Emanuel Pearlgate Baptist Church

09/06/2026

Emanuel Pearlgate Baptist Church
✨ Sermon Notes | September 6, 2026 ✨
Minister Chris Wade
📖 Mark 11:11–14, 20–26
🎯 Focus: Mark 11:22
HAVE FAITH IN GOD—YOUR PRAYERS DEPEND ON IT. 🙏🏾
Jesus sees a fig tree that looks fruitful but has no fruit. Later, the disciples notice that the tree has withered, and Jesus uses the moment to teach them about prayer, belief, and forgiveness.
1. TRUST WHO YOU'RE PRAYING TO. 🙌🏾
Our faith isn't in just anything—it's in the Creator of all things.
The disciples didn't have to look far for help. Jesus was right there with them. And He's with us too.
We may not always see the answer immediately, but not seeing it doesn't mean God isn't working.
God sees the beginning AND the end. What looks impossible to us is never too hard for Him.
👀 DON'T MEASURE GOD'S WORK BY WHAT YOU CAN SEE.
2. ASK. BELIEVE. RECEIVE. 🙏🏾
There's something between asking and receiving: BELIEVING.
Doubt can become a seed killer. Satan doesn't need to completely destroy our confidence—sometimes a little doubt is enough to make us hesitate.
Peter may have had little faith, but when he began to sink, he still called on Jesus.
👀 DON'T LET A LITTLE DOUBT KILL A BIG PRAYER.
3. FORGIVE & SURRENDER. 🤍
Jesus also connects prayer with forgiveness.
Don't just ask God for what you want—ask Him to forgive you and help you forgive others.
We're not always the victim. Sometimes we have to acknowledge our own part.
It goes both ways.
And after we've asked, believed, and done our part, we have to trust God with the outcome.
Because ultimately, God is enough.
🙏🏾 LORD, LET YOUR WILL BE DONE.
TAKEAWAY 🔥
TRUST GOD.
ASK & BELIEVE.
FORGIVE & SURRENDER.
You may not see the answer yet.
You may not understand what God is doing.
But don't doubt the One who holds the beginning AND the end.
HAVE FAITH IN GOD—YOUR PRAYERS DEPEND ON IT. 🙏🏾🔥

09/06/2026

09/05/2026

✨ Encouragements from Ejypt ✨

FIND YOURSELF BLAZING FOR CHRIST? 👀 Now that you’re ON FIRE FOR JESUS, MAKE SURE YOU STAY ON FIRE FOR HIM.

Lord, our flames for You may burn differently in each of us, but keep giving us the fuel to blaze for You so the fire You started in us never dies out. When setbacks and distractions try to smother our flames, give us the discernment to protect our fire and the boundaries we need to walk away from anything that keeps us from burning brighter for You.
Keep us close to You—the Source of our flame—because the closer we stay, the hotter our fire burns, and let these flames spread beyond us so our lives ignite a hunger for You in everyone around us. Keep us real, keep our faith blazing, and keep this fire for You from ever burning out.
Amen. 🙏🏽🔥

09/04/2026

Emanuel Pearlgate Baptist Church Social Media Bible Study: REST IS OBEDIENCE.

IF GOD COMMANDS US TO REST, WHY DO WE KEEP FEELING GUILTY FOR DOING IT??? 👀

📖 Exodus 20:8–10 | 1 Kings 19:5–8
God commands us to rest.

Yes, we have to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy, but sometimes, resting means trusting God enough to stop working.We live in a world that glorifies being busy and constantly on the go, but God created rest because He knows we need it.

Rest isn’t laziness. Rest isn’t weakness. Rest isn’t falling behind. REST IS OBEDIENCE.

Look at Elijah in 1 Kings 19. He was exhausted, and before God continued dealing with him, Elijah was allowed to sleep, eat, and regain his strength.

👀 CLOCK THIS: Sometimes rest isn't a distraction from what God is doing in us—it’s part of what God is doing for us.

Rest isn't just something God made for then—it’s something He made for now.
If God is calling us to rest, then sometimes we have to make room for Him to fill us. We can’t keep pouring out every day without allowing God to pour back into us. When we rest, we make room for His strength.
Sometimes we don’t rest because we’re afraid of lack—but there is no lack in God. Trusting Him enough to stop working acknowledges that every part of our lives is covered. We can pause because we know God is still working.
And this doesn't just apply to us individually. This applies to our church, where everyone is family. Our pastor is the leader of this family, and just like we need rest, he needs rest too. As he takes this Sabbatical September to rest and be refreshed, we can trust that God will fill him in ways only He can.
We can honor his time of rest knowing that the same God who calls us to rest is still covering him, still covering our church, and still at work—even in moments when we pause.

🙏🏽 PRAYER
Jesus, we have so many reasons why we do not rest, one of them being fear of lack—but there is no lack in You. Help us trust You enough to stop working in the areas You call us to rest in, and make room for You to fill us with Your strength. Remind us that every part of our lives is covered by You, and that even when we pause, You’re still working.
As our pastor rests this September, we ask You to rejuvenate his spirit with new strength, fresh ideas, and renewed vision, so that he may lead us where You have ordained for us to go as a body. In Your name, amen.

09/04/2026

This Sunday, come dressed in ALL WHITE and with an EXPECTANT SPIRIT! 🤍🙌

As we enter Week 1 of Sabbatical September, prepare to experience the Lord’s overflow through our guest speaker.
You don’t want to miss what God has in store!

Come join us and SEE WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE! 👀🔥

09/03/2026

✨ Encouragements from Ejypt ✨

WALKING WITH GOD, WE DON’T JUST ENTER ROOMS—WE CHANGE THEM. 👀

Lord, give us new eyes to read Your Word—not just for Your instructions, but also for Your promises. Help us not just acknowledge that You’re with us always, but actually LIVE like we believe You.

When we walk into conversations, relationships, and everyday spaces, let us carry more than Your atmosphere—let us carry Your IMPACT. Change anything in us that could get in the way, so people don’t just encounter us—they encounter You.

Make us people who don’t just enter rooms—

MAKE US PEOPLE WHO SHIFT THEM.
Amen. 🙏🏾

09/01/2026

Emanuel Pearlgate Baptist Church (EPGBC)
Announcements — August 30, 2026

🙌 Sabbatical September—
Over the next few weeks, we will welcome several different speakers from across the Bay Area as our pastor takes time away for his September sabbatical.
Please note: We will not have Bible Study during the month of September.
Be sure to come out and come prepared for what the Lord has in store for us! We’re excited to hear what God will speak through each guest speaker.

🎂 September Birthdays
As we enter September, we wish birthday blessings to all of our September celebrants! 🎉
May the Lord display His glory throughout the year ahead and bless you abundantly in this new year of life.

👕 September Sunday Themes
First Sunday: White Out Sunday 🤍
Second Sunday: Church School Sunday 📖
Third Sunday: Jersey Sunday 🏀🏈⚾
Come ready to fellowship, worship, and celebrate together!

🙏 Prayer
Because prayer is power, continue to be in prayer for one another.
May the Lord pave the way for each of us, continue to lead and guide us, and make a way where there seems to be no way.

📖 Verse of the Week
“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”
— Psalm 95:6–7

08/31/2026

✨ Encouragements from Ejypt ✨

Yeah, family, that was good—but God ain’t done. The greatness is ahead!

Heavenly Father, we’ve seen Your goodness in times past, and we take time to thank You for every inch of goodness we’ve experienced in our lives. Yeah, we confess that it was good—but we also have faith in our hearts that You are not done. You’re still developing, healing, preparing, and revealing so much in us right now.
Because of this, we have confident trust in You and in what You have next. We trust You not just for ourselves, but for all of us as a body, believing that there’s so much glory You have in store for us. Thank You that we haven’t seen the totality of Your glory yet and that everything You have planned for us is still to come. So we thank You, Father, that our good days are to come.
Amen.

08/30/2026

Emanuel Pearlgate Baptist Church / St. John Fellowship Service
Sermon Notes | August 30, 2026

📖 Psalm 91
There Is Safety in God

Jesus is the center of the whole Bible. Even though Psalms like Psalm 91 were written before His earthly ministry, they point us toward the One who ultimately fulfills God’s promises.

NO ONE CAN DO ANYTHING LIKE JESUS.

No one can save like Jesus.
No one can be glorified like Jesus.
No one can fulfill like Jesus.

John 15:4 tells us to abide in Him, and the benefits of abiding in Him are reflected throughout Psalm 91.

We are called to be confident in the God we serve.

1. THE LORD IS OUR SECURE DEFENSE.

The shelter of the Most High and the shadow of the Almighty point us to the same Person: GOD.

The psalmist knew that God was all they needed for secure safety. He calls Him the Most High, Almighty, God, and Lord.

Only God can save us from what comes against us in this life.

HE IS ENOUGH.

And He isn’t just enough—HE’S ABLE.

We have complete security in Him.

2. THE LORD IS OUR STRONG DELIVERER.

God delivers those who make the Lord their safe place.

So ask yourself:

ARE YOU SECURE IN BEING SECURE IN THE LORD?

He delivers us from dangers seen and unseen. But God doesn’t just deliver us—He comforts us with His reliability.

WE CAN COUNT ON THE LORD.

He will never let us down.

And because we can count on Him, WE WILL NOT FEAR.

We should trust God so much that we don’t have room to be afraid of anyone else.

Our friends may fail us.
Our family may fail us.
People may waiver.

BUT THE BEST PLACE TO BE IS INSIDE THE WILL OF GOD.

No matter what comes against us, WE PUT OUR TRUST IN GOD.

Even when others waiver, we will trust in the Lord. And even if we die, WE WILL BE DELIVERED TO THE LORD.

3. THE LORD IS OUR SAFE DWELLING.

When we stay close to God, we can trust Him to keep evil from having the final word over us.

If we live by the truth of Psalm 91, WE CAN LIVE FEARLESSLY.

We may have been through some things, but IT WAS ONLY GOD WHO GOT US THROUGH!

The enemy will mix a little truth with a lie, but Jesus will get us through and direct our path.

This is why the enemy tried Him at Calvary—but JESUS CONQUERED.

And because He conquered, we have the hope of eternal life with Him.

He is our safe dwelling.

God has given His faithful people so many promises. IT’S NO SECRET WHAT HE’LL DO FOR HIS FAITHFUL SOLDIERS. He continues to show us His love.

Because LOVE ISN’T JUST A WORD—IT’S AN ACTION.

And when God is our shelter, our deliverer, and our dwelling place, WE ARE SAFE IN HIM.

08/30/2026