A Beautiful Day Devotional Podcast

This week, Pastor Jeff answers the Faith Question "Who is the Redeemer?" and teaches that the only true Redeemer who rescues us and restores us to God is the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ."

Today is FRI-YAY and shout-out day! Pastor Jeff reminds us that reconciliation means Jesus paid the highest price—His own life on the cross—to take the punishment for our sins and restore us to a right relationship with God.

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that through Jesus our Redeemer, God reconciles us to Himself—bringing us back into a loving relationship with Him after sin separated us. Colossians 1:19-20 19 For God in all his fullness     was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled     everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth     by means of Christ's blood on the cross.

Today we learn from Pastor Jeff that, just as we all need help in life, we cannot fix our sin problem on our own—we need God to rescue us and make us right with Him. We need a Redeemer! 1 Samuel 2:9 9 He guards the steps of his faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness, for a person does not prevail by his own strength.

Today, Pastor Jeff answers Faith Question: Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God's favor?. He shares the good news that although no one can escape God's judgment on their own, God lovingly sent a Redeemer to reconcile us back to Himself. Romans 2:3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God's judgment?

This week, Pastor Jeff has a new Faith Question for us. He uses the idea of superhero rescues to help us see our deeper need for a true Savior—someone who can rescue us not just from danger, but from our own sin and make things right with God. Isaiah 53:11: "Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied… the righteous one, my servant, will make many to be counted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities."

Today is FRI-YAY! And shoutout day! Join Pastor Jeff for the final day of Faith Question #18 as we learn that God is righteously angry with sin and will bring justice. Today's Christ Connection shows how Jesus experienced righteous anger and revealed God's love and power when He healed the man with the withered hand. Mark 3:5 "After looking around at them with anger, [Jesus] was grieved at the hardness of their hearts and told the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored."

Join Pastor Jeff as we learn that because God created the world, He has the authority and right to judge and punish sin. Just like loving parents discipline their children to help them grow, God's correction reminds us that our actions have consequences. Isaiah 13:11 "I will punish the world for its evil, and wicked people for their iniquities. I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant and humiliate the insolence of tyrants."

Today, Pastor Jeff explains that God's righteous anger is connected to His holiness and His commitment to truth. Because God is perfect and just, He requires truth about who He is and about His good design for everything He created. Romans 1:18    For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth

Join Pastor Jeff as we explore Faith Question #18: Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? The truth is that God's anger toward sin is righteous and rooted in justice, not revenge. In this episode, we learn that God sees everything and always does what is right because He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and perfectly just. Psalm 7:11 "God is a righteous judge, and a God who shows his wrath every day."

This week, join Pastor Jeff as we explore Faith Question #18: Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? We'll learn how God's perfect justice shows us that sin is serious and why understanding His justice helps us understand His heart. Ephesians 5:5-6 "For you may be sure of this, for everyone that is sexually immoral or impure, or is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience."

It's FRI-YAY with a special shoutout from Pastor Jeff as we wrap up our Faith Question: What Is Idolatry? We're reminded that idolatry is trusting created things instead of the Creator—but Jesus shows us the better way by choosing to worship and serve God alone. Matthew 4:10 "Then Jesus told him, "Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him."

Join Pastor Jeff today as he reminds us that we are to trust in God alone, because trusting anything else is idolatry and will always leave us empty. True and lasting joy comes from putting our trust in the Lord—because unlike people or possessions, God never fails. Psalms 40:4–5: "How happy is anyone who has put his trust in the Lord and has not turned to the proud or to those who run after lies! Lord my God, you have done many things— your wondrous works and your plans for us; none can compare with you."

Today, Pastor Jeff teaches that even our identity can become an idol when we base our worth on sports, popularity, or possessions instead of God. True hope, security, and significance can't come from man-made things—they can only be found in Him. Isaiah 44:9: "All who make idols are nothing, and what they treasure benefits no one… They do not see or know anything, so they will be put to shame."

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us of something AMAZING—God is the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth, and He gives life to it all. Because we're made in His image, our love for creating reflects His glory and the beautiful world He designed. Nehemiah 9:6: "You, Lord, are the only God. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their stars, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and all the stars of heaven worship you."

This week, Pastor Jeff explores our Faith Question #16: What is idolatry? Our TRUTH BOMB is this—idolatry is trusting in created things instead of the Creator, and we'll learn why only God is truly worthy of our trust. Romans 1:21 and 25: "For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him…  They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator."

It's FRI-YAY with Pastor Jeff! As we wrap up Faith Question #16, we learn that only Jesus lived a perfect life, never sinning, and He came to save us by dying and defeating death. 1 Peter 2:22 "He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us of this important truth from Faith Question #16: every human being sins—kids, adults, teachers, and even pastors. Because sin lives in every heart, the world can't be made right on our own, and that's why we need God's help. Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Today, Pastor Jeff teaches that sin isn't just about what we do—it starts in our hearts, with what we think and desire, as Jesus explains in Mark chapter 7. That's why Proverbs 4:23 reminds us to guard our hearts, because everything we do flows from what's inside. Mark 7:20 20 And he said, "What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that knowing the right thing to do but choosing not to do it is still sin. James 4:17 shows us that even doing nothing when we know the good matters to God. James 4:17 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

This week, Pastor Jeff explores Faith Question #16: What is sin? Sin is rejecting or ignoring God and His good law, showing us why we all need a Savior. 1 John 3:4   "Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness."

Today is FRI-YAY and Shout Out Day with Pastor Jeff as we wrap up Faith Question 15: Why does the law matter if no one can keep it? We'll celebrate the good news that the law points us to our need for a Savior—and Jesus brings us back to God. 1 Timothy 1:15   This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"—and I am the worst of them.

Join Pastor Jeff as he talks about Faith Question 15 and how sin separates us from a holy God. We'll learn how God's law shows us His design for living and points us back to a close relationship with Him. Habakkuk 1:13a "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing."

Pastor Jeff shares that God's law reveals His perfect holiness, our sinfulness, and our deep need for a Savior. Because only God is holy and we all fall short, even our best efforts can't make us right without Him. Only through Jesus we are able.  Isaiah 64:6 "All of us have become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind."  

Join Pastor Jeff today as he shares Faith Question #15 and talks about God's holiness. We'll discover how God's perfect nature connects to His law and why it matters for our lives. 1 Samuel 2:2 "There is no one holy like the Lord. There is no one besides you! And there is no rock like our God."

This week, Pastor Jeff will talk about Faith Question 15: Since no one can keep the law, what is its purpose? We'll discover that God's law reveals His holiness and our need for a Savior, pointing us straight to Jesus. Romans 3:20 "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin."

Today is FRI-YAY and shout-out day. Pastor Jeff reminds us that while our Faith Question shows the hard truth about sin, it can feel like bad news at first. But the Bible points us to something even better—the BEST news ever that brings real hope and joy. - Jesus Christ! 1 Corinthians 15:22: "For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive."

Today, Pastor Jeff shares that we've all wished for a do-over after making the wrong choice, and even the apostle Paul admitted he struggled to do what was right. This shows that because of our sinful nature, we can't keep God's law on our own and can't fix our mistakes without His help. Romans 7:15 "I do not understand what I am doing, because I do not practice what I want to do, but I do what I hate."

Pastor Jeff shares that talking about sin can feel uncomfortable, but it reminds us of an important truth—no one is perfect, and everyone messes up. That is why we need a Savior! Psalm 51:5: "Indeed, I was guilty when I was born; I was sinful when my mother conceived me."

Pastor Jeff asks, "Have you ever played pretend?"—imagination is a gift from God, but pretending we don't have sin is something we should never do. God didn't create us unable to obey Him, but because of Adam and Eve's disobedience, we're all born in sin and need God's grace. 1 John 1:8 "If we say, 'We have no sin,' we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

This week, Pastor Jeff explores Faith Question #14: Did God create us unable to keep His law? The truth is no—God created us perfect, but because of Adam and Eve's disobedience, sin spread to all of us, leaving us unable to perfectly obey God on our own. Romans 5:12 "Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all people because all sinned."

Jeff Land talks with Grant Jacobson about the real challenges and unexpected beauty of parenting a child with autism—offering hope, faith, and encouragement for parents who feel overwhelmed or unsure. This episode reminds us that your child is not a mistake, you are not alone, and God is not surprised.

Today is FRI-YAY! And shout out day. Pastor Jeff wraps up Faith Question #13 and reminds us that since the Fall, no one can keep God's law perfectly—we all sin in what we do, think, and want. But God sent Jesus, who kept the law perfectly for us and made a way for us to be forgiven and saved. Matthew 5:17 "Don't think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill."

Today, we learn with Pastor Jeff that God's law isn't just about what we do—it also includes what we think. Even our thoughts matter to God, because He sees our hearts, not just our actions. Romans 8:7 "The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God's law. Indeed, it is unable to do so."

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that since the Fall, no one can keep God's law perfectly—not in our actions, choices, or even our thoughts. That's why salvation isn't something we earn by doing good things, but a gift of God's grace. James 2:10 "For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all."

This week on the podcast, Pastor Jeff talks about Faith Question 13: Can anyone keep the law of God perfectly? The truth is, since the Fall, no one can—God's good law shows us how to live and also reminds us how much we need His grace. Psalm 19:7 "The instruction of the Lord is perfect, renewing one's life. The testimony of the Lord is trustworthy, making the inexperienced wise." 

This week, Pastor Jeff helps us explore Faith Question #13: Can anyone keep God's law perfectly? The Bible shows us that everyone sins—even the heroes of faith—so no one has ever been perfect. Romans 3:10 "None is righteous, no, not one… no one does good, not even one."

It's FRI-YAY with a special shout-out, and Pastor Jeff is wrapping up Faith Question #12 by remembering God's call to tell the truth and live with contentment instead of envy. Today we'll learn how Jesus understands our emotions and helps us handle feelings like jealousy in a way that honors God and keeps us from sin. James 3:16 "For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and every evil practice."

In this episode, Pastor Jeff continues exploring Faith Question 12, focusing on the Tenth Commandment and God's call to live with contentment rather than envy. We'll learn how comparing ourselves to others can steal our joy and how thankfulness helps us remember the good gifts God has already given us. Galatians 5:26 "Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."

In today's episode Pastor Jeff explores what deceit really is—lying with our words or our actions by making something false seem true. We'll learn why deceit breaks trust, hurts others, and even harms our own hearts, keeping us from close and healthy relationships. Psalm 101:7 "No one who acts deceitfully will live in my palace; the one who tells lies will not be retained here to guide me."

This week, we explore what God requires in the Ninth and Tenth Commandments—calling us to tell the truth without deception and to live with contentment instead of envy. Today, Pastor Jeff talks about why God takes lying so seriously and how even small lies can poison our hearts, break trust, and hurt our relationships with others. Proverbs 12:22: "Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but faithful people are his delight."

This week, Pastor Jeff explores Faith Question #12 - God calls us to speak truth without deception and to live with contentment instead of envy. As we look at the Ten Commandments, we see that they all point to the royal law of love—loving God and loving others—because God is love and we are created to reflect Him. James 2:8 "Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well."

Today is Fri-YAY! And shoutout day! Pastor Jeff wraps up our week on the 6th, 7th, and 8th Commandments, reminding us that God's commands teach us how to love Him and love others. Jesus showed us that every command matters, and when we choose to obey God and help others follow His ways, we honor Him. Matthew 5:19: "Whoever does and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

Today, Pastor Jeff zooms in on the Eighth Commandment, reminding us that taking anything that isn't ours is wrong. God cares about our character and calls us to be honest in both big and small choices. Ephesians 4:28 "Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need."

This week, Pastor Jeff is exploring Faith Question #11 and what God asks of us in the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Commandments. Today, we focus on living purely and faithfully by filling our hearts and minds with God's Word. Psalm 119:9 "How can a young person keep their way pure? By keeping your word."

Today, Pastor Jeff talks about how what's in our hearts shapes how we treat others. Loving others like ourselves means remembering we don't know the whole story and choosing grace in our words and actions. Proverbs 14:21: "The one who despises his neighbor sins, but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy."

Today, Pastor Jeff continues our series with Faith Question #11: What does God require in the Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Commandments? We learn that God calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Romans 13:9: "The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet,' and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself."

It is FRI-YAY! And shout out day! Today, Pastor Jeff wraps up Faith Question #10 by remembering that God calls us to worship Him on the Sabbath and to love and honor our parents. Through Jesus, we learn that when we believe in Him, we become part of God's family and God becomes our Heavenly Father. John 1:12: "But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name."

Today, we're learning with Pastor Jeff that obeying our parents isn't always easy, but it's one way we honor God and show Him love. God gave us parents to guide and protect us, and their rules and corrections are meant to help us grow wisely and safely. Colossians 3:20: "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."

Today, Pastor Jeff teaches that the Sabbath is a special time to slow down and joyfully focus our hearts on God, because worship is what we were created for. Psalm 95:6  "Come, let's worship and bow down; let's kneel before the LORD our Maker."    

Today we're learning with Pastor Jeff about the Fourth Commandment and the Sabbath—a special time God set apart for rest and worship. When we pause to rest and focus on God, we're saying with our hearts, "God, I trust You." Genesis 2:3: "God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it he rested from all his work of creation."