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.

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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!

New Series Launches This Weekend

This weekend we'll launch a new teaching series called "Intermittent". The title of the series is born out of an observation that our understanding of God seems to come via irregular moments of clarity. What's true about God is always true. I may even "believe" it is true. But, I really understand it when I experience for myself.

For example, this weekend we'll be discussing the idea that "God is God...I'm Not". Its the most basic tenant of Christianity. The funny thing is that while I believe that God is in control- a lot of days I live like I am. Not of the universe, mind you, just of my own life. I can maintain my illusion of control until something happens that I can't fix. Until I have an experience where I realize firsthand that I need someone bigger than me to step in. Then I really grasp the idea that I've "believed in" for a long time.

This study will center around some intermittent moments of spiritual clarity that Moses and the nation of Israel experience as God guides them out of slavery in Egypt. We'll be offering some suggested reading each week to help you prepare for the next weekend's teaching conversation. To prime the pump for this weekend, you may want to read the first four chapters of Exodus in the next couple of days.

We know that summer schedules can make our attendance at Crossroads feel a little intermittent. Let's view the next 5 weeks as a challenge to engage our church community consistently- either in person at one of the weekend gatherings, or via the mp3's on the web. Here's the breakdown of what we'll discuss in July:

6/30-7/1 GOD IS GOD…I’M NOT
7/7-8 GOD IS LISTENING…I NEED HELP
7/14-15 GOD IS NEAR…I’M NOT ALONE
7/21-22 GOD IS HOLY…WHAT I DO MATTERS
7/28-29 GOD IS ETERNAL…MY LIFE IS SHORT

Memory Test...

This past weekend Glen laid out the four cornerstones our leaders believe God wants to build Crossroads on.

Can you name them?

Could you describe what they mean?

Take a shot in the comments section and no peeking in advance!

What is Crossroads All About?

This weekend Glen take us back to the basics of why we exist as a Church Community. He'll talk about our overall vision and four cornerstones that anchor our life together.

But before that happens, we'd like to hear from you.

How do you usually describe Crossroads to others?

What do you think we are all about?

What is our heart? Mission? Vision?

Porn On Father's Day Weekend (Post Thoughts)

Well, we officially survived our weekend of porn at Crossroads!

Now we'd love to hear what you thought about Porn & Pancakes and the Weekend Services.

Also, tell us if you had any conversations around this topic with friends, co-workers, family members, etc.?

Behind Closed Doors (Porn & Pancakes Breakfast Live & In Progress)...

For those of you who couldn't make it or didn't meet the age/gender requirements, we thought you'd like to hear a bit of what went on and we learned:

- Grilled sausage tastes really good.

- Don't mess with Patrick Drury if you are the guest COMEDIAN. (David Dean- see below)


- The story of Abraham almost slaying Isaac can be used to frighten young children into obeying their parents. (the comedian again)

- It's ok to laugh if people fall on the ice, even if they have a compound fracture. (still the comedian)

- To liven things up at church- give the 4th graders Mountain Dew and Red Bull. (guess who)

- "I'm sweating like Paris Hilton at a purity conference." (my personal favorite line from the comedian).

- Lynn Buckles, The XXX Church Intern, and David Gillis are INCREDIBLY good sports. Briggs Cochran is also a good sport, but can't follow instructions. (based on interactive improv)

- Maybe guys have a hard time really laughing because of the unconfessed sin in their lives. (Great point by the comedian)

Then Craig Gross from XXX CHURCH got up to share.


- Porn is a $57 BILLION dollar a year industry- most of which happens via the internet.

- The internet has radically changed the accessibility of porn. No longer do you have to embarrass yourself by buying a magazine from behind the counter or going to a seedy video store on the wrong side of town.

- 75% of people view porn alone.

- Most people who are addicted to porn eventually escalate to something else: an affair, using an escort service, soliciting kids on the internet, etc.

- Where is the computer in your house? Is it in a place where you or someone else can be secretive?

- XXX Church gets tons of emails from kids who are more computer savvy than their parents and find out by mistake that their parents are looking at porn.

Craig shared SIX WAYS TO RUIN YOUR LIFE:

1. Fight temptation with willpower alone because you are strong enough. (Cause that works in every other area of our lives, right?)

2. Believe that just a little porn isn't that bad. FHM, MAXIM, SWIMSUIT ISSUES = Porn training wheels. The porn industry gets it, that's why they give you free samples. They know you'll come back for more.

3. Spend more time watching TV, less time in God's Word. Who needs that anyway? The average 13-18 year old spends 71 hours a week watching tv, movies, on the internet, playing video games or on the cell phone. Most people get in trouble with pornography because they get on the internet without a purpose. TIP: If you are married, go to bed as the same time as your wife. Many guys look while their spouse is asleep.

4. Wing it when it comes to your integrity. Just make it up as you go. Don't have a plan ahead of time.

5. Go solo. Who needs others? XXX Church offers accountability software so that you can let someone else in to help keep you accountable. Find it HERE. Do you really want help? It is out there for you, but it requires you not doing it yourself.

6. When you fail, just give up. "This is my lot in life. I'll never get over it." Even in our failures, God never leaves us and His love never fails.

NOTE: Craig will be sharing a different message at our weekend services (5:30 Sat, 9:30 & 11:15 Sun). Make it a point to catch one.

Need Some Resources???:

• Every Man's Battle class starts on June 24th at 8:15 a.m. Contact Briggs Cochran
• Every Young Man's Battle class to follow in August. Contact Scott Morgan or Kerry Tuttle.
• Porn & Parents Discussion August 5th from 6-8 p.m. for all interested parents and teens on how to proactively respond to the issues. Contact Scott Morgan or Kerry Tuttle.
• Every Woman's Battle class to be offered based upon interest. Contact Ann Sullivan for information and to express interest.
• Help for Spouses class to be offered based upon interest. Contact Ann Sullivan for information and to express interest.
• Do I have an addiction? Crossroads has seasoned counselors to meet one on one to privately discuss the issues. Contact Ann Sullivan for information.

A Prayer For Friday...

For a few years now, some on our staff have been using "the blue book" as a devotional guide.

In addition to readings from the scripture and other Christian writers, there are written prayers to begin and end each day.

Today's opening prayer meant a lot to me and I thought it might speak to where some of us are as we try to wrap up a work week:


O God our Father, renew our spirits and draw our hearts to thyself, that our work may not be to us a burden but a delight;

and give us such love to thee as may sweeten all our obedience.

Help us that we may serve thee with the cheerfulness and gladness of children,

delighting ourselves in thee, and rejoicing in all that is to the honor of thy name;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Although it took some getting used to, I've really come to enjoy using prayers that others have written. It helps me say things to God that I want to say, but may not have thought of on my own.

If you have a couple of minutes, pray through the prayer above a couple of times. First, pray the prayer through slowly. I find that it helps to say it out loud if possible.

Then, go back through the prayer and pray each phrase individually. Say anything to God that the phrase brings to mind. Ex: "Renew our spirits"- God, I'm discouraged today. Brighten my attitude.

If you try this, post a comment and let me know what you thought.

If you want to learn more about "the blue book" click HERE.

Porn On Father's Day??? (Pre Thoughts)

You bet! By now you've probably heard that Craig Gross from XXX Church will be with us this weekend. XXX is a ministry to both people in the porn industry and people who create the demand for the porn industry. Check out their site HERE.

Craig will speak to guys ages 11 and up at a breakfast (Porn & Pancakes) from 8-10am on Saturday morning. Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door.

He will also provide the weekend teaching at all of our services and will help us better understand the scope of the porn problem and some personal solutions.

Whether or not you think this issue has anything to do with you, we'd encourage you to be a part of things this weekend.

Now for your thoughts.

What are you thinking about our plans for the weekend and this topic? Has porn affected you or those you know and love?

Feel free to comment anonymously and honestly.

What did you learn about the Kingdom??

This weekend we wrapped the Counterintuitive series. Over the past 10 weeks we've been focusing our weekend conversations on the Kingdom that Jesus described that doesn't work the way we expect it to.

Take a minute and give us some feedback:

What did you think of this study?

Did you hear anything that surprised you? Challenged you? Encouraged you?

Was there anything you learned that you are trying to hold onto? Live out?

Where are you like my dad?

My (Fred's) dad is one of those guys who is a voracious learner. He knows a little bit about a lot of topics.

Drop him in a conversation with almost anyone and he'll probably be able to talk about their interests on some level.

Most people would walk away from meeting him thinking that he actually shares their hobbies and passions.

Here's the thing- my dad knows about ALOT of things he can't actually do. He can talk about farming, but never has. He can discuss construction, but couldn't build a house. He understands the stock market, but doesn't invest in it.

What about you? Where do you talk a better game than you play? Is there anything in your life that you know alot about, but don't do much with?

What Crowd Did You Hang With...

...in high school?

I have vague memories of trying to decide whether to align myself with the preps, the jocks, the smart kids, the rockers, the break dancers or the skaters.

In the end I sampled friends, fashion & music from each group- occasionally popping my collar (cringe) and rocking parachute pants, skinny leather ties, and the Don Johnson jacket (not all at once) and listening to Led Zeppelin, Run DMC, Rush, Bon Jovi (cringe again) & Prince.

How about you? Who were your friends?

What did you do to fit in? (Music, clothes, slang, habits, etc.)

How Would You Answer These Questions...

Q: When does Heaven start?

Q: What are you doing right now to prepare? (like the wise bridemaids from this weekends teaching in Matthew 25:1-13)