Conclusion & Review

Palm Sunday I concluded my first sermon series: It's All About LOVE!
The sermon series may be over but our LOVE journey has just begun...I will be revisiting this topic constantly...I pray this series was a new beginning for Cornerstone...A New VISION of LOVE is becoming contagious!

Here's a few notes from my Review on Sunday:
It's VERY IMPORTANT to stop and review...yearly, quarterly, monthly, daily!
I believe the Lord strategically took me to every passage of scripture for this sermon series, this is where we have been:

Matthew 22, God's Word is summed up with one word: LOVE
1 Corinthians 13, the message
Trust Steadily in God, Hope Unswervingly, Love extravagantly

Galatians 5:6...the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love...
Dont' let religion steal...

Psalm 91
Real Love is found in HIS Presence...
Proverbs 18, Every word is either blessing or cursing, life or death...
Psalm 22, He inhabits the praises of His people...

Matthew 24
Don't let our love grow cold!
LET GO...offense, timelines, stuff...

Romans 12
Ingredients to LOVE
verse 11...never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the LORD...
ZEAL FOR THINE HOUSE HATH EATEN ME UP

Psalm 119
Fall in LOVE with HIS Word!
Meditate on it day and night!
1 John 3:18...dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth...

1 Peter 4:8...above all things (there it is again, THE MAIN THING) have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins...

John 17
We have the AMAZING PRIVILEGE of answering God's prayer for UNITY!

2Chronicles 20
The Battle is not yours, it's the LORD's...His faithful LOVE endures forever!

Romans 8
nothing can separate us from HIS LOVE...spirit of adoption...no more condemnation...prodigal friendly church...

Palm Sunday: the same crowd cried Hosanna and Crucify...

I PRAY THAT YOU MAY HAVE YOUR ROOTS AND FOUNDATION IN LOVE, SO THAT YOU, TOGETHER WITH ALL GOD'S PEOPLE, MAY HAVE THE POWER TO UNDERSTAND HOW BROAD AND LONG, HOW HIGH AND DEEP, IS CHRIST'S LOVE...EPHESIANS 3:17,18

Brittany Mohrman's AMAZING fundraiser

This special young lady and her family orchestrated a wonderful fundraiser with a photo company named Antiquities. She actually raised all the money she needed for her short term missions trip in one weekend! She is going to Ireland with AIM (ambassadors in missions)! Pray that the Lord truly blesses her and makes her a blessing! She blessed Holly and I more than words can express by gifting us these amazing pictures of our son! I'm sure there are many families who would say with me that the Mohrman's fundraiser was an amazing blessing...AND that's just her raising the funds to go on the trip! If such blessing follows the fundraiser, think of what impact the trip will have! PRAISE THE LORD!

I couldn't help but share a couple of Nathaniel's pictures:

Prayer Group

What a blessing to be a part of a church that knows how important prayer is!
Jesus said that His House was to be a "house of prayer for all nations."
Pat McMurtry leads a prayer group (mostly ladies but they allow us guys to show up too) weekdays at 8:30am here at Cornerstone!
(I try to make it Tuesdays and Thursdays)
Tuesdays have been set aside as a study time to grow in our prayer lives.
I've really been enjoying the recent studies on How To Hear From God!

Easter is Almost Here!

I made up these flyers for our Easter Celebration.
Please use them to invite your friends, family, strangers...
(just click on the image to enlarge)

Thankful for NE district

We have wonderful leadership for the Assemblies of God of Nebraska!
Our Superintendent, Dwight Sandoz, is one of a kind, extraordinary!
Last week he called me, out of the blue just to see how my first few months have been going!
He has a very busy schedule...we are blessed to have such a caring man as our leader!
Last Sunday night we attended the District Tour and had a fabulous time!
And, my wife went with a couple ladies to the womens retreat last week!
It is a privilege to be a part of the Nebraska District...great things are happening!
I am truly THANKFUL for our great leadership!
For more info visit: neag.org

SO CUTE!

I just got this by email from a very special friend from my home church! I had to share it with everybody! Maybe I could show it Easter Sunday?! Thanks Jaye!

It's STILL All About Love

I have never done such a long sermon series, but the LORD isn't letting me move on!
At the rate we're going, this series may just last my entire pastorate in Bayard!
But, that's not a problem since the entire Bible is summed up with this one word: LOVE!
I can't believe it's already been 8 weeks?!
Here's a quick overview of the last few weeks:

Psalm 119
1. Fall in Love with God's Word
Cry with the psalmist: OH HOW I LOVE YOUR WORDS
2. Meditate on it day and night
John Ortberg gives some great suggestions for the practice of meditating on the scriptures:
*Ask God to meet you in scripture
*Read the Bible in a repentant spirit
*Meditate on a fairly brief passage or narrative
*Take one thought or verse with you through the day
*Allow this thought to become part of your memory
3. Don't just read it, LIVE IT
1 John 3:18...Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth...

1 Peter 4
1. Love is armed with long suffering
verse 8...above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a mulitude of sins...
2. Love is all about "one-anothering"
verse 9,10,11 preach WE not me...everyone is a minister, everyone needs a ministry, what is God call you to do? what is your gift in the body of Christ?
Don't despise small things...ultimate goal: to God be the glory!
Not building church on one personality...Not 10% doing all the work...
3. Love minds its own business
verse 15 lumps the busybody in with the murderer and thief...
James 3

John 17
We have the amazing privilege of ANSWERING GOD'S PRAYER!
1. It's all about Relationship (vs 3)
The creator of all things wants an intimate relationship with worms like us!
(Michael Yaconelli: Dangerous Wonder, the adventure of child-like faith)
2. It's all about Unity (vs 11, 21)
I'm sure our Lord looks down on His earth with a broken heart because we are not One!
There is a limit to Unity: John 14:6!
welcome differences, agree to disagree, let go of pride, embrace ordinariness...
3. It's all about LOVE (vs 26)
My Bible says they will know we are Christians by our LOVE!
If you were to take a survey on the street asking people what words come to mind regarding church or Christian, would anyone say LOVE???
If we are to answer God's Prayer making it all about relationship, unity and love...how can we change the world's mind about the church?
I think one way is to get Christians to be less uptight and more PLAYFUL!

Sunday School

Carie & Keith Sinks have been doing an amazing job leading an adult sunday school class every week, 9am! I am so thankful for these two amazing leaders of our church!
I have been SO BLESSED by the video series Carie has been sharing by Robert Morris on the beattitudes (Matthew 5)...

Here's some of my random notes to get you thinking, mabye even wet your appetite for sunday school:
God is Happy: Where does happiness not come from? Chocolate Cake?
external circumstances versus internal attitude
Where does happiness come from? law versus grace, being versus doing
The Poor in Spirit are Happy: Why does Jesus begin with poor in spirit?
Pride is the only thing that separates us from God.
Joy comes from Knowing Jesus did it all for you!
Those who mourn are Happy: Godly sorrow produces repentance...
Repentance produces JOY!
The beattitudes are paradoxical, opposite (happy are the sad, skinny are the fat)
The Hungry are Happy: Jesus didn't die so you could act better (legalism)
The more preachers preach law the more we sin...justification and sanctification
The Merciful are Happy:
Justice: giving a person what he deserves
Mercy: not giving a person what he deserves
Grace: giving a person what he does not deserve
The Pure are Happy: What are you basing eternity on?
You must be born again...Many people have never been born again...Birth is a radical change...
How can I know if I've been born again? When did you stop going your way and go God's?
The Peacemakers are happy: There is no peace without God...man cannot create it...
Peace is not the absence of conflict but the Presence of Righteousness! (not something, someone) Peacekeepers avoid conflict...Peacemakers resolve conflict...

Mens Retreat

Sorry about the poor quality of this picture, but it kinda gives you an idea of how many men attended last weekends life-changing mens retreat!

Keith and I drove to Camp Lexington to hang out with the guys on Friday! The steak dinner was fabulous but most of all, the Presence of the LORD was overwhelming at the evening service!

Love In Action

This is a copy of the front of the bulletin from last Sunday Evening's service.
I had the privilege of joining the Valley Evangelical Pastor's Fellowship last week.
What an amazing testimony of love and unity...churches and pastors coming together in love and unity ACROSS DENOMINATIONAL LINES! Praise the LORD!
The last few Sunday eve's we haven't met at our church because we've been joining other ministries...that is what TEAM NIGHT is all about! Together Everyone Accomplishes More!
I wish I could put into words what a BLESSING the Love In Action service was: the worship music was outstanding, the message brought by several different ministers was anointed...
"With the Head, we think and Lead...With the Heart, we feel...With the Hands, we work...With Health, we function with LOVE IN ACTION..."