Cornerstone ME

05/20/2026

As you read the Bible you find several women in Scripture whose lives were completely changed through encounters with Jesus. Each of them carried things that defined them and influenced the way they lived, but Jesus met them right where they were and transformed their story.
Looking at the woman at the well, we are reminded that Jesus wants to release us from the grip of our past. So many people carry shame, hurt, regrets, fear, failures, and brokenness that continue influencing the decisions they make long after the moment has passed.

While salvation forgives our sins, many of us still carry the weight and effects of what we’ve been through. Scripture reminded us that surrendering those things to Jesus is how healing begins and how God slowly breaks down the walls we build around ourselves.
The Word also shows us how surrender is living in the truth of who He is and not who I am. The woman at the well encountered a Savior who knew everything about her and still offered her grace, truth, and freedom. Her life changed so dramatically that she ran back to the very people she had been avoiding to tell them about Jesus

There is also the woman with the issue of blood and the reminder that Jesus wants to release His strength and peace into our current situation. Many of us are carrying heavy things right now including anxiety, sickness, addiction, financial pressure, broken relationships, grief, or uncertainty about the future. Faith is not just believing that God can do something, but trusting who He is even in the waiting and uncertainty.

One of the most powerful reminders from Scripture is this simple truth: If I can trust Jesus to forgive my sins and save my soul, I can trust Him for this. Even when answers do not come immediately, God promises to walk with us, strengthen us, and give us peace in the middle of what we face.

Finally, there is Lydia and how her willingness to boldly follow Jesus helped impact an entire region with the Gospel. Through her story we were reminded that Jesus wants to redefine our future. God knows exactly who we are, where we are, and the people He has placed around us. Every single one of us has opportunities to share the hope of Jesus in our everyday lives.

Our prayer is that we would continue surrendering every area of our lives to Jesus and allow Him to shape us into the people He has called us to be.

Surrendered and shaped,
Pastor’s Marcel & Diane

05/16/2026

WHEN WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN’T BE WHAT GOD WANTS US TO BE
When we feel like we can't be what God wants us to be, when we feel like we've fallen short and are unable to meet God's expectations, we just have to cry out to God, being honest with Him, telling Him what we feel in our hearts - that we feel like we haven't been able to live up to His expectations and become what we think He wants us to be. But take heart because His Word tells us that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. He promises that we can totally trust that the work He first began in us, He will complete in His strength, in His time. So, embrace His grace, knowing that He accepts us and loves us as we are. Through our reliance on Him, He will cultivate within us a much deeper reliance on Him. His Word says that we can be confident that He who began a good work in us will carry it to completion right up to the day He comes again.
By Ed LaBrecque

05/14/2026

By pastor Marcel
Let’s be honest: our lives are drawn to chaos. Notifications, emails, kids to school, meetings, tasks. None of it is bad on its own, but we allow these things in...one at a time...and each one adds a little more to the pile. Before long, even a morning spent with God only carries you a few hours before the chaos takes back over. Like taking one sip of water when you're dehydrated. You realize how thirsty you were, but one sip is not enough to get you through the day.

So the big question is: What does God have to say about that? The answer goes all the way back to the very first verses of the Bible. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." (Genesis 1:1–2 NIV)

That Hebrew word "Spirit", means wind, breath, and presence all at once. See the wind move through the trees. Take a deep breath and let it out. That's this word “Spirit.” That's God's presence. The writers of the Bible were interpreting God through everything around them, and that word is doing a lot of work in verse 2.

Scholars point out that the "deep waters" in that verse were a picture of chaos in Old Testament imagery. But by the end of that one sentence, the language actually shifts to a different word for water, one that carries the idea of potential and life. Chaos waters - to life-giving waters, and the only thing in between them is God's Spirit hovering. The lesson is this: for the Spirit, chaos is not a threat. It's an opportunity.

Remember in Genesis 2, where God breathed life into Adam. That breath is the same “Spirit”. But when Adam came to life, God didn't leave him to just enjoy the feeling. He gave him a garden to tend. He had a work for him. When God gives his Spirit, it is not just for a good feeling, but it is preparing us for a work, something that we need his strength to accomplish.

And here’s the thing. Acts 2 (Pentecost) is where you and the rest of us actually live in this story. Jesus has told His disciples it's good for Him to leave so the Helper can come. And here's where a lot of us get it wrong, including the disciples at the time. We tend to think the Holy Spirit is there to make us happy when we're sad, calm when we're anxious, or feel good when we do something right. And while those things have some truth to them, we might be cutting short what the Spirit of God is actually for.

Enter Peter. Over the course of the Gospels we see the full picture of this man: he walked on water only to let fear sink him, he swung a sword at a soldier's ear while Jesus was willingly going to the cross, and he stood in a crowd and denied ever knowing Jesus. Impulsive, scared, doubled back on his word. Chaotic.

But then Acts 2 happens. Violent wind fills the room. Tongues of fire rest on each of them. That’s the “Spirit.” God's breath and presence coming into every believer in that room. And the same Peter who couldn't hold it together outside of the courtyard stood up and gave one of the most powerful sermons anyone had ever heard. "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day." (Acts 2:41 NIV)

The only thing between that version of Peter and this one was God's Spirit. The Spirit didn't just comfort the sad disciples for losing Jesus. It prepared them for the good work He had set before them.

So, here's what you and I should carry into the week. We can either tackle our chaos in our own strength, or we can be filled with the Holy Spirit into an empowered life. Ask the Spirit into your chaos. Give it over to Him. Listen and obey what His Spirit is telling you to do. As you trust His Spirit, He will speak more often and more clearly. He's not just a pat on the back. He's preparing us for His work, for His glory, and that's where the real peace comes from.

From chaos to peace,
Pastor’s Marcel and Diane

05/08/2026

THOUGHT’S ARE LIKE TRAINS, THEY WILL WANT TO TAKE YOU SOMEWHERE. BUT, IS IT SOMEWHERE THAT GOD WOULD APPROVE OF?

Our enemy (Satan who is the father of lies) does plant lies, doubts and fears in a person’s mind to cause us confusion, unhappiness and defeat. In Ephesians 6:11–17
it talks about The Helmet of Salvation):
It describes the "Armor of God," And it specifically mentions the helmet of salvation, which protects the (the mind) against the "schemes" and "flaming arrows" of the evil one.

In Philippians 4:8 it says this,”Think about those things that are excellent and worthy of praise, and keep putting into practice all that you have learned from me, everything that you have heard from me and saw me doing, and then the peace of God will be with you.”
“For we are (told by the Lord) to take every thought captive to the mind of Christ”. In 2nd cor. 10:5

So remember this about your thought’s. You cannot control what other people are thinking, feeling, or doing, but you can control how you will think and respond to what those other people are doing. And you can do it with the heart and the mind of Christ.
For you possess the ability to learn, and to choose how Jesus would respond in any given situation.
For In Philippians 2:5 it says this,”Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus."

Scripture says, if anyone lacks wisdom, let him by faith ask God. James 1:5-6
For Godly wisdom isn't just about knowing how to do things; but it is the practical ability to discern right from wrong and then making Godly decisions.
Did you know that through the spirit of God living within you, you can learn to say and do what Jesus would say and do in any given situation; For we can come to know him with such a closeness that we will live and move and have our very being in unison with him. That is being one with the heart and the mind of Christ”.

For your heart and your mind is a "storage place" for the thought’s, and imaginations and beliefs that you keep within you.

For the Lord said, that out of the abundance of your heart your mouth speaks. (Matt. 12:34) So what fills your heart?

In proverbs 4:23 it says,
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
So when your heart is full of him, he will overflow into your thought’s and actions, and not out of your flesh.

We need to use scripture to claim our rightful place in the Lord.
When the enemy says, God has better things to do then to help you.
You can reply,
“God is always with me and he will never leave me or forsake me.”Hebrews 13:5

When the enemy tells you, things are never going to get any better in your life.
You can reply,”God will work all things together for good for those who love him, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

When the enemy tells you,”Your a failure”, you can reply,
I am more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.”Romans 8:37

When frustration and fear trouble you. You can quote John 14:27 which says, “My Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you, Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid".

And when you seek the peace of God read Isaiah 26:3 which says,
“You Lord will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, those whose minds are fixed on you.”
By Cornerstone Elder Ed LaBrecque

05/07/2026

05/07/2026

Hello Cornerstone Family,
In ministry, here is what I have learned: Godly wisdom is life-giving and worldly wisdom is life-taking, and that is not just a catchy saying. It is a warning and an invitation.

Wisdom has to get deeper than the surface. Wisdom is not something that hovers near your heart on Sundays. It has to get inside. Because when real pressure hits, what comes out of us is whatever has actually been shaping us underneath. The kind of wisdom that comes from God is life-giving, but only when it actually gets deep. Whatever gets deepest in you is what's going to lead you.

And that raises a question: What has actually been leading you? Because discernment means wisdom-led, not emotion-led. Feelings are real and they matter, but feelings are a gift. They are not a god. Culture says follow your heart. Scripture says guard it. Worldly wisdom hands the steering wheel over to our emotions and calls it freedom. A wisdom-led life does not just ask "what do I want?" It asks, "where does this lead?"

The hard truth is that when wisdom is not in the lead, something else quietly takes over. Compromise never sounds like compromise. It almost never announces itself as rebellion. It almost always whispers as reason. It sounds mature. Sometimes even spiritual. And that is exactly what makes it so dangerous. Worldly wisdom rarely looks reckless. It usually looks reasonable.

The good news is that Jesus is not just the teacher of wisdom. He is wisdom. And no matter where a wrong road has taken you, He is still standing at the end of it saying, "Come home. I'll lead you from here."

Let’s listen to the wisdom that Jesus teaches us through His word.

Choosing to walk wisely,
Pastor Marcel and Diane

05/06/2026

Mark your calendars!!! I want to highlight the upcoming Assembly of God Men's Retreat coming up in May. If you have questions, please contact Pastor Marcel!

05/03/2026

BE CERTAIN OF YOUR FUTURE
For the Many who have lived in the past, or those who are living on this earth now, life is filled with uncertainties. But for those of us who have embraced Christianity, we are convinced in our heart’s that our future is secure in our lives with our Lord Jesus Christ.
For our journey is a journey of hope, of faith, of trust and expectancy. For God has given us an inner peace through his Holy Spirit, that only comes from knowing our Lord personally. Personally means that he resides within our heart’s. We can always have that assurance within us, because he will replace any anxiety that we may experience with a peace that passes all understanding.
I remember back when we studied world history, we found that the early explorer’s and their mapmakers drew detailed maps of the oceans and lands that they had explored. But when it came down to the maps of the uncharted territories, they feared that there were dangerous dragons, sea monsters and other mythical creatures in the area’s that they had not yet explored. Fear had prevailed over their faith when it concerned the unknown.
And in a similar manner, when God ordered Moses to pick out 12 men from among the 12 different tribes of Israel to spy out the promised land, and have them report back to Moses on what they had found. 10 out of the 12 men that were sent out to spy out the land said that it was impossible to conquer that land. They reported to the Israelites that they had observed great giant’s in the land. Giant’s that made them look like grass hopper’s. And they also reported that there were strong and impregnable fortresses there, that they could not conquer. Only 2 of the spies, (Caleb & Joshua) gave a good report, saying that God is on our side, and that we can conquer all of that land, with God on our side. For you see, in both cases it was fear of the unknown that caused those humans to be terrified of their unknown future.
But our map “the bible,”
Says, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬
For the word of God says that “faith” is the substance of things hoped for, and evidence of things not yet seen.”
And Psalm 119:105 says,”“Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” A path light is a light that gives us just enough light to see where we’ll have to step next.
And a light unto my path means a bright light that will illuminate the future of all of our unknown’s.
by Ed LaBrecque (An Elder of Cornerstone Church)

04/29/2026

Hello Cornerstone Family,
I was noticing something the other day.

There are times when God calls us to do something or we need something from Him and He asks us the question, “What do you have?”

For example, when God called Moses and Moses was hemming and hawing. God said, “What do you have in your hand?” Moses just had his staff and God said perfect! Just bring that and God was able to do miracles with the staff.

Then there was the woman whose husband had passed away. She went to the prophet and proclaimed that they are about to take all of my stuff and I need help. The prophet Elisha asked, what do you have and the woman answered that she had nothing....well except these empty jars. The prophet said perfect! Just bring the jars and he was able to perform a miracle.

Even in the New Testament, people are listening to Jesus, and they are hungry and the disciples said, send them away. But Jesus said, “No, you feed them.” The disciples looked at each other and said, “We don’t have enough,” and Jesus said, “Well what do you have?” The disciples said, “Just five loaves of bread and two fish.” You guessed it, Jesus said, “Perfect, just bring that.”

How often do we disqualify or discredit ourselves because we don’t think that we have enough, or we don’t think that what we have is not sufficient enough to do what God is asking us to do? And most times, it is not enough, and that’s the point. He wants us to rely on Him to use what we have to make it more.

Don’t discredit what you have, don’t discredit where you are, don’t discredit who you are. Don’t disqualify yourself from accomplishing what God has asked you to do just because you don’t think you are enough, because our God is more than enough and He is going to take what you have and do something miraculous with it to accomplish His purpose.

He has created you for His purposes and all we have to do is be willing and show up!

Showing up with you,
Pastor Marcel and Diane

04/24/2026

DON’T JUST SAY YOU LOVE OTHER’S
The importance of loving and serving one another was very evident in the early church.
They devoted themselves to teaching and to fellowship and to the breaking of bread and praying for one another.
It says that all of the believers were together, and that they were one in heart and spirit as they helped one another as needed.

In the Gospels, Jesus emphasizes that loving God, and loving your neighbor as yourself, are the two most important commandments.
In the Book of James, it also states that "faith without works is dead." So this suggests that a church of people who do not help one another, are unfortunately missing out on the very heart of a command of God, which of course is to love one another as I have loved you, for by this everyone will know that you are my disciples.
‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭34‬-‭35‬
(A Body of Christ) is described as a church body of believer’s where each part relies on the other to grow into the fullness of Christ. If the "body parts" are not supporting one another, then the "body" isn't functioning as it was intended to.
The Fruit of the Spirit: The Bible teaches that spiritual growth within each one of us is evidenced by the producing of spiritual fruit qualities,” like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, goodness, gentleness and self control. These are the fruits that make up the very character of our Lord Jesus Christ. When there is a lack of these fruits being produced in a community of believers, then there may also be a lack of the manifestations of spiritual gift’s within that body of believer’s, because when there is a lack of gift’s being used, then there may be a communication disconnect on our part, from the very source of our strength (which is the Holy Spirit) because he does desire to use us in ministry to other’s.

1st Cor. 12:4-11
For there are different kinds of gifts but the same Spirit that distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of work’s, but in all of them, and in everyone, it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the COMMON GOOD.” Believers will differ in their spiritual gifts, but all spiritual gifts are meant to be used for the edification of the body of Christ and to the glory of God.
It is often in a small group setting—where the "help one another" of the Bible actually happens.
In those smaller groups, it is much harder to hide behind a “ (Sunday church face )”that says I’m ok” when all the while there are hurt’s and needs. That’s why it’s important to build a trust relationship. A home group can help to foster both, a trusting relationship, but also a church family relationship.
Authentic Accountability: It’s easier to be honest about our "flaws" when you’re with a few other trusted people who are open about their own needs. And through that openness, you can come to know one another’s heart’s and hurt’s and let God minister to one another’s needs.

In contrast, a church with many attendee’s, may try to justify their walk with God as being okay, (because they attend church every week and hear a sermon), but they never open up their heart’s to go any deeper then to talk to other’s about superficial things, like the local weather, their vacation, their job, or maybe how good or bad their favorite sport’s teams are doing. But they don’t realize that they will never achieve the goal of the Lord in their lives, because they will neither give to other’s, of the spirit, or receive things of the spirit of God from other’s, so that they can grow, or help other’s to grow in Christ.

An Example of Practical Support;
When someone belonging to a small group gets sick, or loses a job, or loses a loved one, the response from the other’s is, I want to help in anyway that I can—while some may be led to pray, while someone else may feel led to bring over a meal, and all because of the leading of the Holy Spirit. Can you see the Holy Spirit moving here? This is the literal fulfillment of scripture, because this is love in action "helping, loving, lifting up, and restoring one another."
It will really bridge the gap between just knowing who God is, and becoming the heart, the hands, and the feet of Jesus on earth.