Cornerstone Church

 

Six years ago as I stood in the foyer of our new sanctuary, I hardly noticed the traffic or the noises. My only thought was, “This is a miracle.” I knew in my heart that the property on which I stood was meant for our congregation and this community.

            You see, this miracle had not just begun then. It began many years ago with a vision that God gave birth to in my heart. It grew in momentum when I was asked to pastor. It grew even more as I prayed, and saw in my spiritual eye the vision that God has for this work here in Stephenville, Texas. It has culminated to this very moment. I believe you are meant to be a part of it.

            I know in my heart that wherever this ministry goes God intends for its roots to be traced here. My hope has been renewed! I know that God is a God who seeks, and His followers should be a people who continue to seek. Christ has not called us to simply enter the doorway of salvation, He has called us all the way in so we can experience the fullness of His glory!

            The apostle Paul tells us that the church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets. Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2: 19-20). It is from here that the church grows into a holy temple, a habitation of God by the Spirit of God.

            In Solomon’s temple, the stones had to be blasted and shaken out of the quarries of King Solomon by his quarry men. They were removed from their natural surroundings. They were originally rough stones, unhewn stones, unshaped stones and without purpose.

            The scripture says that these stones for the Temple were made ready before being brought to the temple site to be placed. There was no sound of the hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron in the house while it was being built (I Kings 6:7).

            We are all “living stones” for God’s spiritual house. God prepares, or makes ready these stones before His temple is built. I believe that is what He is doing right now even as you read this article! You see my friend’s, the stones for the Lord’s temple were costly stones, great stones, hewn stones, precious stones, prepared stones and garnished stones. All of this preparation of the stones speaks of the dealings of God in the life of the believer.

            This is how God builds His church. This is how this church is being built! There, it was material stones, worked on externally. Here, now, it is spiritual stones, worked on internally; the Cornerstone Assembly of God Church is being built-up a spiritual house that will never be torn down. With your help we all will have a house built-up on that faith.

            We also have this aspect of the foundation, Christ is the foundation, but the scriptures and ministries of the Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles are also foundational to the building of the church. It may be said that Christ is the foundation, personally and redemptively, as no other can be. But, people like you are the foundation doctrinally and ministerially.

            We know it will be a struggle to continue to build this ministry. The struggles of life are our “holding patterns.” Whether these “holding patterns” are caused by us, or others, we all cry out, “Dear God, what is the meaning of all this? What is your will for us?” My years of walking with the Lord have taught me that only He alone can get us out of the “holding patterns” of life! He uses them to help us grow spiritually. In each of our “holding patterns” we discover a deeper experience of His love and providence for us.

            The Bible tells us that we were created “In His image.” Genesis 1:2 tells us, “He moved upon the face of the waters.” Our God is a moving God! He is moving here in Stephenville, Texas! If you’ve been waiting on a sign from God, here it is! Without your faithfulness we will not be able to “move” in obedience to the Lord. That’s the seasoned, tempered message that Moses gave the children of Israel at the end of his life. His last will and testament to the children of Israel before he died contains an image, which “shifts” or “moves” the metaphor. That’s what God is doing right now, shifting us! Beginning a great work!

            Looking back on his forty years in the wilderness, Moses selected the eagle and the training of it’s eaglets to fly as an impelling illustration of His providential power, and how He trains and protects us, His church. Now at the end of his life Moses compares how God had been like an eagle in training His people. “As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the Lord alone did lead him…(Det. 32: 11-12a).

            This passage alone tells us three crucial things about God. He is a disturber! He is a developer! And, He is a deliverer! The destiny of an eaglet is to fly! We believe your destiny is to fly with us!

            The eagle must do everything it can to force the eaglet to leave the nest and learn to fly. The purpose of this discomforting disturbance is to get the eaglets to soar. The Lord’s disturbance of our nests of contentment is much the same. He sometimes allows the comforts of our lives to be removed for a new level of spiritual growth to happen. I believe its happening right now!

            This activity by God creates in us a new daring! This is a sure sign that the Lord is working in our lives. This is a time we all should become more excited about the future, than the past! Forget about the past! God said that He was the “I Am.” Not the “I was,” or the “I will be.” He is the God of the present! He is the God of the “right now.” We want you to know that there is a “next step” to your spiritual growth. To get us ready, the Lord stirs up a ‘creative” discomfort. There are times when God must close some doors, figuratively speaking, to get us to notice the one’s He has standing open for us. Our doors are wide open for you!

            You see, the eaglets didn’t like getting pushed out of the nest either, but it was necessary for them to learn to soar. You’ve been in the nest too long! Not only are we learning to soar, but you will also!

            The prelude to a new step of spiritual growth is the stirring of the Holy Spirit within us. The Lord “stirs” us, our nest becomes uncomfortable, and then it’s time to fly! If we desire to grow in God we must take a step of faith. But, without your dedication to God and faith in the unseen vision that God has placed in our hearts, this ministry here in Stephenville, Texas won’t be possible. We need you! Remember that every time we say “no” to the Lords stirring, the more uncomfortable He makes us.

            You see my friends, the eaglet is not fully an eagle when it develops its wings, but when it learns there is a “jet stream” which catches and propels its flight! No longer is it the strength of its own wings, but the unseen “power” of the wind! That “jet stream” is the Holy Spirit of God, and it’s blowing on you today!

            When we dared to leap from the edge of the nest, we discovered that God’s everlasting arms did more than just catch us; they were like the wind, and “lifted us!” To soar, we needed the Spirit’s “lifting” power! That’s what you need too! You are programmed to fly! To soar as the eagles! By the process of disturbance, by Jesus’ brooding love, by the inspiration of His outspread wings as He lures you into flight, by the great strength with which He swoops beneath you and catches you on His wings, just before you crash onto the rocks below. He alone is perfecting you and leading you to great heights as He develops within you the person that you were meant to be, now and forever!

            There is absolutely no mistake in the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is the foundation of this church. He is the rock, the stone, and the foundation of this ministry. The apostle Paul said that no other foundation can any man lay, than that which is laid in Christ Jesus. It is the person of Christ – Who He is. It is the work of Christ – What He has done and is doing. It is the words of Christ – What He has said. These all together constitute Christ as the foundation of the House of the Lord, which is His church.

            The prophet Isaiah said, “I lay in Zion for a foundation stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone.” Christ is the tried stone, tried by the gentile rulers, the priests and scribes of the Sanhedrin court of the Jewish nation. He is the proven stone.  We at the Cornerstone Assembly of God Church wish to cordially invite all people to come and fellowship with us. We are a casual congregation for all people. “Out of many, we are one!” You have a place at the Cornerstone Church.

           

 

“We look forward to seeing you soon!”

 

Pastor Ed Dittfurth