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| He Is All You Need | | Date Created: Apr 01, 2006, 02:52 PM |
 Listen to this song in your time of confusion and loneliness or when you feel overwhelmed with stress and anxiety. |
| Song Name |
Time |
Artist |
Album |
Genre |
Size |
| He's All You Need |
05:05 |
Steve Camp |
The Steve Camp Collection |
Gospel & Religious |
4.8 MB |
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- Music > He Is All You Need
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| Your Faithfulness | | Date Created: Dec 04, 2005, 05:12 PM |
 Listen to this song as you are thanking the Shepherd for His faithfulness. |
| Song Name |
Time |
Artist |
Album |
Genre |
Size |
| Your Faithfulness |
05:32 |
Brian Doerksen |
You Shine |
Praise & Worship |
7.8 MB |
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- Music > Your Faithfulness
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| Valleys of Shadow | | Date Created: Dec 04, 2005, 04:59 PM |
From the Study Desk of Pastor Clair
http://homepage.mac.com/bclair/blogwavestudio
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me..." - Psalms 23:4
This time of the year has been hard on me for the last three years and probably will be for the rest of my life. |
 The day after Thanksgiving in the year 2002, I began to walk with my friend Terri Baker through the valley of the shadow of death. |
| Rosemarie and I will be eternally grateful for the intimate relationship we enjoyed with Terri. She was a trusted co-laborer with us from day one of our formal ministry. She was at every holiday and every birthday party we ever celebrated for 15 years. She is on every home video, and in every packet of pictures from every significant event in the life of our family. |
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| Terri was born with a weak heart. In her lifetime she had three open-heart surgeries. I was with her the second time she had her mitral valve replaced. As her pastor and friend, I sat by her bedside all night long awaiting her surgery. In those dark and anxiety ridden hours of the evening, she confided in me about her fear. Having suffered debilitating pain and loneliness for most of her life, her terror was that she would not be able to feel the Lord’s presence as she woke up out of surgery. In an attempt to comfort her I devised a code. I would be at her bedside when she returned to consciousness, "Squeeze my hand if you sense God's presence and you know that He has not abandoned you. If I don't feel you squeeze, I'll squeeze your hand to remind you that God is still there with you." |
When I entered the recovery room, I was overwhelmed by all the medical machinery packed into the room. There was a respirator hose down her throat and another in her nose pumping air into her lungs. There were intravenous tubes hanging everywhere and electrode wires snaking from her bed. I'll never forget that moment when her eyes flickered to life. Within seconds she was squeezing my hand. I wept at the goodness of God. Her unsaved brother, who was aware of the code, broke down right there and came to saving faith in Christ.
Ten years later, she was very sick and facing inevitable death. Again, she confided in me her same fear. She said, “I’m afraid that at the time of my death I will be in such pain that I will not feel the presence of God in my life." I was able to remind her of her surgery. God had not abandoned her then, He would surely be with her at the hour of her death. |
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The last week of her life, she never faltered. December 14, 2002, Rosemarie and I sat at her bedside singing and reminding her of the faithfulness of God. I stepped out of the room to get a couple of minutes rest, Hairold Gregory and other family and friends were with her when she breathed her last. Right up to the moment of her death, God was faithful.
Here's what I've learned through that shadowy valley experience. First, I've learned that death is just a shadow. Sure, it's dark, unknown and scary, but it's also a part of life, the true beginning. Second, I've learned that through some experiences The Shepherd leads us, and through other experiences The Shepherd walks with us. He goes ahead to protect and provide, He comes close beside to comfort and support. |
 Brian Doerksen in his song "Your Faithfulness" writes,
"I don’t know how or when I’ll die
Will it be a thief or will I have a chance to say good-bye?
I don’t know how much time is left
But in the end I will know Your faithfulness."
There will be other valleys of shadow that I will go through, but with my Shepherd, I'm never alone.
Blessings.
Pastor Barry Clair (Brian)
brclair@adams.net |
| Comfortable Ruts and Polluted Ground | | Date Created: Nov 07, 2005, 11:21 PM |
From the Study Desk of Pastor Clair
"He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake." - Psalms 23:3 |
 When Isaac Newton articulated what has come to be known as the first law of motion, I'm sure he had no idea that not only was he talking physics, but human nature as well. Sometimes called the Law of Inertia, it states, "A body at rest tends to stay at rest..." As human beings we tend toward inertia. We are either unable or unwilling to move. Even worse is the detrimental law of human nature that causes us to repeat patterns of motion. We have the inclination toward repetitive patterns of harmful behavior.
In his book "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23," W. Phillip Keller says, "Sheep are notorious creatures of habit. If left to themselves, they will follow the same trails until they become ruts; graze the same hills until they turn to desert wastes; pollute their own ground until it is corrupt with disease and parasites.... All of this happened simply because the sheep, instead of being managed and handled with intelligent care, had been left to struggle for themselves - left to go their own way, left to the whims of their own destructive habits." |
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When David acknowledges the leading of the Shepherd in paths of righteousness, he is admitting he needs help to overcome inertia and the leadership of a benevolent guide to steer him on the right bearing.
One important and often overlooked discipline of spiritual formation is guidance. Every Christian is a sheep and in serious need of constant guidance. We need two aspects of movement working in our maturation process. They are motion and direction. I'm comforted by the fact that the "Good Shepherd" is there to provide both.
Some of us have been at the same spiritual level for years. Inertia has overtaken our Christian walk. Others of us are traveling the known and comfortable ruts of the polluted ground of whim. Comfort is usually not healthy and well worn ruts are usually no longer nourishing. We need to get moving again and gain momentum finding our stride along the path of the Shepherd's choosing. Around the bend is the next "pasture of plenty" and the thirst-quenching still waters.
To have goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our life, we must be moving. One cannot follow something that doesn't move. Many of us need to get moving toward being still.
What is at the end toward which I move? What awaits me at the end of the path of righteousness? -- The glory of God. He guides me... for His name sake. He directs me... for the glory of God. Isn't that supposed to be the chief end of man?
Blessings.
Pastor Barry Clair (Isaac)
brclair@adams.net |
| When My Heart Is Overwhelmed | | Date Created: Oct 22, 2005, 02:19 PM |
From the Study Desk of Pastor Clair
"He restores my soul..." - Psalms 23:3
Her voice cut through my anxiety. "Your circumstances are what they are, stop being overwhelmed. It doesn't help!" Of course I was over my head, I had four papers due in days, our house closing was stalled in paperwork, all our belongings in the world were packed into a truck, I was to preach in three services over the next two days, I was to fly to southern Europe on Monday for a mission's trip.
Everyone, everywhere finds themselves here once in a while, with too much going on to process. Your brain becomes a choke point and you can't sort it all out. You know you don't have a moment to spare but you seem paralyzed with panic. The prophet Elijah was here after his fight with the prophets of Baal and Jezabel. He found himself on his back, under a tree, praying to die (1 Kings 19:4).
The immediate temptation is to think that the "Good Shepherd" has abandoned you. He has led you to a place of impossibility and left you alone. What do you do when that happens?
What I'm beginning to understand is that this situation arises when I lose perspective. The Psalmist says in Psalms 61:2 "...when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." (K.J.V.) In other words, "Give me a perspective that transcends mine." See, my soul is restored when my perspective rises. |
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Recently, I found myself in the very prison cell occupied by the Apostle Paul. On his second imprisonment in Rome he was persecuted by the mad emperor Nero, who disregarded Paul's first acquittal and eventually had him beheaded. Even after thousands of years, this dungeon cell is still small, dark, moldy, smelly and cold. It was from this location that the Apostle Paul, who by this time had written more of the New Testament than any single author and founded more churches than any single Apostle, wrote to encourage his young protégé Timothy. Listen to what he says and try to picture him writing this from a dungeon.
"But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:5-8) |
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Here is probably the greatest man to have ever served God, under the worst set of circumstances, about to be unjustly martyred, but instead of feeling overwhelmed, his soul is restored. He is selflessly pouring his wisdom on another and anticipating his reward.
Let me share what I learned while repenting with weeping in that ancient Roman prison cell. It's all about perspective. Attitude is everything. When my heart is overwhelmed, it's time for a change in perspective. And I got one that day.
God help me to never doubt that the "Good Shepherd" cares not only for my physical needs but when my heart is overwhelmed... He restores my soul.
Blessings.
Pastor Barry Clair (Tim)
brclair@adams.net |
| While the Dew Is Still On the Roses | | Date Created: Oct 02, 2005, 10:03 PM |
From the Study Desk of Pastor Clair
"...he leads me beside quiet waters" - Psalms 23:2 |
 When one looks at artist's renderings of shepherds and sheep, one gets the idea of a flock of nomadic sheep that wander from pasture to pasture in search of forage and a somewhat bored shepherd who meanders behind in case something should go amiss. In truth, a conscientious shepherd does not let his sheep lead, nor does he drive them. He leads them. He knows where he's going and he intentionally places himself at the head of the flock where all his sheep can see him and moves with forethought to the destination he has planned. He leads because he is the scout, the protector and the provider. |
The "Good Shepherd" does the same for us. He leads us. We can take comfort from the fact that we will not be led to a place where He has not already been. That does not mean that we will not be led into dangerous places. Sometimes the journey of faith takes some hazardous turns and we cross some perilous paths. But He has scouted ahead and is confident that we will come to rest beside the still water and eat in the pasture of plenty.
The shepherd knows that his sheep cannot go as long without water as they can without food, so he is constantly leading the flock to the best source of water. The shepherd knows that his thirsty sheep will drink from any water they find in an attempt to slake their thirst, they will even drink the muddy, foul water in a blind attempt to quench their need for liquid. In W. Phillip Keller's best-selling book "A Shepherd Looks at Psalms 23" he says, "Most people are not aware that sheep can go for months on end, especially if the weather is not too hot, without actually drinking, if there is heavy dew on the grass each morning.... The early hours are when the vegetation is drenched with dew, and sheep can keep fit on the amount of water taken in with their forage..." |
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We, who are the sheep of His pasture must be led daily to the quiet waters in the early hours of the day. We must drink and keep fit on the dew drenched vegetation of His presence. One day Jesus was at a feast and He stood and cried in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." (John 7:37) What He was saying was that only He can satisfy the thirst, only His presence can meet the need, only the "Good Shepherd" knows where His sheep can find the clear, cold, refreshing goodness of the waters that bring life. And we must trust His guidance to get us there.
The early part of the day is when the dew is on the grass, one cannot cross the meadow without completely soaking one's feet. The moisture is there for the drinking. As the day progresses, the sun burns away the water and soon there is no condensation to absorb.
Don't let your day get away. Rise early with a thirst for the presence of Jesus. Go to Him and drink. The Psalmist says, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." (Psalms 42:1)
Blessings.
Pastor Barry Clair (panting)
brclair@adams.net |
| Psalms 23 | | Date Created: Sep 13, 2005, 12:25 AM |
 Try listening to or downloading this song to for use during your devotions. |
| An Excerpt | | Date Created: Sep 13, 2005, 12:20 AM |
| This document is an excerpt from the book "A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23." It is titled "He Maketh Me to Lie Down in Green Pastures." |
| File Name |
Size |
Download |
| Lie Down in Green Pastures |
43.3 KB |
Download |
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| The Pasture of Plenty | | Date Created: Sep 13, 2005, 12:11 AM |
From the Study Desk of Pastor Clair
"He makes me lie down in green pastures..." - Psalms 23:2 |
 More than a quarter century ago, a shepherd named W. Phillip Keller wrote what would become a best selling book. It is called "A Shepherd Looks at Psalms 23." In the audio book he shares some interesting facts about sheep and shepherding.
"It's almost impossible for sheep to lie down unless four requirements are met. They must be free of all fear. They must be free from friction with other sheep. They must be free of pests. And they must be free of hunger. Only the sheep man, the shepherd, can provide release from these anxieties. It is he who makes it possible for the sheep to lie down, rest, relax, and flourish."
I laughed when I heard that passage because everything that keeps sheep from lying down also keeps me sleepless in Springfield. Even though I know that most of the things that I fear will never come to pass, it is difficult to calm my mind and quiet my restive heart upon my bed while I am anticipating trouble. In my lifetime, I have lost much peace and sleep ruminating on my conflict with others in the flock to which I belong. I am constantly tormented by the flies and parasites that pester me without let up. At times I am convinced that my circumstances are designed to drive me mad. On top of it all, I struggle to control the hunger I have for certain things that I know are harmful to me. Like the unemployed "Serta Sheep" in the television ad, I roam around displaced and desperate, anxiously seeking my place of significance. |
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Keller goes on to say, "But one point that always interested me very much was that whenever I came into view and my presence attracted their attention, the sheep quickly forgot their foolish rivalries and stopped their fighting. The shepherd's presence made all the difference in their behavior."
Contrary to how it reads, the Good Shepherd does not force us to lie down, but rather, by His very presence, takes away all reason for fear, conflict, torment, and hunger. In other words, He makes it possible for His sheep to find rest and nurture, free from stress. |
 John Michael Talbot, in his song "Psalms 23" has written a lyric that captures my imagination. He sings, "In the pasture of plenty my soul lies down." When I become conscious of the presence of the Shepherd it makes all the difference in my behavior. I am now able to recognize that He has led me into the pasture of plenty and I take nourishment there.
I must always keep the Shepherd in sight however, for the pasture of plenty becomes the pasture of barrenness when overgrazed. He is continually leading His sheep into greener pastures and more plentiful fields. So I must rest but not dawdle.
Today, I offer this prayer for you. "God, I thank you for sending the Sheep Man, The Shepherd to guide us to safety and protect us from those things we fear. Provide release to each of us from the anxieties of friction with other sheep, free us from the pests that torment, and allow our souls to lie down in the pasture of plenty. Amen."
Blessings.
Pastor Barry Clair (Serta)
brclair@adams.net |
| The Lord Is My Shepherd | | Date Created: Aug 30, 2005, 11:13 AM |
 You can listen to or download this song to sing while applying the Word of God to your soul. |
| Song Name |
Time |
Artist |
Album |
Genre |
Size |
| The Lord Is My Shepherd |
04:13 |
Keith Green |
Make My Life a Prayer to You - Songs of Devotion |
Gospel |
4.0 MB |
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- Music > The Lord Is My Shepherd
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| Prophecies of King David Fulfilled In Christ | | Date Created: Aug 30, 2005, 10:57 AM |
| You can download this file or visit this page on the internet and study these prophecies in your personal devotions. http://biblia.com/jesusbible/2samuel-1b.htm |
| File Name |
Size |
Download |
| 92 prophecies of King David |
87.7 KB |
Download |
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| Everything I Need | | Date Created: Aug 30, 2005, 10:46 AM |
From the Study Desk of Pastor Clair
"The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need.” - Psalms 23:1 |
 In 1941, Warner Sallman painted what has become the quintessential image of what Jesus Christ looked like in the flesh. Whenever I visualize my Savior, Sallman's portrait is what I see. In 1943, he continued his series with a painting called "The Lord Is My Shepherd" which depicts Sallman's interpretation of Psalms 23. The picture is an imbalanced, idealized version of the classic scripture. There is no indication of the "valley of the shadow of death," and no hint of the "presence of my enemies." The good shepherd is carefully holding a lamb surrounded by fattened sheep on a lush, fertile river bank. |
 Of late, I've been doing a personal, extended, devotional study of the 23rd Psalm and am rediscovering why it is the most beloved of all the King David poems. It is encouraging and honest, comforting and realistic, symbolic and true, New Testament and Old. It is hard to imagine that "The Shepherd King" would never see with human eyes the kin about whom he so often prophesied.
In this short Psalm, David provides us with a much needed representation of who God is and our relationship to Him. Under Moses, He was seen as a demanding, judging, lawgiver, but under David we see another refreshing facet to His nature, the caring, nurturing, provider.
It is remarkable how this Psalm begins, not as instruction but as recitation. The chapter which precedes it is one of petition and supplication, that which follows is a declaration of praise. But here, the author is asking us to place ourselves in his picture of trust and reliance. It's as if he is saying, "Repeat after me, the Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need." King David wants his readers to place themselves in the sheepfold.
As a pastoral counselor, I have assigned this very task to people who have come to me for help. I asked them to recite this Psalm slowly five times every morning upon rising to consciously remind themselves of God's love.
The first verse is a sermon in itself. Read it out loud once. "The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need." Try it again emphasizing the words "my" and "everything." What I feel in response to that statement says much about my personality. But I must understand that with this verbal affirmation, I am saying at least three things.
First, "I have relinquished ultimate control of my life." Sheep go their own way at risk of great peril. But to submit ultimate control doesn't mean all control. I must exercise self-control. I must be disciplined enough to keep the Good Shepherd in sight and in close proximity at all times.
Next, "I am guided by the One who knows best." Despite what seems right and good to me, I must continually remind myself that God exists at the beginning and at the end of my life. While I'm muddling along in the middle, He knows the end from the beginning.
Last, "Whatever happens to me is by divine design." If the Shepherd provides everything I need, then the tough times are His provision also. This is at times almost impossible to understand and accept. |
 Last night, I was watching my cousin Larry trying to feed his daughter Lauren. I noticed she had no problem eating the cake, and it would have been easy to just stop there. But her loving father gently yet resolutely insisted that she eat the chicken as well, and obediently she did, not completely knowing why and certainly not enjoying it. She has learned to trust him and one day no doubt will understand the nutritional benefits of chicken over cake. In the mean time, she has everything she needs.
I am going through a particularly tough time right now. So I am leaning heavily on these words of comfort and peace. "The Lord is MY shepherd; I have EVERYTHING I need."
Blessings.
Pastor Barry Clair (Lauren)
brclair@adams.net |
| Word of God Speak | | Date Created: Aug 15, 2005, 12:45 AM |
 Listen to this song "Word of God Speak" by Mercy Me while listening for the voice of God to speak to you. |
| Song Name |
Time |
Artist |
Album |
Genre |
Size |
| Word Of God Speak |
03:07 |
MercyMe |
Spoken For |
Gospel & Religious/Praise & Worship |
3.0 MB |
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| Staying Plugged In | | Date Created: Aug 15, 2005, 12:25 AM |
From the Study Desk of Pastor Clair
"And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” - 1 Kings 19:12 |
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| As I was walking down the streets of one of the largest cities in the U.S. recently, I noticed that just about every other person was sporting an iPod. An iPod is Apple Computer's portable digital audio player. I can always identify an iPod by it's distinctive white earbud headphones. Here were thousands of people walking through life with their own personal soundtracks passing time and travel by shuffling through the playlist of their day. |
 I have a friend named Tyler who wears his iPod Mini everywhere. He never seems to take it off. Even in meetings and casual social situations, he will interact without taking the headphones out of his ears. Sometimes it is quite annoying. One always gets the impression that when trying to communicate to Tyler you are competing with some song ringing in his skull. |
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| I recently began a teaching series at Calvary Temple called "Is God On Your iPod?" This series is just a contemporary way to teach about hearing the voice of God. My thesis is simply that God is still speaking to His followers today both corporately and individually. God spoke and the world was formed. God spoke, men wrote it down, and it continues to be a bestselling book today. The Bible is filled with comments such as, "And the word of the Lord came to so and so..." It is just ridiculous to think that just because the Bible is complete that suddenly God decided that He doesn't have anything else to say so He stopped speaking. It is in His nature to communicate, to speak. Jesus said, "My sheep recognize my voice..." John 10:27 (N.L.T.) |
| Sadly, there have been times in my life when I have gone for what I consider a long period of time without hearing God speak to me, when that's true something's wrong with me, not God. |
 Oswald Chambers says, "The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze— so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a 'still small voice', so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it." |
Much as I hate to admit it, Tyler may have it right in concept at least. We need to be plugged in at all times. If we are to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17), maybe we should be listening without ceasing also.
How long has it been since you've heard God speak? Are you content to go another day? If not, then allocate time to tune in today, quiet yourself in His presence, be alert to the small voice, and stay plugged in all day long.
Blessings.
Pastor Barry Clair (Tyler)
brclair@adams.net |
| Living On Tilt | | Date Created: Jul 19, 2005, 09:13 PM |
From the Study Desk of Pastor Clair
"For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed.” - Acts 13:36 |
 It seems that everyone is "Purpose-Driven" these days. We've got the "purpose-driven church," the "purpose-driven life," the "purpose-driven marriage," and the "purpose-driven hostage." Rick Warren has initiated a cultural awakening of sorts. He has very deliberately tapped into the psyche of every person everywhere. Nobody wants to be irrelevant, few desire total anonymity, not many are content to live lives of insignificance.
I get asked the same question continually, "Pastor, how can I find my purpose?" Great philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and others postulated about what sort of life was most important. Indeed, if there is but one question for the ages it would be, "What is the meaning of life?" |
 The church has also attempted to answer this question. According to Wikipedia, "In 1643, the English Parliament called upon 'learned, godly and judicious Divines', to meet at Westminster Abbey in order to provide advice on issues of worship, doctrine, government and discipline of the Church of England. Their meetings, over a period of five years, produced a Confession of Faith, as well as a Larger Catechism and a Shorter Catechism." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_Confession) In fact, the first question that the Catechism asks is, "What is chief end of man?" The answer: "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."
I think that's a wonderful and simple answer. Could there be a better life? Could there be a greater purpose than to glorify God and enjoy Him forever? I think not. I'm redefining the question. Don't ask "What is my purpose?" Instead ask, "What is God's purpose?" |
 Just as in the times of King David, God is doing something special in this our own generation, and we need to find that purpose and abandon our lives to it. Life is too short! We are all going to die and our temporary works will perish (decay). It's time to stop existing feeling insignificant while we wait for God to reveal our purpose to us, or worse yet to waste the few days we have left enduring a debilitating self image because we don't feel valuable to God.
Here's what you do. Get up early tomorrow morning, study, listen and discover in His word what is GOD'S purpose in the world for our generation and don't wait for permission or the appearance of an angel to confirm it. Decide how you can glorify God today and invest yourself "full tilt" in that purpose all day long.
Let's all pray this prayer, "God, help me to be purpose-driven today. May I be driven not by my purpose, but by Your purpose."
Blessings.
Pastor Barry Clair (tilted)
brclair@adams.net |
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