Archive by Author

Forsaking the American Dream

April 19, 2011 in America, Church, Worship with 0 Comments

“As American Christians, we celebrate the idea that “all men are created equal.” This statement from our Declaration of Independence is grounded in the biblical teaching that every person in the world has been formed in the image of God and therefore has intrinsic worth. it’s a beautiful idea.

Subtly, however, this equality of persons shifts into an equality of ideas. Just as every person is equally valued, so every idea is equally valid. Applied to faith, this means that in a world where different people have different religious views, all such views should be treated as fundamentally equal.

In this system of thinking, faith is a matter of taste, not of truth.
Then I implore you to consider the urgent need before us to forsake the American dream now in favor of radical abandonment to the person and purpose of Christ.” – David Platt

What do you think?

Meet the Kimyal People

March 11, 2011 in Bible, Church with 0 Comments

The Kimyal People Receive the New Testament from UFM Worldwide on Vimeo.

When I saw this I wept. The video is from UFM Worldwide. Their mission is to spread the gospel to every group of people, everywhere.

What really amazes me though, isn’t the mission to spread God’s Word, but rather the reception of God’s Word. Oh, that those of us in the American church would long for God’s Word like that! That we would hunger and thirst for its truth, and then weep tears of joy as its Words fall upon our ears and into our hearts. If only I could be that desperate for the living and active Word of God!

Spend some time today, thanking God that we have open access to His Word, and then spend some time with God in His word.

Why do you think we lack the longing for the Scriptures?

 

 

Let everything that has breath…

January 21, 2011 in Bible, Crossroads Church, Worship with 0 Comments

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!

Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!

Let them praise the name of the LORD!
For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.

Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!

Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!

Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!

Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!

Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly!
Let Israel be glad in his Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!
Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!
For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with salvation.
Let the godly exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands,
to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishments on the peoples,
to bind their kings with chains
and their nobles with fetters of iron,
to execute on them the judgment written!
This is honor for all his godly ones.
Praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!

Psalm 148-150

It’s Your Day – Share your Worship

January 20, 2011 in Bible, Crossroads Church with 2 Comments

So I know it’s my blog, but today I would like to hear from you. Building upon our current blog series of worship and celebration, I would like YOU to share YOUR thoughts.

What drives you to worship? What compels you to fall upon your face in holy awe of our Almighty God?

What do you celebrate?

Go ahead. Don’t be shy.

Compassion Thursday – Rojer

January 20, 2011 in Compassion with 0 Comments

It’s Thursday. Which means it is time to for a group of bloggers to come together and help find support for a Compassion child..

I want to share with you the story of a young man named Eden.

Eden has been waiting for sponsorship for over 6 months. It would be great if you would take a moment and consider sponsoring Eden. Simply click through the link in the photo above and you are on your way to becoming a blessing to someone. Sponsoring a child through Compassion is definitely worth it.

Overwhelming Love

January 19, 2011 in Bible, Church, Crossroads Church, Worship with 0 Comments

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

I honestly do not think there is any way that we can fully comprehend the truth that is conveyed in that message. At least I can’t. It is hard enough to try and understand what it even means for God to love me, let alone that there is no outside force strong enough to separate me from that overwhelming love.

Feel the weight of that for just a moment. No government. No demon. No person. No event. NOTHING. Absolutely nothing. I wonder if that is the reality that hit the Israelites in Nehemiah after years of straying away and living in captivity? To return, no, not just return, but to be welcomed with abundant grace and mercy into the arms of the Almighty.

This should give us some of the greatest cause for celebration.

What amazes you the most about God’s love?

*To any readers unsure as to why I’m talking about celebration everyday, it’s because Crossroads Church is using this week to celebrate and rejoice in our great God. We’re doing a book study on Nehemiah and you should come join us!*

Even from this booth…

January 18, 2011 in Bible, Church, Crossroads Church with 2 Comments

In Nehemiah 8 we learn that the Israelites make a return to celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, (or Feast of Booths.) A practice of worship that had not been performed since the days of Joshua. The Israelites would build literal booths in which they would practically live for 7 days. Booths that were reminiscent of their days in Egypt and the small huts they lived in, yet booths that were filled with rejoicing, excitement, and worship.

Flash forward…

We live on this rock that we call earth. It is filled with pains that many of us experience, some of us more than others. This home isn’t perfect. Far from it. Because of the fall of man, even the earth suffers and yearns for redemption. But even here…even in a ‘booth.’ In a booth that is a constant reminder of who we once were. In a booth filled with ungodliness and surrounded by sorrows. In a booth that sometimes seems incredibly far from our real home.

Even in this booth we are able to worship. Able to praise! Because of the gracious sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross, the veil of separation between man and God has been torn in two and we, even in our booth can cry out to Him that saves and then rejoice because He does!

We all need to make a declaration…”Even from this booth I will praise! Even from this booth I will sing! Even from this booth I will celebrate the One who has delivered me!”

What about you? How do you find ways to worship, even in this booth?

Free to…

January 17, 2011 in Bible, Church, Crossroads Church, Worship with 0 Comments

It seems that we often forget this reality, “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

What does it mean to be free? Webster says free means, “not bound, confined, or detained by force.” Why is it then, that Christians seem so tied down to the world and sin that we have forgotten we are free. And not just free from slavery and Satan. We are not just free FROM, we are free TO.

We are free to celebrate. Free to rejoice. Free to live!

Stop what you’re doing right now, and worship in your freedom! (Go ahead I’ll be here when you get back)

Now, how does that feel?

Joy in Conviction

January 16, 2011 in Bible, Crossroads Church, Personal with 2 Comments

“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

The closer we get to God, the clearer we see ourselves. That was the response of the Israelites after Ezra had read to them the Book of the Law. They feel upon their faces in worship and then were utterly grieved by the reality of their sin.

Here’s the catch. Nehemiah and Ezra commanded the people, “Do not mourn or weep.” The instruction was for them to find joy among their conviction. To realize that by focusing on all of their wrong, they were losing sight of God. And after the recent success of re-building the wall of Jerusalem, now was a time for celebration. A time for rejoicing!

Fact: It’s incredibly easy to live in a way that we are overcome by the reality of our sin.

Truth: In that moment, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

It’s beneficial to realize that we DO sin. But, it is burden lifting to realize that there is a redeemer named Jesus who came to set us free.

What about you? How you find joy in the moment of conviction?

Go Ahead….Ask It

December 28, 2010 in Bible with 2 Comments

Crossroads Church is soon to begin a journey re-discovering, or possibly learning for the first time, the doctrines that set the foundation for the Christian faith. We will probably be making some bold statements. Maybe even some statements that you disagree with. However, this is meant to be a learning time for all of us.

Here is what I’m wondering though. What is one question that you have? About God, the church, the Scripture, salvation, or anything. What is one thing that has always confused you and you would love to be able to understand more clearly?

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