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One of the main goals here at Crossroads Mission is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to share the good news of his miraculous birth, his remarkable life, his sacrificial death to give humanity the gift of salvation, and his triumphant resurrection.  We try hard to ensure that each guest hears the Word of God at least once.  (Visit our Ministry page for more on what goes on at Crossroads Mission.)  Our Executive Director, Myra Garlit, is personally involved in making this happen as she continually teaches on God's basic principles for our life, to both guests and employees.

We have created this page in efforts to continue to spread the Gospel, and to share with you some of Myra's teachings.  We are open for comments and or suggestions, contact us at crmission@roadrunner.com

August 9, 2010

Ordinary Disciples for an Extra-Ordinary God

          I attended a leadership conference this week that was refreshing, encouraging, and filled with help for church leaders -especially pastors.  As the director of a rescue mission, I can see how my job is much like that of a pastor.  There’s always counseling to do, staff hiring, firing, development, budgets, fund raising, seeking donors who will come along side the mission of the mission to help support our cause, and many more important aspects of running a church.  Most important is ensuring that we witness as Jesus called us to do so that people aren’t lost to sin and go out of this world to an eternity of hell.  Some people get it; some don’t.  Many sessions of the leadership conference spoke to my heart!

          One of the speakers at the conference talked about how Jesus took ordinary men to help establish his purpose on earth.  His purpose was to bring a new way to look at the Old Testament rules.  He preached and lived a life of nonviolence with an attitude of "love your neighbor as you love yourself".  He taught that the greatest commandment was LOVE.  His teachings ignited great controversy among the Jewish people.  He was on the “outside” of what was considered the “normal”, traditional Jewish way of life. 

    The Jews were very rule-bound and followed strict rituals.  Basically, they had two different categories of laws:  moral law and ritual law.  Moral law is about what is right and wrong and about the way we treat God and other people.   Ritual law or ceremonial law were rules that the Israelites were to live by simply because they were God’s people.  They didn’t necessarily mean that they were right or wrong but if someone failed to follow these  laws, they were deemed “unclean” and couldn’t join others in worshiping God until they were "clean".

          Jesus’ entire purpose to be on earth was to teach others the New Testament way of living and to die as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  He knew that from an early age.  He knew his intended purpose.  We don’t read of any hesitation on Jesus part on his intended purpose.  Early in his ministry, he began selecting those men he wanted to follow him.  His purpose for them was to spread the word of salvation long after his death.  That word continues through today because of the impact he had on them and then the impact they had on the world!  But who were these men?

Let’s take a quick look at those twelve. 

Now isn’t it interesting that when Jesus set out to choosing those who would follow him, he chose ordinary men. He didn’t go to the Jewish leaders or those in power or those with influence. He chose those people who were common people, poor people, people who were despised, people who were just ordinary. Jesus picked ordinary men of meager means.

The tax collectors were hated because they really worked for the Romans. The fishermen were smelly and hardened by the elements. He was leader to a pessimist, an antagonist, a loud-mouth impulsive man. I can just imagine the ones that we don’t know much about were shy or liked staying in the background but yet he picked them to be those first chosen 12.

Look at Peter for instance. His given name was ‘Simon”. He was bold, aggressive, inquisitive, outspoken and self-confident; he had the characteristics of a leader. Christ molded him and once told him he was the “ROCK” on which he could build his church but there was other times that he rebuked Peter even saying to him “Get behind me Satan!” because Peter was shooting off his mouth and didn’t know what he was talking about. I think it’s funny that when Jesus was going to rebuke him, he always called him Simon and not Peter. That’s just like our parents when they called us by the name that we knew we were in trouble.

I am gripped by the fact that these twelve were ORDINARY people! They were no different than you or me. Jesus was here to establish a new way of thinking and didn’t go to the top for the leaders. Fascinatingly, their leadership skills really didn’t develop until Jesus was no longer with them but that’s a topic for another devotion.
 

June 21, 2010

Hell Advisory

I read with interest the Crossroads advertisement in the local paper which was entitled “Heat Advisory”.  The desert brings dangers each summer:  snakes, spiders, scorpions, and HEAT!  Each summer, we start a heat advisory campaign to make sure that the homeless understand the risks of not staying hydrated and staying out of the sun.  We normally close the shelters from 7 AM until 2 PM but during this season the shelters remain open.  How tragic it would be to die from heat exhaustion or sun stroke!

As I contemplated the advertisement, I thought about the scripture in Matthew 10:42.  Jesus was sending the disciples out to continue his good works.  his final words in that chapter are:  And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." How astounding that Jesus was interested in giving someone a cup of cold water!

At Crossroads, we want to make sure that everyone who is in any danger gets the help they need at anytime and not just in the summer time.  We sometimes forget that the greatest danger of all is the “heat advisory” we send out about HELL!  In Luke 16:24 (NIV) we read  So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.  The rich man had not paid attention to the “heat advisory” and was calling out from hell. 

Some of our homeless folks don’t pay attention to the heat advisory.  Many  folks from the community don’t pay attention to the heat advisory.  Many folks refuse to pay attention to the “hell” advisory.  We know that it’s “appointed for men to die and after that the judgment.”

How about you?  Have you paid heed to the hell advisory?  If you died today would you be with Jesus or would you be with the rich man crying out for water?  Salvation through Jesus Christ is as easy as A, B, C.  Accept, believe, and confess!  Accept Jesus as your savior; believe that he rose from the dead; and then confess that to someone.  There’s no dues, no fees, only a promise of hope for eternity in heaven!  God bless you and please stay hydrated during these summer months!

  Click here to view the ad (PDF 829KB)

May 30, 2010

A Nation Whose God is the Lord?

This Memorial Day we face many problems as a nation.  Wars, immigration issues, poverty, national debt now listed in the trillions, terrorists that have been born and raised in America—the list can go on.  Our politicians, no matter their affiliation, are scrambling to make this “ship” upright again.  Debates, controversy, and everyone entitled to their own opinion are making for many news stories.  What can we do? 

That answer is easy.  As a nation, we have gotten away from our Christian roots.  This country was founded and grounded in Biblical standards.  Now, we are far from those roots.  As Christians, we have allowed leaders and people who exercise their right to voice their opinions to use the very laws that made us strong against us.  Now we are seeing the results of our silent voices and “let someone else do it” attitudes.  We’re a nation under siege, held hostage by sin that has run rampant.  Our history shows our tracks of getting away from our heritage.   

I’m quoting some facts from a brochure I read printed by *America, Living Waters Publications. 

Adultery:  USA today reported that 50 to 60% of married couples admit to adultery.

Fornication:  According to the Oklahoma State department of Health, 45 million individuals are infected with virus that causes genital herpes.  That’s one in five people in the United States.

Pornography:  UPI News in 1997 reported that video rentals soared to 665 million in 1996.  That’s a little over 13% of all video rentals in America.

Abortion:  The Centers for Disease Control and prevention reported 1,267,415 abortions in 1998.  There have been over 40 million abortions since Roe vs Wade.  That’s since 1973. 

Theft:  It’s estimated that theft costs this country $500 billion each year.

Greed:  Focus on the Family reports that Americans visit casinos more often than they attend professional sporting events.  As a nation, we loose in excess of $50 bill each year to lotteries, horse and do tracks, casinos, and through other gambling opportunities. 

Murder:  According to FBI statistics, more than 18,000 people were murdered in 1997.  We had an average of 20,000 per year during the 1990s. 

Drunkenness:  Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association estimates that the social costs of alcohol addiction amounts to $100 billion with loss in productivity and health care. 

Hate crimes, spousal abuse, child abuse, elder abuse, racial prejudices, child pornography, sex crimes, trafficking in humans are all symptoms of the “disease” of our nation. 

All of these situations make it seem hopeless for our nation on this Memorial Day, 2010.  It is very fitting and right that we remember the ones who paid the full price for our freedom.  It is fitting and right that we offer up prayers of thanksgiving for those who fought for our freedom.  It is fitting and right that we NEVER forget the price of freedom.  It is also fitting and right that we remember where we came from as a nation of heritage rich in Christian laws and traditions.

As Christians, we have a duty to hold this nation up in prayer.  We need to speak out as Christians and become actively involved by sending e-mails and letters to our senators and representatives whether at the state level or national level.  Psalm 33:12  Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.  Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord! Can you make a difference?  I believe that you can!  The Bible promises us in 2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.  It’s our responsibility as Christians. Please remember this on Memorial Day, 2010. 

October 18, 2009

My Words: A Reflection of My Heart

I have a pet peeve which isn’t surprising to all who really know me—I have several.  The one that bothers me the most is swear words, curse words, bad language, and filthy words. Call it whatever you want, it bothers me.  I’m not pious over this type of behavior. Curse words are not beyond my behaviors.  I can let them fly that’s for sure but I feel badly when I do.  I always try to ask for forgiveness right away.  I know that when I was living a sinful life I thought that language added “salt” to what I said.  Those words made me look worldly, mature, and tough! Now that I’m much older and much wiser and with a heart for Jesus those words sting when I hear them.  I think they sound harsh and depending on what’s going on at the time, they sound violent.

I was attending a seminar just recently.  A beautiful woman in her late forties was speaking about her life. She “peppered” her speech with words that I felt were offensive.  I lost the focus of what she had accomplished, the things that she had been through, and the injustices that she had suffered because of her language. She overcame a lifetime of problems but it was all lost to me.  It was a good lesson for me.  Watch my adjectives!

I have worked in the restaurant business for many years.  I was amazed at the old folks who came in for service.  Many used swear words as freely as they breathed air.  When I worked in a nursing home, I was shocked at the elderly who were at death’s door but used swear words almost every other word they spoke.  They were often bitter, hateful people who had many few people visiting them.  I wondered if there was a direct correlation to their words, attitude, and people who were left in their lives.

When I was the principal of a charter school and the “scholars” were referred to me because of their bad language, I would often ask them if their mother taught them to talk like that.  Did their dad teach them that language?  I remember one young man’s answer when I asked him if his grandma had taught him that kind of language.  He thought for a moment and then answered, “Well, yes!”

After using those kinds of words during my rebellious twenties and my non-conforming thirties, I decided that those kinds of words make the initiator look very uneducated.   Don’t get me wrong.  I still struggle with those words.  I find that the more I’m around others who talk like that the more those words remain on the surface of my thinking.  They’ll slip out if I’m not especially careful about what I’m going to say.  I don’t want to be caught up in that language anymore.  It’s old behavior for me and it is something that I struggle to overcome.  Most importantly, I understand that the words that are coming out of my mouth are a direct reflection of what’s going on in my heart. When I’m not spending time in prayer, when I’m not fellowshipping with other believers, when I don’t meditate on the Word, I gravitate toward the world.

Word abusers, who get caught up in using four-lettered words, are limiting their vocabulary.  My mom told me that every word that we speak is bottled up and we will give an account of those words when we stand at judgment!  Ugh! I pity everyone standing in line behind me because it’s going to take a while when it’s my turn! I don’t know if that’s scriptural or not but I want to be judged on my encouraging words; words that I used to lift up people.  Seriously, the Bible tells us in Psalm 19:14 (NIV) “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Most of us “practice” at using swear words when we first start that kind of language.  We think if we add that word here or put this word in there it will give us some authority, some respect, like we’re in control.  I believe that the things that we put into our minds can get bolded just like the “bold” key we use on the computer.  When we bold stamp those words on our brain they remain there.  I know!  I have to apologize for my language.  I ask God to help me before I speak.  I ask for forgiveness when I slip.  Most importantly, I know when I memorize scripture, when I increase my vocabulary by learning new words that are good words, when I practice thinking before I speak; I do a much better job at speaking.  That woman I told you about earlier could just have easily been me.  I don’t want to be remembered for my filthy mouth.  I want to be remembered for being positive, educated, and eloquent when I speak.  I want to reflect Jesus Christ through my language.  Proverbs 8:8 “All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.” And one last thing my grandmother taught me, “Keep your words soft and sweet, because you never know when you’ll have to eat them!” God bless you!

Devotions, June 3, 2009

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Being Blessed and the 10 Commandments

God is like other parents.  He wants to do good things for His children.  God’s love towards his children isn’t earned; you can’t work hard and get God to love you—He loves you anyway.  You can try to be the best you can be and fail at it—He loves you anyway.  He desires that we love Him because He is God or Abba Father.  (Abba Father is only used 3 times in the Bible.  It is a Hebrew term which doesn’t translate well into English.  The closest translations mean expressing “warm affection and confidence”. 

In His love for us, God set down rules that we need to follow.  What parent doesn’t give their children rules that need to be followed?  Those rules for God’s children are the 10 commandments.  Interestingly, when we follow those 10 commandments, we are blessed by Abba Father.  God has a plan for our lives.  We can live outside the rules and will most certainly suffer consequences.  We can live inside the rules and be blessed.  God doesn’t promise that we won’t have troubles or trials but he will bless us.

We can live our lives within the boundaries of God or under that “umbrella of blessings” and invite those blessings from Abba Father.  We have a will and God allows us to follow that will.  He doesn’t make us do anything.  He wants us to love Him and worship Him, and obey His commandments because we want to. 

Compare living by honoring God to how you lived as an adolescent.  We knew when were “good” our parents would be different toward us.  If we weren’t good, there was friction or disapproval and you could just feel it in the air.  Remember how your mom would call you by your name.  If she used your first name, you probably weren’t in trouble.  But if she used your first name and middle name, you knew something was up.  If she used your whole given name, your heart might sink to your toes because you knew you had done something.  Most of you knew exactly what to do to stay in or get back in the good graces of your parents. 

God whose love is perfect, loves His kids but in perfection.  We can’t understand this kind of perfect love.  As the perfect parent, He wants to bless His children.  Blessings follow obedience.  When we obey God, we’re saying that we trust Him and agree that He has the best plan for our lives.  When we disobey Him, we are saying that we disagree with His plan and that we don’t need Him.  We want to take control of our own lives.  When we live in obedience we open up those parental possibilities of being blessed.   

The “rules” to follow for God’s blessings are simple.  The 10 Commandments were given years ago.  When you get those 10 RULES in your mind and learn to live them, you are going to be blessed by Abba Father. 

In Exodus 20, we can read the Ten Commandments (paraphrased):

1.     You shall have no other gods before Me.

2.     You shall not make for yourself a cared image…

3.     You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

4.     Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

5.     Honor your father and your mother…      

6.     You shall not murder.

7.     You shall not commit adultery.

8.     You shall not steal.

9.     You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10.                        You shall not covet…

Lots of people I talk to think that it’s too hard to follow the 10 Commandments.  But I want you to really think about how hard this is to do.  There are some of these things that many of you will not do today—or any other day for that matter. 

Are any of you going to commit murder today?  Are any of you planning on committing adultery today?  Since it’s not Sunday today, you don’t really have to worry about keeping it holy today although every day should pay honor to the Father.  Are any of you planning on lying about your neighbor today?  Are any of you of planning on stealing today? 

Personally, I think the first commandments are the hardest ones to keep.  Take the first one.  You might think that’s an easy one to follow.  You shall have no other gods before Me.  When you first think about it, you might think there’s no way you’re going to break that one.  BUT…what do you pay honor too?  What takes up space in your brain?  What is it that you devote your time too?  Sports, food, electronic games, television and this list could go on and on. 

That first commandment falls into line with the 2^nd one:  You shall not make for yourself a carved image.  When you think that there are only 10 commandments and God has made a special effort to emphasize not having any god above him or making other gods, you might want to take special note that He means business about that!

I heard a man speaking on the 10 commandments and he said that the first commandment was for God.  If we followed that one, we wouldn’t need the other 9.  God was just giving us more detail on what the rules were because we’re human and need to have it explained!  Think about that!  If we choose to live without any other gods before us, would we covet; would we commit adultery, would we murder, we would honor our father and mothers.  That’s amazing!

In the New Testament, Jesus teaches that the greatest commandment is “to love your neighbor as yourself”.  I believe that this love commandment goes with 1 and 2:  if we have no other gods before God we’re in right relationship with the Father and we will love our neighbor.

As with everything that God does, He has a plan for our lives.  He wants to bless us.  When we love Him because He first loved us; when we learn to live within the boundaries of His rules, blessings are assured. 

December 12, 2008

Ambassador’s Praise and Worship

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Seek Him!  Seek Who?  Seek Him!

v Are you curious about God? 

v Do you feel that something is missing in your life?

v Do you feel that everything is okay and you just want to be you?

v Have you asked yourself who God is?

v Have you wondered who you are in Christ?

v What is your purpose?

v Are you where you should be spiritually?

v Can you grow?  Do you want to grow?

v Do you feel your life would be better if you were closer to God?

v Are you depressed?

v Are you truly satisfied?

v Do you have peace?

v Do you have joy?

I hope that you find at least one of those questions thought provoking.  I’ve been praying for guidance to help employees with character building qualities that are pleasing to God.  The only way to please God is to seek Him!   We get so caught up in what we should get done that we don’t take time to do the one thing that will help us get everything done and that’s seeking God!

In Galatians 5, Paul is writing about being free in Jesus Christ and not being bound by slavery.  While we don’t experience slavery in our small world, we do become slaves to many “things”:  food, sex, shopping, drugs, alcohol, television and the list goes on.   Paul cites being bound by a yoke of slavery.  When we seek God, we desire to throw off those yokes of bondage and to be free.  Repentance is moving away from sin.

Paul says in verse 16 that we must live by the Spirit and then we will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  I believe that when we truly seek the face of the Father we want to move away from sin.

Have you ever played with your children when they walk up behind you and you refuse to look at them?  You can turn your head and move all around.  They take their little hands and will literally grab your face to turn it towards their face.  They are seeking the face of their “father.”  They sense that importance of getting that connection with the facial expressions; the eyes, the mouth, or the “look at me”.  They want to be able to have their parent look directly at them.  There’s a connection going on; a physical connection and an emotional connection.

When we want to see the face of our Heavenly Father, we do much the same as our children.  Many of us wait to seek His face when we have trouble, when we’re depressed, or when it’s on our time.  Our heavenly Father wants us to seek Him.  As we seek Him, we make that connection with His face much like that of our children.

Our faith increases.  We think more on good things.  We’re not as easily distracted by evil.  When trouble comes we don’t have to be ashamed of going to the throne to ask for help.  Many of us wait so long to approach the Father that we are shy, ashamed, and even guilty because we haven’t made an appearance.  We haven’t sought His face!  As we seek His face, we learn that “Greater is He that is in me, than He that is in the world.”  (Good and evil can’t inhabit the same dwelling place.  God is good.)

Truly seeking God’s face takes determination, diligence, a desire for that physical and emotional connection.  It’s not difficult to seek God’s face.  As we accept Christ as our Savior and have that seed of faith spring forth in us, growing spiritually becomes important.  It’s a hunger planted in us.   IF YOU DON’T FEEL IT, PRAY FOR IT!  THEN EXPECT IT! 

Paul tells the Corinthians in 3:2 that he “gave them milk, not solid food, for they weren’t ready for it.”   We can’t get to the SOLID FOOD until we’ve made it past the milk.   In Hebrews 5:12 the writer says that someone “needs to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.”  He tells them they need milk, not solid food!  In Hebrews 5:13, he goes on to say that “anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.”  Seek Him!  In I Peter 2:2, “like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”  Seek Him!  Follow the Holy Spirit’s leading to communicate with God through prayer and meditation.  Seek Him!  SEEK that hierarchy of spiritual freedom.

When we seek Him in truth, determination, honestly wanting to know God, we don’t want to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.  The acts of the sinful nature are obvious according to Galatians 5:19:  

 sexual immorality,

 impurity and debauchery,

 idolatry and witchcraft,

 hatred,

 discord,

 jealousy,

 fits of rage,

 selfish ambition,

 dissensions,

 factions and envy,

 drunkenness, orgies—those who live like this will not make it to heaven.

But ultimately, when we seek His face, we seek that spiritual freendom in Him, we spend time with the father, we can’t help but repeat the fruits of “hanging with His spirit: 

v LOVE,

v JOY,

v PEACE,

v PATIENCE,

v KINDNESS,

v GOODNESS,

v FAITHFULNESS,

v GENTLENESS and

v SELF-CONTROL.

 Seeking Him is living by the spirit.  Living by the spirit gives us that voice of “watch out,” “danger” “go back” “turn around” and “come closer” “seek my face”.

Are you seeking Him?