Saturday, January 31, 2015

this is the day...

Psalm 118:24(ESV)

24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.


This verse was on my heart this morning as I woke up to the perfect day.

Snow outside - 
Beautiful sunshine streaming through all our windows - 
And most importantly, a day at home!

As I thanked the Lord for this rare opportunity, I wondered something....

If this day hadn't started so wonderfully, if I was facing a difficult decision or crisis, would I still have had this verse on my heart?   Would my day have begun with thanking and praising the Lord?

I couldn't answer yes for sure.

The thing I DO know, is that God accepted my morning praise and our communion has continued today.  This hasn't however only included praise - although I've continued to be still  and I'm listening and praising - He's brought to mind forgiveness that needs to happen, things that need to change while at the same time a renewed sense of unconditional love floods my soul.

He is good all the time.

It is OUR choices that cause our day to seem anything less than a day 'we can rejoice and be glad in'...

Our choice to complain
Our choice to be jealous
Our choice to misunderstand suffering
Our choice to harbor unforgiveness choosing instead to remain wallowing in feeling sorry for ourselves and the way we were mistreated

God created THIS day - let us rejoice and be glad in it..




Thursday, January 29, 2015

preparing

It seems I'm always in a state of preparing.

My entire job is to prepare and to enable others to be prepared.

But tonight's preparing is special because Rick Muchow is in the house! 

Crossroads is 18 years old and we have a few friends we've made through the years that stay in touch.  Rick Muchow is one of them and he is back this weekend.

Rick has taught our teams, encouraged us and empowered us to lead our congregation in worship over the years!  And we get him to be with us this weekend, and it's going to be great!

Rick travels the world training leaders and you can learn more about him on his website http://rickmuchow.com





Sunday, January 25, 2015

weekend report

It was AMAZING!!!  Again!

The Lord is Good all the time!

The worship completely surrounded and pulled in all that were in the room.   It was irresistible as the Holy Spirit filled that room and used the musical notes to pave the way for spoken word and the Word of God to be strongly proclaimed!  So, so Good to be in the House of the Lord!


Steel Guitar

Scott the guy on the bass!

Jocelyn and Pastor Dave

Pastor Dave had to step in when our Spoken Word guy got sick!

So thankful for our teams!  Claire and Jen leading!


Jocelyn leading

The guys corner - Milo, Darin, Jay, Mike and Chris - so good!
Our Setlist:

Announcements on Video

Nothing But the Blood - All Sons and Daughters
Spoken Word
All He Says I am
Forever Reign
Your Glory (Nothing But the Blood)

Pastoral Prayer
We Are One - volunteer video

Message: One Standard Scripture - Dave Vance

Exit Song:  Your Glory

To watch our service go to www.crossroadswired.com

To see what other ministries used in their worship services go to www.theworshipcommunity.com


Saturday, January 24, 2015

a deep uneasiness

The past couple of weeks I've had a very deep uneasiness in my soul.

It of course is God stirring me.

I feel haunted by the knowledge of fellow believers being tortured and killed because of their beliefs. The reports of the atrocities seem to increase each day.

Twice I woke up crying for them - begging the Lord to intervene and shake the very walls of the prisons that surround them.  It takes me into a time of prayer and deep into a feeling of helplessness to change anything - to make any difference in this regard.  So I have to assume it's prayer that God is calling me to.

But I'm not sure, is there something physically I am to do Lord?   Is it just a reminder to pray continuously?

It feels wrong to be here surrounded by endless possibilities and wealth, while their children are being taken away, couples are being separated and abused and eventually killed.

Even now I can hardly write because of the sorrow I feel for them.

I do believe when the Lord allows us to suffer for His name sake it is an honor,  still I wish there was a way I could help them.

Please pray for the millions of people living in terror around the world.  May they feel the Creator of the Universe close to them today... and may we constantly ask - "what can I do Lord?"

Thursday, January 22, 2015

politics


I have often said - I'm very, very thankful for any God-fearing person willing to serve in a political office because I could never be in the political arena!

  1. Tonight I watched politicians on TV for a few minutes argue about trivial things that the average American could care less about.  It made me so sad when I know we have problems that need their attention badly.

    If you allow yourself, it's easy to get swept up in worry and frustration as we watch our beautiful, free country seemingly fall apart around us.  We are a free people that have everything the rest of the world would die to have - and still we aren't satisfied.  



    It comes as no surprise that people are still not satisfied even when the new model of 'getting without earning' is being given to them.

    We were created to work and not just to get.  

    What our country is searching for is of course something no politician can ever supply, it's a personal, satisfying, all full-filling relationship with the Lord.  Nothing this world has to offer brings lasting satisfaction or peace.

    Tonight I am praying for the "State of the Union" and all those caught up in the self-serving mire politics can become.  Our political leaders need our prayers!

    My prayer tonight is for those who need the Savior,  that they may come to know the rescue that only He provides!




Tuesday, January 20, 2015

what I learned today

It always amazes me that when I sit down to study, God takes me exactly where He wants me to be.  It's no accident.

I've been using She Reads Truth as my daily devotion and it challenges me every time!

Matthew 5:22  addresses any anger, ANY hard feelings we are holding on to against someone.

I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgement; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, "You fool" will be liable to the hell of fire.


Strong words about holding onto ANY, ANY, ANY grudge against anyone.

It doesn't say you can by angry toward someone that did something wrong to you, it doesn't say anything about 'justified anger', a term I often hear tossed around.  And here is why -

My reading says, "..when we go to those places in our hearts, someone is dying - we are; ....anger kills our spirits and clouds our lives with noxious fumes.  A thought life that includes these practices destroys our spirit for all the work the Father wants to unfold around us.  That is why the teachings of Jesus were so revolutionary, here is a God not only concerned with output, but concerned about our hearts"

When I think about any other religion, at least what I know about them, it's appears to be all about the output - constantly trying to achieve more and more to be acceptable.

The reverse is true for our spiritual walk, we can't even accomplish what He created us to do if we harbor ill-will or hatred toward another.

This could even mean that someone we watch and judge as not 'putting out enough' - could actually be the one God is most pleased with if they are abiding in Him with a pure heart and clean mind.  Remember Mary and Martha?

Today's challenge is simple.  Forgive - let go of it - and let God 'abide fully' in the very hearts and minds He created.

What I learned today - I'm unusable by The almighty God if my mind is not where it needs to be before Him.  Only then is my work accomplishing what He desires.


Monday, January 19, 2015

weekend report

We were waiting and ready to kick off Pastor Dave's first series "We Are One" and it was AMAZING!

His gifted teaching held people captive as he taught from the Word of God about how to be unified at Crossroads.  The church was God's creation - a place for us to learn, to serve, to care for one another and do life together!  Everyone was so excited!  I can't wait for next Saturday when we all get to be back together again!

Here is our first 'we are one' video!


Our setlist:

Beautiful Mighty

Announcements on video

We Believe
One Voice
To Live is Christ
All He Says I Am

Pastoral Prayer
We Are One - video intro
Message:   One Church: Unity

We Believe - shortened

To watch our services on line go to www.crossroadswired.com

To see what other ministries used in their services to to www.theworshipcommunity.com



Tuesday, January 13, 2015

weekend report

Crossroads had quite the weekend - our new lead pastor Dave Vance taught for the first time and the Lord filled our ministry with His presence!  It was awesome!

Our new lead Pastor Dave Vance
Our setlist:

King of My Heart

Video Announcements - Kristin Scott - Nursery & Preschool Coordinator

The Lord Reigns
Great Are You Lord
Lord I Need You

Message:  Venture - Dave Vance

Exit Song : Lord I Need You

To watch our services go to www.crossroadswired.com

To see what other ministries used in their service go to www.theworshipcommunity.com


Monday, January 12, 2015

chapter two


If there was ever any question about Pastor Dave and his family being what Crossroads needs as we
begin Chapter two, they all disappeared this weekend.

We were packed!



Praise & tech teams surrounded Pastor Dave for prayer before his first message

It was as if Pastor Dave had been here forever.

VentureThe energy and excitement was almost 'touchable'  as we watched our new pastor take the stage and begin to teach us - "Venture".  We worshipped, we learned,  we dreamed and we're ready.  What God has in store in Crossroads' Chapter two is yet to be seen, but I suspect that Chapter 2 will hold things beyond our dreams.  
It feels like a movement of the Lord - like it's much more then anything that can be contained within the walls of Crossroads, like it's something that will spill out into the streets of Mansfield and beyond.
If God chose this family to bring to us, if He is going to make Chapter 2 a time of miraculous things that we've only dreamed of - then what is our responsibility?
Prepare well:  Continue the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting  - pray like you've never prayed before
Connect with others:  Join a House Church or volunteer in one of the many areas of Crossroads
Take the next step:  Sign up for a CLASS or commit to begin to 'give' financially - whatever that next step of spiritual growth is for you
Let's all participate, let's all take ownership and let's all move forward as one...We Are ONE!

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

what I learned today

I've been studying The Sermon on the Mount - it's so interesting to realize what kind of people gathered around that mountain to listen to Jesus.

They were 'people with no spiritual qualification' (quote from the Divine Conspiracy).

I had never thought about that before - they were not people that already had answers, or spiritual accomplishment, they were people in great need.  They probably thought they only had physical needs but Jesus revealed there were much more important needs then those!  And these needy people were the 'ones that shall inherit the earth' - according to Jesus!

"if we look at the Beatitudes as another list of spiritual to-do's, we diminish the beauty of Christ" (DC)

I feel sometimes that's what I spend my time doing - diminishing the beauty of Christ.  When due to sin I do not even fully enter that 'beauty' how can I possibly tell others about it?

As I sat in my living room this morning looking at God's beautiful snow, I prayed - actually begged Him to so fully enwrap me in Him so that when I enter a room people immediately want to know what is different - how to know Him - there is no significance outside of this.  There is no purpose to take up space in the world outside of this.

The Crossroads fast that is going on right now, asks us all to spend some time today, day #2, reflecting on our areas of weakness, and reminds us that repentance means an internal change.  And true internal change will lead to an external change of action.

Will you join me in examining your life today - confess any unconfessed sin - and let's change this community for Him simply by being obedient and giving up anything that distracts us from Him.

Let's be different through Him.


Monday, January 5, 2015

my day off - the fast

Our ministry is doing 21 days of prayer and fasting beginning today.

As I prayed for the Lord to reveal to me what He needs me to give up it's been interesting to look at.

What I realized is for me it's more about adding not removing.  It's about practicing disciplines that I've heard about all my life but only dabbled in off and on.  My life often swallows me in it's options and opportunities and I move forward into them without regard to the deepness in Christ I may be sacrificing.

My intent is large but my focus is small.  So I quickly try things and then go on my merry way onto whatever the day holds.

So this morning I'm confessing this to the Lord and entering a time of dedicated focus, eliminating a few distractions for 21 days, reorganizing my eating which includes some elimination, but mostly entering a time I pray is rich in community with Him, and dedicated to Him and focused on Him.

I think this is a brilliant way for Pastor Dave to ask us to start a new chapter at Crossroads together as the body of Christ.  Will you join us?

Sunday, January 4, 2015

weekend report

This weekend is a milestone in Crossroads history as our 2nd Pastor, Dave Vance and his family join us to begin Chapter 2 of Crossroads!  You can feel the excitement in the air - last night sitting up front it almost seemed I could feel the Holy Spirit sweep through this place - the experience of opening our hearts to a new pastor has been very emotional - and the more I get to know him the more the Lord confirms this is the man our pulpit needs.

As we sang The Stand - I've NEVER in the history of Crossroad seen more hands raised high in the air to our Lord.  Just one more action of submission as we all surrender any desire that may be our own agenda to fully embrace the Lord's leading under Pastor Dave.

Thank you Crossroads for continued faithfulness during this time of transition.

Our Setlist:
Angie Mahek, one of House Church pastor's wives and praise team member, is my hero for stepping in to do the announcements last minute when the announcement guy was not available to do them.  Thanks Angie!

Man of Sorrows
A Mighty Fortress is our God
Prayer for our Guatemala Missions team that leaves next Saturday
The Stand
Message:  Renew - Wendell Anderson
Prayer of confirmation for Pastor Dave and family - Mike Sloan - Chairman of the Elder board
A few words from our new pastor and closing prayer - Dave Vance
Exit Song: A Mighty Fortress

To watch our entire service on line go to www.crossroadswired.com

To see what other ministries used in their worship services go to www.theworshipcommunity.com

Thursday, January 1, 2015

2014 is gone

2014 is gone, but man was it ever full.

It was full of God granted moments to grow in Him, to know Him more - these moments happened at Crossroads, in Cambodia, at the STORY conference and the Willowcreek Leadership Summit.  Opportunities too many to list - but opportunities I don't take for granted.

We lost our founding pastor and his amazing family, but God gave us a great new pastor and family to take their place.  This family has been brought to us to lead us into 2015 and beyond and we're SO  ready.

God took some dear friends home to be with Him in 2014 and we miss them terribly, but He also gave some new lives that we have already come to cherish and are honored to begin to build into.

And as the year drew to an end - the final event of 2014 was Christmas at Crossroads.  I had the honor of sharing the night with many of my best friends and my family.

Christmas at Crossroads' final night/left to right
Eric Biddle, Jocelyn Biddle Nicolas, Aaron Nicolas and me
This event was the culmination of a year for me personally that I'll always remember.   Without a lead pastor it was really a different leadership experience. We were all forced to take even more ownership of every little detail then ever before, and everyone did.  Everyone stepped up big time!  It's been a blessing to be part of!!

So now together as family, as friends and fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord we've pushed through and we're ready to move into the next year - and I can hardly wait to get 2015 started!