Cornerstone Church With Dustin Bates

Easter reveals that the impossible is possible through Jesus Christ. The story of two criminals crucified alongside Jesus illustrates humanity's two responses to life's chaos. One thief blamed others and demanded rescue without repentance, while the other owned his guilt and humbly asked Jesus to remember him. The difference wasn't their circumstances but their willingness to take responsibility....

Palm Sunday reveals Jesus as a radically different kind of king who demonstrates His authority through humility and sacrifice. When Jesus rode an unbroken donkey into Jerusalem, He showed His divine power to bring peace to chaos. Our hearts are like that stubborn, untamed donkey - we cannot control them through willpower alone. Christ becomes king of our lives when we surrender our unruly hearts t...

Evangelism is simply sharing good news - one beggar telling another where to find bread. Christianity has been the most powerful force for human flourishing in history, with Christian influence leading to better health, education, and economic outcomes worldwide. Jesus spoke more about hell than anyone else in Scripture, warning people out of love about their eternal destiny. Every Christian is ca...

Seeking God in our modern world requires acknowledging the unique challenges we face - constant noise, digital distractions, and information overload that previous generations never experienced. Two essential boundaries guide this journey: understanding there's no spiritual finish line this side of heaven, and recognizing that God is a person to know, not a formula to master. The Apostle Paul hims...

Grace is often misunderstood as simply being nice, but biblical grace is far more profound. While mercy is God not giving us what we deserve, grace is God giving us what we don't deserve. Understanding grace requires recognizing four key truths: God has established a moral law, we are all lawbreakers who have rebelled against Him, God rescues us despite our rebellion, and we must respond in faith....

In a world of constant change, God's unchanging nature provides the anchor our souls desperately need. When God revealed Himself to Moses as "I AM WHO I AM," He declared His eternal, unchanging essence. Unlike human relationships where feelings fluctuate, God doesn't change the rules mid-game or alter His mind about His love for you. His mercy, grace, and promises remain constant regardless of you...

The tension between God's sovereignty and human free will has puzzled believers for centuries, yet both truths coexist beautifully in Scripture. God's sovereignty means He has supreme authority over all creation and is never caught off guard by our circumstances. At the same time, we possess genuine free will to make choices throughout our lives. Like passengers on a cruise ship who have freedom t...

Many people in our culture know facts about God but lack a genuine personal relationship with Him. This distinction matters because cultural familiarity with Christianity can create false confidence in our faith. When we examine major worldviews logically, atheism struggles with fundamental problems regarding reason, morality, and meaning. Christianity offers a unique solution: a God who is knowab...

Strong families require solid foundations built on God's design. The fifth commandment calls us to honor our parents, recognizing that this first authority relationship shapes how we relate to all other authorities, including God. The seventh commandment protects sexual purity within marriage, understanding that God's boundaries aren't restrictions but blessings that protect us from harm. When we...

Living a life that honors God requires understanding how we speak about Him and how we trust Him through rest. The third commandment warns against using God's name in vain, which means leveraging His authority for our own purposes or speaking about Him carelessly. The fourth commandment calls us to remember the Sabbath, which is fundamentally about trust rather than just inactivity. Jesus transfor...

The first two commandments reveal God's blueprint for human flourishing by establishing right priorities. The first commandment addresses who we worship - God alone deserves our ultimate devotion, not the things we often prioritize like money, career, or even family. The second commandment addresses how we worship - we must meet God on His terms rather than creating a more manageable version of Hi...

Christmas spirit isn't about manufactured emotions or perfect circumstances. True Christmas joy comes from understanding God's faithfulness, not our feelings. Like the Israelites in Nehemiah who wept when they heard God's law, we must first humbly acknowledge our need for a Savior. The joy of the Lord becomes our strength when we anchor it in God's unchanging character rather than our circumstance...

Christmas awakens our universal longing to come home, pointing to our deeper need for belonging with God. The parable of the prodigal son reveals the Father's heart toward wayward children through two sons who both misunderstand His love. The younger son learns humility through rock bottom, discovering that true repentance opens the door to restoration. The older son represents self-righteous reli...

Christmas often brings tension despite the celebration, but this tension points to our deep longing for peace we've never truly experienced. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well reveals how we try to fill our lives with false hopes—relationships, material things, or self-improvement—instead of finding true satisfaction in Christ. Jesus offers living water that permanently satisfies our dee...

Christmas often brings tension alongside joy, mirroring the difficulties present in the original nativity story. Just as Mary and Joseph faced unexpected challenges, we too encounter wilderness seasons - times of spiritual dryness, relational strain, or emotional struggle. The prophet Elijah's experience teaches us that these difficult periods often follow spiritual highs and serve important purpo...

Dealing with difficult people is a universal challenge that requires a biblical approach rather than worldly solutions. We must first distinguish between difficult people who make life hard and dangerous people who make life unsafe. Moses provides an example of leading complainers with patience and intercession. Paul's blueprint in Colossians 3 offers three key steps: pray for Holy Spirit power to...

Life can be difficult. What do we do when life seems like more than we can bear? Let's take a look at what the Bible has to say about times just like that.    watch the message

John's Gospel reveals Jesus as the eternal Word who became flesh to dwell among us, serving as the light of the world in our spiritual darkness. Many claim to follow Jesus while walking in darkness through subtle sins and false faith patterns. True believers receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, allowing His light to shine through transformed lives. God desires to dwell within us as His temple, making...

Modern society has embraced moral relativism, with most Americans rejecting absolute moral truth. Even within Christian churches, majorities doubt the existence of unchanging moral standards. However, Scripture teaches that moral absolutes exist and remain true regardless of personal opinions or cultural shifts. Like King Solomon, whose heart was turned from God through worldly influences, believe...

Spiritual gifts are supernatural tools the Holy Spirit gives to every Christian believer for practical ministry purposes. Unlike the fruit of the Spirit which develops over time, these gifts are given by God to spread the Gospel, lead the church, and serve communities. Every believer has spiritual gifts, ranging from wisdom and healing to prophecy and tongues. Paul instructs Christians to actively...

Salvation is God's supernatural rescue from three enemies: the world's corrupt systems, Satan's deception, and our own sinful desires. It involves spiritual resuscitation from death to life, divine intervention that changes our story, and rescue that transforms us into God's instruments. This salvation comes by grace through faith, not through works or religious efforts. While we cannot earn salva...

Modern culture swings between two extremes: materialists who deny anything beyond the physical world, and those unhealthily obsessed with spiritual forces. As Christians, we must find biblical balance, recognizing that we are both physical and spiritual beings living in a world where supernatural reality exists. Scripture teaches that we are engaged in real spiritual warfare, not against flesh and...

Raising children of honor requires teaching them to value God, themselves, and others appropriately. Parents must establish clear rules with consistent consequences while understanding their evolving role from caretaker (ages 0-8) to coach (ages 9-15) to consultant (ages 16+). Children who honor God bring their best, not leftovers, recognizing everything as His gift. Balanced self-honor means avoi...

Life rarely follows our plans, especially regarding family. When facing unexpected family situations, we must guard against resentment, which can poison future blessings and become generational. Jacob's family illustrates how favoritism and jealousy create destructive cycles, while Ruth and Naomi's story demonstrates how God can redeem broken situations. The key is trusting God for future restorat...

Fighting for your marriage requires recognizing the real enemy isn't your spouse but the temptations that threaten your relationship. These temptations mirror what 1 John 2 describes as the lust of the flesh (seeking fulfillment outside your marriage), the lust of the eyes (materialism and discontentment), and the pride of life (self-sufficiency). When we give in to these temptations, we experienc...