The Importance of Signs, Part 2				By Paul Black

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The Importance of Signs, Part 2 By Paul Black

Last week we started talking about the importance of signs. Signs are important especially if they designate a change in something. When the patterns of our lives become so routine, we can often miss signs which can lead to catastrophic results. For instance, I missed a speed limit sign in a work-zone recently. Because I was not paying attention and was living my life routinely, I received a $40 citation in the mail for my ignorance. I’ll be sending the “State of Maryland a $40 Christmas gift. If you miss the signs that your body is trying to give you in certain conditions, it can often be too late once you begin to pay attention.

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The Importance of Signs				Pastor Paul Black

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The Importance of Signs Pastor Paul Black

They may seem quite insignificant at times. In fact, most things become so routine and familiar that we tend to ignore signs that we see every day. However, signs can be very important. To miss a sign indicating the speed limit might result in a hefty fine. To not see a house number might result in one going to a wrong address. To miss a “bridge washed out” sign might result in a tragic accident. God uses signs in various ways to let people know His plan. The first evidence of this is Genesis 1:14 (ESV) Genesis 1:14 (ESV).

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Living in “Perfection”, A Christmas Story			By Paul Black

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Living in “Perfection”, A Christmas Story By Paul Black

The term “perfect’ is used a few times in scripture. Perhaps the most noteworthy is by the half-brother of Jesus, James in his letter to the early church. This from chapter one of his letter; James 1:1-7 (ESV)

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:

Greetings.

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

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Happy Thanksgiving!!         Pastor Paul Black

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Happy Thanksgiving!! Pastor Paul Black

Cheryl and I are so grateful for all our dear church family and friends who have been walking with us through this past season. God is certainly calling out a remnant for Himself to the deeper things of the Spirit as we prepare for the greatest harvest the world has ever witnessed. We are so thankful for all of you and wish you all the most wonderful “Thanksgiving” possible.

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"The Just Shall Live by Faith"                      By Paul Black

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"The Just Shall Live by Faith" By Paul Black

”In an article written by Jennifer Slattery, she defines the phrase by the following; “This is the crux of the Gospel: “The just shall live by faith”. This Scripture phrase, when understood, can give us such peace and assurance in knowing our salvation doesn’t depend on us. This was Paul’s, the author of Romans, driving message. It was also God’s plan from the beginning that His people would be made just, or right with God, not through striving, church attendance, or legalism, but rather through faith in Jesus Christ and His payment for our sins. We see this phrase, “the just” or as some translations state, “the righteous live by faith” in the Old Testament and the New Testament. The ancient Hebrew prophet, Habakkuk first spoke this phrase during a dark time of Israel’s history. Centuries later the apostle Paul quoted him in Galatians and Romans while explaining God’s gift of salvation, as did the author of Hebrews, in much the same manner.” The Old Testament scripture Paul is referring to is Habakkuk 2:4 (ESV).

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Arise Shine, For Your Light Has Come               Paul Black featuring Charlene Miller

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Arise Shine, For Your Light Has Come Paul Black featuring Charlene Miller

In this time of cultural complexity and difficulty, its easy to become overwhelmed with all the adversity. It’s easy to get focus off the Lord and upon the problems that we’re facing. The ignoring of the challenges and just believing that God will sort it out is “fatalism”! The scriptural approach is to realize that God has called us to be light in the darkness. The darker it becomes, the brighter He shines through us. He has called us to work with Him and to bring His kingdom into godless situations. In the great commission, He said this in Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV);

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A New Day Dawning			By Paul Black featuring Karen Austin

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A New Day Dawning By Paul Black featuring Karen Austin

As Jesus is head of the church, it is His right to move people around as He sees fit. The reason we find it so hard is because we do not see the church as He sees it. We see the church as “my” or “our” church. We often think that the main church is about “fellowship” and “community”. That’s what social clubs are for, not the church. The Apostle Paul says this about the purpose of the church in Ephesians 4:11-13 (ESV).

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No Place for Fear.           By Paul Black featuring “Dr Laura Sanger”

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No Place for Fear. By Paul Black featuring “Dr Laura Sanger”

If I’ve learned anything over the last 45 years of being a pastor, it’s that church life is always in the place of transition. It’s just the nature of it. Just like the actual human body which completely changes its skin every 7 to 10 years, the “body of Christ” is always changing. People come and go; babies are born and the elderly pass on. The problem is that the majority don’t like change. It’s because our security often comes with familiarity with things around us. People usually gravitate to friends rather than reach out to visitors. Perhaps Paul had this in mind when he tried to encourage his young pastor and son in the faith, Timothy when he said this in 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)

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"A Stupor Has settled Over The People of God"        By Pastor Paul Black featuring "Mario Murillo"

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"A Stupor Has settled Over The People of God" By Pastor Paul Black featuring "Mario Murillo"

It appears that we are at the climax of history as we know it. I believe, we’re getting ready for the greatest awakening and move of God that we will ever witness. As it usually happens in scripture, the Lord whittles down His church to a remnant of individuals who are responsible of co-laboring with Holy Spirit to see it birthed. In following the “Youtube” videos of Dutch Sheet’s “Give Him – 15” and receiving regular reports from Mario Murillo, both are often stunned by the churches “hands-off” attitude towards what is happening in our nation, morally and spiritually. The following is a report I received a few days ago from the desk of Maurice.

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Eyes on the Prize.        By Pastor Paul Black

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Eyes on the Prize. By Pastor Paul Black

Now Jesus is not talking about construction here but evaluating the cost of following Him. Many individuals begin to follow Jesus after an emotional plea from a pastor or evangelist but many fall away after realizing that the cost of really being a disciple is just too great. In fact, statistics show that less than 1% of all those who “accept” Christ at an evangelistic crusade ever wind up in a church to be discipled. Jesus begins the passage by saying that “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

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Looking to Jesus.            By Pastor Paul Black

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Looking to Jesus. By Pastor Paul Black

We are living in some of the most contentious and difficult times ever know to man. As one of my Bible school profs used to say, “if this isn’t the last days, it’s the best dress rehearsal he’d ever seen”. When I was in my younger years during the 1960’s, one of the churches greatest draws were all kinds of prophecy conferences. With the “cold war” in full swing including the “Cuban Missile Crisis”, everyone’s thoughts seemed to be about the end of the world and Jesus’ second coming. Churches were packed with prophecy teachers explaining scripture with charts based upon on the opinions from their study and interpretation of the timing of the return of Christ. We were convinced that the rapture was imminent. Movies like “A Thief in the Night” and “Years of the Beast” and books like Hal Lindsay’s best seller, “The Late Great Planet Earth” only intensified the atmosphere of Jesus’ soon return. In church youth group, we were convinced that Jesus would come back before any of us could experience the joy and marital bliss of a wedding night. That was 50 years ago. Then along came Ronald Reagan in the 1980’s, the iron curtain came down and the entire scenario painted by the teachers of the 1960’s seemed to collapse.

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Hope is on the Way.                By Paul Black

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Hope is on the Way. By Paul Black

We seem to be living in unprecedented times. In fact, some might say “apocalyptic”. There is so much confusion and fear out there to navigate through. Does anyone else see the insanity in mandating a “jab” for a “virus” that under proper care from correct protocol is 99.9% recoverable? It appears from all the friends I’ve lost in the last 18 months that the best way to not die is to stay out of the hospital. When I was hospital last January, a nurse screamed at me that “if you go to the ICU unit, I would surely die”. I later found out from another nurse that 75% of those that go into the ICU end up in the morgue. I’m so glad that God heard my and your prayers and healed me. Nurses called my recovery “miraculous”. No kidding!!

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Restoring Creation Has Nothing to do with "Politics"		 By Paul Black

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Restoring Creation Has Nothing to do with "Politics" By Paul Black

Psalm 2 is a Messianic Psalm concerning the inheritance Christ would receive by His death, burial and resurrection. A Messianic Psalm points to the finished work of the cross.

7 I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

I have found over the past several weeks and months that the Lord has been expanding my understanding about the power of the “Gospel”. Jesus said this about the power of the gospel in Luke 4:18-19 (ESV) after he exited from His 40 day fast followed by the Devil’s temptation in the desert.

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The Fullness of God.            By Karen Austin

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The Fullness of God. By Karen Austin

I recently came across a statement that Bobby Connor said quite a while back. He stated that love opens the door to heaven and that we are to be so full of God that when we go to heaven, it will not be a big transition. I believe we are now being given an open invitation and a challenge to pursue and demonstrate this fullness of the Father's love. These statements reminded me of a scripture that I have been confessing over my life for years.

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The Discipline of the Lord.        By Pastor Paul Black

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The Discipline of the Lord. By Pastor Paul Black

As I have stated publicly, I believe the next item on the prophetic calendar is not the rapture but the revealing of sons. Because of that, we must realize that the Lord will be pressing those sons into maturity. He uses discipline to train us. Those in the military understand this principle. Many in the church do not. The role of the five-fold ministry is not only to teach inspirational and practical messages but to bring the body to maturity.

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The Time of the Awakening.         By Susan Hawkins

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The Time of the Awakening. By Susan Hawkins

This is the time of the awakening. Never before have My people been in a place where they need to wake up like today. They are in their comfort zones and like it there, but that is not where I made them to stay; Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV).

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The Progression of End Time Things.          By Pastor Paul Black

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The Progression of End Time Things. By Pastor Paul Black

Over the last few weeks, I have been sharing the things I believe the Lord has shown me concerning the time of what the church considers the “last days”. Ever since the 1960’s and Hal Lindsey’s “Late Great Planet Earth”, eschatology has always been a favorite discipline of mine. The return of Jesus was an extremely important expectation of the early church. It kept the church pure with expectation of His immanent return.

Unfortunately, because of all the different views, this teaching has become absent in much of the church over the last several years. Because of that, it’s my view that the church has lost its way. If we don’t know who we are and what’s ahead, we will not be prepared for it. That’s why I have been seeking the Lord so desperately. I encourage you to watch the videos on our YouTube channel, “Cornerstone Frederick” if you need to catch up. Since time is so limited on Sundays, I thought I would share the verses that led me to these conclusions. The foundation for my personal view is from many years and hundreds of hours poring through books and teachings of various views, studying the scriptures, the original languages and finally intimacy to allow Holy Spirit to lead me. The main foundation is from the words of Jesus as He was sharing with His inner circle, Peter, James and John on what would be the signs of His return; Matthew 24:11-14 (ESV)

“And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

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Judgment & Correction of the Present-Day Corrupt Church: 

  1 Peter 4:17 (ESV); For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 

Matthew 7:21 (ESV); “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

 The Exposure of Corrupt Shepherds who have abused the sheep;

 Matthew 13:30 (ESV); 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”

 Judgment & Correction of the Present-Day Corrupt Church: 

 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV); But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

 The Great Shaking

 Hebrews 12:25-29 (ESV); See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

 The Great Falling Away

 1 Timothy 4:1-2 (ESV); Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared

Matthew 24:10-13 (ESV); Many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

 The Great Out-pouring;

Acts 2:17-18 (ESV); “And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

 The Revealing of the sons of God

 Romans 8:19 (ESV); For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

Galatians 4:4-7 (ESV); But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

 The Preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom

Galatians 1:8-9 (ESV); But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel (American Gospel) contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Matthew 24:11-14(ESV);  And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

 The Restoration of all things;

 Acts 3:19-21 (ESV);  19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago, the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

I close this blog with the verses from John the Beloved from Revelation 22:16-17 (ESV)

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.” Maranatha!! Jesus is coming soon!” The kingdom of God is at hand!

 

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God is About to do a New Thing;  Dr Bruce Allen.      Part 2

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God is About to do a New Thing; Dr Bruce Allen. Part 2

Last week, we had Part 1 of an article sent to me by Dr Bruce Allen, “The structure of the church is about to be destroyed on the shoals of the new thing.” — Dr. Bruce Allen

This week includes the 2nd and last part of the article. Please read it prayerfully and respond to the Lord as He leads you. God Bless!!

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"God is About to do a New Thing"      Dr Bruce Allen.      Part 1

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"God is About to do a New Thing" Dr Bruce Allen. Part 1

Over the past few years, Dr Bruce Allen and his dear wife Reshma has become dear friends of ours at Cornerstone. I am convinced that Bruce received Neville Johnson’s mantle upon Neville’s passing a couple of years ago. His instruction and teaching on the “Glory Realm” is paramount for the church in this next season. Bruce has agreed to be a voice that speaks into the life of Cornerstone going forward. We are extremely honored and are blessed of the Lord for such a privilege.

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Changing Seasons  By Pastor Paul Black

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Changing Seasons By Pastor Paul Black

The last time I heard my friend Neville Johnson speak in California, he spoke of being in the transition from the church age to the Kingdom age. At the time, that did not fit with any of my “pre-conceived” eschatological understanding, so I put Neville’s teaching on the shelf and waited for the Lord to give me more revelation. As I have sought the Lord over the last few years, He indeed has given me more understanding and I have come into agreement with Neville’s statement. In the same way the “Book of Acts” introduces us to the ways of the Lord in the fact that God works and seasons and times according to His own purpose and plan.

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