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What if the most crowded parts of your week are actually the doorway to deeper peace? We step straight into the rush—kid drop-offs, work sprints, grocery runs, weekend marathons—and ask a harder, better question: where is the space for God when every square of the calendar is filled? The answer isn’t to tidy up first. It’s to bring the whole mess—exhaustion, pressure, deadlines, and all—and let God meet you there.

We unpack a simple, strong framework from James 1: count it all joy, let steadfastness grow, ask boldly for wisdom, and pursue righteousness that shows up in everyday choices. Joy in trials sounds impossible until you see what it really is: perspective anchored in promise. Steadfastness isn’t a heroic moment; it’s the daily habit that readies you for the tests you didn’t plan for. Wisdom isn’t scarce; God gives it generously to those who ask. And righteousness isn’t earned; it’s received in Christ, then expressed as being quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

To make this real, we walk through imperfect heroes—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samson—people who stumbled and still stepped into God’s purpose. Their stories remind us that failure isn’t final and your past doesn’t get the last word. We get honest about anger and bitterness, how they masquerade as protection but function like chains. Freedom comes when we lay them down and invite the Holy Spirit to form new reflexes. We talk practical rhythms too: putting God first before the phone, building community that keeps you grounded, and creating small, repeatable practices that hold when life gets loud.

If your life feels messy, you’re not disqualified—you’re ready. Listen, share it with a friend who needs the reminder, and subscribe so you never miss a conversation that brings peace into the middle of real life. And if this spoke to you, leave a review with one insight you’re putting into practice this week.

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What you worship will shape the whole arc of your life. We open the door with the five solas—Scripture alone, faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, to the glory of God alone—and then linger on Soli Deo Gloria, where everyday choices become an offering and ordinary moments become a stage for God’s goodness. From Martin Luther’s conviction to our city streets, we connect history’s rallying cry with the modern heart.

Walking through Acts 17, we follow Paul into Athens and its forest of idols, where an altar to the “unknown god” becomes the key to a deeper truth: the Creator who needs nothing gives everything—life, breath, boundaries, seasons—and has come near in Jesus Christ. That nearness reframes our pursuits. Idolatry isn’t only stone and gold; it can be image, achievement, comfort, even religious success. We talk about how to spot those quiet rivals and re-center our loves, not by despising good things, but by returning every gift to its Giver.

We share three practical takeaways on worship that hold up under pressure: worship aligns us with God’s purposes, worship celebrates Christ’s transforming work in us, and worship compels daily obedience. Along the way, we draw from Tozer, Lewis, and Spurgeon, and we offer a clear invitation to trust Jesus—confessing with the mouth and believing in the heart—as the way into a restored life with God. If you’re ready to trade restlessness for meaning and noise for glory, press play, lean in, and consider what needs to come off the throne.

If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s searching, and leave a review to help others find these conversations. What rival love will you lay down this week?

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What if the most life-changing power isn’t something you earn, but something you receive? We open with a rapid tour of the Five Solas and then linger on grace alone—the unmerited favor of God that meets us in our mess and remakes us from the inside out. A youth ministry turkey-bowling fiasco becomes a living parable: where you expect judgment, grace listens, instructs, and restores. That story sets the tone for a journey through Romans, Ephesians, John, and Acts, showing why salvation is a gift, not wages, and how grace breaks sin’s dominion without turning a blind eye to holiness.

Together we trace the line from the mercy seat in the wilderness to Jesus Christ, where grace and truth embrace. We explore how Scripture, not tradition, anchors our confidence; why “shall we continue in sin?” still demands a clear “by no means”; and how humble communities correct with gentleness, not pride. Along the way, Judas and Paul stand as stark contrasts—one who let small compromises bloom into betrayal, and one who learned to boast in weakness so that Christ’s power could rest on him. The early church’s “great grace” wasn’t a slogan; it was a lived reality that fueled bold testimony, radical generosity, and resilient hope.

If you’ve wrestled with church hurt, felt stuck in old patterns, or wondered whether God is still good when answers feel slow, this conversation is for you. We offer three clear takeaways: grace reminds us of our brokenness, grace reminds us of God’s goodness, and grace compels us to encounter God personally. Expect practical counsel, honest self-examination, and a call to extend the same grace you’ve received—at home, at work, and in your church family. If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a quick review to help more people discover the power of grace.

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A withered fig tree, a mustard seed, and a mountain stand in our path—each one becomes a lens for seeing how faith actually works in ordinary life. We open with Luther’s spark and the Five Solas, then zoom into sola fide to ask a simple, searching question: do you have faith to believe? Anchored in Matthew 21, Ephesians 2:8–10, and Hebrews 11–12, we unpack why salvation is a gift of grace received through faith, why works can never earn it, and why good works still matter as our joyful response. Along the way, we talk about Peter’s rough edges, Paul’s dramatic turn, and how God continually chooses unlikely people to carry His story forward.

You’ll hear how Scripture alone steadies our prayers, teaching us to align our requests with God’s promises rather than our impulses. We explore the difference between demanding outcomes and trusting God’s character, and we offer three practices to make faith tangible: pray the Word, speak hope into hard places, and take concrete steps of obedience. The goal isn’t hype; it’s endurance—laying down the weights of shame and old labels so we can run light, eyes fixed on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of faith.

If you’re wrestling with a mountain right now—fear, sickness, broken relationships, or heavy uncertainty—this conversation invites you to plant even a mustard seed of trust in good soil. Christ alone mediates, grace alone saves, faith alone receives, and our lives become living doxology: to the glory of God alone. If this encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find these conversations. What mountain are you asking God to move this week?

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A lightning storm, a vow, and a question that won’t quit: why do you believe it? We follow Martin Luther from fear to courage and from indulgences to conviction, then bring his protest forward to the five solas that still ground a restless age. The heart of our time together is Sola Scriptura—Scripture alone as our final authority—not to flatten tradition or voices we trust, but to line them up under the Word that points us to Jesus. You’ll hear how access changed history, why translation and the printing press opened the Bible to ordinary people, and how manuscript evidence gives you solid reasons to trust what you read today.

From there we get practical. We explore what it means to let the Word dwell richly—how to read different genres with context, how Hebrews’ “living and active” sword cuts through pretense, and how Jesus’ call to build on rock becomes a durable plan for life when storms hit. If you’ve wrestled with doubt, struggled to make time for Scripture, or wondered how the Old and New Testaments form one story of redemption, this conversation offers clarity, courage, and next steps. We don’t stop at information; we invite transformation—returning to the gospel where grace alone saves through faith alone in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone.

Along the way, we share the beauty of community: imperfect people following Jesus, learning to ask better questions, and making choices shaped by wisdom rather than hurry. If you’re ready to anchor your beliefs, rebuild your rhythms, and respond to a Savior who still calls by name, you’re in the right place. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs solid ground, and leave a review to help others find the show. Your voice helps this message reach someone standing in their own storm.

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The Lord is Good

Today we're continuing our theme of "build," exploring what it means to build our lives on Jesus Christ. I’ve always been the family photographer, capturing moments so we can remember the great story of our lives. These pictures serve as highlights, reminders of God’s blessing and His constant presence on our journey.

Just as photos help us remember, the Bible tells us to remember what God has done. We don't live in the past, but we look back to remember God’s goodness and faithfulness so we can walk forward in what He has for us. The Psalmist says, "For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations".

Building and Fighting

Our church is named Cornerstone because Jesus is the cornerstone of our lives. Ephesians 2:20 says we are "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone".

We see this idea of building and fighting in the life of Joshua. As he prepared to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land, the Lord told him, "Be strong and courageous". God promised He would not leave or forsake them, but they had to be willing to fight for what was theirs. The first thing Joshua commanded the people to do was not to sharpen their swords but to consecrate themselves and cleanse their hearts before God. Our actions follow from the condition of our hearts.

Dry Ground and Holy Places

When the people were ready, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the Jordan River, and the water was pulled back, allowing all of Israel to cross on dry ground. To remember this incredible miracle, Joshua told the leaders to take 12 stones from the middle of the river and build a monument. These stones were a sign for their children, so that when they asked what the stones meant, the parents could say, "Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground… so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of God is mighty".

When Joshua later met a man with a drawn sword, he asked, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?". The man, who was the commander of the Lord's army, replied, "No... I am the commander of the army of the Lord". Joshua immediately fell to the ground in worship, and the commander said, "Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy".

Friends, if we realize that God is with us, then wherever we place our feet is holy ground.

If you have never made the decision to follow Jesus, I challenge you to make that decision today. As the apostle Paul wrote, "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved".

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The question that opens this powerful message cuts straight to the heart: "If everything completely goes away, how do you want to be remembered?" For Charlie Kirk, moments before his life was tragically taken, he was answering questions about his faith in Jesus—the legacy he most wanted to leave behind.

This shocking loss, alongside other recent acts of violence against believers worldwide, serves as a sobering backdrop for exploring what it truly means to build something lasting while fighting for what matters. Drawing from Nehemiah's powerful example of rebuilding Jerusalem's walls while facing opposition, we discover a timeless truth: our battle isn't against other people but against spiritual darkness.

"We have never been a political house," the message clarifies, "but what we are is someone who stands for the values that our faith is based on." This distinction reshapes how we approach cultural challenges—not with hatred toward those who disagree, but with spiritual weapons focused on the darkness behind division and destruction.

The workers rebuilding Jerusalem's walls labored "with one hand and held a weapon with the other." Similarly, we're called to build our lives on God's word while fighting spiritual battles through prayer, worship, and unwavering commitment to truth. As Nehemiah encouraged his people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome."

What breaks your heart? Unless something moves you deeply, you'll never take action to change it. When our hearts break for those who don't know Jesus—our neighbors, coworkers, even those we struggle to like—we become motivated to share God's love. Our worship becomes a weapon against darkness, and "the joy of the Lord is your strength" even in life's most challenging seasons.

Ready to build something that lasts? Join a life group this semester and discover how connecting with others can strengthen your faith journey as we build and fight together.

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The cornerstone sets everything else in alignment. Without it, the entire structure becomes unstable. In our lives, Jesus stands as that cornerstone - the only foundation worthy of building upon.

Pastor J kicks off the new "Build" series by examining what it means to construct our lives as dwelling places for God. Through the compelling narrative of Solomon's temple, we discover how God has always desired to dwell among His people - first in physical structures, and now within us.

Drawing from Ephesians 2, we learn that believers are "being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." This revolutionary concept transforms our understanding of both worship and identity. No longer are we strangers to God's presence; we're citizens of heaven with full access to our King.

The blood moon serves as a powerful backdrop, reminding us that Christ will return for His church. This urgency calls us to build intentionally, ensuring our lives are aligned with the cornerstone. Like Solomon, who was chosen despite being born from scandal, our past doesn't determine our potential in God's kingdom.

Perhaps most profound is the revelation about the temple veil. When Christ died, that barrier was torn, symbolizing our direct access to God's presence. No longer do we need priests with bells and ropes to approach the Holy of Holies - Christ has made us the temple where God's Spirit dwells.

Whether you're building for the first time or reconstructing after life's storms, this message offers both the blueprint and the invitation.

Connect with a Life Group this semester to continue building alongside others who share your foundation.

Cornerstone
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https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-jesus

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