tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-177771862012-02-07T18:54:22.249-05:00TAKE UP YOUR CROSSa soldiers thoughts on discipleshipJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.comBlogger651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-61616737858718996872011-11-24T02:28:00.001-05:002011-11-24T03:26:21.754-05:00YOU'RE THANKFUL FOR WHAT?!
I came home from Iraq in February. After coming home I found myself in one of the biggest pits I can ever remember being in.
Without going into all the details (there's a time and place for that), it was one of the darkest, most lonely, painful, trying, and difficult times in my life.
Mentally, physically and emotionally I was completely drained. I was J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-73823736073172252162011-11-14T13:46:00.001-05:002011-11-14T13:49:41.156-05:0012 YEARS OF LEARNING TO FOLLOW
Yesterday marked 12 years that I have been walking with Jesus.
12 years of falling and getting up.
12 years of learning from mistakes.
12 years of trying to follow footsteps that led to a Cross.
12 years of struggling with dying to myself
12 years of experiencing the faithfulness of God time after time in my life.
As a minister of the gospel and a discipleJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-91764689390081049762011-09-24T15:28:00.000-04:002011-09-24T15:28:48.602-04:00PREPARE THE WAY
This morning I smiled as I read about John the Baptist. Not only was John kind of funny looking (see Matt. 3:4), but he was constantly pointing to Jesus. John was a forerunner for Jesus and as such, his job was to prepare a way for the coming Messiah.
As I read in Matthew 3, I was reminded of an important truth to be lived out in each of our lives.
After a call to J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-41641509400008226582011-06-22T09:19:00.001-04:002011-06-22T09:19:17.313-04:00LOVE BIG
I woke up this morning with a simple, yet profound thought in my heart.
I would rather be accused of loving too much than loving too little.
In the simplicity of this statement, we see a beautiful picture of our calling as disciples, followers of Christ.
In John 13, Jesus was teaching his disciples. As the "Last Supper" is being shared, Jesus tells us that all men will know we followJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-32707511153282349702011-05-26T10:34:00.000-04:002011-05-26T10:34:24.555-04:00A DIRTY JOB, PART II
Admit it, you've missed me, haven't you. Sorry for tomorrow turning into three days later.
Continuing Monday's post.............
I shared about an experience I had cleaning my friend Paul's dog lot. You can catch up here.
We can laugh at the silliness of the analogy. I mean, comparing Church work to scooping up junk in a dog lot is absurd..... or is it?
In the variousJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-87111892348881089892011-05-23T10:34:00.000-04:002011-05-23T10:34:32.130-04:00A DIRTY JOB, PART I
My friend Paul is retired. A couple of weeks ago, he had hip surgery. Last week, I was mowing at his house as I typically do. Since he is still off of his feet for awhile, I was asked to do something "extra" this week.
As I finished mowing, turning the corner of his yard, I saw his wife, Linda, walking towards me.
She smiled real big and said, "Now, Paul wants you toJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-10517631698658772512011-05-14T16:33:00.000-04:002011-05-14T16:33:33.721-04:00I've been thinking about love a lot lately.
We all have people in our lives that we care for. Some of those people it is really easy to love. Others, well, let's just say it makes no sense at all to love them.
It's easy to love those that love us back. The ones who don't return our affection, care or concern can make love difficult.
I say all of that to say this:
LOVE IS A CHOICE!!!!
J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-77444632565966835302011-05-08T15:23:00.000-04:002011-05-08T15:23:07.932-04:00
UPDATE
After a year in Iraq & a few months back home, I am back to blogging on a regular basis. The time off was needed as we have moved into a new home, the reintegration process is intense at times, & there are many people to see & catch up with.
I am preaching as often as I'm able & spending much time in prayer as I seek God's guidance for what I feel Him calling & leading me toJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-63041811651606012742011-01-05T12:52:00.000-05:002011-01-05T13:35:18.144-05:00UNDENIABLE LOVEI believe we're all in denial about the people we love. David Geffen It is easy to overlook the faults and shortcomings of those we love. To look past their mistakes and love them anyway. To be in denial.Jesus was not in denial! He knew exactly how jacked up we were & He still went to the Cross. He was scared, beaten, & murdered for us. We're told in Romans 5:8, "But God J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-78151523674800168812011-01-01T11:36:00.003-05:002011-01-01T12:00:58.009-05:00MISUNDERSTOOD GREATNESSIt's that time of year again. The time when we set a goal or two. What can we do to be better in 2011? I'm not worried about being better. I want to be great! Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "To be great is to be misunderstood." What is it that you have resolved to do this year. Whatever it is, DO NOT let your peers or your circumstances talk you out of it. I would J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-27293337147002142712010-11-16T12:42:00.003-05:002011-08-25T12:08:42.628-04:00
ME NEITHER!
During a conversation with one of my soldiers today, I got a holy smack across the face. The story of the woman caught in adultery came up, and as I was talking that's when it happened. The Holy Spirit smacked me with a thought that the Church today desperately needs to hear.
After this woman's accusers left, Jesus asked her where they were. He asked her, "Has no one J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-25246679008115119142010-11-13T10:09:00.007-05:002010-11-13T10:42:46.887-05:0011 YEARS11 years ago today I was in 6th grade.11 years ago today I went to a basketball game with my youth group from First Baptist Church of Newland. 11 years ago today my life was forever changed.On November 13th, 1999 Jesus saved me! I was watching Appalachian State University's basketball team play a Christian ministry called Crossfire Ministries. At half time the gospel was shared and I J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-33366427612663840622010-11-08T12:57:00.002-05:002010-11-08T13:42:02.920-05:00Have I Told You Lately............Last week as I was reading in Psalms I read a verse that rocked my world. Seriously, it was one of those moments where you feel God was really teaching me through His word. The verse:I love you, O LORD my strength.Psalm 18:1I felt the Holy Spirit moving in me as I asked myself, "When was the last time I genuinely told God, 'I love you'?"Think about it. We giveJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-91989504659356581832010-11-01T05:58:00.001-04:002010-11-01T07:11:35.372-04:00J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-702462861899136002010-10-14T14:59:00.003-04:002010-10-14T15:19:44.946-04:00COME AND SEEHave you ever been excited about something? You know how kids act when they get a new toy? You know how we all act when we have anything new and we want to show it off? Cries of "COME AND SEE" ring out anytime their is something new and exciting to be shown off. I read Psalm 66:5 with this thought in mind this morning. WE'VE GOT SOMETHING TO BE EXCITED ABOUT!!!!Because of what J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-75490446615137295212010-10-05T14:46:00.000-04:002010-10-05T14:52:14.774-04:00WILL YOU?Just a quick note to ask for prayer. There is so much going on in my life right now. We're are nearing the end of this deployment to Iraq. The plan for life when I get home has shifted dramatically. I have learned so much lately about true faith, and about truly following Jesus. Will you learn and follow with me? As a result, I am just crazy enough to believe that the God I serve is J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-28917681168482253922010-10-04T15:22:00.000-04:002010-10-05T13:58:46.058-04:00FAITHFaith can be a scary thing.It is one thing to claim to have faith in Christ. It is a whole other ball game to live a life of faith. Living in such a way that people looking on know that you are totally dependent upon God's grace and His sovereignty. I've said many times that faith is trusting God and following Him obediently with what you know, and trusting Him and following the promptingJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-56267388262473373312010-08-26T05:40:00.000-04:002010-08-26T05:46:34.948-04:00THIS MUST CHANGE!When Jesus died on the Cross, He did if for everybody. Every tribe, tongue& nation was on His mind. Each & every man, woman, boy & girl is precious to Him. With the ministry I'm diving into, my heart is broken. I am appalled thatthere are over 30 million slaves worldwide because of human trafficking, agreater number than at the height of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-6629565381610727152010-08-17T12:48:00.000-04:002010-08-17T13:09:24.183-04:00SOME GREAT LINKSHey friends, here are a few great posts I've read over the past few days.*Steven Furtick ROCKED my world with this post! In light of ministry in my life, this was much needed. *Clayton King did a phenomenal job discussing unnoticed sin in our lives, great post!*My good buddy Chaplain Brad Borders does a fantastic job discussing our need for a personal relationship with Jesus J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-18018691608511449132010-08-10T14:29:00.000-04:002010-08-10T14:30:25.618-04:00…Continued from Part 1. The truth is that you were fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of a God that loves you more than you could ever imagine. And once you truly understand that fact, it shakes your entire world to the core. The truth is that everyone knows, in their heart, that there is a God. The bible tells us that all of creation points to His existence. We know it. And it’s in J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-54741939986277137532010-08-06T01:44:00.000-04:002010-08-06T02:24:05.315-04:00Part 1Craig asked me to write about my vision for the R:12 Project, the ministry he and I have been called to. But before I can get into what we’ve been called to do, you need to understand who I am, and where I stand.If you had asked me one year ago if I thought I’d claim to be a Christian, that I’d be setting aside the opportunity to make money in order to become a missionary, or that I’d be soJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-59486835539477566192010-08-01T05:47:00.000-04:002010-08-06T15:29:39.882-04:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY PATRICIA!22 years ago today was one of the greatest days of my life. I was 9 months & 10 days old so I had no clue. On August 1, 1988 my wife was born!Patricia is such a blessing in my life. Every day I'm more & more thankful for her. She is the greatest wife & an amazing mommy to Thomas. My life is more blessed because of her & being married to her has made me a better man! J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-18922931788518797092010-07-29T11:14:00.000-04:002010-07-31T11:16:22.382-04:00CHANGESWhen I left home in February with orders to come to Iraq, I thought I had everything figured out. After I get home, I'm going active army, I'll have school paid for, a steady paycheck, and a plethora of other benefits. Well, as we all know, to quote Oswald Chambers, "God seems to have a delightful way of upsetting the things we have calculated on without taking Him into account."The planJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-17904222884737780342010-05-31T14:25:00.000-04:002010-05-31T14:55:50.412-04:00MEMORIAL DAYToday, as we celebrate Memorial Day, many thought are going through my mind. We are so blessed to live in America. We are so thankful for our freedoms and the lives we enjoy as a result. Personally, I am honored to be enlisted in the armed forces of this great country. I work alongside some of the bravest men & women on the planet. We have it good on this deployment I am on. J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-9635949165210642612010-05-13T12:38:00.000-04:002010-05-13T15:36:12.353-04:00Occasionally I read from UNTO THE HILLS, a devotion book by Billy Graham. The following is from May 10th, Mother's Day. A MESSAGE FOR MOTHERS...AND OTHERS!They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.2 Corinthians 8:5, NIVLIVING creatively for Christ in the home is the acid test for any Christian man or woman. It is far easier to live an excellent life amongJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-31145251446661370572010-05-11T15:50:00.000-04:002010-05-11T16:25:57.782-04:00Friends, please pray for my friend Chatty Daniels. She goes back to Africa in one week to begin work in the Kerio Valley with her non-profit Pamoja Life! Pray for her family, as it will be hard not only for them to let her go, but for her to leave them (friends too!). Pray for what God is going to do in the Valley and in the lives of the people who live there through the obedience of my friendJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-25815645696844778522010-04-24T16:23:00.001-04:002010-04-27T12:41:08.149-04:00To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:ECCLESIASTES 3:1TIMEIt seems as if I am in chains to my schedules and all the meaningless stuff I fill them with. I personally struggle with setting my priorities. Just because I struggle DOESN'T mean I'm giving/have to give up the fight!What I do with my time, private or public, says a lot about who I am. Time J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-74464558463077462982010-04-18T16:14:00.000-04:002010-05-12T05:56:48.037-04:00I SURRENDER ALL? Tonight at chapel service we sang "I Surrender All". I have liked this song for some time now, the lyrics are so powerful! The first stanza says:All to Jesus I surrenderAll to Him I freely giveI will ever love and trust HimIn His presence daily liveI saw a t-shirt several years ago that said, "the song doesn't say 'I Surrender SOME'"! Sadly, there is a large number of J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-84291530320440645782010-03-30T20:21:00.000-04:002010-03-30T21:35:23.476-04:00HEY FRIENDS! I finally got blogger to co-operate with uploading videos, yes! Here is the latest video, some more thoughts on praise from yours truly. Be Blessed! I LOVE YOU!!!
J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-71475244078730712022010-03-15T00:23:00.000-04:002010-03-15T00:33:16.277-04:00I AM SO UNWORTHY! Despite my numerous failures, mess-ups, and many flaws, Jesus still finds me of use to His Kingdom and He still chooses to use me to communicate His love for us to a world doomed to Hell without Him. Over and over again I struggle with sin, and over and over again Jesus reaches down and picks me up out of the muck, dusts me off, comforts me with his AMAZING love, and reminds J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-15324167664534379832010-03-12T15:50:00.000-05:002010-03-12T15:54:18.478-05:00HERE'S THE LINK TO MY MOST RECENT VIDEO UPDATE! PRAY FOR MY SOLDIERS AND I AS WE PREPARE TO LEAVE! I LOVE YOU!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=app_2392950137&ref=profile&id=501828190#!/video/video.php?v=357685293190J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-75459544085798697692010-03-06T21:56:00.000-05:002010-03-06T21:58:35.545-05:00HEY FRIENDS! THE CONNECTION IN TX/NM IS SO SLOW. HERE IS A LINK TO A VIDEO I POSTED ON FACEBOOK. MORE TO COME, MAYBE EVEN SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS ON MY WALK WITH CHRIST, JUST MAYBE. http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?comments&v=345396193190J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-82818871304365596182010-02-22T21:02:00.000-05:002010-02-22T21:34:28.874-05:00Hello everyone! I've been wanting to do some video blogging for a while now, so over the course of my deployment to Iraq, I'm going to do just that. You'll see quite a bit more video on the site and on my facebook page as well. I'll use the video to update on my life, prayer requests, random thoughts, etc.
This is the first of many, let me know what you think. I love you all!J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-8031376686352288732010-01-11T10:53:00.000-05:002010-01-11T10:54:21.888-05:00The 15 year old Catholic school girl sex slave "Sure, I can come over after church," Becki* said. "Choir practice is over at seven." "Cool," Denise replied. "I think Heather and Jennifer will be here too. I was able to sneak a bottle of vodka from my aunt's house." "Sounds fun," Becki whispered. "Sister Wilma just came in. I gotta go." Denise put down the phone J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-3141327845863539082010-01-05T12:50:00.000-05:002010-01-05T13:22:39.527-05:00THE GOOD SAMARITANIn Luke 10:25-37, Jesus tells a parable that says something about every person. This is the parable of the Good Samaritan.This Jewish man that got stripped, beaten and left half dead on the side of the road met 3 types of people. The fact that Jesus said this guy was left "half dead" is the most important part of this story, more on that in a bit.The first people the man in J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-51887533619721033652010-01-02T16:47:00.001-05:002010-01-02T17:06:30.797-05:00MONDAYS IN JANUARY (4TH, 11TH, 18TH, & 25TH) @ CAROLINA BBQ'S PICKIN' PIG PARLOR 6PMMARSHAL HUFFMAN & PATRICK WISECRAIG CLARKCome on out and join us as we lift up Jesus and draw people to HIM!!!J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-36243902157241452622009-12-16T16:11:00.000-05:002009-12-16T16:34:21.154-05:00PRAYING FOR SHOEBOXESOn Saturday, November 28th, I, along with close to 30 other people from my church, had the privilege of volunteering at the Operation Christmas Child processing center in Boone. Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is a ministry of Samaritan's Purse. They collect and sort shoebox gifts and send them to needy children all over the world. It was such a blessing to sort and pack J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-58547352579785928712009-11-12T09:28:00.000-05:002009-11-12T10:25:08.438-05:00DON'T LOOK BACK!!! "But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt."Genesis 19:26 When Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, Lot, along with his wife and daughters, were sent out to be spared. They were told to FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES and DON'T LOOK BACK! Sounds a lot like when we become Christians, huh? We are told repeatedly in scripture to FLEE from sin. Just like Lot's wife J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-19478639056101245842009-10-16T15:50:00.000-04:002009-10-16T16:42:43.068-04:00As I sit typing this in my living room, I reflect on my life and I am so disappointed in myself. My love for Jesus CANNOT be put into words! He was SLAUGHTERED for MY sin. He DIED in MY place. And He conquered death so that I may conquer the sin that seperates me from HIM. Yet, I continue to find myself returning to the same CRAP that He died to free me from!The sin in my life DISGUSTS me! It J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-28816620857858391652009-10-07T10:05:00.000-04:002009-10-07T07:45:05.866-04:00ARE YOU READY?But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 1 Peter 3:15&16 (NIV)Are you living your life in such a J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-11213853001481882142009-09-24T10:43:00.000-04:002009-09-24T11:23:12.760-04:00"The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving." -Ulysses S GrantHow many reading this know and understand, that as Christians, we are at WAR! The moment we accept Christ as our Savior, the war is waged. Who are we fighting?For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, againstJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-91292810415087848972009-09-09T10:30:00.000-04:002009-09-22T00:51:52.432-04:00I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. EZEKIEL 36:26We are born sick. From our first breath, we are sinful and wicked. For us to believe people when they say "FOLLOW YOUR HEART" is stupid. If anything about our hearts was good, WHY DID JESUS DIE ON A FREAKIN' CROSS? When we realize this truth, we allow J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-18789811913410106022009-07-14T23:04:00.000-04:002009-07-15T09:35:52.924-04:00HANDS AND FEET"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion is to look out to the world. Yours are the feet with which Christ is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which Christ is to bless all people now. --- TERESA OF AVILA, a Spanish mystic that lived about 500 years ago.As Christians, we areJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-42003905330018029702009-07-07T09:31:00.000-04:002009-07-07T10:15:19.465-04:00Over the past weekend, we celebrated America. Our heritage, way of life, but most importantly, our FREEDOM. All of the vast array of freedoms we enjoy are ours as a result of our citizenship. The fact that we live in America. These freedoms should not be taken for granted and we should definitely not just celebrate them one day a year.Every day, we should celebrate Christ. We should celebrate J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-48146177896475638922009-07-01T07:57:00.000-04:002009-07-02T08:14:03.143-04:00THE CHOICE IS YOURSI once heard J.D. Greear (http://www.jdgreear.com/ or http://www.summitchurch.cc/) say, "There is a HELL that is HOT for a FAITH that is NOT!" As uncomfortable as that statement makes some people, it's true! Just because you do not like it does not change reality.On Easter, the praise team at Newspring (http://www.newspring.cc/) opened up with the song "Highway to Hell". PastorJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-69173223017804150862009-05-19T17:20:00.000-04:002009-05-19T20:49:20.656-04:00FIX YOUR EYESIn my walk with Christ, I have noticed that when I take my eyes off of Jesus, when I lose my focus, THAT is when sin trips me up and causes me to do the things I know not to do. Just like Peter when he got out of the boat and onto the stormy sea. (Matt. 14:22-36) While his eyes were locked on Jesus, HE WALKED ON WATER! Verse 30 says this:But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-71026718514142038462009-05-11T20:22:00.000-04:002009-05-11T20:47:32.580-04:00THOMAS IS HOME!!!
AS YOU CAN SEE, MY LITTLE BOY IS HOME! NO MORE HOSPITAL, IV'S, MEAN LADIES IN SCRUBS OR ANY OF THAT MESS. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR PRAYING FOR HIM. HE HAS A PIN IN HIS RIGHT PINKY AND RING FINGER AND STITCHES TO GO ALONG WITH THEM. THE CAST ON HIS RIGHT ARM GOES JUST PAST HIS ELBOW. IN TWO WEEKS WE GET EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT AND RE-WRAPPED AND IN SIX WEEKS THE PINS ANDJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-14946255436993965972009-05-10T12:37:00.001-04:002009-05-10T13:03:36.445-04:00PRAY 4 THOMASYesterday morning as I was carrying some bags to the car, the window fell from the storm door at home and hit my son's fingers, nearly amputating the tip of his right ring finger and severely cutting his right pinky. He was in and out of surgery this morning and all went well. A pin in each finger as well as several stitches in each also. Pins stay in for about 6 weeks so all prayer J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-33109194838304309722009-04-30T23:11:00.000-04:002009-05-05T23:06:33.155-04:00SSSHHHH...IT'S A SECRET-part 2Why do we keep secrets anyways? Whether we hide them or reveal them, the effect sin has on us is the same. It eats at us like a cancer and we keep coming back for more. WHEN ARE WE GONNA STOP!!!!Romans 8:37 says we are more than conquerers no matter what circumstance we are in or what temptation Satan throws at us.I heard Perry Noble preach last week. He told a storyJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-68913156218207180562009-04-26T16:51:00.000-04:002009-04-28T11:24:29.843-04:00ssshhhh... it's a secret How many Christians have this problem with sin in their lives? We're willing to give all to God and serve Him until it comes to the area of our pet sins. You know, those "secret sins" that "noone" knows about. For some it may be a pornography addiction, or alcohol or drugs. For others it may be bitterness or anger. These secret sins are as various as the people hiding J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-86888483918820910442009-04-04T22:31:00.000-04:002009-04-04T23:21:03.019-04:00RIDING WITH MONTONIThis weekend (3-5 April), I am in Asheville, NC for drill weekend with the NC Army National Guard. This evening, I was wasting time before coming back to my hotel room. As I was walking out of Books-A-Million, a tall black man approached me. His name was Montoni. He asked me for money. People do that so much in Asheville that it can be really difficult to tell if their forJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-27562153854065041462009-03-30T21:31:00.000-04:002009-03-31T23:22:29.486-04:00 IGNITE '09 This past weekend was the Ignite '09 rally in Spruce Pine, NC. All the planning paid off and the work put into cleaning and setting up was definitely well worth it. The Chris White Band (www.chriswhiteband.com) led everyone in attendance in the musical part of worship. He is fantastic! A dramatic drama group called 3D (www.3Ddrama.net) also performed. If you have never seen J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-26673153564060956412009-03-26T23:16:00.000-04:002009-03-28T00:23:21.909-04:00WHAT IS RIGHT VS. WHAT IS CONVENIENTThursday night I watched TNA wrestling on Spike TV. As I watched, Jim Cornett made an interesting statement. He said, and I quote, "I did what was right, not what was convenient!" I believe a lot can be learned from this.Your friend wants an abortion. It would be convenient to give her reasons arguing that it is okay for her to do so. It would be right to standJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-38629448511077780152008-05-22T20:16:00.000-04:002008-12-09T02:18:36.235-05:00PLEASE PRAY FOR THE STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN FAMILYAs I was checking my friend Tom Davis' blog this afternoon (cthomasdavis.com) I discovered some really unfortunate news regarding the Steven Curtis Chapman family. His post on this tragedy follows.Please Pray for the Steven Curtis Chapman FamilyA terrible tragedy occurred today in the life of my friend, Steven Curtis Chapman. My heart in sharing J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-86249039038327153532008-05-21T22:13:00.000-04:002008-12-09T02:18:36.312-05:00 DAVID COOK ROCKS!!!!Tonight, David Cook was announced season 7 winner of American Idol. He is such a talented young man. I look forward to seeing what his future holds. My prayer is that David would come to know the saving power of Jesus and make him Lord and Savior of his life. WAY 2 GO DAVID COOK! BE REAL, SERVE THE KING!!!J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-13387981844222511272008-05-21T21:48:00.000-04:002008-05-21T21:57:17.735-04:00A NEW CHAPTERWell, obviously it has been a while since I've posted. I have began a new chapter in my life. Let's see, what has happened since my last post:1. I got married to Patricia Lynn Marie Dennis2. My son, Thomas Colten Clark was born on May 2nd, 20083. My relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ, has grown stronger and my desire to serve Him is bigger than ever!4. Through a J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-1144103427554531362006-04-03T18:17:00.000-04:002008-05-21T21:45:39.487-04:00SO MUCH TO DO, SO LITTLE TIME!WOW! The past few weeks have been crazy busy. Not a whole lot of time recently to post so I'll just catch ya'll up from last weekend (March 24-26). Friday the 24th Reverend Hale, Allen Ingram and I went to Myrtle Beach to see Audio Adrenaline. Rev. has the hookup at the beach so we stayed in a condo really close to the beach and it was awesome! Audio Adrenaline is myJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-1141359520736340112006-03-02T22:56:00.000-05:002006-03-02T23:30:38.366-05:00GOD IS STILL GOOD!!!I know I haven't posted in a while. Hopefully you all haven't missed me too bad:) This past week has been incredible. Sunday night we had S.P.A.M. (sundays pretty awesome meeting, WAHOO!). To close out "the month of love" we had a couple from the church speak to the youth group. Their names are Kurt and Hazel Vance and they have been married for 43 YEARS!!! That truly is J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-1140061641591281982006-02-15T22:18:00.000-05:002006-02-15T22:56:12.153-05:00 MY FRIEND REVIF ANYONE HAS READ ANY OF MY PREVIOUS BLOGS YOU WILL NOTICE MENTION OF A STRANGE FELLOW KNOWN AS, REVEREND HALE. tHIS IS ME AND ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS IN THE WHOLE WORLD. tHIS IS A PIC OF ME AND THE REV. SPORTING OUR SPAM SHIRT (SPAM BABY, OH YEAH). HE IS A REALLY COOL DUDE AND A CONTINUOUS ENCOURAGEMENT TO ME. i AM REALLY BLESSED TO KNOW SOMEONE WHO LOVES JESUS SO MUCH. MORE ABOUT J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-1138723722084335812006-01-31T10:52:00.000-05:002006-01-31T11:08:42.096-05:00IT HAS BEEN SOOOOOOOOOO LONG SINCE I'VE POSTED SO I THINK I'LL JUST START FROM THIS PAST WEEKEND! SATURDAY AM I WENT TO THE UPWARD BASKETBALL GAMES AT MY CHURCHES (OAK GROVE BAPTIST, BABY!!!) FAMILY LIFE CENTER. IT IS SO COOL SEEIN A BUNCH OF LITTLE KIDS PLAYING B-BALL FOR JESUS. MY FRIEND LUCAS D'AMICO (LOPE) SHARED IS TESTIMONY DURING HALF TIME OF EACH OF THE GAMES. HIS IS A PRETTY POWERFULJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-1137021836354926652006-01-11T21:25:00.000-05:002006-07-10T12:52:52.830-04:00OUR SHEPHERDA lot of stuff has happened lately that has caused me to share this with various people so I wanted to share it with everyone who may read this.In the Bible, a parable is told about a shepherd who has 100 sheep (see Luke 15:1-7 & Matthew 18:12-14). The parable says that if one out of !00 sheep wonders off, the shepherd will leave the 99 others on the hillside and search for it. And ifJ. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-1133971016390804382005-12-07T10:36:00.000-05:002005-12-07T10:56:56.403-05:00GO GOD AND GO GAURD!!!Welp, last Thursday (01 December 2005) I became serious about my decision to join the North Carolina Army National Guard (NCARNG). I have tossed the idea around for some time now and finally chose to go for it. This is a major decision and a huge step towards my future and I am sooooooo excited to see what God has in store for me. I leave tomorrow (08 December 2005) for J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-1133191042909405852005-11-28T13:19:00.000-05:002005-11-28T11:00:16.776-05:00WHAT A BREAKWELL, THANXGIVING BREAK IS OVER AND TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY BACK TO SCHOOL (BUMMERRRR). MY BREAK WAS PRETTY EVENTFUL. ATE ENOUGH TURKEY TO KILL AN ELEPHANT (THAT MAKES NO SENSE) AND SPENT SOME WELL NEEDED TIME WITH MY ROCKIN' AWESOME FAMILY. STARTED WORKING AT SGR. NRSY. ON TUES. THE 22ND AND I WORK WITH A REALLY COOL MEXICAN NAMED MARTIN. HE IS REALLY FUNNY AND MAKES WORK A LOT EASY J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-1132286449871348312005-11-18T02:00:00.000-05:002005-11-17T23:09:21.736-05:00Wow! It has been a while since I posted last. To much has went on over the past couple of months so I will just start with this past week (Wednesday, November 16th, 2005).On Wednesday, the Fellowship of Christian Atheletes (FCA) did International Day of Prayer 2005. This is a day to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ worldwide who are persecuted and even killed daily, just because they J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17777186.post-1129174052945951432005-10-12T23:21:00.000-04:002005-10-12T23:27:32.950-04:00HEYHey everyone! This is my first post on my new blog. I am Craig Clark and I love Jesus. To find out more about me, check out my profile. J. Craig Clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03339981788048260997noreply@blogger.com0