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OH LORD Plead MY CASE!
[Music and Arts Ministries]
11/20/2009
By Admin, Admin
How spiritually mature are you?
[Men's Ministries]
11/19/2009
By Bittinger, Paul
Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. In a recent revival we had the speaker said a sign of spiritual maturity was how long it took you to repent when you sinned. If you get into a situation with someone else are you able to not get angry and comment? This scripture says; the wisdom or intelligence of a man makes him wait before he gets angry and reacts, and it is an honor to allow the situation to pass without conflict. Can you do this?
Check yourself today. Ask God to search your heart and see how spiritually mature you are. He is calling us to a higher level today! If you have been a Christian for a while now, God is calling for you to enter the front lines.
Have a Blessed Day and remember Jesus loves You!
Paul Bittinger, Director of Men's Ministries
A man that has God Must show himself Godly!
[Men's Ministries]
11/18/2009
By Bittinger, Paul
Proverbs 18:24 A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. If you are friends with someone that probably means you spend time with this person, you have common interest you more than likely do activities of some sort together. If you are mean to people odds are they are not going to be your friend. So to have friends you have to be friendly.
Here is my thought; if a man that has friends has to show himself friendly, then a man that has God MUST show himself Godly! You know me gotta pry a little bit! What have you done today to show yourself Godly? As we see from above to be friends with someone, it requires knowing them and spending time with them. Our common interest must become the Lords common interest. When we are friends with the Lord we will want to do things that we both like to do.
Today will you set some time aside to become a closer friend to the Lord? Will you ask Him if there is anything He would like you to do for Him? If you will be friends with the Lord, He will be your friend also, and as it says He will stick to you closer than a brother.
Have a Wonderful Day!
Paul Bittinger, Director of Men's Ministries
Got Love?
[Women's Ministries]
11/18/2009
By Bittinger, Jamie
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV)
If we do not have love, we have nothing. We can have gifts and talents, but they are no good to anyone without love. We can work and give all, but it means nothing without love. Love is the greatest gift. Love is what will endure! (see 1 Corinthians 13)
Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud.
It is not rude. It does not look out for its own interest. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of other people's wrongs. Love is not happy with evil, but it is full of joy when the truth is spoken. It always protects. It always trusts. It always hopes. It never gives up. 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 (NIRV)
The Word of God describes love for us. Do we have it?
Be Blessed!
Jamie Bittinger, Director of Women's Ministries at Crossroads
Lord wants us to lead a peaceful life...
[Men's Ministries]
11/17/2009
By Bittinger, Paul
Todays scripture is Proverbs 17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house full of sacrifices with strife. What can I say to this? Do you go through the motions of what church has become today? In your mind are you doing what you think is supposed to be done to be the format of a Christian? I feel really strong today that the Lord wants all of us to look at what we are doing! I don't want to overstep my boundaries with an analyzation of this scripture, but I read this as saying its better to be dry and quiet than to go through the motions and rituals if you have strife in your life. This tells me the Lord wants us to lead a peaceful life, if you never miss church and you speak about the Lord to everyone yet you rip your family members or co-workers up with your words, I think that could classify as strife
(controversy).
Search yourselves today, ask the Lord to search your heart. We can do what we think is sacrificing for the Lord all we want, but unless the sacrifice is Bible backed it is in vain. Bible backed would be removing the strife from our lives, whether it be by controlling our words in situations or removing the person that causes strife in our life. Don't let your sacrifice for the Lord be in Vain.
Have a Great day today in Jesus Name!
Paul Bittinger, Director of Men's Ministries
Don't allow pride to rule you
[Men's Ministries]
11/17/2009
By Bittinger, Paul
Todays scripture I believe is very well known and quoted all the time but lets go ahead and take a look at it. Proverbs16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. This is a very basic principal but I believe the Lord wants us to understand that we are nothing without Him. You know it is very easy to get into a situation were you want to be right and you feel you want to get your point across that you are right and they are wrong. I believe that is pride. One definition of pride is best in a class. This is a very dangerous place to be after all it was pride that led Lucifer to the place where he is at today.
Have you allowed pride to control a situation in your life? I encourage you today, if you have allowed pride to rule in something in your life, make it right. Don't allow pride to rule you, this passage of scripture says pride comes before a fall, and a haughty spirit (which is living a life that is prideful ) comes before a fall. The Lord will allow us all to fall if we think we are something. He will show us we are nothing without Him.
Have a Wonderful week this week!
Paul Bittinger, Director of Men's Ministries
Oh! I want to see HIM!
[Music and Arts Ministries]
11/16/2009
By Admin, Admin
Carolyn Smith, Music Ministry at Crossroads
If your lazy you will have nothing...
[Men's Ministries]
11/13/2009
By Bittinger, Paul
Proverbs 13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat. Proverbs13:23 Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.
This is a basic principal of the bible, if your lazy you will have nothing, but if you are diligent to pursue things you will be made fat. I think too many times, we as Christians expect the Lord to just drop things in our lap and He may do that sometimes, but for the most part we have to be aggressive to get to where we want to go. Lets look at verse 23, now imagine you are a farmer, you harvest all your crops and you have the money from that. You want a new tractor so you spend all your money on this new tractor, and now you don't have food for the winter. Is that the way of the Lord?
We realize we cannot have things unless we are diligent, but we also have to be wise. Verse 23 says you can work hard and get food, but you convince yourself you need things ( judgment) and you are ruined. The word fat above as we seen in an earlier lesson means anoint, so the diligent person will be anointed. I believe the Lord wants us to be diligent and anointed for His cause, I believe the Lord is looking at souls here. If we will be diligent to seek the Lords work, He will allow us to be anointed and if we will not allow ourselves to be greedy, we will find our lives blessed. Today, will you put your hand to the plow, will you be wise in the fruit of your labor?
Have a Great Weekend! See you Sunday.
Paul Bittinger, Director of Men's Ministries at Crossroad
PS...The student ministries are doing a fund raiser at the Waffle House on Needmore and also the one in Vandalia today from I think 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm. If you can go there and eat when you pay your bill just mention your there to support Crossroads Church of God, if 20 people do this Waffle House will give the youth I believe it's 25% of all the money brought in on this particular shift. This money will help fund the trip to Winterfest this year.
So if possible come out and support our church family, there will be people from our church at both locations.
Remove any pride you may have?
[Men's Ministries]
11/12/2009
By Bittinger, Paul
Proverbs 12:23 A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.
You know we live in a very competitive world today, it is so very easy to get caught up in the things of this world. We want nicer cars, bigger houses, smarter children and better jobs than everyone else we know. The scripture today says that a wise person never brags on the knowledge, experience or education that he has, but a foolish person wants to point out all of their wisdom. They want to make sure that everyone doesn't miss something about how smart or intelligent they are, so they try to indirectly point it out.
Today, I believe the Lord would want us to see that we should not be prideful, when we break it down it is pride that wants everyone to think we are "something". I am reminded of the scripture in Matthew when it says when you give gifts don't give them before men otherwise you have no reward in heaven. The Lord does not want us to do things out of our own self, He wants us to do things out of the love He has for us! Will you search your heart today? Will you ask the Lord to remove any pride you may have? Remember the Lord is taking us through this to refine us and purify us for a greater work in these last days!
Have a Wonderful Day!
Paul Bittinger, Director of Men's Ministries at Crossroads
Matthew 25 Ministries • Next Saturday, November 21
[Local and World Missions]
11/11/2009
By Warren, Katrina
Matthew 25 Ministries
Join us on Saturday, November 21. We will be leaving from the church at 8:00 a.m.
Matthew 25 Ministries is located in Blue Ash, Ohio. We volunteer once a month for this organization that provides humanitarian relief locally and internationally. We'll see you then!
Katrina "T" Warren, Director of Local and World Missions at Crossroads
God is holding You TODAY!
[Music and Arts Ministries]
11/11/2009
By Admin, Admin
“Underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deut. 33:27
God—the eternal God—is Himself our support at all times, and especially when we are sinking in deep trouble. There are seasons when the Christian sinks very low in humiliation. Under a deep sense of his great sinfulness, he is humbled before God till he scarcely knows how to pray, because he appears, in his own sight, so worthless. Well, just remember that when you are at thy worst and lowest, yet “underneath” thee “are everlasting arms.” Sin may drag you ever so low, but Christ’s great atonement is still under all. You may have descended into the depths, but you cannot have fallen so low as “the uttermost”; and to the uttermost He saves. Again, and again and again! The Christian sometimes sinks very deeply in dark triasl from without. Every earthly prop is cut away. What then? Still underneath him are “the everlasting arms.” He cannot fall so deep in distress and affliction but what the covenant grace of an ever-faithful God will still encircle him. The Christian may be sinking under trouble from within through fierce conflict, but even then he cannot be brought so low as to be beyond the reach of the “everlasting arms”—they are underneath him; and, while thus sustained, all Satan’s efforts to harm him avail nothing.
This assurance of support is a comfort to any weary but earnest worker in the service of God. It implies a promise of strength for each day, grace for each need, and power for each duty. And, further, when death comes, the promise shall still hold good. When we stand in the midst of
Have a wonderful day!
Carolyn Smith, Music Ministry Crossroads Church See you all tonight! Praise Team and Band practice at 6 prior to church service!
The harvest is right Now!
[Men's Ministries]
11/10/2009
By Admin, Admin
Today's scripture is Proverbs 10:5, He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
I have attached a picture to this email, I know this is out of the ordinary, but I feel like this is where the Lord is leading us today. As I was driving down the road God was dealing with me about this wheat field in the picture, I took a picture as I was driving. I could not get the picture out of my head. If you can see the pic good enough you can see that it is a wheat field, but if you look close, you can see some weeds in there and maybe even a stock of corn. I thought of the church, I thought this is the church, all of the wheat is the Christians and the weeds are the tares the bible speaks of. God finally at that time spoke to me and said this is not what you think it is, He said the wheat you see are the people who don't know me, they need to be told about me, the weeds are the people who refuse to know me.
The point of today, God has saved our souls so that we may in turn win souls to His Kingdom and He will be Glorified. When I get to Heaven, I want the Lord to look at me and say, you are My wise son. I don't know about you but I don't want to cause my Lord any shame.
Family the harvest is right NOW! The times we are living in is our greatest hour to Glorify the Lord. Will you do your part, ask the Lord to search your heart and priorities today, see what He tells you. Join the Band of Brothers Ministry in reaching a lost world.
Have a Blessed Day!
Paul Bittinger, Director of Men's Ministries at Crossroads
God is My Refuge!
[Music and Arts Ministries]
11/10/2009
By Admin, Admin
“The eternal God is thy refuge.” Deut. 33:27
Home, too, is the place of our truest and purest happiness: and it is in God that our hearts find their deepest delight. We have joy in Him which far surpasses all other joy. It is also for home that we work and labour. The thought of it gives strength to bear the daily burden, and quickens the fingers to perform the task; and in this sense we may also say that God is our home. Love to Him strengthens us.
We think of Him in the person of His dear Son; and a glimpse of the suffering face of the Redeemer constrains us to labour in His cause. We feel that we must work, for we have brethren yet to be saved, and we have our Father’s heart to make glad by bringing home His wandering sons; we would fill with holy mirth the sacred family among whom we dwell.
Happy are those who have thus the God of Jacob for their refuge!
Have a blessed day see you all tonight!
Carolyn Smith, Director of Music Ministries at CrossroadsThe Lord can use anyone or anything He wants to teach us...
[Men's Ministries]
11/10/2009
By Admin, Admin
If you can take a couple of minutes today read Chapters 8 and 9 in the Proverbs. Our text today is in chapter 9 it says Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
Chapter 8 tells us that wisdom was set up before the Earth was created, when He prepared the Heavens wisdom was there. If you read chapter 8, you can see that wisdom is a very important thing, it had to be, right, for God to have it with Him at the foundation of time.
Verse 6 in chapter 9 says forsake (turn away from) foolish, and live. Wisdom, we also learn will multiply not add, days to ours lives. The whole point today, wisdom is a key principal the Lord has given us. Our scripture in verse 9 says give instruction to a wise man and he will be wiser.
If someone gives you instructions today, will you get mad or will you choose to get wiser? I know sometimes it is hard for me to receive instruction but the Lord can use anyone or anything He wants to teach us. If He can use a donkey to speak, He can surely use a co-worker, sibling, mom, dad or child, you fill in the blank today. Think about this throughout your day today.
Have a great week this week!
Paul Bittinger, Director of Men's Ministries at Crossroads
How is your Walk?
[Music and Arts Ministries]
11/09/2009
By Admin, Admin
Carolyn Smith, Minister of Music at Crossroads
If we have received Christ, Himself in our inter-most part of our hearts, our NEW life will manifest its intimate acquaintance with Him by a walk of faith in Him. Walking implies action. Our religion is not to be confined to our closet; we must carry it out into the practical everyday life that we believe in and live. If a man walks in Christ, then he so acts as Christ would act; for Christ being in him, his hope, his love, his joy, his life, he is the reflection of the image of Jesus; and men say of that man, “He is like his Master; he lives like Jesus Christ.” Walking signifies progress. “So walk in Him”; proceed from grace to grace, run forward until you reach the uttermost degree of knowledge that a man can attain concerning our Beloved Savior. Walking implies continuance. There must be a perpetual abiding in Christ. How many Christians understand that it is important …morning and evening to come into the company of Jesus, but then give their hearts to the world all the day: this is poor living; we should always be with Him, following in His steps and doing His will. Walking also implies habit. When we speak of a man’s walk and conversation, we mean his habits, the constant mood of his life. Now, if we sometimes enjoy Christ, and then forget Him; sometimes call Him ours, and many still lose our hold, that is not a habit; we do not walk in Him. We must keep to Him, cling to Him, never let Him go, but live and have our being in Him. “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him”; persevere him in the same way in which we started with HIM, and, as at the first Christ Jesus was the trust of your faith, the source of your life, the principle of your action, and the joy of your spirit, so let Him be the same till life’s end; the same when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and enter into the joy and the rest which remain for the people of God. O Holy Spirit, enable us to obey this heavenly precept.