Signs of Life: Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control

This week we complete our series on the fruit of the Spirit. As we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, amazing fruit is produced for us to bear. I especially appreciate the last three: faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I was thinking of God's faithfulness to me just this morning. No matter what, God is always there! I can count on God and that brings such security to my life.

Even when I fail, God gently draws me back to where I need to be. And when I am in need of discipline, God exercises remarkable control in providing it for me. With the Holy Spirit at work in my life, I can bear such fruit and bless others like God blesses me. How about you? Have you found God to be all of this and more to you? If so, take a moment to thank God, especially for God's faithfulness to you.

Join us Sunday as we dig a little deeper into this delicious fruit we are called to bear. Throughout this week, look for opportunities to show your faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. God will use you to touch others in the same way God is touching you. Come celebrate our amazing God with an amazing congregation. Remember, you belong at Cornerstone. Think of someone to invite to church this week. Pray about it. Extend the invitation and see what God will do.

Rev Sandy, Pastor

Signs of Life: patience, kindness, goodness

In Christ we are a new creation! The old has gone and the new has come. On our own, we are at times impatient, unkind and just bad. But with the Spirit at work in us we are leaving our old ways behind and walking in new ways. None of us could make this change on our own, so thank God for the Holy Spirit at work in us.

Does your life give witness to this new creation? Or do you allow your humanness to be in control and give witness to the old you? No matter where we are on our journey, we all have room for improvement. Join us Sunday as we look at the next three parts of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, the signs of life within us and that we reflect in our world.

And it's Pot-luck Sunday, so make me something good to eat!

Rev Sandy, Pastor

Signs of Life

As we continue to celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit, we'll take the next three weeks to examine the signs of life that Spirit brings. They are referred to as "fruit of the Spirit" in the Bible. Nine virtues make up this fruit and all of them are being produced in us by the Holy Spirit...as we follow this leader God has placed within us.

Join us as we examine the fruit of the Spirit, the very signs of life that give testimony to the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. And signs that so many people are seeking. Jesus said people will know us by the fruit we bear. Be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and you, and the world will know you are alive in the Spirit!

• Jul 20 ~ Love. Joy. Peace
• Jul 27 ~ Patience. Kindness. Goodness
• Aug 3 ~ Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-Control

Rev Sandy, Pastor

Follow the Leader

When it comes to navigating life in Christ, we have a leader and guide in the Holy Spirit. How eager are we to following our leader? If the truth be told, most of us want to go our own way more than we want to follow. And we have the wounds to prove it. It's a challenge for us to admit we need guidance and so we keep on doing our best, only to experience that our best is not always the best for us.

In our reading for this week we are reminded that what we want, and what Spirit wants for us, are often in conflict. Even though we know God's ways are higher than ours, we choose to go our own way. Even though we know our way leads to conflict, distress and unrest, we convince ourselves that this time it will be different. Of course with time we find we were wrong. So why do we keep living our way instead of Spirit's way? Living in the Spirit leads to joy, peace and life.

Living by the Spirit gives us power over sin. Living in the Spirit gives security and safety so why would we choose anything less? Join us Sunday as we seek to discover how to live God's way instead of our way. The Holy Spirit lives in us for a reason. Let's understand and utilize this incredible gift of leadership we have been given.

Rev Sandy, Pastor

What About Us?

In this season of Pentecost we are learning more of what the Holy Spirit does, but what about us? What role do we play in our relationship with the Holy Spirit? Do we play a supporting role, cooperating with the Spirit, or do we oppose what the Spirit is doing? In our texts for this week we are admonished not to grieve or quench the Holy Spirit.

What does that mean and how do we do it? More importantly, how do we not do it? The Spirit is flowing and we are invited to go with that flow, not to oppose it. Join us Sunday as we celebrate what the Holy Spirit is doing at Cornerstone. And check yourself....are you going with the flow or opposing it? Joy comes from cooperating with God's Spirit. Frustration, discontentment and even isolation can come from opposing the work of the Spirit.

We always have a choice. Let us choose to go with the Holy Spirit. It's a wonderful ride! 

Rev Sandy, Pastor