Young At Heart - 2 Corinthians - [Life] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

2 Corinthians 4:16 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”

Although our physical appearance may be changing, inwardly we are getting younger and stronger as we begin to grab hold of Gods promises. We are becoming young at heart.

What does your inward appearance look like? Are you young at heart?

There has been a lot of kicking and fighting over passionate worship and which side of the fence we should be on. We must not get caught up in the fight between the two fences.

We say that we want to see God move. We want to encounter God. We want to see revival come and we to see new things of Him. But we say, “Just don’t ask me to be flexible or change anything about myself.”

Seeing any type of change or revival doesn’t come easily. We must to be willing to stretch and change something’s about ourselves in order to position ourselves to see God in a new way or to have revival come. Are you willing to stretch? Are you allowing God to renew you daily, which allows you to feel young at heart?

One of the ways we stretch and begin to make changes in our lives is through passionate worship. God has created you to be passionate worshipper.

C.S. Lewis says, “It is in the process of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men.”

2 Chronicles 20:22 “At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.”

He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. And if He loved worship in the Old Testament, then He loves it in the New Testament. The aroma of our worship is pleasing to Him and when we begin to lift up our praises to Him, He can’t help but show up and do something through our worship as we begin to surrender it all to Him.

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Get Back Up - Galatians 5 - [Life] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

Are you experiencing God in your daily life? Or is He just someone that you are hearing about on Sundays? We shouldn’t just want to learn about scripture but we should want to see scripture come to life in our lives.

Galatians 5:7 “You were running the race beautifully. Who cut in on you and stopped you from obeying the truth?”

Who has sucked the life right out of you that has stopped you or kept you from experiencing God?

It is time to get back up in our expectation of what our faith can do on earth and it is time to get back up in what we believe God can do in our life.

It is time to get back up with the basics of who God is for us..

Mark 9:22-23 … Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.”

Anything is possible for a person who believes that God can do anything. When we come in agreement He will do anything that we ask. Who or what has cut in on your faith that has caused you to change the way that you believe. Telling you that you can’t believe in certain thing.

It doesn’t matter how good a message it isn’t the words of the speakers

1 Corinthians 2:4 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.

It doesn’t matter how good a speaker’s message is, what you are feeling in your heart isn’t because of the speaker. If anything good happens in your heart and you walk away transformed it is because of The Holy Spirit speaking to your heart. It is based off your pleading and looking to the Holy Spirit allowing Him to transform us.

Video to this podcast @ www.brentgphillips.com

I Wish - Matthew 11 - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

Have those words, I WISH; ever run through your mind? Do you sometimes wish that your life could be different, that the choices that you made could be re-made? You carry with you the heavy luggage of IF ONLY and I WISH. Every morning you put on a smile for the people around you but the truth is, we feel alone, often overwhelmed and most days, the pain of regret rings all too loud.

In Matt 11:28 Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

Rest? You might be thinking, how can I get REST from my past? How can I get rest from my mistakes and regrets? How can I get rest from this nightmare that I call life? How can I get rest from the loneliness and pain that I feel? How can I get rest from wishing I was someone else, somewhere else? I have good news for you!

In the Olympics, the favorite event, the most watched event is the 100m dash. What everyone knows about this event is the start is absolutely critical. If you have a bad start, it is almost impossible to recover. If you don’t start well, you don't finish well. This is exactly the same when it comes to life. The statistics are overwhelming when it comes kids who have a bad start in life; they finish in a bad place in life. What hope is there for the person who started badly, who started their life with abuse, who started with brokenness, who started with hopelessness, who started with tragedy? How can they ever finish well?

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”

The reason Jesus can make such massive statement like “I WILL GIVE YOU REST” is because there nothing that is out of his reach or beyond his power. There is no situation or circumstance that is greater than His ability.

The REST that Jesus offers is not a patch job.. not a repair job, He is not just super glue. He is the one that makes us brand new. He is the one who takes away “I WISH” and replaces it with “I DID”. He is the only one who can take a life of ashes, and out of it build a life of beauty.

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

Never Hopeless - Romans 4 - [REAL] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

The moment that we give up on hope we lose our strength to survive. Hope is the very ability to keep going and with God we are never hopeless. When the world tells us that it time to give up, it is hope that tells us to keep going.

Romans 4:18 "Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping--believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, "That's how many descendants you will have!"

There was no reason for Abraham to have hope, but he kept hoping. Just like Abraham we are never hopeless because we know the promises that God has given to us.

As a believer you should always live optimistic, we should never live as a pessimist.

Why?

Because we have a Father who breathes out planets, who created the world out of nothing, a Savior who walks on water, who multiplies food, and heals disease and raises the dead!

We have a Savior that is unstoppable, not even death could stop Him. That is why we are never hopeless

Where are you placing your hope? Are you placing it into something or someone that can be destroyed, or are you placing your hope in the One who cannot be shaken?

For more videos: www.brentgphillips.com or www.neverjustexist.com

Just As I Am - Luke 15 - [REAL] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

I hear all the time that Jesus wants me to come just as I am, but what does that really mean? You may be a new believer or a believer for twenty plus years, and we have the concept of what it means to come to Jesus, but somewhere along the way you and I have forgotten the concept of what it means to walk with Jesus just as I am or just as you are.

When did the rumor get started that sinners aren’t celebrated and welcomed in the church? We weren’t meant to get our lives together before ever stepping into the church.

We love when someone becomes a new believer, but the moment they are saved we have the expectation that they are suppose to change over night. We can encounter God just as we are! The Gospel wan never intended to be an exclusive club, it was meant for everybody. Everyone is welcome to come and have the opportunity to know Jesus

Luke 15:12-21 "The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant. So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son."

The story of the prodigal son isn't about a new believer. The father was celebrating the new life that had just begun; he didn't give the son an “I told you so” speech, he didn't shake his head at him. He never pointed out the son’s sin. If you continue reading on in the scripture you will see that brother had a much different response toward him. What would have happened if the father hadn’t been at the gate that day and instead the brother was standing in his place? There would have been bitterness and condemnation.

As a Christian we are called to show grace and mercy. You and I should be able to come just as we are, That is what makes Christianity so incredible!

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

Isaiah 61 says, “that to all who mourn in Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes.”

God can take a situation that is so tough and turn it into something beautiful. He can do something incredible in any situation. Un-forgiveness in our lives has the ability wreck our past and even our future. Un-forgiveness in our lives has the ability wreck our past and even our future.

Luke 6:27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.

What does this have to do with forgiveness?

We tend to hold on to the bitterness we have towards those who have done wrong to us. Scripture doesn’t say to just be “nice” to them, but “love” them and do good to them.

When we are going to go before The Lord we must go and first make right what has been done wrong even if we weren’t in the wrongdoing. As a believer we must walk in the way that Christ has set forth.

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

Laugh out Loud - Proverbs 17 - [REAL] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

“Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.” -Bill Cosby

Ecclesiastes says that there is a time for everything, laughing is good for us and it is okay if we do it often.

Life becomes much harder when you forget to laugh; and you have stopped looking for the opportunity to laugh or be cheerful, and have joy. It is amazing how your body changes when you take the time to laugh. Scripture tells us that laughter is medicine to the body.

Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Laughter is a gift from heaven; it can bring hope to any situation. Sometimes we forget to look for the things that God has given us and instead we focus on the things that He hasn’t given us.

Nehemiah 8:10 “Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

The world has tried to counterfeit the things that God has created. It takes things that God has created it and corrupts it to have a negative purpose that was originally intended.

But even in the darkest areas of our lives and situations the LORD is our strength; and He can redeem all our circumstances.

http://www.brentgphillips.com/brent-phillips-video?p=laugh-out-loud-proverbs-17

http://www.neverjustexist.org/laugh-out-loud-proverbs-17/

Shame - Philippians 3 - [REAL] – Brent Phillips – Encounter Houston

Shame is defined as the painful feeling of humiliation arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, wrong or improper done by oneself or another: a fact or circumstance bringing disgrace or regret.

We are all dealing or have dealt with some sort of shame from our past that we wonder if God could really forgive us for what we have done or what has been done to us.

In our lives when it comes to shame, we often think, “what can we do to get rid of it?” We weren’t meant to carry shame with us, but shame is persistent and it makes sure to follow us wherever we go and comes up and reminds us of the past when we are all alone, when you see somebody else that has overcome a similar situation and makes you think that you can never overcome it yourself.

Shame causes destruction in our lives and makes us want to run away from it all. But you can’t run away from shame because it lives inside of you.

Luke 5:8 “When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.”

This is what shame does, it makes us believe that everybody else can be forgiven and changed but not us. We are so badly broken and abused and what happen to us is to dark and dirty. We become angry and bitter with God and want nothing to do with Him in that certain area in our lives. Shame makes us want to run from the One that can help us overcome it all.

Take courage because we have the greatest hope that has ever been to help us overcome our shame and embarrassment.

James 5:16 “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”

You have a God that has gone through it with you and will stand with you when others turn their back on you. He still loves you, He is still rooting for you, and He still believes in you... His love will heal you!

Regret - Philippians 3 - [REAL] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

Regret is defined as feeling sad or sorry about (something that you did or did not do)

We have all dealt with regret. Many of us are still dealing with that regret, and we all have moments that we could go back and do it differently. We have tried everything we know possible to help fix our regrets by doing many things to help fill a void but it never goes away it always stays the same.

“If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” –Mercedes Lackey

Our choices and decisions can never be undone once they are made. The regret that we are dealing with can cause us much anguish and pain and constantly have us thinking “if only” I had done things differently. We tend to look at how great other people’s lives look compared to ours and think, “if only my life looked like theirs things would be different.”

How can we fix something that is broken? How to we make something whole once again? How can we restore a life that has been shattered?

Philippians 3:13-14 “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Paul is saying that there is nothing in our past that disqualifies you from a future in Jesus Christ. There is nothing that robs you from moving forward in Jesus Christ. No matter what choices you have made He can turn your regrets into something beautiful if you would only allow Him to.

For more videos: www.brentgphillips.com or www.neverjustexist.org

Broken Lives - 1 Kings - [REAL] - Brent Phillips - Encounter Houston

How can we recover from broken lives?

We must know that God is always for us and never against us. He wants to come into the center of our brokenness and break any chains that are binding us up and give us hope by setting us free. But we often treat God as if He is the reason for our broken lives. That because He seems to have left us in the middle of our brokenness and all these bad things are happening.

The Bible is very clear on who is doing the killing, stealing, and destroying. It is also very clear on where the good and perfect gifts come from and they come from above.

We must be certain that our hope comes from the LORD just like David was. And if He is for you what or who can come against you?

1 Kings 17:8-12 "Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup? As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.” But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die."

In the natural we see that this woman was finished, she was hopeless and there was nothing left her.

God had instructed (promised) her that He was going to send her a prophet on her behalf. But it didn’t happen right away and she had forgotten about that promise. It seemed like it was forever ago and she didn't feel like there was still hope in that promise.

There are many of us that can relate to this women today. We have broken lives and we truly feel like God has forgotten about us. We don't feel like there is much hope left in the promises that we once believed in whole heartily and you are not sure if anyone even notices you and your brokenness.

But God sees you and He has plans that are much different then ours and He is only beginning. God hasn’t forgotten you and He is waiting for the perfect time to show up in our broken lives to do a miracle that will give Him the most glory and turn our lives into something beautiful!

For more videos: www.brentgphillips.com or www.neverjustexist.com