Weekly Newsletter Jan. 28

For some reason, the “Frederick” family was endowed with extra sensitive noses. We smell nice. Pun intended.

Now, I apologize to my DE and MD beach loving friends who enjoy Thrashers French Fries. I like the fries, but the smell of vinegar, in my opinion, is just wrong. So I don't eat them. I’ve got to be upwind from anyone with them, and I don’t allow them in the car. On long trips, my family likes to snack on salt & vinegar potato chips. But as soon as the bag is opened, my nose wrinkles and twitches. I open the window for fresh air before any chips even get out of the bag. Yuck. I stay away from stuff like that.

I’m also the one who checks if food in the 'frig' is too old to eat. My nose can tell if meat has spoiled. On the way home from the grocery store one day, I had to slam on my brakes to avoid a collision. The groceries all slid forward. It took me a week to figure out that the six-pound package of ground beef had slid under the back seat of the van. When I first smelled it, I just thought it was "road-kill" stuck under my van. The stench of the rotting meat saturated everything. If there’s a question about meat, I’ll sniff out the truth. The test in our family is, “If it smells bad to Dad, don’t eat it.”

Jesus warns us about the stench of false teachers. Everything we believe needs to be compared to the pure and holy truth that Jesus teaches us. Jesus does not lie to us. Jesus is trustworthy. His teachings never get old. They never turn sour. They are always fresh and nurture in us healthy, new life. Even though we may not fully understand why God instructs us on certain things, we can still trust it. Sometimes we only discover God’s truth because we act on it. Jesus teaches us how to live life. He teaches us what leads to death. He teaches us how to live rightly with one another. He teaches us what happens when we don’t. We can trust Jesus’ teaching for life—eternal life. So let’s commit ourselves to trust in him and follow his ways.

At Christ the Cornerstone we talk often about three words: Love, Serve, and Engage. These three words keep us focused to grow in our faith, act out the teaching of Jesus, and share his message with the whole world. Join us this weekend to be encouraged to live the life God has for you!

We are here to love God and all people so that all people may experience the

life-changing love of Jesus!

LOVE - We meet every weekend to experience God's love for us and show His love for others.

SERVE- We use our abilities, talents, skills, and passions for the good of others.

ENGAGE - We engage with friends to care for one another and to make new friends so they may experience God's kindness too. 

Dear Jesus, so many thoughts, ideas, and behaviors tempt us every day to follow other pathways. They may claim to be good and right for me, but they are not. Help me to learn your ways, to trust you, and give me the power to act according to your truth. Thank you for forgiving me and leading me in the way that truly leads to life everlasting. Amen.

- Roger L. Frederick, Lead Pastor