Pressing Ahead! Are you connected to the calling God has given to Cornerstone?

Aug 31, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Pressing Forward When the Garage Feels Too Small

The church began in a sweltering Florida garage—no air conditioning, no grandeur, just raw faith. Growth often starts in cramped, uncomfortable spaces where vision outpaces resources. Like Paul straining toward what’s ahead, faithfulness means embracing small beginnings while trusting God’s capacity to expand impact. Every soul reached, every prayer whispered in that garage mattered. Progress isn’t about the size of the space but the depth of obedience. Where is God asking you to plant seeds in seemingly insufficient soil? [04:17]

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 3:12–14, ESV)

Reflection: What “garage moment” are you facing where God is asking you to trust His timing over your comfort? How might your obedience today lay groundwork for His future miracles?

Day 2: Owning the Faith That Parks Farthest From the Door

New car owners park at the edge of lots to protect their investment. Paul called believers to treat their walk with Christ with that same fierce ownership—not as a casual accessory but a costly treasure. Faith isn’t a backseat habit; it demands intentional stewardship. When trials dent your resolve, do you retreat to complacency or double down on guarding what’s been entrusted to you? [17:38]

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”
(Philippians 3:7–8, ESV)

Reflection: What part of your faith feels most vulnerable to “parking lot dings” right now? How can you actively protect and invest in that area this week?

Day 3: Fixation on Christ Over Rearview Mirrors

Paul warned against spiritual whiplash—looking back so often it paralyzes forward motion. The disciples panicked in storms until they fixed their eyes on Jesus walking the waves. Our “what ifs” and “if onlys” dissolve when we stare at His sovereignty. What broken relationships, past failures, or old identities keep demanding your gaze? [23:15]

“And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’”
(Matthew 14:28–30, ESV)

Reflection: What storm in your life keeps pulling your eyes off Jesus? What practical step can you take today to refocus on His voice over the waves?

Day 4: The Pavilions Built By Praying Grandmas

The church pavilion took seven years—a monument to persistent prayer warriors interceding when progress seemed stalled. Like Moses needing Aaron and Hur to hold up his arms in battle, kingdom work thrives on unseen saints fueling visible labor. Your midnight prayers over wayward kids or silent tears for neighbors matter more than platforms. [28:12]

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
(Galatians 6:9–10, ESV)

Reflection: What long-term spiritual project feels unfinished in your life? Who needs your steadfast prayers or practical support to keep building God’s kingdom?

Day 5: Citizenship Papers Stamped “Heaven First”

Paul reminded the Philippians their true ID wasn’t Roman but heavenly. Modern believers juggle dual loyalties—career ambitions, political tribes, cultural trends. But our passport stamps should scream “Kingdom of God” in every interaction. When earthly demands clash with eternal values, which citizenship shows up in your speech, spending, and sacrifices? [39:14]

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
(Philippians 3:20–21, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been living like a permanent resident of earth instead of an ambassador of heaven? What one habit this week could better reflect your true citizenship?

Sermon Summary

God’s faithfulness sits underneath every tangible part of Cornerstone’s story, from a hot Florida garage in 1997 to land, buildings, hard seasons, faithful people, and the pavilion now standing on the property. God has done more than provide facilities. God has reached souls, restored broken hearts, carried people through addiction and pain, and kept the church alive when circumstances looked thin and uncertain. The question is not merely who remembers the history. The question is who is still walking the path of faithfulness in Christ.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians speaks straight into that question. Paul writes from prison, in the middle of persecution and chaos, yet his word is simple: do not stop, do not give up, press forward. The race is not completed until death, and the work of the gospel is never finished because family, coworkers, neighbors, communities, and nations still need Jesus. God has called every believer first to the gospel, then to make disciples, and then into particular places of kingdom work.

The calling of God must become personal ownership. Paul does not say that someone else can press forward on behalf of another believer. Christ has made His people His own, and each person must make the pursuit of Christ his or her own. Christ’s prayer in Gethsemane shows that costly obedience is not avoided but owned: “the cross is mine to bear.” The call may be seasonal, uncomfortable, or unclear, but God tells His people to ask, seek, and knock rather than wander through life in the dark with no flashlight.

Christian maturity fixes its eyes on Jesus rather than on failure behind, comfort around, or retirement ahead. Paul calls believers to forget what lies behind and strain forward to the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Conviction brings the change that guilt never can. Christ does not call people to manufacture their own transformation through sheer effort. Christ calls them to follow Him, submit to God, resist the devil, and trust His power to transform fear, anger, anxiety, addiction, and every other place where self has tried to take control.

The church also gives believers a place to walk together. God uses faithful examples, Scripture-shaped accountability, prayer, and honest community to sharpen people who cannot carry the race alone. Paul’s tears warn against those who once claimed Christ but made their own desires their god and set their minds on earthly things. Heaven, not comfort or self-satisfaction, is the believer’s citizenship.

Cornerstone’s calling presses outward from Jerusalem, beginning in the local church and moving into the community. Compassion must become more than fixing things. Kingdom work trains believers to serve neighbors, pray with them, speak truth into their lives, and build disciples through the life-changing power of Jesus.

Key Takeaways

1. Press forward, because the race continues. Paul’s language leaves no room for spiritual retirement. The gospel race continues as long as people remain without hope in Christ, and God’s kingdom work remains bigger than human ability. God does not ask His people to finish the impossible task alone, but to faithfully work it under His power. [11:46]
2. Make Christ’s calling your own. Personal faith cannot survive on borrowed conviction, another person’s ministry, or passive attendance. Christ makes His people His own, and that belonging creates an ownership of obedience that treats calling as something valuable, not disposable. God may reveal a task that feels bigger than readiness, but His call carries the authority needed to step forward. [16:19]
3. Fix your eyes on Jesus. Failure behind and fear ahead can both keep a believer from moving toward Christ. Paul directs the heart away from self-fixation and toward the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus as Lord. Transformation begins when control is surrendered to Christ instead of fought for through human strength. [23:15]
4. Build disciples, not merely temporary fixes. Compassion matters because people need more than repaired circumstances. Service becomes kingdom work when practical help opens a door for prayer, truth, relationship, and discipleship. Christ changes lives at a deeper level than any project, repair, or short-term solution can reach.

## [45:54]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:57] - Cornerstone’s Early History
[04:17] - From the Garage to This Property
[05:08] - God Builds a Youth Group
[06:27] - Hard Seasons and God’s Faithfulness
[07:41] - The Long Road to the Pavilion
[08:48] - Who Is Still Walking Faithfully?
[09:30] - Paul’s Letter From Prison
[10:37] - Do Not Stop, Press Forward
[12:29] - Every Believer Has a Calling
[15:46] - Make the Calling Your Own
[18:55] - Ask God for Your Purpose
[20:11] - The Christian Life Is Not Alone
[23:15] - Forget What Lies Behind
[25:07] - Submit to God and Follow Jesus
[33:24] - Connect to Cornerstone’s Calling
[37:10] - The Danger of Earthly Minds
[41:43] - Start Kingdom Work Here
[44:05] - Compassion for the Community
[45:54] - Serving Neighbors and Building Disciples

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Philippians 3:12-14
“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
[16:19] [23:15]

Matthew 28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
[12:56]

James 4:7
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
[25:12]

Matthew 7:7
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
[18:55]

Observation questions

In Philippians 3:12-14, what does Paul admit about himself before he says that he presses on?
What three actions does Paul use to describe how a believer moves toward the goal: looking backward, standing still, or moving forward?
According to Matthew 28:19-20, what comes after people hear the gospel and are baptized? [13:12]
What order does James 4:7 give for facing the devil: resist first, or submit to God first? [25:12]

Interpretation questions

Paul says that he presses on “because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” How does belonging to Christ change the way a believer sees obedience, calling, and daily choices? [16:40]
Paul does not claim perfection, but he also refuses to quit. What is the difference between humbly admitting weakness and using weakness as a reason not to move forward?
Jesus commands His followers to make disciples, not merely to gain decisions or complete a project. What might it look like for a believer to help someone learn to follow Jesus over time? [45:54]
James says submission to God comes before resisting the devil. Why might trying to defeat fear, anger, anxiety, or temptation through personal effort alone leave a person discouraged? [39:32]

Application questions

Is there an area of faith where you have been standing still, drifting, or looking backward at failure? What would it look like to take one faithful step forward this week? [23:06]
Christ has made His people His own, so their walk with Him cannot rest only on a spouse’s faith, a parent’s faith, or the church’s activity. In what area do you need to take more personal ownership of your relationship with Christ? [16:28]
God invites His people to ask, seek, and knock. Have you specifically asked God to show you where He wants you to serve and make disciples? What answer, opportunity, or burden might you need to pay closer attention to? [18:44]
What is one struggle where you have been trying to control or fix yourself—such as anger, fear, anxiety, an addiction, harsh speech, or judgment toward others? What could submitting that area to God look like in a practical moment this week? [40:23]
Who is one person in your family, workplace, neighborhood, or daily routine who may need hope in Christ? What is one simple way you could begin building a genuine relationship, praying for them, or speaking truth with care? [11:19]
Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. Is there a trusted believer who could pray with you, ask honest questions, or help you stay faithful in a difficult area? What keeps you from inviting that kind of support? [21:49]
Compassion for neighbors involves more than repairing a problem or meeting a temporary need. How could you serve someone in a way that also opens the door for prayer, encouragement, truth, and ongoing discipleship? [46:01]

Sermon Clips

42s

#GospelFirstDiscipleship

“And disciples start with the gospel. They start with the proclamation that Jesus is lord and he is the savior, and you need his salvation. And once you have that salvation, once you've accepted Christ, once you have repented of your sins and you start to walk in a new way, now you need to be taught how to walk in that new way. That's called discipleship. And we are all called to be disciple makers. Not just a pastor, not just the church guy, not just the guy that knows all the answers or a lady that knows all the answers. We are all called to the task of sharing the gospel and discipling.”

27s

#FromGuiltToConviction

“You say, pastor, you're making me feel guilty. Good. Now let's let's get you to conviction. Guilt doesn't do nothing. Conviction brings change. Jesus said, you're bought with a price. You're not your own. You're not supposed to be owned by the world, owned by the enemy. You belong to him.”

36s

#ServeWhereGodSends

“Church, where am I at now? Right. Where do I serve now? Where do I serve in our communities? At the police department. God put me there. I was terrified, and god put me there. God will send you out when he is ready. Work the work of the kingdom where he has you. Speak truth into people's lives you come into contact with, and let god do a work in you.”

54s

#ConnectedToYourCalling

“But the question asked is, are you connected to the calling? That's the first question. Your calling that god has for your life. Now that calling starts with the gospel, but then it branches off for all of us. Some of us find ourselves called to ministry full time. Some of us are called to be missionaries. Some of us are called to be examples of believers in the midst of our jobs and our circumstances. Some of us are called to care for children. Some of us are called to care for the elderly. Some of us are called to speak truth into strangers' lives on sides of roads and streets. But we are all called for something. And if we are going through this life not looking at what we're called for, we are wandering in the wilderness, in the dark with no flashlight.”

27s

#WalkTogetherInFaith

“And by the way, you're not supposed to walk this road alone, ladies and gentlemen. You're supposed to walk it with one another, bearing one another, serving one another, caring for one another, holding one another up, walking with one another until they're able to walk on their own. These are principles of Christian living. And if you don't have them in your life, you are letting yourself down in your Christian faith”

33s

#BeyondEarthlyComforts

“See, that's the problem. Sometimes we get trapped in these comfort areas, and it says, and they glory in their shame. What's the shame? What's the shame of the nakedness of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? Their sin. Their disobedience to God. They glory. Look at what I've accomplished without God in my life. With minds on what? Earthly things. With minds set on earthly things.”

41s

#PressForwardInFaith

“And you say, well, that's an impossible task. Well, I serve an impossibly gifted god. Amen. And so he has called me to work the work of the kingdom. He's called me to work the work of the ministry, and he's told me, don't give up. Press forward. Paul addresses this in this letter when he tells him sitting in jail. He says, I'm pressing forward to the thing that God has called me to. But let me start with this before we go too far because I will I'll preach over my notes and not even change the slide. Are you connected to the calling god has given you? Some of you go, I didn't know how to call him. I”

40s

#FixYourEyesOnChrist

“the problem is when we want it our way, that means we don't want it God's way. And if we don't want it God's way, then we aren't fixating our eyes on Jesus. Look at this verse. Let those of us this is going back to verse fifteen and sixteen. Let those of us who are mature think this way. In other words, think about pressing towards Christ, pressing towards the goal, not giving up, fixating our eyes upon Christ, making him lord over our lives, making him our reason for everything. That's how a mature Christian thinks.”

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