Pastor Mike Impact Ministries

“Andbeing found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself.”   Thatphrase is astonishing. Jesus humbled Himself voluntarily. Nobody forced Him. Nobody trapped Him. Nobody took His life from Him against His will. RememberJesus said in John 10:18: “No man takes my life from me. I lay it down ofmyself.” You see, humility was not weakness in Jesus. It was deliberatesurrender.   Whenpeople looked at Je...

Today we are looking at Philippians 2:5-11, where we aretalking about the mind of Christ: This passage begins with: “Let this mindbe in you.” Today we come to one of the greatest miracles in humanhistory—when God became a man. We find this in verse 7: “But He made Himselfof no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in thelikeness of men .” This is the miracle of the incarnation. T...

Todaywe are delving into one of the greatest mysteries of the Bible here inPhilippians 2:7, where the Apostle Paul wrote, “But made Himself of noreputation, taking the form of a bondservant.” Today we are going to talkabout how “He emptied Himself”. What an amazing truth we find here—thatJesus Christ, the God of heaven, emptied Himself and came among us. Philippians2 takes us into the humility of...

Let this mind be in youwhich was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not considerit robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking theform of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.   Todaywe’re looking at Philippians 2:6, where Paul wrote, “Who, being in the formof God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God.” Yesterday inverse 5,...

Let this mind be in youwhich was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not considerit robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking theform of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.   Welcometo Pastor's Chat today. Today we're back to Philippians 2:5-11. Some Biblescholars believe this is the greatest passage in all the Bible. Many pe...

Welcometo Pastor's Chat. Today we’re in Psalm 15, and we’re looking at verse 5. We’vebeen talking about how to practice what the Apostle Paul encouraged the churchat Philippi to do in Philippians 2:3–4: to esteem others better than themselvesand to carry about their lives in lowliness of mind and humility. When we dothat, there are practical things we need to do. To me, Psalm 15 describes some...

Welcometo Pastor's Chat. Today we’re studying Psalm 15, talking about a person wholives a life of integrity. His character, his walk with God, and his fellowshipwith the Lord are so real that he does things that cause him to be a stable,secure kind of person who literally displays the glory of God in his life everyday.   Nowwe come down to verse 4. Here in verse 4b, we find a very remarkable s...

Welcometo Pastor’s Chat. Today we’re looking at an amazing chapter in the Bible, Psalm15. When I read this years ago and saw that very last verse that said, “Hethat does these things shall never be moved,” I thought, “I better find outwhat these things are.” So Psalm 15:1 asks the question, “who is the person,the individual, who has fellowship with the Lord and who lives in the presenceof the Lord...

Today we’ve been looking at Philippians chapter 2, where theApostle Paul is encouraging the church at Philippi to live in unity, to haveunity of spirit as they fellowship with one another. The only way they can dothat is, as he says in verse 4, to “let each of you look out not only forhis own interests, but also for the interests of others.” In the previousverse, he talked about having “lowliness...

I believe this is a very good time to remindeveryone to pray for our military chaplains.   First,pray for Dr. Steve Keith, who heads up the team of chaplains from the Liberty Baptist Fellowship. Then specifically, you can remember two chaplains we are very close to. One ismy son, Nathan Grooms, who is a U.S. Navy Chaplain and is presently deployed. Also, someone I call my adopted son, Shawn Taylor...

Todaywe are focusing on verse 2 of Psalm 15, where David is answering the questionhe asked in verse 1: “LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwellin Your holy hill?” In other words, who is able to experience and enjoycontinuous intimate communion and fellowship with the LORD God Almighty? Thenhe answers the question in verse 2: “He who walks uprightly, and worksrighteousness, and speaks...

Thereis nothing more important than practicing the presence of the Lord and desiringto be in His presence on the holy hill. That is Mount Zion. That is where thetemple was. That is where God made known the glory of His presence among Hispeople. You dwelt in His presence there. Today, we can dwell in His presenceevery day.   Asa matter of fact, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. So wh...

Ihave been so blessed with wonderful mothers in my life. My mother was, I wouldalmost say, the perfect mother. She loved us, cared for us, prayed for us, andset a wonderful example before us. We miss her so much. I’m sure there are manyothers out there whose mothers have gone to be with the Lord. We say, “Godbless you,” and we trust that God’s grace and comfort will surround you todayas you reflec...

Today, let us continue here in Philippians chapter 2, verses 3 and 4. In the firsttwo verses Paul has been talking first about the right motives for spiritualunity and a submissive mind (vs. 1-2a). Then he talked about the right marks ofspiritual unity and a submissive mind (v. 2b). Now we are talking about theright means—the right means of spiritual unity (vs. 3-4).   First,in verse 3a, Paul spea...

I cannot believe that I am sitting here in my office doing this Pastor’s Chat after the back surgery yesterday that we had. It was a day of miracles. We live in an amazing day. I am so grateful and thankful, and I believe all that happened because of prayer—pure prayer. We do not take anything for granted. We could have the best health system and the best of everything, but unless God helps us, ta...

Todaywe are looking at Philippians 2, and we are going on to verses 3 and 4. But letus remember, in verses 1 and 2, as we talked about the spiritual motives andthe marks for spiritual unity, that these things will give us a heart ofsubmission. The submissive mind is a secret to Christian joy in our lives. Ofcourse, chapter 1, the single mind, lays the foundation for that. If our singlemind is focu...

Nowwe are going to continue in Philippians 2, and today we are talking about theright marks of spiritual unity. Yesterday we talked about the right motive forspiritual unity in the first verse which lead to these marks. “Therefore ifthere is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowshipof the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by beinglike-minded .” Then he g...

Today we are looking at Philippians 2:1-2a and we are talkingabout the right motive for spiritual unity. Let us read these verses . “Thereforeif there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if anyfellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by beinglike-minded…”   TheApostle Paul here gives us four “if” statements. In theoriginal language, they carry the idea...

Let nothing be done through selfish ambitionor conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better thanthemselves. Let each one of you look not only for his own interests, but alsofor the interests of others.”   Now,if you have been with us through chapter 1, you know that the Apostle Paul iswriting from a Roman prison. Yet his letter is saturated with joy. The wholebook teaches that i...

Myfriend, I will never forget something I read in Nik Ripken’s book, “TheInsanity of God”. When he asked believers in China, who were being persecuted,how they endured such intense agony, pain, and suffering, they looked at him insurprise and said, “Haven’t you read the Bible? Haven’t you read the NewTestament?” It was the norm for believers in the first and second centuries tosuffer persecution—e...

Today we are continuing to look at Philippians 1, and we aregoing on to verse 29, where we come to a very challenging truth. It says this: “Forto you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, butalso to suffer for His sake .” Today we are going to be talking about the gift of suffering.   NowPaul says two things are granted by grace. Number one, faith to believe in Him. A...

Today we are going to be talking about courage in the face ofopposition as we move to the next verse in Philippians 1:28. After the ApostlePaul told them in verse 27 to stand fast in one spirit and with one mind,striving together for the faith of the gospel, he goes on to say in verse 28, “Andnot in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof ofperdition, but to you of salvatio...

“Only let your conductbe worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or amabsent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with onemind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”   Welcometo Pastor’s Chat. Today we are continuing to look at verse 27 of Philippians 1.In the first part of the verse, the Apostle Paul talked about our conduct, ourconve...

Todaywe are moving on to the last verses of chapter 1 of Philippians, verses 27–30: “Onlylet your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ...   Remember,Paul is writing from prison. He is writing to this church at Philippi, tellingthem they can have joy in their lives despite the circumstances they might befacing in a Roman Empire that was full of debauchery, wickedness, violence, andevil. It sou...

Todaywe conclude our thoughts in Philippians 1:22–26. We are looking particularly atverses 25 and 26, where the Apostle Paul writes, “And being confident ofthis, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progressand joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in JesusChrist by my coming to you again.”   TheApostle Paul, remember, is in prison in Rome. He is wr...