Meal Groups at Crossroads Church

EAT THIS BOOK - Update from James Brown

Hey Everyone!

I just wanted to drop you all a quick note to remind you about the transition that has taken place in Meal Groups.

On Easter, the 8-week Divine Mentor/Scripture reading schedule (that we designed specifically for the "Soul Food Series"), ended.

You can now begin reading the Bible from the reading plan set forth in the Divine Mentor book. You do not need to start at the beginning of the month...just start reading and journaling on whatever day you find yourself living. Psalm 118.24 says, "This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it." Don't worry about what you missed, just start on the readings for that day!

We have created a few resources to help you better understand what you read:

1) Bookmarks were placed in the Easter programs last week. If you still need one, they will be in the programs this week and can be picked up at the Adult Ministries table in the lobby.

2) The Online Devotions are still available on the www.mealgroups.org website.

3) You can podcast the readings from iTunes from the www.mealgroups.org website.

4) We have recorded Summaries for the Books we are reading. You can listen to them by going to the website or clicking (in this email) on the book you would like to listen to: Joshua - Judges - 1 Corinthians - 2 Corinthians.

5) We have updated the Coffee Shop Coaching Schedule on the www.mealgroups.org website.

6) Pastor Phil has added a Devotional Corner to his Cyber Updates...so be on the lookout for that!

As Meal Groups finish this season and head into the summer, we will continue reading and journaling (using the reading schedule from the Divine Mentor Book) and sharing what God has been teaching us as we meet with our Meal Groups!

It has been exciting to see how God has been using these readings to revolutionize Meal Groups, families, and the people of our church!

Eat this Book!

-- 
jb
James Brown
Groups Pastor
Crossroads Church
www.crossroadschurch.cc
www.mealgroups.org
www.therealjamesbrown.com

UPDATED COFFEESHOP COACHING SCHEDULE (03.29.08)

COFFEE SHOP COACHING SCHEDULE

MONDAY
8:30 AM – Warren Langstraat (Caribou – Woodbury)
9:30 AM – Jake Kerschner (Caribou – Cottage Grove)
5:00 PM – Suzanne Elliott (Caribou – Cottage Grove)

TUESDAY
8:00 AM – James Brown (Caribou – Cottage Grove)
8.30 AM – Lisa Adams (Caribou – Cottage Grove)
9:00 AM – Terry Foss (Panera – Woodbury)
3:00 PM – James Racine (Caribou – Cottage Grove)

WEDNESDAY
6:00 AM – Brad Kindall (Starbucks – Cottage Grove)
9:00 AM – James Racine (Caribou – Cottage Grove)

THURSDAY
7:30 AM – Ryan Lunceford (Starbucks – Cottage Grove)
8:00 AM – James Brown (Caribou – Cottage Grove)
4:00 PM – Phil Print (Caribou – Cottage Grove)

SATURDAY
8:00 AM – James Brown (Dunn Bros – Hastings)

Terry Foss- Grace: Free and undeserved Romans 11:6

Scripture

Romans 11:6 "And since it is through God's kindness then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God's grace would not be what it really is-free and undeserved."

Observation

So Paul is talking about how Israel has repeatedly rejected God in so many ways and yet they're looking for God's favor so earnestly. They've been blinded by a "works" theology that says "I have to work for God's love." But Paul is reminding his audience that God's love is all about His kindness, not ours.
A father loves his child simply because he's his child. Not because the child has somehow earned his father's love. How absurd!

Application

May I ever understand God's love and best for me through the love I have for my own children.

Prayer

Father God, you have so much love for  your children. Help me to live well in your grace.

Jesus for President

Judges 8: 23 "But Gideon replied, 'I will not rule over you, nor will my son. The Lord will rule over you!'"

Gideon
has proven himself to be a very capable leader. As Israel's judge, he
routs the Midianites and makes a name for himself. After his victories,
the Israelites plead with him to be their "ruler." Gideon wants nothing
to do with being the king or their ruler. He tells them that God alone
will be their ruler. Gideon understands he has a specific purpose and
that God alone desires to rule his people.

I have been reading
"Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne the past few days. It's a
great book contrasting "empire" with the kingdom of God. Shane points
out that God never intended for the Israelites to have a king or a
ruler. God alone wanted to rule his people. God knew what having a king
could do to a people. God wanted his people to be special, set apart,
holy. By having a human king or ruler they became more empire-like and
less God-like. Allegiances and hopes turn towards the king in an
empire. Under God's rule, allegiance, faith and hope are given solely
to God. I need to remember that my hope, and my allegiance belongs
solely to Jesus Christ.

Dear God, help me to follow you alone. Help me to be loyal to you and give you my complete allegiance. Amen.

A NOTE FROM PASTOR PHIL:

Bible Reading Bookmarks

God is doing amazing things at Crossroads. As we’ve taken the time to open our Bibles and actually read them, God has met us in profound ways. Right after Easter we begin Round 2 of Bible Readings. You’ll be receiving a new bookmark to follow along. It will be the same readings outlined in the book we’ve read, The Divine Mentor. The Round 2 Readings will be slightly longer. And, we’ll be jumping right into the middle of 2 books of the Bible—Joshua and 1 Corinthians.

To get a feel for these books and what they’re all about, please click on the following links, Joshua and 1 Corinthians.

We’re in this for the long haul. We’re already seeing how daily Bible reading and reflection is changing lives. If you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon, now’s a good time to do so.

Terry Foss- Faith And Prayer

Scripture

Mark 11:24 "I tell you, you can pray for anything and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours.

Observation

Jesus starts off by telling the disciples, "Have faith in God." In other words have complete trust, belief, hope and peace in who God is and that He is sovereign. That though you may not see Him at work, know that He is and rest in that. Know that through God you can move mountains in your life. And when it comes to prayer, pray, believe it and receive it.

Application

The spiritual gift God has been developing in me over the last few years is faith. When I didn't know where the money would come from to pay our bills, whether we would ever have children, whether our child would survive after being born 3 months early and even when God would open doors in music and ministry, all I was able to rely on was God. Though it is so often a very painful process, the reward is much greater. No longer do I worry as much about God's provision. I have been able to pray with more confidence. Believing that I've received it and that it will be mine. Maybe not right away. But that's why Jesus says first, 'Have faith in God."

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for developing this area of my spiritual life. Continue to give me faith that I might trust you more and waiver less and less.

Phil Print--"The Heart of Christianity"

S:  Mark 7:5 "So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, 'Why don't your disciples follow our age-old traditions?  They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.'"

O:  The Pharisees didn't "get" Jesus.  He marched to a different drumbeat.  He and his disciples weren't obsessed with the age-old traditions and man-made religious rules like they were.  The Pharisees weren't content with the 10 Commandments.  They needed to add command after command just to explain one commandment.  Take the Sabbath:  the law of Moses said to honor it and keep it holy by refraining from work that day.  That wasn't enough for the Pharisees.  They had to spell out acceptable and non-acceptable behavior on the Sabbath.  For example (I'm not making this up), they forbade a woman from looking into a mirror on the Sabbath.  Why, you ask?  They were afraid she'd see a gray hair and be tempted to pull it out (thus "working on the Sabbath").  Absurd?  Jesus thought so.  What the Pharisees didn't realize is that a person could obey all these hundreds of laws and still be far from God.  GOD IS ALL ABOUT THE HEART.  Christianity isn't a rule-based religion...it's a heart-based religion.  It's all about loving God and loving others from my heart. 

A:  I came from a rule-oriented church.  As long as you didn't "drink, smoke, chew, or go with girls who do" you were OK.  I didn't do any of those things, but I wasn't close to God.  I didn't love him or love anyone but myself.  Even now, I have to remind myself that my #1 job is to love God with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind.  When I do that, everything else falls into place.  The heart of Christianity, after all, is the heart. 

P:  "Father, fill my heart with a love for you and those you have made in your image.  Make my heart fully devoted to the things that you're devoted to.  Keep me from the sin of the Pharisees.  Amen."

LISA ADAMS: SHOW AND TELL (Malachi 3; Philippians 3:12-21)

S~Philippians 3: 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior.

O~ Paul continues his letter to the church and begins to talk about how we should look to the future and forget the past. That we have much to look forward to as children of God. The rewards are great and our future is certain with Christ as our Savior and King. We are citizens of heaven!

A~ I love this thought...we are citizens of heaven. Not defined by where we are located now, but defined by where we will be going. I think about when my sister and I traveled to Amsterdam. It is one of my fondest memories of traveling with my sister. We were treated kindly and warmly. It was easy to go places and do things. And everyone knew we were American by the way we dressed. They didn't treat us poorly, they treated us well. How do we treat people who don't know God? How do we treat people who do? How do people know that we are citizens of heaven? Do our actions speak of God's love and grace? Wouldn't it be amazing if everyday we would show people who we belong to and treat people the way that God treats us?

P~ Father, thank you for all that you have given me and for the amazing gift of citizenship of heaven! Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your kingdom and to do kingdom work for you. Please help me never forget that I show others who you are when I show them who I am. Forgive me when I don't do this well. Amen

Knowing Jesus Is Priceless- Terry Foss

Scripture

Phillipians 3:8 "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared to the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage so that I could gain Christ.

Observation

The title at the top of this chapter in Phillipians is "The Priceless Value of Knowing Christ". In this chapter, Paul is telling the church in Phillipi that if anyone could boast in the righteousness they have through their own effort and dedication to God, that he would be at the top of the list. Paul worked really hard at becoming right with God by following the law and doing the right thing. But in verse 8 he says  that all of the work he has done no matter how good, is all a pile of garbage, compared to actually knowing Christ Jesus. Later in verse 9 he says God's way of making us right with Him dependent on our faith and trust in who Jesus is and what he has done for us through His death and resurrection.

Application

I can easily fall back into the "Religion" that some of the church people in Phillipi started to revert to where it's more about what I do to gain God's approval rather than accepting the fact that God looks at me and sees me as righteous because of Jesus. I need to remind myself of this daily.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for what you have done for me on the cross and through your resurrection that I may come to you justified by your grace. Help me to live in the truth that your grace is enough.

Never Be A Cheat--Ryan Lunceford

SCRIPTURE

"Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his
flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. 
For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be
feared among the nations." ~Malachi 1:14

OBSERVATION

God
is very demanding of his people.  At times it seems that he is overly
demanding of his people.  For example, in the book of Malachi it is
clear that the people are skimping on their offerings to God;
sacrificing the blemished animal instead of the unblemished; giving God
the scraps instead of the first fruits of their labor.  And this
offends God.  But, why?  Why should God be so demanding and why should
he care so much about the quality of their offering?

My only
answer is this: God is demanding because he is holy.  His choosing of
Israel was a form of grace, and, him calling them to a certain way of
living (in this case, giving) is to be seen as a means of grace. 
Though Israel is not holy as God is holy, God provides them an
opportunity to be considered "right" in his sight--this is grace. 
Grace, for the Israelites, is that God loved them enough to even
intervene in the midst of their sin.  So, then, what is the big deal
about the quality of their offering?  What an insult it would be for
somebody to save my life and then me give them a pat on the back and a
$5 bill!  God is deserving of our very best because he chose us for
salvation.

APPLICATION

I can honestly say that my
"offering" to God is often not of my first fruits.  It is so much
easier to scrape the barrel for an offering to God than actually give
what God may be demanding of me.  This is not just a financial thing,
but that which God asks of me in all areas of my life. 

I must
learn to get better at understanding the depth of both God's holiness
and grace as I seek to live for Him.  Otherwise, I will end up
"cheating" him, as Malachi 1:14 says, instead of "fearing" him and
responding to his gracious act in saving me.

PRAYER

Lord,
I pray that I not be stingy with my gifts and resources.  I pray that I
would learn how to serve and honor you through every area of my life. 
Amen.