by: Pastor Lonnie Phillips
Is race and sexuality sacred? Absolutely! Scripture talks that it is God who forms us while we are in the womb and so whether we are black, white, brown is sacred because none of us are mistakes and God looks with favor upon all the different races of humanity because He is the Creator of all.(Revelation 7:9)
Sexuality is also sacred for as God was forming us in our mother's womb, He also created us either male or female. In Genesis 1:27 we read, "so God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
When we talk of both race and sexuality, I didn't choose either my race or sexuality but praise God for making me who I am. If there is confusion in my mind and heart on either one of these issues, I must wrestle with the confusion I am in. To give into the confusion or have society tell me not to wrestle with it is neither loving or godly. What is loving is to come alongside such a person and reinforce the truth that God loves them and is present to lead and direct them into all the truth.
Truth starts with Jesus and His sacrificial love at the cross for our sins. When humanity is enslaved to sin there will be all kinds of confusions. However, the wisdom of God is Christ crucified, which is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.(1 Corinthians 1:22-31)

​When we talk about God's love, we must recognize that His love is different and set apart (Holy). Paul, being inspired by the Holy Spirit, writes to Timothy and says, "The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."
When a Christian says they are walking in God's love but is striking their father or mother, or murdering, or is practicing sexual immorality or practicing homosexuality or kidnapping others or practicing lying or perjuring, they are being deceived because one cannot walk in God's love and live out a doctrine contrary to what is pure, good and sincere.(1 Timothy 1:3-11)
Paul, himself, once belonged to this category by embracing the murder of Stephen and putting Christ followers in prison but by God's grace, he was delivered. You and I can say we were once part of the above category but delivered by God's grace through Christ and his sacrifice at Calvary. However, we cannot say it is okay to continue to practice these things and also say we are walking in God's love. It isn't healthy doctrine.
A healthy doctrine whose aim is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith makes for a healthy life, family and society.

by: Pastor Lonnie Phillips
​What is the role of the Local Church in the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ?
The role is to be:
1) A people Empowered by the Holy Spirit and under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18 and John 15)
2) a people called to sharpen one another through the word of God.(Proverbs 27:17)
3) an intentional gathering where God's people are being stirred to love in the sacrificial love of Christ and good deeds as they see the day drawing near(Hebrews 10:24)
4) a house of Prayer where God's people are presenting their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is their spiritual worship.(Matthew 21:13, Romans 12:1)
5) the gathering together where there is communion being taken in order to remind God's people of God's continual grace given through the suffering and death of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:19)
6) A pillar and support of truth whereby the world has the opportunity to be drawn to Jesus who is The way, the Truth and the life.(1 Timothy 3:15)
7) a called out people where the disciples are being equipped for every work of service (Ephesians 4:11)
8) About the mission of Jesus in a world lost and in need of God's grace and truth (Matthew 28:18-20)
As imperfect as the local church is, it is never an option for a disciple of Jesus Christ to forsake the local gathering together thinking that they can do without. The Local Church is imperfect because we are there but it is being perfected in Christ Jesus because He is present and He will never forsake His own Body!

by: Pastor Lonnie Phillips
​Romans 13:12 The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
As followers of Christ Jesus how aware are we of our need of Jesus Christ today to govern over our innermost being? When we were saved by Jesus Christ and His blood, our fleshly desires don't vanish and go away but in putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, where He is the Lord over our thoughts, emotions and will, we become more than conquerors.
It is the call of every follower/believer of Jesus Christ to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. May we be faithful in stepping into this truth this morning.

​by: Pastor Lonnie Phillips
Are the prayers of the saints rising up to the throne of God as our nation continues to slide down a very slippery slope of immoral behavior, speech and laws?
When one member of congress speaks by reading from the Bible in order to argue a point concerning a potential law being unjust and another member of congress rises up and declares, ""what any religious tradition describes as God's will is no concern of this Congress."(https://www.christianheadlines.com/.../gods-will-is-no...), you know we are in perilous times.
In the House Chamber where debate takes place there is written above where the Speaker of the House sits the words, "In God We Trust".
How do you Trust God but do not concern yourself with His will on matters of Laws to determine if those Laws are righteous or not?
To pride oneself in being secular over religious and not concerned about God's will is to put your own self as god in determining right from wrong. You become the moral lawgiver over the land and reject the God of all creation who establishes right and wrong.
Psalm 9:19-20 "Arise, O LORD! Let not mortals prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them in fear, O LORD! Let the nations know that they are but human!"