Philippians

Our attitudes reflect the perception of others concerning Jesus Christ

Do you enter every conversation as if Jesus is speaking through your mouth no matter the situation you are now in?

Paul wrote to the church in Philippi from a prison. And as he was there he believed he would be set free, but he says that even if he isn’t, he gains, because he will be with Christ which is his goal in the first place.

As we go through this letter, as we did with the letter to the Ephesians, we will be noticing some things that pertain to our current circumstances.

All of the Bible is relevant to today’s hardships, but in all of scripture there is what is known as the Word of the Lord. The Word of the Lord is the relevant, “now” word known in the Greek as the Rhema.

When God says, “there is nothing new under the sun,” He is talking about the relevance of scripture in our lives currently, not as a history lesson.

Please pray with me about our journey through Philippians as we try and live like Christ would have us live.

Pastor Brent

Communion

Communion—the commemorating of the life and power we share as members of the body of Christ. Also the reverence and honor we show as we eat and drink those elements which represent His body and His blood.

Every first Sunday we do this in remembrance of Him. Are you able to keep the same level of honor and respect due the Lord? Hold Him high; there are not that many things that are worthy of our honor, make the ones that are much more meaningful.

Thank you,

Pastor Brent

Ephesians - Armor of God

Put on the whole armor of God because we never know what weapons we will be needing.

So many times the enemy will try and attack our weak points. But if we have the whole armor on, there are none.

When we actually recognize the armor, and what each piece is for, and how we practice and hone our skills; a lot of times we have been in a battle that could have been avoided because the enemy won’t attack us in a sure defeat.

Let’s learn about the armor, how to put it on, how to use it and why you’re so much more intimidating when you carry yourself as a warrior and not a victim.

Let’s also reset our brains to understand that we have the upper hand because of who is guiding our hands and the weapons that are in them.

Praise be to God that He is the one who leads us into battle and if the Lord is for us, who can be against us?

Pastor Brent

Ephesians - Marriage Continued

“For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. In the same way husband and wife should be one flesh and jointly fit together.

”

— Ephesians 5:30

We love ourselves, think most things are about us, can’t understand how everyone can go about their business when we are in crisis mode!

But, we are actually called to a higher calling. One in which we trust God to keep our place in line and give us gifts according to His purpose and the graceful nature that He has.

Knowing this, we should be patient and content people; I said, “knowing this we should be patient and content people.”

Maybe that should all be in Bold print and hung over, not just one door in the house, but every door in our house so we know how we should live.

But even if it was before our eyes 24 hours a day; without the Holy Spirit we have no shot at being content or living contently.

Ephesians is such a challenging book for us as Christians. We are told we are the apple of God’s eye, and then told what to do in order to not grow rotten. What an interesting journey God has laid out for us.

Pastor Brent

Ask Mandate: Ask God For Mercy

If you are vaccinated please don't come to our church because, obviously, you have embraced the fear and the lies, and you just don't trust God. If you are unvaccinated please don't come to our church because, obviously you don't have love in your heart for your fellow man like Jesus. If you are undecided on the vaccine please don't come to our church because, obviously, you are an individual who is driven with the wind and tossed, unstable in all your ways. If you agree with the abortion law passed in Texas please don't come to our church because, obviously, you don't care anything about the mother whose life might be in danger if she was to give birth. If you don't agree with the abortion law just passed in Texas please don't come to our church because, obviously, you are callous toward the life created by God when He shared some of His Spirit into the child as He was knitting them together in the womb. If you supported President Trump during his time in office please don't come to our church because, obviously you don't care that a flawed human being would have ever been chosen by God to lead this country. If you voted for President Biden please don't come to our church because, obviously, you don't care that he supports so many things that are anti-Christian while claiming to be one. In fact, unless you are perfect please don't come to our church. There was only one perfect person and He came to our church and, well, we put Him to death because He did not fit our guidelines and was trying to show us a better way to live and how to relate to the Father. So, maybe you should all come to His church and learn to fit together as He sees fit. See you there.

- Pastor Brent

Ephesians - Husbands & Wives & The Church

There’s so much happening in the world it is hard to focus on continuing to teach the Word of God as it unfolds.

But, truth is, we need the Word of God to speak to us; talk us down if you like, because we get all wrapped up in the distractions of this life.

As we enter this discussion of the roles of husband and wife and how it relates to our relationship with Christ; please do it carefully and with patience. Because our relationship to God is all that really matters.

I have done many, many weddings in the time I have been licensed to perform them. Over the time, there have been many times that, during our discussion about their future and the wedding vows; the bride to be will state, “I’m not saying obey!”

As we continue to talk I ask why she would want to marry a man who she thinks would ask her to do something she would not go along with?

It’s the same question for us and our relationship with Christ.

But the word in Ephesians is not obey, but submit. In fact, nowhere does the Word say, “wives obey your husbands.” It does say, “Children, obey your parents that it may go well with you and you will live long.”

Let us get into the roles we play in our relationship with the Lord and, as we submit, know that God has our best at heart.

Pastor Brent

Tongues or TONGUES?

We are going to look at a topic that even Christians are severely divided on this morning.

Speak in tongues or not speak in tongues? That is the question. As always, we need to let scripture determine or answer and our attitude.

I will try and lay out the arguments you hear, and some doctrinal positions, but most of all I want you to ask God what He would like you to do with today’s message.

And, we might as well make everyone mad and throw in the husband/wife relationship which Paul lays out as a prelude to our own relationship with Jesus Christ as our head.

If you don’t go away from the service intrigued, wondering, angry, or simply wondering at the sanity of the pastor; you must have been asleep.

God is always encouraging us to move closer and deeper in our relationship to Him. And often we ask how to do this—I believe this is one way to ask Him for things you don’t even know you need.

Interesting enough? I hope it piques your interest enough to study and look for yourself at a deeper relationship with God.

Pastor Brent

Ephesians - Thanks

“But rather giving of thanks. ”

— Ephesians 5:4

But pastor, what’s before the statement above? My answer, “does it matter?”

Whatever is before the statement, my role as a child of God is to give Him thanks.

We conjure up scenarios in our heads about what God is doing with us. Is He punishing, is He disciplining , has He forgotten us, does He care?

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

— Romans 12:3

But, in reality, we have no idea. And here is where our faith needs to be applied. God gives everyone a measure of faith (Rom 12:3) but, He also speaks about our faith. See the examples of the apostles, “Oh ye of little faith, where is your faith, if you had faith as a grain of mustard, etc.”

We need to find ours and cultivate it as a tender plant that can be nurtured to grow beyond the initial amount given. But, it is in the giving of thanks that faith thrives. It is as though nutrients have been added to the soil and the perfect amount of sun and water have been applied.

The second part of Chapter 5 of Ephesians deals with light. Who is your light sharer?

Exposing darkness to light destroys it. They cannot coexist. So, bring those things to God and He will apply the faith and power we need to walk in victory and understanding.

We have enough of the world all around us; let’s be creatures of the light and walk in a new way.

Pastor Brent

Ephesians - How Do You Walk?

Oh, I so want to play, “Walk like an Egyptian” or bust out Monty Python’s, “Ministry of Silly Walks” videos as I read the verse. But then it gets real.

Gentiles (all those who are not Christ's) walk in the futility of their mind. Literally, it means in the vanity of their mind. Devoid of truth and even appropriateness.

And so did we walk at one time. Consumed and driven by our own desires; however trivial they might be or however perverse they might have become.

It goes on to say that our understanding becomes darkened and we are alienated from the life of God. We have conversations all the time with people who are beyond our comprehension, now, because of Jesus’ glorious light. But, only by the grace of God will they ever enjoy light and the life of God. The same way we received, and then we saw.

Paul is urging the Ephesians, and us, to be fed up with the old life, with its guilt and shame and walk a new life, covered by the blood of Jesus and lived out through the redemptive work of the Holy Spirit in us.

God is here to cover us and our choices with His mercy and grace, please allow Him to by consulting with Him in your decisions.

Pastor Brent

Ephesians - Week 7

If we truly want to live a life devoted to God, there is a price.

There needs to be within us the love of Christ. This comes with a price. Not something you can buy, but, rather, something you must long for.

I think of the verse that says, “You have not resisted sin to the shedding of blood.” And I think about how cavalier I might become about sinning. Like “Oh well, God is going to forgive me anyway.”

But, don’t we think we are fooling ourselves but not God?

In Ephesians 4, Paul switches from all that God has made us to be, to what we can do to prove His great trust in us is deserving.

And, of the gifts and ministries He has bestowed upon us they are not really for us, but for those around us. He gives us the opportunity to “pay back” this great gift given by passing it on.

And I must ask myself, “How am I doing in that department?”

Please ourselves or please God, live for today or for eternity, treasures now or treasures in Heaven? All these questions are ones we all have to answer.

Pastor Brent