Life After Sunday

Just a quick note to let you know that we're taking a short break from releasing new episodes. We'll be back soon with fresh content, great conversations, and more of what you love. In the meantime, here's a previous episode we know you'll love: We are taking you all the way back to where it all began. Our very first podcast episode! God has just called Dr Deron Biles to be our new pastor and we sat down with him to chat and get to know him a little better. So if you are new to our church, the podcast or our area, here's a great conversation with our pastor Dr Deron Biles. Thanks for listening and for your continued support and stay tuned!

Today is episode 100 of "After God's Heart". The vision of this program originated from an idea behind the name. It grew out of a study that Dr. Biles did through the life of David. How he was a man after God's heart and the passion for us to be more like Him. So, the vision for this program is much the same. How can we, as believers in Jesus Christ, incrementally become more like Christ. Let's open our Bibles again to Acts 17 and hear the conclusion of a message entitled, "Making God Known".

Have you ever been in a situation where, as a believer in Jesus Christ, you felt outnumbered by those who opposed your faith? That's where we find the Apostle Paul in Acts 17. Paul was in the city of Athens and had an encounter with the religious elite of the city. Here's scene: in the city of Athens, there was (and is) and large rock area that is flat on the top. On top of that mountain is where the elite of the city used to gather for dialogue. On the way up to the top of the mountain was a pathway lined with pagan idols. Paul was making his way up the mountain and stopping by each idol. The conversation that followed grew out of Paul's burden for a lost city.

Finding God's will isn't always as complicated as we sometimes make it sound. We often over-complicate the process. When really, God has often made it very clear. The first part of Acts 17 presents two very clearly defined kinds of people. The question we must take from this passage in application is which group represents me. So, take your Bibles and turn again to Acts 17, this is a message Dr. Biles has entitled, "Are you one of These or one of Those?"

How you live in some ways demonstrates who you are. You can talk one way, but if you live a different way, you really aren't who you say you are. Your life either validates or contradicts who you say you are. Acts 17 paints a clear picture of the authenticity of faith. We see it in Paul's life and hear it in his message. Today, Dr. Biles is looking at the first part of Acts 17 looking at the question of ultimate identification. In this passage, we find two clear alternatives and we as the reader are challenged to identify which of these two choices represents me.

The great thing about following God's plan is that He always knows where we are going. That doesn't mean we know all the details - it just means we can trust that He does. Paul and Silas have followed the leading of God and found themselves in new city. In this city, they find a woman of faith and a civil servant who needs the Gospel. Take your Bibles and open again to Acts 16 as Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled, The Miracle after Midnight.

God uses all kinds of circumstances to reach all kinds of people with the Gospel. Sometimes, God reaches people through a conversation; sometimes it is through a sermon or Bible Study; sometimes it is through the Reading of God's Word. In Acts 16, God used a miracle. We're going to see in this passage, that God did something impossible to reach one man and his family with the Gospel.

Today Dr. Biles is concluding a message from Acts 14. This is a story of commitment and courage by these early missionaries, Paul and Barnabas. Everywhere they went in this chapter, someone was opposing them. But they were faithful and God used them in a great a way. Open your Bibles again to Acts 14, as Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled, Good for What Ails you.

The message of Christ is a message that all the world needs to hear. But it is not always a message that all the world wants to hear. Dr. Biles is continuing a series through the book of Acts, looking at the early church. In this message, we will see how serving the Lord brought suffering for Barnabas and Paul. And we will see how the Lord used their suffering for His glory.

Today, Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled, A Church on Mission. He is arguing that you cannot define church without missions. So, our challenge is to share the message and to send the message to a world who needs to hear it. This message is a challenge to believers and churches to capture the heart of God for the world, to obey our Lord's command, to continue the work of the early church to be on Mission for Christ.

There are many great things we do in the church. The kingdom is blessed by the faithful work of so many faithful servants and obedient churches. But, at the heart of our Lord's final instructions to His Disciples and His heart for missions, we are called to take the Gospel to all the world. That is a burden no one shared more than the Apostle Paul. Today Dr. Biles challenges all of us to be on Mission.

There is a great promise of God in Scripture that when we pray - God hears. It's the picture of God that we find consistent throughout Scripture and the pattern of the early church. Today, as Dr. Biles continues a series about the early church, we are looking at a passage where the people of God prayed and saw the power of God. This is a pattern we can all follow. Take your Bibles and turn again to Acts 12 and let's listen to the conclusion of a message entitled, "The Power of a Praying Church".

Sometimes there are things we believe to be true intellectually, that we don't really do in reality. One example is prayer. All genuine believers know the power of prayer. We also know the admonitions in Scripture to pray. But, we still don't always pray. Today, as we continue a sermon series through the book of Acts, Dr. Biles is preaching about the power that is available to the church through prayer.

The Bible tells us that a Christian is a servant and follower of Christ. We bear His name. It is both a picture from where we came and a pattern of what we are to look like. We are to look like Christ. The picture of the early church in Acts 11 is a picture of believers who were committed to Christ and His Word. As Dr. Biles concludes this message, we're also going to see that they were passionate about accomplishing His purpose. Take your Bibles and turn again with us to Acts 11 as Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled, "The First Christian Church".

Happy New Year! Dr. Biles is beginning this New Year with a new sermon series from the book of Acts. This series is about the beginning of the Church. It's a story of how God used the persecution of believers to spread the message of the Gospel. We want every believer to be encouraged that whatever the circumstances are that we face, the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ will endure, His church will prevail, and His will WILL be accomplished. Turn in your Bibles to Acts 11 and let's look at the story of The First Christian church.

This is the last episode of After God's Heart for 2024. It's been our great pleasure to study God's Word with you throughout 2024. We wish you a Happy New Year. Today, Dr. Biles' focus is on the Wise Men. The Wise Men are sometimes the afterthought of the Christmas story. We know that they were not there when Jesus was born. We know that because when they found Him, He was in a house. They were not Jews, so they weren't the people we normally associate with people of faith. But, somehow the Spirit of God provoked in them a sense of obedience and they followed God's Divine Directions to find the Divine SON. We learn from them a lesson faith we ALL need today.

What God asked of Joseph was as profound and challenging as what He asked of Mary. And it required the same amount of faith. To be sure, she would carry the baby. But, Joseph would carry the family. He would carry the weight of the suspicions of people regarding the moral faithfulness of a young couple unmarried and pregnant. He would carry the responsibility of helping to care for a child that was both his and yet not his. He would shoulder the responsibility of teaching his young son, nurturing his young son, training his young son, and even struggling to understand this young son who ultimately created him! Joseph was a man of faith. It is a faith that you and I need to model today. Take you Bibles and open them again to Matthew 1 as Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled, Two Words, Two People, Two Names and Two Truths.

It's easy from our perspective 2000 years after the events of Jesus' birth to celebrate the wonder. It's more difficult for us to appreciate the faithfulness of Jesus' earthly parents. Mary was told she would give birth and Joseph told that the baby wasn't his. But both were faithful and pure before the Lord. Their obedience is the background to the story. The baby is the focus, but his earthly parents are the also central to the story. Today, Dr. Biles focuses our attention on Joseph - the earthly father of Jesus.

NO ONE would have or could have expected this! The Prophets had predicted a coming Messiah and many faithful followers of God even expected Him. But ... not like this. They thought Jesus would come as a conquering hero (maybe like the Judges in the Old Testament). They thought Jesus would come to restore their kingdom. But, He didn't come according to their plan and He wasn't here to complete their agenda. Instead, Jesus came to a young faithful girl, in a small town, who wasn't even married yet. That's how God chose to unveil His plan for all the world. Jesus is the unexpected blessing; the stable was the unlikely castle; the manger was the unanticipated throne; and Mary was the unpredictable vessel God used to carry out His plan of redemption. Open you Bibles again to Luke 1 as Dr. Biles concludes a message about Mary, The Maidservant of the Lord

As we approach the Christmas season, people's thoughts naturally turn to the story of Jesus. Songs are sung about Him. Stories are told about His birth. It is the beginning of the greatest story ever told. And the account of the story in Scripture begins as God details His plan to a humble and faithful woman. So, as our calendars turn again towards the celebration of His birth, let's look again at the story of Jesus.

As children, we read stories that began with once upon a time and ended with "everyone lived happily ever after." But, most of the time, our real-life stories don't end that way. Today, we are going to look at a story in David's life that DID. David tried to take matters into his own hands and caused a mess. But, when he turned back to God, the Lord showed mercy. And, in the end, everything turned out! Take your Bibles again and turn to 1 Sam. 30 as Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled, "There are always more things going on that I understand," and let's see how God took David's mistake and turned it into His glory.

Have you ever made a decision that you wish you could take back? Maybe it was something that you said or something that you did. Maybe it was even in your relationship with God. Worse, often those decisions have consequences that affect our lives or even the lives of others. That's where we find David in 1 Sam 30. Because of a previous decision that lacked faith, he and those he loved suffered greatly. But, God was still faithful. In today's message, Dr. Biles is unpacking a moment in David's life when he turned back to God. It didn't take away the consequences, but it was another opportunity for God to demonstrate His grace.

Dr. Biles summarized and applied this section by saying that God has never given you cause to doubt Him. That's true of David's life and also of yours. In the first part of this message, Dr. Biles showed how David fleeing from Saul escaped to the Philistines. But God was faithful. Open your Bibles again to 1 Samuel 27 as Dr. Biles concludes this message entitled, "Where Have You Been?"

In this passage, we find David in what could arguably be considered the last place imaginable. David was fighting with the Philistines. They were the enemy. That's where the Giant, Goliath came from. But, in an effort to escape Saul, David fled to the Philistines. Dr. Biles entitled this message, “Where Have You Been” which was the moment when the Philistine king asked David about his actions in fighting for them. It's an unusual moment of accountability to an enemy commander.

There is a wrong way to achieve what we believe to be a right result. Maybe you've felt that temptation in business or seen it in culture. It's so easy to justify any means to accomplish our plans. But, we learn from David today that following God's plan for our lives is far better than trying to manipulate them for ourselves. We're going to see a moment in David's life when he was given a chance at a shortcut but chose faith. Take your Bibles and turn to 1 Samuel 26 as Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled, "Choosing Sides, Choosing Moments, and Choosing Faith."

There are moments in all of our lives that define us. They may mark us for good. Or, they may shine a light on a moment of evil. Today, Dr. Biles will highlight a time in David's life when he had an opportunity to take matters into his own hands rather than trust in God. It could have been an easy win. For some, it would have been an easy decision. But, David, instead, chose to trust in God.

You never know how God could use you, in a moment, to change someone's life. When we think of David, most of the time, we think of people whom David influenced. Today, in 1 Sam. 25, we'll meet a woman who changed David's life. She spoke wisdom to him that corrected him from a rash decision. She spoke prophecy over him, which accurately reflected what God was doing in David's life, and she showed kindness to him, which ultimately attracted him to her. It's the marvel of a moment. Open your Bibles to 1 Sam. 25 as Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled, "What the man after God's Heart learned from the woman of faith."

Naming your children is a wonderful part of childbirth. Some parents name their children after family members, others after famous people, and still others after character attributes they hope will characterize their children's lives. Today, Dr. Biles will walk us through a passage describing an encounter in David's life when he met a woman of faith and her husband who was not. We will learn the lessons David learned from her and, hopefully, how we can apply them to our lives.

David faced many of the same decisions you and I face. In the conclusion to this message, Dr. Biles will show us from God's Word how David came to understand God's plan for his life. David came to see that God's plan was much bigger and far better than any plan he could make for himself. Take your Bibles and turn again to 1 Sam. 24 as Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled "How do I know?"

As believers, we know that God directs our lives. Sometimes, He guides us through His Word, sometimes through His Spirit, sometimes through His people or other means. Today, Dr. Biles continues a series of stories about David's life. In this passage, we will see that David faced some of the same questions of faith that you and I face. The circumstances were different, but the challenges were the same. Where do you turn for spiritual direction?

Today, Dr. Biles is concluding a message about God's presence. We'll see how God's presence made a difference in David's life. God was with David—leading him, protecting him, and reminding him who He is. It wasn't always how David might have wanted, but God was always faithful. Take your Bible and open again to 1 Samuel 23 to a message entitled "God is with us."

There are many promises in Scripture that remind us of the constancy of God's presence. One of the names ascribed to Jesus, Immanuel, reminds us of a God who chooses to be with us. Today, as Dr. Biles continues his series on David's life, we find David still on the run from Saul, but God, in this passage, is going out of His way to remind David that He is still with him.

Today, Dr. Biles is continuing a message about David's experiences in a cave. But God was present with David ... even there! From David, we learn lessons about times when our lives face difficulties. Open your Bibles again to 1 Samuel 22, and let's listen as Dr. Biles concludes a message he entitled " When You Are Living in a Cave."

Today, Dr. Biles is continuing a mini-series on the life of David called "Wandering from Home." Through this section in David's life, he is on the run for his life from King Saul. We will see that even when we find ourselves in difficult circumstances in our lives, God can still meet us there. And, sometimes, even in those difficult days, God might just raise up an army.

Stop and think about a time in your life when someone prevented you from making a bad decision. Maybe it was a parent, a teacher, or a friend. Most of us can remember a moment like that. Today, as Dr. Biles concludes this message, "Rescued from a Bad Idea," we're going to see how God rescued David from a bad idea. With your Bible open to 1 Sam. 21, let's listen to the conclusion of this message.

All of us have had some bad ideas from time to time! Most of the time, we don't act on them, and they get filed away as "dangers we have avoided in our lives." But occasionally, we act on our bad ideas and make bad decisions. In today's sermon, Dr. Biles is going to look at an episode in David's life when he made some bad decisions. We will learn again the faithfulness of God, even in our unfaithfulness.

Final Words are very important. History books are filled with important messages about the final words of many famous people. In this episode of After God's Heart, Dr. Biles examines the final words of a great leader. This study in the book of Joshua is entitled Living Courageously. Throughout this series, we've seen God's faithfulness and the challenge to God's people to live their faith in a way that honors the Lord. How we do that is a message worth remembering.

Today, Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled, Not One Word. This is a message about the faithfulness of God that Joshua used as a challenge to Israel in their obedience to Him. Joshua told them, "Here's why you can trust in God today ... because He never fails." No promise God has ever made has failed. Take your Bibles and open again with me to Joshua 23 for the conclusion of this message.

Do you remember the last time you had a secret? Everyone knows that feeling. It's the moment you have information that potentially no one else does, but they need to know it. Today, on After God's Heart, Dr. Biles will walk us through one of those moments in Joshua's life. He had a message to convey to the people about the faithfulness of God and His Word. His message resonates today of the character of God. You and I need to know it as we walk with God in faith.

In this After God's Heart episode, Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled Faith Matters. So far in this passage, we've seen how a civil war almost ensued in Israel and how God used one man to help avoid it. But there are spiritual lessons here we all need to know. Open your Bibles again to Joshua 22 and learn again the lessons we all need in faith.

It's Sunnyvale FBC Broadcast Ministries' 100th Episode, so we got the band back together to celebrate! Pastor Deron, Aaron & Ed reunite to discuss their favorite moments on "Life After Sunday." The guys also discuss what's new with each other and the church, as well as the latest with the "After God's Heart" radio ministry!

Today, on "After God's Heart", we'll look at part one of Dr. Biles's message, "Faith Matters," which is part of a series entitled "Living Courageously." In this message, we will look at a near catastrophe in Israel and how it was avoided. Hopefully, we'll learn lessons of faith for our own lives on how crises can be avoided.

Today on "After God's Heart", Dr. Biles is bringing a message of encouragement for all of us. This message is continuing a series entitled, "Living Courageously". The Bible reminds us that God has created all of us for His purpose. In this message, we'll see how God used the faith of Caleb to remind all of us to use every opportunity for HIs glory.

In this episode of After God's Heart, Dr. Biles continues a series through the book of Joshua entitled Living Courageously. This message is entitled "How to Recover from a Spiritual Mistake." We will see how Joshua, in a very rare moment of misjudgment, failed to seek the Lord, and Israel paid the price for it. But, just as He does for us, God showed Joshua grace.

Today, Dr. Biles continues his sermon series through the book of Joshua entitled Living Courageously. In the first part of the message, we saw how Israel carelessly and pridefully attacked a much smaller city and was defeated. Just like they defeated a much larger city when they trusted in God, they were defeated by a much smaller city when they didn't. Open your Bibles again to Joshua 7 as Dr. Biles concludes his message, Steps that Lead to the Valley of Trouble.

Today on "After God's Heart", Dr. Biles begins a message entitled Steps that Lead to the Valley of Trouble. It's a story of actual events in Joshua's life, but it's also a story that is relived in so many of our lives today. This message is part of a series of messages through the book of Joshua that Dr. Biles has entitled Living Courageously. Through this study, we are learning lessons of faith that you and I need in our own journeys of faith.

Today, Dr. Biles continues a message from the Old Testament book of Joshua. In the first part of this message, Joshua encountered the Commander of the Lord's Army, Who instructed Joshua on their first military campaign in the New Land. We know of this event as the Battle of Jericho. Open your Bibles again to Joshua 6 as Dr. Biles concludes a message he entitled, Lace Up Your Sandals.

In this episode of After God's Heart, Dr. Biles continues a series through the book of Joshua entitled Living Courageously. The book of Joshua records the account of God fulfilling His promise to bring the children of Israel into the Promised Land. So far in the story, He's got them across the Jordan River and marked that territory so they wouldn't forget it. As we move into Joshua 6, the Bible records for us the first military encounter in the New Land. God will fulfill His word, but it probably wasn't like most people in Joshua's military expected ...

In today's After God's Heart episode, Dr. Biles continues a message entitled Stones on the Bank and in the Bed. It's a challenge from God to His people to remember all God did for them. They are charged to remember what God did for them in the wilderness and now how God brought them across the Jordan River into the land He had promised to give them 40 years ago. Open your Bibles again to Joshua 4 as Dr. Biles continues his message entitled Stones on the Bank and in the Bed

Your family probably has special events that stand out in your mind. How do you remember great moments? Maybe it's with Facebook memories, a journal, old photo albums. In the Bible, when God's people wanted to mark significant events, they often made memorials. Sometimes, they were physical memorials (like rocks); sometimes, they were written down in historical records. Dr. Biles continues a series through the book of Joshua entitled Living Courageously. Today, from chapter 4, we'll look at a moment in Israel's history of marking something great God did.

Stepping out in Faith is the call of every believer. The task is different for all of us, but the faith required is the same. We're all called to believe that God can and trust that He will accomplish His purpose in our lives, no matter how difficult the challenge might be. Today, as Dr. Biles continues his Living Courageosly series, we'll see how God did exactly as He said He would. He parted the waters and the children of Israel passed on dry ground. But not before God taught them the lesson of trusting in Him. Open your Bibles again to Joshua 3 as Dr. Biles concludes a message entitled The Impassible River and the Untrodden Path.