CrossLife Church

CrossLife Church

Verse by verse teaching (Systematic Expository Preaching) from CrossLife Church in Johnson City, TN.

  1. 2d ago

    Kingdom Citizens

    Ticketed events seem to be increasingly complicated today. To get into many major events, like a football game or other large ticketed gatherings, one has to follow the rules. Besides having a ticket, you may have to walk through a scanner to check for weapons, you may not be allowed to bring in a bag, or if you do, it may need to be clear. There may be other rules, but it is uncommon to walk into a major event without some level of security and expectations on who gets in. Who is allowed to enter as a citizen of heaven? What are the conditions for entrance, and what kind of people qualify? That is the question presented in Psalm 15. "O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?  Who shall dwell on your holy hill?" - Psalm 15:1 You would think there would be a list of ritual requirements, but that is not what we find here. To gain admittance in this holy and sacred place, a person is unable to earn their entry through a list of rules or a checklist. The requirement is a clean and clear conscience before God. Not just the appearance of external obedience or of superficial goodness, but clean hands and a pure heart. In Psalm 15, we learn the ways of the citizens of the Kingdom of God.

  2. Aug 2

    Waiting on the Lord

    I find it difficult to wait. It is hard to battle impatience when we are waiting on something we know is good, like a birthday present, an event, or exciting news. What is most difficult is when we find ourselves in the midst of a storm in life, and we are waiting for the clouds to break. If you have ever found yourself in a time of tribulation or suffering, you have likely cried out to the Lord in prayer, asking, "How Long?" In Psalm 13, King David asks four times in two verses, "How Long, Oh Lord?"  "How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?  How long will you hide your face from me?  How long must I take counsel in my soul  and have sorrow in my heart all the day?   How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?  This is not a momentary tribulation but a prolonged season of suffering and attack from enemies. It appears that the trend is favoring David’s enemies as they seem to prevail while he is wrestles though deeper levels of despair. David is searching for deliverance, and God does not appear to be providing any practical help.  As David looks to the Lord in prayer, his desperate tone shifts from despair to a hopeful delight. Martin Luther said, “hope itself despairs and despair nevertheless begins to hope.” We see David’s confidence in the Lord, that He has heard his plea and that in the end God’s goodness can be trusted. If you have ever cried out to the Lord, "How Long?" you will want to consider Psalm 13 with us this Sunday.

  3. Jul 26

    Living in a Land of Lies

    Many have described our age as the Information Age. Never has information been so readily available and easily accessible. Since the Enlightenment, we are at a time where discernment is at a minimum, and all definitions are considered open to personal interpretation. Our culture lacks a consistent worldview and framework, and information is freely used as propaganda, rather than any clear pursuit of truth. For these reasons, a more accurate description of our Age is one of Misinformation.  In Psalm 12, we find a timely prayer and guide for times such as these. “And when you witness the arrogance of the crowd and increasing evil, so much so that nothing is considered holy among men, flee to the Lord and cry out Psalm 12” (Athanasius, Letter to Marcellinus). Paul exhorts believers to “put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another” (Ephesians 4:25). The words of man can hurt, but the words of God and the words of the godly heal.

  4. Jul 19

    Steadfast and Faithful

    Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you felt as if the fiery darts of the enemy were raining down? You are attacked on every side. Perhaps a close friend or family member has unjustly attacked your character. Maybe the stability of your finances or health has been shaken. Or, especially for parents and spouses, the ones you hold most dear are battered against the hard rock of this world. In situations like these, we are tempted to feel helpless. Our helplessness is a reality meant to drive us to God, but the enemies of God's people are always seeking to leverage our helplessness against us. They would have us cower in the corner. They would have us doubt God's goodness, power, and wisdom. But the God who was in control in Psalms 1 and 2 is the same God who is sovereign through the trials Psalms 3–11. Though the enemies of God surround His people, though we are tempted to lose heart or abandon our faith, God is forever steadfast and faithful through all our trials and difficulties. We can, therefore, always come to Him for refuge—the One who vindicates the righteous and will crush the wicked under His foot.

  5. Jul 12

    When God Seems Distant

    There are times in every Christian's life when it seems that God is distant and hidden. It is like God went on vacation and turned his phone off for a break. If you have never sensed this tension, then you are either too self-sufficient to need God, or you feel don't think its appropriate to ask such a question.  The Psalmist is asking an honest and real question. Why does God sometimes delay His deliverance or even deny it? When C.S. Lewis was facing a time of bitter grief, he reflected on the presence of questions about God in the midst of his suffering. “The real danger is coming to believe such dreadful things about Him. The conclusion I dread is not, "So there's no God after all," but, "So this is what God's really like. Deceive yourself no longer.”(A Grief Observed, 5). Psalm 10 explores the believer's struggle to trust God in times of trouble. We need not worry that God will abandon us, but we need to think more deeply about the trustworthiness of God. Has God given us adequate reason to trust Him in times of trouble?

  6. Jul 5

    God Remembers, Man Forgets

    God Remembers, Man Forgets - Psalm 9 Today we have far too many "Forgetful Christians". These are people who forget God in the ordinary hours of their day. They live, breathe, and die as Functional Atheists. And the world, the flesh, and the devil incentivize them. Functional Atheists operate their lives under the assumption that life is a mixture of pleasant and uncomfortable, lucky and unlucky, happy and sad coincidences. A rainy day is a bad day because it could’ve been a sunny day, except for a stroke of “bad luck.” A sudden relational conflict ruins our day simply because it’s “uncomfortable” and “meaningless.” Getting turned down by that job we really wanted throws us into a whirlwind of depression because we’re debilitated by an onrush of “what if”s.  BUT could there be a deeper and more significant meaning behind all these occurrences? The man who remembers God knows: there most certainly is! David open's Psalm 9 with four resolutions: David will give thanks with his whole heart, recount all God's wonderful deeds, be glad and exult in Him, and sing praise to the name of the LORD.

  7. Jun 28

    The Majesty of God and the Frailty of Man

    Does your life matter? We are creatures with questions. Among the greatest questions are those that inform us of our origin and identity. Where did we come from, and what are we to do with our lives? The further man gets away from any understanding of God as creator and ultimate authority over His creation, the more depraved the man's life will be.  That is the focus of David's great Psalm 8. David praises the majesty of God as creator and sustainer. David follows this great statement about the grandeur of God with a logical question about man. "Who is man that you are mindful of him?" Just who do you think you are? We will explore the answer in Psalms 8 this Sunday.

  8. Jun 21

    A Cry for Justice

    Most people today have grown up being repeatedly told they are a victim, disadvantaged, and have probably experienced some kind of trauma. This narrative allows them to justify their bad attitude, actions, and harm towards others. This is toxic and unfortunate for many reasons. One of those reasons is that there are times when we are unjustly hurt by others and have been sinned against. What do you do when you have been slandered, misrepresented, or harmed by another person without just cause? In Psalms 7, David cries out to the Lord for justice concerning the hurtful and destructive words of Cush the Benjaminite. We have no record of what Cush said or did, but it must have caused some serious harm to David and his reputation. If you have ever been unjustifiably attacked or misrepresented by someone, you will benefit from examining David's prayer to the LORD. David appeals to God, invites self-examination, waits on the Lord, and preemntively give thanks to the Lord. This Sunday, we will walk through David's prayer as we learn how to cry out for justice.

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About

Verse by verse teaching (Systematic Expository Preaching) from CrossLife Church in Johnson City, TN.

Information

  • Creator
    CrossLife Church
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 CrossLife Church JC
  • Show Website
    CrossLife Church