Freedom From Legalism

Jesus came to set us free from condemnation, judgment and the burden of the Old Testament law. If you’re looking for a church where you can walk in freedom, free from the legalism of the old covenant, Crossfire is the church for you. We have a prophetic edge, vibrant worship, challenging teaching and freedom to walk according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Come and visit us this weekend near South University Blvd. and Arapahoe Road in Centennial. We are excited to see you!

Pictured: Pastor Harvey (center) grilling at the Annual All-Church Picnic.

Stand Firm in His Freedom

There are many Christians today who try to live by the legal requirements of the Old Testament. There are hundreds of dos and don’ts in the law. But Galatians Chapter 3:12 says “The law is not based on faith." If you try to live by the Old Testament law you are living in slavery.

That’s right. The only way to live in freedom is to live with Jesus on the inside of you. He purchased your freedom from the law. He set you free when you accepted Him as Lord and savior. Stand firm in His freedom.

55% of Americans Believe They Can Earn Salvation

A prominent Christian social researcher found about 55% of all Americans believe they can earn salvation. Yet we know from Ephesians Chapter 2:8 that “it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.”

To believe that you can earn salvation and eternal life is to become a slave to works; a slave to deserving something from God. If you believe this, you are not free; you are a slave to your own belief system and to works for your salvation.

Opportunity During the Democratic National Convention

Christians have a great opportunity to reflect the life of Jesus this week during the Democratic National Convention. Outside of the delegates there will be thousands of protesters and demonstrators. We can cast the light of truth into the shadows of deception. We can speak life when some may speak death. We can present Jesus when others present religion. We can bring true love and peace when many bring anger and a false peace. We can present authentic goodness when others present a ‘knock-off’ of the real thing. God is faithful this week to use many of you to bring life in the midst of this event.

The Ten Commandments Do Not Give Freedom; Jesus Does

About one in ten Christians claim they are going to heaven because they have kept the ten commandments. They believe it is their keeping of the commandments that will get them eternal life. However, Romans 3:20 says that ‘no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law.’ Under the new covenant it is our belief in Jesus Christ that gains us eternal life. The moment we look to our own behavior as good enough to gain acceptance before God, we frustrate God’s grace enter a form of slavery. It’s Jesus that gives us freedom, not the ten commandments.

In the Last Days There Will Be Such Deception

This week we have the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Things will be said by politicians that sound good, but may not reflect the goodness of the Lord. The Bible is clear that in the last days, there will be such deception and confusion that if the time was not shortened even the elect would be deceived. As Christians we can discern what is based in the truth of the Bible, what is based in faith in Jesus Christ, and what is the true goodness of the Lord. Pray this week eyes and ears would be opened to truth and that Christians would would not be deceived in any way.

Jesus Is The Standard

The Bible says in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Stand firm, then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” The Scripture is talking about slavery to rules and regulations for being right with God. Jesus died and was resurrected to set us free from any legal standard of righteousness except Jesus Christ. He is the standard. If He lives on the inside of you, then you’ve met the standard and you’re free from all other standards of righteousness.

True freedom is available only when we understand that Jesus purchased our freedom. He set us free. To seek to be righteous by any other standard is slavery. Stand firm in your freedom in Christ.

Discern The Times

This week we have the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Along with the party delegates will be many demonstrators and protesters coming to bring a message. We’ll be deluged with clips and images with wild and crazy messages. Some of the messages will line up with Psalms 27:13 (“I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”) but most will not.

Watch and listen this week. Discern the times in which we live. The Holy Spirit will help you discern those messages, few as they may be, that are the goodness of the living Lord. I’d love to hear from you on this topic.

Crossfire Is a Land of Goodness

Our church in Centennial is a land of goodness and very much alive. You’ll enjoy our vibrant worship, our testimony to God’s goodness, our grace based teaching, and our servant style of leadership. We are a prophetic church where freedom in Christ is encouraged the Spirit of God is exalted. We meet near south university boulevard and Arapahoe Road at 10 am on Sundays. We’d love for you to enjoy the presence of the Lord with us this weekend.

Pictured: Sasha L. and her daughter Katie at the Crossfire garage sale to raise money for Habitat for Humanity in 2008.

Bring Some Goodness From the Land of the Living

Those listening in the Denver area will be experiencing the Democratic National Convention next week in our city. I’m already hearing a lot of whining, complaining, and victim thinking about the traffic changes, the extra people, the media, and the politics. So what are you bringing to the convention next week? How about bringing some goodness from the land of the living? Bring prayer, bring intercession, bring a prophetic word, bring Jesus, bring the Word of God.

Choose To Bring Good Stuff Into Your Surroundings

As believers in Jesus we ARE the land of the living. We are designed through the born-again experience to bring goodness and life into our surroundings.

I want to challenge you today. What do you bring into your surroundings? Do you bring whining, complaining, and victim thinking? Or do you bring hope, encouragement, and peace to your workplace, home, and social network? You may have both on the inside of you. One set of stuff comes from the flesh. The other set of stuff comes from the Spirit. You have to choose to bring the latter stuff-- the good stuff into your surroundings. Jesus died so you could bring the good stuff of the Lord. Do it and everyone will be blessed!

God's Love Frees Us To Live Like We're At the Green Light

Jesus and the believers in the New Testament were an active bunch! They lived like they were at a green light all the time! They took every opportunity to bring good news to their community.

The only thing that stands between you and living at a green light is fear. Fear acts like a continual red light, stopping us from bringing life to those around us. Those who live in fear do not see the goodness of the Lord. They’re too afraid!!! The more we receive God’s love and grace the less room there is for fear. It frees you to live like you're at the green light.

Don't Keep the Life Hidden Under a Shell

This week I’ll be talking about the goodness of God. Psalms 27:13 says “I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” As believers in Jesus we ARE the land of the living. We have been made alive by the finished work of Jesus through the cross and resurrection!

Under the new covenant you and I are the "body of Christ." The Word of God says that the Church is a living body. We are a living, breathing, moving being designed to reveal the goodness of God. As the Church, we can bring life and peace into our workplaces, our homes, and our social networks.

But you have to choose to bring it and release it! You can’t keep it hidden under a hard shell, under a façade of fashion, or under a veneer of vanity. You must release the goodness of God into your surroundings! Choose to release God’s goodness today.

Crossfire Lives By Faith

Crossfire is a church that lives by faith and grace. We know Jesus personally and we walk in the freedom He gave us; the freedom to be led by the Spirit of God as we live a life of faith and build people in the faith. We believe in building people, not buildings. We’d love to have you to visit our church this weekend!

Pictured: Aaron singing on the worship team.

I Hope The Crossfire Minute Blesses You!

According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is being sure of something we cannot see. It’s trusting God when there is little or no evidence. I started doing these 60 second messages a few months ago by faith, knowing that they were a God-idea, but not knowing where the money would come from or if anyone would listen to them. Now I'm encouraged more and more as not only is money there for the air time, but people are listening and being blessed by the truth of God going forward each day. God is greatly increasing my faith as I walk out each day in faith. I hope you’ve been blessed by these messages.

Faith Versus Emotion

Many Christians say they walk by faith, but when life gets tough, they let emotions and intellect take over. They can’t handle what they see. And they walk in the flesh. James 1:3 says the walk of faith requires perseverance. Our faith can grow and mature as we walk through life, but we must stick to it. We must persevere in faith even when are emotions are totally whacked out. Persevere in your faith today and you’ll grow in your faith.

Faith Versus Presumption

According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is being sure of something we cannot see. It is trusting God when there is little or no evidence it will come to pass. Everyone puts their faith in something. Even atheists have faith-- it’s just not in Jesus. Where do you put your faith? Is it only in what you can see, feel, smell, hear, taste--those things tangible to the senses? If your faith is only in the tangible, then you are living based upon visible evidence rather that an invisible God. You’re not in faith. You’re in presumption. You’re trusting in what you can see.

Faith Is The Currency Of Salvation

This week I’ll be talking about faith. According to Hebrews 11:1, faith being sure of something we cannot see. It is trusting in an unseen truth. It is trusting God for something when there is little or no evidence it will come to pass. Faith does not rely upon physical evidence to stay the course.

However, scripture is very clear that there are levels of faith. Some have great faith that God will work in their finances. That same person may have little faith that they can be supernaturally healed of an illness. Whether we have little or great faith, faith is the currency of our salvation and our life in Jesus Christ.

The Free Gift of Grace

Grace is Jesus Christ. He is the undeserved favor given freely by God the Father. Christians readily understand getting saved by the gift of grace. But they often want to stay saved by works. That is counter intuitive and it is not the gospel. You don’t have to work to receive Him. You don’t have to work to keep Him. If you received a gift from your dad on your birthday, you got that gift freely. Dad paid for it. He gave it to you. He’s not trying to get it back from you if you don’t behave. So it is with the free gift of grace. You get to keep it and to live in it every day.

Got Jesus? Then You Got Grace!

Got Jesus? Then you got grace! Yes, you no longer have to do certain things to deserve God’s favor and acceptance. You’ve already done it. You received Jesus as Lord and Savior by believing He is who He said He was. You’ve radically changed in your heart to believing that Jesus is the only way to God’s favor and acceptance. This is an awesome thing. It’s an awesome relationship with God. Grace is not just a doctrine upon which you now must work to please God. It is Jesus through whom you will now live and move and have your very being.

Good Deeds Will Come Naturally

This week I’m talking about the topic of grace. Grace is ‘undeserved favor and acceptance by God’. Grace is not a doctrine. Grace is Jesus Christ. Many of us accept Jesus, the undeserved gift of favor and acceptance, then try to perform to prove to people and to God that we are acceptable. This is not new. In Luke Chapter 4 the devil tried to get Jesus to perform to prove He was God’s son. Jesus rejected that approach. If you’ve accepted Jesus, you’ve made Him Lord of your life, you don’t have to perform certain good deeds to prove it. Any good deeds that you do will come naturally out of the life He gave you. You won’t have to check off a daily list of good deeds to perform for God.

The Devil Tempted Jesus to Perform

Grace is ‘undeserved favor and acceptance by God.’ Grace is not a doctrine. Grace is Jesus Christ. If you accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, you have God’s favor and acceptance. Ephesians 2:8 says we are saved by grace, not by works, so that no one can brag about personal accomplishments. Many people, after accepting Jesus, quickly stray into performing for God. Why? The tone was set when the Devil tempted Jesus to perform. He told Jesus to prove his divinity by performing. Jesus knew who He was and chose not to perform.

Crossfire Teaches Grace

This week I’ve been talking about the grace of God. Grace means ‘undeserved favor and acceptance.’ Galatians 5: 4 says, “you who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.” Jesus satisfied the requirements of the law. He satisfied all of the ten commandments. He satisfied all the needs of righteousness. To look anywhere except to Jesus for God’s favor is to fall from grace. If you’re looking for a church that teaches grace, try Crossfire in Centennial, Colorado.

Pictured: a team from Crossfire, including Pastors Harvey and Deborah Wittmier (right) who ministered in Vietnam in 2008.