOT 4 2 DAY For Tuesday 05.01.07 2007-05-01 06:00:00 THOT 4 2 DAY For Tuesday 05.01.07 THOT 4 2 DAY is a devotion that contains a reading from the Psalm of the day, the Proverb of the day, a Christian quote, and a short exhortation will no longer be posted on this site. It will be posted on Springfield Calvary, the church site, at 7:00 AM Eastern time daily. <:))))><< ...

Romans 6:2 2007-05-01 00:00:00 The audio of this week's teaching, Romans 6:1-4, is posted on the  church web site. 2. (2) A life of sin is unacceptable, because our death to sin changes our relationship to sin. Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?a. Certainly not! For Paul, the idea that anyone might continue in sin that grace may abound is unthinkable. Certainly not is a strong phrase. It might also be translated, Perish the thought! Or, Away with the notion! b. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Paul establishes an important principle. When we are born again, when we have believed on Jesus for our salvation, our relationship with sin is permanently changed. We have died to sin. Therefore, if we have died to sin, then we should not live any longer in it. It simply isn?t fitting to live any longer in something you have died to. c. At this point, Paul has much to explain about what exactly he means by died to sin, but the general point is clear - Christians ha ...

Romans 6:3-4 2007-05-01 00:00:00 The audio of this week's teaching, Romans 6:1-4, is posted on the  church web site. 3. (3-4) The illustration of the believer?s death to sin: baptism. Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. a. Or do you not know: The implication is that Paul is dealing with fundamental concepts that every Christians should know. b. As many of us as were baptized in Christ Jesus: The idea behind the ancient Greek word for baptized is ?to immerse or overwhelm something.? The Bible uses this idea of being baptized into something in several different ways. When a person is baptized in water, they are immersed or covered over with water. When they are baptized with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Acts 1:5) they are ?immersed? or ?covered over? with the Ho ...