Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or only Christmas day? Growing up, we got to open some of our gifts on Christmas Eve and I loved it! However, we always had to wait until Christmas day for the major gifts. It was mostly clothes and maybe a game the night before.

I’m so glad that we don’t have to wait for the major gifts God has provided for us this Christmas. What are those gifts? Well, I’m only going to share one, but every one of God’s gifts is wrapped up in His Son, Jesus.

One of the best gifts we receive when we become followers of Jesus is the gift of peace. Never has this present been more needed than today. We live in a culture of turmoil, separation, division, worry, and offense. Yet, in the midst of all that surrounds us, within us can be a deep abiding peace.

This present of peace comes through His presence in our lives. And, unlike Santa, Jesus is not keeping a list of those naughty and nice. If He did, we would all be in trouble. Instead, knowing we’ve all been naughty, and imperfect, He came in a perfect way to live a perfect life and die as the perfect sacrifice. Why did He do that? To get you and me on the “nice” list.

1 John 1:8-9

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Good news of Jesus is better than the story of Santa. When you accept what He did, then you receive His peace, and you’re never alone again, because He is always with us. It’s a miraculous gift!

Join us for Christmas Eve Services @Crossroads Church -welcometocrossroads.org

Saturday, Dec 23 at 5 p.m.

Sunday, Dec 24 at 9 or 11 a.m.

Do you remember how agonizing it was to wait for Christmas as a child? It seemed like forever to get from Thanksgiving to Christmas. Now, as an adult, it seems like Christmas comes too fast.

Does it seem like you are in a waiting period in your life currently? Waiting on a job, or a marriage, healing, direction can seem to take forever to happen. It can even seem like God is late in bringing these things into your life can’t it?

The very first Christmas seemed like God was late to those who were waiting for Messiah to come. It had been hundreds of years and yet each year they were disappointed. But the Scripture teaches that it all happened at the “proper time” (Luke 1:20).

The lesson is that God has a “proper time” for everything. He’s never late and He’s always on time. But, it’s His calendar and not ours!   In the meantime what do you do?

• Don’t lose hope. Things could change tomorrow.
• Never give up. God can do anything at anytime without restrictions.
• Do allow this waiting time to be a time of growth spiritually.
• Keep trusting in the God who still has a plan for the world and you!

It may look like a dark night, but remember, it did in Bethlehem 2000 years ago when hope was born!

We’ll be focusing more on the topic of waiting this weekend in part 3 of A Christmas Miracle in our 9 & 11 a.m. services.

I remember being a kid and being so excited about the Christmas season. It seemed like it took forever between Thanksgiving and Christmas. My heart was full of expectancy about everything that surrounded the holidays. I loved the lights, decorations, songs, parties and of course the gifts. Each year I looked forward to all the potential the season had to offer.

Something happens as we get older. We become the one to fix the lights when they don’t work. We have to put up the decorations, plan the parties and pay for the gifts. All of this can taint the season. If we’re not careful, we can transform from the expectant child to the Grinch.

This is not only a problem with Christmas; it’s a problem in marriages. Two people walk down an aisle to go live life in love, only to discover that there are pressures they never planned to experience. They didn’t anticipate one of them losing their job, or having a special needs child, or finding themselves attracted to someone else at work. When burdens come, it’s all too common for us to begin dreading the very thing we once anticipated.

My challenge to us all this season is to take joy in this time of year. The story is about a Savior who left His throne to be born in a manger, live and teach, then die a sacrificial death for our sins.  So, rejoice in forgiveness!  Also, be careful what comes out of your mouth. Instead of dreading the holidays, your marriage, your job, your family, why not expect the best? Let a spirit of expectancy build in your heart and find it’s way into your mind and mouth. Changing how you view things can go a long way toward how you experience them.  I’m choosing to celebrate the reason for the season.

Hey Crossroads family,

Easter is coming in just a few days (April 16) and I am filled with anticipation over what God is going to do in each of our services. Here’s how I could use your help this Easter:

The message that day is called “An Empty Easter” and will focus on the emptiness of life versus the full life the empty tomb provides. This is a great opportunity to invite people you know as it focuses on who Jesus really is and came to do. In the few minutes it takes to invite someone, you never know what God might have in mind.  Let’s get busy and reach one more for Jesus!

Please use the various tools that are available to invite others to Crossroads. You can use your own Facebook (or social media) account to encourage others to come to one of the Easter services. Be sure to share posts from our Crossroads Facebook Page, this is huge! Hopefully, you also have the small “Invite Cards” we’ve made available each weekend at the Information Desk. These have a map to the church and feature the service times as reference help for those desiring to come. Sometimes people need reminders and helps after you walk away! I would suggest you keep these cards handy in case God opens a new door of opportunity to share.

Finally, as usual, we’re preparing for lots of new guests to be with us for Easter. It would be great if you could…

• Attend the first service – which is usually less crowded.
• Make an extra effort to give a warm welcome to the people you meet.
• Park away from the doors to make room for guests to park close.
• Sit in the middle of a row, so guest don’t have to step over you for a seat.

It’s going to be an awesome Easter at Crossroads, and it’s a privilege to partner with you!  I’m praying for your family and friends to come to Jesus this Sunday!

I had some really great Christmas experiences growing up, but I realize not everyone did. Some of you may have had good memories from childhood, but adulthood has been rough. The thought of Christmas can be filled with hassles and hurt. Marriages that failed, finances that are a wreck and health that’s deteriorated. What do you do to restore the wonder, joy and happiness of the past?

The original Christmas story wasn’t one without hassle, hurt and confusion. Imagine Joseph being engaged to someone that now claims to be made pregnant by God. Really? I’m supposed to go along with this? Even though it wasn’t easy, Joseph steps into the plan of God for his life and things begin to happen. A manger is available, Wiseman bring gifts, God directs you on where to move and ultimately you realize God has a plan.

God has a plan for each of us as well. It may not involve mangers, moving and wisemen, but it won’t be without its challenges. At the same, it won’t be without God’s provision, because where God guides, He provides.

Instead of asking God to bless our plans this Christmas, let’s seek to join God’s plan for our lives. Read Proverbs 3:5-6 and let the promise excite you with possibilities as you seek to trust and lean on Him. In doing so, you’ll experience God leading you into a plan that only He could put together.

Here’s some things I think about at Easter:

• EGGS – Growing up I have fond memories of picking out an egg coloring kit and coming home, my mom boiling eggs, then us dipping them in bright colors.  Then, of course, these would be hidden and there was the adventure of finding them.  Sometimes mom would forget where they all were.
• BASKET – I loved getting up on Easter to find a colorful, neatly wrapped Easter basket filled with some of my favorite candies.  How did the Easter Bunny know what I liked??
• OUTFIT – Each Easter season my mom would take me shopping for a new outfit to where on this special day.  I grew up in a church where everyone would deck out as much as possible.  Not quite sure why, but it sure helped out the local economy.  My dad would generally buy a new suit as well, or at least a new shirt and tie.

All of these are great family memories, but mostly this is what I think of when I think of Easter:

• THE PRICE – What Jesus went through in the final days leading up and including His crucifixion is beyond what I can imagine.  Google Roman crucifixions and get ready to be horrified by the barbaric death penalty of these ancient times.  These acts make modern day ISIS killers look tame.
• THE VICTORY – Jesus rising from the dead in such a dramatic fashion that the Roman soldiers, the religious leaders and His followers were convinced He was alive. Paul later tells us that he appeared to over 500 people at a time during His 40 days on earth after the resurrection.  His victory over death now gives me victory in life and death!

I love my childhood memories, but the greatest of them all, is being raised in a home that let me know Jesus is alive!

If you live in the Avon, IN area, please join us in a powerful weekend celebration of Easter @ CrossroadsAvon.com:

SATURDAY, March 26 – 10-Noon  Easter Egg Drop & Festival.  Thousands of eggs will drop from a helicopter on the church soccer fields to the thrill of kids. Bounce houses, face painting, photos with the Easter Bunny will also take place.

SUNDAY, March 27 – Two services @ 9 & 10:45 a.m.  Topic: Who Is Jesus? Join us as we sing, celebrate and communicate the wonders of the resurrection.  Full nursery and fun kids programs will coincide.

I don’t think any of us can fully imagine the raw violent culture that depicted the world into which the Christ child came.  The Bible tells us that King Herod was so terrorized by the thought of a child being born as “king of the Jews” that he had every boy in Bethlehem murdered who were two or under.  (See Matt. 2)

We continue to live in a violent culture.  Videos are released showing the beheading of Christians by terrorists.  A couple walks into a Christmas party and begins to shoot everyone they can.  Bomb threats close schools and shopping centers.

Yet, still today, there is hope through the one born to Joseph and Mary over 2000 years ago.  His birth gave hope by fulfilling promises that were made centuries before.

Into a violent culture came a victorious Savior.

Into a rein of terror came God’s terrific plan.

Into an age of uncertainty came a certain promise.

For unto us is born, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  There is hope this Christmas, wrapped up as God’s finest gift to the world.

To as many as receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.  John  1:12

One of the things that, I believe, keep people from committing to follow Jesus is wondering what they might have to lay down.  Some of us are pretty attached to habits, toys, and calling our own shots, so the idea that we might have to give up something to follow Jesus raises concern.  I totally get that, when looking at it from a natural perspective.  The problem is that we don’t understand what we’ll pick up in exchange for anything we lay down.

It may seem scary to lay, whatever it is, down and put God first, but it would be scarier to walk in the dark alone.  The bottom line is that anything or anyone, you need to lay down to fully follow Jesus would be exchanged for a love, peace and joy like you’ve never known.  It’s the greatest gift exchange you can imagine.

So, this Christmas, what do you need to give to Jesus?  What could be holding back more of the light of God from your life?  Just like you can’t see what’s waiting in a dark room, you’ll never know what God wants to bring into your life until you fully follow Him into the light.  The light reveals it.

I heard about the owner of a large department store that offered a prize of $5,000 to the one giving the best answer to the question: “How can my business be most speedily and surely improved?”  Many students of economics submitted different lengthy answers.  A guy by the name of Roy McCardell received a check for $5,000 for simply writing on a postal card, “Tell your clerks to say ‘Thank you!’”

Many of us could greatly improve our marriages, homes, families, extended families, jobs, offices, schools by heading the same advice.

Wishing you and yours a most blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!