Month: June 2025

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:50 — 17.7MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Galatians 5:13-15, Ephesians 2:8-10, Philippians 2:5-8, Matthew 20:25-28, John 13:1-17

One Anothering
Serve One Another
Galatians 5:13-15, Ephesians 2:8-10, Philippians 2:5-8, Matthew 20:25-28, John 13:1-17

We want to love one another as God has commanded us to love one another just as He loves us.

But what does Paul mean by freedom? In what ways are we free? Sometimes it helps to look at what something doesn’t mean, in order to understand what it does mean.

We are not free to do something foolish just because it is legal; just because something is permitted under the law doesn’t make it good or right.

Our freedom in Christ is not a freedom to indulge the flesh, but a freedom to serve one another in love.

And there is no better way to love each other than by serving each other.

Jesus is our perfect example of service, and we are called to serve each other in love, and we will be blessed if we do so.

Serving others with love, because of Jesus, leads to true fulfillment and true greatness.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:52 — 18.4MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Hebrews 3:12-14, Hebrews 10:25, Ephesians 4:29

One Anothering
Encourage One Another
Hebrews 3:12-14, Hebrews 10:25, Ephesians 4:29

“Basement people” are the discouragers in our lives.
“Balcony people” are the great encouragers of our lives and we all need them!

Therefore, the Hebrew writer commanded them to continue to meet together for encouragement and to encourage each other daily.

How encouraging it must have been to those in need to have someone like Barnabas make a sacrifice on their behalf.

So, here’s Barnabas, a man who never wrote a book that made it into the Bible, but he encouraged two men who wrote over half of the New Testament.

Another very important way that our presence makes a difference is here at worship services and at the other gatherings of the church.

Words of encouragement can be given in many ways. We can do it privately or publicly. It can be done in person or by letter, email, text, or phone call.

Let’s be balcony people not basement people! May God help us learn to encourage one another.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:53 — 18.5MB)

Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Scripture Text: Colossians 3:15-17, Romans 15:14, Galatians 2:11-13, Proverbs 12:1

One Anothering
Admonish One Another
Colossians 3:15-17, Romans 15:14, Galatians 2:11-13, Proverbs 12:1

But nevertheless, in the face of our dislike of confrontation and its abuse by some, God says that it is necessary and can be very helpful.

Biblical admonition involves moral correction through verbal confrontation that is motivated by genuine love.

If admonition is done in the right spirit, with the right motive, using an appropriate method, then the person receiving the admonition will be better for it.

Truthfully, if we are not characterized by goodness and growing in the knowledge of God’s Word, then we should be receiving not giving admonishment.

The words we use are only a small part of what gets communicated.

God’s Word has power to penetrate and convict and change a person like nothing else.

Even in the best scenario, admonition is a little embarrassing and painful.

It is so important for us to learn how to receive admonition with humility. And it is so important for us to learn how to admonish others.