This is how people will know we are of God. Jesus calls His followers to love each other at a higher standard, the way He loves us. This encompasses everything that Jesus did and does for us, even going to the cross on our behalf. Christ's love begins at the cross. Our ability to love one another is a sign of our salvation. Christ lived in a way that refused exaltation. This allowed him to love in a way that made exaltation possible for others. He lived a life that was not his own, so that we mi...
Mar 05, 2023•27 min
This is the first way people will know God’s love. This is also considered the second greatest commandment by Christ Himself, so it should be important to us. This is the foundation, the baseline for how we love everyone, and everything else is built upon it. A single question has the power to change the world. Our neighbor is the one who loves us when others would leave us. Too many of us are concerned with others receiving what they deserve, when Christ ensured that we would never have to be i...
Feb 27, 2023•38 min
A humble believer sees God’s provision in all things and can find contentment regardless. Humility allows us to show appreciation for the love of others. Paul had needs. What he had lost was his anxieties. Anxiety says "What am I going to do about this situation"? Faith says "I know God is working in this situation." It’s one thing to say that God is in control. To live that way is an accomplishment. Humility allows Christians to find equilibrium in the imbalance of life....
Feb 20, 2023•26 min
A humble Christian never sees him or herself as a completed work. They continue to push forward towards the Lord. The pinnacle of spiritual maturity can only be obtained when humility is perfected. Humility allows us to find joy in the pursuit of Christ while refusing to rest on past accomplishments or be discouraged by past failures. To rest on what we have done well is to rely on our own merit. To allow past failures to consume us and slow our progress is to ignore God's grace....
Feb 13, 2023•29 min
A humble believer's affection for Christ doesn’t waiver due to their circumstances. Circumstances should never influence our influence on others. An attitude of humility allows a believer to experience a faith of longevity. In our humility, we know that no human accomplishment is worthy of boasting. All of us can find something to boast about. But humility will not allow us to misjudge our own righteousness. Humility recognizes that Christ is greater than anything we ourselves can provide....
Feb 06, 2023•30 min
Lights shine, and our job as Christians is to shine light on what is right and good. We live in a world shrouded with darkness. We are to be lights in this world of darkness. What is light for the believer? Jesus. We follow and obey Jesus because that’s the only way to reflect the light of Christ. We are to stand strong and unyielding in our faith and devotion to Christ so that the world might not be swallowed by darkness.
Jan 30, 2023•26 min
Humble Christians seek to imitate Christ in the way they live their life. Christ himself was the perfect example of humility, even denying his own Godliness. Humble Christians seek unity with the body of Christ. By definition, a Bible believing, God-fearing, Christ-loving Christian is humble. A spirit of pride in human relationships indicates a lack of humility before God. Christ wasn’t held to the cross by the nails in his hand and feet. It was his humility that kept him there in your place....
Jan 23, 2023•29 min
A humble believer seeks to exalt Christ rather than themselves regardless of their own circumstances. Humble Christians are more concerned with spiritual deliverance than physical deliverance. It seems that humility exists in us because we are faithful. And that because we are faithful, we are able to approach life with humility. A humble Christian’s purpose for living isn’t to glorify themselves, but to ensure that Christ be glorified in and through them. Humble Christians put others' needs bef...
Jan 15, 2023•29 min
A humble believer's only concern is the advancement of the Gospel. There is no room for self-adoration. Humility allows us to see life's tragedies as learning opportunities. Humble Christians will share those stories in an attempt to help others. Humiliated Christians will hide their hurts in hopes that the shame will remain hidden. Humble Christians put the advancement of the Gospel before anything else.
Jan 08, 2023•24 min
Humility begins with seeing ourselves as a servant. And as servants we should seek the betterment of others even at our own expense. Humility begins with seeing ourselves as servants of Jesus Christ. Humility continues with an earnest desire to see others flourish. A humble Christian also gives thanks and shows appreciation for others. A humble Christian is made better and not bitter by their circumstances. Humble Christians don't let their circumstances affect the way they value others. Humble ...
Jan 02, 2023•28 min
What good is keeping the gospel to ourselves? How can we share good news if we are at war with the world around us? We should seek peace with the world. If we are not people of peace, Christ will not be seen in us. Our goal should be to live in such a way that the only way we offend others is by sharing the good news and great joy that Christ has come.
Dec 25, 2022•21 min
Grace is the free, God-determined gift born out of Christmas and God alone. It’s a gift to the response of faith. A Reward, for work we didn’t do. Light may cast a shadow, but its purpose is to illuminate. Faith is a prerequisite for the gift of grace. We rest spiritually with Christ where he rests physically, in Heaven. We can have confidence that our salvation is finalized at the point of faith, because of what Christ accomplished on the cross.
Dec 19, 2022•21 min
The response to God’s love is faith. Faith and love are intertwined. Those who have placed their faith in Jesus will love others and they will recognize Jesus as their king. Faith is the proper response to experiencing the love which justifies our hope. In Bethlehem, there is a place referred to as Migdal Eder, which literally means “Tower of the Flock”. Nothing says "I believe" more than a willingness to share. You have a story of how you were introduced to Jesus and how he changed your life. T...
Dec 04, 2022•26 min
Love is the Fruit of Hope. God loved us enough to provide justification for our hope. He gave us his son, and his son loved us so much that he gave us his life. Everything that we place our hope in fails to love us, but the Lord in whom we place our hope loves us perfectly. Christ came so that you might realize hope and experience love.
Nov 27, 2022•24 min
We all hope for better, we hope for rescue. God provided a reason and sincerity for our hope - Jesus. Jesus was the hope of the world and the light in the darkness. Jesus is our reason to hope. The Gospel thrives because hope was born in a manger. My hope cannot be extinguished. My hope is not reliant on circumstance. My hope is in the Lord.
Nov 20, 2022•25 min
How can you be a member of a church? By serving the body and its community. Church members take ownership of its ministry. Our best ability is our availability. Church members love one another as family. Church members put each other first even if it comes at their own expense. Church members serve the Lord above all else and do so diligently and enthusiastically. Church members push through times of struggle and frustration to make the church into something better than it is....
Nov 13, 2022•26 min
Why become a member of a church? Because we need one another. We aren’t meant to journey this life alone. The success of our faith depends on the support of the body. Being a church member is not just about being inside the building. It’s about what’s taking place in the building. Encouragement is worth the price of admission. The more you miss church, the less you miss church, and the more you feel amiss in church. The Great Commission is an instruction that the individual is responsible for, b...
Nov 06, 2022•33 min
When should you become a member of a church? When you have faith in God, confidence in its leadership and direction, and you build familial ties with its members, it’s time to commit. When should you become a member of a church? When you are a believer. When you feel led. When you have a connection. When you feel you can serve.
Oct 30, 2022•26 min
What should members of a church do? Support its ministry financially. Healthy churches only exist when they collaboratively cover the cost of existing. Few things show greater faith in God or a body of believers than giving. Church members support the ministry financially. This tithe, like our tithe, is an act of obedience to God and Scripture. Giving should be proportional to each one's earnings. When you aren't contributing what you are able to in church, you're allowing someone else to fund y...
Oct 23, 2022•44 min
This is part 1 of our new 5-week series focusing on the Who, What, When, Why, and How of Church membership. This week - who should make up the members of a Church? The answer is simple: everyone who considers them a believer. You don’t have to go to church to be a Christian but you do if you want to live according to the Bible. YOU are needed as a member of the Church if you are following after Christ.
Oct 16, 2022•18 min
Jesus weeps, Jesus feels, Jesus works on behalf of those who place their trust in him. The strength of our relationship with God can be seen in our ability to express faith in a state of heartbrokenness. Only through Christ can death unlock new life. Jesus wept. Christ isn't bound by human constraints. Jesus is calling you out of your grave.
Oct 09, 2022•26 min
Jesus is the sustainer of life and he is all we need. Not only does he feed the five thousand, but he will sustain us as well. Why do we work so hard for perishable gain? Christ makes it abundantly clear. If we look at the character of God and the character of Christ it should be no surprise: God’s gift (his providence) is just that, a gift. So often we beg God for signs as if our current state of blessing isn’t enough. Part of the reason our blessing isn’t proof enough is because we don’t credi...
Oct 03, 2022•28 min
In John 4, we see that Jesus went where the Jews refused to go (Samaria) in order to find a woman who needed the Savior. The world is looking to quench a thirst they don’t know how to satisfy but we have what they are looking for. It’s important that we help them realize this and help them find it. Christ isn’t concerned with that which would separate you from him. He instead focuses on how he might bring you into the fold. We seek fulfillment from a broken world. We should be seeking for fulfil...
Sep 25, 2022•34 min
We must be born again. The good news is that Jesus came to make that possibility a reality. In John 3, we see a member of the Sanhedrin approach Jesus and ask about eternal life. It was offered to him and it is offered to us today. The rebirth isn't reincarnation. The rebirth is regeneration. Repentance is the prerequisite for regeneration by the Spirit. Being born into sin is not a reason to continue to live in sin. This gift is not to be earned, but to be given. All we need to do is receive it...
Sep 18, 2022•31 min
Jesus was angry because they turned the temple into a marketplace. Sometimes we act as if we have to sell people on coming to church, when really the only thing we need to market is God. Traditions aren't a bad thing. Church isn't about what we have to offer but what God has to offer. It's better to die because of the truth than live for the fanfare.
Sep 11, 2022•27 min
John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus carried weight with those that trusted him. Our testimony is our strongest evangelism tool. Will you vouch for Jesus? John knows exactly who he is and he can explain it to those questioning him. John’s testimony tells who Jesus is. God gave us our story / testimony to be shared. God paid for our whole story because it gives him glory. Don’t rob him of his glory. His grace has already defeated that which we are ______ to share. Our past has no power over u...
Sep 04, 2022•23 min
The Word became flesh. Christ was the personification of scripture, the walking embodiment of everything God was trying to teach his people. This is why we can trust the word of God, and those that wrote it. The Word is eternal. The Word gives life. The Word dispels darkness. It’s through his light that our sin is revealed to us and if we chose to receive him, it is through his light that darkness is stamped out of us. That which can’t be seen but only heard took human form. Existing out of the ...
Aug 28, 2022•33 min
Sometimes we need someone to serve as our de facto guidance counselor/conscience/encourager. That’s what Mordecai was for Esther. Mordecai had the conviction while Esther had the means. In order for guidance to be effective, we have to have the trust of those we are advising. Great teammates aren't in it for them. They're in it for the success of others and they offer guidance with that in mind. Guidance from a trusted source inspires others to take chances. Guidance in strong team relationships...
Aug 14, 2022•28 min
In Nehemiah 4:15-23, we see the Israelites hard at work at building the wall of Jerusalem. There was a long list of things to do. The completion of many tasks takes teamwork. We need to encourage each other along the way so that the work can get done, sharing the responsibility as much as possible. Large undertakings require an “all hands on deck” approach. Don't forget the encouragement along the way. Sometimes an "all hands on deck" approach requires you to have your hands in multiple areas....
Aug 07, 2022•30 min
On Jake’s last Sunday with us, he’s teaching the things that CrossPoint has taught him over the past 6 years. It’s what the Church should look like and how a follower of Jesus can grow in their relationship with him. CrossPoint has taught me: All about sin All about Scripture All about time All about serving All about prayer
Jul 31, 2022•43 min
