Sermon Series
In His Image – Racism
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:36 — 42.7MB)
Date: September 17th, 2017
Scripture: Galatians 3:28
28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
For more resources please visit crosslifechurch.org
In His Image – Human Trafficking
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:15 — 36.8MB)
Date: September 10th, 2017
Scripture: Luke 4:18
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
For more resources please visit crosslifechurch.org
In His Image – Introduction
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:24 — 40.6MB)
Date: September 3rd, 2017
Scripture: Genesis 9:6
6 Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
For more resources please visit crosslifechurch.org
Rescue Me! – Colossians 1:9-14
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 42:27 — 38.9MB)
Date: March 12th, 2017
Scripture: Colossians 1:9-14
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
For more resources please visit crosslifechurch.org
Church Hurts
For the month of February we’ll be exploring how to find forgiveness, grace & reconciliation when dealing with church hurts. Check out the blog for messages and the latest info.
February 5th: We are here and we are listening.
February 12th: Forgiving the Unforgivable
Series Promo Video:
Religion is not the answer… Salvation is!
Why do we need to share the gospel with people? Some are living in guilt and condemnation and can’t find their way out. Others are hurting, depressed, or even addicted. Do you remember what your life was like before Christ? And now… That change should be part of what motivates you to share Christ.
Now more than ever, people are crying for answers, they are looking for God, but sometimes they don’t know how to phrase the question…
Peter Jenkins began a five-year, 4,500-mile walk across America in October of 1973. First published as two articles in National Geographic, his memoirs then led to two best-selling books. Two years into the journey, he stumbled into an Alabama revival and ended up accepting Christ. Jenkins says:
I grew up in Connecticut in a very quiet, official, East Coast Presbyterian church. My parents believed, and they made their six children go to church and Sunday school. I wanted a religion that had emotion in it. I wanted a religion that had life, action, and the kinds of things I found in the kind of music I loved. When the revival began, this guy from Texas named James Robison came out screaming and preaching and throwing his arms around. There was sweat dripping and everything. He was dressed in a three-piece suit and cowboy boots.
The two of us could not have more unalike. I was this young man with sun-bleached reddish hair down to his shoulders and an unshaven beard. But I honestly felt like when he was preaching the gospel, a huge sword was slicing me into a whole bunch of pieces.He was saying, “Joining a church won’t make you a Christian any more than joining a Lion’s Club will make you a lion. From the day you were born, you wanted to do your own thing and you were rebellious against God. If you really want to really know God, you’ve got to repent of this rebellion which the Bible calls sin.” I could relate to that. I thought I was a pretty good person. I thought I was in search of the truth. The more I heard this stuff, [the more I realized that] religion is not the answer; salvation is. You just have something inside of you that knows when you hear the truth. All of the things we think about ourselves, how we define ourselves—all that is insignificant when it comes to what’s going on in our soul. James gave me one of the greatest gifts anybody could have ever given me. He led me to the Lord.
Citation: “The Dick Staub Interview: Peter Jenkins Finds Jesus While Walking America,” ChristianityToday.com
Check out the first sermon in our new series, GO!
UnStuck – Just One More Drink
I just need one more and then I’m good.
Unfortunately, I’ve seen some of the devastating affects of alcoholism in our family and especially when working with guys in the jail. One drink too many at the wrong time can ruin a life.
Alcoholism is a huge problem in the U.S. Here are a few quick stats from NCADD.
- 88,000 deaths are annually attributed to excessive alcohol use
- Alcoholism is the 3rd leading lifestyle-related cause of death in the nation
- Up to 40% of all hospital beds in the United States… are being used to treat health conditions that are related to alcohol consumption
- Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States: 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems.
Every day people are wrestling with this addiction. Often the hardest part is being willing to admit you have a problem. The good news is there a lot of different treatment options available these days and many people have made their way out of this problem. Hope is available, but you’ll have to take the first step.
Sometimes this addiction is just as damaging on the loved ones of the alcoholic. Because of their compassion they sometimes get caught enabling the addiction rather than helping the alcoholic move toward healing. But there is hope for friends and family members of problem drinkers. Al-Anon groups are available all over the country that help people establish boundaries and give them tools to be the best support they can be during this difficult time.
1 Corinthians 6:12 “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”
During our series we’ve been giving away copies of the Life Recovery Bible. These bibles are a great encouragement to anyone who is working through a 12-Step program. We would encourage you to pick one up if you or a loved one is working through one of these programs.
The hidden costs of alcoholism are not small. It is estimated that alcohol-related expenses cost federal, state, and local governments $223.5 billion. Of that amount, taxpayers are footing the bill for $94.2 billion. — americanaddictioncenters.org/alcoholism-treatment/
If any of this sounds familiar, you may want to get professional help. If you need help finding a counselor, please check out www.newlife.com or call 1-800-NEW-LIFE. Celebrate Recovery or Alcoholics Anonymous might also be a good option.
Come join us for our unStuck series on Sundays and Wednesdays in February as we work at moving forward again.
UnStuck – It’s Every Man’s Battle
Pornography is not just a problem for men. But it is a battle that all men will face.
There has probably never been a time when these images are so prevalent and so easily accessed and yet their effect is so marginalized. Wives and fiancées are told to just accept this as a fact of life. Young men are fed the lie that this won’t do any damage to their relationships. The perception of pornography is increasingly changing in our culture.
Check out these stats from Barna on porn use among young people.
I had a good friend take a chance on the men in our church a few years back. He had found a book called “Every Man’s Battle” by Steve Arterburn. We formed a men’s group that discussed this battle every week for about 2 months. It was one of the most powerful groups I have ever been a part of.
At first I was excited to see how this study might help these men, but it wasn’t long before we realized that dealing with this issue was going to be difficult. In order to fight this fight, you can’t do it alone. For many of the guys in our group we realized it would get tougher before it would get better.
Some things I learned from this study:
1. It really is every man’s battle.
You’re not alone in this fight. This was actually one of the most comforting things that came out of the study. In a group of men that I had great respect for, each one of them had been through this battle.
2. Don’t try to exist in the middle ground.
You’ve probably heard the famous quote from Omaha beach on D-Day in WWII. “Only two kinds of people are gonna stay on this beach: those that are already dead and those that are gonna die.” When it comes to fighting for holiness, there’s not a middle ground. You keep pursuing Christ at all costs.
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman. –Job 31:1
3. The group is not a gossip session
In the very first session, someone wanted to start talking about other people. Immediately one person shared how their own lust was the same as adultery and it transformed the conversation. Men weren’t going to talk about other men, they were going share about their own struggle.
Matthew 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
4. You can’t do this in isolation.
Self-Medication is not the way. You need help. By keeping yourself accountable with other men facing the same battle you can find success in winning this war.
For many men anger lies at the root of their porn addiction. For other’s it’s a wife whose become more like their mommy than their life partner. But there is definitely a way out – and there’s so much hope on the other side. But you have to do the work.
If any of this sounds familiar, you may want to get professional help. If pornography is the issue, one of the best things you could ever do is attend the “Every Man’s Battle” workshop. If you need help finding a counselor, please check out www.newlife.com or call 1-800-NEW-LIFE.
Come join us for our unStuck series on Sundays and Wednesdays in February as we work at moving forward again.
UnStuck – Abuse – It’s Time to Say Something
Scared.
Scared of speaking up. Scared of leaving. Scared of staying. Domestic abuse is unfortunately one of those places where many people get stuck and it is a hard place to leave.
Why don’t people suffering from abuse just get out? It’s not always that easy. Some people think this type of relationship is normal, because it’s what they knew as a child. Some stay because financially they don’t know how they would make it on their own. Some are just too embarrassed to admit they are allowing this to happen. And for many, a deep love for the abuser keeps them connected even through the abuse.
But there is hope. Many people have stories of escaping abuse and getting their lives back again.
more info about domestic abuse
Someone recently shared their “unstuck” story with me in the hope that it might be an encouragement to others. This person was stuck for almost 3 years before they started making their way out of a destructive relationship. It turns out that pain became a blessing. When the abuse went from emotional to physical in front of her children, she knew something desperately had to change.
After working with 3 different counselors (sometimes you have to be persistent) she found the help she needed. She was introduced to a friend who would walk with her through these very difficult decisions and would be a safe place to share the thoughts and hurts that she just couldn’t tell anyone else.
Speaking the words of scripture became a life-transforming habit. Through difficult decisions and the onset of panic attacks, memorizing and speaking God’s word brought peace and courage and pushed fears aside. Scriptures like these became transforming as she faced her fears.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” — Joshua 1:9
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7
“…Do not fret; it leads only to evil.” – Psalms 37:8
Through connection, counseling, and most of all – the power of the word of God – she made her way out of the abuse and into a healthy life. And you can too, but you must be willing to take some important steps.
If you want to make your way out of an abusive relationship, it’s going to take courage, support and a good plan. As we’ve seen with other problems, the way out involves finding someone you can trust and desperately seeking the Lord in prayer. You can find some great resources at the National Domestic Violence Hotline. They can help you with developing your plan and have a ton of useful information about this subject.
Come join us for our unStuck series on Sundays and Wednesdays in January and February as we work at moving forward again.