Easter Sunrise
The season of hope is upon us! Here is the first of today’s messages concerning Holy Week!
http://cornerstoneag.net/2013/03/31/journey-from-darkness-to-light/
Enjoy!
Pastor Wrinkles: Easter Celebration Messages! Pt. 1
Tag Archives: Bible study
Pastor Wrinkles: Maundy Thursday 2013
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” John 13:1-9
Today is the day within Holy Week on which we remember the last supper of Jesus. I can easily find three sermons just in this passage alone and Maundy Thursday takes us all the way through the Olivet Discourse in John 16. This is one of the richest passages in all of Scripture; So I won’t even try in 300 words to take you into the deeps of Maundy Thursday teaching. Allow me to just leave you with a question.
Jesus’ washing of the disciples feet was His act of service to His disciples. Peter wanted to refuse because he thought himself unworthy to receive Jesus’ service. Is there any area in your life where you are not allowing Jesus to come with His power to serve you because you feel you don’t deserve it?
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Pastor Wrinkles: The Lenten Journey Pt. 40
“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the
Holy Spirit who lives in us.” 2 Tim. 1:14
It’s the last day of Lent and the beginning of Holy Week! We made it!
As I sought God this morning He sent me off with this warning from 2 Timothy. Every lesson, every experience is an opportunity for increased authority. Not every experience is good but if we love God and follow His purposes for our lives, He will work everything for our good. As we walk with God and as our authority increases we have to be careful not to lose that authority through careless living or careless relationships.
I have learned much on this journey. I know there is an enemy out to steal what I have gained. There is an enemy out to steal what you have gained to. Let’s agree today to guard this grace we have been given.
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Pastor Wrinkles: The Lenten Journey Pt. 38
I am finally sitting down to do some writing tonight. It’s 10:30 P.M. and my day has been marvelously full! It started with two prayer meetings and a pastoral care team meeting. Tonight I returned to the church for rehearsal and a leadership development meeting. The opportunities to serve God are growing and the time of answered prayer is coming quickly. Walking in the healings of this season is a must for me and for our church. It is so exciting to see the healing which has taken place in our corporate lives since the beginning of the year. Yet I know God has so much more.
Here is a review of some of the lessons He has begun to work into our lives.
Lent Day 25- On this day I wrote, “The grace of God is here with us right now. That grace is the power of God to do that which we could not do for ourselves. As we open ourselves to it grace trains us, schools us in how to live godly lives and those godly lives are for the here and now. You don’t have to wait until you get to Heaven to have victory over addictions or deep-seated wounds that cause bad behavior. The grace of God is present now to help you in this age. If grace can change me it can change you. Do not give up let His grace work on you a little while longer and you will see a change. You may have been born with a bent to sin but if you let Jesus in He will turn you around so that you have a bent towards righteousness. No one is beyond His reach. No one!”
Lent Day 26- On this day I wrote, ”
The question is not, “Will trouble or evil reports come?” The question is “What will we do with them when they arrive?”
We have some choices. We can:
1. Receive the evil report and give up. This choice leads us to fatalism…doing nothing because we believe that the evil thing is inevitable.
2. Receive the evil report and worry. This choice leads us to fear. With this choice we help the evil report to grow into a monster that consumes all of our life and feeds on our hope until we are nothing more than burned out shells. In this scenario we become paranoid self-fulfilling prophecies of the terrible things we fear.
3. Hear the evil report but refuse to accept it on the basis of God’s promises. This choice leads us to radical faith that wrestles with God until He grants us a blessing.”
What are you doing with life’s evil reports?
Lent Day 27- On this day I wrote, “All of our hearts, plagued by sin, lead us astray and away from God’s intended purpose; So God weaves a story, a plan, around us that is large enough and tough enough for us to come to life in. We are forced either to run from God or submit to “God’s fierce intention to use both crippling and blessing to redeem us from our self-redemptive and purgatorial stories.” The Sacred Romance P. 66 ”
Have you ever struggled with God’s plan? How did you work through it?
Lent Day 28- This day’s question was, “What area of life if better disciplined will bring you closer to your goal(s)?”
What here stands out for you?
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Pastor Wrinkles: Happy In the Heart Attack Pt. 7
Yesterday we finished by saying…
There is a day of healing and forward advance coming to you. When that day comes will it find you ready to embrace the work of God or will it find you calling out “sour grapes because you have not prepared for the fourth step to being happy in the heart attack which is…
Commit to serving God no matter what the cost.
In the gospel of John Jesus basically asks Peter if he is willing to commit no matter what the cost.
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter,“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him,“Follow me!”
20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return,what is that to you? You must follow me.” John 21:15-22
How about you? Are you willing to commit to Jesus no matter what the cost? What if it costs you your job? Your family? Your life?
Thomas Merton said, “A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire.”
So what is your life like today? Is it spiritual or un- spiritual? Are you sold out for God or sold out to the world? Has your heart attack pushed you closer to Jesus or has it pushed you away from him?
What must you do in light of these answers?
If you missed any of our conversations from “Happy In the Heart Attack”, you can find them here.
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Pastor Wrinkles: Happy In the Heart Attack Pt. 6
We have been talking about steps to take in order to survive and thrive through life’s heart attacks. Yesterday we made the point that we must be ready to embrace God when He shows up.
If you have missed any of our conversations you can catch up here:
Jesus told this parable about being ready for God’s move…
25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
There is a day of healing and forward advance coming to you. When that day comes will it find you ready to embrace the work of God or will it find you calling out “sour grapes
because you have not prepared for the fourth step to being happy in the heart attack? That step is… See you tomorrow!
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Pastor Wrinkles: Chapter Charts Pt. 152
The Word of God is a bridge that connects Earth with Heaven and Heaven with Earth.- Joseph Elon Lillie
King Solomon was a builder. While David spent his entire reign fighting and establishing the kingdom, Solomon turned his considerable wealth towards the pursuit of building up what his father had won through warfare.
Here’s what I see in today’s chapters:
I Kings chapter 6 sermon topics/ titles:
1. God’s Golden Cottage: I Kings 6:1-3
2. The “If…then” Of God: I Kings 6: 12,13
3. Gentiles In the Doorway: I Kings 6: 31-33
I Kings chapter 7 sermon topics/ titles:
1. Of Forests, Pillars and Justice: I Kings 7: 1-7
2. Half the Time For God: I Kings 7:1
3. God’s Swimming Pool: I Kings 7: 23-26
Now tell me what you see! 🙂
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Pastor Wrinkles: Happy In the Heart Attack Pt. 5
Yesterday we finished by saying… waiting is not just doing nothing while we are waiting for the God bus to show up. Biblical waiting is continuing in what we know to do until God shows us what we don’t know how to do. It is continuing in what we know even though we know that the continuing is not the answer. It is continuing in what we know because that is all we have of faithfulness to God and because waiting will always eventually lead us to step three in becoming happy in the heart attack which is…
To Embrace God when He shows up…John 21:7-14 says,
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them,“Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
As soon as Peter realized that the Lord had shown up, he abandoned his fishing and put all His focus on getting to God. So many people miss God when finally He does arrive because they have let bitterness blind them. In your waiting look for God and keep yourself in readiness to jump into the water like Peter did!
Have you ever been tempted towards bitterness because you thought you were being forced to wait too long? What did you do?
Check in tomorrow for Pt. 6
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Pastor Wrinkles: Happy In the Heart Attack Pt.3
Yesterday we finished off post two by saying… “When life’s heart attacks come they can be opportunities for great joy if we will just follow God’s path.”
If you missed the first two portions of this study you can find them here:
When Peter had the first of his life’s heart attacks (see our Scripture reading from Pt. 1), he did four things that are a pattern for us to follow when we face our own heart attacks.
The first thing Peter did was to grieve the heart attack.
Luke 22:60-62-Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
J.R.R. Tolkien wrote, “I will not say, do not weep, for not all tears are evil.” Yet we live in culture that is largely afraid to grieve. Maybe this comes from our ancestral roots. I don’t know, but we often act like grieving is an evil thing. Yet when heart attacks come they cause pain. We have to grieve that pain: privately, or publicly, through therapy or mountain climbing, primal scream or prayer. We have to grieve to be healthy.
Harold Kushner says, “We can endure much more than we think we can; all human experiences testify to that. All we need to do is learn not to be afraid of pain. Grit your teeth and let it hurt. Don’t deny it. Don’t be overwhelmed by it. It will not last forever. One day the pain will be gone and you will still be there.”
Kushner is right grieving doesn’t last forever; But it can hold up our next step to joy or happiness in the heart attack if we don’t give it voice. That next step is:… Tune in tomorrow to find out! 🙂
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Pastor Wrinkles: Happy In the Heart Attack Pt. 2
What follows is part 2 of Pastor Wrinkle’s latest sermon.
Dick Cheney was once questioned about his physical health by a white house reporter. His answer to the question was “ Except for the occasional heart attack I never felt better.”
Isn’t that true for all of us? Life is full of occasional heart attacks. No one is exempt. No one gets out of life pain-free. No one: Not the President; Not the Queen of England; Not the storekeeper in his shop; Not the doctor in his operating room; Not even the Pastor in his pulpit. Everyone is subject to the occasional heart attack. I’m not talking about the physical condition caused by heart disease although that is one form of heart attack. I am talking about those things in life which cause us to wish we had died: It can be the death of a loved one; A long-term illness; A divorce; Or a child hooked on drugs. We all have our own personal heart attacks. Some of them catch us by surprise and knock the wind right out of us and others are of our own making. So it was with our Scriptural passage yesterday. Peter made a tragic error in choosing sides and it sent his life into a tail spin.
Now I know we would all like to get out of life scott free. We all want heart attack free lives, but we have to face reality; That isn’t going to happen. This world is a heart attack zone, bad things happen here ever since Adam and Eve blew our chances at Eden by eating the apple. Bad things are going to continue to happen until Jesus comes back and sets things right. Yet somehow still we think we can try in our own power to fix things.
You may have heard recently that a meteor hit Siberia. This meteor it is said struck the ground going forty thousand miles per hour and injured over 1,000 people as it struck the earth and blew out windows in a city of 1,000,000.
The response of the world is to ask “How can we stop this from happening again?”
I have a simple answer. “We can’t.” Meteors fall and you can’t tell them to stop. Heart attacks happen and you can’t hold them back. It’s part of living in an imperfect world.
Further you can’t stop a heart attack from hurting. By definition they are things that strike at the heart of who you are. You don’t just wave them off like yesterday’s bad chicken. They are more than mere annoyances. They are painful things that you have to work through.
So you can’t stop them and you can’t stop them from hurting
But what you can do is learn to be happy in the heart attack.
“How does that work Pastor J?” You ask.
“We are supposed to be happy about falling meteors, divorces, loved ones dying and real life heart attacks?”
No we aren’t supposed to be happy about tragedy but we can be joyful in tragedy.
James 1:2 says “2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.”
When life’s heart attacks come they can be opportunities for great joy if we will just follow God’s path.
More tomorrow….
Lillie-Put 