September 27, 2022 following Alex Hardt’s sermon of September 25.
 
I was pondering justice this morning after Pastor Alex’s sermon and looked up the definition of justice.   It seems justice is equal treatment of all members of society and has to do with our conduct of being just or righteous, having moral principle and then receiving reward or punishment based on our actions.  I want to also note that Fairness is getting what we deserve while Biblical Justice is Jesus getting what we deserve, so we could have what Jesus deserves.  This is complicated by the fact that due to our fallen nature we cannot be right, just or totally principled, therefore we deserve punishment not reward.  Perhaps the Psalmist in Psalm 130 realized this and was pleading with God for His justice and righteousness to reign in his life.
 
He cried out to God in verses 1 and 2 as he begs for mercy and for the Lord to hear his pleas.  The psalmist knew that God was accessible and would hear his prayers. He also knew that he was a sinner.  Do you know for sure that God hears your prayers?  Here are a couple of verses to reassure you: James 4:7-8 “ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.”  You need to humble yourself before God, turn from evil ways and seek God.   Psalm 34:17 “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”    God promises to listen to the righteous, so that begs the question, how does one become righteous?  Here the answer is easy to understand, JESUS.  1 John 5:1 “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.”  Romans 3:22” This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,”   God promises to hear our prayers if we belong to him through faith in Jesus.  For answers, we need to seek to align ourselves with His will and seek what He desires. We are not to seek for God to fulfill our own selfish desires.  James addresses our motives in James 4:1-3 and concludes “You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”   We need to ask in faith seeking God’s will be done.

Knowing that you are a believer, filled with His Holy Spirit gives us right standing before God.  We still need to seek cleansing and seek to walk in obedience to His ways.  The psalmist realizes this as he speaks of forgiveness, desiring to be whole before His God and to be able to wait patiently for His answers.  Hard stuff to do but God empowers us through His Spirit to be able to cling to Jesus and lean upon Him. 
I love the psalmist’s conclusion in verses 7,8.   These are our memory verses for this week. 

“Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
    for with the Lord is unfailing love
    and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
    from all their sins.

Israel stands for all who believe in Him as their God and Savior.  Look at these wonderful promises.  By putting our Hope in Jesus we will receive His unfailing love and be fully redeemed!   The psalmist knows that apart from God there is no redemption. He has no power to redeem himself for he is lost without God.   God’s redemption is cleansing and will remove our sins so that they are remembered by God no more.  Two of my favorite verses about God’s forgiveness are: Micah 7:19 “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”   Isaiah 43:25 ““I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.  How great is our God!

Have a great week basking in His forgiveness, hope and love.

Linda

SERMON LINK
Hope Unites | Is Jesus Just?
Click Here to View the Sermon
Sermon series, "Hope Unites." Today Alex Hardt teaches from Psalm 130

​If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.

September 19, 2022 following Alex Hardt’s sermon of September 18.
 
Pastor Alex used Psalm 128 as the basis of his sermon on finding joy in our lives.  Psalm 128:1 was also our memory verse for the week. “Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.”  As I reflected on his words of how joy points us towards what God has done for us, in us and through us, a sense of gratitude permeated my very being.  When I consider the God of the universe, working on my behalf and doing things through my life, it is very humbling and creates joy within my soul.  The question is, do you let that joy filled attitude translate into joy in your life?

As I was thinking about this I looked up the word joy.  It is mentioned repeatedly in scripture and is found in 42 of the 66 books of the Bible.  There are 242 verses about joy or where joy is mentioned.  Why is that?  Why is joy such a prevalent theme in the Bible?   Pastor Alex had it right when he said that joy matters because it reflects our state of mind and being in relation to God.   Joy is listed as a fruit of the Holy Spirit within us in Galatians 5:22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.”  Since joy is the work of God’s Spirit within us, we should acknowledge that and let His Spirit shine out through our life.  Alex’s gave us a good example of his friend that was Happy, Happy and bubbled over with joy.  When he was with him, it was like he was feeling Jesus right in their midst.  That is what His joy does to our Spirit.  If you are not joyful, spend some time in prayer asking God, Am I letting the worries and cares of this world, the sadness in my life and circumstances overwhelm me?  Seek to put those aside and focus on the joy you have in the Lord. Seek to renew your spirit from within.  Guaranteed, those old worries will fade into the background and you will see the joy of the Lord. 

Here are a few joy verses to help restore your joy perspective:

Nehemiah 8:10  “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Psalm 5:11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
    let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
    that those who love your name may rejoice in you.  Being cared for by God brings joy to your soul.
Isaiah 51:11 “Those the Lord has rescued will return.
    They will enter Zion with singing;
    everlasting joy will crown their heads.
Gladness and joy will overtake them,
    and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”    God’s joy in our life is eternal.  It starts when we receive Jesus as our Savior and will be with us throughout eternity. Praise God!

John 15:11 “ I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete”.  The joy we have and experience in Jesus is complete joy. It will fill us and sustain us in the best and the darkest of times. His joy overcomes adversity!

Acts 14:17 “Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”    We are assured that living in this world God has provided us with glimpses of His joy.  We may see it in a beautiful sunset, a green valley or the ocean’s waves but it is all around us testifying to God’s love for us and His joy. 

​May you find joy in your life that nourishes your soul, is your source of strength, is complete in Jesus, eternal and tangible in your world today.   Ask God to open your eyes so that you can see His joy and rejoice in Him.
Linda

SERMON LINK
Hope Unites | Why Joy Matters
Click Here to View the Sermon
Sermon series, "Hope Unites." Today Alex Hardt teaches from Psalm 128

​If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.

​Alex Hardt’s Installation Service   September 11,2022
 
Sunday was a wonderful celebration of the official beginning of Alex Hardt’s ministry at Crossroads.  It was filled with energy and spirit as we worshipped together.  The sermon and service were led by Ali _______.   As his text, Pastor Ali choose 2 Timothy 3:16-17. 

​Here it is in the Message translation: There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.

This passage by the Apostle Paul to his ‘son in faith’ Timothy desired to give direction to young pastor Timothy.  Likewise, Ali, used this text to give hope and direction to Pastor Alex and to us as well.  When embarking on any new adventure it is good to remember that which holds you together.  The basis of faith is Jesus and He is found over and over in the pages of scripture.  The entire book is about Jesus from Genesis to Revelation.  God’s Word shows us Jesus and His work to redeem us.  God’s Word shows us truth for living even when circumstances get really messy all around us. God’s Word helps us keep our own rebellious nature in focus and under His direction.  God’s Word leads us to walk more closely with Jesus avoiding mistakes and pitfall along life’s pathway.  God’s Word trains us to be all that we can be in God’s army!  When we have God’s Word in our hearts and minds, it allows God to shape and mold us into the exact ones He desires to do His work here on earth. 

God’s Word along with prayer are to be the cornerstones of our own lives as well as Alex’s ministry among us.  How can we help?  

• Pray for our new pastor and his family. 
• Be encouraging toward them and not have a critical spirit. 
• Be loving and show God’s love towards them. 
• Be honest with them not hiding behind phony words and faces. 
• Be supportive of ministry and open to new ideas.
• Be so in love with Jesus that it spills over into every action and word we speak.

As you go through this week, take time to look into scripture.  Are you having an issue with someone, a financial or health problem? Do you need encouragement, hope, direction or guidance?   All of these are addressed in God’s Word and His Word of truth and hope will cut through your problems and bring relief.  You can word search on your Bible App, use your concordance or use google and seek direction from God’s Word to give you strength and courage.  God’s Word is true and will bring relief to the weary soul who seeks Him.  

Here are some promises in God’s Word you can cling to:
Is God there?  James 4:7-8a, John 14:6
How do I live the Christian life?  Joshua 1:8-9, Proverbs 3:5-6
Do you need courage?  Deuteronomy 31:6, Psalm 138:7-8a
Is God faithful?  Lamentations 3:21-23, Hebrews 13:5-8
Does God forgive? Proverbs 28:13, 1 Peter 2:24
Will God provide guidance?   Psalm 119:105, Isaiah 41:9-10
Is there Hope?  Hebrews 10:23, Philippians 1:6, Jeremiah 29:11
Does God love me?  John 3:16, Romans 8:35-39
Does God show mercy?  Nahum 1:7, Romans 5:8
Does God give peace?  John 14:27, Isaiah 54:10
Can God provide for me even in my circumstances? Luke 6:38 and 12:29-31
Can God save me?  Acts 4:12, Romans 10:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:17
Is God really in control of everything?  Daniel 2:19-22, 2 Corinthians 12:9

God’s Word is timeless and has answers you can claim and cling to for life!
Linda


SERMON LINK
Hope Unites | Unity In Leadership
Sermon Link

https://youtu.be/ViA-TOC7skI

Sermon series, "Hope Unites." Today Ali Hasan teaches from 2 Timothy 3:16-4:3

​If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.

HOPE UNITES
By Alex Hardt
​
Did you know when the sun set at night sailors used the stars to navigate? Stars move across the sky from east to west and some stars called rise and set stars begin and end their nightly path below the horizon. Sailors determined their heading by watching the movement of the stars the same way they watched the sun’s movement. Stars give sailors hope. No matter where they are on earth, they how to determine their direction based upon the stars. They know that if they just follow the stars they will eventually arrive at their destination.

One of the things I have come to recognize is that God is like the stars in heaven. Our life can be overflowing with joy or overwhelmed by pain and yet God remains the same. Wherever we are on this planet He will guide us. I can trust in His direction because He is the one who has been here since the beginning of time and will be here through all of eternity. This gives me great hope in knowing that the one who guides me is God.

Hope can be hard to find, in fact I would argue it often feels like it is missing. If you were to look around the last 3 years and say where is hope? You may have to search high and low to stumble upon it. Where is hope in the midst of covid nineteen? Where is hope when the world entered a war in Ukraine? Where is hope when the temperatures are rising, and the water supply is depleting? Where is hope amidst the social unrest and political division? Where is hope when another attack happens or when a school has to be locked down? To be honest there does not seem to be a lot of hope going around.
And yet in the scriptures, Psalm 121, it says

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Perhaps where we were looking for Hope was in the wrong places. We tend to look for hope in people, places, and things. We look for hope in the media, in governments, the latest fade, or who is currently trending in the news. We gamble our hope away on celebrities, athletes, investments, and the newest gadgets. These things of the world tend to let us down at one point or another and then our idea of hope is crushed. We wonder why we always feel empty, lost, broken, and hopeless. In the scripture the author acknowledges this when he says, “where does my help come from?” He could of said, where does my hope come from?
 
This psalm is called a song of ascent. It was intended for weary travelers heading to Jerusalem. Jerusalem sat on a plateau in the middle of mountains. Families had to travel through treacherous roads in the high desert heat where wild animals or robbers could attack. In those days, All the shrines to other Gods were built on hills, high places so everyone could see them. In the midst of all these mountains, where is my help going to come from, the author is looking at all the options. Is the author’s hope going to come from the God of Baal, the God of my political party, the God of investments, the God of sports, the God of Kardashians, the God of swipes, clicks, links, Tweets, Snaps, and TikTok OR the one true God.
 
The author recognizes that his hope “comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  He knows that it is God who never sleeps, who never fails, who never stops chasing after him, who will carry his family through this treacherous path. The author is not going to choose to look to the false Gods or the Hills but above the Hills and the mountains to the one who Made the Mountains.
 
One of my favorite stories in the Bible is of David and Goliath. David was tiny and Goliath was humongous. Yet it was David who won the battle. The King of Israel, Saul was always afraid of Goliath. Saul always compared his height to the height of Goliath. David did not look at how tall Goliath was, he knew that he was not sufficient enough, he looked at how tall His God was. If you look to the hills, you will either find a false God who cannot help you or things that will scare you. But if you look to God, you will find peace and hope!
The Hope of God unites us and carries us through the most treacherous paths.
Let us search for Hope in God.
 
Practically Speaking About Hope
What people, places, or things have let you down?
How did it feel when hope was gone?
What would it look like for you to put your hope in God?

Alex Hardt  September 4   What is my Center?
 
As I reflect today on Pastor Hardt’s sermon, I am in total agreement that having Jesus Christ as the center of my life makes sense.   The question is asked in scripture, who is like you God? 
Psalm 71:19 “Your righteousness, God, reaches to the heavens, you who have done great things. Who is like you, God?”  

Psalm 89:8 “Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.”  
Micah 7:18 “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
If I can choose to have God at the center of my life rather than man made things, goals, money, power, knowledge…. Why would I not choose God?  He is eternal and not bound by this temporal world.  The other goals will fail and fade but God will endure forever.

Reading Psalm 121 here in the Message translation.  It helped me see more clearly God’s desired role in my life.
 
121 1-2 I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.
 Creator God gives me strength for living.

3-4 He won’t let you stumble; your Guardian God won’t fall asleep.
 Not on your life! Israel’s Guardian will never doze or sleep.
Omnipresent, Sovereign God knows my every move and seeks to protect me.  He is awake on the job 24/7!

5-6 God’s your Guardian, right at your side to protect you--
Shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke.
God is a loyal guardian, seeking to protect me day and night.
 
7-8 God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.
God protects me both physically and spiritually.  God is eternal and will be with me always.
 
If you could choose, and you can, a God that is kind, loving, merciful, faithful, forgiving, protector, defender, sovereign and eternal over doing things yourself in your own power? What is the wise choice? Seek today the creator of the universe and bow humbly before Him.  God promises if you seek Him, he will be found.  To know Him is to love Him more and more!

Linda 

SERMON LINK
Hope Unites | What is my center?
Sermon Link

https://youtu.be/prQHCutHx7c

Sermon series, "Hope Unites." Today Alex teaches from Psalm 121

​If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am. Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.