New Life Community Church Podcast

Do you have plywood faith?  A sheet of plywood is not one piece of wood, but multiple layers glued together to make one sheet that is much stronger than a thick piece of wood.  This is how God leads us, from our salvation (or calling) to our ultimate destiny in God's kingdom.  Learn how this works through the life of Gideon.   Judges 6

First, you face your fear (last week) and now you need to face your sin.  This is the second installment on the life of Gideon.  

This is the first in a series about facing your fears.   The COVID situation is causing a lot of fear, and God gives us a plan for facing those fears.  We start the story of Gideon, the bravest chicken I know.   Turn in your Bibles to Judges chapter 6.

We've been talking about the resurrection of Jesus, His post-resurrection appearances.   Today we wrap up the series.  Turn in your Bible to Acts chapter 1 and listen in.  

What does a 2000-year-old garbage dump have to do with us, in modern America?  Everything!  This message has a warning for everyone today, but especially Christian leaders.  If you are a leader, want to be a leader, or can spell the word leader, this message is for you.

What is the one moment around which all of history pivots?  Some would argue it's the atomic bomb, others the apollo lunar mission.   I contend it is the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Find out why in this sermon from New Life Community Church.

What about us folks who are not in the "inner circle"?   Does God care about us?This is the Easter Sermon which I preached on Facebook Live ( https://www.facebook.com/tedwildersr/videos/1871090313015721/ )

Do you have Corona Virus Tunnel Vision?  Is this getting you down?  The cure is to lift up your eyes.  Psalm 121 says "I will lift up my eyes to the hills.  Where does my help come from?"  Today in this message preached from my personal office (and a squeaky chair) we look at this psalm, and Jesus' message of comfort to His disciples on the night he was betrayed.   Look up, see the bigger picture.

This is the audio-only version of this sermon.  to view the youtube version click here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmRfe5fMt9wWhen we tell people about following Jesus, we forget to have them count the cost. In this lesson, we look at the scriptures to see what it really means to follow Jesus.

The Corona Virus has the world in a panic.  Flights are being canceled, schools closed. The stores don't have any hand sanitizer on the shelves.  What is the Christian response?  What does the Bible say?  We have good news, we have THE Good News, the gospel.  Listen to this Biblical, common sense message on this critical subject.

That perfume was worth over six thousand dollars, and she poured it on His head.  What a waste!  She was misunderstood, ridiculed and scorned.  There were those who wanted to sell that expensive perfume and give the money to the poor after they skimmed some for themselves of course.  What does this story mean to us today?   Listen and find out.

 Why must a lamb die every time someone sins?  It's not fair!  That lamb didn't do anything wrong.  In the Old Testament, you had to bring a sacrifice, a lamb as a substitute for sin.  Then Jesus came, the Divine Lamb of God, the innocent one to die for all of mankind.   This is the doctrine of substitutionary atonement.  Controversial, but essential to our salvation.  

Today is an exciting day for me.  I was just voted in as the pastor of New Life Church in Prunedale.  I found the very first sermon I preached here from January 20, 2019, and I thought you would like to hear it.   We meet in the Senior Center at 8300A Prunedale North Road.  That's the little blue building in the American Legion parking lot.  We meet at 10 AM (9 AM on the second Sunday of the month).  We are basically a start-up church with about 10-15 in attendance.  

Today, if you will hear His voice.  it's a statement but it begs a question, will you hear His voice.  All through the scripture, we are exhorted to seek God, to seek His face.  Let's explore what it means when a church, both corporately and individually purpose together to seek God, and to seek His face.

Kleenex alert!Today we look at John 11 when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.  We focused on that tiny little verse, Jesus wept.  Jesus grieved with Mary and Martha, even though He knew what He was going to do.  In the same way, Jesus grieves with us when we are mourning the loss of a loved one.  We do not grieve as those who have no hope, but we still grieve.  I played a song during the sermon, but I had to delete it for copyright purposes.  The song is "This Time It's Different" by Steve and Annie Chapman.  You can listen to the song herehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBawSSYkYZQThe other reason I cut it out of the podcast is I was crying so hard, and you couldn't hear the song on the recording over the sounds of my crying.  I can't listen to that song without tears.   Please go listen to the song. Pastor Ted  

Jesus declared Himself to be the Good Shepherd.  That is a very powerful image to those who understood sheep and shepherds.   Understanding this imagery gives us some very real assurance that we are truly Safe in His Hands.  

We see it all the time, evil people prosper but the faithful suffer.  They get away with murder (literally and figuratively).  Does God care?   Does God even see what is happening?  Tune in for a divine perspective from Psalm 73.

Who were the wise men?   More accurately they are called the Magi.  Who they were, why they traveled over a thousand miles to visit one little child in a small village in Israel is a fascinating story.  Come join us as we explore Matthew chapter 2.If you are in the greater Salinas/Prunedale are and don't have anything else to do on Christmas Eve, you are welcome to join us for our Christmas Eve Candlelight service.   This is about an hour singing Christmas songs, worshiping Jesus (just like the wise men did) and a candlelight service.  I'll also tell my Christmas story, "The Bad, the Sad, and the Glad".  We meet at the Prunedale Senior Center at 6 PM.  The address is 8300A Prunedale N. RdPrunedale, CA 93907 This is located just below theAmerican Legion HallSee you therePastor Ted.  

We all know about the shepherds who saw the angels who announced the birth of the Christ Child.  But do you really know the story?  There are some real suprises when you really hear the story.

When we tell the Christmas story we almost never talk about these two giants of the faith.  There's so much we can learn about our faith from the story of these two saints.  Join us as we explore the short encounter between an old man, an old lady, and the Creator in infant form.

Jesus is the Star of the Christmas Story, but there are a lot of "supporting characters".  Today we look at Joseph, the silent giant.  Though he speaks no words his life speaks volumes.   

What happens when you die?  An awesome question.  Most of us avoid it.  Sometimes we listen to some well-meaning preacher or friend who gives us their opinion, but what do they know?  It's dangerous to stake your entire eternity on misinformation.  There is only one Expert, the Lord Jesus.  Let's hear what He has to say about the subject.  

During the month of December, we will be giving away copies of my Christmas CD, Christmas on the Keys, while supplies last.  This is one hour of the most relaxing instrumental Christmas you'll hear anywhere.  We meet at the Prunedale Senior Center on Prunedale North Road at 10 AM.  Here's the introduction to the CD. At the end of the day, after the malls, the shopping, the traffic, the parties, cooking and cleaning, when the weariness from the empty hype of the season has taken its toll, you ask yourself, “what’s it all about?”On this album, you'll find no Santa, no reindeer, no trees, no candy canes.  You'll find a starry night, a lowly manger, shepherds and angels, and a Babe who is called Immanuel.  Pour yourself a cup of cocoa, find an easy chair and listen to Christmas as it was meant to be.

After Jesus fed the five thousand and walked on the water He taught the people about the Bread of Life.  This is one of the hardest sections of scripture to understand.  In this teaching, we break it down, analyze it and make sense of it.  There are some golden nuggets in this passage.  Digging for gold is hard work but worth the effort.    

Question:  What do President Trump's twitter account, a lame man, a health spa, an angel, bubbly water, a mat, and an angry mob have in common?   I guess you'll just have to listen to this episode to find out.   This sermon is based on John Chapter 5

How deep is your faith in God?  Before you answer that question you might want to listen to this sermon.   On one of the spectrum are the spiritual brats - who will only love God if He answers their prayers the way they want.    On the other end of the spectrum are the spiritual giants, whose faith in God causes Him to do _____, sorry, I'm not going to tell.  You'll have to listen to find out.

Have you ever met someone and wondered if that was a coincidence, or did God set that up?  Truly there are these divinely-inspired moments, and there are more of them than we realize.  Today we explore one such encounter with Jesus and the Woman of Samaria.  In this passage, we learn many principles of witnessing. Too often we make witnessing a painful process that often comes across as phony.  Letting God direct the conversation is so much better. So turn in your Bible to John chapter 4 and let's learn about a divine appointment. 

John 3:16 is probably the most famous bible verse ever.   The command to be Born Again is equally well known.  This concept has been laughed at, scorned, misused (ever hear of "born again hair"?) and embraced for centuries.  How you respond to this message is a matter of Life and Death (spiritually, that is).  It's simple to understand but difficult to embrace.   So take a listen and then ask yourself, "Am I born again, and if not, why not".  

In John chapter 2 we read of Jesus and his disciples going to a wedding.  We also read how Jesus went to Jerusalem and caused a riot in the temple when he formed a whip and tore the place up, Yelling "Take these things away!  Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise."   Two seemingly unrelated stories yet they give us the pattern for a truly powerful prayer meeting.

This is part two of "The Launch".  We start with the calling of the first disciples, examine the methods that were used to call them.  Then we explore the question, "Am I Called?"  Spoiler Alert:   If you are saved, you are called to ministry.   

Can you imagine a Billy Graham crusade where no one showed up?   Neither can I.  Each crusade took months, if not years of planning.   The launch of Jesus' ministry took centuries of planning.  It was all forecast centuries before in the old testament.  Today we look at the ministry of John the Baptist and how he was used by God to formally launch the ministry of Jesus Christ.  

Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’  Matthew 7:22-23There are many who know a lot ABOUT Him, but do you really know him?  Watch as the revelation of just who is this Jesus unfolds as we unpack John chapter one. 

What does a real Christian look like?  How do I know I am a real Christian?  Listen in to find out.