A Beautiful Day Devotional Podcast

Today, Pastor Jeff talks about something incredible - Instead of giving us what we deserved, God gave us grace. That's what magnifies His forgiveness! John 3:17 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that when we believe in Jesus, God forgives our sins and fills our hearts with His Spirit. That's how huge His forgiveness is—it cost Him everything, yet He offers it to us for free. John 3:16 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

This is week 4 for our VBS lessons, and it is all about Magnifying God's forgiveness. Join Pastor Jeff as we explore the story of Jesus and Nicodemus this week from John 3. John 3:5-8 5 Jesus answered, “What I'm about to tell you is true. No one can enter God's kingdom unless they are born with water and the Holy Spirit. 6 People give birth to people. But the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised when I say, ‘You must all be born again.' 8 The wind blows where it wants to. You hear the sound it makes. But you can't tell where it comes from or where it is going. It is the same with everyone who is born with the Spirit.”

It is FRI-YAY! And with a special shout-out. Today, Pastor Jeff teaches us that when we live for Jesus, tell others about Him, and show His love in how we act, we help others "see" God more clearly, just like the woman at the well did. John 4:25-26 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

Pastor Jeff shares today that sometimes, God answers prayers in surprising ways, ways we might not understand at first, but they are even better. John 4:11 and 13-14 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that Jesus sees our hearts and that each person He created is important to Him. John 4:9-10 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew. I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” She said this because Jews don't have anything to do with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered her, “You do not know what God's gift is. And you do not know who is asking you for a drink. If you did, you would have asked him. He would have given you living water.”  

Sometimes, we think we have to say or do something huge to show God's love. But Pastor Jeff reminds us that, just like Jesus, we can start with something small. John 4:6-7 6 Jacob's well was there. Jesus was tired from the journey. So he sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 A woman from Samaria came to get some water. Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”

This is week 3 of our VBS lessons, and it is all about Magnifying God's Love. Today, Pastor Jeff shares that Jesus comes right to where you are—at home, school, church, or anywhere else. John 4:4-5 4 Jesus had to go through Samaria. 5 He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. It was near the piece of land Jacob had given his son Joseph.

This week, Pastor Jeff has been talking about Magnifying God's Care and how we can learn to trust God to take care of us because God cares about each of us. Mark 4:40-41 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Don't you have any faith at all yet?” 41 They were terrified. They asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us of something very important. When we rest in Jesus, we're saying, “I trust You, God. I know You care for me.” Mark 4:39 39 He got up and ordered the wind to stop. He said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down. And it was completely calm.

Today, Pastor Jeff teaches us that just like the disciples took Jesus in their boat, you can invite Him into your day, heart, and life. No matter where you go, you never go alone. Mark 4:37-38 37 A wild storm came up. Waves crashed over the boat. It was about to sink. 38 Jesus was in the back, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him up. They said, “Teacher! Don't you care if we drown?”

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that you don't have to be a grown-up to follow Jesus or talk to Him. You're important to Him right now. Mark 4:36 36 They left the crowd behind. And they took him along in a boat, just as he was. There were also other boats with him.

Happy Monday! This week, we will learn about Magnifying God's Care. Today, Pastor Jeff wants you to know that God takes care of the details in our lives. Mark 4:35 35 When evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let's go over to the other side of the lake.”

It is FRI-YAY! And shout-out day! Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that every time we see God answering our prayers, showing us His love, or helping us through hard times, we can magnify His faithfulness. Luke 1:46 46 And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord.

Pastor Jeff teaches us today in Psalm 69:30 and tells us we can magnify God — make Him look big and wonderful — by giving Him thanks! Psalm 69:30 30 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

Today, Pastor Jeff encourages you to magnify God by smiling, singing, helping someone, or simply saying, "God is so good!" Psalm 40:16 16 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!”

Today, Pastor Jeff teaches us that when we come to Jesus with excitement, like when we can't wait to open a gift, we magnify Him!  Mark 10:14-15 14 When Jesus saw this, he was angry. He said to his disciples, “Let the little children come to me. Don't keep them away. God's kingdom belongs to people like them. 15 What I'm about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God's kingdom like a little child will never enter it.”

Happy Monday! Today, Pastor Jeff starts a five-week new series called MAGNIFIED. This week, we will Magnify God. Mark 10:13 13 People were bringing little children to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on them to bless them. But the disciples told them to stop.

It is FRI-YAY! And shout-out day!! This is the last day of our series, "JESUS IS MY ROCK." We pray you learned that Jesus is the only true Rock on which we can stand. Next week, we will start a new series about our 2025 VBS - Magnified! We hope you will continue to join us! Matthew 7:28-29 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

Join Pastor Jeff as we continue learning from Jesus today. Jesus discusses the consequences of those who don't listen to His teachings and put them into practice. Matthew 7:27 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Today, Pastor Jeff shares that we all should be good listeners. Listening means that something needs to change inside the listener. Matthew 7:26 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that being intentional about living out Jesus' teachings gives us a firm foundation for enduring any storms in our lives. Matthew 7: 25 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

Happy Monday! This week, Pastor Jeff will explore the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders. Today, he reminds us that Jesus says we should build our lives on His kingdom. Jesus says we are wise when we listen to His words and put them into practice. Matthew 7:24 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  

Today is FRI-YAY! Our verse today reminds us that God is our Refuge and our Rock, and He is our solid foundation.  Psalm 18:30-31 30 As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord's word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. 31 For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?  

Pastor Jeff reminds us today that even when we go through hard times, we can stand on Jesus, our rock. He listens to our prayers and comforts us. Psalm 31:2 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.  

Today, Pastor Jeff shares from 1 Corinthians 10 how Jesus is our spiritual rock for our everyday needs.  1 Corinthians 10:3-4 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.  

Today, we learn about Simon Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, and how his declaration became the foundation for the church of Jesus Christ.  Matthew 16:16-18 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.  

Happy Monday! We continue our series - Jesus is my Rock, and today Pastor Jeff teaches from Psalm 62:2. Psalm 62:2 2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Today is Good Friday and we remember the greatest act of love that God showed to us. Because of God's love for us, He sent Jesus to take our place and die for our sins.   Mark 15:46 46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.

Today, Pastor Jeff shares a dream that was revealed to a powerful king: that Jesus is the Rock, our Savior. Daniel 2:34 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.

Today, Pastor Jeff shares from one of Jesus' Parables. In this parable, Jesus describes that our lives will have storms. It is not a matter of IF, as a matter of WHEN. Matthew 7:24-25 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

We are in our new series - Jesus is My Rock, and today, we learn that we will never be satisfied with anything in life unless we have God, the Rock, who provides for all our needs. Deuteronomy 32:13 13 He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag

This week, we will start a new series called Jesus is My Rock. For the next four weeks, Pastor Jeff will walk us through Bible verses that teach us that Jesus was, is, and will always be our Rock. Psalm 18:2 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield[a] and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

It is FRI-YAY! And shout-out day. As we wrap up our Bible Characters series with Joseph today, we learn with Pastor Jeff that Joseph forgave his brothers and saw God's hand in his life. Genesis 45:5-7 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

Today, Pastor Jeff tells us about when Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dreams. You might not need to interpret a friend's dream, but when you see your friend sad or anxious about something, you can say that God is in control. God loves and cares for every one of us. Genesis 41:28-30 28 “It is just as I said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.

Pastor Jeff teaches us today that, like Joseph, we should be aware that what we have or do is a daily gift from God. Genesis 41:39-40 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”

Today, Pastor Jeff shares that, just like we learned with Daniel, Joseph quickly recognized God's glory and power when the time came. Genesis 41:15-16 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”

This is the last week of the Bible Characters of the Old Testament series, and Pastor Jeff will share about Joseph. Today, we learn that Joseph teaches us that even in hard situations, we can serve God in His strength, and the Lord can work wonders through us. Genesis 39:2-4 2 The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned.  

It is FRI-YAY! And shout-out day. Today, Pastor Jeff shares that God planned for each person in our family to be born and to keep on with the family line. Ruth 4:18-22 18 This, then, is the family line of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron, 19 Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, 20 Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 21 Salmon the father of Boaz, Boaz the father of Obed, 22 Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David.

In Ruth's story, today we learn with Pastor Jeff that as Ruth had shown kindness to Naomi, her mother-in-law, by leaving her country, Boaz, a close relative of Naomi, also showed kindness to Ruth. Ruth 4:11 11 Then the elders and all the people at the gate said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the family of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.

Pastor Jeff shares today through the story of Ruth that God is in control of all things and provides for our needs in many ways. Ruth 2:2-3 2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the fields and pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.” 3 So she went out, entered a field and began to glean behind the harvesters. As it turned out, she was working in a field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelek.

Today, Pastor Jeff shares about Ruth's beautiful commitment to her mother-in-law. God showed us the greatest commitment when he sent Jesus as our Savior and Lord.  Ruth 1:16-18 16 But Ruth replied, “Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Happy Monday! We are in week 5 of our Bible Characters series, and we will learn more about Ruth with Pastor Jeff. Today, we learn about her kindness.  Ruth 1:8 8 Then Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you, to your mother's home. May the Lord show you kindness, as you have shown kindness... to me.

It is FRI-YAY! And shout-out day! Today, we learn with Pastor Jeff that David loved the scriptures because they are God's Word to us. David describes the Bible as perfect, refreshing, true, right, and radiant. Psalm 19:7-8 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

In our Bible Character Series, Pastor Jeff continues to share about David and how he invites us to experience what he has discovered: the goodness of God's salvation. Psalm 34:8 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Today, Pastor Jeff teaches that David, the shepherd king, worshiped God with all his might! 2 Samuel 6:14-15 14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

Today, people may think that being Christian and joining a church is because you are good enough to do so. However, Pastor Jeff shares that David taught us that we all sin and need forgiveness.   Psalm 32:1 1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

This week, we will learn about David with Pastor Jeff in our Bible Characters series. The Bible tells us that David was a man after God's heart. This means that he was dependent on God in everything. Psalm 23:1-3 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.

It is FRI-YAY! And shout out day! Today, we learn with Pastor Jeff that God gives us signs when He makes a promise. And He is always faithful and true to His promises.  Genesis 9:16-17 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” 17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”    

This is our FRI-YAY Episode from March 14 with a special shout-out! We learned that Noah found favor in God's eyes, walked faithfully with God, obeyed God even when it was hard, and was courageous. Today, we see God making a promise to Noah after the flood. Genesis 9:16-17 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” 17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

Today we learn that, like Noah, God invites us to step in faith by being kind to someone, sharing the gospel with a friend, or helping even when it is uncomfortable. Genesis 6:22 22 And Noah did this. He did everything that God had commanded him.