End of 2017

We are at the end of yet another year -2017. There is so much that we are thankful for. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He doesn't change. His word is true and His ways are just. He is with us always and His word tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. What a beautiful name it is - the name of Jesus.......

Praise His Holy Name.

Goodbye 2017. Come on in 2018!

Thought for the day - Forgiveness

Forgiveness
Ephesians 4:32:
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 

Mark 11: 25
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 

Matthew 6:14 - 15
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

Psalm 103:22
As far as the East is from the West, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.  

Luke 23:24 
And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Forgive appears 42 times in the Old Testament and 33 times in the New Testament excluding the words forgiven, forgives or forgiveness.

Colossians 3:13  
 Bear with each other and forgive one another. If any of you has a grievance against someone, forgive as the Lord forgave you.

1 John 1:9 
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Forgiveness is the act of pardoning an offender, In the Bible, the Greek word translated "forgiveness" literally means "to let go", as when a person does not demand payment for a debt. Matthew 18:23 - 35  
Forgiveness does not come naturally to people. It is a process depending on the level or depth of the offense. It is so much easier to 'hold on' to the offense and wallow in self-pity. We need God's help to really 'let go' of the offense, to feel no pain or anger when talking about it and to move forward in our walk with God...... to actually forgive. With God, all things are possible!  

Christmas at Crossroads

Gifts under the Christmas tree

Our very own Father Christmas - Stephen Manhanga with Eva Ndlovu

It's the thought that counts

Crossroads Community Church wishes you all a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful, God-centered New Year. Stay blessed.

Reflecting on the season

It's a sobering thought when you think of all the things that are happening in the world today: of lives being lost due to mud slides, earth quakes, floods, road accidents, natural causes, people being shot or stabbed and so on, and at the same time there are many babies being born or lives that are being saved in the hospitals. 

At this time, we think of families coming together to celebrate Christmas and we also think of those who do not have family close to them, or those who have lost a loved one, the homeless, the destitute, the orphans; those that are lonely.

The unifying factor of Christians during this season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ - our Lord and Savior.  
 
Luke 2 Verse 1 - 20
vs 11 "Today in the City of David a Saviour has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord!

Matthew 1 verse 21
"She will give birth to a son and you shall give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins."

Isaiah 9 verse 6
"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, And the government will rest on His shoulders, And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."



He came to give us life and to give it to us more abundantly
He came to give us Peace beyond measure
He came to Reconcile us with the Father
He came to SAVE us. It's not only the "Wow factor" right there but a definite cause for us to celebrate Jesus birth..... such immeasurable love He has for us.

Christmas is definitely more than what is under the Christmas tree.

By Molly Manhanga

Encouragement for today

Be encouraged by the word of the Lord. It brings life, hope, peace, love, direction, protection and so much more.........

Tis the season

Christmas is so much more than what you find under a Christmas tree.

How do we see things?

What lens are we looking through today? Is it the lens from your background and upbringing? Is it the lens from the environment you live in? Is it the lens that someone else put on you? Is it the lens of the community and the people around you? Is it the lens of what you have heard? Your upbringing, environment that you live in, schools you've attended, friends, leaders and so on all shape the lens that you use - how you see things. We hear, read, watch and see many things on a daily basis. Do we filter the information or not? Is our perspective a Godly one? The Bible is our guide, our blueprint on how we see things, how we live, how we interact with each other. We may be living in this world but we are certainly not of it. Lets avoid the smoke screens that can easily tint our lenses and let's have the mind of Christ.

Camera lenses

 

 

By Molly Manhanga

Reactions

I have been thinking quite a lot about different stimuli that is created to generate a response or reaction from people. So what does reaction mean? It's basically a response that reveals a person's feelings or attitude. We can have internal or external stimuli.

I have also been quite interested in seeing how different people responded to various situations that presented themselves in the Bible. Some reactions are:

• King Ahab: When Naboth refused to sell his vineyard to King Ahab, the King went home, lay on his bed, sulked, refused to eat and turned his face away. Interesting response for a king!
• Naboth: His response to the offer on his vineyard was "The Lord forbid....."
• Jezebel: After King Ahad poured his heart out to his wife Jezebel, she said: "I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite." She the proceeded with her schemes.
• Joseph: His response to Potiphar's wife's temptations was; "How can I commit so great a sin against God?" 
• Potiphar's wife told her husband of what Joseph 'supposedly' tried to do and he was outraged. He sent Joseph to prison.
• Job's wife: When Job was being tested she said to him;"Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die."
• Other people from the Bible who we can learn from is Mary, Joseph, David with Goliath, King David with Bathsheba, Tamar, Nehemiah, Sanballat and Tobiah and so on.

There are so many incidents in the Bible where we see different reactions from people: some good and some, well, not so great.

Our reactions to different stimuli are important and we need God's help to strengthen us.

By Molly Manhanga

Fan it into flame

Stephen Manhanga encouraged the young people from the Baptist Church to fan into flame the gifts that are in them.

With this amazing setting as a background Stephen Manhanga, lead Elder of Crossroads Community Church, brought an even more amazing word.

Stephen started off by sharing about faith - what it is, before he linked it to a young man Timothy whose grandmother was Lois and mother Eunice. He encouraged the young people to stir up and use the gifts given to them by God.

He also encouraged them to run their race in their own lane.

All too often, we desire the gifts that other people have instead of focusing on what God has given to us.

Baptist Youth

Summarized by Molly Manhanga

Thought for the day - Keep going.....

Hebrews 12 1 : 3

"Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."

The christian life is not an easy one. We need to give up whatever endangers our relationship with Christ. Let's keep going......