Cornerstone Christian Center
Cornerstone Christian Center
How is God Forming You? | Stretch | Week 2
Do you ever feel like life's pressures are hardening you, making it tough to adapt and grow? That's why this episode is like a softening balm, reminding you of the joy and necessity of remaining malleable to the divine touch. We kick things off with a playful yet profound look back at the days of slime, drawing an unexpected comparison to our spiritual journey. It's not just about nostalgia; it's about understanding the importance of staying supple in God's hands, ready to be shaped and reshaped for His purposes.
As you join us at Cornerstone, we embark on a heartfelt exploration of what it means to truly become more like Christ. By sharing personal experiences and insights from life groups and daily devotions, we highlight how surrendering to God's will can beautifully transform us. It's about more than just words; it's about letting every aspect of our lives reflect our faith. This episode serves as a gentle invitation to let the potter's hands work wonders on the clay of our being, guiding us through life's ups and downs with grace and love.
We wrap up our time together by diving into the purifying power of water in our spiritual walk. From baptism to the daily renewal of our minds and hearts, we discuss how being immersed in God's word and led by the Holy Spirit equips us to face each day with hope and resilience. The invitation is open to anyone seeking to embrace Christ and surrender to His loving formation. So, as you venture into the week ahead, may this conversation serve as a source of encouragement and a reminder of the boundless potential that lies within a life shaped by divine love.
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Praise the Lord. How is God forming you? Well, I've been around for a little while and, being ancient the way I am, I have seen some pretty bizarre stuff. One of the strangest things I've seen is I've seen people kneel down and stick their body up inside of a big nose to pull out boogers of snot on a game called Double Dare, and it was pretty great. It was pretty amazing. It was during the era when I was a kid and we were infatuated with slime. It was amazing. It was one of these things that we couldn't get enough slime. We had ghosts that were slimers. We had all sorts of crazy things going on, and in Double Dare you had all these different things you're trying to do and the real end of it was getting someone poured slime on top of them. You guys remember this and it was great. This was before your age. They came back out with it recently on Nickelodeon, but it was one of these things that was so imperative that someone who grew up in my era made a gajillion dollars reintroducing slime to the younger generation.
Speaker 1:If you are a parent, a grandparent, if you have ever seen a child, they usually have slime somewhere on their person, and slime is like. I now know, because I have a 10-year-old who is a connoisseur of slime and she's like well, dad, that's clear slime and the fluffy slime. And you have the other slime and the other one and this one has a bouquet of this smell and this other things and I'm like, baby, this one has rocks inside of it. She's like no, no, no, that's like colorful things and glitter slime and anybody else know what I'm talking about. I mean, it's everywhere. I'm thankful because the glitter slime is kind of cool. You get to play with it and then it kind of stays together. Back in the day, when we had glitter all the glitter you put down glue and then glitter and then the glitter got on your person and it's still on your person right now, you guys remember. So it's a little different. It's pretty fun and you know my daughter be playing with it and I'm sitting on the couch hanging out and I'm like, hey, let me, let me see a piece of that. And she's like no. I'm like no, let me see a piece. She's like no, you're gonna break it. I'm gonna break slime, really. And she's like no. And then she'll let me have a very small piece, not a whole piece, not a whole color, not under, just a small piece. And I'll be playing with it for a while. I'm like, oh, that's pretty fun. She's like let me have it back, give it back to me. I'm like why she has to put it back together with the other one and then put it inside the container because if you don't, it'll get dried out and it won't work anymore. I'm going to break it. She told me, dad, you're going to break it, I'm going to break slime.
Speaker 1:You guys and this is as a person who grew up with Play-Doh, don't tell me about slime. We had Play-Doh and Play-Doh was it. Man, your mom would help you learn how to do it and then later you would make things out of Play-Doh. Remember, they had like the dumb friend and you would be like, hey, do you want some of this hamburger? And they're like no, and you're like, if you want to belong to us, you're going to eat some. And then they'd be like, okay, and then you remember Some of you guys ate some clay in this room. I know you guys did, but it was fun. It was one of these fun things that we all did is.
Speaker 1:But the thing with with slime, the thing with clay and with all this stuff and Play-Doh, is that if you, if you let it dry out, if, if, if it loses its flexibility, if it loses its stretch, then it loses its value because it really does get broken. And that's an interesting thing to think about because even spiritually in our lives, if we stop flexing, if we stop stretching after the things of God, then we get spiritually dry. It will be very hard for us to move forward and stretch into the new season that God has for us. And if you think about it in that way, then it's one of those things that encourages us to stay full of the spirit of God, of the things of God, of the water, of the word of God washing over us, so that we stay flexible in the process, because if we don't, and he wants to flex and use us, then we end up getting broken. And, friends, the process to get you back in shape is a hard one. It means a lot of things. That's why I encourage you, I encourage me to be those that stay flexible with God, to be those that allow God to form us into the things that he wants to do in our lives, that we stay, to be those that are flexing, that are willing to stretch into the things that God has for us, amen. So we're so thankful that you're here at Cornerstone. We're blessed to be able to worship together If we haven't had a chance. My name is Jay, and Celeste and I are very blessed to lead a great team here, and we're so thankful you're part of us here worshiping together.
Speaker 1:We very much see ourselves as people in need of a savior. None of us is perfect, far from it. All of us are following after Jesus. We're walking after him. We have an ambition to be more like Jesus, and using that imagery of walking with him is very much. That process is because he's leading us and we are following him where he's going. That means that even if you've been a Christian for 40 years, you're not done yet. You are still on this process, this journey with Christ. You are still walking with him where he's leading you to go. You haven't arrived. We collectively need to be more like Jesus.
Speaker 1:Would you say amen to that? Let me encourage you in this. We're about to start a new series of life groups here. In just a few weeks, in two weeks, we're going to start it, and so let me encourage you that we would be those that connect, grow and serve together. We are intentional in growing in our relationship with God. Amen, all right. Now everybody say stretch, give it one of these one time. All right, oh, did anybody else hear popping like I did? Oh, that's terrible. All right, if you have your Bible, your tablet, your phone, if you would open it with me.
Speaker 1:Today we're looking at starting in Isaiah 64. We're gonna be moving through some scripture today. Let me encourage you to have a Bible, get a Bible, download a Bible. Let it be a blessing to your life. Isaiah 64, starting in verse 8, it says but now, o Lord, you are our Father, we are the clay, you are our potter, we are all the work of your hand. Lord, we thank you for the word of God. We pray over it today, lord, that by your Spirit that you would breathe upon it, make it alive, make it rhema, transformative in our lives, lord, that we become more like your image. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Speaker 1:Now we're talking about this idea of the potter and the clay, and when you start talking about the potter, you're recognizing that the potter is the one that's in control. How many people understand this? That it's not the clay that decides what's going on, it's the potter that decides what's going on. And so this is the hard part with the scripture for a number of people is, because they don't like to give up control, nudge your neighbor. You can say I was the one, I'm the one that doesn't want to give up control. You thought it was them. No, it's you, it's all of us.
Speaker 1:And so that's one of the things that's hard about it is that we have a hard time like going of control, and we have our own ambition, we have our own things that we think we're going to accomplish, and meanwhile, the potter, our creator, god, who has a plan and a purpose for your life, he has a different ambition for you than maybe the one that you have in mind, because it's the potter's ambition, it's the potter's direction, it's the potter that gets to say how things go, and we don't like that sometimes. Sometimes we don't like it at all, but as the clay, and it says that we are the clay and we don't like that sometimes. Sometimes we don't like it at all, but as the clay, and it says that we are the clay, as the clay, then we are the ones that he is valued enough to work on us. Think about that. Clay doesn't start out at the wheel, clay starts out in the ground and it's dug up and processed and then brought into a place where it can be worked with. That is how much he values you. That's because he does have a plan and a purpose for your life, because he does value you, because he does see you in a special way. That is the reason that he has gone about starting this process of working through your life is because he loves you and he values you. And so, as the clay in the potter's hands, we're saying the statement, as Jeremiah, the prophet, is saying it to Israel all those years ago. It's said to us today that we are the clay. And so in that process of thinking about it, it means that we start, the clay starts to fold and the clay starts to process. And how does it start? They slap that bad boy down on the table and then they start working and working and pressing and pushing on it and it starts to take shape. It starts to be formed. Now you think about this idea of being formed For us. It talks about how we are being formed into the image of Christ. That means that we have a process by which we are working and being worked by the power of Christ. That means that we have a process by which we are working and being worked by the power of God in our lives and he's working that out through us.
Speaker 1:How many people can say they could feel God working in their life? How many people know that sometimes it's like an elbow from God. He's working it out Anybody, and so that is how it goes sometimes. I was talking with a friend and they were telling me that for them in this season they were working on their vocabulary. How many people can relate? So they've given their life to Christ and they're working on their vocabulary. They don't want to say cuss words anymore. This is the thing that God had been talking to them about and I can understand. I mean, I can relate. You know, I've had friends that. It's every word they use in all the formats of a sentence. It's a noun, a verb, an adjective, an adverb.
Speaker 1:Anybody else know what I'm talking about. They can slew it together. You're like. I don't even know how you did that. Are you an English teacher? You know what I mean. You're like, but that's how it comes sometimes. That's the culture. We're around, that's what's spoken around us. We're around, that's what's spoken around us, and so we start using all this other stuff. And this person was telling me man, I'm just, I feel like I want to do this, and so they're in being intentional, that God is prodding them in their life for this area. And I can relate, I've gone through it and it's one of those things that it's a process of that. And, man, how many people can know what I'm talking about? And you know, it can be something different for some of you. I know, for me, I'm somebody that the Lord, though I am perfect, the Lord is finding imperfections, obviously.
Speaker 1:Man it's like he's working on me, working on me, man. I was like two days ago I'm on the freeway and someone decided they wanted to try to kill everybody on the freeway with the way they were driving and I was like I'm going to send you to Jesus. And he's like I didn't call you to be their judge, jury and executioner. And I was like, lord, I volunteer, lord, I volunteer, I'm going to send them to see you and we'll be rid of them and they'll never get in front of me again. None of you. I'm going to try over here. You guys know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 1:Super convicted Felt, like the Holy Spirit, tell me to decelerate the vehicle in Arizona. Decelerate the vehicle. And I was like but Lord, but Lord, he's like no, you need to decelerate, you need to get out of this situation. I didn't call you to get mixed up in their disaster. And I was like, oh, why was I volunteering to get in, wrapped up in their disaster? Why was I going to mess up the whole trajectory of the rest of my life and my children's lives and everybody else's life with that disaster? And I was volunteering to do so? And he was like no, don't do that, do this other thing, man, I tell you, decelerating guys, that's one thing altogether, that's just one step of the process, right? I mean, I always learned you got to drive fast to win souls, you got to keep that right foot down. I learned that from my father. He's anointed a God. So it's like he says this is true, man, god is working on us. We're all such a long ways off. He's forming us, he's working on us.
Speaker 1:And here's the thing you know, I know, back in the like in one earlier phase of my life, I would go to church and God would start to work things out. And this was before I had like more of a daily devotional with God. Before I had a daily prayer time and a daily time in the word and a daily process of just listening to the Holy Spirit. Before that I treated Sundays or weekend gatherings of services as that time. The problem is it was really spanned out. So spiritually it was a disaster. I was, like you know, like not feeding for a long time on the word of God and so because of that, I wasn't being molded in the process of God. So God would get me here on a Sunday. He'd use the word of God from the preacher who was speaking and he would say she would say she'd get up here and say some kind of word. And I was like that's really good and it's working something out of my life. And then suddenly that afternoon, on Sunday afternoon, I would voluntarily jump off the potter's wheel and roll around in the gravel of my bad decisions Anybody else relate?
Speaker 1:And then, because I felt convicted by all the gravel in my life then I wouldn't come to church next week. You have any idea how many people come to this church, but not consistently. Friends, I'm with you, I'm not against you, I'm with you. But here's the thing it starts to work this process out. But whenever we continue to stay with God and we make that a daily process instead of a weekly or biweekly or once a month kind of process, then guess what? He can continue the work of getting the rocks and the dirt and the mess out of your life and he can get all that stuff out and he can start to work on you without picking up more of that stuff. Anybody relate. It's forming, it's working in our lives. And see, this isn't me working in your life. This is the Holy Spirit working in my life. It's the Holy Spirit working in your life that we would be formed into the image of God.
Speaker 1:Somebody say stretch. We see this whenever we think about the potter's wheel, because it starts out with this lump of clay and then he starts to shape it, he starts to put form to it, he starts to add the water, add the tools and run his hand around it to form us into something he can use. We pick up here, and another one of the prophets, jeremiah, says it like this to the children of Israel in his day. He's saying listen, god has a statement for you. You need to hear it. Jeremiah 18 says the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord. Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words. So I went down to the potter's house and there was working at his wheel, and the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand. So he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good for the potter to do, and the word of Lord came to me. Oh, house of Israel, can I not do with you as the potter has done, declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand O house of Israel.
Speaker 1:Going back to that idea of the potter in the wheel, you see him start to work on the process and think about that. There was some kind of shape, there was some kind of ambition, there was other focus in a different season, and he's saying that's not going to work for the season ahead. I need to rework you to the next thing. I need to do with your life. That means that your current form needs to get broken back down so I can work you into something else. And, friends, that's not a fun thing to say, because that means dealing with our insecurities, it means dealing with our frailty, it means dealing with the things we don't want to forgive others for, and it's dealing with our shortcomings Anybody else relating yet. It's dealing with all that stuff because if he can work that out of us and he can say, no, I've made you in my image. I value you as my child. I see you as highly favored. You don't understand the plans I have for your life. If only you would let me work in your life. And so, friends, that's what he's doing. That's what he told Israel in their day. That's what he's telling you today is that he, he wants to work in you and it's his plan for your life, not your own, and he will take whatever you're at, wherever you are. He'll take you as you are and he'll work from there to the place he wants you to be, Because he's a God who loves you and values you and has a purpose and a plan for your life. Say amen to that. Don't say amen, say ouch. Let's say stretch, stretch. So you see where we're at.
Speaker 1:We pick up here and continues the idea forward with this idea of water. What is the thing that keeps us going? The idea keeps it going is the fluidity of water and making it malleable, and be able to control the changing that's happening. So much of the imagery of water in the Bible is one that washes over us. It's one that sanctifies us. It's one that changes us right here you ready. It's one that changes us into being washed of the sin and prepared to make sacrifice before the Lord.
Speaker 1:In the Old Testament, you would see where all of the priests would go and they would make a holy ceremony, washing ceremony, before giving the sacrifice on behalf of the people, behalf of Israel. In the same way, we're called to be those that come before God with a pure heart and clean hands. What does that mean? To be those that come before God with a pure heart and clean hands. What does that mean? It means we allow the water of the word and the spirit of God to continue to wash over us. What's the symbolism of baptism? It's being dead to sin, alive in Christ. It's being washed over with those things. That's why John the Baptist baptized in the way he did. It's of repentance, it's of washing.
Speaker 1:And if we're intentional with that same thing, then we could see why we need to be full of the Spirit of God. We need to be full of the water of the Word of God. We need to be full of these things because if we're not, he can't work on us. We just stay all messed up. And, friends, we can't ever become a vessel that he wants us to be unless we're obedient to the Holy Spirit's work in our lives. And it's the Holy Spirit that's working. We say, holy Spirit, come and have your way in me. When we pray that prayer your kingdom come, your will be done we're saying to the Holy Spirit come and work in my life, come and have your way in me, because I know that your hand in my life is better than my plans in my life. Come and have your way in me, because I know that your hand in my life is better than my plans for my life. And if that's true, then let's be obedient to what he wants to do on our behalf. That we would say yes to the Holy Spirit working and forming us into the things he wants to do. It's that washing of the water of the word. It's that correction of the water of the word. It's that correction by the Holy Spirit. It's that diligence to be full of him.
Speaker 1:Friends, if we have a pure heart before God, if we make a mistake and then we go and say, lord, forgive me of that sin, I don't want to live in that space. We can move forward and not stay stuck with that gravel in our life. And, friends, you could do that every day. You can do that right now. You can be a person that makes that decision. You say, lord, I want to be someone who doesn't have to live with all my mistakes from the past. I don't have to live with all these different things that I've done in the past. That's not who I am anymore. I am a new creation. I'm going to move forward. I'm not my addiction from the past, I'm not my mistakes from the past. I'm someone who's moving forward in the plan and the purpose of God, being reformed, reworked into something else, into a new vessel.
Speaker 1:Friends, when we look at it here, it continues forward and starts picking up with this idea in Titus 3, 4, and 5 of how the Holy Spirit does this work. It says but when the goodness and loving kindness of God, our Savior, appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ, our Savior, so that, being justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. How many people say thank you, jesus? This is exactly what I'm talking about. It says who did the work? It wasn't us that did the work. We are not righteous, no, not one of us. It was Christ that did the work on our behalf. It's because of his goodness and his loving kindness, because his grace upon us, that we can be heirs or children of God with Jesus, that we get to have a future that's with him and it's done by his doing and the washing of the Holy Spirit over us and because of that, our identity is in Jesus Christ. Friends, it's not a one decision and we're done. That's not how it works. It's walking with Jesus and having the Holy Spirit wash over our lives to be more like him, be more like Jesus, and why? Because we want to be those that belong to him, not just for this little, teeny, tiny bit of time on earth. We are eternal people. So let's be those that don't just live for this little, tiny bit of time that we have here, but we live with eternity in mind, with the relationship with the living God.
Speaker 1:It continues forward and talks about it like this at a second Timothy two. It says now, in a great house, there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also wood and clay. Some are for honorable use and some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable, and I love this. It's saying hey, listen, we each have our own role in what we're supposed to do, but each one of us needs to have that washing process happen, because if we do, then God can use you for his intended purpose. If not, then a holy God is not going to touch a dirty implement.
Speaker 1:How many people know what I'm talking about? You're like God, I want to use me, use me. He's like great. Why don't you listen to the Holy Spirit and wash it off? Why don't you ask me to forgive you so I can wash you off? That way I can pick you up and use you. And we're like I don't want to change. He's like cool story. Which one do you mean? Do you want? I want to be used by God or I don't want to change? Which one do you want? You can't have them both. Which one? But that we would be ready to be used for every good work. And it tells us how.
Speaker 1:It says that by the work of the Holy Spirit in us, that we would be those that do this, so flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart, or from a pure heart, having nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies you know they breed quarrels. Friends, we're supposed to be those that live in a different level. We're supposed to be called unto God. We're supposed to be those that live for Christ and not get wrapped up in the drama of the culture of this world. That is not how it is. We have a mind of Christ. We live for Christ. Don't get wrapped up in this garbage. Don't let it pull you down. Live free of that mess in the name of Jesus Christ. Be free, don't let it weigh on you.
Speaker 1:2 Corinthians also says that we are called as jars of clay. It says that Jesus, he makes us into these vessels. And think about a jar. A jar of clay is very much that. It's the end of a piece of pottery after it's fired and we're not even going to get into that mess. But as you get fired and go through the fire to be solidified but you become a jar of clay. It's a vessel, something that he can put something inside of, and it's not just for you to have something inside of the Spirit of God inside you or the Holy Spirit inside you, but it's so that could be used for others around you, not just for you, but overflowing to people around you as a pitcher in the hand of God, pouring it out as a drink, offering for the Lord your life for others.
Speaker 1:Jar of clay it says it like this, but we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed. We are perplexed but not driven to despair, persecuted but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed, always carrying in the body of death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus will also be manifested in our bodies. Friends, we are dead to sin because of what Christ did for us and we are alive to God because of what Christ did to us. Because of it, we are not crushed, we are not perplexed, we are not driven to despair, we are not persecuted and forsaken. We are supported and we are victorious because we are heirs of Christ. We are co-heirs with him, children of God. I need you to say amen to that. Because of Christ's work on the cross for us, we have the liberty, the freedom, the forgiveness that is ours, getting to be those as jars of clay in this very, very short life that we have, using our life for God to be used as a vessel in his hand. You know we sang at the very end of our worship songs, these prayers that we're singing to God. To music. We sang a song call upon the name of the Lord and be saved.
Speaker 1:Friends, I believe there are some here today, under the sound of my voice, that have not made a decision to follow Jesus. Today is your opportunity to do so. As we look to this scripture, we start thinking about those things. It starts to talk about that stuff. It's talking about jars of clay. Jars of clay are brittle. They're things that don't last forever. Friends, this life is short. We're not guaranteed tomorrow. So let me encourage you in this that you would be someone that makes a decision to follow Jesus, that you don't delay on something, that you don't push it off to some later date Friends, something that you don't push it off to some later date friends. That is making a decision Embrace Christ today. Make a decision to follow Jesus, make a decision to embrace who he is, because it is the answer. He is the only answer that you're looking for. See for us when we start asking that question about God forming us. It's one that we can't get away from, because we need to be those that stretch in the way that he's doing. How is God forming you? Are you embracing the way he's forming you? Are you embracing the way he's calling you to stretch to the next place Because he wants to use you. Are you still following Jesus, friends? Maybe you're here and you never made that decision. As we said before, today is your opportunity to do so. We have to ask her that question, each one of us. No one can answer it for you. Have you embraced Jesus for us?
Speaker 1:As Christ followers, we believe Jesus is who he says he is. We believe that our creator, god, made a way for us, as people, to reconnect to him and his holiness, but it was only through a holy sacrifice. So Jesus came to earth and took on the sin of the world, and he paid for the sin of the world my mistakes, your mistakes, our sin. He paid for it once and for all, and he did so upon the cross. And so the cross for us becomes a symbol of freedom and forgiveness, and though it was meant by the Romans as an idea of terrifying others and as a threat of power, for us it becomes a transformative symbol of peace and hope, because Christ paid for my mistakes there and, friends, he's not still on the cross, because he died and paid for all those things, but then he rose again, and so that's why we can have an active relationship with the living God. And since that's true, then that's why we start to have this moment of decision where we say Jesus, come into my heart and life, because I want to have a relationship with you, the apostle Paul. He writes like this to the church at Rome. He says because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified. With the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Speaker 1:Friends, today it's your day of decision. It's your opportunity to make a decision to follow Jesus Christ. I'm going to ask if everyone in the room would just stand right where you're at, bow your head where you are, if you're online joining us, that you would just prepare your heart for what Christ wants to do in you. If that's you, you say Pastor, I just want to be included in that prayer. Today, you just want to say, jesus, I want to welcome you into my heart and life. If that's you, you want to make a decision to follow Jesus today. If you just raise your hand right where you're at, say, lord, I want to make a decision. Thank you, lord. Thank you, lord, for the hands that are here Two, three Lord, I want to make a decision. Thank you, lord. Thank you, lord, for the hands that are here Two, three Lord, for people making a decision to follow Jesus today. Thank you, lord. God, maybe it's you You've made a decision in the past, but you walked away from Christ. Today is an opportunity to recommit your life back to Christ. Making decisions today. Thank you, lord. Online. Making a decision today. Thank you, jesus.
Speaker 1:People in the room making decisions, friends, I'm gonna ask if you would just pray this prayer after me out loud Lord, thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending Jesus. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe he rose again. Forgive me of my sins. I surrender my life to you. In Christ's name. I pray Amen, amen. Friends, we rejoice with you making a decision to follow Christ today. Praise the Lord. If that was you and you made a decision to follow Christ. We want to be able to put something into your hands. We'll have people backed by this prayer banner. You can connect with any of our staff. We want to be able to put something into your hands so you'd be successful in following Jesus. If you're online, message us. We want to send something to you and connect with you so that you can live for Christ. Amen, all right Christ followers, as you've already invited Christ into your heart and life.
Speaker 1:The next one is about this it's about being obedient to how he's forming you, being obedient to the Holy Spirit's work in your life. And I can't tell you what it is. That's him telling you what it is, but he will do so because he wants the best for you. Spirit's work in your life. And I can't tell you what it is. That's him telling you what it is, but he will do so because he wants the best for you, because he loves you so very much. Lord, I thank you so much for this word that you've given to us.
Speaker 1:Lord, I thank you for how you pour out your Spirit upon us and you spark us, lord, to be those that stretch after the things of you.
Speaker 1:Lord, just like the time before, Lord, how you talked to us about stretching before hard work, lord, in stretching for the things that are beyond, in the same way, today we talk about being malleable and being stretchable, lord, being formed into the image of Christ. Lord, that we would listen to you in the work of the Holy Spirit. Lord, as you work those things out in our lives. Lord, as you take that gravel and sticks and dirt and work all that stuff out, lord, so that you can use us as you would have to do. Lord, as your plan and your purpose for our lives becomes clear. Lord, I thank you in advance for what you're doing with your people. We pray for an impartation of your spirit. As we come into this altar today, holy Spirit Spirit. As we come into this altar today, holy Spirit, we ask that you would just come, that we would have a new understanding, a new empowerment of who you are. We pray in the power of Jesus Christ, amen.
Speaker 2:We are so grateful that you joined us this morning. We want to let you know that next Sunday we have sign-ups for life groups. There's a new season for this summer. It's going to be fantastic You're not going to want to miss. So be here next Sunday so you can find out what the options are. And also, we are about to have a wedding for two amazing couples at 1 o'clock. I mean, we're going to have fun and we're going to celebrate the union of these two couples, so if you're able to stay, we would love to have you. It's going to be a blessed time and it's going to be just a beautiful ceremony for them.
Speaker 1:Amen. Before we go, let me pray this blessing over us today the Lord bless you and keep you. Lord, make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. Lord, lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Lord, I pray a blessing upon your church, your people. God, do you empower us by your spirit to live your love out to those around us. We pray all this in the powerful name that is Jesus Christ. Amen, amen, know this. We love you very much here at Cornerstone. God bless you and have a great week.