Clifford Baptist

We close out the letters from Peter with one last charge for the early Church. Peter exhorts the believers to continue to look for Jesus. As they continued to look, they must continue to be holy in their walk. The encouragement is to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. Join us today, as we look at Peter's charge to the early church and apply it as we still look for Jesus' return.

In our final chapter of the second book of Peter, Peter continues to stir the minds of the believers that he is writing to. He is pressing them to realize the importance that Jesus will return. Their circumstances are not ideal, but their hope can be placed in the Lord. He has not forgotten them. He has not forgotten us either! Join us today as we continue to trust Jesus!

As we finish up our study on the warnings of false teachers, we look directly at the emptiness that these teachers have inside. They are missing something that is obvious- Jesus! On the outside they look good, but the inside is lacking Christ. Join us today as we learn about the false-hearted teacher.

As we gather on this Sunday after Easter, we do so to worship a Risen Savior! We also gather in celebration of one of the ordinances of our faith, the Lord's Supper. We are commanded to remember the great sacrifice God made in order to have relationship with His creation! Today, we remember Jesus' atoning death for our sin.

It is Resurrection Sunday! He is Risen...He is Risen Indeed! The message of Easter is one that our faith is built upon. The empty tomb carries with it so many messages. It offers Hope, Life and Eternity just to name a few. Join us as we worship and we look at the message a Risen Savior gives to a fallen world.

As we begin this week, we do so in celebration of the Lord's steadfast devotion, following His Father's will. We celebrate Jesus' coming into Jerusalem not to be lifted up as the King of Israel, but the King of the World. The hour has come, God's redemptive plan is being unveiled, and Jesus is the center of it. This Holy Week, may we see Jesus for who He truly is, our Hope, our Redemption, our Living Savior.

Jesus shares the components of authentic love in God’s work of salvation and its fruit in disciples’ lives. John 13:31-35 reveals to us the aim, the means, and the fruit of authentic love.

As we continue to look at the warning from Peter about false teachers, there must be a way to help identify them. These false teachers mix religion with their false teachings, so they can be difficult to recognize. Join us today as Peter identifies these foolish teachers by their foolish ways.

As Peter reminded us last week, false teachers have always been around. The Lord promised they would soon meet their destruction. Join us today as we look back on some of those former transactions when the Lord dealt with the wickedness that had crept in. He also shows His hand of deliverance to those who remained faithful.

As Peter begins chapter 2, he sounds the warning to the early believers to be aware of false teachers. He has encouraged them to make their calling and election sure. He has tried to stir them up to the things of God. With a very pointed warning, Peter says there will be teachers who distort the truth. Join us as we look at 3 questions that pertain to this warning of false teachers.

There are differing things that stir people up: sports, politics, religion are just a few of those. Sometimes we must be awakened to the things of God. As believers we must be reminded of the truth of the gospel. As Peter reminds us today, as long as he was alive, he would witness of Jesus. May our hearts be awakened and stirred.

We begin the second book of Peter the same way we do every scripture, looking for Christ. The message to the believers in the early church is to make their calling and election sure. The believers would have to lean on the Lord as the false teachers would creep in the church. The message is still true today. We must make sure we know the Lord Jesus!

One of the strongest warnings from the Word of God calls us to beware of the devil. We are not play around with this beast. We are commanded to look to the Lord and look to the promise of a future with Him. Our suffering is only temporary, and then we will be made perfect with Christ. Join us today, as we become watchful and prepare for this great adversary.

Every church needs a Godly leader. It is the under-shepherd's responsibility to lead the people of God and to lead well. The Pastor should be an example to other believers as to how they need to follow the Lord. Join us today, as we look at the responsibilities of the Pastor to take care of the sheep.

Suffering is one of the main topics of Peter's first letter. The picture becomes a little clearer for the people, it would include a fiery trial. The encouragement from Peter is to not focus on the situation but allow the suffering to grow their faith. Join us today as we see how this word can also encourage believers in our day.

Living for Jesus - it is a phrase that is easier said than done. Especially in a world that constantly tries to suppress Jesus. How do we live in a world that is definitely against Him? Join us as we take a look at scripture that encourages the believer to continue to live for Christ no matter the circumstances they are facing.

Following Jesus may feel like a confusing puzzle sometimes, but it is essential in a world full of compromise to have the right image of what following Jesus looks like. Jesus gives the image of devoted disciples who daily deny themselves, depend on Jesus, desire Jesus, and declare Jesus.

This Christmas season offers us an opportunity to "Look to Jesus". In scripture today we see 3 groups of people, not looking "to" Jesus, but looking "for" him. Their reasons behind wanting to see Jesus are very different. Join us as we examine the reasons of why these groups asked the question, Where is He?

There are so many things that grab our attention during the Christmas season. We are drawn to the wonder of all this season brings. As Jesus came to this earth, we are reminded of so many that missed Him. Join us as we take a look at the "Light and Life" of this Christmas season.

We all may have sat down at some time or another and planned out decisions, purchases or even major life plans. The best plans that we can make involve the Lord. We will see the plans of Joseph take a major turn from what his intentions were. Join us as we look at the earthly father of Jesus and the great plans the Lord has for his life.

Announcements can be used to grab your attention, to deliver information or to give directions. We open our Christmas messages with the announcement of the Good News that Jesus would be coming soon. Join us as we see how Mary received that announcement. Throughout this Christmas may we be looking to Jesus!

We see the warning from Peter to the dispersed people, they will continue to endure suffering. As they suffered, the early believers have to remember the greatest example of One who endured suffering, Jesus. Our response, with our faith in Christ, is to continue to look to Jesus to lead us through whatever we are facing. Join us today as we look at the Victory Jesus secured with His death.

Peter reminds the dispersed believers that suffering for the Lord will not stop. In every moment of our life we are to be prepared with the answer of where our hope lies. As believers in this day, are we prepared for suffering for the gospel's sake? Are we prepared to give the answer that points to our hope, Jesus Christ?

In between Peter's teachings on submission and suffering, stands a reminder that the people of God are a blessed people. It is a simple reminder that Christ lives in them and through them. It offers great hope that the Lord will guide his people throughout the circumstances they are facing.

As we open the Word, we find the early church in need of servant help. Seven are appointed to help with the growing concerns of people being neglected. As we see these 7 set apart for the work of the ministry, may we look for opportunities to serve the Lord by serving others and meeting the known needs around us.

Life as a disciple of Christ can become weary. Thankfully, we find in Hebrews Jesus motivating us to endure in our obedience. Christ motivates us through His exhortation, encouragement, and empowerment to endure in joyful obedience.

One of the most impactful relationships, outside of our relationship with Jesus, is the relationship between husband and wife. The Bible has direction to offer this relationship so it would resemble His relationship with the Church. What does submission within the marriage look like and how does the order in which the Lord established provide a stable and nurturing relationship? Join us today as we dive into God's word to husbands and wives.

As we look at the call to be submissive, we are met with the command to be submissive to the master. In today's world, we can translate that to the workplace. There may be some that have great jobs and bosses and some that have experienced difficulty in the workplace. Join us as we look at the importance of submitting to those over us in our workplaces.

When we hear the word submission, we may think we are losing control of something. In the eyes of God, submission to His authority brings about freedom as we are dependent upon the Lord. We will see over the next few weeks, some areas we are called to submit to for Christ's sake. Join us as we take a look at submitting to the governing leaders.

One of the ordinances commanded by Jesus that should continue on is the celebration of the Lord's Supper. In taking part in it, we remember the great price our Savior paid for the relationship we have with Him. Join us today as we gather with thankful hearts and remember the great things He has done.

We live in a world that is much different than it was even 20 years ago in attitude, morals and ethics. The church has been affected as well. Let's take a look at why we're seeing the church decline in our time.

We are living in a world that is seeking to find an identity. In the Word of God, we have been reminded of who we are in Christ. Peter calls out a generation to be the people the Lord created them to be. For Christians today our identity should be in the redeeming work of Jesus. Join us as we are encouraged to proclaim who we are in Christ.

There is nothing more important to the Christian life than the foundation on which our faith stands. It is also crucial that the faith of believers continue to grow. Join us as we see this reality, Jesus can either be the chief cornerstone or the stumbling block in one's life. What fuels your desire to grow in the Lord? What causes one to stumble? Jesus, the living stone is who we must build upon.

The word Holy is a word that should describe Christians. We must be set apart for the things of God. Often, we think holiness describes something greater than us. Peter gives us the reminder that our minds need to be set apart to the things of God and we need to be Holy because God is Holy. Join us today as we hear the call to live a life of Holiness!

Serving a living Lord should give Hope to every believer. Knowing the Holy Spirit is our "present help" is a comfort when the trying times come. We see our Faith refined through the trials of life. Trails are meant to grow our Faith in the Lord, not dampen it. Through trials, Jesus gets the Glory. Join us today, as we see the importance of the Hope that is found in Christ.

I will walk us through 5 spiritual points or steps to getting through to God. We must always come to God in His way when we approach Him in prayer. The 5th point is the crucial one that causes most of us to be defeated in our requests. If you’d like to know what that 5th step is; we welcome you to the program.

How do you view this life that you are living? What do you do when the suffering comes? How do you handle the struggles that you are faced with? We begin a new series on August 13th titled "Joy for the Journey". We will see the best way to handle suffering is to keep our focus on the Lord. The suffering that is endured should produce holiness, joy and a reflection of our Savior. Join us as we dive into this study of God's word.

1 Corinthians 2

Acts 20:17-19

Exodus 3

Ephesians 4

John 6:35

We are in our last we of laying the groundwork, preparing our hearts, our families and our church for revival. We have been reminded to seek revival through prayer and preparation. We look at the great Old Testament question, "Wilt thou not revive us again?" Join us as we continue to prepare our hearts and look at the great Blessing of Revival.

When was the last time you prepared for something? Maybe is was straightening up the home for company, or studying hard for a test, ordering the parts needed to make a repair. We don't realize how much preparation we actually do. What about Revival? How should we make preparations for that? Do we just show up and expect God to work? This week we will look to "Prepare ye the way of the Lord" leading up to our Revival.

How do we fulfill our call to go and make disciples? By grace, we fulfill our call to make disciples. Jesus provides three foundations upon which we can fulfill our call to make disciples.

Worship is an act of the heart, a response to who Christ is to us individually. Today, we will look at the importance of our worship as we come into the presence of the Lord. Collective worship, as the body of believers, is vital in the individual's life as well. Join us as we hear "A Call to Worship."

We understand that primary part of worship is prayer. Prayer leads us into worship, it is our communication with the Lord. Often, there are other issues that dictate how we spend our time. We must deal with the distractions that interfere with our worship. If you have ever felt like there is not enough time, this is the sermon for you! Join us as we take a look at the "Demands at the Door".

People have different thoughts and ideas about what worship looks like. The question of this day is why does worship matter? Join us as we look into a conversation between Jesus and the woman at the well. This conversation will teach us some truths on what worship really means.

We recognize the importance of Fathers and the tremendous job they have. One of the greatest responsibilities is to lead their family to Jesus. Along the way are hurdles of spiritual battles, moments of unbelief and the opportunity for faith to become routine. Join us today as we see a Father bring his son to Jesus. Jesus not only changes the son's situation but strengthens the Father's faith.

The Bible teaches, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from God." The fact that God would trust us, to use His gifts for His glory is amazing. Why does it matter what we do with them? Because it has an effect on eternity. It is an act of worship. A heart of generosity, the heart of giving unto the Lord, must reside in the believer.

We gather to celebrate Pastor Clyde today and his 18 years as our Associate Pastor in this place. We celebrate more than the man - we celebrate the faithfulness of Clyde to Christ, the families of our church and the community of Clifford. We pray faithfulness is a trait we all will have as we serve the Lord together.

"Preach the gospel to every creature" are some of Jesus's last recorded words in the book of Mark. How are we responding to the commanded to preach the gospel? Why does the gospel matter? Join us as we look at the importance of the gospel message and what responsibility we have to share it.

One of the blessings of being a saved individual is receiving spiritual gifts from the Lord. How important are they? Are they still needed? Join us today as we look at the eternal value of spiritual gifts to the kingdom of God.

Happy Mother's Day! We welcome each one into the house of the Lord today! We gather to celebrate Moms and dedicate children to the Lord. In doing so, we know it is not always an easy responsibility. We want to encourage our families today to remain faithful to Christ as they raise their families and look for the blessings through the burdens.

We have a wonderful opportunity to honor our graduates today. Many of them are at a crossroads in their lives. It is filled with decision and opportunity. It is our prayer, as each person considers their future, Jesus will be a part of the process.

George Santayana, the Spanish – American philosopher said, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” And Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (partial) says, “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children … . The Lord required the Jews to teach their children all about God and what He’d done for them in order not to repeat past mistakes. If the church doesn’t do the same, it will drift away from God and fall back in to past problems as well.

We continue to look at the blessing that God offers the family unit. Those who are single, for whatever reason, can feel the struggle that singleness brings. There are many who fight loneliness and even question the Lord's plan for their life. Join us as we take a look the single life and the blessing it can be.

We continue our series Why the Family Matters. Today we focus on our children. The Lord intends for children to be a blessing and our future. As a church, what is our responsibility in helping raise up the next generation of believers? Join us today, as we take a look at Why Children Matter.

The message of this Resurrection Sunday is - JESUS IS ALIVE! What hope that offers Christians today. May we remember the resurrection of Jesus is celebrated every day in the life of the believer. The resurrection offers the believer so much! Tune is as we see 5 truths of the Resurrection.

We gather to celebrate and remember the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. This was the declaration that Jesus was King. On a day of celebration, there were cries heard throughout the crowd. Jesus was lifted up as King at the beginning of the week, but He would be put on a cross by the end of the week. Join us today as we take a look at "The Cries Among the Triumph."

We begin to look into the importance of the family. One of the key designs of the family is the bond of marriage. We are in a day and time when marriage is under attack, it is being redefined and people are looking for an alternative. Join us today as we ponder the question, "Why Marriage Matters?"

Forgiveness is an act that we depend on from our Heavenly Father. Extending that to someone is often hard for many believers. Join us as we take a look at Jesus' words on how we should demonstrate forgiveness to those around us.

We will take a look at one of the hardest things to surrender to the Lord. The Bible says no one can tame the tongue. If you surrender control, God can use it. Join us as we look at the power this little member has in the Christian's life.

We begin a look at ourselves today. When the Christian looks at their life, it should mirror that of Christ. One of the areas we want to emulate is that area of sacrifice. We will look at the instructions to that call us to make others more significant that ourselves. Are we willing to sacrifice in that way?

Looking back at our salvation hopefully brings us great joy. The Lord seeks that relationship with every person. Today, we will be reminded of His call on the disciple's life. With this command to leave it all and follow, Jesus changed the world. Are we willing to do the same thing today?

We reach the final sermon in our Courage of the Church series. Joshua continues to challenge the people of God to be faithful and to always serve the Lord. Joshua himself says, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Have you made that commitment to serving the Lord? Every person has to choose who they will serve.

One of the blessings of being faithful over a long time is the ability to look back and see how the Lord's hand has led. Joshua gives us a look at the Lord's faithfulness over his 100+ years of life. What can you praise the Lord for today in your walk with the Lord?

Our scripture tells of a very faithful leader, as the end is drawing near. Joshua has a few more things to take care of before the Lord is finished with him. Join us as we look at the powerful reminder from a Godly leader. May it charge us to be the faithful people God has called us to be.

"Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate." Dietrich Bonhoeffer There is a great danger in not clearly explaining the gospel exactly as taught in scripture. To leave anything unexplained is to risk giving someone false assurance which endangers their soul.

The church is made up of many different people, from different backgrounds. Is it possible that we carry the same passion for the Lord, but our perspectives are different? Absolutely! We take a look at an issue that was intended for good and see how it almost became a dividing factor to the Children of God.

How someone perceives a situation can easily turn to reality in their minds. How do perceptions hurt the Church or even other Christians? Today, we look at the problem with perception. May the Lord open our eyes to how we look at others and their situations.

Our message looks at one of the two ordinances that Christ gave his people to observe, The Lord's Supper. This gives us an opportunity to worship and remember the great sacrifice of Jesus for His people. May we prepare our heart as we approach the table today.

Today we celebrate the beginning of a New Year! As we start another year, we know that God does not change! God's reminder through the prophet Isaiah is God is not done with Judah. Join us as we look at the faithfulness of God: He has not changed and He still has a great work to do through His people.

What an opportunity to worship on Christmas Day! We look directly at the gift of the presence of God. The reality is there are people who don't know about Jesus and there are those who haven't received Him yet. Christ was the Light and Life sent to save a dark world. Have you received the unspeakable gift this Christmas?

The gift of the presence of God, is something that every believer should desire. We understand in order for God to be with us, we needed a miracle. God came to us in the most incredible way, as a baby, but His purpose was the Cross. Join us as we look at the coming of our King!

Join us today as we focus on 8 words of scripture, "Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift". As we look to these words, I pray we can see the opportunity that is before us. I pray we will understand the fullness of Jesus. I pray Jesus will be the focus of our Christmas season.

Goodbyes are not the easiest for anyone. As the eastern tribes return to their land, Joshua commends their faithful obedience and help in conquering the land. He also calls on them to protect themselves with continued obedience to God. Join us as we learn what that type of obedience looks like for us today.

Our world is filled with so much going on, many are looking for somewhere or someone to turn to, a safe place, a refuge. Joshua had the responsibility of establishing cities of refuge within the promised land. As we look at these cities today, we are reminded of these words from Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

One of the most important aspects to a faithful life, is how well one finishes. Paul says, "I have kept the faith." We will see the reward of Caleb's faithfulness as we he receives his portion of the land. Caleb's life shows us the blessing of fully following.

Today, we will look at the culmination of all the fighting and conquering during Joshua's leadership. The people and land are at rest from war. The responsibility now is to continue the work of the Lord and divide up the land. In order to rest in His promises, there is still work for us to do today. Join us as we see the promises of God become a reality to His people.

Our God is a loving God, and his mercies are new every morning. But there is a limit to his patience after which judgment must occur. Even knowing that there is sure punishment and judgment awaiting those that don’t turn to Him, millions intend to come to God; but they put it off. We don’t know when our last day will be. Putting it off is like playing Russian Roulette with our eternity. Join us today as we look at our situation through God’s eyes.

A simple note can be used to remember things. God uses the scripture today to offer a time to pause and remember how far he has led them. There is nothing that can stand in the way of what God promises His people. Join us today as we take note of the work of the Lord.

We have reached the last chapter of battle in the book of Joshua. We will see that Joshua left nothing undone that the Lord had asked him to do. Today we will look at how that we can be the same type of people who wholly follow the Lord.

What do you do after the miracle? God answers the prayer, God shows up to help with the battle, then what? We are called to continue to be faithful to the Lord. Join us today as we look at the continued faithfulness of Joshua and the Israelites.

How do you respond after a defeat? Do you still feel like you can't win? We will see how Israel turns to God to lead them against their enemy for the second time. When His plan is followed, victory is the outcome.

Have you ever been involved in something that you should have never been in from the start? Can the Lord still make something good of it? Join us today as we see the Lord work in the aftermath of a decision made by His people.

Deception leads us away from the purpose that God has in store. The enemy loves deception. Join us today as we see how the enemy uses this tactic to undermine the purpose and the people of God.

When success has turned to defeat, what should you do? When it seems like all is lost, is there another way? Today, we take a look at what happens when at first you don't succeed. Join us as we look for that God-led plan to help in a difficult situation.

Some think that sin can be hidden from God. We will see one man's attempt to hide his sin, comes at a great cost. Sin and disobedience always carry a price. Join us as we continue in Joshua chapter 7.

How important is it that everyone be on the same page? Today you will see an example when one person doesn't obey God. Sin creeps in, and destroys the best made plans. Join us as we take a look at the "Sin Within".

Have you every been focused on something that seems impossible? With God all things are possible (Matt 19:26). Today, we will see how God leads his people as they face Jericho. His leading allows an amazing victory by the power of God.

We look forward to the opportunity that we have to rejoice and celebrate the work of the Lord. The truth is that not everyone celebrates what God is doing. If you were the one lost, wouldn't you want to know someone was searching for you. Jesus does just that, he searches for those who are lost. Join us today as we look at the importance of the one.

There are times that we think we are in control. The reality is that we are not. In today's message, Joshua encounters the One who is in total control. Joshua's response is crucial as we see God taking charge of His people

Morning Revival Service - Speaker Rev. Dr. Michael R.Fitzgerald, Pastor Emeritus Clifford Baptist Church

Do you have something that stands in the way of where you are and where God wants you? Is something blocking you from God? Listen today as we see how Isreal faces a challenge one step at a time.

One of the primary responsibilities for Christians is seeing that their family is saved. The scarlet cord offers Rehabs family an opportunity to be saved. Tie the cord today - is the challenge we must all accept.

God's word is filled with the unlikeliest of people being used by God. Rehab the harlot, is a prime example of how God can use an unlikely person and ultimately change her life forever.