Redefined – Proverbs 14 - Church 3.0 – Brent Phillips - Encounter God Houston

Proverbs 14:4 “Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest.”

God has called us for a large harvest, but we have tried to accomplish a large harvest without having an ox in the stable.

What does that mean?

We want our church experience to be nice and clean and all in order, we want to call the shots and know what exactly is coming next. But in doing so, we have traded the power of the Holy Spirit for programs and structure. The Holy Spirit is our Ox in the stable, He is the one that is working on our hearts and preparing us for the harvest.

Where the ox is the harvest will come! Don’t fear the mess and the things that are out of our control, because there is One that is always in control. Our programs will only get us so far, but when we allow the Holy Spirit to have His way He can take us further than we ever imagined.

When you ask Him to help you will, but there has to be faith attached to whatever it is that you are asking.

Matthew 17:14-20 “At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.” Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well. Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?” “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

We need to stop being so prideful. All we need to do is admit that we have unbelief and God can begin to do a work. We can’t allow failure to define who we are or what we can accomplish. We can’t get so caught up in our failures that it stops us from ever having the opportunity to succeed.

What or who have you allowed to define you?

A failure with God is never fatal because He is Hope.

We must be spending time with God, allowing Him to fill our hearts with His Word. We must learn to accept the fact that sometimes when we spend time with God there will be a conviction. Where there is conviction, there is growth. Let Jesus tell you how it is, He wants to grow you and take you further than you could ever imagine but we must be honest with Him.

videos to this podcast @ http://www.brentgphillips.com

You Were Made for This – 1 Corinthians 2 - Church 3.0 – Brent Phillips

As believers, we are really good at talking ourselves out of praying with others, sharing what God has put on our hearts, or sharing our faith with others. It’s not that we can’t do it. So why do we talk ourselves out of it?

Somewhere along the way we have bought into a lie, and somehow convinced ourselves that we weren’t made for this. We have convinced ourselves that we are meant to be silent and to keep what God has put on our hearts to ourselves and that someone else will share their faith with the lost.

You must know that you were made for this!

What is it about being, among other believers that makes us feel unsafe? Being surrounded by like-minded people is where we should feel the safest. But that isn’t the cases. Why? Because; it has become one of the most judgmental places to be.

We have begun to buy into a lie that we don’t know enough and we have become terrified to speak up or pray for what God has put on their heart in case get it wrong, but who set the rule of what is right?

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 “When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.”

Are you listening to man-made rules and regulations on how we are to do something or are you listening to what God is telling you? You are enough, you are worthy, and you are sufficient enough to share the Word of God. You were made for this and you are enough because of Jesus Christ.

Paul came with simple words so that ordinary people could grab hold of it and realize that He died for them just as much as He did for the person next to them. It is never about us using fancy words. It is always about Jesus plain and simple, because without Jesus, none of it matters.

You are a part of the body of Christ and Jesus died so that you would be enough and the Holy Spirit was sent to live inside of you to empower you and strengthen you to do whatever it is that God is asking you to do. You were made for this and have been equipped with everything that you need in order to accomplish it.

This video to this podcast @ www.brentgphillips.com

Blind to Change - 1 Peter 2 - Church 3.0 - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

We have all had the thought of changing. But the results of those thoughts often end with no change. Why is that? As Christians, we know that change needs to happen in our lives and in our churches. Why doesn’t it? Could it be because we don’t know why we are to change or how we are to change?

As a Christian our reason behind changing should always be to look more like Christ than we did yesterday.

Change isn’t easy. A matter of fact, it is often more difficult than easy. At times it can even be scary. But we can no longer accept what is broken as normal. Either way, change must happen and we must know that we will change no matter what.

How will we change? We have the Most High God living inside of strengthening us, encouraging us, and guiding us every step of the way in our change. He will not fail us.

God has called us to go from glory to glory. He wants to make a difference through you. We can’t get stuck in a moment of glory. He wants to build upon the revelation that He has given you. We must ask ourselves the question; “Am I really making a difference?”

70-90% of Christians will go to their grave having never shared the gospel with anyone.

1 Peter 2:9 "But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light."

We can no longer sit in church or a bible study and receive a message and do absolutely nothing with it. Our decision in Christ is personal but our faith was never to be personal. Our faith was to be lived out. It is living by faith that we become the light of the world.

It is time that we had church be all that God intended for it to be!

The video to this podcast @ http://www.brentgphillips.com/brent-phillips-video?p=blind-to-change-1-peter-2

How is your Wineskin? – Be the change - [LIFE] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

Matthew 9:14-17 “One day the disciples of John the Baptist came to Jesus and asked him, “Why don’t your disciples fast like we do and the Pharisees do?” Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. “Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before. “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”

Have you ever heard the phrase change or die?

This is an entrepreneurialism motto when it comes to business. In many places in our lives and throughout the global church we have applied this motto to our lives and our styles. And Jesus is saying that if we aren’t willing to get a new wineskin in order to receive the new wine that He wants to put in our lives, then our old wineskins are going to be put under pressure and burst and it is going to become offensive. We must be willing to be the change.

How is your wineskin?

Sure, your experiences in the past with God were genuine and amazing in that moment and we are to remember those moments, but it doesn’t mean that we are suppose to stay in that moment forever. We must be willing to change and do some things differently in our live in order to see the new thing that God is wanting to doing in our life. Are you willing to change by getting a new wineskin?

Psalm 96:1 says; “Sing a new song to the Lord!”

Why does it say for us to sing a new song? Because if not we will get so comfortable in the old songs and they will begin to lose its meaning and and just become a ritual in our lives. Don't let your worship become a ritual that you forget why you were singing in the first place. It is time to sing a new song!

Matthew 13:53-57 “When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country. He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?” Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph,[a] Simon, and Judas. All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?” And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.”

Jesus is never going to come packaged the way that you want Him or looking the way that you think He should. Why? Because He wants us to lie down our man made traditions and embrace Him in faith and believe in Him once again.

Don’t let rituals and traditions keep you from seeing what God is doing in your life. Be the change you have wanted to see and put on a new wineskin and allow God to do something new in your life

Video to this podcast @ www.brentgphillips.com

Making Room for the Amazing - Luke 19 - [LIFE] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

When last were you absolutely amazed by God and His word?

In Psalm 119 it says, “My gaze is fixed on Your commandments.”

Are you taking the time to sit and be still in His word? Do you ever find yourself rushing through your daily quiet time with God because you know it is something that you are suppose to do, instead just be still and know that He is God and allow His word to amaze you once again.

What are you doing to stop and just be still before the Lord?

“If I really want to experience God, I must underwhelm my schedule so God has room to overwhelm my heart.”

Luke 19:1-4 “Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.”

Zacchaeus knew that there would be obstacles in his way that would prevent him from seeing Jesus. So, he decided to climb a sycamore tree and not let his excuses stop him from encountering Jesus.

We need to ask ourselves, “Are there any excuses that are hindering me from The Word and keeping me from going deeper with God?"

The Lord wants you to can hear Him above all the noise and see above the crowd, He want you to hear His voice so clearly and see His hand on your situation. Just like Zacchaeus it is going to require you to make the climb and leave your excuses behind.

Are you willing to climb up and out of the noise and out of the crowd to encounter God?

The video to this podcast @ www.brentgphillips.com

Life Changing Words - Romans 12 - [LIFE] - Clint Phillips - Encounter Houston

We have all been influenced by words. We have all had negative and positive words that have been spoken over us transforming us and changing our lives.

Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

For us to really understand Gods thinking, we have to understand His words. And His Life Changing words can be found all throughout scripture.

His words are a road map for our lives. We have to learn how to speak His words over our lives, allowing them transforms us and guide us.

We must remember that Isaiah 55:11 says that God’s word does not return void.

There is a difference between positive thinking and transforming your mind. Transforming your mind is to understand Gods thoughts; you have got to align your thoughts with His thoughts in order to be transformed.

Are you meditating on His word? Are you allowing His word to transform you daily? Wake up everyday with the realization that this is the Day that the Lord has made; rejoice and be glad in it!

For more videos: www.brentgphillips.com

The King in the Cave – 1 Samuel 22 - [LIFE] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

1 Samuel 16:12-13 "So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him. ”So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah."

Sometimes we look at the lives of those in The Bible and we immediately remember where God took them. But, we often forget that there has to be a beginning and a middle before there can be the end.

And we think that our stories and our situations are to hard for God to step in and make anything extraordinary happen from our past and current situations, when the real reason for their testimonies is so that we can take courage and we can take faith and face anything that comes our way and God can and will do something extraordinary!

God sometimes gives us a glimpse of what He going to do in our lives and we get so excited and then the next day or a couple of months later that picture that was once so clear begins to seem like it is falling apart.

1 Samuel 22:1-3 "So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men.

One moment we see David being anointed as king and then a little while later we see David the king in the cave. And it looking like everything is scattered and falling apart.

Have you had a word from God? Found a promise from Him and you’re standing on that word or promise? One day it seemed so clear and then the next day came and nothing happen the next month still nothing happen and eventually it felt like all the pieces to make that promise come together has fallen apart.

We must know that God shows us the picture of what He wants to build and then He begins to position us in a way that all the pieces begin to come together. He sets us up for the greatest comeback ever!

For more videos: www.brentgphillips.com

Get Out Of The Mud – Genesis 12 - [LIFE] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

Genesis 12:1-4 "The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran."

Just like Abram, we are all a promise in the making. God has a purpose and calling on our life. When we first have revelation of that calling we are all for it. It seems like nothing can get in the way of that calling on our life. But as time goes on… our perspective changes, it gets foggy.

Genesis 15:1-3 "Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir."

In Genesis 15 we see that Abram begins to question God and His faithfulness, and many of us have been in similar situations before. We question His character and if He will really come through on His promises for our life?

Why does this happen? How do we get to a place of doubt? The problem is that we allow time to determine if Gods promises are true or not. God will not be limited by our time frame. God is rewriting our names to live up to who it is that He has created us to be in His perfect timing..

Isaiah 40:30 "Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion."

If you have found yourself stuck in the mud of disappointment, regret, not waiting for Gods timing. Don’t give up. Get out of the mud. Know that you are going to fail, you are going to fall down, you will make mistakes, and you are going to grow weary. But this is not the end of your story. God has a plan for you and He wants to take you further than you can ever imagine.

For more videos: www.brentgphillip.com

Miracles Ahead – Expecting Miracles – [LIFE] – Brent Phillips – Encounter Houston

Are you expecting miracles in your life? As Christians we cannot live by the natural. We aren’t here to be normal; we are to live a life that is supernatural. We are here to bring heavens ways to earth. Heavens ways are miraculous, spectacular, and abundant.

There is a difference between working for something and positioning ourselves for something. We don’t have to beg God to do something for us; all we need to do is position ourselves to what it is that God has already done.

How are you positioning yourself to reap a harvest of miracles? What you are sowing into your life will determine the harvest that you are reaping.

What do you have in your hand right now? Because that is what God wants to use for your miracle.

God doesn’t need much, but He needs something. All He wants from us is to take what He has already put in our hand and plant it. Every harvest is miraculous. What are you sowing into your life? What are you expecting a miracle for?

1 Kings 17:11-14 “And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘the jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.”

The Lord promises that He will come through; and he will make sure that there is fulfillment to that promise. Just like the women in 1 Kings your container is not going to run empty. Expecting miracles are normal but we must be willing to use what is already in our hand to sow a seed for that miracle.

The video to this podcast @ www.brentgphillips.com

Friendship with God - John 15 - [Life] – Steve Woodrow – Encounter Houston

How important are your friendships to you? Have you really evaluated the quality, the depth, and the quantity of them? Do you have deep lasting friendship?

Friendship with the Lord is an incredible thing. God, who created you, wants to know you and journey with you.

Psalm 25:14 "The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, 
and he makes known to them his covenant."

Are you in friendship with The Creator? God’s Friendship opens doors of opportunities for us. Jesus came to give us life through friendship and to give it to us abundantly. He wants to invite you into what He is doing.

John 15:14-17 "You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another."

A lack of love can be a direct indicator that there is a lack of friendship with God. There is a healthy fear of God; we have to ask is my fear of God under grace or under the law?

God didn’t have to save us but He did. He reached down from heaven and grabbed ahold of our hearts and opened it up to seek His face. He chose us. That is grace!

Are you trying to bear fruit for God by greater performance for God or greater intimate friendship with God?

We are called to bear fruit that last. We are able to bear fruit through greater friendship and intimacy with God. How did Jesus model His love for us? He loved people in their entirety. He set out to heal their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, to make them whole again.

video to this podcast @ www.brentgphillips.com or www.neverjustexist.org