February 2021
SAVE THE DATE
2.2 | GROUND HOG DAY
2.14 | VALENTINES DAY
2.15 | PRESIDENTS DAY
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE
By Bill Powell
2020 was a tumultuous year to say the least. When you have lived as many years as I have, it is hard to grasp the depth of depravity our society has sunk to. It seems every day the society is accepting as normal things that for hundreds, if not thousands of years, were identified as deviant behavior. Since the founding of this nation, many have died to protect our freedoms. We were once a city on a hill founded on Christian principles and blessed as no other nation ever before us. Freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom to bear arms, freedom to assemble, freedom of speech. These are vanishing right before our eyes. I have not begun to scratch the surface of how devastated I am- and I know many of you are as well- by what is happening, things we never thought possible in this country.
Since I am speaking to the choir, where do we go from here? What I am going to lay out for you, please do not accept as trite. We need to keep the faith. Let me explain. Should we just accept what has been taking place right before our eyes? Should we take the approach of “It’s time to compromise and heal the nation”? Should we conform? I think we should grieve at what has taken place. To accept or capitulate to what we know to be wrong is to abandon the faith. We need to keep the faith. Keeping the faith is how we respond and how we act. (Jud 1:3 NASB) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
We must fight, but not a physical fight. It is time to put on the armor of God and become devoted Christian soldiers. Our warfare is a spiritual warfare. It’s OK to be upset, angry, and to grieve. It is what we do about it as Christian soldiers that will matter. I must say, if you’re OK with the world, you need to get acquainted with the Lord of the universe.
(Eph 6:11-17, NASB)Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
(1Pe 3:8-11, ESV) Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.
Here at the Cornerstone, we are going to continue to do the work we were all called to do and fight the Christian fight. Next month is our annual Sharathon. Please consider the importance of this radio ministry and its value to the community and give generously.
COME AND FOLLOW ME
By Chris Johnson
In a recent seminary class, Dr. Ernie Baker said, “Jesus is not simply a person to believe in he is the person to follow.” That statement resonated with me and I’ve thought about it so many times since he said it. How often do we say that we believe in the Lord Jesus, but our lives reflect that our actions aren’t really lining up? Throughout the gospel accounts, we find Jesus calling people to follow him. To follow Christ meant more than merely believe but entailed action and faithfulness to the call of discipleship. The Lord often warned of the cost of discipleship and summoned those who heard his teaching to count the cost and consider the reality of what a life of faith in Jesus truly looks like.
When was the last time you took some time to evaluate your walk with Christ? Some might shy away from that question or even that kind of an action because it would shed some light on a walk that’s neither hot nor cold but kind of lukewarm. Sadly, to shy away from the call to faithful discipleship or to pretend that one’s walk is lukewarm is self-deception and will only lead to a lesser walk. The right approach is honesty and confession. If there are areas in our lives that are captured by lesser things demanding our time and money then maybe we could address those things with sobriety and with a view toward the Kingdom of God. Paul David Tripp has rightly pointed out that the battle rages between the “Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Self.”
Some might ask why it’s important to reflect on our walk with Christ and others might even push away the notion so as not to be saddened by what they might discover. I believe this is the wrong approach because there is nothing more important than our relationship with the Lord Jesus. Relationships take time, investment, and diligence and that’s all the more true when it comes to following our Savior and growing in the grace and knowledge of him. The everlasting value of investing in our relationship with Christ far surpasses any earthly possession, experience, relationship, etc. It would be wise to consider our knowledge of the Savior. What do you know of him? How are you growing in love for His person, His ways, and His Word? Jesus said, “If you love me you’ll keep my commandments.” It’s my earnest prayer that I would not only treasure the words of Christ but I would obey them and in turn demonstrate my love for Him. Join me this month in considering our walk with the Master. What does it look like? How can it be improved? What can be celebrated? What can be confessed and forsaken? I’m praying for you as you consider these things. ~ A Fellow Follower of the Lord
LESSON FROM PRE-SCHOOL
By Denisha Stearns
My brief, past work in pre-school taught me something about children and our nature as humans. On many days, I would be occupied with helping one child only to turn around and find that another child had scribbled in crayon all over the table, a second had put Playdoh in her mouth, and yet a third had snatched away his crying friend’s toy. I could not let them alone for one moment! It was not that I forgot them, but that they forgot that I- the authority figure and helper- was there.
I draw a parallel between those two-year-olds and God’s chosen people of the Exodus (CH 32). When Moses delayed on the mountain (talking with God and receiving the Ten Commandments) the Israelites got restless, forgot (or ignored) that it was God who had emancipated them, and begged Aaron to make them a golden calf to worship. Then they acted completely out of hand! I think, “Wow! How could they forget God SO QUICKLY? When GOD had sent bread every morning and meat every evening and had appeared constantly as a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night?”
Then, I stop typing. And take a long pause. Haven’t I been guilty of forgetting too? Haven’t I forgotten that “by Him all things were created… and in Him all things hold together” (Col 1:16-17)? And didn’t Jesus save me (and not I myself) from the guilt of my sinful behavior and thoughts? Yes. This is why I need the teaching and the music of the Cornerstone. I need constant redirecting to the greatness of our God, reminding that the Lord IS ever-present, that He is guiding and teaching me and others through His Word. The Cornerstone fills me daily with Jesus’ daily Bread (which is way better than Playdoh). In the moments I forget Him, He still remembers me- and you too! The Cornerstone’s broadcasts help me keep the faith- especially while I’m waiting- and I want to keep the faith faithfully. So, today and in the coming months and years, I will be tuned into this station often. You won’t find me on the floor kicking and screaming, or taking my toys and going home. Not on a Tuesday, anyway.
NOTHING STAYS THE SAME
By Christina Hutchinson
What I'm referring to that doesn't stay the same is our world. It is ever-changing, time here on earth is fleeting and we need to make the most of the time we have been so graciously given. As I look back on the year we have had with Cora Mae, (that's right baby girl is going to be ONE at the end of this month) I can't help but think about how quickly she has changed throughout the weeks, months, and the year. She is not the same baby she was when she was a newborn, an obvious point, I know.
I think sometimes we forget that each day is just as different, and sometimes our expectations for the next day and the day after that can get in the way of the present time we've been handed. It can also cause some unnecessary frustration when those expectations aren't met. I can honestly tell you that Cora Mae far exceeded any expectations I might have had before her arrival. I'm so thankful that she is more than I asked for!
When our seasons of life change, there is one thing that stays the same, our Creator and Sustainer, the Lord Almighty Himself. His promises remain, His love remains, and we need only to keep the faith. Whether our season is good or bad, it would serve us well to remember that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. There was a time when I didn't think Cora would even be a possibility, but here we are and I find myself praising God that things truly don't stay the same. I trust the Lord whole-heartedly with The Cornerstone's future. So as we approach our sharathon of 2021, I hope you will join us in Keeping The Faith and consider giving so that we can continue showing our community and beyond what it truly means to Keep The Faith through every season.
