This year we want to hear from you and have your say on what you want to see this new year. We want you to put your thinking hats on and contribute to your church community.

A wise man once said,

“The only failure is the failure to participate.”

The church board members have recently gotten together and brainstormed on fresh new ideas on evangelism, community groups, fundraising events, discipleship and many more.

We felt that in order to put out effective and successful campaigns for the church it needed to reflect our overall goal. Our goal and vision as a church community. It is vital that we come up with a new cohesive mission statement that we can all live and stand by as proud members of Crossroads Community Church.

If every member of our church community adheres and understands the overall goal and mission then it will be reflected and remembered when we engage the community.

Our current mission statement for the last 5 years have been this:

To reflect Christ’s Love in the community by actively engaging in the daily lives of the people.

I can bet you my tithing and offering for this Sunday that nobody remembers it or is even aware of it other than the leaders of the church.

It’s time to change that and we can start by letting you as a member of our church to voice out your thoughts and opinions on what you would like the church to accomplish this year.

After we get all your collective input we will decide on a brand new mission statement that will reflect our goals for this year.

Get out of your sandbox way of thinking and together let’s make it happen!

International Evangelist Adem Xhafer’s wife had a dream. God had spoken and wanted her and her family to come down to a place called Elizabeth. Adem’s family wasn’t sure exactly where Elizabeth is but on November 11, 2009 they made their way down to South Australia to bring God’s Big Good News.

Both my family, Pastor Marco’s and some friends went together to witness the event and hear the Big Good News from Adem and his family. As this was my first time attending an evangelical event I wasn’t sure what to expect.

Watch the highlights of this event.

Watch the entire YouTube Playlist.

After Adem has finished speaking he called to us on the audience to come forward near the front of the stage if we wanted to receive God’s healing. Along the front were Adem’s prayer team compromising of normal people both young and old who were most likely influenced by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

I witnessed people getting healed on the spot and quickly shared their testimony up on stage. The person next to me fell down on his back after getting touched by one of the healers. It was a sight to see.

If you’re shaking your head as you read this then friend you need to soften your heart and clear your mind of any doubt. If you have eyes let them see and if you have ears let them hear.

Let your mind and heart understand for misunderstanding will harden you. (Mark 6:52 – NIV).

“Everything is possible for him who believes.” – Mark 9:23 (NIV)

“…your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed of your suffering.” Mark 5:34 (NIV)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Mark 10:15 (NIV)

I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe the Holy Spirit is at work and inspired me to write this story.

May God be with us and bless us all.

We are so restless and ever be kept so busy with our lives that we have forgotten to stop and be still. Stop and be still right now and allow ourselves to be reminded of what God has commanded us to do.

10 Commandments

1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
3. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
4. Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do.
5. Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

You can find these same 10 Commandments in the Holy Bible from the book of Deuteronomy 5.

What is the Greatest Commandment of them all?

Jesus answered,

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:34-40

Let us learn to stop everything we do and be still. It is only when we are still that we begin to soften our hearts and begin to clear our minds.

Do this daily and pray.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation be deliver us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:9-15

Jesus Christ have taught us this prayer and it’s best we remember and honour it.

Stop and be still.

Remember and never forget who we are.

Visit our website at www.wesleyancrossroads.org

Statistics aside what is your viewpoint on marriage and divorce? What does Jesus Christ say about marriage and divorce?

Matthew 5:31-32 (New International Version)

Divorce

³¹“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³²But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

One of the Ten Commandments is Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery. Based on what we have seen or heard, can we all agree that this 40% has divorced due to marital unfaithfulness? I welcome your thoughts on this and please do comment at the bottom of this article.

Instead of going by society’s norms or what we see and hear on the television or radio. It is important to stop and think about God’s original intention for both man and woman on Earth. This is what Jesus had to say,

Matthew 19 (New International Version)

Divorce

¹When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. ²Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there.³Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

⁴“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? ⁶So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”

⁷“Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

⁸Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

¹⁰The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹²For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

What God has joined together let no man separate. Concentrate on this for this is God’s original plan. Don’t get confused with what Moses have done. Moses at that time was merely putting a proper way of divorcing since every single man was committing adultery. That’s why Jesus said, “...because your hearts were hard…”.  Moses had no choice but to allow divorce and instructed that anyone who does must issue a certificate.

We live in a world dominated by sin. It is because of sin that we have calloused hearts and intoxicated minds. It is because of sin that divorce exists. Jesus Christ died on the cross and paid for the price of our sins but only if we truly accept Him in our hearts can we be saved. For the price of sin is death and suffering in the eternal flames of hell.

Until Jesus Christ returns for the second time to overcome sin once and for all we will continue to fall and sin against God. Therefore we must also continue to humbly ask for forgiveness and mercy as we wait for the return of our King.

Visit our website at www.wesleyancrossroads.org

Matthew 5 (New International Version)

²¹“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²²But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.²³“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Here we see Jesus fulfill one of the commandments from the Old Testament. The commandment says not to murder.  Murder is the deed that can result from dwelling too much on sinful anger.  It is important to note that there is also godly anger which is completely different from sinful anger. Godly anger was demonstrated by Jesus himself as recorded in the book of Mark chapter 11.

²⁷“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ ²⁸But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Jesus again fulfills another law from the Old Testament that commands, Do not commit adultery. Jesus explains that the deed itself is of the same magnitude as lusting in our minds and in our hearts. This is not to say we must gouge our eyes out or cut off our hands if it causes us to sin but to deny ourselves of the things that causes us to sin.

Jesus is saying it is better to suffer the mortification of self denial than suffer eternally in the fires of hell.

We have learned that the deed of murder and adultery is just as bad as we dwell in our sinful thoughts of anger and lust. We must also realize that sin starts from the heart and from the mind. It is where we are most vulnerable and the number one target of the enemy. Therefore we must always be on guard to protect our hearts and our minds.

Visit our website at www.wesleyancrossroads.org

1. You shall have no other gods before Me.
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image–any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
3. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
5. Honour your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.

Many have said and will continue to say to this day that if you’re a true Christian you MUST follow all ten no matter what. OK these are God’s standards and they are very high standards indeed. He is after all holy and perfect in every way. So now the real question is, how can we justify our Christian faith knowing that it is almost impossible to follow all ten consistently?

Pastor Anthony shared with us this past Sunday with this message from Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 3:23-29 (New International Version)

²³Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. ²⁴So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

²⁶You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Many Christians today do the things that they do because they have to. We go to certain events that we don’t want to attend. We act and say things because it is what is expected. We find ourselves in an act of submission to please everyone. The Christian faith today and many other religions has become like a law, part of our culture or even tradition.

What Paul is trying to say in his letter is that we as Christians shouldn’t be following the laws because we have to. That we should keep our faith through Jesus Christ and be under God’s grace because we want to.

Jesus Christ died for you and I so we don’t have to pay for our sins. Before Jesus Christ, all of mankind was destined to pay for their sins in death and the eternal flames of hell. Jesus Christ set you and I free by offering a way back to God. It is the ultimate sacrifice. The ultimate act of love. Only through our faith in Jesus Christ can we be saved.

Therefore we must learn to love one another. Love yourself and your neighbour. Most importantly love God. For if we love ourselves, one another and God we no longer need to be bound by the law or do the things that we do because we have to but because we want to.

Visit our website at www.wesleyancrossroads.org

Do you agree with this? Is the Old Testament no longer valid?

Matthew 5:17-20 (New International Version)

The Fulfillment of the Law

¹⁷“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. ¹⁹Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

It is important to note that the Old Testament talks about the Law of Moses as directed by God and the New Testament talks about “fulfilling” those laws through the teachings of Jesus Christ who is the only son of God.

To understand this scripture from Matthew we need to look at some of the laws that were passed during the time of Moses in the Old Testament.

MURDER

Old Testament: Thou shalt not kill.

New Testament: Jesus said,

²¹“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²²But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca, is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. ²³“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

- Matthew 5

Here we see that Jesus refers to one of the ten commandments that was passed among God’s people during Mose’s time in the Old Testament. Jesus goes on to fulfill the law by extending the meaning behind the law. Jesus is teaching us to love one another. Love your brother or sister as you love yourself.

ADULTERY

Old Testament: Thou shalt not commit adultery.

New Testament: Jesus said,

²⁷“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery. ²⁸But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

- Matthew 5

Again here we see Jesus refer to one of the ten commandments from the Old Testament. Jesus fulfills this law by extending its true meaning beyond the context of the law. Jesus is teaching us that sin comes from the mind and from the heart. So guard our minds and our hearts. Jesus is not saying for us to gouge our eyes or cut our hands physically but to severe the things that causes us to sin. Jesus is telling us to take a stand and fight temptation even at the cost of self-denial, to control our impulses. For it is better to suffer the mortification of self-denial than to suffer eternally in the fires of hell.

We could go on and explore each of the old laws and explain how Jesus fulfills each one of them in the New Testament but the point here is that the laws of the Old Testament is just as relevant as the laws of the New Testament.

Visit our website at www.wesleyancrossroads.org

Matthew 5:13-16:

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? … You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

The key thing to note from this passage in Matthew is that we as Christians have a responsibility to the world. Not just to the church, nor just between family and friends but to the entire world. Hence the message: You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.

Salt is used in food to provide taste. Salt is also used to preserve. So to be the salt of the earth means to provide flavour as in to provide peace and  hope to the earth. To preserve what is good and holy as the way of life.

Today we all live in a dark world filled with so much hate and ignorance. So we must be the light of the world so we may provide light to those who live in these dark times. We must be the light to show the way for those who are lost so they may be found.

Be the salt of the earth. Be the light of the world. The message is simple and straightforward. Let us soften our calloused hearts and clear our intoxicated  minds so that we may understand fully for this is our given task from God.

Visit our website at www.wesleyancrossroads.org

“Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.” – Matthew 5:5

What does it mean to be meek? Most people will probably agree that to be meek means to be weak or to lack of courage.

The only son of God. The long awaited King. Jesus Christ himself showed qualities of being meek. While he was being mocked and tortured because of our blindness and ignorance, he never lifted a finger or did anything to fight back and save himself.  Instead he chose to be humble, to be gentle and submissive. He continued to remain meek until his last dying breath.

YABS! Session 2

It is not easy to be meek. In today’s standards we encourage each other to stand up and fight for we frown upon those who show any sign of weakness.  We need to be proud, stand up, hold your head up high, build and defend our pride is what we say.

All along we forget that we too must learn to be humble which is probably the most important quality compared to what’s been mentioned above. To show gentle attitude to one another regardless of rank, position, standing, wealth and popularity. For we are all equal in God’s eyes.

Matthew 7 (New International Version)

Judging Others

¹“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ²For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.³“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

⁶“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

YABS! Session 2

Continuing on with the next verse in The Beatitudes,

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.” – Matthew 5:6

What does it mean to be righteous in God’s eyes?  Think of three areas of righteousness that will help us ponder on this question.

1. Legal Righteousness – justification of God; to be righteous in God’s eyes through Jesus Christ. This results when we commit to Jesus Christ thus we become legally righteous in God’s eyes.
2. Moral Righteousness – righteousness that is created in us, imparted to us by God’s Holy Spirit following justification as we experience our relationship with God; it is a continuous thirst to be of godly character as we prepare for the coming of God’s Kingdom.
3. Social Righteousness – It is righteousness that involves civil rights, justice in the courts, integrity in business, and honour in home and family.

YABS! Session 2

It is important to note that being a “good person” with “good moral values” is not good enough if the context of being righteous does not involve God.

Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions. We value what you have to say.

For more information on YABS! visit our website at www.wesleyancrossroads.org.

Pastor Henry today during our Sunday Service at Crossroads Church goes on to say something like this,

“We must guard both our minds and our hearts for the enemy is like a predator lurking and waiting to strike at any given moment. For in our minds is where we are most vulnerable and makes for easy target.”

There are four main critical strikes that the devil uses against us when we are not on guard. It is these strikes that hinders us daily from achieving our goals as Christians. We must learn to identify these strikes so we have a fighting chance when the cross-hair is upon us.

DOUBT
It is the state of being unsure, of disbelief and lack of confidence.  The world today is plagued with doubt. Our minds is constantly plagued with doubt. It is destructive and slows us down.

James 1:6 (New International Version)
⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

INDECISION
We suffer with indecision everyday.  Even when we are driving we encounter what is called indecision. You don’t agree? Have you ever raced against a green light not sure whether or not you should stop or contemplate on the thought of maybe playing it safe and slow down in case the red light comes on?  Whenever we are caught in this state of indecision there is no stability so we become clumsy then we stumble and fall down.

John 3:36 (New International Version)
³⁶Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”

DOUBLE-MINDED
Having different minds at different times, unsettled and undetermined.

Matthew 6:24 (New International Version)
²⁴“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

INSTABILITY
It is a state of unreliability and unstable order.

Isaiah 57:20 (New International Version)
²⁰ But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.

The devil’s main goal is to separate us from God. By striking us daily with doubt, indecisiveness, double-mindedness, and instability we make ourselves unstable, clumsy and further away from our Father.

We must get up and build  a defensive fortress and defend our minds and our hearts from the evil one. We must continue to seek righteousness and build a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. Read the good word and practice the good word.

Matthew 7:24-27 (New International Version)

The Wise and Foolish Builders

²⁴“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”