Reflections from Africa

Before I picked up an instrument, I knew that music would be part of my story. I feel like God often leads me that way: a knowing without complete clarity.

And when I imagined my musical life, my natural framework was touring, stages, and opening acts. But God... He wove several of the passions He placed in me - like leading worship, discipleship, culture, and service - into opportunities like going to Africa twice in a month to serve as a worship leader with Operation Christmas Child during two Vision Trips. In Namibia and South Africa.

Sometimes our lives do not look how we envisioned. As John Calvin said: 'All whom the Lord has chosen ought to prepare themselves for a life that is hard, difficult, laborious and full of countless griefs.'

Who would choose that?

Here is what I am learning: in the midst of that hard, difficult, laborious, grief-filled life, are the good works which God has prepared, that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10).

It is not easy. But He is good.

June 25: Tuesday Refocus

‘We find everywhere in this world the traces of a revealed God, and of a hidden God.  Revealed enough to strengthen our faith, hidden enough to try our faith.’ – Philip Schaff

In an age where worlds of knowledge are available in our pockets, mystery is unacceptable.  But for all our books, educational institutions, research, and breakthroughs, our discoveries will never find the edge of a boundless God.

‘Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).’  Faith requiring full understanding is no faith at all.  But faith that does not compel a wrestle towards a life further up and further in makes our faith and our lives thin and small.

Those encounter the Invisible made Visible (Col 1:15-20), are never truly the same.  They can echo with Job, ‘I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you… (Job 42:5).’  Be ready, those who wrestle in faith will grow… but will also be left with a limp of reality.

God, thank You that You have chosen to reveal Yourself – in Your Word, in creation, in people, and in Christ.  Help us to wrestle well with the things we do not understand, not passive submission, but the wrestle of seeking You with our whole hearts.  Thank You that when we seek You, we will find You.  We are humbled, and grateful.  In Christ’s name, amen.

Wrestling,

AB

June 18: Tuesday Refocus

‘Hiddenness turns dutiful workers into lovers of God.’ – Sara Hagerty

Sometimes the line can feel thin and blurry.

The line between working as unto the Lord (Col 3:23) and working to earn, prove and justify our existence.

But when we hide ourselves in His shadow, our frantic labor turns to the work of worship: ‘My refuge and my fortress, My God in whom I trust’ (Ps 91:1-2).  When we hide ourselves in His shadow, we see that we have nothing to offer that He did not first provide (1 Cor 4:7).  When we hide in His shadow we see it has always been grace, never works which saved us (Eph 2:8-9).

So we cease from striving (Ps 46:10, NASB) and choose the good portion (Lk 10:42).  We rest in the reality of His completed work (Jn 18:30).

Lord Jesus, help us choose the good portion today.  We want to be with You, not merely working for You.  We want to know You as fully as You know us.  Remind us that You have completed the work of salvation.  We have nothing to earn, and nothing to prove.  Help us rest in who You are, and what You have accomplished.  We love You, in Your name, amen.

In hiddenness,

AB

June 11: Tuesday Refocus

‘God is so boundlessly pleased with Jesus that in Him He is altogether well pleased with us.’ – Charles Spurgeon

The pleasure of God is fixed immovable on Christ.  For every Christ follower, our life is hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3).  And everything true of Christ is now true of us. 

God delights over us with singing (Zeph 3:17).

He has raised us from death to life, and seated us with Christ (Eph 2:6).

We are His children, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs of Christ (Rom 8:17).

As Christ followers we never gravel our way into God’s presence – we live ever in His presence (Ps 91, Ps 139).  And we carry His presence in our going out and coming in (Ps 121:8).

God, thank you for making a way for us to be your children.  Jesus, thank you for your completed perfect work, and for being our brother who shares in Your inheritance.  Spirit, thank you for sealing us – enable us to believe that we are the beloved of God.  In Christ’s name, Amen.

From delight,

AB

June 9: Sunday Set List

WELCOME/CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 24:1-6

Pause prayer. We never leave the pieces of our hearts, minds, and lives at the door of the church, we bring them in, we leave them at the cross. We entrust our whole selves to Christ as we gaze at Him.

Read Psalm 24:7-10

• HERE IS LOVE

• WE ARE SAVED

Sermon

• BE ENTHRONED

• LOVE PURSUED

June 4: Tuesday Refocus

The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;

let the many coastlands be glad!

Clouds and thick darkness are all around Him;

righteousness and justice are the foundations of His throne.

Fire goes before Him

and burns up His adversaries all around.

His lightning lights up the world;

the earth sees and trembles.

The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,

before the Lord of all the earth. (Ps 97:1-5)

God’s rule and reign is not subtle.  It is earth shaping, and shaking

The heavens proclaim His righteousness,

and all the peoples see His glory.

All worshipers of images are put to shame,

who make their boast in worthless idols;

worship Him, all you gods! (Ps 97:6-7)

When God displays His righteousness and glory, every knee will bow and every tongue confess (Phil 2:10-11).  On that day our misguided worship will be set right.  Even the objects of our perverted affection will be found facedown before the true God (1 Sam 5:4).

Zion hears and is glad,

and the daughters of Judah rejoice,

because of Your judgments, O LORD.

For You, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;

You are exalted far above all gods.

O you who love the LORD, hate evil!

He preserves the lives of His saints;

He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

Light is sown for the righteous,

and joy for the upright in heart.

Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,

and give thanks to His holy name! (Ps 97:8-12)

Hear and be glad!  Rejoice oh lovers of God!  Your world may seem out of control, but you are persevered and delivered by the Most High over all the earth (v9).  Our hearts can rest and rejoice – regardless of circumstance – when we recognize His rule and reign, in the world and in our lives.

 Lord, we confess our desire to rule and reign.  We confess that we are quick to question Your good judgments.  Give us eyes to see beyond circumstance, and to see Your glory and righteousness on display.  We worship You as rightful King, and Ruler over all the earth – and we are glad.  In Jesus name, amen. 

Rejoicing,

AB

May 28: Tuesday Refocus

‘Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands…’ Ps 149:6

Worship prepares us for battle.  Not a physical battle – against flesh and blood – but a battle against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers, and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph 6:12). 

This is a battle already won: ‘He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.’ Col 2:15

Although final victory is already secured in Christ, we battle to strengthen our brothers, we battle against the accuser of our souls, we battle to keep our eyes fixed on the Author and Finisher of our faith (Lk 22:32, Rev 12:10, Heb 12:2).

We are strengthened for this battle in our inner being by the power of His Spirit, according to the riches of His glory (Eph 3:16).  And into this battle we cling to the sword of the Spirit – the Word of God (Eph 6:17), living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb 4:12).

With sword in hand, we sing: ‘Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev 5:9).’  

Jesus, You are our conquering King, hallelujah!The victory is Yours – and because our lives are hidden in You – the victory is ours as well.Forgive us for not worshiping You as Victor. Forgive us for charging into battle with opinions rather than the Sword of the Spirit. Let Your praise fill our throats, and Your truth fill our hands. Amen.

Hallelujah,

AB

May 21: Tuesday Refocus

‘...our rebellious attempts to lead ourselves can be carried out only in an atmosphere devoid of the memory of grace.’ - Eugene Peterson

We are quick to forget.  

That’s one of the reasons my soul needs the regular reminder of corporate worship.  

I forget.  

I forget who I am... (Rom 8:9)

I forget Whose I am... (Is 43:1)

I forget to whom I belong.  (1 Pet 2:10)

When I forget I AM, I always forget who I am.

And the invitation is always to remember - ‘But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him." (Lam 3:21-24).  To remember the God whose name reveals His character: "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation." (Ex 34:6-7)

When we remember, our response is always joyful surrender to the One who gives more grace (Jam 4:6).

Lord, make us people who remember.  People that have hearts and minds filled with ebeneezer memorial stones as monuments of Your grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus, amen.

Remembering,

AB

May 14: Tuesday Refocus

‘The things that we love tell us what we are.’ – Thomas Aquinas

Lord, we confess that our affections are divided. 

We are lukewarm and half-hearted, easily pleased and quickly bored. 

We have sought life, acceptance, value, and worth in dust-formed creation returning to dust.

We have exchanged the truth for a lie.

The eyes of our enemy roam the earth looking to devour,

our eyes roam the earth looking to be devoured.

Our enemy crouches at the door that we barge through.

We have seen, tasted, tried and tested and found all things meaningless…

But for the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ our Lord.

You have loved us with an everlasting love. 

Nothing can separate us from You. 

Nothing can snatch us from Your hand. 

You hold our lot, and You are our keeper. 

You satisfy our souls with Yourself.

Enable us by the power of Your Spirit to look to You and live. 

To behold and become. 

To be conformed and transformed in worshipful response to the work of the Son. 

For Your glory and our good.

Amen.

May 7: Tuesday Refocus

‘The highest form of worship is obedience’ – Elisabeth Elliot

Obedience as worship?  The thought is almost offensive.

Because we want our worship to be comfortable, confined to Bible reading, song singing, church attendance, and nothing more.  But true worship is costly because true worship is the right response of our whole lives (heart, soul, mind, and strength) to God’s revelation of Himself.

And He has revealed Himself in the person and work of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:6).

The One who…

…did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself (Phil 2:6-7). 

…came not to be served, but to serve (Matt 20:28).

….came not to do His own will, but the will of the Father (Jn 6:38, Matt 26:39).

…became obedient to the point of death (Phil 2:8).

Our worship is in response to that God. The real offense is not the obedience He requires – deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Me (Matt 16:24) – but how much we desire to withhold

April 30: Tuesday Refocus

‘And He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind…”’ Luke 10:27

What is the greatest commandment?  To love God with all that we are.

 Too often we find ourselves tossed like children on the waves of doctrine, human cunning, craftiness and deceitful schemes (Eph 4:14).  We are quick to exchange truth for a lie, worshiping creature rather than Creator (Rom 1:25).

 And because this is the natural proclivity of the human heart, we arrive on Sunday morning acutely aware of the distance between the greatest commandment and our personal reality.  We arrive with the whispers of flesh and culture telling us to leave our divided affections at the door: ‘just pretend,’ they say.  But denying our divided hearts only causes further division.

 So what do we do with these divided hearts and lives?

 We offer them as an act of worship (Rom 12:1).  We offer our whole heart, whole soul, whole strength, whole mind, the good and bad, divisions and fragmentation – we offer them all on the altar of worship.  And we join the psalmist in saying ‘…unite my heart to fear Your name.’ (Ps 86:11)

Good Friday: The Cross Reflection Experience

The Cross Reflection Experience is a meditative, sensory journey for all Cornerstone Collective churches through The Garden, The Palace, The Courtroom, and The Cross. Come as families, Gospel Communities or individuals, to this open-house style, self-guided and kid-friendly service. Please allow 30 minutes for the whole experience.