Cornerstone Community Church

"The Call this Fall"

September 2008

Dear Cornerstone,

Fall often represents the end of things, ... death of the leaves, and preparation for the harsh Winter, ... the end of Summer activities and hot summer days. Oddly enough it also is a time of new beginnings, ... school begins, new schedules start up and a return to normalcy for another 9 months.

Now there’s an interesting word, ... "Normalcy", ... things or times that are normal. For the bear, it’s

normal to store away energy as fat for a Winter of hibernation. For the Killdeer, it’s normal to lay their

eggs in the open, on the ground, camouflaged by their color alone. And so I ask, ... what is normal for the Christian? And how should we be found when Christ returns?

Actually, the answer is quite simple: we should be found loving God and loving others.

"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. " Matthew 22:37-40

This is normal for a Believer in Jesus Christ. So, what is it to love God? To seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness ... "

Seek first His Kingdom, and His righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well." Matthew 6:33

... and to obey Him in all we do ...

"This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, ..." 1 John 5:3.

And Jesus’ last call for us was to love others in this way:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20

Dear Cornerstone, in reference to the Great Commission of Matthew 28, we have been, like the church of Laodicea, luke warm.

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!" Revelation 3:15

Rather than being spiritually rich by pursuing His Kingdom, we have chased after being wealthy in this world. Rather than passionately valuing His righteousness so that we would be clothed in white garments of righteousness, we’ve put on the complacency of the satisfied American Church. The result? The spiritual eyes of our hearts are infected so that we can’t even see that we are neither cold nor hot.

"I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see." Revelation 3:18

For it to be said about evangelistic efforts, like the God Questions Series and door hangers, ... "That’s not my thing", or "I don’t like to", or "That’s out of my comfort zone", ... all shows either a hate - not love - for the lost, a rejection of God’s commission, extreme immaturity or all of the above. Rather than using every opportunity to reach out to the lost and dying world, we find too many who would rather indulge themselves, their wants and desires rather than God’s.

God knows our deeds and is desiring for us to be "hot" for Him. This means that we deny ourselves, ... our selfish, self-centered ways, ... take up the cross of self-sacrifice and follow Him in His Kingdom plans and purposes. It won’t be easy, but then again, nothing of true value is. Our loving Father, as always, is here waiting for us to wake up, ... to enter into intimate fellowship with Him.

"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:19-20

The "Call this Fall"? Listen to Him, see what He’s doing through the Body of Cornerstone, and then join God in His work, ... all in service to the King and for His glory.

In His service and His love,

Pastor Rich