Sufficent

 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV)

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for encouragement in Your Word and Your Promise of Sufficient Grace. I thank You for creating me the way I am, especially for my weaknesses, for this is where You fill in the gap with Your Grace and Your Power is Magnified. I pray for less of me and more of You. Please remove any pride and show me new areas where I need to repent and ask You for spiritual growth and refinement of character.

I rejoice in my limitations and offer praise to You for my human frailties. Show me Your Way, Lord. Take all of me and shape me according to Your Perfect Will. I humbly ask to partner with You today and every day and Praise You for Your Gift of Christ so that I may freely receive Grace and true, authentic identity.

Thank you for bringing me to where I am in my walk today and for the ways You have chosen to bless me.

All in Christ's Holy, Righteous Name. Amen.

Christa Walton Winn 

Standing On God's Truth. No Compromise

In light of the SCOTUS ruling yesterday on gay marriage and in a culture where Pastors and Church leaders alike are compromising God's Word for the sake of the church staying "relevant" in a nation that continues to push God out of every area of society as it continues to spiral down into moral decay by redefining what is acceptable in God's eyes, it is encouraging to hear some pastors defy the pull to be pleasers of men instead of pleasers of God.  Pastor Jack Hibbs is one such pastor. We need more shepherds like him standing strong on God's truth despite the cost. Thank you Pastor Jack.  I pray we the church follows his lead.

By Pastor Jack Hibbs

To the people of God who love His Word and know His will, in light of today’s decision by the Supreme Court of United States to rob God of His definition of marriage, I want to give you an infusion of certain reality. Yes, we are saddened to see our nation depart from its foundation, from what has been historical marriage and the God-ordained vehicle for the creation of life, of family, and culture for over five thousand years. How could we not be saddened in the face of such perversion? 

At the same time, we must take encouragement from the Word of God. We need to remember what Jesus Christ said and continues to say to us today, that just before His awful Second Coming to a Christ-rejecting world and His universal judgment come upon this earth because of its uncovered sins, the days would be just as they were in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. 

Sodom and Gomorrah have been synonymous with those debased practices such as sodomy and lesbian sex. In Sodom and Gomorrah sex with children and animals was the abnormal normal. Strange, unsanctioned sex outside of God’s prescription was everywhere and God hated such practices. People paraded themselves around in their perversion and flaunted it in the public streets.

Even Mr. Lot and his angelic visitors were under the threat of a violent homosexual mob in his day. They had the license to live as each man or woman or catamite chose to. Each man did what was right in his own eyes. Today’s act by the SCOTUS reminds the Christian that, “There is a way that seems right to a man but that way ends in death.” God takes no pleasure in this wicked ruling but He has told us that these things must happen before He comes to judge the earth.

As a Pastor, I am sure that I will be attacked because of my allegiance to God and His Word. I am determined to stand for what the Word of God says rather than what my emotions would desire or what others would want. I am glad to know that in my day His Word is being fulfilled. Jesus said for us to rejoice when people persecute us and say all manner of evil against you for My namesake.

As a Christian, I am to keep standing for what is biblical all the way to the end. We are under orders to never surrender what is God’s. A Christian is never to conform to the world or its desires that would seek to shape us into its image. It is true that we will be called bigots and haters and, as I heard today, that “anyone now not supporting gay marriage cannot be an American.” If that is the new definition of what it means to be an American, then I am no longer an American. But no one has the power to redefine God’s Word no matter what color they are, no matter their sexual activity, no matter what they think or feel. A Christian is someone who obeys God’s Word.

I, our staff, and Calvary Chapel Chino Hills will continue to do what we have always done — to love God with all of our hearts and to live out that love toward all we meet. This love comes from God. It is holy, pure, and obedient to the heart of God and to His Word.

The time is now officially upon pastors and the church in America to decide to obey God rather than man. We need to take heart that if we are biblical, we can always be sure that we will not only be correct, but we will end up being on the right side of history.

In the end all that man seeks to accomplish will turn to dust. God’s Word is eternally true. What God has called an abomination is still an abomination. What He has said is holy is holy still, and what He said is marriage is still marriage. God doesn’t listen to the Supreme Court and it is clear they do not listen to Him. But for us who are Christians, we will delight ourselves in the Lord today, taking comfort in knowing that Jesus’ coming must be very close. I will pause from our study this Sunday to address this tragically historic issue — one that effects every one of us.

Until He comes again...brother to brother, yours in life and death,

Pastor Jack

Healing Comes When We Love, Bless, & Pray

Do you ever walk away from a situation feeling bruised and depleted from a spiritual warfare battle? Feeling as though you need God's healing in a swift and glorious manner because you know how good it feels when He intercedes?

Seeing this passage this morning reinforced to me the importance of my job so that I am free to receive the glory of His remedy.    

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your guidance, unfailing love and prescription for healing. 

In Jesus Name  

by Christa Walton Winn 

Happy Fathers Day Abba

As we celebrate our earthly fathers today on Father’s Day, let us not forget to honor our Heavenly Father. After all, He is the One we look to as the perfect model for a Father’s heart. 

The word of God declares that our Heavenly Father has loved us with an everlasting love. He knows every hair on our head. He has inscribed our names on the palm of His hand. 

He  is our redeemer, our protector, provider, comforter, instructor, our guide. He is our Abba Father -- our Daddy who cherishes His children.  His word declares…”Because you are precious to me, I have honored you and I love you.” (Isaiah 43:4)

Even when our earthly fathers fail us our Heavenly Father tells us through His word that He will never leave us or forsake us.  He will not leave us orphans and that He will gather us up.  

So let’s take a moment to honor and praise our perfect Father for all  we have in Him but most of all -- His indescribable gift of sending His precious Son – Jesus Christ as the ultimate gift of love and sacrifice so that we can be reconciled back to our Father and spend eternity with Him.  He is a good and perfect Father. Happy Father’s Day Abba.

Glory To Glory

The Spirit of the Living God gives us freedom from sin, death and condemnation. His Spirit is the light of Glory. Just as Moses beheld God's glory, today believers can behold His glory through the living word.

The word of God transforms us into the image of God. Jesus Christ is the image of God. We need to be people of the WORD with the WORD! That's how we are able to be more Christ like. It is His word that cleanses us, instructs us, fills us. And it is His word that has the power to change us by the Holy Spirit and transform us from the inside out.

That's how we go from glory to glory. That's how we can live victorious. This is the process of sanctification.

Hope Does Not Disappoint

"And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."-Romans 5:3-5

Growth comes through trials and tribulation. Trials tend to drive us deep into prayer, they tend to set the stage for us to cling to Jesus with everything we have and He produces character, and character, hope! What a perfect place to be! These are the times He has set apart for you to really get to know who He is and His resurrection power. Persevering when you are in the midst of a storm so fierce and you have absolutely nothing to cling to and your circumstances scream hopelessness, or when your in the midst of the blazing fire so hot that you literally see everything in the physical crashing and burning around you...PRAISE HIM! You persevere with praise!

He ordained this perfect time for you to get to know something else so intimate about His character, His deliverance, His redemption and who He is to YOU! When you lift your hands and give Him praise, there is a heavenly exchange...When you praise Him for who He is not what's going on around you- in this moment you let His character carry you safely to hope on the other side.

But how do you lift your arms in praise when they seem to heavy to lift? By the power of His word!

Let Him love you through His word, let Him promise you all that He has written you is true, and stand so firm on these promises claiming them as your own! "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. "-Hebrews 10:23 What hope this brings!

Don't Settle For Pig Slop

I love the story of the prodigal son as it illustrates beautifully the propensity for God's children to wander off into prodigal living, and the heart of our loving Father who waits patiently for our return.

Like the prodigal son we too can begin to believe that our life in the safety and the provisions offered to us in our home by our Heavenly Father is not enough - that we're somehow missing out on something - that there is something better out there - that something on the outside is going to fill us on the inside. So we are lured away by the enticements of the world that seek to satisfy the flesh - relationships, wealth, career, parties, fun. Fill in the blank. Whatever it is -- it will be offered to you.

Things that promise everything but deliver nothing but corruption, defilement, death and an insatiable appetite for more because none of these things satisfy.

Child of God, are you waking up with the pigs? Have you been eating pig slop when your Father has a feast - a banquet waiting for you at home? "He brought me to His banqueting table and His banner over me is love." Songs of Solomon 2:4. Go back home and feast off your Father's table. You will never hunger again and your insatiable need for more will be satisfied with His love.

Go back home where your Father is patiently waiting and watching for you. Psalm 16:11 declares.... "In Your presence Lord is fullness of joy: At your right hand are pleasures forever more. All you need can be found in the warm embrace of the one who created you -- the only one who satisfies - the one who will never turn you away.

by Cecilia Trent 

No Fear In The Valley of Shadow

Psalm 23 is my favorite Psalm and verse four has always been a great comfort to me.  Did you know that The Valley of the Shadow of death is a real place in Israel?  How do we know that? Well because Psalm 23 was written by a very famous former shepherd boy – David. As a shepherd he would have led his sheep through this valley. He understood the dangers there so he equated God’s sovereign protection and care for His people to that of a unique relationship between a good shepherd and that of his sheep. People of David’s time – Biblical times would have understood the customs of shepherding and the dangers facing the sheep as they were being led to pasture. They could relate to what  David was referring to but those of us who have no clue about shepherding need a little clarification.

In Israel to this day there is a wadi (valley) called the Wadi Kelt which literally means the valley of the shadow.  It’s between modern day Jericho and Jerusalem. It got its name from shepherds because of its steep sides and sheer rock walls. This pass enabled the shepherds to lead their sheep from one mountain to another to pasture. But it was a terrifying place for skittish, defenseless sheep because in the cliffs on both sides of the valley there were rocks and crevices where wild animals and even human predators waited in the shadows to harm the sheep. The sheep faced death at every turn in the shadows, hence the name. The scary sounds would echo and be amplified in the dark shadows of the valley terrifying the sheep.  But the good shepherd gently prodded and comforted the terrified sheep through the shadow of death with his gentle rod and staff. 

We often hear Psalm 23 quoted at funerals. But this Psalm not only gives comfort to the dying, it’s also meant to encourage, give strength and hope to the living. 

Jesus Christ is our Good Shepherd. No matter what dangers you face in the shadows and the steep cliffs of your life -- He is there shielding you from the scary dangerous things that are frightening you and keeping you skittish.  As Christians we will with certainty travel on the Valley of the Shadow of Death.  Yet in those terrifying times of tragedy, loss, sickness, abandonment, betrayal, economic hardship, emotional stress, loneliness, etc. We can take comfort knowing that our Good Shepherd is there guiding and protecting us along the way leading us to greener pastures. Therefore, there is no need to fear, the staff and rod of our Good Shepherd are never far away.

Summer Rain Women's Fellowship

Did your regular Bible Study just break for the summer? Don't get spiritually dry.

Come join us at The Balm of Gilead for a little Summer rain. Get refreshed and encouraged as you come fellowship and hear amazing testimonies about God's redemptive love and power to change hearts and lives.

The testimonies will touch on various issues facing God's children -- struggles not typically talked about openly in traditional bible studies. God's precious daughters will be sharing how in the midst of their struggles, heartaches and pain -- their loving Savior intervened in a mighty and powerful way to give them a life of joy, peace and abundance despite their circumstances. There is hope in God's restoration power and never ending grace. We hope you can join us.

 Register Here

"They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony."
Revelation 12:11

Love Fruit

For the believer whenever we speak of fruit, we are speaking of a relationship. "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, "Jesus said, "neither then can you, unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4) I you have an intimate relationship with our Abba Father through Jesus Christ, the natural outpouring will be fruit. What kind of fruit? His love. It's not even possible to bring forth this fruit unless your are abiding in love -- the love of Jesus.

The word declares that the fruit of the Spirit is love. You can't even be in a relationship with God without His love coming forth from you...it naturally happens as you abide in Him.

Is the fruit of the Spirit coming forth from your life? Abide in Him and let His words abide in you. If you haven't been abiding go back to the Vine and His love will begin pouring into you and the overflow will pour out on others.

The Secret Place

This Psalm is a great reminder that God is our shelter. That's what all other bible translations say in this passage of scripture. But the NKJV goes further. It calls this shelter a " SECRET PLACE". I love that.

 It's a place so hidden and protected by God that the enemy cannot get to you. His lies have no power over you. His tactics are rendered useless -- fear, worry, the cares of the world, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, disappointments, discouragement, frustrations cannot penetrate the secret place - the fortress of the Most High God. Because the enemy cannot find you there. It's a beautiful place of intimacy and communion reserved for you and God alone. 

So run to and stay hidden in the safety of the loving arms of your beloved Savior. Trust in Him and find refuge there and nothing will be able to penetrate and come between you and Your Jesus. Amen!

Don't Answer Back

In this culture we falsely believe that we have to have the last word. That it's a sign of strength. We may have that "I'll put you in your place'" or "I'll show you who is in control" mentality. And yes we do that even as Christians. But the truth is that it takes more strength and self control to keep quiet than to give someone a piece of our minds. You see in God's kingdom...weakness is strength and strength is weakness. Why? Because God is our defense. Remember this next time you are engaged in a heated argument with someone. It is impossible to continue to argue with someone who refuses to argue back. That is true strength and what you gain is great peace. It's a beautiful sign of meekness and humility for the believer. This is pleasing to the Lord. Jesus said.."Blessed are the meek -- for they will inherit the earth. " (Mathew 5:5)