Showing results by author "Barry Clay" in All Categories

In the title "Predestination and Free Will", Mr. Clay explored the tension between two seemingly irreconcilable theological positions. He explained that there were two main camps, and he explained why they disagree, and how he believed the two positions could be combined to a more correct understanding of the scriptures. In this chapter taken from his book "Solid Ground", Mr. Clay talks about the Reformed doctrines of eternal security, total depravity, irresistible grace, limited atonement, and the preservation of the saints. He contrasts them with the opposing positions and explains which ...

Jesus famously said "You cannot serve God and Mammon." But how do we serve God and not serve Mammon? Don't we work for money and purchase the necessities of life with it? What exactly did Jesus mean? What do we do with our money? This chapter from the book "Solid Ground" explores this topic in a way that is sure to astonish many a Christian. Mr. Clay challenges each believer to return to the Bible and discover what it really says about God and Gold. The answer may surprise you.

John H. Watson joins his friend Sherlock Holmes in an investigation of what would appear to be a haunting of the MelRoy Theater. The owner is beside himself with worry, as the haunting is said to be caused by the ghost of his son -- except as far he knows, his son is alive! But then, even more worrying, he hasn't seen his son since the haunting began. The owner hires Holmes to find his son and debunk the haunting before his superstitious employees desert him and force him to close his business. It seems a simple task for Sherlock Holmes, but it quickly becomes more complicated than Dr. ...

What is God like? In reality, we don't have to guess. Over the centuries, God has gone to great lengths to explain in the Bible who He is, what He is like, and what pleases Him. Entire books (some of them very boring) have been written to explore this topic. This title, an excerpt from the book "Solid Ground", does it quickly -- but no less thoroughly -- than a much larger tome. What is God like? Find out in this title.

In our day and age, the concept of "sin" is considered gauche and repugnant, but to the Christian, our tendency to sin is a sorrow. In this excerpt from his book, "Solid Ground," Mr. Clay discusses our propensity to sin and the provision God has made for us to help us to walk in a manner pleasing to him. And he wrestles with a topic most Christians assume they know they answer to: do we have to sin?

Short, absolutely true reflections about amusement parks from Walt Disney World to the completely unknown, written by a man who dislikes roller coasters -- that is sure to make you laugh. This account is also included in the anthology "Molded by Humor."

Committed free thinker and member of the American Society of Atheists, Colton Bremmerton III is suddenly faced with the unthinkable: could his only daughter truly be demon possessed? Desperate to find someone who can help and prevent his daughter from being institutionalized, he finds "Paranormal Solutions, Inc." in the yellow pages. But can they help? And what will it cost him if they can? This novelette is also included in the anthology "Brushes with the Supernatural."

Both believers and unbelievers have found the end of the world as we know it to be a fascinating topic. The Mayans predicted the end of the world in 2012, and many Christian authors have confidently predicted the future based on their interpretation of the scriptures only to be overtaken by actual events. "How It All Ends" is a collection of chapters from the book "Solid Ground" that explores what we can and can't know from the Bible about the end of the world. Mr. Clay explores the topic of the end of the world with humility where the Bible isn't clear and with confidence in those areas ...

Given how hard life can be, who couldn't use a dollop of humor? This collection of stories -- inspired by actual events -- provides more than a dollop. Several bushel fulls of humor are contained in its pages. And the stories are all the more amusing because they are slices of actual events -- or nearly so. "The Dip Takes a Plunge" relates just how badly a weekend visit can go... and just how deadly a bowl of avocado dip can be. "My Life of Crime" tells the sordid (but very funny) tale of four normally God-fearing, obedient boys who decide to exact revenge on their own when one of their ...

This short story should have appeared in the book "Misadventures in Childrearing," but instead appears in its own Kindle edition. If you have ever been forced to deal with surly, uncaring, or unhelpful employees in your state's Department of Transportation, this story is for you.

Finally, the Cartoon Edition! After years of his wife saying, “You should add your cartoons to your book,” Barry Clay has finally complied. But this doesn’t mean this book is for you. If you have all the answers, do NOT read this book! It is not for you. If your children are consistently well behaved, if potty training is easy and uneventful, if your children eat all the right foods and avoid sugary sweets, if they treat their siblings with respect, just put this book down and walk away. If, however, you are beginning to wonder who the adult in the room is, then – perhaps -- this ...

Ever since Christianity began, the Bible has had a special place in the Christian religion. Its teachings span centuries and consist of histories, poetry, laws, proverbs, and letters. No one can understand Christianity without an understanding of the book Christians call the Word of God. This excerpt from the book "Solid Ground' explains the Bible for believers and unbelievers alike, covering who wrote it, under what circumstances, translations, and how to read it to obtain the most benefit from it. Mr. Clay warns against the pitfalls that many unwittingly fall into when trying to read the ...

The Bible unabashedly states that the entire universe was created when an eternal God spoke it into existence. But what about evolution? How does that fit in, or does it? This excerpt from the book "Solid Ground" discusses how the universe and our world began. Thick books have been written on this topic, but Mr. Clay presents this discussion in a "Reader's Digest" version designed for Christians and non-Christians alike who lead busy lives and don't have the time for a larger treatment of this subject.

Alesio DeLuca receives a phone call from his sister-in-law and leaves Los Angeles that night by plane, for all the DeLuca's have a secret hidden from the world at large and he knows just how much he may be needed. What he doesn't know, though, is what he has not been told -- and it may mean his life. This short story has also been collected in the anthology "Brushes with the Supernatural."

Suspecting that their parents may not approve, seven teenagers decide to consult a Ouija board -- just for fun. The game quickly degenerates into an unexpected encounter with the supernatural in ways they could not have expected, with results that appear as final as they are ambivalent. This novelette is also collected in the anthology "Brushes with the Supernatural".

The Psalmist asked "What is Man that You are mindful of him?" This excerpt from the book, "Solid Ground" explores that topic thoroughly but briefly. Drawing from the statements in the Bible, Mr. Clay reveals how man was created and how man has changed since the day of his creation.

Variety is the spice of life we are told. Well, there's a fair amount of variety in this collection of novelettes comprising mystery, humor, science fiction, and horror. In "The Case of the MelRoy Theatre Ghost", Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John H. Watson tackle a haunting by a ghost of a man who may not be dead. In the winner of the 1984 Samuel Freiberg Memorial award for mystery, a young man discovers that "The Name of the Frame" is his own when he discovers a dead body in his third story apartment. In an all too possible future world, Clone Tank Nurse Susan Bachman learns that her job wasn't...

This chilling anthology recounts what happens to ordinary people when they are suddenly faced with things they can't explain rationally. While some are what you might expect from decades of horror stories, others take "the road less traveled." Melissa Nelson is faced with "The Scarecrow of Bachmieir Farm", and she begins to doubt her sanity as she becomes certain it is moving when no one is looking. Teenagers discover "She Is Not Dead, But Sleepeth" when they dabble with something they think is only a party game. Baron Rokosky has always known "The Blood Is the Life", but he uncovers new ...

Have you ever encountered a Christian whose representation of God struck you as – cruel? In all likelihood, that Christian was Reformed. Christian thought is varied, but among those Christians who take their Bibles seriously, there are two main threads of Christian thought. One is the Calvinist (also called Reformed) camp. It is named after John Calvin, a 16th century French theologian. The other camp is the Arminian camp, named after Jacobus Arminius, a Dutch theologian who lived shortly after Calvin. Christians have been arguing over these two competing views for centuries. Often, non-...

Can one high school English class devolve into crime, and, if so, into what kind of crime? In This novelette, Fred Dorflinger and his friends discover that one bad decision can result in "repetitive embarrassment" for the rest of their lives. Can they ever live it down? Perhaps they could, if everyone would stop laughing. This novelette has also been collected in the anthologies "A Little Bit of Everything" and "Molded by Humor", by Barry Clay