Two Ways To Live

Cornerstone Connect

Two Ways To Live

Pleasing God or Pleasing self

October 20, 2019 • Pastor Mark Mincy

Two Perspectives (7:1-6; 12)
Two Approaches to God (7:7-11)
Two Gates (7 :13-14)
Two Roads (7:13-14)
Two Destinations (7:14)
Two Crowds (7:14)
Two Prophets (7:15-20)
Two Outcomes (7:21-23)
Two Builders (7:24 -27)
One Savior (7:28-29)

The Purpose of Fasting: Set Yourself to Seek the Lord

October 13, 2019 • Pastor Mark Mincy

"Set yourself to seek the LORD" (1-12) - Gather, pray, fast, and seek the LORD - Rest in His sovereignty "Stand before the LORD" (13-17) - Patiently wait for the Spirit of the LORD to lead - Listen to the Word of the LORD - Do not fear "Worship the LORD" (18-30) - Humble yourself before Him - Praise Him (His attributes and character) - Trust Him (His character, His covenant love, and His revealed Word) - Watch Him work! - Be still and know that He is God (30) "Set your heart upon the God of your fathers" (31-37) - Learn from history - Obey completely "Duties belong to us; events belong to God. When our faith goes to meddle with events, and to hold account upon God's providence, and we begin to say, 'How will You do this or that?' we lose ground; we have nothing to do there; it is our part to let the Almighty exercise his own office, and steer His own helm; there is nothing left for us, but to see how we may be approved of Him, and how we roll the wight of our weak souls upon Him who is God omnipotent." - Samuel Rutherford

The Purpose of Prayer

October 6, 2019 • Pastor Mark Mincy

Matthew 6 - The Purpose of Prayer God's Name is Elevated (6:9) - Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. God's will is Embraced (6:10) - Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. God's Provision is Expected(6:11) - Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. God's Mercy is Emulated (6:12) - Forgive us our debts as we forgive our detours. God's Deliverance is Ensured (6:13a) - And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. God's Majesty is Exclaimed(6:13b) - For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. Psalm 73 - The Power of Prayer Certainty about God's Truth is Reinforced (1) Confusion about God's Truth is Recognized (2-14) We can be disillusioned by circumstances (2-3) We can be disheartened by injustice (4-9) We can be discouraged by "life under the sun" (10-14) Clarity about God's Truth is Reiterated (15-28) We can cultivate spiritual understanding (15-22) We can cherish the presence of God(23-26) We can confirm the truth we know about God (27-28) God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever

The Uniqueness of Christianity, Part 2

September 1, 2019 • Pastor Mark Mincy

Roadmap for Today - Review: The Uniqueness of Christianity as it pertains to retaliation - This deals with matters of personal retaliation, not criminal offenses or acts of military aggression. Jesus applied this principal of non-retaliation to affronts against one's dignity, lawsuits to gain one's personal assets, infringements on one's liberty, and violations of property rights. He was calling for a full surrender of all personal rights - John MacArthur - 3 Spheres - Your life (relationships, work, school, family, community, etc.) - Governmental authority and law - God and His Law - Explore: The Uniqueness of Christianity as it pertains to love -There are vast differences between Christianity and other religions. The uniqueness of Christianity stands out boldly in the way we treat our enemies. Nikita Khrushchev understood this and graphically illustrated the difference between Communism and Christianity when he said: "The difference between the two is great. When someone strikes you on the face, you turn the other cheek. If you strike me on the face, I'll hit you so hard your head will fall off," - Bob Deffinbaugh - The Pharisees' approach: Bigotry and Bondage - Jesus' approach: Benevolence and Blessing - Consider: The Unconditional Love of God - While we were still sinners, Christ died for us - Romans 5:8 - The Hospitality of God - Hospitality - "to love or befriend strangers" - "I will dwell in the house of the lord forever" (Psalm 23) - When we love our enemies, we are simply treating others as we have been treated. That is the way God treats his image-bearers. When we love our enemies, we demonstrate that we are God's children. We prove that we have a relationship with Him. - Our Father is perfect, which in this context (Matthew 5:48) could be understood to mean "there is no limit to the bounds of His goodness". In the same way, we are called to be "perfect". There should be no limit to the bounds of our goodness in our dealings with others. - The Lord's Table - What a privilege to come to the table of our Heavenly Father - a table made possible by a glorious Savior. - The incredible POWER of unconditional love.