Calvary Chapel North Phoenix

THE JOYFUL SOUND

“Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!…Ps 89:15

            Our world is full of sounds.  We get up in the morning to an annoying alarm clock, screaming kids, or a dog sniffing your face.  We get in our cars and turn on the radio to catch the latest news, music, or teaching.  We go to sleep and the sounds of someone in the house snoring keep us up!  Some noises are welcoming, others are annoying.  But do we know the “joyful sound”?  It is that sound of worship that rises in our hearts to the Lord and is expressed in singing.  It is that outburst of joy over who He is and what He has done as we walk with Him.  It is even that sound of silence as we sit in awe of this great God we serve.  Joyful sounds are those that accompany worship to the Lord.

            To “know the joyful sound” and be blessed, we must associate and acclimate ourselves to the tune.  Hearing a joyful sound is one thing, participating in the joyful sound is another.  Sometimes it means getting to know the worship songs our church is singing and joining in with the corporate worship.  Other times it is echoing to our God the songs we find in His Word. (Ever wonder what tune David put the Psalms too?  Make up one to the LORD.)  Sometimes it is listening to His voice in silence that stirs our hearts with a joyous response.  Other times it is joyously blessing, shouting, and adoring our LORD out loud.  He is not embarrassed by how we sound.  He is not offended if we are off key.  He is worthy to hear our voices in praise to Him.  He is blessed to hear our voices, and blessed when we listen to His. 

The LORD created us to “declare His praises” (1 Pet. 2:9).  Our joyful sound of worship becomes not only our duty, but our honor.  The more we know the joyful sound of worship, the more blessed we are, and we are honored with the intimacy of our LORD.

Know the joyful sound of worship.  Participate with the heavenly choir in singing His praises daily, or just bow in awe and silence with the angels at the throne of the Almighty God.

God bless,

Jesse Claycamp

“And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two…” Mark 6:7

It’s been said (or sung) that “one is the loneliest number” and in many ways that is true. God saw that it was not good for a man to be alone (Genesis 2:18), so He created woman to be man’s partner. They became a unit of one for God’s purposes.

God also paired up people for ministry throughout the Old Testament. Elijah and Elisha were put together to co-labor in ministry together for a season reaching the nation of Israel. Moses and Joshua took on the insurmountable task of leading over 1 million people through a dessert wilderness to the promised land of God. What about David and Jonathan? Or Ruth and Naomi? The Bible is full of these “dynamic duos” who found themselves paired up with another to do a great work for God.

And so when Jesus came, He called these twelve untrained men to be His disciples. To hang out with Him, hear from Him, ask personal questions of Him, and watch Him work with others. And one day He sent them out. But as He sent them out, He didn’t send them alone. He paired them up in two’s.

I can imagine one disciple thinking, “Lord, please send me with Peter. He is so cool to hang out with even though he puts his foot in his mouth a lot. It sure would be a fun adventure.” Or another thinking, “Lord, please anybody but the tax collector, Matthew. All he talks about all day is finances. He’s so dry and boring.” Or another thinking, “Oh Lord, please, anybody but Judas Iscariot. Something’s really wrong with that guy!”

But as Jesus paired them up and sent them out they could be reassured of a few things. First, Jesus had given them authority. His authority to do His work and preach that people should repent. And with His authority came His power. Power to cast out demons and heal the sick. It was not a job they were paired up to do it was a mission, a ministry.

Second, the other was just as important to the work of God as they were. No one was indispensable in the work of God. Everyone stood on the same level – disciple. Everyone is gifted differently and has different talents, but all are important. God wants to use everyone in His work.

Third, the two would help balance each other and compliment each other in the ministry. God often pairs us up with others who are strong where we are weak, or weak where we are strong. His goal is not a bunch of “lone rangers” who can take on the world in their own power.

And fourth, when you don’t know exactly what God is doing, it is good to know that you’re not alone in the boat. Your buddy doesn’t have a clue any more than you do. He is walking by faith just as you are.

Recently I got lost in Seoul, South Korea, with a friend of mine. We were looking for his aunt’s home. Though we didn’t speak the language very well, were unfamiliar with our surroundings, didn’t know the subway system, and it took us 2 hours to finally find it, I was a peace. In fact, at times I just had to laugh at how God was directing us. At least I knew that I wasn’t in this storm of uncertainty alone.

Anyway, God worked through these groups of two’s making them as one to prepare the people’s hearts for the coming King of Kings, the Messiah of Israel. When they came back to Jesus after that mission their hearts were filled with joy at seeing God’s glory first hand.

I imagine the “high fives” went around, the laughter burst out at the funny ways the Spirit worked, and the tears flowed at the wondrous work God did. Not because of one, but because of two unlikely fellows willing to yoke together and do as Jesus commanded.

God bless,

Jesse Claycamp

TIMES OF TRAGEDY

And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed then, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”

Luke 13:2-5

We have seen some horrific tragedies in our world this past couple of weeks. First, the cyclone in Myanmar that killed thousands and left up to a million homeless. Then there is the 7.9 earthquake in China this week that leveled buildings with people inside. Even today both countries are still trying to make sense of it all. There is the initial shock, then the fears to face, and then the questions of “Why? What do we do now? How do we go on?”

Some raise their fists up and accuse God of being cruel and unloving. Some lash out at man as the problem, trying to point the finger of unjustice at them. Others look to themselves in trying to control their world and pad it from all the chaos that could happen.

When times of tragedy come we must see it as an opportunity for God to reveal Himself in the midst of destruction. God is not the author of evil. This world is fallen and even nature is in bondage to sin’s destruction (Romans 8:20-22). Tragedy reminds us that we live in a broken and hurting world. It reminds us that our life is like a vapor, “here today and gone tomorrow” and we must make every effort to be right with God while we can. We don’t know when that day will come. Life is so fragile and can change in a moment. Eternity is just a breath away. Tragedy also shows us that we are not in control, even though we try to be. It can cause us to look outside of ourselves for security and hope, and into the eyes of Jesus, the Savior of all mankind. Tragedy leads to opportunity. It is an opportunity for God to reveal Himself to broken lives. It is an opportunity for His Church come with aid in one hand and the love of God in the other to share Jesus. In fact, you may have come to Jesus after a tragedy came into your life!

As you face the questions from others this week don’t shrink back from the “why” or “How can” questions. God is in control. Instead ask another what they think of all that is going on and allow God to open an opportunity to share the love of Christ.

God bless,

Jesse Claycamp

“But the LORD said to me; ‘Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you,’ says the LORD.”

Jeremiah 1:7-8

We all can look at our lives and see weaknesses and reasons why God should not use us. I mean, who is worthy of such a privilege of being His representative to others? Who holds no inability when it comes to ministry? Every one of us can relate to Jeremiah’s hesitancy to obey the call of God upon his life. Every one of us knows that we are unable when it comes to doing the eternal work. We echo Jeremiah’s words, ”I cannot speak, for I am a youth” (v.6).

In your life it may not be your “youth” that you see as a weakness. It may be your background that you constantly struggle with and feel ashamed of. It may be your personality that you feel is too “dry” for God to use. It may be your temper that you feel would ruin your words. There will always be something that causes you and I to say “NO” to the call of God. Someone else is always more trained, stronger, funnier, or even better at speaking than you. Consider God’s past callings…Moses stuttered, and yet God did not give up on him. Gideon had unbelief in God’s call to him to deliver Israel. Peter, time and time again, found a way to stick his foot in his mouth. These were His instruments!

Why does God call and use such weak people? Why does He take the “losers” of this world and give them great tasks for His glory? Could it be that His ability is only seen in our inability? His strength is displayed when we are weakest. When we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we can’t, then it opens a door for Him to work freely without the hindrance of self getting in the way. He does things “that no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Cor. 1:29)

He knows we are unable. He doesn’t choose to ignore it and hope for the best. He just sees differently and knows what He is doing. He encourages us in this way through this passage in Jeremiah. 1) The direction is His (“go to all to whom I send you”), 2) the words are His (“whatever I command you, you shall speak”), and 3) His presence is with us through any challenge (“do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you.”). If we have been given His direction, His Word, and His Presence, then we must by faith believe that He wants to use us in some way.

Take time this week to just sit and listen to the LORD. He knows what you need, what you fear, and what He wants to do in and through your life. His peace will guard your heart and steady you for the day ahead.

God bless,

Jesse

“And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be in you, so that you may not sin,’”

Exodus 20:20

After seeing the thunder and lightning, hearing the trumpets sound, and watching the mountain of Sinai smoke before them, the children of Israel became fearful. This moment was overwhelming as God laid out His 10 commandments. Fear struck their hearts and wouldn’t let go. It spoke to their hearts, “This God is like no other in Egypt. He is holy! We are sinful. Who are we to even behold such things? What are we to do now?”

The reality still stands today. We serve a holy God who is separate from sin. He is a consuming fire! When we come face to face with His holiness, we only have one response as we tremble before Him, “Woe is me and my heart! How sinful I am in light of His glory! How I have broken His Law” How can the bridge be built? How can the relationship endure? It is only by His grace and His love. It is only by a mediator.

Moses, the mediator, bridged the gap for the children of Israel. He went up to the blackened mountain, beyond the trumpet sounds, and into the thunder and lightning. There he would hear the Word of the Lord to God’s people. There He would commune in intimate fellowship with his holy God. There He would partake of His holiness. All so that he could come down that holy mountain and say to the fearful, “Do not fear. God is on your side. This all-powerful God is for you! He will test you to show you your own heart so that He can make it right. Let His fear govern your actions and keep you from sin. Let this God rule your life. He wants to make you holy.”

Jesus, our Mediator, has done such a task for us! He entered the Holy Place of Heaven and comes to us to reveal God’s Word. He is the Word of God. The bridge is built. Relationship with a holy God is established and we are made holy. The fear to run from God is replaced by a faith that runs to God. And yet, as we walk with Him, He still thrills us time and time again by displaying His power and holiness to our hearts!

When was the last time you asked God to reveal His power and glory to you? To shake up your perspective of Him a bit? When was the last time you asked God to burn a mountain so big in your life just to convince your heart, “There’s no one like my God who reigns over all things”? When was the last time you found yourself trembling at the very holiness of who God is? Has there been a time recently when you’ve bowed your knees and said, “Lord, place this holy fear of You in me today so that I may not sin against You.”

If not, ask Him today to do that in you. I think you’ll be surprised by the results!

God bless,

Jesse Claycamp