Pastor Alex used the text in Acts 16:9-15 to show us how encompassing God’s love is.  Last week we saw how Cornelius was let to faith in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit. God meant for Gentiles to be included in His family. This week, we see Paul extending the love of Christ to Lydia, a gentile woman, who readily embraced Christ and then led her whole family to faith.  Both Cornelius and Lydia wanted their loved ones to come to the saving knowledge of Christ. They wanted them to know the joy of being filled with the Holy Spirit and having a purpose greater than themselves.   We see the God has not put limitations on His love and it cannot be contained.

Both Cornelius and Lydia brought their families to faith.  That required an open heart and a willingness to risk their lives and reputations.  The desire to see their loved ones come to know Christ surpassed any fears they may have had.  Is that the same with you?  Are you willing to ‘risk’ it to see your family come into the family of God?  Here we see that Lydia and Cornelius were willing, and through their open hearts they were able to lead generations to come into the knowledge and love of God.

Pastor Alex directed us to 2 Corinthians 5:20.  “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God’.   Lydia counted it a privilege to be Christ’s ambassador in her family and in her community.  An Ambassador is a spokesperson, an official of the highest rank who is sent on a mission.  The mission Lydia and Cornelius were sent on is the same one we are to embrace which, is to spread the good news of Christ, the gospel message.  Do you need to hone your ambassador skills?  Are you representing Jesus and speaking out for Him?  I am reminded of our memory verse for this week from Romans 1:16-17. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,  just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Are you willing to proclaim the gospel without being ashamed of it? Do you truly believe it contains the revelation from God, Christ, which allows us to live within His righteousness?  If so, it is the best message yet.  Hope, redemption, right living with God, what could be better?  If so, who do you need to tell this week?   You too can have an immeasurable impact for Christ right where you live: in your family, neighborhood, town and country.
Linda

   The ruins at Philippi which are just over the hill from the stream where Paul and Lydia worshipped. Continue reading Acts 16 for further adventures of Paul and Silas at Philippi that landed them in jail and led to the conversion of the jailer and his family coming to know Christ, too. 

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Sermon Reflections from A Future For The Faithful | Alex Hardt | March 26, 2023
 
Considering our world today, Pastor Alex’s sermon topic was exactly what I needed.  Our world is in turmoil and chaos following a worldwide pandemic, natural disasters, wars, famine, economic downturns, etc.  It is hard to watch the news without being depressed.  However, there is light for those of us who believe in Jesus, our Sovereign, and Omniscient God.  As we look to the words of Isaiah the prophet again this week, we see hope and a future guaranteed by God.

What can make this possible?  God and God alone is able to reform and transform our lives and world.  Isaiah 66:1-2a shows God’s perspective on our world. “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?    Where will my resting place be?
2 Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. 

God reminds us that He alone is creator and brought our world into being by His Word.  I know that God did not desire the world to be filled with sin and corruption.  Man brought about those things through his sinful nature and disobedience towards God. 

​How can things be turned around?  Look into God’s Word for the answer.  Isaiah 66:2b shows us “These are the ones I look on with favor:    those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”  To be transformed by God one must be willing and humble yourself before Him, have genuine sorrow for you sins and look to His Word for guidance.  Jesus is the living Word of God- look to Him.  The Bible is the written Word of God-open it and read for guidance and restoration.  God will give us what we need if we are willing and to look to Him.  Above all God desires our hearts and wants to receive us with open arms if we turn to Him. 

What does God see for you and me?  We can’t seem to see beyond tomorrow let alone next year?  God is omniscient and He knows the beginning from the end.  When the Israelites were languishing in captivity in Babylon, God sent this message though Jeremiah the prophet.  Jeremiah 29:10-12 “This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.”  His message gave them hope that their time of captivity was not unending.  We can find hope in that too, as trial and tribulations are time limited.  They will not go on forever!  Praise God!  Further, God had great plans for them, and He has great plans and a purpose for you and me. They are not plans to hurt us or bring us grief but to encourage us and bring us hope.  God sees a future that we can’t envision.  I am so grateful for this truth.

Lastly, God ends the book of Isaiah with hope as He shares a bit of what He has planned for us.  Isaiah 66:22-25  “As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure. 23 From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me,” says the Lord. 24 “And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”  God promises a new place, a new heaven and new earth, which will be enduring.  He also lets us see what will become of those who do not turn to Him.  That is a grim sight that none of us want for our loved ones.  Since God provides us with a Hope that is enduring and future that is secure, why not share that ASAP with those who do not know Him.  None of us wants the alternative reality for those who do not know Him.  Who can you tell today that, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  John 14:6 or John 11:25-26  “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”   

Looking to the future we see the truth in the fact that our HOPE is in surrendering to the future God has envisioned for us.  He knows. He sees ahead.  He can and will guide us.  Tell others so they can be with us too.
Linda
 
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Sermon Reflections from A Faithful Tomorrow | Damon Hopkins | March 19, 2023
 
We had the privilege of hearing from Damon Hopkins again this Sunday.  His text was from Isaiah Chapters 36 and 37.  This is a very rich passage that has much to teach us in 2023.  Damon pointed out that King Hezekiah was remembered for his faithfulness to God.  What a wonderful legacy that I know each one of us would love for our lives.   2 Kings referred to King Hezekiah 18:3 “And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done.  And 18:5 “He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.”  

King Hezekiah chose to believe God when he was in a situation that was ‘against all odds’.  He saw no physical way he could defeat the king of Assyria, Sennacherib. The Assyrian army was brutal and overpowering. They had marched through northern Israel and taken them captive. They had conquered lands and people around Judah.  Sennacherib had his eyes on Judah and was marching towards Jerusalem.  He sent a messenger to ‘scare’ King Hezekiah into submission.  The messenger announce publically that they were doomed and that their God would not and could not save them from the mighty Assyrians.   King Hezekiah sent word to the prophet Isaiah asking him to inquire of the Lord.  Isaiah brought this message of hope from the Lord, Isaiah 37:6-7 “Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me. 7 Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’”  I’m sure Hezekiah was encouraged by this news.

Then, Sennacherib heard that Cush was going to come to Judah’s aid and join the fight.  He sent a letter to King Hezekiah defaming the power and might of God.  Isaiah 37:10 ““Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”  When Hezekiah got the letter he made a bold choice.  He went to the temple and laid the letter before God and prayed: 37:16-20  “O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. 17 Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. 18 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, 19 and have cast their gods into the fire. For they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. 20 So now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.”  

What does King Hezekiah’s prayer say about Hezekiah’s faith?  He knew whom to trust.  He knew that Sennacherib was just a man but God was God and sovereign over all people, place, times and events.  He knew that God was bigger than his greatest fears.  He knew that God would defend His name. He knew where he should place his trust He prayed so that he could move forward.  At present he was blocked in by Sennacherib but that was only temporary as God was greater than this earthly king and would deliver them just like Isaiah had told him.  He chose to trust God when things got difficult. 

What about you?  Do you choose to trust God to provide, rescue and deliver you day by day?  Hezekiah’s hope was propelled forward though prayer.  How do you face difficulties?  Do you chose to go it alone or turn to God and ask Him for help?  Hezekiah followed the advice James gives in James 1:5-6 “ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. James 4:2b-3  You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”   King Hezekiah knew that God had the wisdom and power to save them so He asked in faith, not doubting.  He also knew He needed to humble himself and ask God for help. 

I pray you will take some time this week and read Isaiah 36 and 37.  Let King Hezekiah’s experiences speak to you as you consider how you can incorporate prayer into your life in a new and vibrant way.  Prayer brings results- ask Hezekiah or someone at Crossroads. God answers prayer!

Linda

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ISAIAH: A VISION FOR THE FUTURE | A Faithful Tomorrow
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Alex Hardt    The Altitude of Gratitude, Clicked Into Others on November 20, 2022

Pastor Alex and Pastor Damon gave us a sober reminder this Sunday from Ezekiel 33:2-7.  Did you identify with the watchman? Do you see yourself as one who is a herald for Jesus?  The passage was clear that if we know there is trouble coming and don’t take heed ourselves then the destruction is ours to bear.  If however, we see trouble coming and do not shout a warning to others of the coming destruction then their deaths are on us and God will hold us accountable. 

As a culture we like to think of ourselves as independent and the masters of our own destiny.  The truth for every believer is that we are inter-related to one another in love because of Christ’s love for us.  He loved us first as Romans 5:8 tells us, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Christ specifically commissioned us to tell others and love them.

​John 13:34-35 ““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

You many ask, what does love have to do with it?  If you know something is going to happen to a love one, then you act and try to prevent it, right?  God tells us that each and every believer is a loved one of His and we are to act in love towards them.  He also includes non-believers.  We are to act differently from the world and love them, show them grace and give them the message of salvation.

Romans 10:16-17 remind us, “But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”    We have to tell them about Jesus and His love and sacrifice for all. 

Pastor Alex reminded us that refusing to open your mouth and tell others is considered by God an Act of Rebellion.  It sounds like the child that whines, why me Lord?  Why do I have to tell them?  Why do I have to warn them that “the wages of sin is death” Romans 3:23 and that “ Jesus is the way and no one comes to God except through Him”  John 14:6.  Can’t someone else tell them, I’m busy, I don’t like them, they are mean to me, they aren’t worth it….. Jesus’ answer, is NO!  It is your privilege to tell them about me because you LOVE ME and I LOVE You and I Dwell within you!  Jesus empowers us to tell others and gives us the words and love for them.

This Thanksgiving be bold and speak of the love of Jesus to those around your table.  Tell them of what Jesus has done for you and continues to do each and every day.  Let them know and see your love for Jesus.  I spoke at the memorial for my best friend earlier this year.  The line that God gave me to repeat was, “My friend Joan loved Jesus”.  It was evident in how she spoke and acted.  Words of praise and encouragement were on her lips and she loved to talk about her Savior. She loved Jesus.  What about you? What is on your lips- words of praise and thanksgiving or words of discouragement and selfishness?  If you love Jesus, it will be easy to speak about Him and what He’s done for you.  Damon exemplified this in the story he shared about the job he miraculously got at Safeway that allowed him to share his new faith and new found love for Jesus with others. 

Remember Psalm 107:2 “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
    whom he has redeemed from trouble”

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The Altitude of Gratitude | Climbing the Relationship Mountain
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Sermon series, "The Altitude of Gratitude" Today Alex and Damon teaches from Ezekiel 33:2-7

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October 24, 2022 following Pastor Alex Hardt's sermon of October 23, 2022.

I thought Pastor Alex made a compelling argument as he sought to explain why we can believe in the miracles of science as well as the miracles of faith.  They are not exclusive from one another.  One of the key factors is to look for the goodness of God in all things.  We see God’s goodness reflected in the beauty of the world around us, the intricacy and complexity of all life forms and the vastness of the universe.  I know our ability to see the goodness of God is dimmed by sin.  Before sin entered the world, God’s creation was all good and humankind was very good.  (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 25, 31) Since sin entered the world all creation has suffered.  Paul puts it this way in Romans 8:20-21 “20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.   Man suffers along with all creation due to the effects of sin. One of those effects is doubt.  Eve doubted God’s truthfulness about the effects of eating from the tree of good and evil.  She chose to believe the serpent’s lies.  As a result we all suffer.

We can apply this to science as well.  Do you chose to believe that God created all things or in some big bang force?  Do you believe in the creation of mankind by a benevolent being or by chance or an accident of nature?  Choosing to believe in the goodness of God and His power of creation is a choice of faith.  The Bible tells us that faith is a gift from God.

Ephesians 2:8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—   

What do I do if I don’t have faith?  If you truly desire to believe in God and His Son Jesus- pray and ask God to reveal himself to you.   Open His Word and read and mediate upon it.   Open your eyes and heart to see God in the world around you.  Look at the natural beauty of creation and also the love and kindness of others.  Jesus promises if you seek him, he will be found. Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  God keeps His promises and you will find Him! Be a seeker of His truth and love!

Got Faith?  If you have faith, ask yourself do you live like you believe in God?  Are you open to His leading in your life?  Do you thirst for greater knowledge of who God is and how to serve Him?  Do you live in a way that reflects the goodness of God?  All of these are questions for serious prayer and meditation, but I would encourage you to see that goodness in our character is a result of being with God, being indwelt by His Holy Spirit and knowing Jesus as Savior.  In Christ alone we find the power to behave with goodness and reflect the quality of goodness of God in our lives. 

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  We are personally made by God, His way, to do good things and reflect His glory.   May Paul’s prayer for his fellow Roman Christians be upon our lips and in our hearts as we seek to do good and bring glory to His name.

Romans 15:5-6   “ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is good all the time!
Linda

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Why? God... | Are Science and Faith Opposed?
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Sermon series, "Why? God...." Today Alex Hardt teaches from Luke Genesis 1-2

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I am disturbed when I hear people say, ‘there are many ways to God.’  Jesus spoke plainly that HE was the only way to come into right relationship with God. He is the only one who can make us clean before God. He is the only one who can reconcile us to God and eliminate our sin.
​
Sin is what separates us from God since Adam and Eve brought sin into the world and changed our very natures. We are born with a sin nature- a bent towards sinning. There is no way for man to ‘make himself or herself’ acceptable to God. We cannot be good enough, do enough good works, keep ourselves from having impure thoughts, or just trying to be good. We cannot do it! Only God! According to the scriptures, God’s plan to save humankind is by providing a Savior who will take our burdens, sins, and punishments upon them. Jesus is the only way!

Jesus had gathered his disciples in the upper room for a final session of teaching before his death. He assured them that He was going to prepare a place for them and that they would one day be with him there. Thomas, the doubter, asked “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” in John 14:5.  Jesus answered, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except though me.”   This promise of Jesus gives us hope and assurance. Here are several lessons and truths we can glean from this verse alone.

1. Jesus is the only way to come into a relationship with God. Jesus says plainly it is through him and him alone that we can know and see the Father. Because we know Him, we can know the truths about our Father in heaven.

2. Through Jesus we can have a life that is full and eternal. In Him we can have abundant life that is filled with hope and assurance.                     

3. Jesus reveals the truth that is God and about God. Knowing Jesus leads us to see truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Knowing truth in Jesus brings us to God.

So, what is keeping you from trusting Jesus? Are you having doubts about the exclusivity of Jesus and His way?

Look at John 3:16, it shows why God sent Jesus—it was because He loved us and desired us to be with Him eternally. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to humankind by which we must be saved.”   Paul states it plainly too that Jesus is the only way to salvation.

Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

Just as Jesus assured the disciples, through Him we can know the way to heaven, to an abundant life and greater knowledge of God. Claim it! Live it with Jesus today!

​Linda

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Why? God... | Is Jesus The Only Way?
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Sermon series, "Why? God...." Today Damon Hopkins teaches from John 14:1-7

​If you are local, please join us for our weekly service. Our Sunday service is held at 11:00am.
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