Greater Cornerstone Church

Scripture Text:

"for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh; for  the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ..." II Corinthians 10:3-5

"Bringing every thought into captivity..."

"What would God have me to do?"

When we are attacked by the enemy, we are attacked psychologically, sociologically, physically, and spiritually. When we are attacked it is a holistic attack and when we overcome we holistically overcome the enemy, in other words the attack and the victory affect every aspect of our lives.

"Bringing every thought into captivity..."

"What would God have me to do?"

"The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds..."  Are your weapons outdated? Are you carrying around garbage, baggage and luggage? What are you carrying around with you?  I am going to break it down and define these for you.

Garbage is a noun and it is waste as in a kitchen, thrown away, worthless and unnecessary.

Baggage is also a noun and it is the trunks, the bags or other equipment of the travel. It is burdensome and weighs heavy, like outdated ideas and practices. 

Luggage is also a noun and it is suitcases, trunks, containers for transporting things in travel like clothing, personal items and things you take with you from one place to another.

God can change your heart, but it is up to you to change your mind.  With that being said, "Are you willing to throw out the garbage, baggage and luggage that weighs you down and holds you back in your life? Are you willing to renew your mind and bring it in line with the mind of Christ, laying aside those things that so easily hinder and distract you? Are you ready to let go of unhealthy and unprofitable emotions, relationships and habits?

How to recognize garbage:

1. Garbage STINKS!!!

Is there something in your life that stinks? Maybe a dead relationship, an addictive habit,     something or someone that keeps you from making good decisions, a bad attitude that offends those around you? What ever source it may be, it is time to throw it out!!! Garbage is a stinch in the nostrils of God and hinders your blessings.

2. Garbage ATTRACTS Pests and Parasites!!!

Nothing attractive congregates around garbage. Garbage attracts bugs, rats, dogs and vultures. They feed off death and waste. If you are surrounded by garbage, you can expect parasites, leaches and moochers disguised as a "friend." Do not expect successful, motivated people to show up in your life if your surrounded by garbage.

3. Garbage FESTERS!!!

Anger, bitterness and unforgiveness are emotions and characteristics that fester in your life. Given a chance, these attitudes will fester in your personal, social and professional life and contaminate others around you. There is nothing worse than a bunch of angry church folks. These situations do not go away on their own, you have to make a conscious decision to let it go. When you harbor these vices, you bring stress and illness on your own body.

4. Garbage DOES NOT IMPROVE with time!!!

The saying goes "some things get better with time" but not with garbage.  The longer you let garbage stay in your life or church, the worse it smells. They'll be able to smell it clear across town and say, "I want to go over there but it stinks and smells."  The longer garbage sets around, the harder it is to get rid of it. It will smell worse than when you left. This is also the case with emotional and lifestyle garbage.

What started out as your little smart butt, an unnecesary smart look-down-your-nose to somebody remark or comment, turns into an arguement, then turns into a fight, then into a family fued.

In the church, it is the little clicks that fester, clicks in the church are like gangs on the street. We do "sit-bys" instead of "drive-by's" killing each other with our tongues. If left unchecked a feud turns into anger and anger turns into bitterness.

All this could be avoided if we would just throw out the garbage and clean ourselves up. Clean up our own attitudes, clean up our own thoughts and clean up our own behaviors.

Don't allow strife, bitterness, and hatred take over your house. Let love abide!!!

The Church is a "living" organism. If something is dying the first thing to check is the head. I had to check myself as the head of this church, this house.

5 Garbage ROTS!!!

When something rots, it breaks down and decomposes. Are there parts of your life breaking down and decomposing. The longer garbage is left alone, the more it continues to break down in composition. The more it decomposes, the unhealthier it becomes.

What GARBAGE are you carrying around in your thoughts, the garbage in your mind, the garbage in the relationships you continue to keep connected to, the garbage cluttering your lifestyle and causing an unheathly environment?

"What would God have me to do?"  

"THROW OUT THE GARBAGE!"

A Word from Pastor Willard L. Jones

In the book of Habakkuk 2:2 we read, “…write the Vision and make it plain…that he may run who reads it.” The Vision at Greater Cornerstone Church is “Pursuing the Glory, Taking Authority, and Walking in the Overflow.”  We are a Word church, a studious church, pursuing God to hear His voice, to commune and bask in His presence and to position ourselves in His divine will.  When we abide in these kingdom principles, we align ourselves in our rightful place of authority and are empowered to take authority over the enemy, overcoming the darkness in this world and walking in the kingdom overflow blessings.

            As the Pastor of Greater Cornerstone Church, it has been my privilege and honor to walk in God’s kingdom overflow blessings, as I have watched the hand of God pour overflow blessings into Greater Cornerstone Church and Greater Cornerstone Community Development Project. What was once a divine vision is becoming a divine reality as God has provided the funding for the South Haven Community Center and the building of the center has begun.  These two venues, Greater Cornerstone Church and South Haven Community Center, are modalities of God’s hands reaching into the world and overcoming the darkness.

            Today, we are celebrating our 15^th year as Pastors here at Greater Cornerstone Church. Fifteen is the number of Grace, the unmerited favor of God. In II Kings 20:1-11, Hezekiah was sick and near death, Isaiah the prophet went to him and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, prayed and wept bitterly. God heard his cry and answered him with Grace, extending his life fifteen years. Not only did God extend his life, but he also brought divine deliverance to Hezekiah and the entire city.  I trust this day marks the beginning of divine healing and deliverance for those here at Greater Cornerstone Church, South Haven Community and the city of greater Tulsa. Hezekiah asked for a sign and God provided it by moving the sun back ten degrees. Today, you may be asking for a sign. I believe the divine overflowing provision of more than seven million dollars into this community is a sign of God’s deliverance and I encourage you to position yourselves to pursue God’s glory, take authority and walk in the overflow of God’s kingdom blessings.