Ponderings from Pastor Nate

Wednesday, Sep 1st 2010

The Danger of Anger

We all know what happens when people are not disciplined in their use of anger. Someone usually gets hurt.  How many of us let anger get the best of us?  Whether it’s on the golf course, at home, in the car, or elsewhere, anger has seriously detrimental effects to your desired outcome.     

Ephesians 4:26-27 tells us, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you.  Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil” (NLT).

Think about the last time when someone got angry at you.  What were your first thoughts about them at the time?  We probably thought, “That’s a little much,” or, “I used to respect this guys opinion?!”  It probably took a great deal of time and prayer to overcome those feelings if it was someone you are close to.  It is easy to see, when we think of those times, how anger gives a foothold to the devil.

Now think about the last time you got angry.  What was the outcome?  Was it productive?  If we’re honest with ourselves we have to say “No.”

I’ve been working on a particular anger problem commonly known as “road rage.”  When I’m in a hurry, it’s easy for me to get upset at the rest of the “idiots” on the road.  I heard a story one time about a mom and daughter who were driving along one day and the little girl asked, "Mommy, why do the idiots only come out when Daddy drives?"  I don’t want to be that Daddy.  It is amazing what children pick up from us when we are not disciplined.

Where do you struggle with anger?  The Bible tells us it’s time to get it under control so God can work through us into the lives of those around us.  The alternative is to provide foothold after foothold for the devil to climb up on and ruin your relationships, your witness, and ultimately your walk with the Lord.  Undisciplined anger can do a lot of damage, but Jesus can take away our anger if we will let him.

-Nate

 

Saturday, Sep 26th 2009

Practice

I have a fairly regular routine for Saturday mornings.  I try to get into the office by 8:00 am and get my morning reading and such done.  Then I like to go into an empty sanctuary and practice my weekend message to a bunch of empty seats.  This helps me to iron out any rough spots and to be extra ready for the real thing.  There have been multiple times over the years that people have walked in during my preaching and looked at me like, “Where is everybody?”  It is always funny. 

I love to play sports.  In every sport I participated in we took time to practice before it was game time.  Even the short time I was in cross country, we practiced.  Practice gets you into game shape.

Why do we read our Bible?  Why do we pray?  Why do we attend small group?  Why do we do those sorts of things?  It is practice for game day.  What happens when a friend asks you why you read your Bible?  What happens when someone asks you why you go to church?  1 Peter 3:15b says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”  When the question is asked, it is game day.  It is like God shouting to you, “It’s your turn.  Get into the game.  Score one for the team.”

Hey friends, we have all dropped passes in the end zone.  We have all struck out.  We have all fallen on our face.  Here’s the good news.  The game is not over and you are still in the game.  We already know that we are winners, but the final scores have not been tallied.

You have got a great opportunity this week to bring friends and family to church.  This is your big chance.  Score one for the team and do your part in bringing someone to Christ.  Services are on Saturday at 6:00 PM. And Sunday at both 8:45 & 11 AM.  Remember that there is a great Children’s Church during the 11 am service.  Remember that the person to bring the most guests to each of the three services will win a free Study Bible.  You must bring at least five people to qualify.

Friday, Sep 25th 2009

Garage Sale

This morning I got up early to get things ready for the church garage sale.  It is not something that I was looking forward to, but judging the line of people that were waiting for the door to open, I was the minority.  What is it about garage sales?  We get rid of what we think is disposable, and people pay money for it.  The old saying is true: One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.

God is a bit like that.  The world may look at us and think that we are worthless, but God sees a hidden treasure.  He sees something of great value.  Others may want to leave it on the street, but our heavenly Father wants to make something beautiful out of it.  Give yourself to God.  Allow Him to change your life. 

The Gaither’s have an old song that describes this called, Something Beautiful.  It goes like this: Something beautiful, something good.  All my confusion He understood.  All I had to offer Him was brokenness and strife, but he made something beautiful of my life.

Thursday, Sep 24th 2009

Mountain Top

On Tuesday I have to fly to Colorado for a few days.  There are some denominational meetings that I need to attend, so I will fly out of Omaha on Tuesday and return on Thursday.  It is a quick trip, but I am looking forward to being away for a few days.

My friend Bryan posted a link on Facebook yesterday that showed that Colorado is going to get covered in snow this weekend.  That’s right, snow, and already in September!  I am looking forward to looking at the mountain tops in Colorado, but am not looking forward to looking at snow.  It is funny as fall creeps up on us.  We know that the snow is going to come, but we are never quite ready for it.

Sometimes we as Christians enjoy mountain-top experiences.  Everything is going well.  The sun is shining.  The world seems perfect.  Then…  That’s right…the roof comes in.  The inevitable happens and we tumble from the mountain-top.  We cry, where are you God?  Why did you let this happen?  Why me?

We should know that we cannot stay on the mountain-top.  We should be ready for those problems in life that come up on a regular basis.  The problem is that we are too busy enjoying the mountain-top and not looking ahead at what the evil one may be preparing to ensnare us.

Paul writes, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” 1 Cor. 10:13. This is not just an idle verse that means nothing to the believer in Christ.  This is a promise.  This is the spike in the mountain that holds the climber up and will not let him fall.  He has comfort in knowing that a power greater than himself is protecting him.

I’m not sure what you are experiencing right now.  You may be standing on top of the mountain looking down on all of the beauty of God’s creation, or you may be in a dark valley wondering where all of this trouble came from.  Regardless you should know that God is there.

One of my favorite songs right now (It changes from time-to-time) is from Matt Redman and is called, You Never Let Go.  The chorus goes like this: “Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm.  Oh no, You never let go, In every high and every low.  Oh no, You never let go, Lord, You never let go of me.”

Hold onto that promise today.  If you have time, watch this video on You Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIAdgLR1ZGw  

We’ll see you this weekend!

Wednesday, Sep 23rd 2009

Car Troubles

 

Josh worked at Hyvee last night until 11 pm.  He came out of work to find his car battery dead.  (Don’t you hate car troubles?)  These things never happen at opportune times.  He called his brother to come and help, but Zach had already left for his job.  Cindy had to go out and get him. 

This morning I went over to get his car for him.  I found a very corroded and dead battery.  I jumped it and got it running, but it died again within a block of Hyvee.  I decided not to fight with it anymore and just run into O’Reilly’s and buy a new battery for his car.  Now it is running again.

When a battery is dead, the car will not start.  It needs a working battery to get the starter to turn over.  Many people around us have dead batteries of their own, and I am not talking about their car parts.  I’m talking about their hearts.  They have a dead heart towards God.  They need more than a jump-start.  They need a new heart.  2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old is gone, the new has come.”  That old battery has been replaced with a new one.

For many people, you are the only Bible that they will ever read.  They will not open their Bible’s to 2 Corinthians 5:17 to read this verse.  They would much rather ‘read’ you.  What will they find as they turn the pages of your life?  Is there a chance that they could find God because of you?  If not, why not resolve today to be a living Bible for your world to read?  Why not make a pledge to God that you are going to invite someone to come to church with you this weekend?

It’s time to jump-start your faith and make a heavenly commitment!

Tuesday, Sep 22nd 2009

Locomotive

This morning Cindy had to leave early, so I took my daily walk alone.  I try to walk about two miles every morning.  As I started out I heard a train coming.  I saw the cars start to line up on Division Street to wait for the train to pass.  My walk goes straight down 9th Street, so I had a bird’s eye view of the train.  It was longer than usual.  Just as the first train was finally finishing, another train came from the opposite direction and the cars had to continue to wait. 

I’m certain that it was discouraging for them to sit and wait for such a long time.  Most of those people were probably on their way to work.  We don’t leave ourselves very big time margins, so I’m sure they were cutting it close.  On top of that, the underpass at Linn Street is under construction, so there was no avoiding the waiting game to get across the tracks in Boone this morning.

Waiting is not a fun thing for most of us.  There is this feeling of being stuck.  You know, that feeling of not being able to do the things that we want to do.  There is a feeling of helplessness.  That is not a new feeling for anyone.  Most likely we all know people (maybe even us!) that hare facing this feeling of being stuck.  They can not go forward or backwards and there is no short-cuts to get around the issue that they are facing.

Here’s the deal, God did not create us with the ability to solve all of our own problems.  He wants us to be willing to go to Him and allow Him to do those things that can get us un-stuck.  He wants us to understand our desperate need for Him.  Our world is in frantic need of a Savior.

Why not take the time to pick up the phone and call a friend and invite them to come to church with you this weekend?  Take an extra step and offer to come and pick them up.  That will take away their fears of walking into a door and not knowing anyone.  Offer to take them to lunch afterwards.  This way you can answer any of their questions that they may have wondered about during the worship experience.

Do your part to help your friends and family to get un-stuck!

See you this weekend!

 

 

 

Monday, Sep 21st 2009

Thunderstorm

I was standing outside under the canopy this morning watching the huge thunderstorm pass by Boone.  We received a lot of rain in a very short time.  It is a beautiful to not only watch the rain hit the ground, but to close your eyes and hear it.  It is one of my all-time favorite things to do.

MERCYME  sings a song, Jesus Bring the Rain.  It talks about the trials and tribulations that many of us go through.  It is easy in those times to take our eyes off of God and to place them on our circumstances.  Here’s the deal though, God is bigger than any problem that we face.  He wants to walk with us though our troubles and bring us to the other side. 

All too often we feel that we can handle things on our own, and many times we do.  When that happens, we miss a potential blessing that God wants to give to us.  The problem may be in the past, but so is that blessing.

We all have friends and family who are going through some tough times.  Perhaps it is in their relationship.  Perhaps it is in their finances.  Perhaps it is at their workplace.  Everyone has something that they are dealing with.  Not everyone has Jesus to walk through the rain storm with though.

Why not take the time to invite some friends to church this week as we begin this brand new series on marriage?  It is a perfect time to bring someone with you.  We will award a leather-bound study Bible to the person in each of the three services that brings the most guests.  You must bring at least five people to qualify.  You say you already have a good study Bible?  Good news, this is still in the wrapper so you can make it a gift to someone who really needs one.

Remember that all material will not be suitable for young people, but we have a wonderful Children’s Church for kids ages 4-5th grade during our 11 AM Sunday morning service.  We’ll see you this weekend! 

 

 

 

Saturday, Sep 19th 2009

France

Norbert and Lucy Clement are in town this weekend to talk to our congregation about the positive impact that our church had on their church last year as we sent four of our men there to do construction work for them.  They have a wonderful story and God has continued to show grace to them.  We hope that you will be able to join us for one of our three worship services this weekend.  We have a Saturday evening service at 6:00 pm, and two worship services on Sunday at 8:45 and 11 am.  We will also enjoy a picnic on Sunday evening at Herman Park with a potluck picnic that will begin at 5:00 pm.

Friday, Sep 18th 2009

5th Quarter

Tonight following the Boone High School football game, we will be opening the church for some free food and fun for all high-schoolers.  There is no charge.  Our missionaries, Norbert and Lucy Clement will be with us.

Tuesday, Sep 15th 2009

Patrick Swayze

I was saddened to read last night of the passing of actor, Patrick Swayze.  He was one of my favorite actors to watch in movies.  I really admired the fact that he was such a heart throb, yet he was married to the same girl for more than 30 years.  That is rare.  I cannot tell you about his spiritual life.  I do not know if he had a relationship with the Lord. 

That should be the underlying question that we seek with all people.  Where do they stand with the Lord?  It is all about Jesus.  Fame, fortune, good looks will all pass one day.  Our relationship with Jesus will last forever.  Friends, don't seek the things of this world.  Seek Jesus.

Monday, Sep 14th 2009

Class Reunion

This past weekend was my 25 year class reunion.  It took place in Indiana.  Because of my schedule I was unable to be there.  I was very disappointed.  I was looking forward to seeing all of my old friends and catching up on their lives.  I was far from popular in high school, but I was friends with just about everybody.  I graduated in a class of around 180 people.  I will look forward to the 30 year reunion.

There is another reunion that i am looking forward to.  It is the day that I see Jesus face-to-face.  When I hear Him say, Well done.  I will see my mother, and my grandfather.  I will see all of those saints that I have been reading about.  I am looking forward to hearing Daniel tell the story of the lion.  Hearing Moses tell the story of parting the Red Sea.  Hearing Balaam tell of talking with a donkey.  That will all be fun.  Most of all, I want to see Jesus.  I want to thank Him for his ultimate sacrifice.  I want to tell Him how good He has been to me.  Oh, I want to see Jesus!

Friday, Sep 11th 2009

September 11

I was driving to the church in Rockford, MN when I turned on the radio and heard that a plane had run into one of the Twin Towers.  I called Cindy and told her to turn on the television.  When I got to church I immediately turned on the television to watch the second plane crash into the second tower.  I was speechless.  Soon I went home and spent the majority of the day with my family glued to the television set.  There were a lot of emotions.  There were a lot of tears.  There were no real answers.

Why does God allow evil?  That is such a hard subject.  Why would a loving God allow someone to get raped?  Why would a loving God allow a loved to be killed by a drunk driver?  Why would a loving God allow terrorists to overtake a plane and do such a horrendous thing?  There is an answer.

God wants us to come to Him on our own free will.  He does not want to order us to love Him.  In order for this to happen, God gave every human being a free will.  I get to choose what I do or don't do.  If I want to sleep in and skip church on Sunday, no one is going to put a gun to my head and force me to get moving.  It is my choice.  There are consequences for my choices, but the bottomline is that I choose.

One of God's natural attributes is that He is good.  Do not blame God for evil. He is a loving God and it is His will that we be like Him and demonstrate goodness.  Embrace God today and thank Him for His goodness.  Also, pray for those who are still affected today by that horrible tragedy that happened eight years ago.

God bless America.

Thursday, Sep 10th 2009

Help Needed!

We will be getting things ready for the garage sale tonight (Thursday) at 6:00 pm.  Can you spare an hour or so to help?  We also need a few people to help run the sale which will happen from 8-1 on Saturday.  Please consider helping out if you can!

Remember the weekend line-up:

Saturday worship 6:00 p.m.

Sunday Traditional 8:45 a.m.

Sunday School (all ages!) 10:00 a.m.

Sunday Contemporary 11:00 a.m.

See you this weekend!

Wednesday, Sep 9th 2009

Letter

Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Hi Friends,

There is much happening at Cornerstone Church in the next three weeks.  So much in fact that I thought it was important to send a letter via snail mail to all of you so that you have the details readily available to you.

This weekend we will go back to our three service format.  There are a few changes.  Our Saturday night service will now begin at 6:00 pm.  Austin Auberg will be leading this service.  Our Sunday morning 8:45 service will start again this week with a few changes.  The King’s have asked for some additional time away, so we will have Kate Shepherd playing the piano and Jim Latimer leading the singing.  The 8:45 service is going from a ‘BLENDED’ service to a ‘TRADITIONAL’ service.  It will be more hymn intensive and hymn books will be utilized.  The Sunday morning 11:00 service will continue without any changes.  Nate Yoder will be sharing his testimony during all three worship services this week.

We will also be starting back Sunday School and Small Group schedule this weekend.  Please find enclosed a flyer that spells out our many options for you to choose from.  Please remember that the Small Group commitment is only for three months.  This will give you the opportunity to investigate and see if it is right for you.  One more new thing this weekend, we will have a refreshment table in the lobby before the services.  Everyone is encouraged to help themselves.  The goal of this is to provide a welcoming environment to you and our guests. We need your help to ensure this goal is accomplished. If you see any activity that defeats this intention please help us correct it.  Your help in this matter is very much appreciated.

The following weekend, September 18-20 we will welcome back Paul Keidel and Norbert and Lucy Clemente from Poitiers, France.  They serve as pioneer church planters for the Christian and Missionary Alliance.  They came to this French town of 140,000 inhabitants without any prospect or interested person to help them. Although Poitiers first heard the gospel in 380 AD, today there are less than 1200 followers of Christ in the city.  The schedule for the weekend looks like this:

 

Friday –      Teens- Fifth Quarter following the football game.  The Clementes will be here to visit   with the youth group.

Saturday –  The men will enjoy breakfast here with Norbert at the church at 8 am.

                      The ladies will enjoy lunch here with Lucy at the church at noon.

                      Saturday night worship @ 6:00 pm.

Sunday -     Morning worship at 8:45 & 11 am.

                      Family picnic and concert at Herman Park @ 5 pm.

 

The weekend of September 26 & 27, we are dubbing as ‘Back to Church Sunday!’  Many of us have been away on vacations and trying to squeeze in just a bit more summer.  Now that the kids are back in school it is time to jump back into a routine.  In each of the three services we will award a beautiful Study Bible to the individual who brings the most guests to that service.  You must have at least five guests present in that service to qualify.  Please check your mailbox (some are pretty full!); we have given you each a free book entitled, Rethink Church.  A lot of our friends and family members have given up on church.  This will help you to better understand them.  We are also enclosing three invite cards.  Again, this is a simple tool to make inviting your friends and family easier.  That week we will also be sending out more than 10,000 pieces of direct mail to our entire zip code.  Every single Boone resident will have been invited once.  This again will make it easier for you!  I will be starting a brand new sermon series that weekend on marriage.

This is a very exciting time for Cornerstone.  I am confident that our church is poised for some incredible growth this fall.  Our prayer is that everyone will do their part in making Cornerstone successful.  If you are not a part of Sunday School or a Small Group.  Now is the perfect time to start!

See you this weekend!

 

Monday, Sep 7th 2009

Anxious

We have plans to head back to Iowa tomorrow.  Here is my problem, I am ready to come home today.  We are basically just sitting around watching television, and I would be much more comfortable in my own home.  I have a hard time relaxing away from home.  I feel like I am on edge.

For the Christian, the Bible tells us that this world is not our home.  We are to be prepared to go to our eternal dwelling place with Jesus, our bridegroom.  It is going to be a beautiful reunion someday when we get to heaven.  To top it off, we won't have an eleven hour drive to get there!

Sunday, Sep 6th 2009

Good Morning!

The Lord has blessed us with another beautiful Sunday.  We hope that you will join us this morning at Cornerstone Church for worship.  Steve Santee will help us take a closer look at Christ through the Book of Hebrews during our 11:00 am service this morning.  Remember that we have Children's Church upstairs for the children up to grade five!

Thursday, Sep 3rd 2009

Elevator

One man's trash is another man's treasure...  Have you ever heard that proverb?  It came very true today for Cornerstone.  Pastor Nate was able to sell the grain dryer that is sitting next to the elevator and make a very nice little profit for the church.  In our world, it was something that we were needing to haul away.  For the farmer who purchased it, it was a great tool with loads of replacement parts.  Win-Win situation...

Wednesday, Sep 2nd 2009

A Few Tweaks...

Beginning on September 13, we are going to tweak our services just a bit.  Our Saturday night service will begin at 6:00 pm instead of 7:00 pm.  As the weather changes cooler and we see worsening conditions, we may move it even earlier.  We are also tweaking out 8:45 am service.  It will go from being a 'Blended' worship service to a 'Traditional' service.  It will be more hymn intensive and we will even utilize our hymn books on a weekly basis.

Lots of changes...But the same Lord!

Tuesday, Sep 30th 2008

How Do You Communicate?

One of the things we have to work on if we’re going to have a successful marriage is this whole issue of communication.  We have to learn to put into practice good communication skills.  Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but only that which is good and edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers.”  That’s a command to all Christians but it certainly applies to our marriages as well.  We have to learn the skill of good communication.  You’ve seen couples and I’ve seen them who before they ever get married they talk to each other all the time.  They spend hours on the phone.  They spend lots of effort in communication skills.  But as the years go by they talk less and less until you see them setting in the restaurant eating their meals in complete silence without any meaningful conversation.

We need to learn how to communicate with each other if we are going to be successful.  I hope you'll join us this Sunday as we discuss in more depth how to best communicate with each other in our new series, How to Fireproof My Marriage.

Monday, Sep 29th 2008

The Power of Love

Huey Lewis had a hit song in the 1980’s called The Power of Love.  It goes like this, “The power of love is a curious thing.  Make a one man weep, make another man sing.  Change a hawk to a little white dove.  More than a feeling that’s the power of love.”  Did you catch that?  It’s more than a feeling.  So, if it’s more than a feeling then what is it?  

I believe in The Power of Love.  So does God.  God’s ideal for your marriage is harmony, unity and intimacy.  But that’s the ideal and most of us don’t stay there.  We go from the ideal and pretty soon marriage is an ordeal and eventually we’re looking for a new deal and end up playing Let’s Make a Deal.  But that’s not God’s goal.  

Join us this Sunday at Cornerstone Church in Boone across from the high school football field for our blended worship service on Sunday at 8:45 or our contemporary worship service this Sunday at 11:00 a.m.  Let’s learn what God’s goal for our marriage really looks like.

Sunday, Sep 28th 2008

Church

Church buildings come in all different sizes and shapes.  Many churches today do not even look like a church.  The one in this picture definitely has "church" written all over it.  What a beautiful building.  We must remember though that the church is not a building.  The believers inside of the building are the true church.  We are the Body of Christ.  Join us this morning as we worship our Lord at Cornerstone Church.

Saturday, Sep 27th 2008

Fireproof

Last night, several of us from Cornerstone went to Ames to see the new movie called Fireproof.  This is a great film that kept me at the edge of my seat.  I absolutely loved it.  We are going to dedicate the month of October to marraiges at Cornerstone Church.  Our sermon series will be geared that way and we will have a special Thursday night Bible Study each week in october at 7:00 p.m. that will cover the bases of marriage as well.

Copies of The Love Dare are available for $10 tomorrow at church.

Thursday, Sep 25th 2008

Great Night

I had a great time last night. You know what I did? I joined about ten others from Cornerstone for a time of praise and prayer. It was a lot of fun. At one point, I looked up with tearful eyes and just exclaimed, "Isn't this fun?!" We plan to meet again next Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. This is something that you really want to get in your schedule.

Wednesday, Sep 24th 2008

Self-Control

This week we will conclude our nine week series on the Fruit of the Spirit as we discuss the topic of self-control.  We all know what a lack of self-control can do to us.  But it also affects our relationships.  It affects those that we come in contact with.  As Proverbs says, “A man without self-control is as defenseless as a city with broken-down walls.”  When I don't have self-control in my life, I'm vulnerable to all kinds of problems.  Anything out of control in your life can harm other people.  Anything out of control in your life can cause damage to relationships.

Sunday should be a learning experience for all of us as we dig deep into this topic...

Monday, Sep 22nd 2008

Monday's are Busy!

Monday's are a very busy day for me.  I teach two classes at DMACC in Boone every Monday.  I love being involved with the school, but I hate being overly busy.  This semester I am teaching ethics and the subject for today was, Does Morality Depend Upon Religion?  I loved it.  The discussion was awesome.

Being overly busy is not good for our bodies.  That is one of the reasons that God ORDERS us to take a day off each week.  My day off each week is typically on Friday's.  That is a down day for me to just chill and try to get my head screwed on correctly before the weekend.  Do you take a day off?  if not, you need to begin that routine TODAY!

Sunday, Sep 21st 2008

Another Road Trip

I have put a lot of miles on my truck over the last couple of weeks.  Yesterday I took our four guys to the Minneapolis airport to leave for a week for France.  After I dropped them off I went over to Crown College to watch my son Josh play football.  I was very interested in the game, but I was also thinking of my sermon topic for today which is gentleness. 

A lot of guys hear "gentleness" and they completely check out thinking it is for the weak.  I think differently.  Gentleness is the power of your potential under God's control.  Gentle people are far from wimps.  They're tapped in to the source of the creator of the universe.  Gentle people have been surprised by the mercy of God.  They are willing to give that mercy to other people.  It's true that gentleness probably won't win any football games.  But it will score high points in each of your relationships.  If you want to change somebody else, change yourself first.  Bring yourself under God's control and that will radically transform your relationships for the better.

Our blened worship begins today at 8:45 and our contemporary worship begins at 11:00 a.m.  There is Sunday School for all ages at 10:00 a.m.  We hope to see your whole family this morning for worship.

Friday, Sep 19th 2008

Joint Services

Our sister church, Bethel is celebrating 100 years of ministry this week.  Bethel is pastored by my very good friend, Ray Hoke.  They have a tremendous thing going on.  It is amazing when you consider their rural location that the church could continue to thrive for 100 years, but it has!

We have been invited to join Bethel for a joint prayer service on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.  I hope that you can find time in your schedule to join us for this special day.  The President of our denomination, Dr Gary Benedict will be there for the special occasion.

Wednesday, Sep 17th 2008

Road Trip

Cindy and I are hitting the road this afternoon for a quick road trip to Chicago. My brother-in-law and I are going to see the Cubs play on Thursday afternoon. I am really hoping that Thursday is the day that they clinch their play-off spot.

I have been a die hard Cubs fan since 1972. I remember watching them together with my grandfather. He would always root against them because he did not like their announcers Jack Brickhouse and worse yet, Harry Caray. There is something inside of me that always roots for the underdog.

To a lot of people who lived during Jesus' time, they belived that He was the ultimate underdog. He proved all of them wrong by overcoming the grave and resurrecting for our ultimate forgiveness. The Cubs may or may not win the World Series (I am hoping they will!), but I know for certain that Jesus Christ is a winner. I read the last page of the Bible. We win!

Tuesday, Sep 16th 2008

Gentleness

We are getting close to the end of this series on the Fruit of the Spirit.  This week I have been studying the subject of gentleness.  I am liking what I am learning.  The best word picture in Scripture to help us see what gentleness looks like is a wild stallion being tamed.  There is a book Cracker, the Horse That Lost His Temper.  Cracker was a high-spirited horse that had a lot of untapped power and potential, that was out of control until he was tamed by the love of a little girl.  That's what gentleness is friends.  Gentleness is the power of your potential under God's control.  Like Cracker each one of us has an untapped resource, has untapped power and potential that until we come under God's control we'll never be able to fully be all that we can be and all that He wants us to be.

I hope you will join us this Sunday as we tackle this issue.

Sunday, Sep 14th 2008

It's Sunday Again!

For a lot of people the relate Sunday to football.  They have their favorite team that they rise or fall with.  I am an avid Chicago Bears fan and I love to root them to victory.  Here is the deal though, I do enjoy football, but Sunday is for the Lord.  He comes before the game. 

I am noticing as I write this that our city has scheduled a pee wee football game for this morning.  That really disappoints me.  Not only does that occupy my limited parking at our church facility, but it also keeps these children and their parents out of church.  Don't skip church.  We miss you when you are gone.  Give God first place in your lives.  We can catch the second half of the Bears later.

Saturday, Sep 13th 2008

Denver, CO

Yesterday I spent the day in Colorado for meetings. I am a part of a committee with our denomination that assists people who are working their way to be ordained into the ministry. I started the day before 5 a.m. and did not get home until close to 3 a.m. this morning. It was a very long day to say the least!

It was a rewarding day though. Our committee is trying to work into our system a method of helping individuals who feel called into the ministry to determiine their giftedness. I am all for ensuring that ministry applicants are theologically sound, but I think that ministry is much more than that. We want to be certain that everyone who enters ministry are following the Lord's direction and not just a passing whim.

Traveling is fun, but boy is it ever nice to be home!

Thursday, Sep 11th 2008

God Bless America

Just about this time seven years ago today I was on my way to my church office in Rockford, MN. I was listening to the radio. There was some confusion, but they reported that something big was happening in NYC. They knew a plane had crashed, but no real details were available. I made it to the church in time to watch the second plane crash into the second Twin Tower. More than 3000 people lost their lives on that horrible day seven years ago. My eyes still tear up when I think about it.

Why does evil exist? Why would a loving God allow such a horrendous event to happen? I wish I had a good answer. My best one would be that although He is sovereign (in control), He has also given each of us a free will. Each of us has an opportunity to choose right or wrong. I believe that God knows everything, including our future decisions, but I also believe that He does not force us to make a decision. Each of us are responsible for what we do. 9-11 was awful, but it was not God's fault. He is not the author of evil.

Please take time today to pray for the thousands and probably millions of people who were affected by this tragic event.

Wednesday, Sep 10th 2008

God is Faithful

There is a verse that I have been thinking about a lot this week and it is 2 Tim. 2:13, which says, "If we are faithless, He will remain faithful, for He cannot disown Himself."  How many times have I failed God, but He has never failed me?  In fact, not only has He not failed me, He has forgiven me.  He understands me.  He loves me unconditionally.  Hold onto that fact the next time you find yourself doubting.  He is always faithful.

Tuesday, Sep 9th 2008

Faithfulness

This Sunday we will focus on the faithfulness of God.  This is a picture of Old Faithful.   I would argue that we serve an older and more reliable "Old Faithful" in our Heavenly Father. Psalm 100:5 says, "For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."  I'm excited at how this series is progressing.  I believe each of us is growing closer to our Savior with our knowledge of His Holy Spirit.

Monday, Sep 8th 2008

Simply Amazing!

Our worship services yesterday were simply amazing!  I cannot say enough about how God blessed me through your words.  I will be the first to admit that I was scared out of my mind coming into the sanctuary without a sermon, but God provided us with the message through each one of you.  For those of you who stayed for the second service...THANK YOU! 

It is obvious that God is moving at Cornerstone Church in a big way.  I am confident that He is not finished!

Sunday, Sep 7th 2008

Sunday!

Last night, well after ten o'clock, my sermon went into the garbage can. If you know me, that is when the panic button gets pushed. I believe that God has something very special for us this morning at Cornerstone. This is a Sunday that you do not want to miss!

Our blended worship begins at 9 a.m. and our contemporary worship begins at 11 a.m. Come and prepare your hearts as we will celebrate the Lord's Supper together.

Friday, Sep 5th 2008

UGH!

I'd like you to meet my best friend the last few days.  I have got one of those late summer colds that has me really feeling ishy!  It started with a sore throat Wednesday night, and by Thursday it had me on the ropes.  I hate to get sick, especially on the weekends.  It is such a busy time for me.  To top this off, Cindy and I are leaving soon to go to Minneapolis to see Joshua.  He is starting as a freshman on the Crown football team.  We are so proud of him.

Make sure to look for the Cornerstone float in the Pufferbilly parade.  Also, don't forget about the concert on Saturday night.  It should be a blast!

Thursday, Sep 4th 2008

Consistency

Your lifestyle is contagious.  Your words aren't contagious but your lifestyle is.  If you have a lifestyle that's filled with hypocrisy, inconsistency, and you've sort of gotten used to this over a long period of time, those who are closest to you see it and they're going to want to run from you like the plague.  We all hate hypocrisy.  If you could really see it in your own life instead of something you've gotten used to over a long period of time, you'd hate it in your own life.  That's why many times in our relationships, those who are closest to us, seem to not want to be around us.  As you struggle to be consistent, and it is a struggle, you can develop in your relationships a depth of love and respect that you never dreamed possible.  That's the power of consistency.

Wednesday, Sep 3rd 2008

The Fruit of Goodness

Check this out... A recent survey suggested that 91% of Americans lie.  I read that and thought "How do you trust that kind of a survey?  It says 91% of us lie."  But we do.  There are times when we lie, times when we refuse to tell the truth.  Why is that?  I think it's not so much of lack of integrity in our lives so much as a real fear of what will happen when we tell the truth.  At work, if I say something I'll get fired.  With friends, if I say the truth they're not going to like me any more.  At home, if I say the truth they're going to hate me.  My husband/wife, we're going to end up having the biggest fight.  So I'll just keep my mouth shut and I'll just live with it. 

I know what some of you are thinking "For me, not saying anything, it's not a matter of integrity, it's a matter of survival."  Let's be honest about honesty.  Integrity and honesty are a tremendous risk in relationships.  What would they really think if I really told them the truth?  If I really told my parents the truth, they'd kick me out of the house.  If I really told my boss the truth about what I think about the project, he'd fire me.  So I'll just be quiet, not say anything.  If I really told my husband the truth about how I feel about our relationship, he'd blow up; it's not worth it.  If I really told my wife the truth about how I feel about our love life, she'd accuse me of a one-tract mind.  It's a risk to tell the truth.

Integrity and honesty are not clean and simple problems for a lot of us.  We need help from the Holy Spirit.  We need Him to give us the Fruit of Goodness to help us with our daily lives.  We hope you'll join us Sunday as we dig deeper into this subject...

Tuesday, Sep 2nd 2008

This Week's Topic

We are doing a nine week series on the Fruit of the Spirit and this week we are looking at the subject of goodness.  I am taking a bit of a different slant on the translation and loking at the subject of integrity.  Integrity is important to God but it's important to all of us too.  All of us want to have integrity between my heart's values and my daily actions.  We struggle when we don't.  It's one of the ways we see how important it is to us, the fact that we struggle when we don't see those two fitting together.  We all live with this issue of integrity.

This series has been very special to many people.  If God has worked in your life through this series, please take time and share it with us.

Monday, Sep 1st 2008

A Day Off

Today is labor day and my plan for the day is to be outside as much as possible. We moved into our new home on 9th street (Yes, across from the railroad tracks) and have a very nice yard. Yesterday I began the process by trimming my shrubs and cutting down some branches. Today I will be raking leaves and building my burn pile.

I don't know about you, but in the summer time, I'd much rather be outside than inside. I love the sun and the warmth that it brings. I love watching my dog romp after the over-abundant rabbits. I love watching the birds fly over head. We truly do have a glorious God of creation.