Soli Deo Gloria

April 20, 2019

Easter 2019: SATURDAY

Events: Religious Leaders Secure Roman Guards and a Seal for the Tomb – Disciples Celebrate Sabbath – Christ’s Body in the Tomb

Saturday is described as the “dark night of the soul” for the disciples. While the Sabbath was traditionally a festive family day, this Sabbath would have fallen like a stone on the hearts of the disciples.

Nothing could have been more tragic to them than to have their Lord, Master and friend brutally put to death. This stunning loss was only compounded by the bleak future that lay before them as all Messianic hopes had been dashed by the three nails that pierced Him. The 11 remaining disciples had secured themselves in a home, fearing that they would be next on the Sanhedrin’s hit list. The women on the other hand, seemed to think of nothing else than to properly prepare the body of Jesus for burial. They had purchased all the necessary items, and now their hearts chafed against the minutes that were keeping them from getting to the tomb to attend to the One they loved. What they didn’t know was that the dark night of their soul was soon to be met with the glorious light of His resurrection.

Today, consider the deep valleys that God has lifted you from. Remember the low points, the hard times, the insurmountable obstacles that He has overcome through His resurrection and give Him all the praise.

Saturday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56.

April 19, 2019

Easter 2019: FRIDAY

Events: Jesus Led to Annas and Caiaphas – Jesus Mocked by the Religious Leaders – Jesus Denied by Peter – Jesus Led to Pilate – Jesus Taken to Herod – Pilate Offers Barabbas – Religious Leaders Demand Crucifixion – Jesus Scourged – The Robe, the Reed, and the Crown of Thorns – Simon the Cyrene Carries the Cross – Christ Crucified with Two Thieves – The Seven Sayings of the Cross – Jesus Commits His Spirit to the Father – The Earthquake, the Eclipse, the Torn Veil – Jesus Taken from the Cross by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus – Buried in the Tomb as the Women Watch

There were many times when the religious leaders attempted to kill Jesus, but He said in those moments, “My hour has not yet come.” The hour, had now come for Christ to suffer for the sins of not only Israel, but of the world (1 John 2:2). This day for Him, was filled with mockery and violence. Jesus was falsely accused before the Sanhedrin and beaten by the religious leaders.

The Roman government had stripped the Jews of the right to exercise capital punishment, so Jesus was led to Pilate where the religious leaders demanded that He be crucified. Ultimately, Pilate caved to the request and Jesus, after being scourged, was sent to Calvary where He would suffer the most excruciating form of death, crucifixion.

The Bible says in Romans 8:32, “God did not spare His own Son, but He delivered Him up for us all.” This is God’s love, that He gave His own Son to suffer in our place. All we like sheep have gone astray, each to his own way, but the Lord laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. It was the chastisement for our sins that was put upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53). Free and forgiven! No longer slaves of fear, but children of the Living God! All because of Jesus!

Meditate prayerfully on all that He endured for you, and all because of His great love for you. Nothing can separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus!

Friday's events are recorded in Matthew 26:57-75; 27:1-62, Mark 14:53-72; 15:1-47, Luke 22:54-23:56, and John 18:12-19:37.

April 18, 2019

Easter 2019: THURSDAY

Events: Disciples Prepare for the Passover – Jesus Washes His Disciples Feet – Passover Feast – Judas Departs to Betray Jesus - Holy Communion Instituted – Promise of the Holy Spirit - High Priestly Prayer – Jesus Takes His Disciples to Gethsemane to Pray – Jesus Betrayed by Judas and Led to Annas/Caiaphas (late Thursday night or early Friday morning)

All of Jerusalem was focused now on the celebration of the Passover feast, commemorating God’s faithful deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. Jesus had directed Peter and John to secure a room in the Upper City, not only to celebrate the Passover, but to declare that it was fulfilled in Him. Three years earlier, John the Baptist had alluded to this when he, by the Spirit, declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

On this somber and reflective evening before the crucifixion, Jesus once again served others, taking up the lowest position of a servant and washing the feet of His disciples. Halfway through the meal, Jesus broke the bread and declared, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19) And then He took the cup of redemption and proclaimed to His disciples, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” (Luke 22:20). John reflecting on this evening declared of Jesus, “Having loved His disciples, He loved them to the end.”

In these final moments, it was the love of Jesus that poured through each and every act. Jesus wasn’t an unwilling participant in the events that would follow. It was the ultimate demonstration of His love for people, His love for you. Choose to see His love through each and every thing He has done for you. Spend a moment today, reflecting on the many ways He has loved you, the greatest of all being the sacrifice He made on Friday. Receive His love, and rejoice in it. Be specific as you thank Him for all that He has done for you.

Thursday's events are recorded in Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13-18:1-23

April 17, 2019

Easter 2019: WEDNESDAY

No Recorded Events

There are no recorded events in the life of Christ, on this Wednesday before Passover. While this doesn’t mean that there weren’t things that Jesus and His disciples did, the Scripture is silent for a reason. Most commentators and Bible scholars call this, Jesus’ sabbath before His sacrifice. In other words, it was His day of rest and preparation for the coming Passover and sacrifice He would make. Ultimately, for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus declared that He always did those things that pleased the Father. He spent time daily with the Father, often early in the morning before any of the disciples were awake. We can only imagine that this was some of the deepest time of intimacy between Him and the Father during His earthly ministry.

Take this day to pursue a time of solitude with your Heavenly Father. Be intentional about turning off the daily distractions, setting your mind on Jesus and all that He did for you on the cross. May God enlarge our hearts so that they can be filled with more of His love.

John 15:13,

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Mark 1:35,

“Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”

April 16, 2019

Easter 2019: TUESDAY

Events: Olivet Discourse - Withered Fig Tree - Teaching and Healing on the Temple Mount - Judas Negotiates His Betrayal

Tuesday of Passion Week began with a journey from Bethany to Jerusalem. As the disciples passed by the fig tree that Jesus had cursed on Monday, they were amazed to see it had withered from its roots. Jesus spent most of the day teaching and healing people on the Temple Mount. It was there that the Herodians, Pharisees, and the Sadducees did their best to undercut His authority. They interrogated and questioned Him, but Christ’s response was so strong, the Bible says, that they dared not question Him anymore.

As Jesus sat across from the treasury, He watched people give their tithes and offerings. Some made great fanfare when they gave, but there was a widow who gave from her need, both humbly and simply. Jesus remarked to His disciples that she had given more than all who had gone before her. As the day wrapped up, the disciples declared the glory of the Temple, which represented God’s permanent presence and favor to the Jewish people. But Jesus astonished them by indicating that the Temple would be completely destroyed.

He then took His disciples across the Kidron Valley to the Mount of Olives, giving them a discourse on events that would happen before His Second Coming. The Jewish people had placed their hope in a religious system symbolized by their glorious Temple. Jesus offered a new way to God, through faith in His cross and resurrection. Just as He had said to the Samaritan woman, that how a person worships is more important than where they worship, He was now teaching His disciples that systems of religion don’t save.

Trust in Jesus alone today! Ask Him to lead you to a deeper dependence upon Him, and to rid you of any reliance on religious systems or personal works.

Tuesday’s events are recorded in Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and John 12:20–38.

April 15, 2019

Easter 2019: MONDAY

Events: The Cleansing of the Temple – The Cursing of the Fig Tree

According to Exodus 12 the Passover Lamb was selected on the first day of the week (Sunday) by the father of each household. According to Moses’s instruction, the blood would be sprinkled on the doorpost and lintel, and the angel of destruction would see the blood of the sacrifice and judgement would pass over that home. In preparation for that event, each household would be purged of leaven, leaven being a symbol of sin. The hearts of God’s people needed to be spiritually aligned with what God was going to do.

Over 1300 years later, on the Sunday of Passion Week, at the Triumphal Entry, God the Father affirmed Jesus His Son as His Lamb that would be sacrificed for the sins of the world. On Monday, the following day, Jesus cleansed the house of God from the leaven of the religious leaders and He cursed the fig tree symbolically judging the false fruits of their religiosity and lack of real relationship with God.

As we begin to lean into this Passion Week, let’s reaffirm our faith and dependence upon God’s Lamb that was slain for us. Let’s begin that journey with sincere repentance asking God to cleanse us from our sin (known and unknown) and lead us into a deeper experience of the cross of Christ and His resurrection.

Monday's events are recorded in Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45-48.

December 5, 2018

Three Reasons Strong Partnerships Make Flourishing Ministries

In my last article, I discussed two key components for successful church planting: prioritizing and preparing. By prioritizing, I meant establishing “church planting” in the DNA of your church’s mission. By preparing, I meant sending out church planters and team members that are fully equipped. In this article, I want to address the third component of pastoring a church that plants churches. That third component is partnerships.

Points On successful Church Planting

Nothing excites me more than to see new churches planted. New churches mean souls being saved, lives being changed, God being worshiped, more churches being planted and the kingdom of God growing. Who isn’t excited about that? I’ll be at two conferences in Mexico this month where church planting will be a focus. Pastor Jonathan Domingo in Ensenada and Pastor Mike Vincent in Rosarito are passionate about church planting, and their respective churches are amazing at it.

It’s my firm belief that every church should be multiplying. Regardless of size, resources and staffing. According to recent studies, there are 148 million unchurched people in the U.S. alone. Las Vegas comes in at number five in the top 10 most unchurched cities in the U.S. So, I would say now is a good time to plant a church! There are three simple steps that any senior pastor and leadership team can take to help them move in the direction of church planting multiplication.

3 THINGS FOR EVERY LEADER TO GET RIGHT

Like some of you, ministry has been a continual growth process for me. It seems that there are some who just “get it” and “got it” from the get go. But for me it’s been a journey; specifically, in leading a team effectively to fulfill the vision and mission that’s before us. For context, Calvary Chapel Las Vegas has paid employees in both our church and school and also has hundreds of volunteers who serve in multiple ministries. Over the past year, three principles have emerged that have helped renew the ministry and make us more effective. It’s not that these principles are new, of course they’re not, but they are being implemented more intentionally and the fruit is evident. I want to share these things that I believe you have to get right as a leader to have a fruitful ministry.

God-Incidences in New York

I was just in New York a couple weeks ago for the East Coast pastors prayer and fellowship gathering. I was able to meet with a lot of the New England pastors and I’ve had a dream to see 100 churches planted there in 10 years. The goal is not mega-churches necessarily, they may be only 50-100 people but we want to see a church planting movement in New England. I want to see churches that are influencing and ministering to their communities. I was encouraging the guys to work together, share resources and encourage each other. I really felt like God put us there, we gave the nudge and the guys out there were all over it. New England really is a totally different culture, so it’s best for them to go through a church planting pipeline program in their own city.

Something that really ministered to me from the gathering was a man who was teaching and said "before you can have a vision, you must have a burden for lost souls." I was thinking about the whole concept of a burden and I want more of a burden that is agonizing. If we don’t have a burden for people, we may think that we should try different processes, but if those things aren’t tied back to a heart that is agonizing for the lost, everything we do will just be a man-idea. We don’t want man-ideas, we want to hear from God. We want to be burdened for lost souls and spiritual growth in Christians in every area of our lives. We need to be about people. It’s about god placing His heart into our hearts. When we agonize over the souls of people, it will cease to be about us and God will take care of the rest. We are a vision oriented Christian culture, but none of that matters, all that matters is what God wants to do in the hearts of people. I’m inviting you guys to join me in praying for god to do a work in us and create a burden for other people so that we agonize in prayer for people. This Easter week isn’t about events, the goal is for people to be exposed to the Gospel, be convicted by the Spirit of God and give their lives to Him. God has to do the work.

As the gathering was wrapping up, NYC got walloped with a Nor’easter. Not wanting to get stuck in all the snow, we made our way from New York City to Buffalo, NY to catch a flight back to Vegas. As a child of God, I don’t believe in coincidences; only God-incidences. Our Uber driver to the airport, Wilson, is a local pastor originally from Pakistan. He shared his story of his miraculous conversion and his suffering for the gospel as a preacher there. He was charged with blasphemy against Mohammed, abducted from his home, beaten, and left for dead in the local garbage dump. He was sharing the Gospel the entire time until he was unconscious. They thought he was dead but God revived him and he got back to his home and to the U.S.

God saved him for a purpose! He’s been living in the U.S. for the last 7 years, where he preaches to the Indian/Pakistani community. He goes back to Pakistan holding public events to proclaim the message of the gospel and he is now protected by his U.S. citizenship. Pray for him! Needless to say, we may be visiting Pakistan soon.

My hearts desire is to see the church burdened for the lost. You can be burdened right here in Vegas, burdened at work, with your family, and ask the Lord to give His heart for the lost around you! I pray that this Easter season will put a burden on your heart to share the Love and the saving message of our Lord and Savior.

March 13, 2018

3 Ways to Avoid Being an Unhealthy Church

John 8:1-11

Last weekend my son, Levi, and I went to New Hampshire to visit the church we planted 15 years ago, Lighthouse Calvary Chapel. They just finished the fit up of their new building and they asked me to speak at the dedication service. For me, it wasn’t about dedicating the building as much as it was about commissioning the people. Of course, it’s a beautiful building in a great location but the most important thing is the people. New England is a post Christian culture making it a very difficult place to pastor. Keep in mind that the two great spiritual awakenings in our country happened in New England. But years later, many churches have been turned into MMA or karate studios. Returning even for a weekend reminded me of the challenges Christians face there.

Proclaiming The Gospel According to Charles Spurgeon

THE BOOK

A few months ago, I decided to reread Spurgeon's classic work, The Soul Winner. Like most people, my view is that anything Spurgeon writes is worth the time and effort to read. This book of course is no exception. While many Christian books can be tedious and dry, the only thing I found to be dry in rereading this classic was my highlighter. Paragraph after paragraph, one liner after one liner, jumped off the page as I found God calibrating my focus for the gospel needy souls in my life.

From the time I gave my life to Christ, evangelism has always been a focus for me. Maybe it's because I came to Christ on a Monday night at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa where the gospel was always faithfully preached by Greg Laurie. Maybe it's because, like many of you, I realize that the foundation of Calvary Chapel is in the hope that Jesus Christ provides to any heart, no matter how dark the sin or how lost the soul.

It's not the machinery of ministry that has built this movement. It's the power of Christ's cross and resurrection; a truth we can never afford to forget. With that in mind, let me share three amazing quotes from this book and some brief thoughts.

IT'S THE GOSPEL

"Beloved teachers, may you never be content with aiming at secondary benefits, or even with realizing them; may you strive for the grandest of all ends, the salvation of immortal souls! Your business is not merely to teach the children in your classes to read the Bible, not barely to inculcate the duties of morality, or even to instruct them in the mere letter of the gospel, but your high calling is to be the means, in the hand of God, of bringing life from heaven to dead souls. Your teaching on the Lord's Day will have been a failure if your children remain dead in sin…. Resurrection, then, is our aim! To raise the dead is our mission!" (Spurgeon, The Soul Winner, 1895, p. 64)

There should be nothing more precious to us and primary in our preaching than the gospel of Jesus Christ. For the soul winner, everything springs forth from the gospel. It is the seed that brings forth the root, the trunk, the branch and the fruit. It's not only precious because of the fruit it produces but because of what it has done and continues to do in us personally. But make no mistake, the power of the gospel alone brings forth fruit for God's glory (John 15:8).

Our message isn't encouraging moral reform or church going; it's for people to be resurrected by the power of the gospel. We beckon people to come to a Person not a religion; to the one name that can save them, the name of Jesus.

A CHURCH ON FIRE TO SEE LOST PEOPLE SAVED

"I like to burn churches rather than houses, because they do not burn down, they burn up and keep on burning when the fire is of the right sort. When a bush is nothing but a bush, it is soon consumed when it is set on fire; but when it is a bush that burns on and is not consumed, we may know that God is there. So is it with a church that is flaming with holy zeal. Your work, brethren, is to set your church on fire. You may do it by speaking to the whole of the members, or you may do it by speaking to the few choice spirits, but you must do it somehow. Have a secret society for this sacred purpose, turn yourselves into a band of celestial Fenians whose aim it is to set the whole church on fire" (Spurgeon, The Soul Winner,1895, p. 56).

If God's people are spiritually on fire for anything, it should be to see the lost saved. There's a battle for the very soul of God's church in America. We are a nation of consumers, and that influence is beginning to consume Christians. Gatherings are geared to satisfy the most superficial impulses, and the thought that "it's not all about us" is gone with the wind.

May God send a fresh wind into the hearts of our pastors and churches that stokes an unquenchable fire for the lost to be saved. John Wesley once said, "I set myself on fire and people come and watch me burn." May that fire be lit in our lives first.

BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL DO THE WORK

"The most likely instrument to do the Lord's work is the man who expects that God will use him, and who goes forth to labor in the strength of that conviction. When success comes, he is not surprised, for he was looking for it. He sowed living seed, and he expected to reap a harvest from it; he cast his bread upon the waters, and he means to search and watch till he finds it again" (Spurgeon, The Soul Winner, 1895, p. 22).

At every church gathering we preach the gospel and extend an invitation for people to respond. By God's grace we see many come forward to receive Christ weekly. On the other hand, when I was church planting in New Hampshire, saved souls seemed harder to come by. Nevertheless, we never gave up believing in the power of the gospel to save.

No matter where God has planted you, His purpose for your life is to proclaim the gospel, to hold it up as the light in the midst of darkness, believing that it is powerful enough to save ANY soul. God is the one who does the saving; we are the ones who do the proclaiming.
One of Satan's most powerful tools to silence the preacher is discouragement. Keep praying, keep preaching and keep believing, whether in the workplace, in your home, at the ballfield or in the pulpit! As Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek" (Romans 1:16).

As I'm writing this article, one of the greatest soul winners, Billy Graham, has at last heard Christ say, "Well done good and faithful servant!" Billy has personally experienced, in the fullest sense, the power of his preaching. His life has left us so much to emulate and to pray for. His preaching and its impact is unsurpassed, and his integrity is unchallenged. While Billy Graham's ministry was unique, let's ask God to give us what He gave Billy; an unsurpassed love for the gospel of Jesus Christ, a deep and genuine burden for lost souls, a lifelong commitment to Biblical integrity, and above all, a desire for God's glory to be magnified in the greatest way possible through our lives.

May God make soul winners of us all!

February 21, 2018

Well Done Good and Faithful Servant

I’m sure you have all heard of the passing of Billy Graham from this life into glory. Today he experienced in the fullest sense the power of His preaching, personally. His life has left us so much to emulate and to pray for. His preaching and its impact is unsurpassed and his integrity is unchallenged. Think about that last point. Considering the length of his ministry and the targeting of the adversary it’s nothing short of a miracle. You may not know this, but in 1948 during a series of evangelistic meetings in Modesto he along with Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea and Grady Wilson made the Modesto Manifesto laying out the principles of integrity that they were committing themselves to. I have added the link below for you to read the story. Plus I encourage you to watch some of the messages he preached, the links are added below as well.

While Billy Graham’s ministry was unique, we can ask God to do some similar things in our lives and in our churches. Let’s pray for an unsurpassed love for the gospel of Jesus Christ, a deep and genuine burden for lost souls, a lifelong commitment to Biblical integrity, and above all for God’s glory to magnified in the greatest way possible through our lives.

MODESTO MANIFESTO

https://billygraham.org/story/51705/

PREACHING

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U89zkUZPd5w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei_eIL08vbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03T2uLXio28

May God pour out His Holy Spirit in our lives for a mighty harvest of souls for His glory ALONE.

February 12, 2018

Monday Morning Staff Devo's

Hey Fam,

Today in our staff devotions, we were blessed to hear from our IT Administrator, Tony Perez. Tony is a close friend of mine and an awesome brother in Christ. His favorite things to do include worshipping the Lord, programming websites and roasting me for being 8 months older than him. Tony is a blessing to this ministry and I know he’ll be a blessing to you. Enjoy his teaching on Nahum 1!

Monday Staff Devos by Tony Perez

Nahum 1

Nahum is kind of that book that doesn’t get too much attention and we seem to really only read it when we’re on a Bible reading plan but I’m glad God stopped me in this little book and encouraged me, so I hope it’ll encourage you too.

A few years back I had this great idea of restoring a 1972 Chevy Blazer 4X4. I loved that specific year, great body lines, removable top, and it looks great with a 6" lift kit. A good friend in the restoration business started the search and called me a few days later with what he said was the perfect truck to restore. What I got in my garage was affectionately nicknamed by my kids "Mater" after the rusted-out bucket of bolts tow truck from the Disney movie Cars.

My Testimony

There are a lot of people who come to Calvary Chapel Las Vegas and assume I’ve been a Christian my whole life, mostly because I’m a pastor. That certainly is not the case. Although, I was raised in a family where there was a consideration for God I began to experiment with drugs and alcohol in middle school. This became a lifestyle. In fact, when I moved into my dorm at UC Irvine, I had the fridge stocked with beer and the walls of my dorm room plastered with beer posters. When John, my new roommate, came in he took a poster and put it on the one open spot left, right over my bed. The poster was a picture of waves crashing against the rocks quoting John 3:3, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” My thought was that if there were gods they must be against me! I couldn’t believe my roommate was a born again Christian.

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Soli Deo Gloria

All the glory to God alone