TMG
Tom’s Midweek Greeting
Crossroads Community Church
Nevada MO
June 13, 2019
“What’s my purpose?” is a question I hear from time to time,… and one I’ve asked myself ! Life seems to pass by in such a hurry that sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of what the purpose of it all really is. Followers of Christ have purpose in life!
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). I don’t know what all those works will be today, but the Bible says God has planned some specific works for me to do each day.
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive …” (2 Peter 1:5-8). Am I taking advantage of the opportunities offered me today to grow in my character?
“Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all” (Mark 10:43-45). It’s easy to imagine what a servant does! If I heed the Lord’s words here, there will be no lack of purpose today!
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations!” (Matthew 28:19). The process of helping other people grow spiritually as disciples can happen in just about any context imaginable. It’s a matter of making yourself open to be for someone a spiritual mentor or fellow friend on the journey.
God has given us a ministry of announcing and facilitating reconciliation to God. “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:19-20).
A purpose we have each day is to do our work well and cheerfully. “Sing to him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy!” (Psalm 33:3). Those words are not just for musicians! Let us do our work skillfully and as cheerfully as we possibly can!
The pictures of heaven we find in the Book of Revelation show a busy place! I heard someone this week speak of a loved one who had passed away by saying, “She’s serving the Lord now in heaven.” I suspect part of our purpose on earth is to be trained for service in heaven!
There are many purposes to fulfill today! As concerns our relationship to other members of the Body of Christ, the “One Another” commands could keep us occupied full-time in purposeful ways! Love one another; pray for one another; encourage one another; bear one another’s burdens; serve one another; show hospitality to one another; and more! Look around you and see how you might accomplish one of those purposes this morning!
God bless you as you seek — and fulfill – his purposes for your life today!
Coming Up at Crossroads
Drop-By Prayer – this afternoon, 4-5:00, on my front porch, **contact us for location**. Stop by for a few minutes to pray with a few others! We’ll be praying for needs at Crossroads and in our own lives. Come when you can and enjoy a few minutes of fellowship and spiritual uplift here at the end of the week! We’ll have drop-by prayer every Thursday this summer.
Worship this Sunday – 10:00 at the Osage Prairie YMCA! We’ll take a look at Romans 11 and continue in our sermon series, “What’s God Like?” This Sunday we’ll consider that God is sovereign. A.W. Tozer, in his book The Knowledge of the Holy, says that for God to be sovereign means he must be all-knowing, all-power, and absolutely free ! We’ll talk Sunday about whether or not we can trust a God who is all-knowing, all-powerful, and absolutely free to do what he wants!
Men’s Discipleship & Fellowship – this coming Monday, June 17th, 6:30-8:00 pm, at Precision Coffee, 127 E. Cherry Street, in Nevada. Need a place where you can talk about life and also ask the questions you have about God’s plan for our lives as men? We always have a great time at this monthly get-together for Crossroads men and their friends. Join us if you’re able on the 17th!
Youth Movie Night – Next Wednesday night, June 19th, high school and middle school students are invited for a fun time of food, friends, and a movie at the Hillbilly Drive-In at Cris & Donna Rodriguez’s home, **contact us for location**. Plan on coming at 6:15, and bring a friend!
Crossroads 101 is a 2-part class we offer from time to time for anyone interested in membership at Crossroads, or just interested in learning more about the church! Please let me know if you’re interested in a Crossroads 101 class this summer, and we’ll try to set a date that works for everyone interested! Thank you!
Prayers
Julie Kemper’s friend Robert is in a critical situation since his open-heart surgery last Saturday. Please remember Robert and Julie and other members of Julie’s family in your prayers today.
Continued prayer for Dave Reedy’s dad, Jerry, at Moore-Few Care Center.
Esther is still not feeling well today, and we’re hoping to get some answers to what’s ailing her. Thanks for your prayers for her and for our family.
Let’s keep the Young Life leadership team in prayer as they prepare a launch event for the start of the new school year, and as they seek other people to support the new Young Life ministry in Nevada.
A Final Note
I had a chance yesterday to attend the monthly lunch meeting of the Nevada Ministerial Alliance, something I’m not normally able to do during the school year. It was good to re-connect with those pastors and other ministry leaders, and most of all to hear and see the joys, sorrows, burdens, and dreams we experience at Crossroads Church are ones that are common to other churches in Nevada.
I hope to see you Sunday! We’ll meet with the Lord and with each other for worship and renewal!
— Tom
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