Living Waters of Grace, February 23, 2026

This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark

Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland,

County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he

continues teaching through God's Word.

Keep Dirtbag, you need to stay down there because you're scum

and you're no good and you're, you're totally depraved.

How dare you think you even have a right to be in my presence?

He isn't that way, is he? He reaches down and he puts his

hands on his servant and he says do not be afraid.

Even though all of us will be on our faces before the throne of

God, those who truly are His, He will touch and say, do not be

afraid. Bowing face down on the ground

is an out of date practice that many of us in the United States

are entirely unfamiliar with. We don't have a king, we don't

have royalty that we bow to, so the thought of having our face

so close to the ground is wholly foreign to us.

But make no mistake, Jesus absolutely deserves this level

of worship from everyone. Pastor Clark explains in today's

passage that despite Jesus having every right to keep us

down in the dirt, he has already paid the price and has justified

us before God. Now here's Pastor Clark in The

Book of Daniel, chapter 10, with today's edition of Living Waters

Daniel 10 · chapter mention

of Grace. Who knows what occurred in the

lives of the people in this church this week and the secret

places where only God could see? What type of sin might we have

carried into this place that I trust was laid at the feet of

Jesus at the Lord's Supper? Christ wants his church to be

purified. He wants it to be whole and the

holy be holy. He said, be holy, for I am holy.

Be perfect as your heavenly Father who's in heaven is

perfect. And that's not in our own

strength. This is an impartation of God's

gift to you and me, His grace, that as we yield to Christ,

Christ will fulfill His will in our lives and He'll conform us

to the image of His Son. That's what He promises every

one of us, right? That he will transform us and

make us into His likeness. So John is laying at his feet as

a dead man. Daniel chapter 10, verse 8, he

Daniel 10:8

says I saw this great vision. Whenever Daniel saw this vision,

this is what he said about himself.

He said no strength remained in me, for my vigor was turned to

frailty in me. I retain no strength.

His face was to the ground and he heard this voice, and the

voice told him to stand upright. And when Daniel stood upright,

it says he stood trembling. We need that same experience

that John has had in our own life.

We need that experience that Daniel had, Isaiah had, Peter

had whenever he recognized when Jesus spoke to him after the

miracle and Peter's words were Lord get away from me.

I am a sinful man and these are the servants of God

understanding what they are apart from the grace of God.

And this is the wonder of God's grace where he says to him after

he's on his face, He didn't say you dirtbag, you need to stay

down there because you're scum and you're no good and you're

you're totally depraved. How dare you think you even have

a right to be in my presence. He isn't that way, is he?

He reaches down and he puts his hands on his servant and he

says, do not be afraid. Even though all of us will be on

our faces before the throne of God, those who truly are His, He

will touch and say do not be afraid.

His grace is so manifests His mercy that His right hand is

upon us. So this is the way things are.

He says now I am the 1st and the last.

I am he who lives and was dead, the declaration of the

resurrection. Christ died for our sins.

The Gnostics and the false teachers back then and even of

the day say he really didn't die.

He was just sort of unconscious. Here's a declaration of Christ

himself, he who lives and was dead.

And behold, I'm alive forevermore.

Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and

death, of hell and death. He tells him to begin to write.

You know, I read this and as I study this and prepare to teach

it and I realize my own life, how I need to pray to see Him

this way, that my heart would be full of awe when I'm in His

presence when we were worshipping today.

I don't know about you guys, but sometimes I just get a intense

sense of His presence that I feel like my knees are going to

buckle. This not an emotion, it's a

sense of the reality of who He is and who am I to come up here

and stand before you and talk about this holy God?

It strikes terror in my heart, but I know His hand is on my

shoulder saying do not be afraid.

And he's saying that to each of you as you come and understand

His greatness and His Holiness and you know your own sin, your

weakness, and he touches each of you today and says, do not be

afraid. Where do we need to be?

Someone told me Psalm 51 is a good Psalm to pray every day.

David's lament, he said my sin is ever before me and against

you only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight.

The places of humility is where God wants all of us to be.

This is what he also says the sacrifices of God are a broken

spirit, a broken and a contrite heart.

These, O God, you will not despise.

That's where God wants us to be, guys, is to be real.

As we come in here as brothers and sisters, God gives us his

joy, his peace, his presence. But we all need to be contrite,

right? And this admitting what we are

not, trying to be some way that we're not, or trying to impress

some and they think we're something we're not.

God knows all of us, even on our best day, we're the worst in

light of who he is, right? There's not one of us in here.

They're better than the other or worse than the other.

We're all in the same boat, right?

To be able to know what we are and to see our hearts in light

of God's word. Repent, repent, repent.

I remember that old song by the birds.

Turn, turn, turn. That's what repentance is.

I'm going this way and I come to the realization of my mind.

I'm living the wrong way, going the wrong way, and I need to

turn and go in the direction of the will of God.

That's repent, repent, repent. The modern understanding of

repentance is the actions or process of repenting for

misdeeds or moral shortcomings. Yeah, I did this.

I shouldn't have done it. That was wrong.

But, you know, hey, we're all human, You know, it's, you know,

I'm not perfect. You know, we make excuses.

And that's the modern concept of repentance.

The modern concept of repentance is I'm driving down the road and

I get a speeding ticket. I no I'm wrong, I paid a fine

but instead of going by the speed limit I go out and buy a

speed detector. I really wasn't repenting.

All I'm hoping is that next time I'm speeding I won't get caught.

That's the modern understanding of repentance.

In the Greek understanding, it means a change of mind which

results in a change of actions and awareness of our utter

insufficiency to be holy in and of ourselves.

I need a Savior, a sin bearer, one to lift my guilt and to

transform me, to see my thoughts and actions change, and to

receive God's mercy and forgiveness.

I'm walking this way. The Spirit is convicting me

before I know Christ and all of a sudden I realize that no

matter what I do, what kind of promises I make, what kind of

self help book I read or what I try to do, I'm not going to be

able to change my wicked ways. The self help gurus say we'll

read this book and this will help you understand why you are

the way you are. And it always points back to

your parents. It's their fault.

So the kids have these arguments with their adult parents.

I am the way I am because of you, how you raised me.

A lot of guilt to throw in your parents, you know, parents would

then say, well, it was my parents who did it.

And then we go all the way back to the garden.

And sure, there is some reality that Adam and Eve were the ones

that began this insanity. But if it was you or me, we

would have done the same thing there.

But the point is, is that instead of looking and trying to

cast blame to someone who is, I think responsible for my own

sin, I need to say I'm a Sinner and I need help.

I need a Savior, I need Jesus, I need his mercy to forgive me and

to change me from what I am and who I am and to give me a spirit

so that I can become a new creation in Christ, so I can

become a new person, the child of God instead of the child of

the devil. That's what repentance is.

Repentance starts, and it's very important because the whole Book

of Revelation is a message of repentance.

He tells the book the the church in Ephesus repent and go do your

first works. Someone visited the church one

time. They said I don't like your

church. Why?

Because you guys have too much emphasis on repentance and

humility. Well, that's all there is.

That's the church. That's the message of Christ to

repent. David says in Psalm 51 three,

and this is a picture of the beginning of the act of

repentance. He confessed to God.

He says I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is

always before me against you. You only have I sinned and done

this evil in your sight, that you may be found just when you

speak and blame this when you judge.

If I don't realize that what God is speaking to me about is

honest and true and just, then I'm living in delusion.

The first step of repentance is acknowledge the sin and

understand what I've done, then I'm guilty.

The second step in repentance is then to begin to cease the sin

against God and resolved by his grace, as Jesus said to the

woman, go and sin no more. Jesus doesn't forgive this and

say go ahead and go, go, go sin again.

We'll we'll talk 5 minutes later, an hour later or two

weeks ago, we'll, we'll go through this process again.

This Yeah, you're forgiven. OK, Go and have a nice day.

And you know a million times during the day asking

forgiveness for the same thing, That's not repentance.

It's turning from our sin and resolving to sin no more.

Our resolve means to not repeat the offense.

That's why Paul tells us in Ephesians and Colossians we're

to put off the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful

lust, and put on the new man, which is after God created in

righteousness and true holiness. Take the old coat off, burn it

and put the new coat the cloak of His righteousness.

And then as God is merciful, working in my heart, I want to

make amends for the things I've done wrong in my life.

Not that I'm trying to get points, but I need to go to some

people maybe and say I've offended you, I've hurt you,

I've sinned against you. I've done this, I've done that,

please forgive me. Sometimes it's in the home with

the husband or the wife. I've been this way towards you

or your children or your children, to your parents or

your workers, your coworkers, your families, your neighbors.

You go and you make amends and you say, you know, I did this, I

acted this way. I was wrong.

Please forgive me for the harmful effects that my wrong

has caused upon you. And you do this wherever it is

possible, wherever it hits your own heart.

In the biblical Hebrew, the idea of repentance is represented by

two verbs, SHUV. Shuv, that means to return and

Nikon NICH AM to feel sorrow. It means to lead, to think

differently after the fact. The Greek word metanoia and this

is the gospel. Jesus said repent for the

Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Metanoia means it's an

afterthought. It's different from the former

thought. In other words, the way I'm

thinking now after I repent, is different than the way I thought

before I repented. Because before I repented I

wanted to do what I wanted to do because I wanted to do it even

though it was bad and evil and ungodly and impure and immoral,

whatever unjust. Now my thought is, I don't want

to think that way anymore. I don't want to do that anyway.

So my afterthought now is different than the way I used to

think. Think.

It's a change of mind accompanied by regret, a change

of conduct, a change of mind of heart, a change of my own inner

consciousness. That's why David prays my sin is

ever before me. I know the Lord has forgiven me

of my sin, but it doesn't change the fact that my sin is ever

before me. God chooses to forget.

I can't, and my forgetfulness isn't, unless I get Alzheimer's

or something is there to humble me.

God does not 'cause me to be reminded of my sin, to condemn

me. It's to make me realize every

day where I've come from and what His grace is accomplished

for me. His blood never to take it

lightly. And when I look at another

Sinner, someone whose life is so messed up and so unbelievably

distorted because of their own rebellion and sin, I can tell

them I understand where they're coming from because I walked in

the very same places that they have.

We see the picture of the prodigal son.

That's the perfect illustration in the Scriptures of one who is

in the process of repentance. He's out there in the mire, in

the muck and eating with the pigs.

Finally he comes to his senses and he says, I'm going to go

home and maybe I can be a servant in my father's home.

He gets up out of that pen. He had to make that decision

himself. Prayers of the Father, who knows

for how long, going out on behalf of his Son.

The Father can't change a son's heart, right?

Any more than you or I can change each other's hearts.

It's through prayer that hearts are changed.

And sometimes we have to pray for a long time and we get

weary. But God is at work when we're

praying, be encouraged. And so we're praying.

And then finally one day he's out there and he says, I'm

getting out of this. So it's no longer going to live

this way. He turns, he repents and he goes

towards home. The picture of the Sinner moving

back towards the heavenly Father in Matthew 417 from the time

Jesus began to preach, he said repent for the Kingdom of heaven

is at hand. When he first began, the first

words out of his mouth when he began to proclaim the Kingdom of

God was repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

That message of repentance is still here today, right?

We still preach it. We're still told to proclaim it

in the church. This is Peter at Pentecost.

Acts chapter 2. At Pentecost Peter preaches and

Acts 2 · chapter mention

commands repentance. Luke 2447 Jesus sends his

followers out. That's what he says, that

repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name

to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Paul in Acts 2021. Paul's preaching from house to

house, testifying to Jews and Greeks, repentance toward God,

and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Second, Peter 39. The Lord is not slack concerning

His promise is some kind of slackness, but is long-suffering

toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all

should come to repentance. Luke 13.

Three, I tell you, but unless you repent, you will all

likewise perish. An old Syrian Christian said he

once preached, this life has been given to you for

repentance. Do not waste it in vain

pursuits. There's two types of repentance.

Second Corinthians Chapter 7, verse 10.

2 Corinthians 7:10

Think about where your repentance might be.

Second Corinthians 7, verse 10 For godly sorrow produces

2 Corinthians 7:10

repentance leading to salvation not to be regretted, but the

sorrow of the world produces death.

The worldly sorrow is Pharaoh picture.

We read it this past week. All these problems not ever,

ever come into the understanding he's offending the creator God.

All he wants is get these frogs out of here, get these gnats out

of here, get the water, you know, just take care of the

problem and I'll let the people go.

He's lying through his teeth. He's not truly repenting and he

continually lives a sinful way and and it has no intention of

repenting. Now some people think, well,

I'll repent this in this in time to get to heaven.

Well, you, none of you, none of you know, none of us know when

our last breath will be. And that's why Paul says today

is the day of salvation. Now some people, drug addicts,

Alcoholics, whatever they, they turn and discuss from their

consequences of sin. I lost my job, my marriage, my

kids, blah, blah, this, blah, blah that.

I'm sick and tired of this kind of life.

I'm just going to stop it. So they're disgusted over their

behavior, but they stopped short of coming to a savior.

That's why the 12 step program talks about a higher power lets

you offend someone to make them realize they need a savior.

You can't do that, so you tell them about a higher power.

Higher power can't save. Only Christ can save.

That's the worldly sorrow. The worldly sorrow is the guy

with the B control device, right?

The detector. What do you call those things?

I used to have one. I still have, but I don't plug

it in anymore. It doesn't mean I still don't

speed, though. But I get reminded every once in

a while when I see someone else is pulled over.

Then I got to take it easy. I'm just glad I wasn't that

person. But you know, it's just endemic

in US, isn't it? The, the, the, the tendency to

not not see things as God sees them.

He says that the worldly sorrow, that's what leads to hell.

It stops short of salvation. That's like the teenager gets in

trouble for something. Oh, man, I can't believe.

How did they find talking to friends on the phone, texting?

You know, man, they're like my daughter Jessica used to say,

Dad's like the watchdog of heaven.

Like, wherever we go, whatever he does, he sees what we're

doing. The Holy Spirit.

There was a lot that I missed, but boy, the Holy Spirit had

Cindy and I clued in on a lot of things for their sake.

But their sorrow wasn't godly sorrow.

At times, it was a worldly sorrow.

They were just upset that they got caught.

A godly sorrow. This is godly sorrow.

It's David against you. Only have I sinned, O Lord, and

done this evil in your sight. Godly sorrow brings true

repentance. It's turning from the root of

sin. Against you only have I sinned.

Godly sorrow leads to trusting in Christ.

Being born again, a changed heart, a changed mind, a changed

life, new desires. So Jesus says in Ephesians,

we'll get into regarding Ephesus.

We'll get into this next week and chapter 2.

We'll just conclude now Revelation chapter 2.

Revelation 2 · chapter mention

This is what he says to the church in Ephesus, the first

church. And he says this to us this

morning. Guys, don't think we're reading

about some church way back then or some churches other than us.

He's speaking this to you and me today.

Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left

your first love. Remember, therefore, from where

you have fallen, repent and do the first works, or else I will

come to you and quickly remove your lampstand from its place

unless you repent. Have you left your first love?

Think about that as we study the Book of Revelation.

It isn't all about the signs and wonders and the history and the

insights and that all the beautiful symbolism and the

realities of God's judgement, His second coming.

We can get all excited about all that and not be living in

repentance, right? Some of the people who are

prophecy addicts sometimes are the worst people in regard to

their own personal holiness. One of the people that wrote one

of the most profound books on the end times has been married

three Times Now. How can we read this book and

not take it to our own heart? Meaning that I need to repent.

It's not. I used to read this years ago.

Boy, Ephesus, they were really messed up, weren't they?

You believe those people? What kind of man?

I was such a fool. Now I realize this is talking

about us. We need to repent and do the

first works. I was thinking this morning in

the shower, what are the 1st works?

Whenever I first came to Christ, and I'm sure this is the case

with you too. What did you want to do?

All you wanted to do is read your Bible, tell people about

Jesus, pray, be in church, and this praise God all the time,

right? That's all you wanted to do.

So why is it that we think after we've been a Christian a long

time? That was nice those days, but

I'm on the bigger and better things now.

I'm building my own Kingdom and trying to become a millionaire

so I can give money away to help churches or whatever.

You know, all these justify justifying things we say, no,

let's get back all of us. And that starts with me.

And I think the three through to your Bible is a wonderful

exercise in helping us to get back to the place we need to be

because it says with the word, the reading of the word comes

faith. And so as we read the word

together and as we apply it and live it in our lives, and then

we start wanting to talk about what we're reading and we want

to tell people about Jesus and evangelize and, and then we want

to be in church. It's not like Sunday.

Oh man, I got to be in church. Like I can't wait to get to

church. I can't wait to see my brothers

and sisters. I can't wait to hear the word.

I can't wait to spend time when I get up with God in the

morning, doesn't tell him how great he is and how much I love

him. And before I go to bed at night,

I want to tell him how grateful I am for him watching over me

today and taking care of me and my family and my kids and, and

just watching out for me. First love.

We all need that rekindle, don't we?

So in the quietness of your hearts, as all of us sit here

this morning, let's pray that we heed the words of Jesus this

morning and allow him by His grace to restore to each of us

that place of first love again. And you might think you're, it's

impossible. No, it isn't.

If you pray and you have your heart open and you're desperate,

God will restore unto you the joy of your salvation.

We are digging into the Book of Revelation here on Living Waters

of Grace. Pastor Clark is tackling this

challenging book as we try to discern the messages that are

within its pages. There's so much imagery, and at

times you're not always sure what's literal and what's

metaphorical. At one point, there's a

reference to an adulterous woman riding on a beast.

And as someone else mentioned, at one point it almost sounds

like a rodeo from hell. And in actuality it kind of is.

You learn about the downfall and demise of a sinful and

rebellious world, falling down in worship to someone who is the

anti hero, the enemy, Satan working his insidious ways into

the minds of fallen people. It's sad and it's heartbreaking,

but it's a classic story of good versus evil.

Thankfully, we know how this story ends.

Jesus wins, Jesus reigns, and evil is conquered once and for

all. We pray and trust you've

received Jesus as your Savior. But if you haven't, don't wait

until the events and revelation become what's happening on the

streets. None of us wants you to be there

at that time. Instead, we'd love for you to be

with us in heaven as we celebrate the marriage supper

with Jesus as his bridegroom. To get a better understanding of

where we are in the Book of Revelation, to listen to any

messages before or after this one, you can find them at our

website, calvarychapelonline.com.

That's it for today's edition, but we hope you'll want to hear

Pastor Clark teach more from the Book of Revelation.

It can be exciting to think about the future for believers,

but it can feel a bit harrowing for those who don't believe.

Come here more next time on Living Waters of Grace.