Unchanged. Refocused. Fully Committed.

A Case Study in Forgiveness

Got Netflix? Watch "Forgiving Mengel".

Sunday morning at CBF... "Deliver us from evil."

When is the last time YOU were seen as a THREAT?

Knowing God more and more

Getting to know God is not a quick nor simple endeavor. First there's knowing of God (that he is), then there's knowing God (as in being in a trusting relationship), then there's knowing more of God (never knowing it all, but intentionally seeking and finding more and more about his character, divinity, power, grace, faithfulness, holiness, love, etc.) Getting to know God is not trivial (though sometimes we approach it that way) nor is it for the faint of heart (though we should never be scared to approach him.) It requires discipline, observation, study, and community. And it is a gift and a blessing when there is someone who faithfully takes the time to share of their own journey into their own "knowing". Today I finished listening to two messages that powerfully described two aspects of God that anyone seeking to know him would do well to have listened to. (Of course it's not too late if you missed them live, I am learning the benefit of recorded sermons this summer!) I'm talking about the two messages at CBF this summer by Oliver Shipman and David Higgins. Oliver taught about the holiness of God (with a little of his power and creative qualities spread throughout.) He did so with passion and conviction. His examples and descriptions were breathtakingly descriptive. His breakdown of Isaiah 6 through which he described worship in which we are the "performers" and God is the "audience" put into focus what our attitudes should be as we gather to declare his holiness and our allegiance. David taught about the love of God (with a little of his power and holiness qualities sprinkled in.) Our response to the loving power and provision of God should be trust, not worry. The sermon of Jesus in Luke 6 is a call to faith and kingdom seeking and as David reminded us (I agree David, good preaching is oftentimes telling people what they already know but in a way that reminds and inspires to greater obedience) these things are the opposite of worry. Growing in our knowledge of and in God is a lifelong and serious matter. It is the joy of life itself. Praise God for his use of David and Oliver to help us all passionately pursue the loving and holy one true God.

Reasons for Hosannas!

In two days we will gather and sing our "Hosanna's" to the King of Kings! "Hosanna!" for my new daughter-in-law! Reply with a reason you'll be there to sing yours too...

A Gospel Crowd

The gospel being sung to people who've never heard it before in western China...

How many will hear the gospel because of the seed you send?

Seed Sunday Reason #4

Seed Sunday Reason #3

It's spring in Arkansas. Storms and weather happen.

Cornerstone will be ready to respond!

We will cut, collect, & clean out what the storms leave behind.

We will demonstrate our passionate pursuit of Christ!

We will BE THE CHURCH!

Get Stirred Up Cornerstone!

Cornerstone Bible Fellowship IS...

Passionately Pursuing Christ

We will Focus

We will not be content with status quo

We will Forget

We will not let failures deter us or success distract us

We will Finish

We will at all costs passionately pursue the ultimate goal of Christ-likeness

If you missed last Sunday, listen to it now and don't miss this week's message from Philippians 3!!

Seed Sunday Reason #2

Men get stuff done!... Like fixing fences from tornado damage!

Your Seed Sunday financial donation will mend more fences and help our neighbors in other tangible ways that display the love of Christ and allow opportunities to build relationships. Both of which till the soil for the seed...

Seed Sunday Reason #1

Unreached of the Day

Please pray for the ...

Uyghur of China

Population:	10,779,000
Language:	Uyghur
Religion:	Islam
Evangelical:	0.00%
Status:	Unreached (1.1 )

Seed Sunday Reason # 1 

Click here for more information.

Good Friday @ 7:00 PM @ CBF

If you know of anyone feeling disconnected from their "first love" (Rev 2:4), beg, plead, or drag them to CBF on Friday @ 7 pm. I heard and saw a review of this upcoming service from Eddie this morning. The only way to not be spiritually moved by this service...is to not be there. I can almost guarantee that for those who come Friday night...Sunday morning will be all the more meaningful, joyful, and life changing!

Something I blogged on March 14...

On March 14th at the end of a blog post I wrote: "* In less than 90 days I'll be away for about 60 days. Study, travel, consulting, blogging. More on this soon..."

Here is where you can read about it and a way that you can follow along on my upcoming journey: www.barrywingfield.blogspot.com
"A New Journey" 

A Kingdom Assignment Follow-up Testimony

by guest blogger Becky Simon

"If you were at 1^st service on April 1^st, you heard Kesa Robinson’s testimony about her Kingdom Assignment.  I will give a recap for those who did not hear.  Kesa shared how God grew her $100 to meet the needs of the Church Under the Bridge.  The Church Under the Bridge (CUB) is exactly what it says, a church that meets under the Broadway Bridge on the Little Rock side.  The church meets rain, shine, sleet or snow every Sunday, and it has been doing so for almost 17 years.   It is a church for the homeless. 

Last year during Be the Church Sunday many Cornerstonians lives were changed after serving there.  Through that service, many have continued to minister by giving of their time, donating food items and serving lunch.   Cornerstone is now known at the CUB, as the 5^th Sunday Church.  In other words, if there is a month that has a 5^th Sunday; we donate and prepare the food for 80-125 homeless brothers and sisters.  Kesa is one of the faithful volunteers. 

She testified that when Barry gave her the $100 she didn’t think that God was calling her to share it with the CUB.  She was already serving there and thought that God may want her to share His gift elsewhere.   So she prayed, listened and waited and it turned out that God did have plans for her to share with the CUB. 

This is where my testimony begins.  As I was preparing for the 5^th Sunday of January for the CUB, I was busy collecting food items, menu planning and seeing to logistics.  However, God laid it on my heart to that I needed to collect blankets, scarves, socks and care packages for my homeless friends.  I called Brother Joe, the pastor at the CUB and asked him how many people they would be serving.  He said due to the cold, he expected around 80!  Okay, so we needed 80: 80 blankets, 80 scarves, 80 pairs of sock and 80 care packages – No PROB!

Well, friends, you came through in a big way.  I was overwhelmed with the generosity of my Cornerstone family.  Each Sunday, the number of items steadily increased: 40, 50, 60 etc.  Then, things tapered off.  Suddenly, the donations slowed and finally they stopped.  It was at this point that I realized how MUCH I was asking for.  Funny, I was just being obedient.  I didn’t even take into account that 80 was a LOT of scarves until I was stuck at 40.  I didn’t bat an eyelash that 80 was a lot of blankets until the numbers halted at 68.  I felt certain that I was being obedient to God.  I was sure that I was supposed to collect these items. 

So, I trusted. This rainbows and lollipops girl believed that somehow God would take care of it.  I didn’t know how, but I was sure that He would.  Perhaps that 5^th Sunday would be cold then less folks would come, whatever the case, I knew that God would provide.  He would meet the need.  Right?  

A few nights before the 5^th Sunday, I woke up in a panic.  I started to wonder what we would do.  How would we handle it if there weren’t enough?  What if we had to turn a family away?  Would I be able to look into someone’s face and say, “Sorry, you’ll have to be cold tonight, we ran out?”  At that moment I felt God urging me to pray.   I had been reading the book 1000 Gifts and in the book the author talks about giving thanks.

She talks about being thankful for everything, FOR all circumstances, no matter what.  The word that she talks a lot about is eucharisteo.  It's Greek and it means thanksgiving and the roots charis (grace) and chara (joy)!  Another thing that she emphasizes is that “eucharisteo (giving thanks) always precedes the miracle.” 

I knew why God woke me up.  He wanted me to pray.  He wanted me to give thanks.  He wanted me to acknowledge HIM!  So, I got up and I prayed over the blankets that I did have.  I hugged them and prayed that the brother or sister that received the blanket would know that they are wrapped in His love.  I prayed that as they covered themselves that they would believe that they are covered by grace.   I prayed that when they felt hungry they would also hunger for Him and when they were thirsty they would be thirsty for Living Water. 

Then, through tears I thanked God for the lack of blankets, I praised Him for the not enough.  I thanked Him for my dependence and for His sufficiency.  It was one of the most precious times of prayer I have ever experienced.  And then, I wrote one last email, asking for donations.  I needed 40 scarves and 22 blankets.

The next morning, I received the email from Kesa.  She had raised enough money to fill EVERY need, to almost the penny.  Every homeless person received a scarf, blanket, socks and a care package.  In fact, our volunteers brought more supplies that day, so there wasn’t just enough, there was EXTRA.  We were able to donate some!!  It was like the loaves and fishes.  I was overwhelmed by how He provided.  Thank you Kesa for listening, Barry for challenging, Cornerstone for giving and GOD for meeting all our needs!!  “Eucharisteo always precedes the miracle!” "

Thanks for sharing this amazing work of God Becky!  2 Cor 9:8 (NIV84) "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

Who else has a Kingdom Assignment follow-up testimony? Leave it as a comment to this post and share!

Kingdom Assignment Testimonies

90 days ago 20 people received a $100 bill.

They committed to using that money as a kingdom investment!

Tomorrow they tell what happened.

You don't want to miss this...

God is at work ...

Remember this?

and this...?

Matthew 25:14–30 (NIV84)

¹⁴“Again, it will be like a man going on ajourney, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. ¹⁵Toone he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another onetalent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶Theman who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to workand gained five more. ¹⁷So also, the one with the two talents gainedtwo more. ¹⁸But the man who had received the one talent went off,dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹“After a long time the master of those servantsreturned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰The man who had receivedthe five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted mewith five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ ²¹“His masterreplied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with afew things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share yourmaster’s happiness!’ ²²“The man with the two talents also came.‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained twomore.’ ²³“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of manythings. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ ²⁴“Then the man whohad received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are ahard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have notscattered seed. ²⁵So I was afraid and went out and hid your talentin the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

²⁶“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have notscattered seed? ²⁷Well then, you should have put my money on depositwith the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.²⁸“ ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the tentalents. ²⁹For everyone who has will be given more, and he will havean abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ³⁰Andthrow that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will beweeping and gnashing of teeth."

Sunday is coming...!!!!

What you may have missed in 1st service & 2nd service this morning

1st service folks: I forgot to tell you that on May 6 is "Seed Sunday"! Come ready to give! Also, Dave is back in the US and will be back in LR around 6:30 pm. His luggage is not. :(

2nd Service folks: I forgot my Jeremiah story I told in 1st. In shortened form, Jeremiah went down to the neighborhood creek yesterday to play with some friends. After returning soaking wet, he went on to say how much fun he had "falling in the creek." He fell in by wading in up to his ankles, then his calves, then his knees, then his waist, then he was the 1st to go all the way under! It was yet another "best day of my life!" a child's irony is priceless...

Good to be with the CBF family on this beautiful day! You passion for Christ is showing... Keep it up!!

Location:Sherwood, AR

Sitting here amazed...

I'm between meetings right now. My 12:00 lunch meeting just left and I have to be over off University around 2:45. I have a 2:00 phone call to make, but instead of driving back to the office (can you tell where I am from the picture?) for the phone call and then back to LR, I'm just staying put.

I looked out the window and noticed how nice it is outside right now. This isn't the most picturesque place or angle in LR, but it's nice and I realized "I'm enjoying being right where I am right now and I'm thankful for this brief pause to reflect for 15 minutes or so before I move on down the road."

That thought led me to a bigger thought...(isn't it interesting how one simple thought can lead to many more bigger ones)... I'm also thankful to be a pastor at Cornerstone at just this moment.

And just like this nice moment by this window is simply a moment before more work and busyness (all good by the way), Cornerstone is in a good moment (ministry, attendance, enthusiasm, etc...) that's about to flow into more work and ministry (all good by the way!)

BLOG READER SNEAK PEAKS:
* Kingdom Assignment Testimonies: April 1st. I can't wait for you to hear what God has been doing with this!!!
* Seed Sunday: May 6th. All I'll say right now about this is...God is doing something new and BIG at CBF and we all get to make a "Kingdom Investment in the Seed!"
* In less than 90 days I'll be away for about 60 days. Study, travel, consulting, blogging. More on this soon...!!!

Sitting here amazed at God's goodness and leadership in my life and at Cornerstone!

I did not read this before yesterday's message, "Allowing Death", ... but I wish I had.Click on the title and read it. Have everyone you know read it... Finding Comfort in the Midst of Grief 

"I had always turned to the Bible when I had problems, but after losing my husband I was hesitant"

written by CBF member, Sabrina Beasley

Here's "The 45 Year Marriage Dance" as promised. I'd love to read your comments after you watch it!

The Marriage Dance #3

Timely, extremely practical, and CHALLENGING! Get the audio and the notes (ppt slides) by clicking here.

Putting it all together... This coming Sunday is the final message in this series and we will look at what makes a marriage dance a thing of beauty and why we should settle for nothing less in our marriages!

SNEAK PEAK: Also this Sunday, you won't want to miss a sneak peak at our next sermon series: "DEATH and all of his friends".

The Marriage Dance #2

Want to get caught up on The Marriage Dance? ... RIGHT click HERE and select OPEN IN A NEW TAB to listen to message #2: The Partners and then watch the presentation below...

The Marriage Dance #1

Want to get caught up on The Marriage Dance? ... RIGHT click HERE and select OPEN IN A NEW TAB to listen to message #1: The Instructor and then watch the presentation below...

Do you know this Cornerstone couple?

First of all, one of the reasons we have such a fantastic Children's ministry at CBF is the hard working, servant spirit of Pastor Eric and Lisa Day. Even when one of the Teaching Pastor's asked them to put in extra work to help him out with a message on Sunday, they not only agreed, but they hit a home run! It was fantastic! I hope you were here to see it.We are so blessed to have this wonderful couple leading our children's ministry. Be sure you thank them!
___________________________

Secondly, does anyone look at a burned out forest and conclude: "trees were just a bad idea in the first place. I think we should all stop planting trees!"? It's true, some marriages have burned up. But remember this: your marriage is a part of God's good creation!
___________________________

Now...do you know this Cornerstone couple? They stopped me after one of the services yesterday and said that the whole service really hit home with them. They met at a dance 45 years ago. He was playing in the band, she had been on the dance floor all night. At the end of the night, he asked her to dance with him.

He was the last boy she danced with that night. Neither dated anyone else since that dance.

One year later they married.

For 45 years they have been doing the Marriage Dance.

45 years later, they remember that night like it was yesterday.

The Marriage Dance

The Marriage Dance starts Sunday morning!

Moving to the Rhythm of Love
Each Sunday Morning in February @ Cornerstone Bible Fellowship 

Invite a friend! Here's a link to more info: The Marriage Dance

Not a dancer? Neither was I...

Click here to watch Alicia and I at our first ever dance lesson...

YouVersion goes LIVE at CBF this Sunday!

Sunday morning follow along with the message and answer a pre-service poll question with the YouVersion App on the LIVE tab and look for "Sunday Morning @ Cornerstone Bible Fellowship"!

The Unborn Life

Click here for information on the 34th Annual March For Life

I just read an article by Charles Swindoll published in the latest edition of Christian Counseling Today entitled "What the Bible Says About the Unborn".

Here's a summary of his points:

• God sets apart human life as unique, distinctive and valuable. (Genesis 1:26-27)
• He therefore preserves and protects human life as no other life on earth. (Exodus 20:13; Psalm 8:4-5)
• That kind of life begins at conception and continues to develop in the womb, where God is at work, shaping the child into the precise kind of person He desires him or her to be. (Psalm 139:13-16; Matthew 1:18-21)

His conclusion: "Today, the major part of the pro-choice argument is that a woman's rights take over or have precedence over the life within her, as though she were solely responsible for the conception of life with her. She is not...not really. ... Therefore (following the summary points above) because it is God's will that every child's life be protected after birth, it is certainly His will that such protection apply to the child in his or her prenatal state."

Among the great points made by Swindoll in the article was this one from Luke 1:35 where the angel of the Lord says to Mary "...the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God." Did you catch that? "the holy one to be born" (emphasis mine). Before Jesus birth, while still in Mary's womb, he was already a person, a life, the savior, the holy one. He was not a blob, tissue, or just "a choice". He was God's son and God knew him, just like God knows every person he creates from the moment of the miracle of conception. 

The Kingdom Assignment

20 Cornerstonians are on a "Kingdom Assignment"! What did you think of Sunday morning?!?