crossroads

Matthew 2:1-12   The magi journeyed by faith. The knew there was something important in the west: the Jewish messiah, but they didn’t know exactly what their journey would be like. And their journey may have taken some time. For us, just like for the magi, faith is a journey… that often takes time. sometimes filled with wrong turns sometimes suffers pause that requires persistence where God is always waiting   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

How do you turn your bad days into good stories? Choose perspective Colossians 3:1-3 James 1:2-4 Seek after God Psalm 9:9-11 Testify continually 1 John 4:15 Jesus made a way Romans 5:8   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Numbers 16:1-7   Christ went to the cross to bring us the chance for intimacy and closeness with God. So there are three things for us to think about as we take communion.   What are you doing to protect the “near?” What are you doing to preserve the “near?” What are you doing to improve the “near?”   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Matthew 16:13-20   Ekklēsia: a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly   Ekklēsia: The “called out ones.”   Ways we use the word “Church:” a building a service   Ways Jesus uses the word “Church:” the people who acknowledge his deity the people on his mission the people of Christ at war against evil   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

eirēnē: in Greek, probably from a primary verb meaning “to join.” Peace; by implication, prosperity, - one, quietness, rest, + set at one again   Shalom: in Hebrew, complete or wholeness   John 14:23-27   Christian “peace” does not mean: Peace of circumstances   The “peace” Christ offers is: Peace with God   Peace with God offers inner peace   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

ts 11:25-26   A Christian is not: Just someone who believes in God Just someone who practices a religion Just someone who calls themselves one     A Christian is: Someone who has given their life to Christ. Mark 8:35 Someone who loves in Jesus’ name John 13:34-35 Someone who’s on THE way Romans 7:15,18-19   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Isaiah 29:13 John 4:21-24   respectful devotion: loving, honoring, and obeying someone who deserves our highest regard   Worship (In a nutshell): Acknowledging God as God   That means: ANYTHING can be worship   "Worship" should demonstrate itself: In the way we interact with the world In our marriages In our parenting In our private time   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Holy: “Set apart.” Dedicated or consecrated to God or a religious purpose; sacred.   Deuteronomy 7:6 Leviticus 11:42   How should our lives be set apart? How do we live out being holy?   Holy Input Holy output Holy time   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Matthew 26:17-19, 26-30   We believe that communion is one of the two sacraments that we partake of in the church (the other being baptism). When we take communion often, it’s possible that we can lose sight of what it really means as we numbly follow our traditions. But if we take the time to understand the magnitude of what we’re doing when we take communion, it can change our perspective entirely.   Communion is about: Intimacy Intent Inertia   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Proverbs 22:6   Proverbs 1:1-7 tells us that all the proverbs make up a collection of wise sayings, not promises from God. Proverbs 22 doesn’t guarantee that our children won’t depart from God when they grow older. So what’s the point of training them up in the Lord?   Promises? Discipleship Worship   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Jeremiah 29:1-14   The Bible is a revelation of God. It’s not just a retelling of history, it’s a way for us to know who God is. When we read a passage like this, it brings up several questions.   Question #1: Can we quote it? Question #2: Does God want me to be rich? Question #3: When does it happen?   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

1 Timothy 6:2-10   Money represents “congealed life.” We use it to get the things that we want. We don’t want to give it away, because it means we don’t get the thing we were saving up for… that little bit of extra that we were looking forward to. God wants to protect us from our money because he knows how it can ruin us when we love it so much we can’t let it go.   If you’re going to quote a verse, know the actual verse. Know its context Know its love   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Philippians 4:13   When we look at the context of the verse, we start to see exactly what “all things” really refers to. What is this oft misquoted verse really about: It’s about contentment, not accomplishment. It’s as much for God as for you It teaches us humility, not hubris.   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Proverbs 16:3   When we give everything over to the Lord, he will direct the way we can glorify him and serve him. His plans might lead you to the destination you want, but oftentimes his plans lead us in a completely different direction than we think we should go.   So why do we read this wrong?: We read what we want it to say. We suffer from “main character syndrome.” Christianity is way more appealing with God is a genie. We say to Jesus, “Follow me.” But Jesus says, “No, follow me.”   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Matthew 18:12-35   We like to read this passage and think that if we gather with some friends and all want the same thing, God will grant it. That’s not necessarily untrue, but that’s not what this passage is saying. God is not a genie. Neither does this passage mean that God will only join us when we gather with others. He’s always with those who seek him.   So what is this passage about?   Reconciliation Authority Protection Forgiveness

1 Corinthians 10:13   People like to say this as an encouragement when we’re going through a rough time. This matters because: It isn’t true It can undermine faith The Bible doesn’t say that   This passage is encouraging. We CAN resist any temptation.   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Luke 6:37-42   We often think we can get away with doing whatever we want because the Bible says we're not supposed to judge one another. But we're abusing that idea when we use it that way. So what does this really mean? Don’t condemn othersJudge yourself fIrstHold each other accountable   Accountability 101: Check your heartSeek wise counselHave clear vision

The currently charged political climate in which we live can make it difficult to live out lives focused on Jesus. But the reality is, if we are citizens of the kingdom of heaven, then we can't allow conservative or progressive issues hijack our allegience. As Christians, we're called to navigate and engage politics and people in a completely different way from the world around us.  Where is your allegiance? Who can you love? How do you live it out? Apologize Give forgiveness Engage face to face Know your emotions Listen more than you speak Understand the impact   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Acts 4:23-31   Do you only pray when you’re in trouble or going through difficult challenges? Or do you pray like the disciples for boldness to continue living for God despite their circumstances. What set these disciples apart from many Christian’s today?   They prayed They prayed for what God wanted. They prayed themselves into positions they’d have to pray to get out of.   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney

Acts 6:1-4   Even the most menial task requires people to be fully devoted to Christ. That’s what undergirded the entire movement. So how did the early church operate::   They served They served  (according to gifting, calling, & need) Devotion to God was part of the requirement   Crossroads – about heaven, earth, and the journey in between. Connect with us Website: www.crossroadsjourney.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC17oxaQ1yWK2DgN0xnlMO_g Facebook: www.facebook.com/crossroadsjourney