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Relationships are one of the greatest sources of both joy and pain in our lives, and Jesus understood this deeply. He was surrounded by crowds, critics, confused friends, and even a betrayer, yet He never stopped loving people. His approach to relationships was guided by five key principles: loving without needing approval, holding grace and truth together, forgiving without denying the reality of hurt, setting boundaries without guilt, and being discerning about who receives close access to His life. These principles are not just admirable qualities from a historical figure. They are a practical blueprint for how we can build healthier, more God-honoring relationships today. Love does not require us to abandon truth, and truth never gives us permission to abandon love. The Jesus way is not about loving everybody the same way. It is about loving everybody the right way.

Temptation is not a rare crisis. It is a daily reality that every person faces. Jesus faced the same pressures we do, and He left us a clear model for how to overcome them. Before the enemy ever attacks your behavior, he first attacks your identity. Jesus refused to let Satan redefine what the Father had already declared over Him, and we can do the same. He answered every temptation with scripture, walked in the power of the Holy Spirit, and kept His worship fully surrendered to God. Victory over temptation is not about stronger willpower. It is about a life anchored in identity, grounded in truth, and empowered by the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:1-14 calls believers not just to act differently, but to truly be different by reflecting the character of God in a world filled with darkness. Paul's command to imitate God is rooted in identity, not just behavior. Just as children absorb the character of their parents, believers are called to absorb the holiness, love, and grace of their Heavenly Father. Sexual immorality, Paul warns, is not simply a bad habit but a form of idolatry, placing created things above God. Sin thrives in secrecy, but the light of Christ exposes what is hidden, and that exposure is an act of grace. Walking as children of light produces goodness, righteousness, and truth in everyday life. Confession is one of the most powerful tools God has given believers, breaking the power of secrecy and opening the door to genuine healing. The light of Christ is not meant to condemn but to set free.

Today’s message is found in Ephesians 4:25-32 Please follow along in your Bible or on a Bible app. Follow the Sermon Notes through the Church Center App as well.

We are living in the church age, a pivotal moment in God's unfolding redemptive story that stretches from creation to the return of Jesus Christ. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out not on one person but on an entire people, empowering them collectively to carry the gospel to the ends of the earth. The Great Commission is not simply a call to get decisions. It is a call to make disciples, teach them, and help them grow in faith. The church is not a building or a denomination but a community of people who belong to Jesus Christ, made up of every tribe, language, and nation. Every believer has been given the Holy Spirit's power to participate in this mission, and the enemy does not want you walking in that authority. The church age will conclude with the return of Jesus, a blessed hope that should shape how urgently and faithfully we live out the mission today. You were not saved just to sit. You were empowered by His Spirit and commissioned to carry His redemptive work to the world around you.

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible tells one unified story with Jesus Christ at the center of every chapter, covenant, and prophecy. Jesus did not begin in Bethlehem. He existed before creation itself, and at just the right moment, the Creator stepped into His own creation on a rescue mission. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He fulfilled every promise and pattern that had been building since the beginning. He is the final sacrifice, the risen Savior, and the coming King. The kingdom of God has already broken into human history through Him, and its fullness is still to come. In the meantime, He calls every person to repent, believe, and place Him at the center of their lives.

From creation to redemption, the Bible tells one unified story centered on God's unbreakable promises. Humanity was made in God's image, but sin broke the relationship He designed. Rather than walking away, God immediately set a plan of redemption in motion, beginning with the first promise of a Savior in Genesis 3:15. Through Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets, every chapter of the Old Testament points forward to one person: Jesus Christ. The blood of the Passover lamb, the sacrificial system, and the Davidic covenant were all previews of what He would accomplish. When you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you inherit the same covenant promise made to Abraham thousands of years ago. God's promise has never failed, and it is still moving today.

The Bible is not a collection of disconnected stories. It is one unified narrative about God's plan to redeem what sin has broken, accomplished through Jesus Christ. God created everything out of nothing, simply by speaking it into existence, and He declared it very good. Humanity was made in the image of God, which is the foundation of every person's dignity, value, and purpose. Sin entered the world through doubt, desire, and disobedience, bringing shame, separation, and death. But God did not abandon humanity. He came looking for Adam and Eve immediately after the fall, and in that same moment, He made the first promise of a coming Redeemer. That promise points directly to Jesus Christ, who crushed the power of sin and death at the cross.

Are you still wearing coping mechanisms, addictions, or apathy that you outgrew years ago? What we wear matters. In daily life, people dress to cover up pain, wounds, and identity struggles with temporary fixes. But just like a frayed, ripped outfit from decades past, the old way of living simply does not fit anymore. It is time to ditch the outdated wardrobe of the past and step into a high-value lifestyle designed for true alignment.

Description God is always at work, and He invites ordinary people to join Him in what He is already doing. The book of Esther shows us a young Jewish woman who found herself in a position of influence at exactly the right moment, not by accident, but by divine design. Mordecai's challenge to her reveals a powerful truth: God's plan is never in danger, and His purpose is never dependent on any one person. He is not waiting on your perfection or your perfect circumstances. He meets you right where you are, in the middle of everyday life. You are not God's only option, but you are His first invitation. The works have already been prepared in advance. The only question left is whether you will say yes.

Message from Pastor Brad Myers on July 12, 2026

We live in a nation worth celebrating, but there is a kingdom that outlasts every nation on earth. The blessed hope is the confident expectation that Jesus Christ could return at any moment, and that expectation is meant to shape how believers live every single day. As citizens of the kingdom of heaven, our allegiance, values, and priorities are meant to reflect the King we serve. Jesus calls His people to love God completely and love others genuinely, and those two commitments change everything. The character of a kingdom citizen grows from a life surrendered to the Holy Spirit, producing love, joy, peace, patience, and more. Salvation brings us into the kingdom, but lordship teaches us how to live in it. The question worth sitting with is simple: does your life look like heaven is already your home?

Life's pressures are real, and human strength alone is not enough to carry us through. Scripture is clear that believers have access to a power far greater than anything they can produce on their own. Just as the early church in Acts 4 responded to intense persecution not by seeking relief but by praying for boldness, we are called to do the same. God does not give a spirit of fear. He gives power, love, and a sound mind. Walking in the Spirit is not reserved for crisis moments. It is a daily practice that builds the strength needed before the storm arrives. You were made for such a time as this, and you do not have to face it on your own strength.

We are living in a time when truth is being debated and the pressure to compromise what we believe is intense. But this is not a new problem. Daniel faced the same pressure in Babylon, and his response teaches us what it means to live with genuine conviction. Conviction is not something you develop in a crisis. It is something you settle beforehand, before the pressure arrives. Daniel resolved not to defile himself before anyone tested him, and then he pursued that conviction with wisdom and grace rather than conflict. God honored his stand, and He can honor ours too. The question worth asking is whether God's word or the surrounding culture is truly functioning as the authority in your life.

In a world filled with uncertainty and anxiety, many wonder how to respond to extraordinary times. The story of Esther reveals that God positions ordinary people for extraordinary purposes during challenging moments in history. Biblical confidence isn't about knowing what will happen, but trusting who God is when we don't understand what He's doing. Like Esther, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we can face uncertainty with confidence because God is our ever-present help in trouble. Instead of asking why we must live through difficult times, we should ask how God wants us to live through them. God has intentionally placed each of us in this exact moment of history for His purposes.