New Covenant, New Heart, New Spirit (Sunday June 8, 2025)

Praise the Lord! What a wonderful and Spirit-filled morning we've had. My heart is full of gratitude for all that the Lord is doing among us. I want to begin by thanking God for Brother Joel and his powerful exposition on Psalm 23. It was a tremendous blessing and a timely reminder of the Lord’s faithful and personal care over each of our lives. I was personally encouraged and uplifted.

I also thank God for the testimony and ministry of the Gideons. The report we heard today—67 million Bibles distributed in one year—is simply astonishing. Nearly one Bible for every 100 people on Earth! That’s not just a statistic; that’s the mighty hand of God at work. I want to encourage every one of us to support this ministry—whether through a financial offering, prayer, or even by considering joining the Gideons. Let’s remember to keep them in our hearts and in our prayers.

During worship, we also sang about our unchanging, eternal God. And I was reminded again that our God is El Olam, the Everlasting God. He has no beginning and no end. His glory never fades. His promises never fail. His blood still cleanses. And His Spirit still empowers. Hallelujah! What a mighty God we serve.

This morning, I want to share something that the Lord has been impressing upon my heart again and again. It comes from 2 Corinthians 5:17—“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, all things have become new.” This verse is foundational to our identity in Christ, and it’s worth going back to. We looked at it last week, and the Lord led me to it again today.

Here’s the truth: when God saves us, He doesn’t just improve us—He makes us new. He didn’t come to polish up our old selves, or to simply modify our behavior. He came to replace the old with the new. That is the heart of the New Covenant.

Throughout Scripture, we see shadows and promises of this new covenant—especially in Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36. God says He will write His law on our hearts and put His Spirit within us. This is entirely different from the Old Covenant, where everything was external—laws written on stone, outward rituals, and temporary empowerment by the Spirit. Under the New Covenant, God works from the inside out.

This internal transformation is critical. If we claim to know Christ but have no inward desire to walk with Him, obey Him, or be with Him, then we must examine ourselves. The true mark of the New Covenant is a changed heart—a heart that longs for God, a heart that hates sin, and a heart that desires holiness.

In Ezekiel, God promises to remove our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh. And then He says, “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes.” This is no longer about trying harder—this is about surrendering and letting the Holy Spirit do His work in us. Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans.” He has sent us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to dwell within us permanently. Hallelujah!

Now here is where I want us to pay close attention. We see in Colossians 3:9–10 and Ephesians 4:22–24 a very important parallel that helps us understand how to walk out this new life. These passages describe the old self and the new self, and how we must actively choose to put off the old and put on the new.

Colossians 3:9–10 says:
“Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”

Ephesians 4:22–24 echoes this:
“Put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

Both passages emphasize putting off the old nature and putting on the new. But they also show us how this transformation happens: by the renewing of our minds. The mind is the battlefield. That’s where change begins. If our minds are not daily renewed with the Word of God, we’ll find ourselves falling back into the patterns of the old self. We may be saved, but we’ll be living defeated lives.

Transformation is not automatic. Yes, the Spirit of God lives in us, but we must cooperate with Him. Romans 12:2 says it clearly: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Our minds must be reprogrammed—not with the patterns of the world, not with self-help philosophies, but with the living, breathing Word of God.

The old man was shaped by deceitful desires. The new man is shaped by righteousness, holiness, and truth. But if we don’t feed our minds with the truth, we’ll keep reverting to the old. This is why the Word is not optional. It is essential. It’s how we learn to think like Christ, desire what He desires, and live in a way that pleases Him—not out of duty, but out of love.

So today, I leave you with this encouragement:
You are part of the New Covenant. God has made you a new creation in Christ. Don’t go back to the old ways. Don’t rebuild the old religious systems that Jesus came to fulfill. Instead, walk in the Spirit. Let the Word renew your mind daily. Put off the old self, and put on the new—with intention, with surrender, and with joy.

Let us live as true New Covenant Christians—filled with the Spirit, grounded in the Word, and transformed from the inside out.

Amen.

Steps To Live A Fearless Life (Sunday June 1st, 2025)

Praise the Lord! Today, I want to talk to you about something we all face—fear. Fear doesn’t care who you are—rich, poor, young, old, educated, uneducated—it touches every life in some form. We fear for our families, our health, our future, even for our own selves. Some fears are normal, some abnormal, but all of them affect our well-being, our joy, and our spiritual health.

Fear paralyzes us. It robs us of peace. But do you know what the Word of God tells us again and again?

“Fear not.”

It’s repeated in the Bible 365 times—one for every day of the year. That’s not a coincidence. That’s our Heavenly Father reminding us daily: “Fear not, I am with you. I love you. I will take care of you.”

2 Timothy 1:7 says,

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

So where does fear come from? It doesn’t come from God—it comes from our enemy, the devil. But God equips us with power, love, and a sound mind. Hallelujah!

How Can We Overcome Fear?

Let’s look at three ways to overcome fear, based on the life of Apostle Paul.

1. Have a Spiritual Partner

In 2 Timothy 4:9, Paul writes:

“Do your best to come to me quickly.”

Paul was in prison. He knew his time was coming to an end. He had fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. But in that difficult time, Paul longed for someone—his spiritual son, Timothy. He needed a spiritual partner.

When we face fear, pressure, and anxiety, we need someone to walk with us in Christ. A spiritual partner can comfort us, guide us, and pray with us. If we speak our fears to worldly people, they can make them worse. But a spiritual friend will point us back to the promises of God.

For example, if you find a lump in your body and tell a non-spiritual friend, they might panic and tell you a story about someone who died from cancer. But a spiritual friend will say, “Let’s pray. Trust in Jesus. It will be alright.” That’s the kind of partnership we all need.

So choose your spiritual friends wisely—those who will strengthen you in Christ, not those who increase your fear.

2. Let Go When People Leave You

In 2 Timothy 4:10, Paul says:

“Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me…”

Yes, people may walk out of your life—even those you love the most. That can hurt. But don’t let it crush your spirit. Let them go.

Some friends who once said, “I’ll always be there for you,” may disappear once life changes—after college, after marriage, or when they move away. That’s okay. Life is not permanent. People change. But God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen!

When your children grow up and move away, don’t hold on to them with guilt or emotional pressure. Let them live the life God has for them. Genesis 2:24 says a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. That’s God’s design. Let go in peace and trust God’s plan for them—and for you.

Look at David in 2 Samuel. When his child was sick, he prayed, fasted, and mourned. But once the child passed away, David got up, washed, worshipped, and ate. He understood—“I can go to him, but he cannot return to me.”

We too must rise from our grief and move forward, trusting God’s bigger plan.

3. Forgive, Forget, and Accept Others

In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul writes:

“Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”

You see, John Mark once abandoned Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey. Paul was upset and didn’t want to take him again. But now, he has had a change of heart. He sees that John Mark has grown and matured. So he asks Timothy to bring him back—because now, he is useful for the ministry.

That’s what it means to forgive, forget, and accept.

Some people say, “I can forgive, but I can’t forget.” But true forgiveness lets go of the past.

Look at Jesus—He forgave us while we were still sinners. If He forgave us, shouldn’t we forgive others?

This also applies in families—between husbands and wives. Let’s be honest. Who has better memory—men or women? (I say this with a smile!) Many times, wives can remember things from 20 years ago that their husbands have long forgotten. So I say lovingly: Let’s ask God to reduce our memory a little bit—just enough to forget the hurt and remember the love.

Instead of waiting for your spouse to remember your birthday or anniversary, why not remind them with a smile? “Hey honey, today’s our anniversary! Let’s celebrate together.” It’s not about testing their memory. It’s about building a joyful relationship.

And look at Paul again—despite being such a powerful man of God, he humbled himself. He forgave John Mark and welcomed him back for the sake of the Gospel. Let us also do the same.

Summary

So how do we overcome fear?

1. Have a spiritual partner to walk with you, pray with you, and point you to Christ.

2. Let go when people leave you. Don’t cling to the past. Trust God’s plan.

3. Forgive, forget, and accept others. Don’t let bitterness feed your fear.

Let’s walk in the freedom that Christ gives us—without fear, and with faith.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen.

Walk By Faith, Walk By The Spirit (Sunday May 11, 2025)

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:7

Faith: The Foundation and Fuel of Our Christian Walk

From the moment we believe in Jesus, our life is redefined by faith. Faith is not just how we start the Christian life — it's how we’re meant to continue in it, step by step.

The Bible often describes our life with God as a walk — something active, progressive, and forward-moving. And this walk is not based on what we can see, understand, or control. It is based entirely on trusting in the unseen God who leads us, guides us, and transforms us.

We walk by faith — not by feelings.
We walk by faith — not by formulas.
We walk by faith — not by what we see.

Faith Matters More Than We Realize

Every essential part of our relationship with God comes through faith:

• We are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8).

• We become children of God through faith (Galatians 3:26).

• We are strengthened and protected through faith (1 Peter 1:5).

• We receive the Holy Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:14).

• Christ dwells in our hearts through faith (Ephesians 3:17).

• We inherit God’s promises through faith and patience (Hebrews 6:12).

This means that faith is not an occasional tool we use when things get tough — it is the very environment in which the Christian life thrives. Every step we take — every decision, every response, every trial — must be filtered through faith in God's promises and character.

Two Common Dangers to Our Faith

Surprisingly, both hardship and comfort can threaten our faith if we’re not careful:

1. Hardship can make us feel abandoned.

When suffering, loss, or rejection enters our life, it’s easy to wonder if God sees us or cares. We might try to fix things in our own strength or lose trust altogether.

2. Comfort can make us self-reliant.

When life is going smoothly, we may forget our dependence on God. Our prayers become shallow, our Bible reading infrequent, and our desire for God cools.

In both cases, we stop walking by faith — and start living by sight, emotion, or human logic.

Faith Isn’t Optional — It’s the Only Way to Please God

“Without faith it is impossible to please God.”
— Hebrews 11:6

That’s a bold statement. It means you could do everything “right” on the outside — go to church, avoid obvious sins, even serve in ministry — but if you’re not operating in faith, it’s not pleasing to God.

Even more sobering is Romans 14:23, which says:

“Whatever is not from faith is sin.”

Faith is not just about believing the right doctrines. It’s about trusting God in real life — with our money, our future, our relationships, our health, and our time. God doesn’t want us to live in fear, doubt, or self-dependence. He wants us to walk in complete trust in His power, presence, and promises.

Faith Over Fear: What to Do When Life Shakes You

Fear and faith cannot coexist in the same heart. The Israelites who escaped Egypt didn’t enter the Promised Land because of unbelief, even after seeing countless miracles. Instead of trusting God’s promises, they focused on giants, obstacles, and what they had left behind.

We fall into the same trap when:

• We obsess over everything that could go wrong.

• We forget how God has helped us before.

• We dwell on what we’ve lost instead of what God is preparing.

But when we walk by faith, our perspective changes. We stop asking “What if?” and start declaring, “God is able!”

God’s Word Builds Our Faith

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”
— Romans 10:17

To grow in faith, we must feed on God’s Word regularly — not just reading it intellectually, but letting it stir confidence in God. And it’s not enough just to hear it; we must also mix it with faith (Hebrews 4:2).

That means:

• Believing what God says — even when feelings or circumstances say otherwise.

• Speaking the Word — confessing God’s truth over our lives.

• Obeying the Word — trusting God enough to act on what He says.

God is looking for people who will say the same thing He is saying — people who will confess His promises and walk them out daily.

Living with an Eternal Perspective

When we walk by faith, we live with heaven in mind.

“Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”
— 2 Corinthians 4:17

No matter what you're going through right now, it is light and momentary compared to the glory that awaits. That doesn’t mean it’s not real or painful. It means God is using it to shape you for eternity.

Faith helps us look beyond the visible:

• Beyond bills and health reports

• Beyond conflict and disappointment

• Beyond what the world says is important

Faith lifts our eyes to what is unseen — God’s kingdom, God’s purposes, and God’s eternal rewards.

Finding GOd’s purposes by faith

God saved you for a reason. You are His workmanship, created for good works that He prepared in advance (Ephesians 2:10). But you won’t discover them by living in autopilot. You must walk by faith, step by step.

That means:

• Trusting God when the way forward is unclear.

• Moving in obedience when the destination is unknown.

• Believing He will equip you for what He’s called you to do.

And if you’ve been walking by faith already — keep going. There’s always a next level of faith God wants to bring you into.

“All things are possible to him who believes.”
— Mark 9:23

Do You Have a God-Given Vision?

Those who walk by faith usually walk with vision. They’re not just wandering — they’re following something God has planted in their hearts. Do you have a vision from God? Are you asking Him what His purposes are for your life, family, or church?

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
— Proverbs 29:18

If you’ve lost your vision, ask God to renew it. If you’ve never had one, ask Him to give you one. He is faithful to guide you.