Calvary Temple

Gene & Inga Whitehead, Missionaries to Sweden

This week we are blessed to receive an update from dear friends (and family), Gene and Inga Whitehead, missionaries to Sweden. If you would like to learn more about Gene and Inge's work in Sweden, or would be interested in giving to their ministry there, please visit Gene & Inga's website

A Study In Psalm 107

Psalm 107 is such a beautiful passage of scripture. It ensures help from God for those who are exiled or banished from their home, imprisoned, sick or in peril at sea, if they call upon God for deliverance. There are many kinds of exiles, prisoners and illness. Spiritual bondage can be as devastating as physical imprisonment. A sin-sick soul will lead us to hell and, a soul who is teetering on the brink of despair can feel overwhelmed as though he were in a treacherous sea. But this chapt...

Prostrate But Unbelieving

The condition of our heart when we approach God matters very much to Him! In Numbers 20:6-13 Moses assumes a very acceptable posture of falling on his face prostrate before God and prays for a very worthy cause of needing water for the Children of Israel. All looked good from the surface. The scripture says that the glory of the Lord appeared to them there when he prayed.  But, despite God answering the prayer with very specific direction to speak to a rock and God would miraculously cause...

The Least of These

Do you want to be perfect? Me, too! And Jesus told us exactly how to do it, and how to be identified as children of our Father in Heaven. Sometimes it’s not easy. Sometimes, it's messy, uncomfortable and even unwanted. But our very identity is tied to it. And that is, showing the love of God to others. Even the unjust and unrighteous. Jesus showed us an example in Matthew 5:43-48 of Father God sharing his beautiful gifts of sunshine and rain with those who don’t deserve it, because he lov...

Stir Up The Gift Within You

In Titus 1:5-12 Paul told Pastor Titus how to choose workers within the church and, very specifically, what kind of leader to avoid. We would do well to follow this pattern in electing government officials as well as church leaders! In II Timothy 1:5-8 Paul also told Pastor Timothy to remind himself of his godly heritage and the powerful gifts he’d received when he was ordained for ministry and to stir them up inside himself and see the power of God move. Paul was very clearly admonishi...

Study: The Rapture of the Church

We find many beautiful parallels between the relationship of Jesus Christ with the church, his bride, and Jewish wedding traditions. Many of these traditions are reflected in the events surrounding the rapture of the church. Join us as we study this today.

The Message of His Coming

Join us for a bible study on the rapture of the Church.

Pentecost Sunday

Pentecost Sunday is the observance of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the earth. It is celebrated 50 days after Passover. Just before Jesus ascended from earth back to Heaven, He instructed His disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait upon the Holy Spirit to come to them, which He’d promised to send to them so they wouldn’t feel so alone after He left. He called the Holy Spirit "another comforter". Jesus told them, you will receive power to be my witnesses when the Holy Spirit comes u...

Memorial Stones

Memorial Day. A day to remember those who lost their lives while serving their country. God thought memorials were very important. In Joshua 4:9-10 God told Joshua to have the priests set up stones to mark the very place where they stood in the Jordan River on dry ground. For God had performed a mighty miracle for them by rolling back the waters. He wanted there to be a permanent memorial of the event, and another memorial at the campsite in the Promised Land for them to use to teach their ...

In The Wilderness

The wilderness is a desolate, uninhabitable for very long, in-between place that’s full of physical obstacles and dangers. Except that, sometimes, that’s exactly where God wants us to be, just as he did the Children of Israel, so that he can not only meet all our physical needs while we’re there, but he can also teach us valuable spiritual lessons.  Deuteronomy 8:2 says “And thou shalt remember all the ways which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble the...

Be Ye Filled With The Spirit

…Be ye filled with the spirit. Are you hungry for more of the things of God? We’re commanded to be baptized in the spirit and Jesus is the baptizer. The Apostle Paul met with some of the disciples and they’d never heard of the Holy Spirit before—they’d only heard of salvation and water baptism. But when Paul explained that yes, they’d completed the salvation and water baptism as they should, but now they can have more, they wanted ‘the more!’ So Paul laid his hands on them and they received...

A Mother’s Womb

Happy Mother’s Day to all our wonderful moms, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and friends, and anyone else who has invested into the lives of others! Not all moms have biological children, but many are loved by those they serve as a mom would. Psalm 68:6 says that God sets the solitary, or lonely in families. What a wonderful provision! The Apostle Paul was born into a very religious Jewish family. It wasn’t in their plan that God would choose their son to help convert stoic Jews to Christian...

The End of the Lord

Job had it made, until that fateful day came when all was lost. He literally spent himself trying to solve the puzzle of why. Like Job, we can waste so much time acting as our own defense attorney, when all the while, God, who is so rich in pity and mercy towards the righteous, is trying to show us things in ourselves that He wants to change. And God used an unlikely source, a very young Elihu, to deliver God's words of clarity, chastisement and mercy, to Job and when Job responded with h...

God Things

God Things. Those events that happen in our lives that we really have very little to do with; things we don’t cause or arrange, but that have huge impact on us. How did they happen? Psalm 37:23 says that, The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Not everything that happens to us is good on its own merit, but we serve a God that can take them all individually, the g...

Christ’s Resurrection Day

The most impactful event in all of history. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ completed the sacrifice that He made and provided so much to believers! He freed the souls of those who’d died before he was crucified and resurrected so that they could join him in Heaven; He gave life eternal to all of those who would believe in Him after his death and resurrection, and He gave us power and authority in His own name to do His work here on earth. Celebrate with us the greatest event in history...

Seeing Jesus

Seeing Jesus. It is all that really matters. So much rides on our will, our desire and our faith to find Him and look upon Him. For He offers so much. The Old Testament points to the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, such as through the story in Numbers 21:5-9. People were dying from snake bites. When the people repented of their sin, God told Moses to make a brass serpent and lift it high up on a pole, so that all who were bitten lived. God gave His own son, Jesus Christ, to be lifted up o...

Study: John 13

In today’s study of John 13, we’ll see the significance of the last Passover, why Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, how much Jesus loved the disciples and cared about them after he would be gone. How Jesus’ whole focus was completing the assignment given him by his Father, and he called it glory. Study this phenomenal chapter along with us!

Such A Time As This

In Exodus 17:14-16 The Lord told Moses that he would have war against the Amalekites from generation to generation, and finally eliminate them for their hatred and persecution of the Jews. In the Book of Esther, an Amalekite man, named Haman, a self-proclaimed Jew hater, set about to annihilate the Jews, but through Divine intervention and a magnificent series of events, the tables turned and the king ordered Haman to be hanged on the very gallows he’d built to hang Mordecai on, the leade...

The Wheat & The Tares

Jesus said, in the parable of the wheat and tares, that when the good seed (the wheat) and the bad seed, (the tares) grow up together into ripened fruit, the difference between them will be very apparent.   But, he said, even though an enemy sowed the bad seed while the gardeners were sleeping, it’s important that they grow together until the harvest, so that no harm will come to the good seed.   Then, at the time of the harvest, Jesus will send forth the reapers, first to remove the bad ...

Repentance & Power

Jesus taught His disciples to preach two things to the Lost Sheep of Israel: Repentance unto salvation and the demonstration of the power of God through the working of miracles. Paul, the Apostle, called by God to preach to the Gentiles, preached repentance unto salvation, righteous living, and the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, cast out demons, raise the dead and heal all manner of sickness and disease, in His name. Oh, how we desperately need these simple, d...

Vessels of Mercy

God’s covenant with Abraham was very serious business to God and God required a pretty heavy price from Abraham and his descendants to enter into this covenant, but the reward was to be continual blessing and the promise of Canaan Land for all his future generations—as long as they were willing to pay the price of circumcision. This was to mark them as belonging to God. When Moses erred and failed to have his and Zipporah’s son circumcised, God had to honor his word and exact punishment for...

THE PURE WORD OF GOD

Solomon gave us these beautiful words in Proverbs 30:5 "Every word of God is pure; he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." The scholars say that the word 'pure' means flawless, tested, proven, and true. Jesus quoted during his temptation that EVERY word of God is for us to live by; man cannot live on bread alone, but by EVERY word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. In Psalm 28:6-9 David, the Psalmist repeats these words of Solomon, that "...the Lord is my strength and m...

The Pure Word of God

Solomon gave us these beautiful words in Proverbs 30:5 "Every word of God is pure; he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." The scholars say that the word 'pure' means flawless, tested, proven, and true. Jesus quoted during his temptation that EVERY word of God is for us to live by; man cannot live on bread alone, but by EVERY word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. In Psalm 28:6-9 David, the Psalmist repeats these words of Solomon, that "...the Lord is my strength and m...

A Valentine Promise From the Lord

Every relationship requires character, trust and encouragement to be both Godly, and successful. In I Chronicles 22:6 King David learned the importance of Godly character when he set out to build a temple for the Lord and found out that it wasn’t God’s plan! Trust is also vitally important for a relationship to be blessed. Jeremiah 17:5-8 says "Cursed be the man that trusts in man…but, Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord for he shall be as a tree planted by the waters…" Song of...

He Takes What the Enemy Meant for Evil...

Sometimes it can be hard to understand why bad things happen to us. Why would our own family hurt us? Why don’t things work out for us, but instead always seem to be against us? Joseph had this problem. He was blessed of God. He was righteous and loved God and his family. Yet he endured terrible hardship and pain at their hand. But in the end (and sometimes we also must wait until “the end of a thing”), Joseph was the clear winner. Only God was able to take what was meant for evil against...

World Dulled Senses

**Listen to the end as Pastor Debbie shares a very unusual dream from the Lord** Living in this world as believers can be very hard. It can cause us to have dulled senses; it can also cause us to become blinded by the glitter the world offers, to fall in love with its splendors, and, it can also cause us to become discouraged and then fall away from God. The fact is, Jesus gave us believers to the world, as his love, light and salt, to be a witness. Though He knew it would be hard for u...

Cleansed by the Lamb

The process for cleansing a leper is spelled out in Leviticus 14. It’s such a beautiful depiction of the love of the Father, the sacrifice of the Son, the spotless, perfect Lamb, and the powerlessness of the leper—representative of the sinner—who is powerless to get their own salvation without this love of the Father and sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God and our perfect Lamb of sacrifice.  In Luke 17, we see some other lepers; even though Jesus graciously healed their bodies and cleansed ...

Mercy, Not Sacrifice

Jesus told the disciples that they should have learned what the scriptures say, “I will have mercy instead of sacrifice,” meaning that their rigid rules left out the practical and the heart aspects of life, leaving only their pride and haughty ways which they readily used against others.  Jesus said he came for the sick and the sinner, not the well and righteous, being full of pity and mercy toward them. He said that He was waiting for the Latter Rains to fall upon harvest, to bring more p...

Blessing and Cursing

The laws of blessing and cursing are woven throughout scripture. In the Mosaic law, God laid out very specific requirements that had to be followed in order to receive His blessing, and for those who didn’t, a corresponding curse would be given. Some were temporary, some permanent. In Matthew 5, Jesus gave us very clear examples of who would and who wouldn’t be blessed. The Beatitudes tell us that it is the humble of heart and the contrite spirit that will receive His blessings—His blessi...

Alleluia to the Lamb!

This morning, we sang a new (new to us) song called Alleluia to the Lamb. This song was inspired by the scripture passage in Revelation 19:1-9. This scene takes place after the catching away, or rapture of the church, when Jesus will call us away from this earth to meet him in the sky, and ushers us into Heaven for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. This scene so beautifully depicts the multitude of voices which, when blended together, sounded to John the Revelator like the voice of many wa...

The Father of Lights

James 1:17 says that every good and every perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of Lights, in whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning. God, from his infinite source of light, lit the planetary lights in Genesis 1, sent His Son Jesus, the light of the world, to be born into a very dark world, and through Jesus’ miraculous birth, death, and resurrection, when He returned to His Father in heaven, He said that we are now the light of the world, reflecting His light...

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

The virgin birth is not just a sweet Christmas story. It’s the greatest love story ever told. The love of God used mere humankind to bring about the greatest plan in history and sent his only Son to earth, in a very lowly, human estate, to be the Savior of the World. By this, the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. I John 4:9

Legal Update, Discussion & Prayer

Calvary Temple reviews, discusses and prays about the significance of the Supreme Court’s forthcoming ruling on abortion, and other matters concerning the church. Pastor Debbie Haynes shares her vision for giving this Christmas season.

Intercessory Prayer

Intercessory prayer is when we approach God on behalf of another person or a group of people, to present their needs to Him.  Today’s focus is on taking the time to pray corporately (together, as one body) for the loved ones in our household, and for our federal, state and local governments.  We confidently bring our petitions to Him today for our loved ones and our country, based on two outstanding characteristics of God: His faithfulness and His justice.   Revelation 19:11 says And I sa...

The Thanksgiving Offering

Being thankful has far more benefit for the thank-er than for the thank-ee!  Leviticus 7 tells us that the voluntary Thanksgiving offering, after being sacrificed to God and cooked, is returned to the thankful Israelite to consume!  It’s a beautiful picture of the love of God, sacrificing his Son and giving Him to us as Savior and Friend.  Paul told the church in his letter in Colossians 3:15-17, to be thankful and sing songs of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs because doing so will keep ...

A Holy Ground Moment

In Exodus 3:1-5, God told Moses to remove his shoes because the ground that he was standing on was Holy Ground. Moses was about to receive a very important assignment and this ‘holy ground moment’ was preparing Moses to accept it.  In Joshua 5:13-15, God told Joshua the same thing; he was also about to receive an important assignment - to lead the Children of Israel into the Promised Land.   The presence of a Holy God changes everything; it even makes the very ground we stand upon, holy. ...

Special Guest: Melvin “Skip” Kincaid

In this morning's service, we are blessed to remotely host our friend and long time missionary to the Mexico and Central American regions, Melvin "Skip" Kincaid.

Waiting on the Lord

Waiting on the Lord. It’s so difficult. But Psalm 27 is an encouraging word for today, especially if you find yourself struggling through a long waiting period, or you find yourself on a different path than you ever expected. King David said, teach me your way Lord, and make the paths plain. It’s during these times that God can perfect our likeness and image of Him.

Come Holy Spirit

The God of the Impossible

In Mark 10:27 Jesus said these words of his Father, God:  “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God, all things are possible.”  It was impossible for Joshua to lead the Israelites across the flooded, raging Jordan River, but not for God!  It was impossible for Sarah and Abraham to have a baby at 100 years old, but not for God!   Are you facing some impossibilities? The chorus of a song says, “Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?  Got any mountains you can’t tunnel th...

No Place for Fakes

There is no place in God’s Kingdom for cheaters. In II Timothy 2:5, Paul says that a gamesman, an athlete, or a minister, must each pursue the prized crown for the mastery of his craft honestly and legally, or he would be exposed and publicly ridiculed. II Timothy 3:8-9 tells us of men in these last days who are apostate, who resist truth, who - just like Pharoah’s magicians Jannes and Jambres - will come to the end of their abilities, and their folly will be made public and they will ack...

Follow the Leader

In II Kings 6, as a result of carefully following God’s leading, Elisha accomplished great miracles and was used by God in the operation of several gifts of the Holy Spirit, including Word of Knowledge and Prophecy.   One of the most important things that we can do as a follower of Jesus Christ is make sure that we actually follow Him!  other influences, such as the constant drone of the outside world, the daily cares of life, and the hectic pace and heavy decisions we face, can certainly ...

One Greater Than Jonah

Some don’t believe that the Old Testament story about Jonah being swallowed by a whale really happened.  But, in Matthew 12:38-42, Jesus Himself references this story. In addition, He draws comparisons to the unbelieving Jewish Elite (the scribes and Pharisees) about how Jonah was in the whale’s belly for three days and three nights, just like He, the Son of Man, was in an earthly grave for three days and three nights - until He was resurrected by the power of the Holy Ghost!  The compari...

Birthright Blessings

Guest teacher Joe D'Anna shares an inspired word focusing on Ephesians 1:3. That God has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing - in Christ. Nothing that is God's is held back from us as joint heirs with Christ.

A Sound in the Trees

2 Samuel chapter 5 details the beginning of King David's reign over Israel. Right away the Philistines came up against the City of David and David inquired of the Lord about going to war with them. The Lord assured victory and so David and his men marched out and easily dispatched the Philistines. But the Philistines came yet again against the City of David, and David again inquired of the Lord. This time the Lord offered a new strategy - “go around to their rear, and come against them op...

The Arm of God

All throughout scripture we can see the strong arm of the Lord moving.  We see it in Exodus as Moses, assisted by Aaron and his sons keeping Moses’ arms raised in prayer, leading the Children of Israel successfully through battle.  We see it in the prophets, as Jesus Christ was prophesied as the coming Messiah. Then we see the arm of the Lord extended in love to a lost world through his Son, Jesus as he was raised on a cross.  But, we see two arms, one of love and salvation, and the other ...

Honor Him

The enemy rages around us, sneering at the people of God through corrupted politicians and businesses, “health” mandates, and the implementation of perversions of every sort into our culture. It is natural to wonder - “what can I do? I am not a politician, not a doctor, not a ‘culture warrior’ - what would the Lord have me do?” In this Sunday’s service we consider Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, outnumbered and surrounded by their enemy. We read that in these dire circumstances, ...

The Enemy’s Camp

Pastor Debbie Haynes discusses the many battles that Israel fought with the idol worshiping Midianites, who caused the Israelites to sin greatly. JudGes 6 tells us that Israel was enslaved and plundered by the Midianites. However, God made a way for them to not only triumph over their enemy, but to take back what was stolen from them. He can do the same for you!

The Children’s Bread

In Matthew 15:21-28 we read about a brave Greek woman who faced social barriers, including racial discrimination and disdain by Jesus' own disciples in order to get to Jesus and ask for deliverance for her demon-controlled daughter. Jesus tested her faith by telling her that she can't take the Children's Bread, which was meant for the Jews first. But, she persisted in demonstrating great faith in Jesus. She told Him that 'even the dogs are allowed the bread crumbs that fall from the table...

A Lot of Shaking Going On

Today’s message has a very close parallel with the state of our nation today. Peter and John performed a miracle, teaching and preaching in the name of Jesus, but the government was very angry and tried to shut them down and stop them from using the name of Jesus. But God intervened and literally shook that place by the power of the Holy Ghost, and gave a great outpouring of boldness for them to speak in his name and many were saved. We are praying for the same outpouring in the Bay Area, a...