Transformers

It is only in moments of adversity that heroes emerge; those who have the courage to stand up in adversity and transform difficult situations into moments of victory.
 
Moses, Abraham, and Joshua were great men of God who transformed their world.  But what made them different? Join us this weekend at Crossroads Church as we look at the ways God changed them and used their lives to transform their world!  Let God transform you so you can help transform the world too!

Insights on Mark 8

·      When Jesus shows up it gathers a crowd.

·      Jesus cares about the even the small needs of those who follow him.  Even if they are hungry.  He is full of compassion.

·      When Jesus has compassion none of our “buts” will stop him.

·      Compassion becomes a challenge to change if we let it in.

·      Jesus is thankful for food.

·      God will provide.

·      What will it take to prove that Jesus is real to you?

·      We who follow Jesus often underestimate him.

·      Doubt can spread quickly.

·      Jesus will always provide.

·      Who is Jesus? The most important question we all have to answer.

·      Do you follow Jesus or do you ask him to follow you?

·      Life: If you find it you will loose it.  If you loose it you will find it.  This is difficult to live.

·      We need to follow Jesus through the hard times as well as the good.

·      Don’t be ashamed of Jesus.

Humble Pie

I like dessert.  I like cakes, ice cream, brownies and especially pies:  cherry pie, peach pie, pumpkin pie and my favorite - apple pie.  But there is one pie that no one likes - the bitter taste of humble pie!

Last week I was watching the NBA finals and saw one of my favorite NBA players, LeBron James, get served a great big piece of humble pie.  I have watched LeBron since he was a 16-year-old kid in high school.

I watched LeBron develop as a young man at St. Vincent - St. Mary High School and once had the opportunity to stand next to him as he shot on the pick-up court when he was a high school junior.  I celebrated as he was drafted by my favorite team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and cheered for him as he developed into one of the best players in the world.  Last summer, I mourned when he left for Miami and I have to admit I smiled a little when he took a big bite of that humble pie last week. 

This week at Crossroads Church in Cranberry we are finishing our series entitled Surprised by looking at the Surprise of Unplanned Honor.  None of us like the bitter taste of humble pie and in Luke 14:7-14 Jesus shows us how humility allows us to experience the richness of God’s kingdom. 

Join us this week as we continue to be surprised by what Jesus says and does!

Surprised: Unexpected Requirement

Have you ever showed up at restaurant under-dressed?  No one likes to be surprised with an unexpected dress requirement when they are going out to eat dinner.  It is embarrassing to have to wear the restaurant issued maroon sport coat! 

This week at Crossroads Church in Cranberry, we are continuing our series entitled: Surprised by looking at the Unexpected Requirement Jesus gives for those who want to enter heaven.  Many of us have spent our lives trying to be good enough to earn God’s favor. However, this week we will see what Jesus says we need to do in order to enjoy eternal life with Him. 

Take some time this week to read Luke 13:22-35 and join us this weekend as we continue to be surprised by the unexpected things that Jesus says and does.

Audio: Unpredictable Mercy

"Unpredictable Mercy" is a weekend message I preached at Crossroads Church in Cranberry. A growing faith community in the north hills of Pittsburgh, PA.

Thoughts on Luke 13:10-17

·      Jesus taught inside the religious system of his time, but He sought to refine it.

·      The spiritual can affect the physical.

·      Jesus has the power to set us free from spiritual and physical pain.  When he does this, it is always a surprise.  His mercy will reach unexpected people at unpredictable times in unusual ways. 

·      God often uses the humble of this world to teach the proud.  The bent-over to teach the upright.

·      Jesus is not afraid to touch pain and when he does this things change on all levels.

·      Our response to Jesus’ work shows our heart.  It reveals who is in charge.  If we long for control even mercy can be unsettling.

·      What limits do you put on Jesus?  What is your box?  Sometimes our boxes can protect evil. 

·      Jesus cares more about people than systems.  He gives titles to the forgotten.

·      One of the great challenges of the developed world is the relationship of the individual to the system.  All too often a man ceases to be a person and becomes a piece of the machine. (this is all too true in the church today) Jesus lifts up the value of the individual.

·      Jesus can threaten the plans of man.  Our serving must trump our schedule.  Jesus is not convenient. 

Surprised: Unpredictable Mercy

There are times in life when mercy can be unsettling.  Many of us live by a core belief system that says: If we are “good” and care for others then things will turn out well, but if we are “bad” or make poor choices then we deserve punishment. 

But what happens when Jesus surprises us and breaks this rule?  What happens when he gives mercy when we deserve punishment?  This week at Crossroads Church in Cranberry we will be continuing our series entitled Surprised by looking at the Unpredictable Mercy of Jesus in Luke 13:10-17. 

Join us this weekend as we continue to be surprised by what Jesus says and does.

Responses to Adversity

Over the past few months my wife and I have been teaching our daughter how to respond in moments of adversity. 

She is a very talented and intelligent seven year-old (I know, I am a proud father) and we have noticed that she often becomes overly frustrated when things don’t come easily to her.  It is in these moments of adversity that we remind her that she chooses optimism or pessimism and this choice will directly impact her future.

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of working with thousands of talented and intelligent leaders in the church.  Looking back, I can say that the same is true for them as well. 

Whether it is planting a church, starting a business, or growing a relationship the daily choice is ours.  Many people can start great things based on talent and ability but when we face adversity and we all will, it is our choice whether to look at it with optimism or pessimism. 

Here are some great thoughts on Adversity from Os Hillman.  You can find more of his thoughts here: http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/tgif/

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Hab. 3:17-18).

When we experience adversity, we generally respond in one of three ways: (1) we become angry; (2) we try to gut it out; or (3) we accept it with joy.

Anger

When adversity comes our way, we say, "Why me, Lord?" We become bitter and resentful and blame God and others for our problems. We view ourselves as victims and demand that God answer our accusing questions: "Why don't You love me, Lord? We feel entitled to life, health, wealth, and happiness.

Gutting It Out

Another way we respond to adversity is by adopting a stoic attitude, repressing our emotions. We lie to ourselves and say, "I'm gutting it out. I'm demonstrating endurance." In reality, we are merely isolating ourselves with a shell of false bravado. We don't meditate on God's love, we don't pray, we don't believe God really has anything good planned for us. We simply tell ourselves, "This will soon be over. I'm a survivor." We never receive what God has planned for us if we stay here.

Acceptance with Joy

This is the response God seeks from us. When adversity comes, we rest in His love and trust that He knows best. We realize that nothing can happen to us without His permission. If there is pain in our lives, we know it's because God deems it necessary for our growth or wishes to use our pain to minister to others.

God revealed to the prophet Habakkuk that Israel was soon to be invaded by the Babylonians. Habakkuk knew that Israel was about to suffer intense adversity as part of God's loving discipline of His people. Habakkuk faced the looming national tragedy with an attitude of acceptance with joy.

If Habakkuk could be joyful in the face of a national calamity, then we can rejoice in the Lord no matter what comes our way.

Unexpected Return

"Unexpected Return" is a weekend message I preached at Crossroads Church in Cranberry, a growing faith community in the north hills of Pittsburgh, PA. 

 

Audio: Hearing God

Surprised!

Have you ever been surprised?  It was a couple of weeks before my 18^th birthday and some of friends of mine asked if I would go out and eat dinner with them.  To me, at the time, this seemed normal.  We went out almost every weekend and food was usually part of the plan.  After dinner, one of the guys said, “Let’s go back to your house, Mike, and play some ping-pong!”  Again this seemed normal as we did this often on the weekends as well.  However, this was not a “normal” night. 

 

As we walked in the house and headed to the basement, there were a couple of clues.  First, my friends were way too happy to play ping-pong.  We often did this as a last resort but this night it was all that they wanted to do!  Second, my parents were also very happy that we were playing ping-pong.  This too seemed a little unusual. 

As we headed down the stairs, I thought I heard something. As I turned on the light, 50 of my closest friends yelled at the top of their lungs, “Surprise!” 

This week at Crossroads Church in Cranberry we are starting a new series entitled: Surprise!  In the gospel of Luke, Jesus taught and did many things that people just did not expect.  Just when thy thought they knew God’s way, Jesus startled them with the unexpected.  In these passages, Jesus shows us that he cannot be boxed-in and that he might even surprise us!

Join us this week as we look at Luke 12:35-48 and how Jesus may surprise us with an unannounced return!

Audio: You Can Be Forgiven

You Can Be Forgiven from Mike Arnold on Vimeo.

You Can Be Forgiven is a weekend message I preached at Crossroads Church in Cranberry. A growing community of faith in the north hills of Pittsburgh, PA.