A Beautiful Day Devotional Podcast

It is FRI-YAY! And shout out day!! Today with Pastor Jeff, we finish our week by learning that Jesus was tempted just like we are—but He never sinned. Because of that, He perfectly obeyed God and can help us when we face temptation too.

Today with Pastor Jeff, we learn that Jesus didn't just have a human body—He also felt real human emotions, including grief and sorrow. Even knowing He would raise Lazarus, Jesus wept, showing He truly understands our pain. John 11:33-36  When Jesus saw her crying, and the Jews who had come with her crying, he was deeply moved in his spirit and troubled.   "Where have you put him?" he asked. "Lord," they told him, "come and see." Jesus wept. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

Today with Pastor Jeff, we see that Jesus truly lived as a human—feeling tired, hungry, and in need of rest just like us. Because of this, we can trust that Jesus understands exactly what it feels like to be human. John 4:6: "Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, worn out from his journey, sat down at the well. It was about noon."

This week's faith question is: Why must the Redeemer be truly human? Join Pastor Jeff as we discover how Jesus became fully human, lived in perfect obedience, and took the punishment for our sin in our place. Luke 2:6–7: "While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger because there was no guest room available for them."

Join Pastor Jeff as we explore this week's faith question: Why did Jesus, our Redeemer, have to be truly human? Discover how Jesus became like us to perfectly obey God's law and take the punishment for our sin, standing in our place as the only perfect Savior.  Hebrews 2:17: "Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way… so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest… to make atonement for the sins of the people."

It's FRI-YAY and shoutout day with Pastor Jeff as we zoom out to see God's big plan to bring us back to Him. Discover how Jesus made a way—taking our place so we could be made right with God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 "He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Join Pastor Jeff as we celebrate the most exciting part of Easter—the resurrection of Jesus—and discover how He defeated death once and for all. Learn why Jesus' victory over sin and death changes everything for us today. 2 Timothy 1:10  This has now been made evident through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Join Pastor Jeff as we continue exploring why Easter is important and how it fulfills God's plan for salvation. Discover how Jesus' death paid our debt and took our place so we could be made right with God. Colossians 2:14  He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.

Join Pastor Jeff today as we discover together why Easter is important and how it fulfills God's plan for salvation. Learn how Jesus' perfect life made Him the only Savior who could take our place. Hebrews 4:15 "Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, yet He did not sin."

Join Pastor Jeff as we explore why Easter matters and how it fulfills God's plan for salvation. Discover how the story begins long before the cross—with Jesus' birth as the first step in God's rescue plan. Matthew 1:21: "She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

It's Fri-YAY Shout-Out Day! Pastor Jeff wraps up what we learned this week—that the Redeemer we need must be both truly human and truly God—and that only Jesus, who became like us yet remained sinless, could do that. Because all humans are born in sin and cannot save themselves, Jesus alone is our perfect Redeemer who makes a way back to God. Hebrews 2:17 "Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people."

Today, Pastor Jeff teaches that Jesus is both fully God and fully man—the only one who could take our place and perfectly pay for our sin. Because of that, Jesus alone is the way to God, and nothing else is needed. Galatians 4:4 "When the time came to completion, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law."

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that even while Jesus lived on earth as a human, He was still fully God—carrying all of God's power, love, and goodness. Only Jesus, fully human and fully God, could understand us completely and save us perfectly. Colossians 2:9  For the entire fullness of God's nature dwells bodily in Christ

Join Pastor Jeff as we explore the question: What kind of Redeemer brings us back to God? Jesus is fully human and fully God—He is the powerful Creator who became one of us to restore our relationship with Him. Philippians 2:7 7 rather, he made himself nothing     by taking the very nature of a servant,     being made in human likeness.

Happy Monday! This week, Pastor Jeff explores the question: What kind of Redeemer brings us back to God? The answer: Jesus—the only one who is fully God and fully human—restores our relationship with God and stands in our place. Isaiah 9:6  "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; And the government shall be upon his shoulder, And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, prince of Peace."

It's FRI-YAY! Pastor Jeff reminds us today that Jesus is the only Redeemer, and through His death, He paid the greatest price—His own life—to restore us to a right relationship with God. 1 Peter 1:18-19 18 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. 19 It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.

Today, Pastor Jeff shares that because of His great love for us, Jesus chose to trade places with us—taking our sin upon Himself and giving us His sinless righteousness. Galatians 3:13  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written, Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.

Today, Pastor Jeff reminds us that because Jesus is completely without sin, He alone can take away our sins and make us children of God when we trust in Him.  1 John 3:5 5 And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. If you ever have questions about how to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, please email us at creekkids@sugarcreek.net

Today, Pastor Jeff teaches that no matter how good we try to be, only Jesus, our Redeemer, can take away our sin and make us right with God. Romans 3:24 24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.

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.