This week on the marque

Our pastor is always coming up with cleaver things to put on the marque. Doesn't this make you want to come in and listen to what he's going to say?!?!

A Simple Prayer

I received this prayer in an email this week. I thought it was very timely. I hope you are blessed by it too.

Dear Lord, I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me. Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you. I ask now Father for Your forgiveness. Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude. Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You. Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things. Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over. Strengthen me to give the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray, You listen to my heart. Continue to use me to do Your will. Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Keep me strong that I may help the weak... Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for other s. I pray for those that are lost and can't find their way. I pray for those that are misjudged and misunderstood. I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those that will delete this without sharing it with others. I pray for those that don't believe. But I thank you that I believe. I believe that God changes people and God changes things. I pray for all my sisters and brothers. For each and every family member in their households. I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met. I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I thank You for who You are and who I am because of who You are. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Happy Mother's Day

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:10-31

May 13, 6th week of Easter

I will be out of town Sunday, but I'm sure you all can handle church without me. Here are the scriptures for this week.

Psalm 67 The Nations Exhorted to Praise God.

Acts 16:9-15 The Macedonian Vision and First Convert in Europe

Revelation 21:10, 21:22-22:5 The New Jerusalem and The River and the Tree of Life

John 14:23-29 Role of the Spirit

May 6, 2007

This coming week at Cornerstone:


Psalm 148The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the LORD.

Acts 11:1-18 Peter Reports at Jerusalem

Revelation 21:1-6 The New Heaven and Earth

John 13:31-35 A New Command

HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY DOC

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday dear Doc.

Happy Birthday to you!

A Happy Birthday to you, a happy birthday to you,

May you feel Jesus near, every day of the year.

Happy birthday to you a happy birthday to you,

and the best year that you've ever had!

The Illusion of Control

For a visual of where the sermon is heading this coming Sunday take a look at The Miraculous Draught of Fishes painted by Peter Paul Rueben's circa 1618.

Lectionary readings for this week:
Psalm 30

Acts 9:1-6

Revelation 5:11-14

John 21:1-19

From the preview we were given Wednesday night at Prayer Meeting (starts at 6:30 and is a wonderful pick me up during the week), God has an awesome word to speak to us this week. We hope you will be able to join us at 9:00 am for Sunday School and 10:15 for worship!

Two Commandments or Three or One?

The Greatest Commandment
Matthew 22:34-40
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

God woke me up early this morning thinking about this particular passage, and since I'm up I might as well blog about it.

The Greatest Commandment in a nut shell: Love God. The second: Love your neighbor like you love yourself.

And that, my friend is where I started to think. Love God. Sounds easy enough. He's our creator, the one who has our lives mapped out, maybe. God's always the one that we turn to when we're in a bind. Sure, loving God is easy. Right?

But love your neighbor like you love yourself. That one isn't as easy as the first. Who are my neighbors? The strangers that live on my street? How about the people I interact with on a daily basis. What about people that live in other countries that I've never met and never will, are they my neighbors? What about other christians, even if they believe something a little different. Are they my neighbors? But some of these christians have caused me a lot of pain in my life, do I really have to love them?

But the scripture says, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' As yourself. There's a catch. You can't just love your neighbor. You have to love your neighbor AS YOURSELF. But that would imply that you do actually love yourself. Somedays its easy to love me, but there are days when I wouldn't be my friend, or my neighbor.

So did Jesus give us two commandments or three?
Love God.
Love your neighbor.
Love yourself.

Or let me put it this way,

Love yourself so that you can
Love your neighbor so that you can
Love God.

Or maybe this way.

Love.
Love.
Love.