Pillar Church Podcast

Most of us live with the quiet confidence of “I’ve got this.”We plan, we build, we hustle—and we assume God will bless whatever we put our hands to.But what if the real issue isn’t what you’re building…What if it’s who you’re building with?In this message, “Build With Him, Not Without Him,” Pastor Brent walks through Proverbs 16 and delivers a timely, heart-checking reminder as we close out the year: Life was never meant to be built independently of God.Through scripture, personal stories, and real-life examples, this sermon challenges the mindset of self-sufficiency and invites us into a better way—partnering with the Lord in every plan, step, and season.In this sermon, you’ll hear about:- The danger of saying “I’ve got this” and why self-reliance eventually falls short- The difference between God’s process and God’s answer- Why checking your motives is essential if you want God involved in what you’re building- How committing your plans to the Lord leads to lasting successWhether you’re building a career, a family, a business, or your future—this message will challenge you to ask one crucial question:Am I building with Him… or without Him?If you’re ready to stop carrying the weight alone and start trusting God to direct your steps, this message is for you.

At Christmas, we celebrate more than the birth of Jesus. We celebrate the truth that God chose to be with us. In Matthew 1:18–25, Jesus is given the name Immanuel, meaning God with us, revealing a God who is not distant, detached, or indifferent, but present and near. Jesus came to save His people from their sins, to reveal the heart of the Father, and to dwell among us in grace and truth. The greatest gift of Christmas is not found under a tree, but in the One wrapped in swaddling clothes, who humbled Himself, took on human form, and entered our world by love and choice. Christmas declares that God goes before us, walks with us, and invites us to abide in Him in the middle of our joy, our pain, and our ordinary lives.

Before the foundation of the world, Jesus shared perfect glory and intimacy with the Father, yet humanity was created by God, for God, and to be like God in order to live in divine connection with Him. From the garden to the cross, God’s desire has always been friendship, not distance. Jesus made this clear when He said He no longer calls us servants but friends, revealing the heart of God and the depth of His love. That friendship came at a great cost, not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, chosen before the world began so that we could be restored to radical intimacy with God.

Jesus is our peace, and Scripture shows why His peace is unlike anything the world can offer. God is not the author of confusion but of peace, and Jesus gives us a gift of peace for our minds and hearts, calling us not to be troubled or afraid. Jesus Himself is perfectly at peace with the Father, and through faith we have peace with God. Even in discipline God produces a peaceful harvest in those He trains. Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, and we are called to set our minds on the realities of heaven. The greatest way for us to walk in lasting peace is to keep our trust and thoughts fixed on God, for He promises to keep in perfect peace all who look to Him.

In this message, we look at how Jesus embodies both the grace that saves us and the truth that reveals who we are. We learn that God’s grace rescues us while His truth directs us, and we shouldn’t be intimidated when Scripture exposes our need for Him. Instead, we can trust that His grace abundantly covers us through Christ. Finally, we’re reminded never to abuse the grace God gives but to walk in the new life He calls us to live. May this message encourage you to embrace both His grace and His truth as they work together to transform your life.