Looking Up To Tammy Faye???

Tammy Faye Messner (formerly Bakker) was one of those public, religious figures that illicited strong reactions from people. (Usually negative reactions for negative reasons.) After her passing, at least one columnist praised her.

Not for the way she lived in the public spotlight.

But for the way she died in it.

Click HERE for the full article.

Feel free to share your thoughts as well.

Life Is Short, Let's Review...

This weekend our church community dealt with the difficult and personal topic of death. Cathy White stood before us and shared about the numerous reminders she's had in the past couple of years about how short life is. Let's be praying for her family as they continue to face health issues.

After each service I (Fred) had multiple people approach me and tell their own stories of facing cancer, losing children and walking alongside friends and family members who are staring their own mortality in the face.

Wow! I had a swirl of emotions going on inside of me. How about you?

Let's create a bit of space here for us to express ourselves. Use the comments feature to share your own journey, express your thanks to Cathy or say anything else that's been on your mind about this topic.

God Is Eternal...My Life Is Short

This weekend we'll wrap the "Intermittent" series.

Catch a glimpse of where we're headed by checking out Numbers 20:1-13, 27:12-23 & Deuteronomy 34.

Another way to think about Holiness...

Every day an email shows up in my inbox from the Miriam Webster folks teaching me a new word for the day. Most of the time, the word has more than one definition.

When we say that God is Holy, we often are trying to describe His flawlessness, His perfection, His purity. This is definitely an important part of God's Holy nature. Here's another part of the definition.

Holiness in the Bible literally means "Set Apart". Another way to think about this is that God is "Other" or completely different than we are. This idea of Holiness shows up when God says things like, "My ways aren't your ways, my thoughts aren't your thoughts...".

I think this understaning of Holiness plays out pretty well in the story of the Golden Calf and what follows. (Read Exodus chapters 19, 20, 32 & 33)

God tells the people not to make an idol.

They agree that they won't.

Then they do.

So God kills people (and/or tells Moses to kill people).

About 3000 of them for breaking their word.

Sounds harsh to me.

Where was the second chance for those people?

The "Next time you'll really be in trouble" speech?

God doesn't handle this the way that you and I would.

But then, you and I aren't God.

We make promises we don't mean, set boundaries we don't enforce, and rationalize why things like that are ok.

God is different. Holy.

When He says something, He means it.

When He makes a promises, He keeps it.

Last weekend Greg mentioned that we tend to focus on God's mercy and grace. Which is good, since we all need them pretty much everyday.

What if we thought more about His Holiness?

What if we thought more about a God who is not only perfect, but who means what He says?

Who consistently keeps His promises and expects us to do the same?

Would it change the way we thought about our choices and actions?

"Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty. Who was, and is, and who is coming." - Revelation 4:8

Again and Again and Again and...

Ever come across a song that you just have to hear again? And again? And again?

Right now I'm listening to a song called "This Too Shall Be Made Right" for the 12th time in a row.

The song is off of Derek Webb's current project "The Ringing Bell".

Here are the lyrics:

people love you the most for the things you hate
and hate you for loving the things that you cannot keep straight
people judge you on a curve
and tell you you’re getting what you deserve
this too shall be made right

children cannot learn when children cannot eat
stack them like lumber when children cannot sleep
children dream of wishing wells
whose waters quench all the fires of Hell
this too shall be made right

the earth and the sky and the sea are all holding their breath
wars and abuses have nature groaning with death
we say we’re just trying to stay alive
but it looks so much more like a way to die
this too shall be made right

there’s a time for peace and there is a time for war
a time to forgive and a time to settle the score
a time for babies to lose their lives
a time for hunger and genocide
this too shall be made right

I don’t know the suffering of people outside my front door
I join the oppressors of those who i choose to ignore
I’m trading comfort for human life
and that’s not just murder it’s suicide
this too shall be made right

Wow! I'm usually drawn to prophetic voices like this, but even more so today. Maybe because I've spent the last week thinking about God's Holiness.

How will a Holy God respond to all the darkness that goes on in our world (and inside of us)?

What does it say about us if we can't mourn the same things that God does? Or do what is within our power to right injustice?

Although the lyrics are powerful, the combination of the mournful vocals and ringing acoustic guitar drives home the pain in the song to me.

Hear a 30 sec. sample or go big and drop 99 cents on the full deal at itunes: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playlistId=252648283&s=143441&i=252648361

If it doesn't speak to you at all, I'll refund your dollar.

Seriously.

Special Thanks...

...to St. Luke Catholic Church in Nicholasville for graciously agreeing to host the video shoot we featured this weekend.

Our hope was that the physical setting would give the video a "holy" feel.

Do you find architecture helpful in creating a sense of awe and reference?

If not, what does that for you? Nature? Music? Quiet? Something else?

Warming Up...

Physical fitness types always try to convince us that stretching is a good idea before exercise. (I think they're right by the way.)

Many of us are finding that a little mental and spiritual stretching during the week puts us in a better place for the teaching conversations on the weekend.

This Saturday and Sunday, Greg Chandler will help us catch a glimpse of the idea that “God is Holy…What I Do Matters”.

Limber up your mind and heart by reading Exodus chapters 19, 20, 24, 32 & 34.

Play Webster For Me...

This weekend Greg Chandler will be prompting us to think about the idea that "God Is Holy".

Sounds right, but what does it mean? Holiness is one of those terms we use to describe God, but can we define it?

Take your best shot.

What are we trying to say about God by describing Him as "HOLY"?

What would you say to a 6 year old who asked you what "HOLY" means?

If it is true that God is "HOLY", what would that mean to/for us?

Give it some thought and post your insights, questions and ramblings by using the comment feature.

Didn't I just hear that??

Coincidence or God trying to get my attention?

The guide to prayer that I use from time to time always ends with a blessing.

Here is this morning's:

"Live today in Christ's presence, remembering HE IS NEAR and will sustain you as you serve in his name. Amen."

May this be true for us today.

How Do You See God?

This weekend Missy talked about something most/all of us have experienced at some point:

Wondering if God is real and if He is really with us.

In the book of Exodus, God gives people multiple visual reminders that He is with them:

• Exodus 3:1-6 God speaks to Moses from a burning bush
• Exodus 13:17-22 God leads Israel with a column of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night.
• Exodus 24:9-11 God allows 74 leaders of Israel to see (some part) of Him as they initiate the covenant.
• Exodus 33:7-23 God lets Moses see His back and meets wtih him in a tent.
• Exodus 34:29-35 Moses face glows after being with God.
• Exodus 40:34-38 God continues to lead Israel with column of smoke, settling on the tent of mtg when stopped.

Does God still let people know that He is with them today?

Have you ever had an experience where you sensed God's presence with you?

What do you do/who do you turn to when you start to wonder yourself?

Tell us what you think. We'd love to hear your perspective.

Prayer Card Side 2:

The other part of the prayer exercise was to continue asking for God's help and deliverance.

We were asked to finish the phrase: God I Need Your Help With

Personally, I asked God to:

• Help us adjust to being a family of 4


• Use our family to bless our neighbors and share God's love with them


• Help me to stop worrying about what He gives others


• Enable me to really listen to those around me

Your turn now. Be as specific or as general as you'd like. What are you needing from God today?

Prayer Card Side 1:

Last weekend we talked about our need to remember how God has shown up and helped us in the past.

We each got a prayer card. One side simply read:

God, Thank You For What You've Done

On my card I wrote things like:

• Bringing me to Crossroads
• Giving me a wife and two kids that I don't deserve
• A quick recovery from a recent health issue
• New neighbors we are developing a friendship with
• Money to pay for my recent car repairs

How about you? What has come to mind this week as you thought through all of the times God has listened and responded to your needs?

Tell us about it using the comments section.

Corrected Reading for this Weekend

The E-Newsletter incorrectly listed the reading to prepare for this weekend.

It should be EXODUS chapters 24, 32, 33 & 34.

Welcome all lurkers!

Just wanted to extend a warm welcome to those of you who have been dropping by the blog more recently.

Our stat tracker shows that about 1/3 of you are new on any given week. Thanks for taking the time to stop in.

We want you to know that this blog isn't here just to provide information- but a spot for dialogue as well. Our stats show that we've got A BUNCH more people "lurking" than commenting.

While you won't have something to say about everything you read, we want you to hear our invitation and have the know how to get it done.

Realizing that some of you may be new to the world of blogging, here's a quick tutorial on how to leave a comment after reading a post:

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I know it sounds complicated, but it goes quickly once you get the hang of it.

So, give it a shot.

Please take a second to follow the steps above and leave a brief comment.

Tell us who you are, why you are on the blog, or anything else you want.

And thanks for lurking!

Song from last weekend

The song that wrapped around our prayer time is called "Deliver Me".

You can find it on the David Crowder Band's "ILLUMINATE" project.

Here are the lyrics:

Deliver me out of the sadness

Deliver me from all the madness

Deliver me courage to guide me

Deliver me Your strength inside me

CHORUS:

All of my lifeI've been in hiding

Wishing there was someone just like You

Now that You're hereNow that I've found You

I know that You're the One to pull me through

Deliver me loving and caring

Deliver me giving and sharing

Deliver me this cross that I'm bearing

Oh, deliver me

Jesus, Jesus how I trust You

How I've proved You o'er and o'er

Jesus, Jesus precious Jesus

Deliver me

Come and pull me through

Come pull me through

Remembering God's Help

This weekend we explored just a few of the ways God helped Moses and the people of Israel as the exited (or exodused?) Egypt.

Exodus 16 marks the first time that God provides some bread (manna) for them. It isn't the last. For the next 40 years God ensures that they always have daily bread. From the outset of the manna God gives His people this instruction:

32Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: Take two quarts of manna to be kept for your descendants. This way they will see the food that I gave you to eat in the desert when I brought you out of Egypt.”
33Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, put two quarts of manna in it, and put it in the LORD’s presence to be kept for your descendants.” 34Aaron put the jar of manna in front of the words of God’s promise to be kept there, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Why is this so important? God wants these folks, their children and succeeding generations TO REMEMBER how He came through for them.

Not a bad idea.

What if we got ourselves a jar too?



I threw that idea out this past weekend as a symbol. Now I'm thinking more literally.

What if I had a jar and everytime God came through I put something inside the jar to help me remember God's track record?

If we had somethting like that, we could pull it out the next time we were facing a situation and found ourselves questioning whether or not God would come through for us.

I guess I do have something like this- a couple of journals I've kept for the last few years.

Several times a year I crack them open and laugh about how much things have changed, how much they're still the same, and how good God has been in the midst of it all.

How about you?

Do you ever think about all of the ways God has helped you?

Have anything tangible that helps you remember?

So far my journals have been ok.

But now I really want a jar.

Guess I'd better find a big one.

Filling In The Gaps...

Are you digging the book of Exodus? There's so much great stuff in there that we won't be able to cover it all in our weekend teaching.

If you want to read what we're skipping over this week, check out EXODUS 5-12.

If you like action, you won't be disappointed.

Something to think about...

Last week I (Fred) got together with a friend who leads a campus ministry at UK. Knowing he'd want to talk about the upcoming fall ministry season, I asked him, "Is there anything you want me to think about before we connect?" It isn't that I didn't have anything else on my mind- I just wanted to get ready for a good conversation.

This weekend at Crossroads we'll get our second installment in the "Intermittent" series and will tackle the topic: "God Is Listening...I Need Help". Our teaching will flow out of Exodus 14-17.

Take a look at this section of the Bible if you want to get ready for our conversation.

And Another Thought...

There's this little phrase that procedes Moses' murderous rage:

12 He looked all around, and WHEN HE DIDN'T SEE ANYONE he beat the Egyptian to death and hid the body in the sand.

Isn't it funny how our imagined anonymity can give us permission to do things we shouldn't and wouldn't do otherwise?

Unfortunatley, Moses was wrong about his stealth operation:

13When Moses went there the next day, he saw two Hebrew men fighting. He asked the one who started the fight, “Why are you beating another Hebrew?”
14The man asked, “Who made you our ruler and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought that everyone knew what he had done.
15When Pharaoh heard what Moses had done, he tried to have him killed.

So...

Maybe we should assume someone is always watching via security camera, or will check our internet history, email, cell phone records or credit card receipts.

(Not to mention that God is always watching.)

If we can't do what we're about to do without telling someone- we probably shouldn't do it at all.

Bonus Features

Believe it or not, almost all of our weekend teachers leave material on the cutting room floor. Although 30 minutes may seem like a long time to listen, we make choices each week about what we have time to share. Below are a few thoughts that got left out this weekend.

This past week I was thinking about Moses' attempt to end oppression in Exodus 2:11-15:

11In the course of time Moses grew up. Then he went to {see} his own people and watched them suffering under forced labor. He saw a Hebrew, one of his own people, being beaten by an Egyptian. 12He looked all around, and when he didn’t see anyone, he beat the Egyptian to death and hid the body in the sand.
13When Moses went there the next day, he saw two Hebrew men fighting. He asked the one who started the fight, “Why are you beating another Hebrew?”
14The man asked, “Who made you our ruler and judge? Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought that everyone knew what he had done.
15When Pharaoh heard what Moses had done, he tried to have him killed. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian.

Moses wanted to do a good thing. How did it end up working out so badly?

Maybe for some of the same reasons our attempts at controlling things go awry:

• We have a good idea, but don't stop to ask if it is God's idea. Moses is impulsive and responds out of anger. He doesn't seek God, but expects God to bless his impulses. Are we giving God a chance to speak BEFORE we act?

• We do the right thing in the wrong way. Ending slavery is good. Murder isn't. This isn't divine judgment, but human rage. The ends don't justify the means.

• We don't time it right. Why doesn't God bless Moses' attempts to free Israel? The timing isn't right. The people of Israel aren't ready. The Egyptians aren't ready. And Moses- their next leader- isn't ready himself. 40 years later the situation ripens considerably. Do we trust God's sense of timing more than ours?

• We think too small. Moses plan of killing one Egyptian at a time won't release a few million slaves. This problem will require 10 national plagues to fix. Where could God be thinking bigger than we are?

So this week, think of Moses as you face situations that beg for your intervention and control...and try not to kill anyone!