The Greatest of Counselors

How much do you know about Pentecost? Is the Holy Spirit active in your life or do you simply know him as the third person of the Trinity? In this week’s sermon we will talk about a young man whose life and ministry changed dramatically when he learned of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture: Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

Renewing Reflections:
It is our prayer that Renewing Reflections will be a blessing in your life this coming week. This quote is taken from the sermon But How Can I Believe? delivered on Christian Crusaders September 21, 2003:

When we can admit that we are helpless in our sin and there dwells in us no good, the Holy Spirit has been at work within us. It is then that the Holy Spirit reveals to us that Christ paid the price for these sins. He took them upon Himself. He shows us that our forgiveness comes through trusting Christ alone. This is the Gospel. It is then that faith causes us to trust Christ. Far more than simply knowing about God's love, it is throwing ourselves into the arms of a loving Savior and finding our peace there.

Christian Crusaders Blog
Blogging is now available! Visit our blog at http://crusaderweekly.blogspot.com where you can view our e-newsletter, leave comments, and read information on previous broadcasts. We also have podcasting. With podcasting you will have the opportunity to have weekly sermons delivered directly to your iPod.

On the Light Side
One dark night outside a small town, a fire started inside the local chemical plant. Before long it exploded into flames and an alarm went out to fire departments from miles around.

After fighting the fire for over an hour, the chemical company president approached the fire chief and said, “All our secret formulas are in the vault in the center of the plant. They must be saved! I will give $50,000 to the engine company that brings them out safely!”

As soon as the chief heard this, he ordered the firemen to strengthen their attack on the blaze. After two more hours of attacking the fire, the president of the company offered $100,000 to the engine company that could bring out the company’s secret files.

From the distance a long siren was heard and another fire truck came into sight. It was a local volunteer fire company composed entirely of men over 65. To everyone’s amazement the little fire engine raced through the chemical plant gates and drove straight into the middle of the inferno. In the distance the other firemen watched as the old-timers hopped off of their rig and began to fight the fire with an effort that they had never seen before.

After an hour of intense fighting, the volunteer company had extinguished the fire and saved the secret formulas. Joyous, the chemical company president announced that he would double the reward to $200,000 and walked over to personally thank each of the volunteers.

After thanking each of the old men individually, the president asked the group what they intended to do with the reward money. The fire truck driver looked him right in the eye and said, “The first thing we’re going to do is fix the dang brakes on that truck!”

Happy Ascension Day!

Some days our world can seem very much out of control and scary. It can be difficult to find the strength and confidence we need when depressing thoughts begin creeping into our minds. In this week’s sermon, we will talk about an eternal truth found in Jesus’ ascension that makes all the difference.

Scripture: Acts 1:1-11

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”

He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”


Renewing Reflections:
It is our prayer that Renewing Reflections will be a blessing in your life this coming week. This quote is taken from the sermon God Is . . . My Help delivered on Christian Crusaders August 29, 2010:

David says, “God you are the One who lifts my head and lets me know that you love me. You raise my spirits. And you answered my cries from your holy hill. David remembers that God has been a God who answers his prayers.” David put on his theology cap, and it made all the difference. It can for us as well! When we’re not liking the outlook in our lives, when we feel like nobody likes us and everybody hates us, we can look up and know we have a heavenly Father who is a protector and a provider, who will lift our head with his love and answer our prayers for help.


Radio Station Broadcasting Changes
Christian Crusaders is on a new station! WTMJ/AM620, a popular news/talk radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, now broadcasts Christian Crusaders every Sunday at 5:00 a.m. Let your friends and family in the Milwaukee area know they can tune in for worship with us on this station.


On the Light Side
Jokes to Help You “Rise” to the Occasion

• Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.

• Stir-fry cooks come from all woks of life.

• Bakers earn the majority of their income in the morning, they earn most of their dough at yeast by a leaven o’clock.

• When asked about rumors that he owned a bakery, Shakespeare replied, “It’s much a-dough about muffin.”

• A good baker will rise to the occasion, it’s the yeast he can do.

• When baking dog biscuits, be sure to use collie flour.

• The chef took some cheese and made some grate things.

• They met in cooking class. It was boil meets grill.

The Necessity of Friends

The pressures and temptations of this life are all around us, and can make it very difficult to be faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ. So where do we turn when we need someone to talk with about our trials? In this week’s sermon, we will talk about how a special command Jesus gave us can help fill a big need we have in our Christian life.

Scripture: John 15:9-17

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.

Renewing Reflections:

It is our prayer that Renewing Reflections will be a blessing in your life this coming week. This quote is taken from the sermon The Christian Friend delivered on Christian Crusaders July 22, 2007:

God created us as social beings. Some are more social than others, but most of us need to have a circle of friends. While we have a host of friends with whom we share many experiences, our friendships created within the Church have a depth that others do not have. Consider the conversations that we have with those who are not Christians. What do we talk about? Family, vacations, work, recipes, houses, health, sports, politics. With our Christian friends we discuss these same topics, but other questions such as forgiveness, the abundant life in Christ, and eternal life are a few that add depth to our conversations.

Happy Mother’s Day

A Mothers’ Day Prayer

Thank you, Creator of us all, for my mother. I thank you that she gave me life and nurtured me all those years. She showed me her faith in you, our Lord Jesus Christ, and helped me to know your ways. She taught me how to love and how to sacrifice for others. She taught me that it was okay to cry and that I should always tell the truth.

Bless her with the graces she needs and which you want to give her today. Help her to feel precious in your eyes today and to know that I love her. Give her strength and courage, compassion and peace.

Bless her this day with your love.

Radio Station Broadcasting Changes

Christian Crusaders is on a new station! WTMJ/AM620, a popular news/talk radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, now broadcasts Christian Crusaders every Sunday at 5:00 a.m. Let your friends and family in the Milwaukee area know they can tune in for worship with us on this station.

On the Light SideTop Ten Momisms

10. This hurts you more than it hurts me.

 9. Stop crying or I’ll give you something to cry about!

 8. If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times...

 7. What’s the magic word?

 6. I carried you for nine months . . . !

 5. Stop that before someone pokes an eye out.

 4. If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.

 3. I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.

 2. I hope someday you have children just like you.

And number one . . . (Drumroll, please) . . .

 1. Because I’m your mother, that’s why!

Our Devotional Life

Do you want to do great things for the Lord and his Church, but don’t believe you are able? In the sermon this week, we will talk about a scripture passage that can help us become giants in God’s Kingdom.


Scripture: John 15:1-8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be give you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”


Renewing Reflections:
It is our prayer that Renewing Reflections will be a blessing in your life this coming week. This quote is taken from the sermon The One-on-One delivered on Christian Crusaders April 30, 2006:

How important it is for us to have those one-on-one times with Jesus as His Word explores the sin in our lives. How devastating it is when we let these sins separate us from our Heavenly Father and other people! . . . These meetings with Jesus and then with one another are a must for a happy, personal relationship. He will always forgive, however, we must come in repentance and faith before we hear Christ’s assuring words, “Your sins are forgiven. Go and sin no more.”

Mother’s Day Gift Idea
Are you looking for a meaningful Mother's Day gift? Perhaps the special mother in your life might like a limited-edition set of audio CDs from Christian Crusaders. This unique set of six sermons is appropriately centered on motherhood and is available for a donation of any amount. Please call us at 1-888-693-2484 or visit our Web site to order.


On the Light Side
HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO
Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York. This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.


The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day. The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5, and is known, of course, as Sinko de Mayo.