WEEKEND UPDATE (Halloween 2010)

Great day Sunday at Crossroads!!  Here's just a few of the things I noticed:

• Lots of people in costume on Sunday.  Too much fun!  Why wait for Reformation Day to dress up?  That was awesome!
• Some of my favorites: Nic & Janna as Ricky and Lucy; Will as Dwight Shrute (looked EXACTLY like him); Tyler as "Ash" Williams from Evil Dead (complete with prosthetic chainsaw hand); Natalie replete with stiches and facial bruises as boxer "Lights Out" Lurie; Cory Shelton as Frodo Baggins; Rachel as Minnie Mouse; and a purposely unshaven, slovenly Todd Waggerman in a costume that left the good taste barrier smoldering in the rear view mirror - something resembling a homeless winged fairy with tu-tu and pink bedroom slippers.  LOVE the fact that all of you felt completely comfortable dressing like that for church!  Waggerman, you really need some professional help! Hahaha!
• I wanted to dress in costume, but I thought it would be so offensive, and distracting I decided not to.  Will Lurie, however, did prepare a picture of what I was going for.  It's at the bottom of this post.
• While all of that was fun, it was the least important thing that happened Sunday.
• ROADIES 201 finished Sunday!  So proud of all who dug in, showed up, and got the most from their Sunday mornings for the last month!  Way to go guys, and way to go Pastor Matt and Pastor Ben for doing a GREAT job teaching the class!
• Sunday we also finished our series 'GHOST' as we took head-on some misconceptions about the Holy Spirit and provided some insight into developing a close intimate relationship with Him.
• It's possible I stepped on some toes Sunday.  If you were offended in any way, pray for me.
• God's LOVE drives everything the Holy Spirit does!
• The Holy Spirit came to connect followers of Christ to the POWER and the PRESENCE of God so we can be WITNESSES of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!
• The Holy Spirit desires an INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP with us so He may LEAD us and GUIDE us and COUNSEL us and COMFORT us and TEACH us and CORRECT us and CONVICT us and ENCOURAGE us and EMPOWER us and SANCTIFY us and SEAL us and STRENGTHEN us and work IN us and THROUGH us so we might DO God's will!!!
• Paul told the church at Corinth "knowledge puffs up, but LOVE builds up".
• Maybe you've walked into (or out of) a church service where people were running around, rolling on the floor and all praying in tongues and the same time.  Confusion.  Not edifying.  Doesn't BUILD up.  Seems puffed up, or maybe even MADE up.  That's NOT the Holy Spirit's fault!
• I believe in MIRACLES! (But God-made ones, not man-made ones).
• "The Holy Spirit works to glorify Christ, but many who emphasize the Holy Spirit seem to draw attention to themselves". - Francis Chan.  Agreed (see TBN...or don't).
• 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 is so powerful!  Paul redirects the focus of the church at Corinth (and any other church that will listen) from supernatural gift to L-O-V-E.
• After we "did the numbers" digging through Scripture from top to bottom" we found 17 Scriptures about tongues and 1489 Scriptures about "fruit".
• Yes, I pray in the Spirit every day, but in my room with the door closed (Matthew 6:5-9)
• I submit the overwhelming evidence of the IN-FILLING of the Holy Spirit is the FRUIT of the Spirit in operation in our lives, not the GIFTS of the Spirit.
• The gifts of the spirit are unquestionably important, but we are most like Christ when we live in a way that the FRUIT of the SPIRIT is evident on our lives!
• It is in being FRUITFUL that we become like Christ in His love! 

Have a GREAT week!  Enjoy your Small Group!  Here's my questionable costume choice: