Commended by the Giver

Everyone enjoys being recognized for the good they have accomplished even if they do the “No really, you don’t have to” thing.  They enjoy being thanked and acknowledged for what they’ve done, maybe not publically but people want to know they have made a difference in their world.  The scripture that dearest to the heart…

Giving to the Giver

When people talk about their giving you will often hear them speak about giving to the church or giving to God and sometimes about their gift to Jesus.  And those are all valid expressions.  I do feel that we give to God through the church and that our giving is an expression of love and…

The Giver on Giving

If there's anything more annoying than a preacher who is always bringing money into the mix, it's one who sneaks money into his messages. One minute he's talking about love and prayer and then wham the next minute he's talking about what people give and don't give and then he has the audacity to draw…

Giving to the Giver: The Giver

Things change, they don’t always stay the same.  And today you are part of change.  For sixteen years April has been “Stewardship Emphasize” month at Cornerstone, or as many like to call it “Money Month.” And you may have noticed that this isn’t April, it’s March and yet here Denn is getting ready to talk…

Possessed Pigs, That’s Weird 5

It has all the elements that are needed to define a story as weird.  A cemetery, two violent men, the supernatural and pigs. The day had started with the Sermon on the Mount the morning before and Jesus had taught those that gathered around the basics of his Kingdom.  How to deal with those we…

Hung Up Over Hair, That’s Weird 4

On Tuesday mornings there is a group of a dozen or so men who have been getting together to study the book of Romans.  And early in our study we discovered a weird little part of the letter.  Paul is listing the behaviour of people who are in his words “sinful, wicked people who suppress…

A Cursed Fig Tree: That’s Weird

To be completely honest, if I was writing the New Testament this is one story I probably would have skipped.  And if you were completely honest you have probably been uncomfortable reading it. It just doesn’t fit with our view of Jesus.  We can understand when he goes ballistic and clears the temple courts of…

A Talking Donkey: That’s Weird!

A talking donkey, that’s weird.  Even Shrek thought it was a little weird and he is an Ogre. And I know that maybe some of you are thinking “but my pet speaks to me.”   Sure they do.  They may communicate with you on some level, but they don’t speak to you. Sorry to burst your…

A Floating Axe, That’s Weird

If you did the Sunday School thing, or have been attending church most of your life then you probably know who I mean when I reference Elijah.  If you didn’t do the Sunday School thing or you’re relatively new to the church thing then you might not know who Elijah was. He was an Old…

Jelly Beans and Fog

Having grown up in the Maritimes and spending most of my teens years around boats and ships of one description or another I am fairly familiar with fog, especially when you consider my formative years were spent in Saint John or as we fondly remember it CFBC, Canada’s Fog Bound City.  And some fog was…