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Hope — Part 7

Hope — Part 7

August 23, 2026 · Pastor Brian Charles

MESSAGE SUMMARY

Pastor Brian Charles continues the "Hope" series (Part 7) with a message on living from a place of completeness in Christ rather than striving toward it. He opens by connecting hope to identity: believers who are born again have "the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16), and hope functions as a helmet (1 Thessalonians 5:8) worn through that renewed mind — always looking at the salvation plan already secured, not at present circumstance. From there he builds a running contrast: we don't work for salvation, we work from it — we are the healed resisting sickness, the saved resisting oppression, the free resisting the devil.

A significant middle section is a word study on "author" in Hebrews 5:9 and Hebrews 12:2 (Greek: "the cause," also "chief, leader, captain, prince") — Jesus as the one who both starts and finishes what concerns believers (Philippians 1:6), so completeness is already given (Colossians 2:10), not earned. He weaves in a personal healing testimony, claiming Psalm 91:16 during a past illness, and repeatedly returns to speaking God's word aloud as what gives the Holy Spirit "something to work with," illustrated through Moses at the Red Sea.

He briefly addresses a generational teaching that God causes sickness to teach lessons, citing Oral Roberts' pushback against that theology, and reframes suffering through Jesus in Gethsemane — pressed, but anointed for the pressing. Later sections shift to practical exhortation: love over doctrinal division (1 Corinthians 13), integrity and obedience illustrated by Ananias and Sapphira, and a caution against self-help "life coach" preaching that flatters without addressing sin.

The message closes with a direct salvation appeal — testimonies of people saved at a funeral and through personal evangelism — followed by a call for anyone away from Jesus to return, and prayer.

SCRIPTURES REFERENCED

  • 1 Corinthians 2:16 cited by reference; "we have the mind of Christ," establishing believers' renewed God-consciousness
  • John 8:32 quoted ("the truth shall set you free"), not cited by reference; used to explain how truth also keeps believers free
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:8 cited by reference; "for an helmet, the hope of salvation," tied to viewing life through the mind of Christ
  • Hebrews 5:9 cited by reference; "he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey," with a Greek word study on "author" as "the cause"
  • Hebrews 12:2 cited by reference; "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross"; further word study on "author" as chief/leader/captain/prince
  • Philippians 1:6 cited by reference; God will complete what He started in believers' lives
  • Colossians 1:10 / 2:10 quoted twice ("ye/you are complete in Him"); cited as 1:10 the first time and as 2:10 the second time — the verse ("complete in Him") is Colossians 2:10, so the first citation appears to be a slip of the tongue
  • Hebrews 13:8 cited by reference; "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever," affirming Jesus still heals and delivers
  • Psalm 81:10 quoted ("I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of Egypt; open thy mouth wide and I will fill it"), not cited by reference
  • Exodus (Red Sea) narrated as an illustration of obedience preceding deliverance (Moses and the rod); specific chapter/verse not cited
  • Psalm 91:16 cited by reference; personally claimed during a past illness — "with long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation"
  • Philippians 4:19 cited by reference; "my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in Christ Jesus," with a brief etymology of "Christ" and "Jesus"
  • 1 Corinthians 2:2 quoted ("I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus and him crucified"), attributed to Paul but not cited by reference
  • 1 John 3:8 quoted ("for this purpose was the Son of God made manifest, that he might destroy the works of the devil"), not cited by reference
  • Acts 1 / 1 Corinthians 15:6 alluded to (over 500 people told to wait, only 120 gathered in the upper room for the Spirit); exact verses not stated
  • Genesis 1:31 cited by reference; "he saw all that he created, and it was good"
  • Galatians 5:16 quoted ("walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh"), not cited by reference
  • 1 Corinthians 13:13 cited by reference; "now abideth faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love"
  • Romans 15:13 cited by reference; "he's the God of hope"
  • 1 Corinthians 13:7 cited by reference; "love hopes all things"
  • Psalm 23:1 paraphrased ("the Lord is your shepherd, you shall not want"), not cited by reference
  • Philippians 3:10 alluded to ("that I might know Him"), attributed to Paul while imprisoned; not cited by reference
  • 2 Corinthians 4:8 alluded to ("hard pressed on every side"); not cited by reference
  • Jeremiah 1:12 cited by reference; "for I will hasten my word to perform it"
  • Mark 11:23 quoted ("whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed... he shall have whatsoever he saith"), not cited by reference
  • Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphira narrative, referenced by name; exact verses not stated
  • Philippians 2:12 quoted ("work out your own salvation with fear and trembling"), not cited by reference

Last Week's Messages

Hope — Part 6

Hope — Part 6

August 19, 2026 · Pastor Brian Charles

MESSAGE SUMMARY

Continuing the "Hope" series, Pastor Brian Charles teaches that hope produces a godly imagination, and a godly imagination produces success. Drawing from Joshua 1:8, he explains that meditating on God's word is what makes a person's way prosperous, and clarifies that biblical prosperity is far broader than money — it includes knowledge, wisdom, and wholeness in every area of life.

The bulk of the message centers on the mental battle believers fight daily: casting down imaginations and strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) contrary to God's word. He describes strongholds as repetitive, tormenting thoughts reinforced over time, and teaches that believers are responsible for policing their own thoughts. He briefly contrasts Lucifer's prideful thinking with the mind of Christ believers now carry.

The message shifts to Paul's example of finishing well — poured out, having fought the good fight and kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:6-8) — tied to the assurance that believers are "kept by the power of God through faith" (1 Peter 1:5). A significant section addresses delayed promises: "hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12), illustrated through Joseph's 13-year wait, Abraham's decades-long wait for Isaac, and David's multiple anointings long before he wore the crown — all under "delay does not mean denial."

He closes on believers' security in Christ — the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), the helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17), and working out (not working for) one's own salvation (Philippians 2:12-13) — followed by an altar call inviting anyone who's wandered back to God.

SCRIPTURES REFERENCED

  • Joshua 1:8 cited on meditating on God's word day and night as the key to a prosperous, successful way of thinking and living
  • 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 read in full; the central text on casting down imaginations and strongholds contrary to the knowledge of God
  • Hebrews 9:14 referenced (pastor noted "I believe it is") on purging the conscience of dead works through the blood of Christ
  • Proverbs 23:7 quoted, "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," on why controlling one's thoughts matters
  • 1 Corinthians general reference to Paul's letter being addressed to the saints and, by extension, to believers today; no specific chapter/verse cited
  • Ephesians 4:27 cited as "neither give place to the devil," framed as a verse worth memorizing
  • 2 Timothy 4:6-8 read at length on Paul being "poured out as a drink offering," having fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith
  • Galatians 2:20 referenced on living by the faith of the Son of God
  • 1 Peter 1:5 cited on believers being "kept by the power of God through faith" unto salvation
  • Proverbs 13:12 quoted, "hope deferred maketh the heart sick... when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life," the key text on delayed promises
  • Genesis (Joseph) Joseph's dream and 13-year wait before its fulfillment, referenced as an example of delay preceding promotion and provision; chapter/verse not cited
  • Genesis (Noah) Noah building the ark briefly referenced as a message of hope that most people rejected; chapter/verse not cited
  • 1 Samuel (David) David's anointing as king and his encounter with Goliath referenced multiple times as being anointed and developed long before stepping into the full promise; chapter/verse not cited
  • Genesis (Abraham) Abraham's decades-long wait for Isaac referenced alongside Joseph and David as another example of delay before promise; chapter/verse not cited
  • Acts (Paul and Silas) Paul and Silas in jail referenced as an example of God showing up at the darkest hour after they chose to praise rather than complain; chapter/verse not cited
  • Matthew 10:33 paraphrased, "if you deny me before men, I'll deny you before my Father"; quoted, exact reference not stated by the pastor
  • Psalm 37:4 quoted, "delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart"
  • 1 Corinthians 2:16 quoted, "we have the mind of Christ," to affirm believers already possess it, not merely await it
  • Ephesians 6:17 cited on taking "the helmet of salvation" as covering one's thoughts
  • Psalm 91:16 quoted, "with long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation," as God's promise of long life
  • Philippians 2:12 cited on working out one's own salvation "with fear and trembling," not everyone else's
  • Philippians 2:13 cited immediately after, on God being the one who works in believers "to will and to do of his good pleasure"
  • Psalm 139 referenced generally on God knowing our thoughts before we think them
  • Psalm 34:8 quoted, "O taste and see that the Lord is good," used in the closing altar call to invite anyone who has wandered back to God; reference not stated by the pastor
Hope — Part 5

Hope — Part 5

August 16, 2026 · Pastor Brian Charles

MESSAGE SUMMARY

In this fifth installment of the "Hope" series, Pastor Brian Charles returns to Romans 5:1–5 to unpack how biblical hope is not wishful thinking but confident expectation rooted in God's plan and purpose. He traces the chain Paul lays out — justification produces peace, peace gives access to grace, and grace sustains believers through tribulation, which in turn produces perseverance, character, and ultimately hope that does not disappoint. He opens by tying peace to salvation, noting that new believers consistently describe peace as their first felt change, contrasted with the confusion Satan brings.

From there he moves into grace as both the "empowering presence" and the "unmerited favor" of God, illustrating with Paul's thorn in the flesh and God's answer that His grace is sufficient. He uses the disciples' boat crossing in the storm and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire to show God showing up in the middle of trouble rather than removing it. A significant portion of the message addresses tribulation and trials directly — arguing they are not to be avoided but expected, and that they refine character and remove pride rather than being wasted suffering.

He then contrasts earthly hope (money, possessions, health) with hope anchored in God, using Job's story to argue that possessions should never possess the believer. Several personal ministry stories follow — a parishioner nicknamed "Lazarus" healed multiple times over decades, and Smith Wigglesworth's testimony — as real-world illustrations of sustained hope and faith. He closes on 2 Corinthians 10:3–5, urging the congregation to "cast down imaginations" and refuse to let discouraging thoughts ("stinking thinking," reframed as "sinking thinking") take root, ending with an altar call and prayer for those watching online.

SCRIPTURES REFERENCED

  • Romans 5:1-5 the anchor text for the whole series; read and unpacked verse by verse: justification producing peace, access to grace, rejoicing in tribulation, and the chain from tribulation to perseverance to character to hope
  • 2 Corinthians 12 referenced Paul's thorn in the flesh and his three prayers; God's answer "My grace is sufficient for thee" quoted (exact verse not stated, commonly 2 Cor 12:9)
  • Matthew 14 / Mark 6 referenced Jesus sending the disciples across the sea and walking to them in the storm (exact verse not stated)
  • Daniel 3 referenced Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace and the "fourth man"
  • Revelation 12:11 paraphrased: they overcame by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and loved not their lives unto death
  • Psalm 34:19 quoted: "many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all"
  • James 1:2 referenced: "count it all joy"
  • Matthew 11:30 quoted: "my yoke is easy, my burden is light"
  • Jeremiah 17:7 quoted directly: "blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose hope is in the Lord"
  • Job 1 referenced God's statement to Satan, "have you considered my servant Job," and Job's wealth and restoration; used to argue possessions shouldn't possess the believer
  • Matthew 6:33 quoted: "seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you"
  • Hebrews 11:1 quoted: "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"
  • 1 Corinthians 13 referenced as "the love chapter," recommended for self-examination of motives
  • Ephesians 2:12 paraphrased: before salvation, "having no hope, and without God in the world"
  • Acts 3 referenced Peter and John at the gate called Beautiful; quoted "silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee" (exact verse not stated, commonly Acts 3:6)
  • 1 Corinthians 2:2 paraphrased: Paul determined "to know nothing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified"
  • John 10:10 quoted: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly"
  • 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 read in full and used to close the message; "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ"
  • Colossians 2:10 quoted directly: "you are complete in him"
  • Acts 26 referenced Paul before King Agrippa: "I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision," and Agrippa's reply, "almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian" (exact verses not stated)