Six years ago it was decision time and the pressure was intense.  It was either move to New Jersey from Oregon or stay where we were and wait some more.  Do we leave everything we know including family and friends?  Do we jump into an unknown city with unknown people where we literally knew not one of the 9+ million people in the state of New Jersey?  Before we made the decision to move as a family from Oregon to New Jersey there were so many unknowns.  Would anyone like us? Are we doing the right thing?  I remember sitting on my deck with my bible open early in the morning asking God for direction.  I have never been more in tune with trusting God and wanting to be close to Him. Even then, it was an incredibly difficult decision.  What made it even harder is there were people who told us we were making the wrong decision.

Maybe it isn’t leaving a geographical area but it could be a different type of major decision.  What major decision is on your radar and what are you going to do?  Go left or right there is no other choice.  You are on the hot seat and there is uncertainty.  What will you do? 

^“And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.” Joshua 5:15

Joshua needed to get this one right.  It was time for their first battle at Jericho and the whole nations blessing depended on a sound decision.  I love what God says to start the Crossroads Conversation.  Essentially, “You better get right before Me first if you expect me to talk to you and lead you.”

If you are at a Crossroads, here are some things to consider…

• Have You Heard God Out? – Go ahead and try to make a decision without consulting God and waiting on Him and you will get a GIANT MESS!  It may not look messy at first, but sooner or later you will end up realizing your own pride has ruined you.  I implore you if there is a MAJOR decision coming, LISTEN!  Marriage, buying a house, selling something, moving from one place to another, no matter what the decision is, you have to listen.  Anyone can talk themselves into the “logical” decision.  Stop using your mind and let God mess up your life.   

• Are You Running From Something? – I have sat with many people in times of major decision and NONE of them have EVER admitted to me they were running from God.  EVER!  Were they? I have no idea, but I do know that denial is a major issue in CROSSROADS MOMENTS.  Come clean!  God will let you walk away, but He won’t stop trying to get your attention.

• The Illusion of Control – The truth is you don’t control things!  Everything is under the control of God.  We make our plans and quite honestly, sometimes I think God laughs at them.  We think we are providing for our families with our great talents and gifts but God knows it is His provision. The thing about God I have realized is He will love us no matter what, but we can miss out BIG TIME on a blessing if we choose to control rather than yield to His control.

• The Need For Courage – Stop thinking about it and just do it.  Your life is so short.  Try it!  What are you so afraid of?  Obviously, God does not tell us to do things outside of His Word, nor will he call us to sin, but if you need courage, ask God for it.

This Sunday 217church is all about A Fresh Vision!  I absolutely cannot wait to share the vision for us that God wants to bring his poeple out of ‘EXILE’!   “He will keep you in exile no longer.” Lamentations 4:22. Each one of us has been given an incredible opportunity to walk alongside Jesus, but for some of us, we are in exile. It is time for deliverance, it’s decision time.

Our church is at a crossroads. It is time to make some major decisions about how we grow and new townships to reach.  Will you pray with us as we seek God’s face in His will for 217church?  The journey is about to get really interesting!

What will you do at the CROSSROADS?