Crossing Family, Some of us own our homes, some of us rent our homes, some may be staying with a family or friend and some of us may still live in our parents homes. Today we are not only going to talk about where we live, but what company we keep and how that company can affect the desires of our heart. We pray that God opens our hearts today to hear his words. We love you and are glad you are here! By His Grace, Greg and Tamara Dumas
DID YOU MISS 2010 VISION NIGHT? If you missed our special 2010 Vision Night we would like to invite you to watch our First Wednesday service online. We celebrated what God did in 2009 and took a sneak peak to what we feel God is calling us to do in 2010. If you missed it, we pray you will find an opportunity to catch the vision online! The service is available at www.crossingonline. org/archives
JANUARY’S KP3 FOCUS: PRESENCE For the month of January we are teaching our elementary kids what it means to be in the presence of God. The one big thing we want them to know by the end of this month is this: When I spend time with God I know I will be different. Week 2 Today’s Big Idea: When I spend time with God, my friends will see I’m good because God will take care of me. Scripture: Luke 14:11 Mom & Dad… Today we learned that if we try to make others like us, it won’t always work, but God said that He will take care of us when we trust Him no matter what. Talk with your kids about a time when God took good care of you.
BABY DEDICATION Our next baby dedication services are on January 23rd and 24th, 2010. A special Mother’s Brunch will be held on Saturday, January 23rd to provide fellowship, encouragement and more information on what will happen during the baby dedication service. To register, log onto www.crossingonline.org/bdedication. January 11th is the sign-up deadline. For questions or for more information, please contact Tiffany Ogborn, Associate Jungle Jam Coordinator, at (813) 6260783 ext. 151 or by e-mail at togborn@crossingonline.org WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY He Speaks to Me by Priscilla Shirer is a 7 week study that will begin Thursday, January 14th. We will meet Thursdays from 9:15-11:30am or 7-9pm. Childcare is now available for evening as well as the morning studies with online preregistration. Please register under “News & Events” at www.crossingonline.org. If you have questions please contact Debbie Price for the morning study, dprice65@verizon.net or Melinda Abston for the evening study, mindaab@hotmail.com. In addition, on Tuesday February 2nd at 7:00pm, we will be offering a new “Care Class,” Restoration of the Heart for Women. MISSIONS - HAITI Mission’s applications are now being accepted for the short-term trip to Haiti in March with meetings starting in January. Please pick up applications at the Information Center and contact the trip leaders Steve Lovell at steve@tmtasphalt.com or Charley Collins at charleycollins@century21beggins.com for trip details.
The 26.2 Spiritual Race is intricately designed with you in mind! Through the different 26.2 Experiences, you can learn more about The Crossing and its leadership, become involved in a LifeGroup, and understand more about your spiritual gifts. We encourage everyone to join in the race! Register for all the 26.2 Experiences at www.crossingonline.org. The next experience dates are: • Warm-Up: February 21, registration closes February 14 • Starting Line: January 30 and 31, registration closes January 23 • Mile One: March 7, registration closes February 27 • Pushing Through: January 30, registration closes January 23 • Momentum: February 20, registration closes February 14 WWW.TWITTER.COM/CROSSINGOINLINE
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT CROSSINGONLINE.ORG/ANNOUNCEMENTS.
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE KP3 is a dynamic approach to Bible College through innovative classes and hands-on ministry experience. This is a high intensity program to help shape you not just spiritually, but physically and mentally. Our partnership with Logos Educators Network and Logos Christian College allows students to actually earn an accredited Bible degree through KP3. For more information go to www.crossingonline.org/kp3
Saturday, January 9 Sunday, January 10 Epic Journey: Through the Bible The Book of Proverbs 9:13-18 (The Message)
WELCOME TO THE CROSSING CHURCH Lead Pastor: Greg Dumas
SCRIPTURE Proverbs 9:1-6 (MSG)
Lady Wisdom has built and furnished her home; it’s supported by seven hewn timbers. The banquet meal is ready to be served: lamb roasted, wine poured out, table set with silver and flowers. Having dismissed her serving maids, Lady Wisdom goes to town, stands in a prominent place, and invites everyone within sound of her voice: “Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on? Come with me, oh come, have dinner with me! I’ve prepared a wonderful spread—fresh-baked bread, roast lamb, carefully selected wines. Leave your impoverished confusion and live! Walk up the street to a life with meaning.”
Psalms 9:13-18 (MSG)
Then there’s this other woman, Madame Whore— brazen, empty-headed, frivolous. She sits on the front porch of her house on Main Street, And as people walk by minding their own business, calls out, “Are you confused about life, don’t know what’s going on? Steal off with me, I’ll show you a good time! No one will ever know—I’ll give you the time of your life.” But they don’t know about all the skeletons in her closet, that all her guests end up in hell.
OBSERVATION The fear (reverence/honor/respect) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge (having the facts) and wisdom (applying those facts to right living) are not the same thing. Wisdom is knowledge that is applied in the context of divine revelation.
APPLICATION •The Whore House -“Hedonism” 1 Corinthians 6:12-14 (NIV)
“Everything is permissible for me”--but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”--but I will not be mastered by anything. “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”--but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.
The Church House -“Hypocrisy” Luke 15:11-32; Luke 10:38-42 Luke 15:28-32 (NIV)
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’ “’My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
The Tree House – “Happiness” John 1:12; John 14:1-6 (NKJV) John 14:1-6 (NKJV)
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
PRAYER Lord, give me insight to see where and how I am living outside of relationship with you. I know where you are and I know the way to get to where you are. I am going to listen to Madame Wisdom, to follow her advice and find you along the way. I am going to leave the house I am in and live in the house that you have prepared for me since the foundation of the world. I am choosing to live in relationship with my Heavenly Father.