This is part 3 of a conversation on friendship with Grace’s friend Susan Thomas. Susan and her husband Brandon pastor Keystone Church in Keller, Texas. Susan is a gifted teacher and leader, and she enthusiastically exercises these strengths at Keystone. A licensed counselor specializing in women and marriage, Susan holds a masters degree in counseling, … Read more
SEPTEMBER IS FRIENDSHIP MONTH for REAL WOMEN with blogs, Dear Grace videos, and testimonies By Ashley Chase and Alexie Driscoll Growing up, Alexie and I (Ashley) always shared a room. Although we come from the same family, in many ways we are complete opposites. For one, we are six years apart and always had differing … Read more
SEPTEMBER IS FRIENDSHIP MONTH for REAL WOMEN with blogs, Dear Grace videos, and testimonies MISSED PART 1 OF THE BLOG? READ IT HERE NOW. Types of friendships I used to think that everyone in my life needed to be the same type of friend and my core value was loyalty. Just because someone is in … Read more
This is part 2 of a conversation on friendship with Grace’s friend Susan Thomas. Susan and her husband Brandon pastor Keystone Church in Keller, Texas. Susan is a gifted teacher and leader, and she enthusiastically exercises these strengths at Keystone. A licensed counselor specializing in women and marriage, Susan holds a masters degree in counseling, … Read more
This is part 1 of a conversation on friendship with Grace’s friend Susan Thomas. Susan and her husband Brandon pastor Keystone Church in Keller, Texas. Susan is a gifted teacher and leader, and she enthusiastically exercises these strengths at Keystone. A licensed counselor specializing in women and marriage, Susan holds a masters degree in counseling, … Read more
SEPTEMBER IS FRIENDSHIP MONTH for REAL WOMEN with blogs, Dear Grace videos, and testimonies These testimonies are from real women with real life experiences who are sharing their stories to hopefully help encourage you and help you relate to their experiences. Friendships are the most rewarding and the hardest thing in life. I remember thinking … Read more
SEPTEMBER IS FRIENDSHIP MONTH for REAL WOMEN with blogs, Dear Grace videos, and testimonies “A true friend is one who is walking in, when everyone else is walking out.” -Unknown, but very true Friendship has a wide variety of meanings today, from casual to serious. Over time, God has given me some helpful insights to … Read more
The question this week is on the topic of how much to intervene in a potential future marriage if you see red flags in the relationship.
Have a question you’d like answered in a potential future Ask Pastor Mark video? Send an email to [email protected].
In this sermon, Pastor Mark tells how to rejoice in all circumstances, even when you’re stressed about the past, present, and future and how to move forward with faith replacing your fear.
Philippians 2:1-4 – So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Jesus means “God is salvation”. Christ means “anointed of God”. Jesus Christ lived roughly 2000 years ago with a mom, dad, brothers, and sisters. His resume is shockingly simple as he never wrote a book, held a political office, married a woman, became a father, owned a house, or traveled more than a few hundred miles from his poor, small, rural town.
Today, Jesus is the most towering figure in human history. More books are written about Him, paintings of Him, and songs for Him than anyone who has ever lived. We measure time by His life as B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (“anno domini” which means “the year of the Lord”). The biggest holiday on earth is Christmas where, in addition to the few million people who claim to be Christians, the entire world stops to throw a birthday party for Jesus.
Unlike other religions which have a holy place as their headquarters, Christians have the Holy Person as their Head. Jesus is the only founder of any major world religion who claimed to be God, and Christians today fondly talk about having a personal relationship with Him.
What is the secret to Jesus’ success? He came to serve a selfish world. Because Jesus is the least selfish person, and most selfless servant who has ever lived, He is also the most beloved, respected, and trusted. His example shows us that there are three kinds of relationships:
1. Selfish + Selfish = competitive relationship
2. Selfish + Servant = cruel relationship
3. Servant + Servant = close relationship
Which kind of relationship do you have with Jesus? What is the most common type of relationship you have with other people?
Even when you feel overwhelmed with life and everything on your to-do list, Paul tells that there’s still many, many reasons to rejoice in Philippians 2:12-30. He also teaches that faithfulness is the path to joyfulness and that God puts people in your life to be a blessing to you when your circumstances may seem overwhelming.
If you are dating, engaged, or married to someone else, should you also have a friend of the opposite sex? And, if so, how should you navigate that friendship while still respecting your relationship?
Have a question you’d like answered in a potential future Ask Pastor Mark video? Send an email to [email protected].