Podcasts about pastor jeff

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.  

In today's episode, Pastor Jeff & Lydia discuss more about spiritual disciplines, giving you some helpful and practical advice so you can grow deeper in your walk with Jesus. Thanks for tuning in!

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.

Sunday sermon from May 25th, 2025. Pastor Jeff continues our series in the book of John titled, "Jesus Changes Everything." This week's passage is found in John 5:1-18.

Introduction: The Trustworthiness Test (Matthew 5:33-37): Do I Need to CONVINCE OTHERS of the TRUTHFULNESS of what I say? (Matt 5:33–34a) Do I Look for LOOPHOLES to GET OUT of what I say? (Matt 5:34b–36) Matthew 23:22 – And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. 1 Peter 2:22 – He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. Do I Always FOLLOW THROUGH on what I say? (Matt 5:37) James 5:12 – But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. John 8:44 – You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 5:33-37What was your big take-away from this passage / message?How can you strengthen your reputation when it comes to honesty and trustworthiness? How can you weaken it?Do you ever make excuses or look for loopholes to get out of what you say?Do you struggle with being a “yes or no” person? How do you fail to be reliable and follow through on what you say?What does it look like to truly repent of deception and make things right with those you have lied to?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Return your Bibles to Matthew chapter 5 verses 33 through 37.Matthew chapter 5 verses 33 through 37.Is it safe to say that trust is in short supply in 2025?We are constantly bombarded with lies, conspiracies, fraud,lame excuses, propaganda, cover-ups.With each passing year, we become less and less trustingas others seem less and less trustworthy.I was going to use an object lesson to prove this point,but for the sake of unity, which you'll see in a minutewhy I'm not doing this, I'm going to have you use your imaginations instead.Imagine with me that a bunch of images are from the screens behind meof famous individuals, politicians, billionaires, tech gurus, celebrities,social media influencers, world-renowned doctors,and popular preachers who you see pop up on Spotify, YouTube, and television.And with each image, with each person, I ask this very simple question,is this person trustworthy?And with some of these famous people, the answer would be a decisive yes,while others would be a resounding no.But some examples may prove to be a bit controversial and divisive.It may be a bit of a mixed reaction, which could lead to some frustration,heated debates, and strained relationships.Hence my unwillingness to show these images in service today.What if I were to close out this slideshow with a picture of you?And for the final time, I ask this very simple question, is this person trustworthy?What would be the response?What would your family members, friends, and fellow church members say about you?Maybe you don't want to play along with my made-up scenario,because you're afraid of what other people would say about you.But you cannot be oblivious in this area of life, because your reputation,when it comes to honesty and trustworthiness, is not a throwaway issue.Your credibility with others on the outside speaks to your integrity before the Lord on the inside.We've been studying the Sermon on the Mount for the past few months,and now this is the fourth week of our latest section, "The Heart of the Law."And throughout Matthew chapter 5, Jesus doesn't lessen the Old Testament law.He elevates it. He doesn't abolish it and throw it away.He digs down deep into our hearts to show how it applies at the deepest levels of who we are.Jesus proves that obeying God's commands and displaying true righteousness are matters of the heart.Jesus cares way more about the internal than the external,because who you are internally shapes all that you say and do externally.So far, we have covered what Christ commands and expects when it comes to anger,sexuality, and marriage.In Matthew chapter 5, verses 33 through 37,the Lord turns your attention to what he has to say about making promises and keeping your word.To help you gauge your own personal credibility, Jesus assigns an important testthat you cannot afford to skip or to fail.And this test is the trustworthiness test.Before we dig into the first question, let's go to the Lord in prayer.Please pray that I will faithfully proclaim God's word.While I pray that you will faithfully and joyfully receive God's word.Father, we thank you for the gift of your word.It is a mirror that you hold up to our hearts to show us what means to change.Lord, this morning you're going to show us some very challenging and difficult things about ourselvesthat we do not want to see,but we must recognize them and we must make changes by the power of your Holy Spirit.So may you do the work that only you can.We ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.All right, who is ready for the trustworthiness test?Well, we're going to take it anyway. So the trustworthiness test, question one.Do I need to convince others of the truthfulness of what I say?Do I need to convince others of the truthfulness of what I say?Let's read verses 33 through 34.Jesus says, "Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old,'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.'But I say to you, do not take an oath at all."This is the fourth time in Matthew chapter 5 that Jesus repeats the same verbal pattern."You have heard that it was said, but I say to you."So let's cover what was said in the past."You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn."You will not find this exact sentence word for word in the Old Testamentbecause it is a mashup of three different passages about keeping oaths.With the Nicos 19-2, Numbers chapter 30 verse 2 and Deuteronomy 23-21.In the Old Testament, oath taking was serious business.It wasn't something to be entered into lightly or carelessly.Vows were reserved for important matters.And God put them in place as a first line of defense against dishonesty.I find it helpful to view Old Testament oaths like spiritual speed bumps.Why do speed bumps exist?To cause you to slow down and keep pedestrian safe.Let me ask you, do speed bumps always do that?No, we've all seen maniacs treat speed bumps like challenges and jumps instead of warnings.And maybe you've been that maniac from time to time.Oaths were set up by God to curb the natural tendency to be deceitful and unreliable.They were like speed bumps.By taking an oath, you were saying,"God, you can bring judgment and cursing upon me if I do not keep my side of the bargain."But these spiritual speed bumps could not stop all dishonesty.It couldn't do away with people being deceitful.So vows help provide accountability, but they could not change the human heart,which is seen most clearly in the lives of the religious leaders of Jesus' day.The rabbis, the scribes, the Pharisees misinterpreted the Old Testament commands about vowsand twisted God's word to advance their own dishonest agenda.They believe that you shall not swear falsely, only spoke to perjuring yourself in a court of law.We'll talk about this in even greater detail in a few minutes,but they also believe that the instruction you shall perform to the Lord what you have swornleft some room for coloring outside the lines when it came to keeping your word.If you weren't in a court setting or you didn't make vows directly to Godand in His name there was some wiggle room to tell some lies.It wasn't ideal, but hey, not a big deal.As long as you said the right things and as long as you kept their man-made rules.Once again, the religious leaders are taking God's word, taking His commandsand putting it into their own man-made box.Their standards were shallow and their righteousness was phony.But Jesus calls His followers to a greater righteousness, to a higher standardwhen He says, "But I say to you, do not take an oath at all."This command brings up an important question that we have to answer.Is Jesus saying that it's always sinful to make a promise or a vow of any kind at any time?Well, some Christians, some scholars and pastors certainly think so,but that's a really hard stance to defend from the rest of Scripture.The Apostle Paul kept and he made and kept a vow in Acts 18-18.In Revelation chapter 10 verses 5 through 6, the Apostle John records an angel swearing enough.In the Old Testament, God made oaths to show the seriousness of His covenant promises.God didn't do that because he had a shaky reputation.He lovingly did that to give His people a rock-solid confidence in His trustworthinessand the certainty of His purposes and His plans.God's vows were like exclamation points that highlighted His credibilitybecause we so often do not trust Him even though His track record is flawless.The Lord established the Old Covenant with Israel and He has established a new covenant with all who believein the life, death, and resurrection of His Son.And at its core, a covenant is an oath-bound relationship that is built upon promises being keptand the Bible is crystal clear that God always keeps His promises.And speaking of covenants, the Bible describes marriage as a covenant relationshipwhich means that as a good and godly thing, you swear your devotion to your spouse.You know, 11 years ago, Pastor Jeff married my wife and Iand when he asked me to repeat my vows to Kate after him, I didn't say, "Whoa, wait preacher boy,I don't make promises or take vows. Don't you study the Bible for a living?Shouldn't you know that? Pass." Did I do that? Jeff, do you remember that? I don't think I did that.Let's move from the marriage ceremony to the courtroom.I'm called to testify in a very important case and the judge tells me to raise my right handand he asked me, "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?"What should I say?Sorry, judge. I'm a Christian. I can't do that. You may as well call the next witness. I'm out of here. Deuces.Is that going to go very well with the judge?Listen, Jesus is not condemning vows in the context of a courtroom or a wedding ceremony.Jesus is forbidding the practice of taking frivolous oaths and making pointless promises in everyday life situations.He's saying, "Do not be the kind of person who needs to swear on something or someone to be believed.Do not be the kind of person who needs to clarify that you're not lying.Who needs to clarify that you're telling the truth.Be so trustworthy that your word can be taken at face value without jumping through hoops.As a follower of Christ, you shouldn't need the spiritual speed bumps of promises, oaths, and vows to be taken seriously.You should be a person of such great integrity that promises are unnecessary because your past performance speaks for itself.Others should trust you implicitly because you have proven yourself explicitly.Your heart should be so full of the truth that lying doesn't even register as a valid option to choose or path to take.For the Christian, honesty is like breathing.You inhale the truth of God's word and then you exhale the truth in every situation.You don't tell white lies because you understand that there are no such thing as white lies.Every lie, no matter how small, is a huge deal to the Lord.You don't embellish your stories or add on extra details to impress people because who cares what other people think about you.What matters most is what God thinks about you.And He knows what you're saying is not true.You don't cut corners at work because you ultimately serve the Lord of all creation who sees everything,not the human boss across the hall who cannot see into your heart.You cannot control much in this life, but you do have the ability to deepen your credibility or destroy it,to strengthen it day by day or to willingly weaken it.You have no right to be offended when someone doesn't believe you if you have a shady history of saying things that are not trueand making promises that you didn't keep.You are simply reaping the consequences of what you have sown.You are receiving the label of untrustworthy, which is a title that you have repeatedly earned.The trustworthiness test.Move on to the second question.And it will not be easier than the first.Do I look for loopholes to get out of what I say?Do I look for loopholes to get out of what I say?So Jesus pulls the rug out from underneath the religious leaders and exposes their ridiculous schemes in verses 34 through 36.But I say to you, do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,or by the earth, for it is His footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king.And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.As I said earlier, the scribes and Pharisees were experts at looking for loopholes and creating escape patches to get out of what they said,especially if what they said wasn't made in a court setting.So instead of swearing in God's name, they would swear by heaven, they would swear by the earth, the city of Jerusalem, or even their own heads.In their minds, swearing on these things was not binding like swearing in God's name.This is the verbal equivalent of crossing your fingers behind your back whenever you make a promise.They thought they were so clever. They found their own get out of oaths free card.But Jesus shows them that this line of thinking is childish and dumb.He destroys their loopholes and he closes their escape patches.Let's follow his logic.Jesus says, "Do not swear by heaven because who does heaven belong to?"All right. I know it's early. I'm going to ask that question again.Who does heaven belong to?It is His throne.And Matthew actually reinforces this later on when Jesus says,"And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it."He also says, "Don't swear by the earth because who does it belong to?"Once again, I'm going to try it again. Who does the earth belong to, everyone?It is His footstool. God is so awesome. He is so big.The earth is like a teeny tiny ottoman where He puts His feet up.The earth belongs to God, so don't swear by it.It's also not a great idea to swear by Jerusalem because who does it belong to?Great job, everyone.The king of Jerusalem, the king of the earth, and that is God.You swear by Jerusalem. You swear by the one who created and rules over Israel.And He also says, "Don't swear by your own head."It seems kind of weird, right? What does that even mean?Well, it means this. "If I don't keep my word, let me be decapitated."A modern day equivalent of this would be, "Cross my heart and hope to die. Stick a needle in my..."These words mean nothing and they control nothing.Jesus says, "You cannot make one hair white or black."Back in those days, people could not control their hair color with hair dye like we can today.Once your hair started going gray, there was no going back.But even today in 2025, you can't speak a change of hair color into existence, right?You can't say, "Let my hair be black. Let my hair be blonde again."You cannot do that.So Jesus is saying, "If you cannot even control the color of your hair with your words,your words definitely cannot control if you're decapitated or not."God is saying, "My words certainly control that."Which means, "I own you. I own your head. I am the one who controls all things.So do not swear by heaven, by earth, by Jerusalem, or your own head."Jesus even exposes the other things the religious leaders swore by in Matthew chapter 23 verses 16 through 22.They would swear by the gold of the temple instead of the temple itself.They would swear by the gift on the altar instead of the altar itself.Jesus doesn't actually commend them for their shrewd thinking and their creative brainstorming.He calls them blind fools who cannot see the stupidity of their own actions.He labels them as blind guides who have fallen into a sinful pitand are calling the rest of Jerusalem to join them in the darkness.I know what you may be thinking at this point.Taylor, this is an interesting history lesson at all.I just don't see how this relates to me.I haven't sworn by anything or anyone for a long time.I haven't said, "I swear on my mother's life. I swear on my grandma's grave.I swear by my life that I'm not lying."So how does this relate to me? I haven't done that for many years.Well, here's how the text relates to you."Don't be a sneaky word ninja like the scribes and Pharisees.Do not be a sneaky person.Do not look for escape hatches and loopholes to get out of what you say,because that does not honor the Lord."Let me give you some examples that may hit close to home.Husbands, you're supposed to carry out a task for your wife, but then you forget.Yeah, stretch your imagination because that never happens, right?Then your wife calls you on it and to save face you say, "Oh, I was just about to do it.You didn't give me enough time. That's sneaky. So don't do it."You commit to a small group, but on one particular night, you don't really feel like going.So you call your small group leader, "Oh, man, I'm really under the weather.I don't want anybody else to get what I have. So I'm not going to make it tonight."That's sneaky. So don't do it.Someone texts or calls, someone texts or emails youand really annoying message that you do not want to respond to.So the next time you see that person, you pretend like you accidentally missed it.That's sneaky. So don't do it.You get invited to an event that you desperately do not want to go to.So what do you say? "Yeah, maybe that might work. Let me get back to my calendar and get back to you."You ain't getting back to them about nothing. You are going to ghost this person.That's sneaky. So don't do it.Unfortunately, you do get sucked into that event that you do not want to go to.Instead of biting the bullet and attending, you call that person the day of,"I really wanted to come, but something came up."But nothing came up.That's sneaky. So don't do it.And I know what some of you are saying to yourselves right now."Taylor, this seems like really small potatoes in the grand scheme of things."Shouldn't we move on to something a bit bigger?I mean, come on. These kinds of excuses are harmless and they hurt no one.Actually, these kinds of excuses are harmful and they hurt everyone, including you.You are numbing yourself to the deceitfulness of sin.And you are paving the way to lie in bigger and bolder ways moving forward.Listen, no one starts out as a pathological liar.It starts with one compromise that you get away with.And then it's way easier to make another compromise.You cross the line, you get away with it,and then you make a habit out of pushing boundaries and testing the limits.If you keep this up, you will end up saying and doing things that you never thought you were capable of.Sneakiness is a way of slipping into your heart and taking over if you're not on guard against it.But most importantly, these kind of devious excuses are sinful and sinning against the Lord.And that alone should give you pause and cause you to cut this behavior out of your life.It is not wise, it is not right to walk in the sneaky footsteps of the scribes and Phariseeswho rejected and murdered the Son of God.Instead, walk in the footsteps of the one who committed no sin.Neither was deceit found in his mouth.Jesus always told the truth even when it cost his own life.Jesus never made excuses to get out of his mission of dying on the cross.You must always tell the truth even when it gets you into trouble.Never make excuses even when it seems like everyone else around you is.The final question of the trustworthiness test.Do I always follow through on what I say?Do I always follow through on what I say?Jesus wraps up by showing the alternative to being an undependable and sneaky person in verse 37.Let what you say be simply yes or no.Anything more than this comes from evil.Well, according to our Lord, being an honest person is not a complex concept.Say yes if you'll do something. Say no if you will not do something.That's super easy, right?Not really.It is so simple, but it is also so hard to live out.It isn't convenient to be a yes or no person, but it is the freest way to live.It is so stressful to not keep your word.It is so stressful to have all those deceitful plates spinning in your mindbecause at some point one will come crashing down and you will have to deal with the consequences.It is exhausting to put on a mask and pretend to be someone who you are not.It is painful to not be the person who you project yourself to be.It is embarrassing to be unreliableand to have the reputation of being a constant flake and not an unshakable rock.When I am closing things down in my office for the day and packing things up,I often text my wife to let her know that I am on the way home.But sometimes I get distracted with other things after I send that text.Writing down a sermon thought that I don't want to lose,wrapping up a task that I forgot to complete, or talking to Pastor Jeff.That never happens, right Jeff?Several months ago I arrived home way later than I told Kate that I would.And I profusely apologized and I will never forget her blunt response with a loving smile on her face."Oh, that's okay. I always add an extra 15 minutes to your arrival time when you text me."Ouch!That loving burn really stung my conscience.My wife gave me some extra wiggle roombecause she was aware that I often missed the target of my stated arrival time.Do people need to give you wiggle room because they know that you often missed the target of keeping your word?They know you'll be somewhere off on the board but way off-center,or maybe you'll miss the board completely.You mean well, you have good intentions but your follow-through fall short.Maybe you feel very discouraged by your unreliable reputation.You're thinking to yourself, "I don't want to be this way. I want to help everyone.I want to be there for everyone but I can't seem to keep all of my commitments."Well, it sounds like you have a no problem.You say yes to everything because you don't want to let anyone down.But in the process, you let everyone down because you cannot equally serve everyone.If you say yes to everyone, your word will not carry weight with anyone.And to be clear, saying no can be wrong and sinful.Some of you in this room say no way more than you should at home, at work, and even in this church.God may be calling you to step up more, not step back less.But at the same time, saying no can also be right and productive.Because you have to recognize that you are not God.You cannot be everywhere all the time and you cannot do everything at the same exact time.You are a limited person.You need to count the cost of what you are committing yourself to before you say yes or no.It takes great wisdom and discernment to say no to good things.So that you can say yes to the best things.And Jesus is so direct at the end of verse 37 and says that anything beyond being a yes or no person is evil.It is wicked.And this is recapt in James 512.Some translations of Matthew 537 say that this kind of behavior beyond being a yes or no person is from the evil one.Meaning if you live this kind of deceitful lifestyle, you are way worse off than just being like the scribes and Pharisees.You are also like their spiritual father, Satan.Listen to what Jesus says to religious leaders in John 844.You are of your father the devil and your will is to do your father's desires.He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.When he lies, he speaks out of his own character for he is a liar and the father of lies.My kids bear a family resemblance to Kate and me.They have my eye color and thankfully they have her good looks.After service, you see them running around.It shouldn't come as a surprise that they belong to Kate and me because they look just like us.There are two spiritual families and it's obvious which one you belong to based on which father you resemble the most.Do you resemble Satan who lies, cheats and steals or do you resemble God who tells the truth, does the right thing in the right way and selflessly serves?Which father do you resemble the most?We've reached the end of the trustworthiness test.How did you do?Did you pass or did you fail?Did you stick the landing or did you crash into the runway?Maybe the Lord has encouraged your heart and revealed to you that you have a strong and solid reputation that is well deserved.If that's you, keep up the good work, keep your foot on the gas pedal and keep moving forward by the grace of God.Maybe you're convicted that yes, you are in the family of God, but you sure aren't acting like it right now.Instead of hiding away and keeping your lies a secret, be honest about your dishonesty to God and to those you have betrayed.It is not enough to just stop lying from now on. You also have to uncover the lies that you've already told.I know that's hard. I know that feels shameful.But remember, if you are a true believer in Christ, there is no condemnation for you.You can be honest about your sin and ask for forgiveness from others because the penalty has already been paid by Jesus Christ.We can share openly about our failures because they're no longer held against us.Maybe you've come to the realization that you resemble the evil one and belong to the wrong family.For years, you've unapologetically told bold-faced lies. You've shared half truths.You've led people on. You've been underhanded and you've covered your tracks so you can avoid getting in trouble.You may feel crushed under the weight of your own dishonesty right now.If that's you, please do not try to do better or be better on your own.Do not try to clean up your act because that will not solve the problem.Self-improvement and self-help are fools errands that lead straight to hell.Those worldly methods will not solve the problem that is truly within you, which is the problem of your heart.Please come clean and confess your sins to the Lord.Turn from your deceptive ways and throw yourself at the mercy of Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose again to save liars like you and me.If you do that, the Lord will give you a brand new heart that loves the truth, that desires the truth.A heart that is overflowing with a desire to share the truth with everyone.Only the most trustworthy one in all of existence can truly turn you into a trustworthy person.Let's pray.Father, I am a man of unclean lips who dwells among the people of unclean lips.Lord, we have sinned against you with our deception and our lies and our half truths.Lord, on our own, we are so helpless. We are so hopeless.But we thank you for your redeeming work.We thank you that you have cleansed us.You've cast our lies away from us as far as the east is from the west.Lord, help us not to be sneaky anymore.To not be deceptive anymore. To not make untrue excuses.Lord, help us to be people of our word who don't need to make promises.Help us to be people who have a solid reputation because our reputation impacts your reputation in this world.Lord, there's someone in this room who does not know and love you.May today be the day where they finally make the most important decision of their livesand are transformed and changed forever.We thank you for your goodness. We thank you that you are unchanging even though we're constantly changing.We ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

This episode is an update about Pastor Jeff. After experiencing a health scare, Pastor Jeff was hospitalized but is now home and recovering well. We're incredibly thankful for God's protection and for the amazing care he's received. He's expected to make a full recovery, but will be going on a short medical sabbatical to fully rest and heal.We will be taking a break for a few weeks as Pastor Jeff regains his strength. But we'll be back soon with more from our Denominational Distinctives series, right where we left off.______________________________We love your feedback! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review. If you have any questions or comments on today's episode, eamail me at pastorjeff@lowcountrycc.orgVisit my website https://www.jeffcranston.com and subscribe to my newsletter. Join me on Sunday mornings at LowCountry Community Church. Check-in with us on Facebook or Instagram @pastorjeffcranstonRemember, the real power of theology is not only knowing it but applying it. Thanks for listening!

05.25.2025 | Let's Get Clear on the Holy Spirit | Part 3: The Influence of the Holy Spirit | Pastor Jeff Wickwire Pastor Jeff Wickwire emphasizes the vital role of the Holy Spirit in our spiritual journey, explaining that without His influence, we would not recognize our need for Jesus. He highlights how the Holy Spirit convicts individuals of their sins, teaches them about righteousness, and prepares them for judgment, ultimately guiding them to salvation. Pastor Wickwire encourages believers to develop a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, who actively works in their lives, transforming them to become more like Christ. He concludes by urging the congregation to be attentive to the whispers and guidance of the Holy Spirit, reminding them that they are instruments of God capable of making a significant impact in the world.

Welcome to the Harvest Bible Chapel podcast. We're so glad you're joining us today. In this message, we continue our verse-by-verse study through the Book of Acts by turning to one of the most personal and powerful moments in Paul's ministry—his farewell to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:17–38. In this passage, Paul offers a compelling example of faithful leadership and gospel courage. He shows us what it means to serve with humility, sacrifice for the mission, teach the truth, protect the church, and—above all—trust the Lord. Wherever you're listening from, we pray this message encourages you to follow Jesus more fully and live boldly for His kingdom. Let's get into the Word together. This podcast is a production of Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago. Executive Producer: Flavius Herlo Speaker: Pastor Jeff Thompson Sound design, mixing, and editing: Bryan Tripp Graphic Design: Wesley Cassford Social Media: Bryan Spahr Producer: Dave Putnam WE INVITE YOU TO CONNECT WITH US: • Website: www.harvestbible.org/ WE INVITE YOU TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: • Instagram: @harvestbiblechapel • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harvestbiblechapel/

Ascend: Week 19 - Christ's Ascension / Pastor Jeff Bowman by Hope City Church

Ascend: Week 18 - Embrace Same / Pastor Jeff Bowman by Hope City Church

Pastor Jeff takes a look at Saul's first big win as king and uses it to talk about what real, gospel-centered humility looks like. He reminds us that every victory we experience comes from God—not from our own talent or effort. When we truly get that, it frees us from chasing self-esteem or needing approval […] The post Responding to the Haters appeared first on Echo Lake Church.

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.”

What do you put your trust in? Pastor Jeff discusses those questions in this week's podcast focusing on Acts 25:13-27.

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.”  

Pastor Jeff Edwards asked, "What makes you truly happy?  Long weekends?  A new toy?  Your team winning?"  As we conclude the letters of John, he emphasizes the eternal-life-long happiness found in passing on Truth and Love. Jeff preached from 1 John 5:20 – 3 John 15.

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.

Whether it's the loss of a job, an illness, or being isolated at home, we're going to suffer in this life. But how do we handle it? Pastor Jeff encourages us to pray, sing and submit ourselves to the Lord at such times… just as Paul and Silas did in the passage before us. If we whine and complain, that's telling God we don't trust Him. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/621/29

Pastor Jeff emphasized the transformative power of the Gospel and the importance of living a life that pleases God. He outlined that God's will for believers includes pursuing purity, possessing their bodies honorably, and understanding the seriousness of sin. Through examining Scripture, he called for repentance and a commitment to grow in righteousness, warning against complacency in faith. Ultimately, Pastor Jeff urged the congregation to consider how they can more abundantly please God in every aspect of their lives. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

05.18.2025 | Let's Get Clear on the Holy Spirit | Part 2: The Transforming Power of the Holy Spirit | Pastor Jeff Wickwire In his sermon, Pastor Jeff Wickwire emphasizes the importance of understanding the Holy Spirit as a person and a part of the Godhead, rather than a mere force or mist. He explains the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer, describing the process of regeneration as an instantaneous act of becoming a new creation in Christ, and renewal as a lifelong journey of spiritual growth. Pastor Jeff illustrates how this renewal process involves a change in thought patterns and behaviors through the daily engagement with Scripture and the presence of God. He encourages the congregation to recognize the necessity of the Holy Spirit in their Christian journey, highlighting that true transformation comes from being filled and guided by Him.

Authentic Church is a Bible-based, Spirit-empowered, Presence-driven church in Orange County with the mission to Love God, Love People, and Live Authentic.   Our Vision is to Encounter God, Discover Community, and Fulfill God's call on our lives.   For service times and info, please visit us online or via our social media platforms: AuthenticOC.com   To stay up to date on all things Authentic, text the word "Authentic" to 94000   Subscribe to receive our latest messages!   #Sermon #AuthenticChurch #OrangeCountyChurch   We would be honored if you would like to support this ministry and help us continue to reach people with the authentic gospel... click here: https://pushpay.com/g/authenticoc   Love God.   Love People.   Live Authentic.   Stay Connected   Website: https://authenticoc.com/   Authentic Church Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthenticChurchOC/   Authentic Church Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authenticchurchoc/   Authentic Church YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWxskUerFuBNhLZI3wpqzlg

This sermon explores the story of Saul’s anointing as king of Israel, focusing on his initial insecurity and reluctance to accept God’s call. Pastor Jeff uses this narrative to discuss how insecurity can hinder believers from fulfilling God’s purpose in their lives. He emphasizes that God equips those He calls and encourages listeners to trust […] The post The Lie of Insecurity appeared first on Echo Lake Church.

Welcome to #SundaysatTCAB! We are excited to have Pastor Tiago share an update of all the Lord is doing at Clay Vessels Learning Center at The Church at Mesa Verde. God is always at work, doing new things amongst us. He wants us to join Him in His work and experience the abundant life through kingdom building. Where is He asking you to jump in? New to The Church at Bushland? Tell us a little about you and receive a personal note from Pastor Jeff. First Time Guest: https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/guestform?location=livestream How can we pray for you? Submit your prayer request here: https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/prayerrequest Subscribe to get the latest videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChurchAtBushland We also have our newest channel, @TCABClips, with sermon and worship highlights and short content from Digging for the Truth. Subscribe, turn on notifications, and never miss an episode! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6VflV8HJUd-6vTX9CSJRKw Listen while you work, exercise, or whatever keeps you busy: Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-church-at-bushland/id6442779332 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/077EsZwp6Y7pPhv7X8mXEY?si=893d09eeae9142d5 Support the online ministry at TCAB. Join the giving team today! https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/giving Download the TCAB App today! iOS - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-church-at-bushland/id1495461805 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kidunottech.culminate.tcab Connect with The Church at Bushland: Website | https://thechurchatbushland.com Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/thechurchatbushland/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thechurchatbushland/

“You Can't Do It Alone”Exodus 18:1-27 [NIV]1 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, and how the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt.2 After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro received her 3 and her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses said, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land”; 4 and the other was named Eliezer, for he said, “My father's God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharaoh.”5 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, together with Moses' sons and wife, came to him in the wilderness, where he was camped near the mountain of God. 6 Jethro had sent word to him, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons.”7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and then went into the tent. 8 Moses told his father-in-law about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them.9 Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians. 10 He said, “Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. 11 Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly.” 12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law in the presence of God.13 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”15 Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God's will. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and instructions.”17 Moses' father-in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. 19 Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. 20 Teach them his decrees and instructions, and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. 21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. 22 Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. 23 If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.”CONNECT WITH USIf you have any questions or would like to get to know us further, head over to https://www.triumphlbc.org/connect and fill out our online connection card.ABOUT TRIUMPHTriumph wants to see the life and message of Jesus transform your heart, home, and city. To learn more visit https://www.triumphlbc.org/

Ascend: Week 17 - The Rock of Escape / Pastor Jeff Bowman by Hope City Church

In this episode of Walking with God, Pat and Jeff sit down with their friend, Pastor Manoj Magar, to explore his inspiring ministry, Rays of Hope, serving some of the most vulnerable communities in Mumbai, India. Hear how God is working powerfully through Pastor Manoj to bring light, love, and lasting change.

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!”

Pastor Jeff Johnson will focus on ACTS 16, verse 25 today. Paul and Silas are in a dungeon… the circumstances couldn't be more miserable… and yet they're singing praise to God and praying! Pastor Jeff believes that speaks volumes to us on how to maintain our joy, and praise God even when our circumstances are dark, confusing or unfair! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/621/29

In his sermon, Pastor Jeff Wickwire discusses the characteristics of perilous times and the emergence of false followers in the last days, emphasizing that these conditions existed even in Paul's time. He highlights the traits of "phony Christians," who exhibit self-love, pride, and a lack of genuine faith, thereby corrupting the church and leading others astray. Pastor Wickwire warns listeners to be discerning and to avoid such individuals, as they prey on vulnerable believers and propagate false teachings. Ultimately, he reassures that while these deceivers may thrive for a time, their true nature will be revealed, urging the faithful to remain steadfast in their commitment to God's Word. 05.14.2025 | Staying Strong in Stormy Times | Part 1: Perilous Times and Perilous Men | Pastor Jeff Wickwire

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.

Pastor Jeff and the group discuss Revelation 21 & 22.

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.

Pastor Jeff and the group talk about John 6.

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.”

This week Pastor Jeff continues teaching on the Samaritan woman and how Jesus advanced the Gospel

Introduction: 2 Kings 18:4 – He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan). Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery (Matthew 5:27-30): Adultery Is a DEVASTATING SIN. (Matt 5:27–28) Matthew 15:19 – For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. Titus 1:15 – To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. Adultery has DIRE CONSEQUNECES. (Matt 5:29–30) 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 – Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Adultery requires DRASTIC MEASURES. (Matt 5:29–30) Romans 13:14 - But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 – And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 5:27-30What was your big take-away from this passage / message?Explain Matthew 5:28 in your own words.What did Jesus mean by gouging out your right eye and cutting off your right hand (Matt 5:29-30)? What are some practical ways to apply this teaching?Is Jesus saying a believer who commits adultery will go to hell? Who exactly is “thrown into hell”?What would you say to a professing believer who confesses that they can't break free from lusting? BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Open up those Bibles to Matthew chapter 5.If you're visiting with us today, we are going through the Sermon on the Mount verseby verse.And Happy Mother's Day, the title of today's sermon is "Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery."I, I, um, we go where the text goes, okay?That's what we do.We go where the text goes.So let's do that.I'd like you to bow your heads please and just pray for me to be faithful to communicateGod's Word.And I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what is an extremely challengingpassage.Let's pray.Father in heaven, we thank You for Your Word.We're not going to shy away from it.We just heard two testimonies of the way that Your Word has transformed lives.We're going to hear at least four more in the next service.That's why we, um, we just want to go after Your Word, God, because we believe that YourWord does Your work because that's what You said.And that is certainly what we've seen.So Father, I pray for all of us here today, all those who are going to be listening, watchingthis stream or downloading the podcast.Father I pray that You would bring revival in each and every heart in a way that greatlyglorifies Your name.We pray in Jesus' name.And all of God's people said, "Amen."Amen.Matthew chapter 5, are you there?In Numbers chapter 21, you have Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt to the promisedland and Israel complained and grumbled against God, against Moses.And the Lord sent these fiery serpents who, and these serpents bit some of the Israelitesand many of them died.Well they repented.And God told Moses to put a bronze serpent on a pole.And if the Israelites, when they were bitten by one of the snakes, if they looked at thisbronze serpent, they would live.Well then fast forward, Israel in the land established and they had kings.Some kings were very bad and some kings were just not as bad.Right?Can you relate to that at all?And Hezekiah was a king who was not as bad and he brought a lot of reforms to Israel.Here's one.We put this verse up from 2 Kings chapter 18.Hezekiah says, "He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the ashram.He broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made for until those days the peopleof Israel had made offerings to it."It was called Nahushdin.See what happened?You see what happened?People took a blessing that God gave them for their benefit and they turned it into anidol.That's exactly how it is with physical intimacy.It is a gift that God gave those in the covenant of marriage, but we have turned it into anidol.So on your outline today, this is it."Thou shall not commit adultery."I want you to write some things down.Number one, write this down.Adultery is a devastating sin.Adultery is a devastating sin.Now just that statement alone, it's a hard sell because we are a sex-obsessed culture.You've taken this gift from God and we've perverted it and we worship it.Do I have to point that out at all?Look at all the homosexuality madness, all the transgender stuff.And you're like, "Yeah, you know what, Pastor Jeff, you're right.You're right.It's bad out there."And I would say, "Church, it's bad in here."I was reading some polls for what they're worth.But according to one poll, one half of self-identifying Christians believe that casual sex is okay.Consenting but not in a relationship.They believe that's okay.Half.Think that's alright.What?I read a poll about pornography use among non-Christian men.Non-Christian men, 65%.Like, yeah, that's pretty bad.Christian men, 64%.The same poll, lest you think, "Yeah, creepy men, right?Creepy men, same poll, 51% of women."And you know at this point, you could be like, "Well, look, Jeff, we're only human.Everyone does it.It's not hurting anyone."Well according to Jesus, it's a devastating sin.Look at verse 27, Matthew chapter 5.Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'"Stop there.Adultery.What is adultery?Well the technical term is defined as intercourse with another person's spouse.But it's become a catch-all term for relations with anyone who is not your spouse.And you're going to see in this passage, it's very clear that that's how Jesus was usingthe term in the most general sense possible.You go to Exodus chapter 20 and verse 14, you see that it's the seventh commandment.You go to Deuteronomy chapter 22 and verse 22, you'll see that under the law in Israel,adultery was punishable by death.And I don't have time to get into it this morning.We've done whole sermon series on this, by the way.But I just encourage you, if you're ready to just brush it off as, "Oh, church people,just making a big deal out of nothing," read Proverbs 5, 6, and 7 sometime.And you will see that adultery is a devastating sin.I heard one pastor this past week call it a sin for fools.And I think that's a very good description.adultery is devastating.I mean, it wrecks you, destroys your reputation, affects your relationship with your spouse,relationship with your kids.Oh, and the other person, what about them?It affects, now if they're married, it affects their relationship with their spouse.If they have kids, it affects their kids.And what has done to their reputation.But the devastation of adultery is way deeper than that.Look at verse 28.Jesus says, "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent hasalready committed adultery with her in his heart."Do you notice verse 27, verse 28?Jesus said, "You have heard, but I say to you," what was Jesus doing?Pastor Taylor talked about this last week.Same thing with murder.Same thing.Jesus was contrasting their definition of sin with God's definition of sin.Because their definition of sin in Jesus' day was all about externals.So when they hear adultery, they're thinking only in terms of the physical act with anotherperson.But that, not alone, is adultery.And Jesus says, "No, you're not taking it far enough.And you're understanding.It's a hard issue.Like murder.You don't have to actually kill someone to be considered a murderer in the eyes of God."Jesus is saying the same thing about adultery.You don't have to physically be with another person to be an adulterer.Look at verse 28 again.He says, "I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has alreadycommitted adultery with her in his heart."Now you have to understand this looking with lustful intent, it's not an accidental glance.This is literally in the process of continuing to look.It's looking in such a way that you are fueling your sexual imagination.When that happens, the deed's already done.Adultery has happened.Now listen, I don't want you to misunderstand because it's even worse than you think itis.Listen, Jesus did not say that looking at a woman with lustful intent causes you to commitadultery in your hearts.Jesus said looking at a woman with lustful intent means you already committed adulteryin your heart.Jesus is saying that you looked with lustful intent because it was already in your heartto commit adultery.I think this is where a lot of people get this mixed up.It's not, "Oh, I was going about my business and I just stumbled across this woman andI looked at her and that is what caused me to lust."That's not the extent of it.It's this, I have an adulterous heart that's looking for a woman with lustful intent.See the difference?The look did not cause the lust.It is the lust that caused the look.You see the difference?Look, look, I can't, there's no way I can overstate this.This is a real problem.And this is a real problem that people sitting here have right now and are not dealing withit.You're not an adulterer because of something you do, it's who you are.It's a heart thing.You see with adultery like murder, as Pastor Taylor talked about last week, before it'san act, even if it doesn't become an act.That is what is in your heart.This is the heart of the law.Jesus said in Matthew 15, 19, "For out of the hearts, out of the heart come evil thoughts,murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander."You see that?The sinful acts are symptoms of a sinful condition.Committing the act of adultery, those are the leaves on the tree that has the root ofan adulterous heart.And if you're sitting here still somehow magnanimously saying in your head, "I would never committhe act."I did not and I would never commit the act of adultery.But if that sin is in your mind, if that sin is constantly in your imagination, you havea real problem.That's why pornography is such a big business.Why?Because sinful hearts are literally searching for it.And you have to understand that if that's your issue, the sin started even before yougot online because it's in here.It's a devastating condition to live in.You're unable to live a holy and upright life because when your heart is full of adultery,it perverts everything.And consider Titus 1.15.Look at this verse.Paul says to the pure, "All things are pure."But to the defiled and unbelieving, meaning your heart is full of perversion and sin,to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure.But both their minds and their consciences are defiled.Do you know what that means?That means that when you're in that latter condition, you cannot look at another womanpurely.You cannot see another woman as a sister, as a mom, as even just another human being.When this is where your heart is, every woman that you encounter, you're evaluating.And many become objects in your minds and hearts of fantasies.Lust just becomes all-consuming.And the people that live in this defiled state don't even see a problem.God's gift of marital intimacy has become an idol that you use to gratify your flesh.So see, Jesus is telling us out the gate, this is a devastating condition.And secondly, I shall not commit adultery.Not only is adultery a devastating sin, but adultery has dire consequences.Adultery has dire consequences.Look at verses 29 and 30.These two verses kind of saying the same thing, but this is some of the most startling stuffJesus ever said, in my opinion.He says, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away, for itis better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away, for it is betterthat you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."And you're like, "Man, gouge out your eye?Like cut off your hand?"Like, "Man, that seems awfully extreme."If that's the part you're focusing on, then you have completely missed the point.Because neither of those things are extreme.They're not extreme at all compared to hell.Notice twice Jesus says, "Thrown into hell."Thrown into hell.What's the obvious implication, right?We get it.We get what He's saying.Jesus is saying here that people with adulterous hearts go to hell.If you're still not convinced, Paul backs this up, verse Corinthians 6, verses 9 through10.He says, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?"Meaning go to heaven.Meaning go to hell.He says, "Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral nor adulterers nor men whopractice homosexuality nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor revilers nor swindlerswill inherit the kingdom of God."Your priority in this life, more than anything, should be preparing yourself for eternity.Are you doing that?Because the Bible says your decisions in this life matter.And someday you're going to stand before God.So if lust is a problem for you, if lust characterizes you, and look, I can't answerthat.I can't answer that for you.But you know if this sin consumes who you are.And if it characterizes you, there are consequences.As we talked about before, here and now, apparently, obviously, easily seen, there are consequencesfor adultery.But Jesus says there's also consequences when you take your last breath.Adultery has dire consequences.So let's talk about the other big thing in these verses.Number three, adultery requires drastic measures.Look at them again.He says, "If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away, for itis better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away, for it is betterthat you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell."Weren't you just blessed by the obedience of those who were baptized today?Didn't you say obedience is a wonderful thing?Awesome.Who's first?I mean, didn't Jesus just say if your hand causes you to sin, to cut it off?Who's first?We're not going to do it over the tub because we get more baptisms in the next service.And you're like, "Yeah, what about the other verse?"Well, don't worry.We can take care of the eye, too.We'll get Pastor Taylor up here.We'll do them both at the same time.You won't know.You won't even know what's going on when both of them are happening at the same time.And you're like, "Man, gouging out your eye and cutting off your hand.Man, that sounds drastic."Oh, it absolutely is.Maybe even more than you think.Because you see, Jesus was speaking to Jews.And the Jews viewed the right greater than the left.Just as a general thing.If you're left-handed, I don't need any hate emails.Okay?That's just the way it was, right?Sitting at the right hand.My right hand, man.The idea was right is better than left.So your right eye and your right hand and the Jewish mindset, those were the two most importantthings that you own.What Jesus is saying is this, there is nothing that is too important to eliminate from yourlife if it is causing you to sin.Adultery is destructive, it's enslaving, it's condemning.We got to deal with that.We have to deal with it.Do you believe that?Whatever.Listen.Whatever it is that feeds the lust in your heart, no matter how important that thingis, it has got to go.It's got to go.If you're feeding your lust through your phone or maybe a tablet, smash them up.And you're like, "Pastor Jeff, I have the newest iPhone.I spent a lot of money for that."It's not worth hell.Is it your laptop?Smash it up.Or you know, take your laptop to the kitchen and only use it around your family.You're like, "Oh, Pastor Jeff, my family is really nebby."Good.So glad to hear that.It's not worth hell.Maybe for some of you it's your social media accounts where you're having inappropriaterelationships, conversations with people online or looking at things through those that youshouldn't be looking at.Delete them.Delete those social media accounts.You're like, "But Pastor Jeff, that's how I stay connected.Join a small group."You're like, "Put Pastor Jeff, the social media, that's just my leisure time.Take up pickleball.It's not worth hell."You know what?Maybe we'll just take care of all this.Call and cancel your internet if it's a problem.If it's leading you to feed this lust, Jesus says, "It has to go."And you're like, "Well, Pastor Jeff, I need the internet for my job.Get a new job.I will find you a job where you don't need the internet because it's not worth hell."Maybe for some of you as we are approaching summer, maybe it's a membership in a publicpool.Like, you know what?I go there, Pastor Jeff, and I look at the women there, and I get to tell you what didJesus say.You've got to get extreme here, people.But Pastor Jeff, my pool membership, that's just kind of our thing like we do in the summer.Swim at home.And I don't have a pool at my house.Do you have a bathtub?It's not worth hell.And I know people are like, "Okay, Pastor Jeff, I hear what you're saying, but I'm goingto be honest with you."It's going to be kind of embarrassing to have to explain to people why I smashed my phoneand canceled my internet.It's going to, I'm going to have to explain to people why I did that.That's kind of embarrassing.I'll tell you what's going to be more embarrassing than that is you not cutting off your sin,and someday you're going to stand before God.And God's going to say, "Do you remember the strangest Mother's Day sermon you've everheard?"Why didn't you listen?Why did you despise my word?Why did you think following me was not worth cutting off the stuff that keeps you from followingme with your whole heart?Why did you find me not worthy?Notice Jesus says it's better.It is better to lose your eye, lose your hand.It's better.What's better than going to hell?Literally anything.Anything you have to lose for the sake of your soul is going to be worth it.Romans 13, 14, same thing.Paul's saying the same thing.Maybe not in as graphic terms as Jesus, but it's the same thing.He says, "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratifyits desires.Make no provision.Take drastic measures to cut off anything that feeds the flesh."It's like that old story I heard, an old metaphor.Maybe you've heard about the guy.He had a white dog and a gray dog.And every time he put food out for them, the gray dog would whoop up the white dog, takeall the food.The white dog would get none.After a while, the white dog, not eating, got weaker and weaker and weaker and the graydog getting all the food, got stronger and stronger and stronger.The guy said, "I've got to do something about this."So he put both the dogs on a leash.And for a month, he only fed the white dog.This isn't a real story, by the way.Don't call it PETA.But he only fed the white dog.The gray dog barely surviving.But after that time of only feeding the white dog and not the gray dog when he let themoff the leash, now the white dog was strong because it was the one that got fed.The gray dog was weak because it was the one that got starved.And I think you see the obvious application.The dog you feed is going to be the dominant dog.And the dog you starved was going to be the weak dog.See in this analogy, the white dog represents walking by the Spirit.The gray dog represents walking in the flesh.I think some of you are so weak because you're not feeding the Spirit, so to speak.You're not into Word.You're not worshiping.You're not praying.You're not in fellowship.You're not listening to good biblical podcasts.You're starving that.When instead you need to be starving the flesh.Make no provision for the flesh.Starve the adulterous heart by making no provision for whichever dog you feed is going to bethe dog that is strong.And the dog that you don't feed is the dog that gets weak.And you're like, "Man, Pastor Jeff, this sounds impossible."Oh, it is.Absolutely.That's why we put Romans 13 back up there, please.It is impossible.Hence the first phrase in this verse, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ."Reformation is not going to work.If your goal here is to just try to clean up your act, you're not going to get very far.You need transformation.You need the life of Christ in us to be able to make these choices.Oh, and by the way, earlier we read, well, 1 Corinthians 6, we read verses 9 and 10.I'd like to go back and I'd like to look at the very next verse.Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?Do you not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral, nor adulterers, nor adulterers, normen who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers,nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God?Look at verse 11.And such were some of you that you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, youwere justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the Spirit of our God.I just want to ask you today, are you an R?Or are you a Wurr?Because today, today could be the most important day of your life because today you can becomea Wurr.Like it about your heads as the worship team makes their way back up.Just like it about your heads.Close your eyes.Look, this is a between you and God thing here, alright?There's some of you that have been trapped because you don't know Jesus Christ as yourLord and Savior.You don't have the power or resources to overcome this sin because you're living in the flesh,not by the power of His Holy Spirit because you don't know.Today can be the day that you receive Him.And you know what?We're baptizing in the next service.Pastor Taylor would be thrilled to be able to baptize you because you've repented fromyour sin and turned to Jesus Christ.But if you, heads bowed, eyes closed, if you're sitting here and you're like, you know whatpastors, I am a believer in Jesus Christ, but I'm honestly, I'm stuck in this sin.I just want to ask you, Christian, stuck in this sin.Why in the world would you indulge in a sin that Jesus died for?Today Christian, you need to repent.Today Christian, you need to do some cutting.Father in heaven, I just simply ask today that you open up the eyes of our hearts that wedon't look at this sin from a worldly perspective because the world celebrates it.Father, let us see this sin from your perspective.It's a horrible sin.Father, let us see the consequences that Jesus laid out for us.There is eternal separation from you for the heart that chooses to live in lust insteadof walking by the Spirit.Father, I pray that you would give us the wisdom, you would give us the strength, andyou would give us the faith to be able to cut some things today.It's ultimately going to bless us to be free from this bondage, but the end goal of allthings, Father, is for the glory of your name.Father, I pray that you would glorify your name through a work of your Holy Spirit, bringingpeople to you in repentance and bringing your people back from a willing bondage tosin.Please, Father, let our life, let our very life be an act of worship in the way we repent.We pray in Jesus' name, amen.

The gift of faith stands distinct from natural faith, saving faith, and the fruit of faithfulness as a supernatural surge of confidence from the Holy Spirit. This divine gift operates beyond human possibilities, manifesting in moments when natural abilities reach their limits. Throughout scripture, from Daniel to Paul, we see examples of this supernatural faith enabling ordinary people to face extraordinary circumstances. This gift often works in conjunction with other spiritual gifts, leading to miracles and healing when believers step out in obedience.

The Methodist Church has split and one side is growing fast. In this episode, Pastor Jeff and Tiffany Cocker unpack the theological roots of Methodism, why nearly 5,000 churches have joined the Global Methodist movement (a fairly new denomination), and what makes this tradition so distinct in today's world. They explore the historical foundations of Methodism, the influence of John and Charles Wesley and George Whitefield, and how the movement developed across England and the American colonies.Here's What We Discussed:00:33 – The Roots of MethodismHow the term “Methodist” began as a slur, and how the Wesley brothers and George Whitefield formed a movement focused on prayer, discipline, and Scriptural devotion.03:04 – John Wesley in AmericaJohn Wesley's short-lived ministry in colonial Georgia and how his personal struggles helped shape the future of Methodism.05:58 – Charles Wesley's HymnsCharles Wesley's theological influence through music, and why his hymns remain central to Methodist worship today.10:06 – George Whitefield's Evangelistic ReachA look at Whitefield's powerful preaching ministry, which reached an estimated 80% of colonial America, and his foundational role in the Methodist revival.13:05 – United vs. Global Methodist: The Modern SplitKey reasons behind the recent division, including differing views on biblical authority and Scriptural application.17:11 – A Typical Methodist Worship ServiceWhat to expect on a Sunday in a Methodist church: a blend of liturgy, creeds, music (both hymns and contemporary), and Scripture-based preaching.20:10 – Church Leadership & Governance An overview of the Methodist church's conference-based structure, role of bishops, and lay participation in decision-making.22:05 – Wesleyan Theology & Sanctification What “Christian perfection” really means in Methodist theology, and why the emphasis on sanctification and personal salvation sets this tradition apart.Key Quote:“One of the things that sets Wesleyan theology apart is John Wesley's view on what came to be known as Christian perfection, or entire sanctification. Wesley didn't teach that Christians become sinless in this life, but that we can, through God's grace, grow into full maturity in Christ. That means being wholly devoted to God and to loving others. The deeper you go into the sanctification process, the less you're going to sin.” – Pastor Jeff CranstonWe love your feedback! If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review. If you have any questions or comments on today's episode, eamail me at pastorjeff@lowcountrycc.orgVisit my website https://www.jeffcranston.com and subscribe to my newsletter. Join me on Sunday mornings at LowCountry Community Church. Check-in with us on Facebook or Instagram @pastorjeffcranstonRemember, the real power of theology is not only knowing it but applying it. Thanks for listening!

On Mother's Day, Pastor Jeff emphasizes the significant role of mothers in God's design and their influence in shaping the next generation. He highlights how mothers model the Gospel and have the unique ability to disciple their children in a way that is profoundly impactful. Despite a culture that often overlooks their contributions, God sees and values the work of mothers, and their faithful service can change the course of families and communities. Ultimately, the message champions motherhood as a noble calling and encourages both mothers and the wider community to recognize and support this vital role. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

In his sermon, Pastor Jeff Wickwire emphasizes the significance of mothers, particularly focusing on Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her profound advice to simply "do whatever He says." He explores the story of Jesus' first miracle at the wedding in Cana, highlighting how inviting Jesus into our lives is crucial for experiencing transformation and miracles. Pastor Wickwire explains that our lack, whether it be hope, love, or fulfillment, can only be filled by turning to Jesus, who invites us to trust Him and obey His guidance. Ultimately, he encourages the congregation to open their hearts to Jesus and follow His teachings, as true change and divine intervention occur when we act in faith. 05.11.2025 | Mother's Day 2025: Water to Wine | Pastor Jeff Wickwire

How should the Church respond to Pride Month? In this bold and biblically grounded sermon series, Pastor Jeff brings clarity and compassion as he teaches what it means to stand for truth in a culture of compromise. Each message will challenge believers to walk in holiness, conviction, and grace. Thank you for watching the live stream of All Peoples Church. Jeff Crawford shares a teaching called: Who Is God, and Who Are You? This is the first teaching in this series. Service from May 11, 2025. For more information, please visit our website, www.allpeopleschurch.us or find us on social media!

Pastor Jeff Peterson delivers a timely message on how to activate your faith.   Authentic Church is a Bible-based, Spirit-empowered, Presence-driven church in Orange County with the mission to Love God, Love People, and Live Authentic.   Our Vision is to Encounter God, Discover Community, and Fulfill God's call on our lives.   For service times and info, please visit us online or via our social media platforms: AuthenticOC.com   To stay up to date on all things Authentic, text the word "Authentic" to 94000   Subscribe to receive our latest messages!   #Sermon #AuthenticChurch #OrangeCountyChurch   We would be honored if you would like to support this ministry and help us continue to reach people with the authentic gospel... click here: https://pushpay.com/g/authenticoc   Love God.   Love People.   Live Authentic.   Stay Connected   Website: https://authenticoc.com/   Authentic Church Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthenticChurchOC/   Authentic Church Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authenticchurchoc/   Authentic Church YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWxskUerFuBNhLZI3wpqzlg

The book of Revelation unveils the full deity and sovereignty of our Lord God almighty in vivid detail. A right understanding of this apocalypse, prophecy and pastoral letter had the power in the first century to encourage and undergird the young church to persevere through intense persecution while simultaneously enlivening complacent and apathetic believers to join in the mission. Revelation still possesses the same authority and strength today. The Lord is on the throne and in full control even when it seems evil is winning. The book of Revelation emphatically reassures us believers that things are not as they appear. Please join us and be encourage through this study of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.  ———————— This week, Pastor Jeff continues a series in the book of Revelation. The next message in the series comes from Revelation 22:6-21 and is entitled "Jesus is Coming." The main idea of the sermon is: Since Jesus Christ is coming soon, his people must humbly resolve themselves to keep his word and long for his return. ————————  Connect with Us: Website: parkwoodonline.org Facebook: facebook.com/parkwoodonline Instagram: instagram.com/parkwoodonline.org  Check out more resources and sermons online at: parkwoodresources.org

Welcome to #SundaysatTCAB and Happy Mother's Day! Today our very own, Jena Morrison, will be teaching. She has a great message from the Old Testament that will encourage us all in our walk with Christ. Thank you for tuning in today! Be blessed! New to The Church at Bushland? Tell us a little about you and receive a personal note from Pastor Jeff. First Time Guest: https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/guestform?location=livestream How can we pray for you? Submit your prayer request here: https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/prayerrequest Subscribe to get the latest videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheChurchAtBushland We also have our newest channel, @TCABClips, with sermon and worship highlights and short content from Digging for the Truth. Subscribe, turn on notifications, and never miss an episode! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6VflV8HJUd-6vTX9CSJRKw Listen while you work, exercise, or whatever keeps you busy: Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/channel/the-church-at-bushland/id6442779332 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/077EsZwp6Y7pPhv7X8mXEY?si=893d09eeae9142d5 Support the online ministry at TCAB. Join the giving team today! https://www.thechurchatbushland.com/giving Download the TCAB App today! iOS - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-church-at-bushland/id1495461805 Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kidunottech.culminate.tcab Connect with The Church at Bushland: Website | https://thechurchatbushland.com Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/thechurchatbushland/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thechurchatbushland/

Pastor Jeff opens up Psalm 23 in our Bible Recap reading and brings its truth to the life of a mother on Mother's Day.For more info, visit thebridgebiblechurch.com.

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.

In this special Q&A message, Pastor Jeff and his wife Brandy will answer your questions on parenting, marriage, dating, and more! ---Pastor Jeff & Brandy Little Interactive message notes for this message: https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=HJPEwIblxeReaching People. Building Lives. Milestone Church is located in Keller, TX, with multiple locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, as well as streaming live online each weekend.We invite you to join us live each weekend at live.milestonechurch.com.——Stay Connected with Milestone ChurchWebsite: https://milestonechurch.comMilestone Church Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milestonechurchMilestone Church Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milestonechurchPastor Jeff Little Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pastorjefflittlePastor Jeff Little Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jefflittleResources that will help you grow: https://resources.milestonechurch.com