Archive for the ‘By Pastor Timothy’ Category
“Turn To Jesus And Away From The Demonic!”
Filed under: Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Discipleship, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Windsor Mill, Maryland, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, MD., On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Pentecost, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Resurrection, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Acts 2: 29-41, Basic Christian Doctrine, Being In God's Family, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, From Broken To Whole, GCI Baltimore, GCI Windsor Mill, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faith, God's Grace, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, grace First, Having The Peace Of God, How God Reveals Himself, Humanity Revealed, Humanity Revealed In Jesus, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Knowing The Father's Love, Life's meaning and Significance, Love, Maryland, Matthew 3: 11, Matthew 3: 13-17, MD., Ministry, New Life Fellowship Baltimore MD, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, relationship with God, Relationships, Repent With Jesus, Revealing Your Life's Purpose, Sermons, Sharing God More Accurately, Sharing In God's JOy, Sharing In God's Laughter, Sharing In The Divine Nature, Son and Holy Spirit, Spiritual Reality, The Basic Christian Belief, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The God Who Is Love, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, the reason for your existence, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Turn to Jesus, Uncategorized, Understanding God, Understanding Human Beings, Understanding Life's Calling, Union with Christ, Who Is God?, Worship, Worshipping Jesus Adoption
Leave a comment 
Part A:
Part B:
Full Message:
Scripture: Acts 2: 29-41
Summary:
In this bold, Spirit-filled sermon, Pastor Timothy Brassell offers a clarifying and convicting look at repentance through the lens of Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:29–41, delivered on the Day of Pentecost. Far from a guilt-driven concept, repentance is portrayed as a joyful, relational, Spirit-empowered turning; not just from sin, but toward Jesus Christ, who is the revelation of God’s love and grace.
The message begins by grounding listeners in the Trinitarian mission of God. Pastor Tim emphasizes that God is not a generic being in the sky, but Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, eternally relational and now present in Jesus. When Peter preached to a crowd of thousands in Jerusalem, he called them to repent and be baptized, not as a way to earn forgiveness, but because forgiveness had already been secured in Christ.
The sermon makes clear that repentance isn’t merely turning from sin, it is turning to God in Christ. That distinction is vital. Many try to repent by cleaning themselves up or breaking habits, but biblical repentance starts by looking to Jesus. Only in His presence do we receive the power to turn. To try repentance apart from Christ is to fall into legalism or self-help religion.
🧲 A Powerful Illustration:
Using a set of bent wrenches and magnets, Pastor Tim gives a vivid picture of repentance. Like warped tools, we are bent out of shape by sin and brokenness. But Jesus, as the magnet, draws us to Himself, even while we’re still crooked. As we stay near Him, our lives begin to realign. Repentance is less about straining and more about staying close to Jesus, the only one who can truly reshape us.
✝️ Repentance: What Jesus Has Done for Us:
One of the most powerful and radical truths proclaimed in this message is that Jesus repented for us. Though God is not a man that He should repent in His eternal being, God became man in Jesus Christ, and in our human flesh, He repented perfectly for us, fulfilling all righteousness.
This truth shocks even the religious mind, just as John the Baptist was shocked when Jesus came to be baptized in a baptism of repentance (Matthew 3:11, 13–17). Yet Jesus insisted, saying it was necessary “to fulfill all righteousness.” Why? Because He took on our sinful nature (though He Himself never sinned), and in it, turned fully to the Father, on behalf of all humanity.
Repentance, then, is not about “doing better”, it’s about joining the One who already did everything perfectly, and who now calls us to participate in His life through the Spirit.
🚨 The Stakes Are Real: Turn to Jesus or Be Turned by the World:
Pastor Tim asks a piercing and urgent question:
“Are you becoming more and more a heavenly creature by turning to Christ or more and more a hellish and devilish creature by turning away from Him?”
Repentance is not optional. It is essential. We are all being shaped, either by Christ’s love or by the powers of darkness that seek to scatter, isolate, and destroy. Repentance is the process of becoming whole, of being reconciled, and of being drawn into God’s eternal love. The enemy seeks to separate and divide; Christ unites and restores. We’re not fighting flesh and blood; we’re resisting demonic forces of disconnection.
The message challenges believers not to settle for religious activity or surface-level faith. Instead, we’re called to embrace the life of repentance, a life of intimacy with Jesus, openness to the Spirit, and childlike trust in the Father’s unshakable love.
💖 A Revelation of God’s Heart:
Ultimately, this sermon reveals that Jesus Christ is not just the means of repentance, He is the message. He is the very image of God, showing that God is:
- Good
- Humble
- Creative
- Lowly
- Loving
- And passionately committed to humanity
Jesus is the living proof that mankind is the object of God’s affection, not His anger. God’s justice does not cancel His mercy, it is fulfilled in love through Jesus, who was crucified and raised for our salvation.
Key Points and Highlights:
1. 🔄 Repentance Is Relational, Not Just Behavioral
- Turning to Jesus is the beginning of true change. We’re called not just to turn from sin, but to turn toward God.
- Discipleship Question: What area of your life needs less striving and more surrender to Jesus?
2. 💌 God’s Grace Comes Before Your Repentance
- Repentance doesn’t earn forgiveness; it receives what’s already been given in Christ.
- Discipleship Question: Are you resting in God’s grace or trying to clean yourself up before receiving it?
3. 🧲 God Reshapes You, Even When You’re Still Bent
- Like broken tools drawn to a magnet, our lives realign only as we stay near Jesus.
- Discipleship Question: Where are you seeing God slowly but faithfully reshaping you right now?
4. ⚔️ Spiritual Opposition Is Real, But So Is Victory
- Behind much of our resistance to repentance is demonic separation. The battle is spiritual.
- Discipleship Question: Are you recognizing the enemy’s tactics in your life or calling them something else?
5. ✝️ Jesus Repented For You. Now Walk With Him
- Jesus, in His humanity, turned fully to the Father on your behalf. Repentance is now participation in His life.
- Discipleship Question: How can you respond to Jesus’ repentance with trust instead of trying harder?
📌 Final Reflection:
“Jesus didn’t come to condemn you, but to turn you back to the Father.”
In repentance, you’re not running from failure, you’re running into grace.
Impossible Love, Made Possible in Christ
Filed under: Bible, By Karan Barthelmy-Harris, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Discipleship, Easter, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Windsor Mill, Maryland, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, MD., On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Pentecost, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Resurrection, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, Song, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: 1 corinthians 13: 8, Basic Christian Doctrine, Being In God's Family, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, C.S. Lewis, Christ as Mediator, Christ our mediator, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Colossians 3: 12-13, Ephesians 4: 32, Evangelism, Faith, Forgiveness, GCI Baltimore, GCI Windsor Mill, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faith, God's Grace, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, Hate has an end, Having The Peace Of God, healthy boundaries, Healthy connections, How God Reveals Himself, Humanity Revealed, Humanity Revealed In Jesus, identity in Christ, impossible Love, Inclusion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 15:4, Karl Barth, Knowing The Father's Love, Life's meaning and Significance, Love, Love has won, Love has won in Christ, Love thy Neighbor, Maryland, MD., Ministry, New Life Fellowship Baltimore MD, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, relationship with God, Relationships, Revealing Your Life's Purpose, Romans 5: 5, Sermons, Sharing God More Accurately, Sharing In God's JOy, Sharing In God's Laughter, Sharing In The Divine Nature, Son and Holy Spirit, The Basic Christian Belief, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The God Who Is Love, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, the reason for your existence, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, torrance, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Uncategorized, Understanding God, Understanding Human Beings, Understanding Life's Calling, Union with Christ, Who Is God?, Who Is Jesus?, Worship, Worshipping Jesus Adoption
Leave a comment 
Are you struggling to love those who hurt you? Christ makes the impossible possible.
We’ve all heard the sayings: “Love your neighbor as yourself” and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Simple words, easy to quote but far harder to live. Loving those who love us back feels natural. But what about those who wound us, oppose us, or repay kindness with cruelty? On our own, it feels impossible to extend grace in those moments. And that’s the truth: left to ourselves, it is impossible!
If I’m being real, I’ve struggled greatly with showing grace in the face of so much hurt in this world. Forgiveness is hard because I’m realizing I don’t have it to give on my own. My patience runs out. Your patience runs out. Our compassion falters, doesn’t it? But, fortunately for us, in Jesus Christ there is a greater love that never fails. Through His Spirit He supplies what we lack and makes possible what is impossible for us apart from Him!
“God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”— Romans 5:5, CSB
I believe that C.S. Lewis captured this reality so well when he wrote:
“The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”
— C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
This is the hope of the Gospel: kindness and forgiveness are not virtues we manufacture by willpower; they are gifts of grace that Christ forms in us through His love.
T. F. Torrance reminds us of Jesus’ significant place in all of this love and forgiveness business:
“Jesus Christ is both God’s Word to man and man’s answer to God; in Him God’s love for man and man’s love for God meet in perfect at-one-ment.”
— The Mediation of Christ
Jesus is our Mediator. He stands in for us, offering His perfect love to the Father on our behalf, and making that same love available to flow through us toward others. It is only through His mediating life that we can forgive the unforgivable and love the unlovable.
Jesus Himself said it plainly:
“Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.”— John 15:4, CSB
Apart from Him, we cannot bear fruit. But in Him, kindness, forgiveness, and love become possible. Not because of our effort, but because His life is flowing through us.
Christlike kindness also doesn’t mean ignoring evil or allowing ourselves to be endlessly mistreated. Love is not blind tolerance. It is holy, discerning, and often courageous. The Spirit equips us to build “healthy connections while also maintaining healthy boundaries“. Sometimes love looks like patient presence. Sometimes it looks like gentle correction. And sometimes it means stepping back, while continuing to pray for the other person.
As Karl Barth wrote, God’s “No” to sin is always spoken within His greater “Yes” to humanity in Christ. In the same way, our boundaries can actually be an act of love, protecting what is good while still affirming the worth of the person before us.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.”
— Colossians 3:12–13, CSB
The world tells us that outrage is power, that payback is justice, and that hatred has the last word. But the Gospel reveals a deeper truth: “Love never ends” (1 Corinthians 13:8, CSB).
“Hate has an end. Love has already won in Christ”. In His human life, on the cross, and in His Resurrection, Jesus showed that forgiveness is stronger than vengeance, hope is greater than despair, and mercy is mightier than condemnation.
When we walk with our Savior, the impossible task of loving others becomes possible. We are not doing it alone. We are participating in His life, His patience, and His victory. Quite literally, through the Holy Spirit and His Oneness with Jesus, we actually get to share in Jesus’ own life before the Father!
“And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.”— Ephesians 4:32, CSB
This week, ask yourself:
- Who in my life needs to see Christ’s kindness through me?
- What is one way I can show love, even a small gesture, to someone who may not return it?
- Where might I need the Spirit’s discernment to set healthy boundaries while still remaining Christlike?
As we surrender our hurts to Jesus at the foot of the cross, our lives become transformed, and we become living testimonies that in Jesus Christ, love always has the final word.
“Hate has an end. Love has already won in Christ.”
Lord Jesus,
You loved us when we were unlovable, and You forgave us when we had nothing to offer. I confess that on my own I don’t have the patience, the grace, or the strength to love others well, let alone forgive them fully. But You do. Fill me with Your Spirit so that Your kindness and forgiveness flows through me. Teach me when to stay present, when to speak truth, and when to set healthy boundaries in love. Give me wisdom, compassion, and courage. And let every act of grace point back to You, the ONE who has already conquered hate with love. Amen.
“Here Is The Good News For Everyone!”
Filed under: Ascension, Ascension of Jesus, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Discipleship, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Windsor Mill, Maryland, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, MD., On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Pentecost, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Resurrection, Sermons, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Basic Christian Doctrine, Being In God's Family, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, child of God, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Ephesians 1: 3-6, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Baltimore, GCI Windsor Mill, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God Is The Gospel, God the Trinity, God's Faith, God's Grace, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, Grace In Christ, Having The Peace Of God, How God Reveals Himself, Humanity Revealed, Humanity Revealed In Jesus, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Knowing The Father's Love, Life's meaning and Significance, Love, Maryland, MD., Ministry, New Life Fellowship Baltimore MD, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, relationship with God, Relationships, Resurrection Hope, Resurrection hope through God, Revealing Your Life's Purpose, Sermons, Sharing God More Accurately, Sharing In God's JOy, Sharing In God's Laughter, Sharing In The Divine Nature, Son and Holy Spirit, Spirit Led Living, The Basic Christian Belief, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The God Who Is Love, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, the reason for your existence, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Turn to Jesus, Uncategorized, Understanding God, Understanding Human Beings, Understanding Life's Calling, Union with Christ, Who Is God?, Who Is Jesus?, Worship, Worshipping Jesus Adoption
Leave a comment Adoption Into God’s Family
Part A:
Part B:
Full Message:
Scripture: Ephesians 1: 3-6
Summary:
This sermon was a powerful reminder of the simplicity and depth of the gospel message. Pastor Tim began by grounding us again in the basic story of Jesus, not because it is shallow, but because it is the foundation we must always return to.
The gospel is not merely information or religious teaching; the gospel is God Himself, revealed in Jesus Christ. From eternity, God the Father has loved the Son in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and His mission has always been to draw humanity into that loving relationship.
Jesus came to live as one of us, fully God and fully human so that we could hear God’s Word, receive His grace, and be restored into fellowship with Him. The cross is not simply a tragic event; it is the victory of God over sin and death. The resurrection is not merely a happy ending; it is the beginning of new creation where humanity is lifted up and made whole in Christ.
This sermon reminded us that grace is not just “God overlooking mistakes,” but grace is a Person, Jesus Christ Himself, who receives from the Father on our behalf, lives faithfully where we cannot, and shares His victory with us as a gift. This is why salvation is always by grace, not by works. Our identity is not something we achieve but something we receive: we are God’s beloved children, adopted through Christ into His eternal family.
Through repentance and faith, turning toward Christ and trusting Him, we step into this reality. Repentance is not primarily about moral effort but about relationship: reorienting our hearts to Jesus and allowing Him to transform us one step at a time. And in the meantime, the Holy Spirit has been poured into our hearts, filling us with God’s love and empowering us to live in hope until the kingdom comes in full.
Theological Insight :
The sermon reminded us that grace is not simply an idea, a substance, or a moment of pardon. Grace is God Himself revealed in Jesus Christ. This truth is echoed by theologians across time.
Karl Rahner wrote:
“Incarnation and grace appear as technical terms to describe the central message of the Gospel: God has communicated Himself. The event of Jesus Christ is … the center-point of the self-communication of God. … grace is not something other than God … but God Himself.”
“Grace is not a thing. Grace is not stuff that God gives us apart from himself. He doesn’t run out of it. God gives us himself when we don’t deserve it; that is grace.”
— The Gospel Coalition
Together, these voices remind us that the heart of the gospel is relational — God giving Himself to us in love, in Jesus Christ, by the Spirit.
Key Themes and Reflection Questions:
- The Gospel is God Himself ✝️🔥
- Theme: The good news is not just information, but God Himself revealed in Jesus Christ. God came as man so that we could truly know Him, receive Him, and live in relationship with Him.
- Discipleship Question: How does remembering that the gospel is not a concept but a person (Jesus) change the way you approach your faith?
- #GodIsTheGospel
- Grace is a Person: Jesus Christ 🙌💖
- Theme: Grace is not simply God overlooking our sins, it is Jesus Himself, reconciling us to the Father through His life, death, resurrection, and ongoing intercession.
- Discipleship Question: In what ways can you shift your understanding of grace from an abstract gift to a living relationship with Jesus this week?
- #GraceInChrist
- Adopted Into God’s Family 👨👩👧👦✨
- Theme: From before creation, God’s plan was to adopt us as His beloved children through Christ. Our worth and belonging rest in His choice, not our works.
- Discipleship Question: What would it look like for you to live more confidently as God’s adopted son or daughter today?
- #ChildOfGod
- The Cross and Resurrection Bring True Life 🌅✝️
- Theme: Jesus’ perfect obedience and sacrifice destroyed sin and death, while His resurrection restores humanity to life with God.
- Discipleship Question: How can you embrace resurrection hope when you face discouragement or brokenness this week?
- #ResurrectionHope
- Repentance as Relationship 🔄❤️
- Theme: Repentance is not just about behavior change but about turning toward Jesus, entering into deeper trust, and allowing Him to transform us step by step.
- Discipleship Question: What is one practical way you can turn your heart more fully toward Jesus in relationship today?
- #TurnToJesus
- Life in the Spirit 🕊️🔥
- Theme: The Holy Spirit fills our hearts with God’s love, enabling us to live with hope, faith, and love while awaiting the fullness of God’s kingdom.
- Discipleship Question: Where in your daily life do you need to rely more fully on the Spirit’s presence and power?
- #SpiritLedLiving
Reflective Moment:
This sermon was a powerful reminder to us that our faith is not about striving harder but about resting deeper in Christ. The Father has already chosen us, Jesus has already lived and died for us, and the Spirit has already been poured into our hearts. Our only response is to receive, to trust, and to walk in relationship with God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Take a moment this week to pause and simply say: “Thank You, Lord, that I am already loved, already adopted, already included in Your family through Christ.” From that place of assurance, let every action, whether at work, home, or church flow out of gratitude and joy.
“Take It Personal And Be Relational With Father!”Pt3
Filed under: Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Discipleship, Easter, Faith, GCI Windsor Mill, Maryland, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Good News Celebration, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, MD., On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Pentecost, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Acts 2, Acts 2: 29-41, Basic Christian Doctrine, Being In God's Family, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Choose Eternity Well, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Daily Repentance, Evangelism, Faith, Faith Not Performance, GCI Baltimore, GCI Windsor Mill, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faith, God's Grace, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, Having The Peace Of God, How God Reveals Himself, Humanity Revealed, Humanity Revealed In Jesus, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Knowing The Father's Love, Life's meaning and Significance, Love, Maryland, MD., Ministry, New Life Fellowship Baltimore MD, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, Ongoing Salvation, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Relate To The Father, relationship with God, Relationships, Revealing Your Life's Purpose, Sermons, Sharing God More Accurately, Sharing In God's JOy, Sharing In God's Laughter, Sharing In The Divine Nature, Son and Holy Spirit, Spirit Led Life, The Basic Christian Belief, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The God Who Is Love, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, the reason for your existence, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Uncategorized, Understanding God, Understanding Human Beings, Understanding Life's Calling, Union with Christ, Who Is God?, Who Is Jesus?, Worship, Worshipping Jesus Adoption
Leave a comment 
Part 3A:
Part 3B:
Full Message:
Scripture: Acts: 2: 29-41
Summary:
In this powerful and deeply personal message, Pastor Timothy Brassell invites us to reimagine what it truly means to walk with God not just as Lord, but as Father. Drawing from Acts 2:29–41 and the foundational truths of the gospel, he challenges us to stop keeping our faith at arm’s length and instead, take it personally.
Pastor Tim reminds us that the good news of Jesus Christ is not just an idea or a doctrine, it’s a relationship. Jesus didn’t come to earth only to forgive sins or model righteousness. He came to show us the Father, and to bring us into the same relational communion He enjoys with Him. Jesus, even in His divinity, continually looked to the Father for every word, every move, every moment. That’s the model for us. Not religious striving, but relational surrender.
Repentance, Pastor Tim explains, is more than a one-time act for sinners. It’s a continual lifestyle for every believer, a daily turning away from self-reliance and back toward the loving gaze of the Father. Many of us think of repentance as something tied to guilt or shame, but biblically, it is an invitation into freedom. It is how we stay connected and soft-hearted, participating in the life that Christ has already made possible.
The Holy Spirit, then, becomes our vital connection point, the one who empowers us to repent, believe, and live in the reality of our identity in Christ. Even Jesus, the Son of God, received the Holy Spirit to fulfill His mission. How much more do we, in our weakness, need the Spirit’s power to live, love, and serve well?
Another core truth echoed throughout the sermon is that our identity is found in Christ, not in our performance. Jesus didn’t just die for us; He took on our entire human nature, redeeming it from within. This means we don’t relate to God based on how well we behave, but on how deeply we trust in who He says we are: beloved, included, and renewed.
Pastor Tim is also careful to remind us that salvation is not a transaction but a relationship, an ongoing journey of knowing and being known. It is possible to “believe” in theory while remaining distant in practice. The call of this sermon is to close that gap. To not just know about God but to be with God. To participate in His love, His mission, and His joy.
In harmony with this message, theologian Dan Mohler beautifully articulates the same heart of relational intimacy with God:
“We’ve been called into intimacy in relationship with God. We’re not just called to live a life of faith. We’re not just called to serve the Lord — a doctrine. We’re called into intimacy in the fellowship of His Son. The greatest ability you possess in the grace of God is to be with Him, not heal the sick. What surpasses everything you’ll ever do in the Christian life is the ability to be with Him — the ability to be one with Him, to have your face unveiled, to know Him and to be known by Him. It’s the greatest blessing of your life. [It] isn’t to serve the Lord, it’s to know the Lord.”
— Dan Mohler
This quote echoes Pastor Tim’s emphasis that God is not looking for performance, He’s longing for participation. He’s not impressed by how “useful” we are for the kingdom but rather how near we are to His heart.
Toward the end of the message, Pastor Brassell quotes C.S. Lewis to emphasize the seriousness of our spiritual decisions. Lewis writes:
“Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before… you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature.”
This quote reminds us that our choices, even the subtle ones, carry eternal weight. We are always in formation, becoming more like Christ or more detached from Him. The beauty of grace is that we are never too far to return, but return we must.
1. Relating to the Father Personally 🙏👨👧👦
- Theme: Jesus invites us to relate to God not only as Lord but as Father, personally, intimately, and dependently. This mirrors Jesus’ own ongoing relationship with the Father as a human.
- Discipleship Question: How are you cultivating personal intimacy with God as your Father this week?
- #RelateToTheFather
2. Repentance Is a Lifestyle 🔄🧎♀️
- Theme: Repentance isn’t just for new believers. It’s a daily turning from self to Christ, a humble, Spirit-led reorientation to God’s truth and love.
- Discipleship Question: What is one area where God is calling you to return to Him today?
- #DailyRepentance
3. The Power of the Holy Spirit 🕊️⚡
- Theme: Even Jesus received the Holy Spirit to fulfill His mission. We, too, must rely on the Spirit for faith, repentance, and holy living. No true relationship with God is possible without Him.
- Discipleship Question: Are you surrendering daily to the Spirit’s guidance and power?
- #SpiritLedLife
4. Your Identity Is in Christ 👑🧬
- Theme: Jesus took on human nature, not just one person’s story, but all humanity’s. Our truest identity is found in who He is, not in what we do.
- Discipleship Question: What would change if you truly believed your identity was rooted in Christ alone?
- #IdentityInChrist
5. Faith Is Participation, Not Performance 🤝🛐
- Theme: We don’t earn God’s love. Instead, we’re invited to participate in the faith of Jesus. Salvation is not just belief, it’s communion and shared life with Christ.
- Discipleship Question: Are you approaching God as a performer or as a participant in His grace?
- #FaithNotPerformance
6. Salvation as Ongoing Relationship 💞🔁
- Theme: Salvation isn’t a one-time event, it’s a lifelong relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Repentance, worship, and communion are part of an ongoing journey.
- Discipleship Question: Is your salvation more like a memory or a daily relationship with God?
- #OngoingSalvation
7. The Urgency of Eternal Choices ⏳🔥
- Theme: Every decision shapes us into a being of light or darkness, peace or rebellion. As C.S. Lewis said, every choice moves us closer to heaven or hell.
- Discipleship Question: What choices are you making today that are shaping your eternal direction?
- #ChooseEternityWell
🌿 Reflective Moment:
Pause for a moment and consider this:
Are you relating to God today as a person — a Father — or merely as an idea?
Are you performing your faith, or participating in Christ’s love?
Are you coasting in belief, or continually turning your heart toward Him?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any distance in your relationship with the Father, not to condemn, but to draw you closer.
Jesus has already made the way. The invitation is open. Will you take it personally?
🕊️ “You belong to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit not because of what you’ve done, but because of who He is.”
Make space this week to be with Him. Speak. Listen. Rest. Repent.
Let your faith be relational not just informational.
“You Are Never Alone: The Trinity’s Answer to Our Loneliness!”
Filed under: Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Discipleship, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Windsor Mill, Maryland, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, MD., On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: 1 John 3: 1, Basic Christian Doctrine, Being In God's Family, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, Father Son Spirit, GCI Baltimore, GCI Windsor Mill, Genesis 2:18, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faith, God's Grace, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, Having The Peace Of God, How God Reveals Himself, Humanity Revealed, Humanity Revealed In Jesus, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 11: 35, John 14:18, Knowing The Father's Love, Life's meaning and Significance, Love, Maryland, Matthew 27: 46, MD., Ministry, never alone, New Life Fellowship Baltimore MD, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Psalm 68: 6, relationship with God, Relationships, Revealing Your Life's Purpose, Romans 8:15-16, Sermons, Sharing God More Accurately, Sharing In God's JOy, Sharing In God's Laughter, Sharing In The Divine Nature, Son and Holy Spirit, The Basic Christian Belief, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The God Who Is Love, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, the reason for your existence, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Uncategorized, Understanding God, Understanding Human Beings, Understanding Life's Calling, Union with Christ, Who Is God?, Who Is Jesus?, Worship, Worshipping Jesus Adoption, You Are Loved
Leave a comment 
“The human person needs other persons in order to become a person. As a person he is open to fellowship, to friendship and to love, or he is not a person at all. For the person, being is being-in-relationship.”
— Jürgen Moltmann, The Trinity and the Kingdom
Loneliness is one of the quietest epidemics of our time. You can feel it in crowded rooms, in marriages that have grown cold, in friendships that have faded, or in the silence after you set your phone down from another endless scroll. It can creep in as we age, when children move away, when work ends, and the house grows quiet. You can even feel it sitting in church, surrounded by people but aching inside. But the Gospel brings a shocking truth: you are not alone, and you never have been. The God who is Father, Son, and Spirit has already stepped into your loneliness to carry you into His eternal embrace.
What if the ache of loneliness is not proof that something is wrong with you, but a clue that you were made for something greater?
C.S Lewis reminds us of just that: “We are born helpless. As soon as we are fully conscious, we discover loneliness. We need others physically, emotionally, intellectually; we need them if we are to know anything, even ourselves.” (The Four Loves)
Scripture tells us that we were created in the image of God, and the God whose image we bear is not solitary but triune. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have existed forever in a communion of love, and THIS is why we ache for connection. We weren’t designed for isolation but for relationship. Deep down, every hunger for belonging is a reflection of this truth: you were made for communion because God Himself is communion.
Karl Barth puts it this way:
“To be a human being means to be with other human beings. It is not good for man to be alone. There is no such thing as a solitary man; man is man in encounter.” (Church Dogmatics III/2)
Barth echoes the truth of Genesis 2:18 and shows us that our humanity itself is defined by relationship. And here is the good news: that eternal fellowship of God has already come to meet us. The Father has always called YOU His beloved (1 John 3:1 NIV). “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” You are not forgotten or overlooked. The Son entered into our loneliness, wept with us (John 11:35), and carried our rejection all the way to the cross where He cried, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus knows the depths of human loneliness from the inside. And the Spirit comes to dwell within us, filling our emptiness with God’s own presence, testifying that we are God’s children (Romans 8:15–16). The Spirit whispers in the silence: you are not alone.
This means that loneliness does not get the last word. The doctrine of the Trinity is not abstract theory. It is the announcement that LOVE is the ultimate reality. You are seen. You are known. You are embraced.
As Karl Barth explains perfectly:
“The doctrine of the Trinity is what basically distinguishes the Christian doctrine of God as Christian, in contrast to all other possible doctrines of God. It is the Christian answer to the question of who God really is.” (Church Dogmatics I/1)
Why does this matter so deeply? Because it means God is not a solitary ruler on a throne far removed from us. He is relationship in Himself, and in Christ that relationship already includes you. Jesus promised, “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you” (John 14:18). Even when you feel forgotten, you are carried into the very life of God.
And this truth does more than comfort. It calls us outward. One way you can embrace this gift of relationship is by reaching out beyond yourself, encouraging someone else to see how they too can reflect the image of our relational God. The God who places “the lonely in families” (Psalm 68:6 NIV) now invites us to become that family for others. If you have tasted His love, you are called to share it. To notice the quiet ache in others, to open your table, to send the text, to pray the prayer, to build the kind of community that echoes the eternal communion we’ve already been given in Christ.
T.F. Torrance captured this hope beautifully:
“There is no God behind the back of Jesus Christ, no act of God other than the act of Christ, no God but the God we meet and know in Him. God loves you, and will never cease to love you.”(The Christian Doctrine of God)
So when loneliness whispers, “You are forgotten…You are alone,” you can answer with the deeper truth: I am held inside the very life of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And the God who is Love will never leave you lonely.
Prayer:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, remind me today that I am not forgotten. When silence feels heavy, speak Your love. When I feel abandoned, lift my eyes to the cross where Jesus bore my loneliness. When I feel empty, fill me with Your Spirit. And Lord, make me a vessel of Your love, so that I may notice and embrace others who feel unseen. Thank You that You are the God who never leaves me alone. Amen.
“What The Father Wants Most From You/Us!”
Filed under: Ascension, Ascension of Jesus, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Discipleship, Faith, GCI Windsor Mill, Maryland, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, MD., On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Pentecost, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Resurrection, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Acts 2, Acts 2:22-36, Basic Christian Doctrine, Being In God's Family, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Baltimore, GCI Windsor Mill, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faith, God's Grace, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, grace First, Having The Peace Of God, How God Reveals Himself, Humanity Revealed, Humanity Revealed In Jesus, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus In My place, Kingdom First, Knowing The Father's Love, Life's meaning and Significance, Love, Maryland, MD., Ministry, New Life Fellowship Baltimore MD, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Relational faith, relationship with God, Relationships, Revealing Your Life's Purpose, Sermons, Sharing God More Accurately, Sharing In God's JOy, Sharing In God's Laughter, Sharing In The Divine Nature, Son and Holy Spirit, The Basic Christian Belief, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The God Who Is Love, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, the reason for your existence, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Uncategorized, Understanding God, Understanding Human Beings, Understanding Life's Calling, Union with Christ, Who Is God?, Who Is Jesus?, Worship, Worshipping Jesus Adoption
Leave a comment 
Part A:
Part B:
Full Message:
Scripture: Acts 2: 22-36
Summary:
In this continuation of the Acts 2 series “Take It Personal and Be Relational With Father!”, Pastor Timothy Brassell unpacks the vital truth that what God the Father most desires from humanity is His Son, Jesus Christ standing in for us, substituting for us in every part of our human life, and sharing His perfect relationship with the Father in the Spirit. Drawing from Acts 2:22–36, Pastor Tim shows that God’s desire is not for our independent efforts, moral achievements, or political victories, but for us to live in Christ’s union with Him.
The sermon confronts the false hopes we often place in politics, national identity, or even human unity apart from Christ, warning that these can become idols when they replace God’s kingdom purposes. Pastor Tim emphasizes that true peace, justice, and reconciliation flow only from participation in Jesus’ relationship with the Father, not from human effort or ideology.
He highlights the deeply relational nature of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and the call for believers to reject isolation and individualism, choosing instead to live in loving connection with God and others. The message calls listeners to see repentance, baptism, ministry, and obedience not as self-generated acts, but as participation in what Christ has already done perfectly on our behalf.
Ultimately, the sermon urges believers to shift from asking, “What can I give God?” to receiving the reality of what God has already given in Jesus. This is the foundation for Christian living, mission, and worship: abiding in Christ, trusting His work, and letting every good deed flow from His life in us.
Key Themes and Reflection Questions:
1) Union With Christ Above All 🤝✝️
- Theme: God’s greatest desire is for us to share in His Son’s relationship with Him through the Spirit. Everything else flows from that union.
- Discipleship Question: How can you shift your focus this week from “what can I give God” to “how can I receive and live in Christ’s life”?
- #UnionWithChrist
2) Resisting Cultural Idols 🛡️🌍
- Theme: Political power, national identity, and even human unity apart from Christ cannot satisfy God’s desire for us. These can become distractions from His kingdom.
- Discipleship Question: Which cultural values or movements do you need to evaluate in light of Jesus’ reign and relationship with the Father?
- #KingdomFirst
3) Living Relationally, Not in Isolation 🏠🤗
- Theme: God, as Father-Son-Holy Spirit, is relational by nature and calls us out of self-centered isolation into loving participation with Him and others.
- Discipleship Question: Who can you intentionally connect with this week as an expression of sharing in God’s relational life?
- #RelationalFaith
4) Christ as Our True Representative 👑🙌
- Theme: Jesus, fully God and fully human, stands in our place, resisting sin, fulfilling righteousness, and offering His perfect obedience to the Father on our behalf.
- Discipleship Question: How does knowing Jesus stands in for you change your approach to repentance, service, or worship?
- #JesusInMyPlace
5) Receiving Before Giving 🎁💖
- Theme: God doesn’t want anything from us apart from His Son. He first gives us Christ, and we respond by participating in what He has already done.
- Discipleship Question: In what ways can you practice receiving God’s gifts this week before rushing to give something back?
- #GraceFirst
Context:
This message follows a previous sermon answering, “What Does the Father Want Most for You?” and now addresses “What Does the Father Want Most from You?” Using Acts 2:22–36 as the foundation, Pastor Brassell teaches that the answer is always the same: Jesus Christ, standing in for us, representing us, and sharing His relationship with the Father by the Spirit. The sermon confronts common cultural substitutes for God’s kingdom, affirms the relational nature of Christian life, and calls believers into deeper dependence on Christ as the only way to give God what He truly desires.
Reflective Moment:
The gospel begins with a gift, not a demand. God’s greatest desire is not your best effort but for you to share in the perfect love and obedience of His Son.
“Union with Christ is really the central truth of the whole doctrine of salvation not only in its application but also in its once-for-all accomplishment in the finished work of Christ.”
— John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied
Pastor Timothy Brassell: “What the Father most wants from you and from us is His Son, Jesus Christ, standing in for you and substituting for you in every part of your human life.”
This is what Acts 2 reminds us: God’s greatest desire isn’t your performance, but for you to live in the life His Son has already secured for you. When you rest in Christ’s finished work, you are already giving the Father what He most wants from you.
This week, slow down, receive the reality of Christ’s life in you, and let that be the wellspring from which all your actions and relationships flow.
“Remembering What Is Often Forgotten about Pentecost! (Relationship!)”
Filed under: Ascension, Ascension of Jesus, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Discipleship, Easter, Faith, GCI Windsor Mill, Maryland, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Lent, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, MD., On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Pentecost, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Resurrection, Sermons, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Acts, Acts 2: 17-21, Athanasian creed, Basic Christian Doctrine, Being In God's Family, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Baltimore, GCI Windsor Mill, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God With Us, God's Faith, God's Grace, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, Having The Peace Of God, Holy Spirit In Person, How God Reveals Himself, Humanity Revealed, Humanity Revealed In Jesus, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, John 3, Knowing The Father's Love, Life's meaning and Significance, Love, Maryland, MD., Mind Renewed, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Baltimore MD, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Pentecost Is Personal, relational trust, relationship, relationship with God, Relationships, Revealing Your Life's Purpose, reverence, Sermons, Sharing God More Accurately, Sharing In God's JOy, Sharing In God's Laughter, Sharing In The Divine Nature, Son and Holy Spirit, Spirit Moves Uniquely, The Basic Christian Belief, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The God Who Is Love, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, the reason for your existence, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Uncategorized, Understanding God, Understanding Human Beings, Understanding Life's Calling, Union with Christ, Who Is God?, Who Is Jesus?, Worship, Worship Not Transaction, Worshipping Jesus Adoption
Leave a comment 
Part A:
Part B:
Full Message:
Scripture: Acts 2: 17-21
“The Holy Spirit is not a power you activate; He is a person you relate to.” – Pastor Timothy Brassell “God has made us this way, in his own image, because he himself is a personal, relational being.”– Gordon D. Fee, Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God
“The Holy Spirit is not merely an influence or a power or an illumination but is a Person just as real as God the Father or Jesus Christ His Son… To have as one’s ever‑present Friend, and to be conscious that one has as his ever‑present Friend, the Holy Spirit … this is true Christian living.”– R.A. Torrey, The Person & Work of the Holy Spirit
Summary:
In this sermon, Pastor Timothy Brassell challenges modern misunderstandings of Pentecost by reframing it as a deeply relational encounter, not merely a spiritual experience or ritual. He explains that the Holy Spirit is not a force to be “activated,” but a divine person—the third person of the Triune God who is meant to be known, honored, and related to in reverent intimacy.
Through biblical exposition, early church creeds (such as the Athanasian Creed), and real-life analogies, Pastor Tim explores the often-overlooked relational nature of the Spirit. Drawing especially from Acts 2 and John 3, he re-centers Pentecost around God’s desire for personal connection rather than performance or emotional hype.
This message clarifies the Spirit’s role and presence in the believer’s life, calling us not to treat the Spirit as a tool for spiritual success, but to embrace Him as God with us. It invites believers into deeper understanding, relational trust, renewed thinking, and Spirit-led participation in God’s ongoing redemptive work.
🔑 Key Points and Highlights:
The Holy Spirit Is a Person, Not a Power
• The Spirit is not an impersonal force to be triggered; He is God, to be reverently related with.
• Theme: Recognizing the Holy Spirit as a divine person
• Discipleship Question: In what ways am I tempted to “use” the Holy Spirit instead of honoring Him?
#HolySpiritIsPerson
🌟 Pentecost Is Relational, Not Ritualistic
• Pentecost celebrates the Spirit’s personal presence among God’s people, not just an event or tradition.
• Theme: The personal nature of Pentecost
• Discipleship Question: How do I relate to the Holy Spirit: as a person or as a tradition?
#PentecostIsPersonal
🎁 True Worship Is Centered on God, Not Results
• The Holy Spirit cannot be manipulated or bought; true worship honors His personhood.
• Theme: Authentic worship is grounded in reverence
• Discipleship Question: Am I approaching God to worship or to “get something”?
#WorshipNotTransaction
🕊️ The Spirit Works Uniquely in Each Life
• The Spirit works uniquely in each person’s life; not everyone experiences Him the same way.
• Theme: God works uniquely in every believer
• Discipleship Question: Am I open to how the Spirit might work differently in others than in me?
#SpiritMovesUniquely
🧠 Transformation Through Renewed Minds
• Pentecost means more than emotional experience. It calls for a renewed mind and perspective.
• Theme: Spiritual renewal begins with our thinking
• Discipleship Question: How is my mind being shaped by the Spirit today?
#MindRenewed
Reflective Moment:
Are you relating to the Holy Spirit as a person or treating Him like a distant power source? Consider your posture in worship and prayer. Do you come to church seeking God for who He is, or for what He can do for you? Pastor Tim’s message reminds us that the Spirit’s work is intimate, relational, and often surprising. Reflect on how you can engage more personally with the Triune God—Father, Son, and Spirit—not just through religious activity, but through relational trust and reverence.
“Sent to Share – Living the Resurrection Now!”
Filed under: Ascension of Jesus, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Discipleship, Easter, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Windsor Mill, Maryland, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, MD., On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Resurrection, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, Song, Spiritual Warfare, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Basic Christian Doctrine, Being In God's Family, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Faith, Christian Hope, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Daily Devotional, encouragement, Evangelism, EvilIs Defeated, Faith, Faith In Action, GCI Baltimore, GCI Windsor Mill, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faith, God's Grace, God's love, Gods Calendar, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, Having The Peace Of God, Holy Spirit Power, How God Reveals Himself, Humanity Revealed, Humanity Revealed In Jesus, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Is Risen, Kingdom Calling, Knowing The Father's Love, Life's meaning and Significance, Live Sent, Love, Maryland, MD., Ministry, New Life Fellowship Baltimore MD, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Peace And Purpose, relationship with God, Relationships, Resurrection Life, Revealing Your Life's Purpose, Sermons, Share Your Faith, Sharing God More Accurately, Sharing In God's JOy, Sharing In God's Laughter, Sharing In The Divine Nature, Son and Holy Spirit, The Basic Christian Belief, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The God Who Is Love, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, the reason for your existence, Time Redeemed, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Uncategorized, Understanding God, Understanding Human Beings, Understanding Life's Calling, Union with Christ, Who Is God?, Who Is Jesus?, Worship, Worshipping Jesus Adoption
Leave a comment Devotional By Pastor Timothy Brassell
Scripture: “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.”
— John 20:21 (CSB)
Today’s Reflection:
In the quiet after the resurrection, Jesus didn’t come with fire from heaven, but with something even more powerful: peace and purpose.
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
These are not just words for the disciples; they are words for us. The resurrection isn’t only a celebration of the past or a promise of the future. It’s a living reality that changes how we walk through each moment of each ordinary day. We’re not just receivers of grace; we’re sharers of it. As we live sent lives, we don’t go alone; we go for and with each other
“The Christian needs another Christian who speaks God’s Word to him… again and again when he becomes uncertain and discouraged.”
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Sharing grace isn’t always dramatic, it’s often quiet, relational, and consistent. God sends us to speak encouragement, truth, and hope into one another’s lives, especially when faith feels uncertain.
Mary Magdalene was told not to cling to the risen Jesus, but to go and tell. That same divine pattern lives in you. Even your “boring days” are holy ground when you live under Christ’s reign.
“Your day has purpose. Jesus is walking with you on your boring days.”
And the great comfort is this: “The urgency is on, but the pressure is off.”
God-Father-Son-Holy Spirit, sends you, but it’s not on your shoulders. It’s His Spirit working through you that does the heavy lifting.
God and Evil Are Not Equals:
One of the most profound truths is this: Evil is not eternal, and evil is not God’s equal.
“Evil doesn’t sit beside God as an equal force; it’s a distortion; a twist in creation that God is straightening out in Jesus.”
There is no cosmic tug-of-war. There is only one Sovereign God, and in Christ, evil has been decisively defeated. It’s not a matter of if, but when it will be gone forever. Evil may have twisted creation, but in Jesus, God-Father-Son Holy Spirit, is redeeming what He made, not replacing it. Our bodies, our relationships, our time, all of it is being redeemed and we’re called to participate in that straightening work, not by power, but by presence, prayer, and proclamation.
“The resurrection is not the reversal of a process but its completion. It is not the denial of the cross, but its vindication.”
— Lesslie Newbigin, Truth to Tell, p. 45
Living on God’s Calendar:
When you live under God’s calendar, nothing is wasted. That means when you’re doing dishes, struggling through studies, or enduring pain Jesus is there. The time you once saw as pointless is now sacred. You’re not waiting for heaven to begin resurrection life. You’re already living in it.
You are a dual citizen, walking in this world while belonging to the next. That’s why your habits, priorities, and even relationships begin to shift. You’re not just reacting to life anymore; you’re living sent with purpose.
“You can live slower and stronger now under the calendar of Jesus Christ.”
Just as the Father sent Jesus into a broken world to redeem it, He now sends you into your family, your neighborhood, your job, your daily routines to participate in that same redemptive work. We live between resurrection and return. In this in-between time, we are not passive. We are active participants in God’s Kingdom mission.
“Our sole future is that He will come, just as our sole present is that He has come.”
— Karl Barth, Dogmatics in Outline
This quote reminds us that we don’t just look forward; we live fully in the now. The resurrection isn’t an interruption to history; it’s the anchor of it. Christ has come. Christ is coming. And in the middle, we live sent.
Reflective Moment:
Take a breath. Sit with these questions:
- What has Jesus taught me lately?
- Am I clinging to safety… or stepping out in faith?
- Who around me needs to know that evil doesn’t win?
Let the Spirit place someone or something on your heart. Then move toward them with love, light, and truth. Today, take what you’ve learned, big or small and share it. Write it. Speak it. Text it. Live it. You don’t need to be perfect; just present. You’re not sent because you’re strong; you’re sent because Jesus is risen, and He lives in you.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the resurrection and the life. You’ve not only called me to Yourself ; You’ve sent me into the world You are redeeming. I confess the times I’ve retreated into fear or comfort when You were calling me to share. Help me live in the truth that evil is already defeated, and that time is not my enemy; it’s Your tool. Let my moments be filled with eternity. Fill me with peace. Move me in power. Let me live and love as someone sent. In Your victorious name I pray, Amen.
Commissioning:
Now go; loved, empowered, and sent by the risen Christ. Live sent.
“Hear What Jesus Says To You, His Church!” Pt3
Filed under: Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Windsor Mill, Maryland, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, MD., On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Basic Christian Doctrine, Being In God's Family, beloved and chosen, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christ is our unity, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Church is home, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Baltimore, GCI Windsor Mill, glorious mess, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God like you too, God the Trinity, God uses broken vessels, God's Faith, God's Grace, God's love, good news, Gospel, Gospel in action, Grace at the table, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, grace filled correction, Having The Peace Of God, How God Reveals Himself, Humanity Revealed, Humanity Revealed In Jesus, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus the good judge, Knowing The Father's Love, Life's meaning and Significance, Love, Love that leads, Maryland, MD., Ministry, New Life Fellowship Baltimore MD, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, one church one body, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Receive Jesus, refined in action, relationship with God, Relationships, Revealing Your Life's Purpose, Revelation 2-3, Sermons, Sharing God More Accurately, Sharing In God's JOy, Sharing In God's Laughter, Sharing In The Divine Nature, Son and Holy Spirit, strength through struggle, The Basic Christian Belief, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The God Who Is Love, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, the reason for your existence, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Uncategorized, Understanding God, Understanding Human Beings, Understanding Life's Calling, Union with Christ, Who Is God?, Who Is Jesus?, Worship, Worshipping Jesus Adoption
Leave a comment 
Part 3A:
Part 3B:
Full Message:
Scripture: Revelation 2 – 3
Summary:
In this sermon, Pastor Timothy Brassell continues his series on Revelation 2–3, highlighting Jesus Christ as both gracious Judge and faithful Redeemer of His Church. With theological depth and pastoral clarity, Pastor Tim paints a vivid picture of the Church not as a place of perfection, but as a “glorious mess” where God’s love, truth, and judgment meet human frailty. He emphasizes that divine judgment is an act of grace meant to purify and guide, not condemn. Listeners are called to repentance, wholehearted participation in Christ’s mission, and enduring faithfulness through tribulation. The message challenges cultural distortions of Christianity and calls the Church to live out unity, holiness, and hope in the midst of a broken world.
🔥 1. Christ the Loving and Gracious Judge
Theme: Jesus’s role as Judge is not to destroy but to restore. His judgment reveals truth, heals brokenness, and calls us into transformation through love.
“If this Father, Son, Holy Spirit God is not your judge, how shall you be guided?”
Discipleship Question: Do I welcome Christ’s judgment as a pathway to growth or avoid it out of fear?
#JesusTheGoodJudge #GraceFilledCorrection #LoveThatLeads
⛪ 2. The Church is a Glorious Mess
Theme: The Church is both holy and broken, yet it is through our mess that God reveals His glory and shapes us into Christ’s likeness.
“The problem is not that you are a mess but that you’re not always being a glorious mess.”
Discipleship Question: How does embracing my mess draw me deeper into grace and community?
#GloriousMess #ChurchWithoutFilters #GodUsesBrokenVessels
📖 3. Revelation as Comfort, Not Condemnation
Theme: Revelation 2–3 offers grace-filled correction and hope. Jesus begins every message with who He is, reminding us that grace always comes before instruction.
“These letters are not threats, they’re invitations to relationship.”
Discipleship Question: Am I reading Revelation with fear or as a loving call to align with Christ?
#RevelationOfHope #LettersFromJesus #ScriptureThatRestores
🌍 4. Unity in Christ, Not Division by Preference
Theme: The Church is one body across cultures, styles, and denominations. Our unity is found in Christ, not personal preferences.
“We are divided over preferences, not the Lordship of Christ and that’s a problem.”
Discipleship Question: What biases or preferences keep me from unity with the wider Church?
#OneChurchOneBody #ChristIsOurUnity #BeyondDenominations
🔥 5. Be Fire Lighters, Not Firefighters
Theme: The Church is not called to merely respond to social crises but to light gospel fires that transform hearts and communities.
“We’re not here just to put out fires but to start holy ones.”
Discipleship Question: Am I advancing the gospel actively or only reacting to the world’s chaos?
#LightTheFire #GospelInAction #KingdomCatalyst
🔓 6. Grace That Frees Us to Obey
Theme: Grace doesn’t eliminate obedience it fuels it. True freedom in Christ leads to joyful submission, not lawless living.
“Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:18)
Discipleship Question: How is God’s grace empowering me to walk in holiness today?
#GraceEmpowersObedience #FreedomInChrist #HolyLivingMadePossible
⛈️ 7. Tribulation is the Church’s Refining Fire
Theme: Trials do not defeat the Church, they refine her. Suffering, when endured with Christ, brings purification and power.
“The truer the Church is to the cross, the more she will suffer.”
Discipleship Question: Am I resisting tribulation or being shaped by it into Christ’s image?
#RefinedInFire #SufferingWithPurpose #StrengthThroughStruggle
🍞 8. Communion is Participation, Not Performance
Theme: The Lord’s Supper is not a reward for the righteous, but a reminder to receive Christ’s life freely and faithfully.
“You are righteous… even while you are still a mess.”
Discipleship Question: Am I coming to the table to perform or to receive the grace I need?
#ReceiveJesus #GraceAtTheTable #CommunionNotChecklist
🏠 9. The Church is God’s Family, Not a Social Club
Theme: Church is where God forms His children through shared life, discipline, worship, and love. It’s not optional, it’s home.
“If you don’t have the Church as your mother, you don’t have God as your Father.”
Discipleship Question: Am I truly planted and growing in the spiritual home God has given me?
#ChurchIsHome #SpiritualFamily #NurturedInChristTogether
💖 10. God Not Only Loves You—He Likes You
Theme: God’s affection is personal, joyful, and real. He doesn’t just put up with us, He takes delight in us.
“God not only loves you more than He loves Himself, He actually likes you.”
Discipleship Question: Do I believe God delights in me right now, even in my weakness?
#GodLikesYouToo #DelightedInChrist #BelovedAndChosen
Context:
This message builds upon previous sermons in a series on Revelation, focusing particularly on chapters 2 and 3. It challenges the Church to hear what the Spirit is saying, not merely in doctrinal understanding but in transformative discipleship and mission. Through illustrations and rich biblical exposition, Pastor Tim situates the modern Church in the ongoing narrative of God’s redemptive work in history. His message centers on the invitation to endure, repent, and live boldly in union with Christ, even amid weakness and tribulation.
🌿 Reflective Moment: A Glorious Invitation
Take a moment to ask:
Am I allowing Jesus, the One who was judged in my place, to lovingly judge and restore me? Or am I hiding from the very grace that wants to heal me? What part of my life is Jesus standing in the midst of, not demanding perfection, but inviting participation in His life? Can I hear the voice of the One who disciplines not to shame, but to redeem? Come as you are, a glorious mess. Let the One who loves you more than Himself make you whole again.
“Hear What Jesus Says To You, His Church!” Pt2
Filed under: Ascension, Ascension of Jesus, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Discipleship, Easter, Evangelism, Faith, GCI Windsor Mill, Maryland, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, MD., On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, Song, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Basic Christian Doctrine, Being In God's Family, Bible, By Pastor Timothy, By Tim Brassell, By Timothy Brassell, Christ is Lord, Christian Faith, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Church on Mission, Cross Power, Discipline is Grace, Evangelism, Faith, Faith under fire, first love, GCI Baltimore, GCI Windsor Mill, God, God corrects in Love, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's Faith, God's Grace, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, Having The Peace Of God, Hear and Obey, House of God, How God Reveals Himself, Humanity Revealed, Humanity Revealed In Jesus, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Jesus Is Coming, Jesus judges, Kingdom purpose, Knowing The Father's Love, Life's meaning and Significance, Live ready, Love, Maryland, MD., Ministry, New Life Fellowship Baltimore MD, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life Fellowship Of Windsor Mill, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, refined in Christ, relationship with God, Relationships, Revealing Your Life's Purpose, Revelation 1-3, self examination, Sermons, Sharing God More Accurately, Sharing In God's JOy, Sharing In God's Laughter, Sharing In The Divine Nature, Son and Holy Spirit, Spirit Led Life, spiritual renewal, The Basic Christian Belief, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, The Father Loves and Like You Fest, The God Who Is Love, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, the reason for your existence, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Uncategorized, Understanding God, Understanding Human Beings, Understanding Life's Calling, Union with Christ, Victory In jesus, Who Is God?, Who Is Jesus?, Worship, Worshipping Jesus Adoption
Leave a comment 
Part 2A:
Part 2B:
Full Message:
Scripture: Revelation 1-3
Summary:
In Part 2 of his sermon series, Pastor Timothy Brassell continues his heartfelt exhortation for the Church to actively listen, obey, and respond to the living voice of Jesus Christ. Preaching from Revelation chapters 1–3, Pastor Tim proclaims that Jesus is not only Savior, but Judge, Lord, and Living Head of His Church. Through the lens of each of the seven churches addressed in Revelation, he emphasizes Jesus’ loving discipline, the necessity of repentance, and the call to faithful endurance amid tribulation. Using both Scripture and the insights of theologian T.F. Torrance, he reveals that the Church is God’s chosen instrument in history — called to suffer, witness, and reign with Christ, embodying His redeeming presence on earth.
“The Church is the instrument and medium on earth through which God Almighty is at work. It is around this Church that the love of God and the whole history now revolves.”
— T.F. Torrance“The Church is not meant to call men and women out of the world into a safe religious enclave but to call them out in order to send them back as agents of God’s kingship.”
— Lesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, 1989, p. 232
Key Points and Highlights:
👑 Jesus is Lord, Judge, and Present Among His Church
• Jesus walks among His Church, not as a distant God, but as a present Lord and Judge.
Reflective Question: Do I recognize Jesus as my judge and leader, not just my comforter?
#ChristIsLord #JesusJudges
🕯️ The Church Must Listen, Obey, and Repent
• Hearing Jesus means obeying Him. Obedience is the mark of true listening in Scripture.
Reflective Question: In what areas am I hearing God’s word but resisting His call to action?
#HearAndObey #SpiritLedLife
🔥 Judgment Begins With the Church
• God’s judgment begins in His own house, before the Church judges the world, it must examine itself.
Reflective Question: Am I more concerned with judging the world than being purified by Christ myself?
#SelfExamination #HouseOfGod
🛑 Jesus’ Rebuke Is Love in Action
• Christ’s rebuke and discipline are signs of His deep love, not rejection.
Reflective Question: Am I receiving correction as a gift of grace or resisting it in pride?
#GodCorrectsInLove #DisciplineIsGrace
🌍 The Church Is God’s Instrument in History
• The Church is where God exerts His redeeming power, not politics or culture.
Reflective Question: Do I see the Church as central to what God is doing in the world?
#ChurchOnMission #KingdomPurpose
🌊 Tribulation Is Normal for the Faithful
• Suffering and opposition confirm our union with Christ and purify our witness.
Reflective Question: Am I shrinking back from difficulty or stepping into Christ’s refining fire?
#FaithUnderFire #RefinedInChrist
💡 Return to Your First Love
• Like the church in Ephesus, we must not let ministry or routine replace love for Christ.
Reflective Question: What does loving Jesus first look like in my everyday life right now?
#FirstLove #SpiritualRenewal
🕊️ Repentance Is Ongoing and Necessary
• Each church is called to specific repentance — and so are we.
Reflective Question: What is Jesus specifically calling me (or our church) to repent of today?
#DailyRepentance #ChurchRenewal
✝️ Victory Comes Through the Cross
• The Church overcomes not by strength, but by the blood of the Lamb and faithful testimony.
Reflective Question: How can I more boldly live and speak as a witness to Christ today?
#VictoryInJesus #CrossPower
🔭 Urgency, Endurance, and Expectation
• The Church must live with urgent expectation, holding fast until Christ returns.
Reflective Question: Am I living as if Jesus could return today, or have I grown complacent?
#LiveReady #JesusIsComing
Context & Reflective Moment:
This message challenges the Church to embrace the full identity Christ offers: a beloved but disciplined people, a kingdom of priests, a body called to suffer with Jesus in order to reign with Him. Drawing from the piercing truths of Revelation 1–3 and the historic insights of T.F. Torrance, Pastor Tim reminds us that the Church is not peripheral, it is central to God’s redemptive plan in the world. His warning is clear: judgment starts with us, and Christ walks among His people today. His invitation is just as clear: listen, obey, repent, and reign.
🕯️ Jesus is knocking. Will we answer?
📖 Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock…”