Podcasts about pastor jeff

Today is FRI-YAY with a special shout-out! Pastor Jeff will share that when families put their hope in Jesus, they are holding on to God's biggest, best promise—a promise that lasts forever! Hebrews 7:22 22 Because God gave his word, Jesus makes certain the promise of a better covenant.

In the story of Noah and his family, Pastor Jeff reminds us that families who trust in God can have hope and not live in fear. Genesis 9:11 11 Here is my covenant I am making with you. The waters of a flood will never again destroy all life. A flood will never again destroy the earth.”

Today, Pastor Jeff shares that being in a family that hopes and trusts in God is an amazing blessing. It sets you on the right path. Genesis 9:9 9 “I am now making my covenant with you and with all your children who will be born after you.

Pastor Jeff spoke about the Church as a Field.  Christians have so many resources to grow in our faith…apps, podcasts, online courses, seminars and retreats, Christian books and media, and now AI!  What more do we need?  How about a church?  Today's metaphor suggests growth takes place principally in and through the local church, God's field, the place where God's people grow. Jeff used 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 as his scripture.

Three Miracles: Week 2 - Move / Pastor Jeff Bowman by Hope City Church

Three Miracles: Week 3 - Peace in the Storm / Pastor Jeff Bowman by Hope City Church

This week, Pastor Jeff will share that Families should obey God. When families choose to obey and trust God, just like Noah's family did, they can have hope. Genesis 9:8 8 Then God spoke to Noah and to his sons who were with him

Hear what Pat and Jeff have to say about God's provision and how God's purpose will be done even when we do not understand how. Note: The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of Pat Barry and Jeff Quinto and may not reflect the opinions of the Bethel Bible Series or Bethel Lutheran Church. Blessings in Christ,  Pat & Jeff Soli Deo Gloria!

How hungry do you get when you miss a meal? If you start to miss multiple meals, you'll start to notice it affecting your energy levels and your mood. Your body needs food to stay alive, but your soul needs God's Word to sustain itself as well! Pastor Jeff reminds you today that it is important to develop a consistent habit of consuming the Word of God, because that is where your spiritual strength will come from. Without God's Word, you may have to face the trials of this life all on your own.

On this Father's Day, Pastor Jeff acknowledges the incredible contributions of fathers and volunteers in the community, particularly during the recent high five week, which saw a significant number of children come to Christ. He emphasizes the importance of fathers as prophetic voices in their families, urging them to align their hearts with God in order to lead their children effectively and counter the lies of the world. Throughout the sermon, he encourages fathers to speak blessing and affirmation to their children, reflecting the love of God, and to model Christlike behavior at home. Ultimately, the future of families and society depends on the role fathers play, as they guide their children in embracing God's truths, thereby changing the course of their lives for the better. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

Pastor Jeff delivers a powerful message entitled, "NEARNESS IS GOD'S ANTIDOTE".   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 week, Pastor Jeff continues our series in the Psalms named Selah. The next message in the series is based in Psalm 92 and is entitled "Steadfast and Faithful." The main idea of the sermon is: The steadfast love and faithfulness of the LORD produce the fruit of gratitude in the people of God. ————————  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 Father's Day! We are excited to have our Connection Pastor, Kade Morrison, bringing the word today. What is your life focused on? There's a common phrase that says, "Aim small, miss small." This is a great reminder when we think about our own lives and what we are chasing after. Let's unpack the scriptures and learn who we should be aiming for. 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/

Join us LIVE at Timberline Church! This Sunday, we kick off a brand-new message series titled “Adventure: Exploring God in Recreation.” Discover how God speaks through our moments of rest, play, and exploration. We’re also thrilled to welcome back Pastor Jeff Lucas to the teaching platform for the first time since October! As Timberline’s former Senior Pastor of over 30 years, Pastor Jeff brings wisdom, humor, and heartfelt insight you won’t want to miss. Live from Timberline Church in Fort Collins, CO Let’s worship together, grow in faith, and embrace the adventure God has for us! #TimberlineChurch #JeffLucas #AdventureSeries #ChurchOnline #LiveStreamChurch #SundayService #FortCollinsChurch #GodInRecreation #ChristianMessages #OnlineWorship

Have you ever watched something evil happen around you and wished you had done something to stop it? Well, that's the conviction of the Holy Spirit reminding you to call out and confront evil when you see it. Pastor Jeff reminds you today that John the Baptist didn't let fear of death stop him from calling out King Herod's evil actions, and that confrontation would cost John his life. But John knew that he was in God's hands, and he knew that death wasn't going to be the end!

In this episode, Pastor Jeff Christianson explores the life-transforming direction found in Philippians 3:12–14 and Colossians 3:1–3—pressing forward and looking upward. Contrasting the biblical call to focus on Christ with the inward and backward methods of secular counseling, Pastor Jeff emphasizes the sufficiency of Scripture and the person of Christ in our sanctification journey. Drawing from years of ministry and mentorship under Pastor Chuck Smith and Pastor Bob Hoekstra, he reminds us that true spiritual growth comes not from introspection, but from setting our minds on things above. This episode is a call to refocus on the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Ready to be equipped for biblical counseling? www.jeffchristianson.com/counselor-certification-waitlist

Today is FRI-YAY! And shout-out day! Today, Pastor Jeff teaches us that Adam and Eve's story shows us how sin began, but Jesus came to fix what sin broke. Romans 5:8 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Pastor Jeff reminds us today that there is peace and joy when families obey God. But when we sin and try to hide it, we end up with hard feelings and hard times. 1 John 1:8 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Pastor Jeff teaches us today that God's rules aren't to spoil our fun—they're there to help us make good choices that lead to peace, joy, and safety. Genesis 3:23 23 So the Lord God drove the man out of the Garden of Eden. He sent the man to farm the ground he had been made from.

Today, Pastor Jeff shares that God wants families to obey Him, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because His rules are there to keep us safe. Genesis 3:22 22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

Have you ever noticed that many Christians don't know who they are in Christ? As a result of not knowing who they are—they don't know what to do. We're currently in a series called “Who Am I?”, where we're exploring the importance of grounding our lives in our identity in Christ. Our goal throughout this series is to help you understand who you are in Christ—because when you know who you are, you'll know what to do.This Sunday, Pastor Jeff walks us to discover what it means to be an ambassador for Christ. We'll be studying Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 5:17–21, and through this passage, we'll uncover the calling and appointment Jesus has given each of us.We are ambassadors for Christ, and we represent Him. --WebsiteFacebookInstagramSunday SetlistConnect with us!

Pastor Jeff and the group dive into Luke 22&23.

Introduction: Leviticus 19:18 – You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:34 – You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. I Love My Enemies... (Matthew 5:43–48) ...because of WHO I AM. (Matt 5:45a) ...by WHAT I DO. (Matt 5:45b) ...because I Am CALLED TO BE DIFFERENT. (Matt 5:46–47) Sermon Notes (PDF): BLANKHint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Small Group DiscussionRead Matthew 5:43-48What was your big take-away from this passage / message?What does it mean to be persecuted? When Jesus said we must pray for those who persecute us, what / how exactly should we pray?Can you genuinely love your enemy if you don't really feel like it? Why or why not?Explain Romans 12:20. How exactly does loving your enemy lead him to repentance? See also Romans 2:4.What did Jesus mean in verse 48 when He said we “must be perfect”?BreakoutPray for one another. AUDIO TRANSCRIPT Open up those Bibles to Matthew chapter 5.As we go through our series, the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew chapter 5 verse 43, Jesussaid, "You have heard that it was said."Stop there for a second.This whole section that we're in right now, if you've been following this series at all,I'm sure you've noticed that that has come up.What is it like?Six total times pastor?Like, "You have heard that it was said, but I say to you."What Jesus is dealing with here is correcting some garbage beliefs.And I've shared with you before, that's my biggest concern for this church is the areaof discernment.We live in a day that there is so much bad teaching out there.And thanks to the Internet, we have access, right?And look, I'm not saying it's all bad, but I'm saying probably for every good teachingyou can find online, you can probably find ten other garbage teaching online.And my concern for the church is people not knowing the difference.And it gets back to what did Jesus actually say?It's the issue that He was dealing with in His day, lack of discernment.Last week we saw Jesus said, "You've heard that it was said, and I for an eye."And Jesus said, "No, no, no, no, no, no."Jesus, as I say to you, I'm paraphrasing, He says, "Do not retaliate."You can walk away from last week's message and say, "Got it.Don't retaliate."So I'm just going to ignore the people that I can't stand.Well, let's keep reading.Verse 43, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate yourenemy.'But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."Oh, no, no, don't ignore your enemies.You have to look for ways to be good to them.You're like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.You're saying that I not only don't get to get even with them, but I have to proactivelylove them?Yeah, that's what He said.All right?It's a hard word.So I think we should just stop and pray right now, shouldn't we?I'm going to ask that you would pray for me to be faithful to communicate God's word,accurately and clearly, and I will pray for you to have a heart open to receive what ourLord is teaching us in this part of His Sermon.All right?So let's pray.Father in heaven, as we go through this sermon from our Lord, it's just wave after wave ofthings that really confront our selfish, sinful, fleshly tendencies.And I don't know of one that's bigger than this one.I'm asking, please God, please, by the power of Your Word, Father, by the power of YourSpirit that You would change our minds today, Father, change our hearts and that we wouldn'tjust leave here knowing some things, but we leave here deeply convicted and moved to dosome things.For Your glory and honor, Father.We pray in Jesus' name.And all of God's people said, Amen.All right, let's break this down here.Jesus says in verse 43, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighborand hate your enemy.'"You have heard.You have heard.That's what we've seen in this series.The scribes and the Pharisees in Jesus' day did what's still happening today.They twist verses in the Word of God to justify whatever it is they want to justify.For them, Jesus called them out.They were justifying their lust.They were justifying their hatred.They were justifying their getting even with people.He calls them out again.You've heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy."That's what the scribes and the Pharisees said.And you're like, "Well, was that in the Old Testament?"Well, the first part was, kind of.Here's what I mean.Here's what's actually in the Scripture.Leviticus 19-18.Look at this."You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but youshall love your neighbor as yourself.I am the Lord."So you see, with the way that they sort of restated that, they ran into four problems.Four problems.The first problem is the scribes and the Pharisees left out the "as yourself" part.Did you notice that?Well, I love my neighbor, but as myself, that's a bit too much.Let's keep it vague.Because if we keep love vague, then whatever we do, we can just say it was love, right?So keep it vague.God never kept it vague.That was their first problem.Second problem is the scribes and the Pharisees redefined neighbor.And their definition of neighbor was, "Those I choose to love."That was their definition.So do you realize...the reason I'm laughing is, do you realize what that made the command?God's command is, "Love those you choose to love."That's convenient.Third problem, the scribes and the Pharisees totally added the "hate your enemy" part,right?Totally added that.You're not going to find that anywhere in the Old Testament.My vague love is for my Jewish neighbors.What about the foreigners?Hate them.And that leads us actually to the fourth problem.Because that whole love your neighbor as yourself, that was in Leviticus 19, 18.But if you go down a few verses to verse 34, it says, "You shall treat the stranger whosojourns with you as the native among you.And you shall love him as yourself."For you are strangers in the land of Egypt.I am the Lord your God.See the scribes and the Pharisees, they thought that they were honoring God by hating foreigners.And we get asked this question a lot."Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait."In the Old Testament, didn't God tell the Israelites to exterminate the nations thatwere living in the Promised Land?And don't we have all these imprecatory psalms?Like what's up with that, huh?Well, it's like the eye for an eye thing that we talked about last week.The scribes and the Pharisees took a thing that was designed for Israel as a nation andthey turned it into a personal thing.So the whole exterminate the enemies in the Promised Land.Yeah, absolutely.Israel's wars weren't personal vendettas.They were commanded by God to wipe out those nations because those nations did horriblethings.And God says, "You are not going to pollute my nation Israel."So Israel, you're going to wipe them out.And if you have a hard time with that, I would just like to lovingly remind you that Godis allowed to make those calls because vengeance belongs to Him.Okay?And God's whole purpose in that was to protect Israel as a nation in that land.That's why when you turn to your New Testament, you don't see any imprecatory language inthe New Testament.It's for Israel.And individually, we're talking about personally now, what about the people that hate me?What about the people that are my enemies?Love them.Love them.Look at verse 44, Jesus says, "But I say to you," pretty clear, isn't it?Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.You see the whole loving your neighbor command includes everyone around you, including yourenemy.Now breaking this down, when He talks about enemy, He's talking about your personal enemy.Okay?It's not this collective group idea.It's somebody who personally hates me.And Jesus says our response is to love them.That's the word agape.That is the highest form of love.That's self-sacrificing love.That's the kind of love that we should have for our enemy.And the verb tense here is constant.It's continually.You need to continually love your enemies.And you're like, well, who is my enemy?Who is it that hates you?Who is it that you know that if you tried to call them, they wouldn't answer the phone?If you sent them a text, they wouldn't reply.Or vice versa?Who is it that has been slandering you, making accusations against you?Jesus says we not only love our enemies, but you notice He ratchets it up even more whenHe says pray for those who persecute you.Those who persecute you.Those are your worst enemies.Where Jesus is speaking about your enemies who they don't just hate you.They actively hate you.These are the people that make an effort to show you how much they hate you.And as we've been going through the Sermon on the Mount, we see that a true believerin Jesus Christ is someone who is defined by the Beatitudes.And if you were here for the Beatitudes here, do you remember what the last one was?The highest rung on the ladder of following Jesus Christ is when we're persecuted.And here's the part where we stop and ask, are we persecuted?Are we really persecuted?Because here's the thing.I think for a lot of us our knee-jerk reaction to that would be I'm not persecuted, but thereality is you probably are.But you just haven't realized it.Here's what I mean by that.Here's what I mean.Persecute doesn't just mean somebody physically attacks you.Somebody murders you.Somebody gets you arrested, thrown in jail.Yes, that is persecution, but those are the most graphic manifestations of persecution.The word "persecute" literally means to pursue.That's what it means.And listen, listen to this.Persecute means somebody is chasing after you to constantly criticize and condemn you.So I imagine most of you are being persecuted right now according to the true definitionof persecution.Think about it this way.Was Jesus persecuted?If you're like, "Oh yeah, when He was crucified."Of course!But He was persecuted His entire ministry because what were they constantly doing?The proper definition.They were constantly - read the Gospels.They were constantly pursuing Jesus.They were - how would we say it?They were out to get Him.That's what persecution means.I mean, read your Gospels.They were constantly looking to criticize Jesus and assaulting Jesus, accusing Jesus."You did this in the Sabbath and you shouldn't be doing healing this way and your disciplesdidn't wash your hands and what's up with the fasting?"They were constantly, constantly, constantly after Him.That's what persecution means.And if you really follow Jesus, you have people pursuing you in that way too.Don't shout out any names.But do you have somebody at your workplace, for example, that's always watching you,always looking to get their little remarks in, get their little digs in,always looking to criticize anything you say or anything you do.That's persecution according to the proper definition.They're pursuing you.Maybe you have that family member.Never approves of a thing you do.The bum just can't do anything right and they're always vocal about it.Getting their little shots in, their little passive aggressive comments, they're alwaysout to get you.That's persecution.Maybe it's on social media.You know anything you post.You know that person is going to show up with their snarky little comment.That's pursuing.That's persecution.Jesus says we need to pray for the people to do that to us.The people that are out to get you.Jesus said pray for them.So when was the last time you did that?I don't know about you but I have a list of people that I regularly pray for.When was the last time that you loved your enemy?And you're like, why in the world would I do that?Well let's keep reading.Jesus says in verse 45, "So that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven."Why would you love your enemy?Why would you pray for people that are constantly out to get you?It's not because of who they are.It's because of who you are.That's the sermon that our Lord gives.That you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.It's not because of who they are.It's because of who you are.We just confess that so much of our lives, our attitudes, our moods are determined byother people, good or bad.People have a way of just like governing our lives.Here's what I mean.Your service, you go over to a giant eagle and you run into an old friend that you haven'tseen in years."Oh, that puts you in a good mood.Oh, it was so great catching up."That's going to put you in a good mood for the rest of the day, right?Or somebody makes a really jerky comment to you at work intentionally wanting to getunder your skin.Then that's just like wreck your day and you're in a bad mood for days over one jerky comment.And I would bet if you had a bad day last week, if you could point to a day last weekor like, "Oh, that was a bad day," I would be willing to bet that it had something todo with people.You're laughing because it's true.And Jesus here is saying, "My people don't react to people.My people act according to the Word of God."So let's unpack this for a few moments, shall we?When you're outlining, I want you to jot some things down.I love my enemies.Can you say that?You're like, "Not now."You will in a few minutes.I love my enemies.Number one, we already touched on this.We're going to drill a little deeper here.Number one, I love my enemies because of who I am.Look at this again.This is Jesus' whole rationale.Why would I love my enemies, Jesus?Lord, why would I pray for the people that are constantly out to get me?So that You may be sons of Your Father who is in heaven.This is where Jesus starts Your identity.You love Your enemies not because of who they are, but because of who You are.Jesus is in essence saying, "You love Your enemies because..."It's a family tradition in our family.You have family traditions.You have family traditions.You know what I mean?Every family has on brand things that they do, right?Like some families, they're like, "We're campers.We go camping."Yes, we have a house, but for a while we like to pretend that we don't.That's just what we do in our family.We live in a canvas enclosure in the wildlife.Okay, but that's your family thing.For some families, it's like, "We're beach people.We love the beach."Our family loves the beach.We love the beach.That's our family thing, right?Some families are sports families like, "Oh, we're baseball.We're a baseball family.We love the box and we're on the church softball team."And we're like, "We love baseball."Every family's got their thing, right?I mean, I remember growing up, our family.Our family had our thing.I remember when we were teenagers, Aaron actually came over to our house for Thanksgiving.And they had the stuffing out and the turkey and all the dressing and all that stuff.And I just remember our family was passing around the table a bag of funyons.And I just remember Aaron sitting there going, she looked like she saw a ghost.I'm like, "What's the matter?"She goes, "Why are you passing around a bag of funyons?It's Thanksgiving."And I'm just like, "What's Thanksgiving without funyons?"Like, "We're not the weird ones here."And then I got older and realized that we were.Every family's got their thing.That's what Jesus is saying here.Like, "Hey, hey, hey, we're in God's family."He said, "You know what we do in God's family?Do you know what we do?We love like God."And God loves His enemies.You're like, "Who are God's enemies?"Everyone.Do you realize that?Literally every single person on the planet is an enemy of God until they are reconciledto God in Jesus Christ.That's what Paul said in Romans 5, right?"If while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son."See that's the glorious reality of the gospel of Jesus Christ.When you receive Jesus Christ by faith, when you believe that He died to take away yoursin, when you believe that He rose from the dead to give you eternal life, when you turnfrom your sin and receive Him, God changes you from an enemy of God to a child of God.And now we are a child still living among enemies of God, child of God.Ephesians 4, spilling over to Ephesians 5, says, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children."This is what we do in our family.We love like God.And as His children, we imitate our dad.Do you ever notice that kids love to imitate?Do you ever notice that?Kids loved to imitate adults.It was made painfully aware to me, oh, many, many years ago, a couple decades ago at thispoint we had foster kids.Before we had any of our own kids, we had foster kids.And I remember, one little boy, he was five years old, his name was Walter, and we'd beplaying the PlayStation.We were sitting there, playing the PlayStation, and look, I was a perfect gamer back in theday.But sometimes the stupid game would glitch or something, and my guy would get killed.And when that happened, I remember I'd put the controller down, and I'd be like, "Oh,for Pete's sake!"Well Walter would be playing video games with me, and I remember he'd be playing a videogame, and he'd just randomly throw his controller down and go, "Your pee stinks!"Like no, no, no, no, no, no.No, it's for Pete's sake.But he was...It never clicked with him.He was constantly commenting on the smell of urine.Your pee stinks.Why did he do that?He was just imitating me.Right?Kids love to do that.And as a child of God, we naturally, we supernaturally want to imitate him.So when that guy at work is constantly out to get you, and you love him, and you repayhis nastiness with kindness, and then somebody else comes in and says, "Well, what are youdoing?You love that guy?That guy's a real jerk to you!"And your response says, "Yeah, I get that from my dad."You see, I see people as dad-season.Lost.Blind.Slave to sin.Heading to hell.You know what my heavenly dad taught me?He taught me that I don't need to retaliate.And my heavenly father taught me I don't need to ignore them.My heavenly father taught me that people like that need compassion.And I know right now somebody's thinking, "Yeah, I love your enemies.I see it.I hear it.Pastor Jeff, you don't know what this person said to me.You don't know the horrible things that they said to my face.You don't know the horrible things they said behind my back.Pastor Jeff, you don't know this person for years has been just out to get me."Look.You're right.They don't deserve it.You're right.They've been miserable.But you, you love them not because of who they are, but because of who you are.You're a child of God.And your heavenly father, he loves his enemies.Right?So I love my enemies because of who I am.Secondly, number two, write this one down.I love my enemies by what I do.I love my enemies by what I do.And you might be sitting here going, "Ah, yeah, this love your enemy thing.I ain't feeling it.I ain't feeling it."And I would say, "That's okay.You don't have to feel it."But you do have to do it.Because look, when the Bible talks about love, agape love, it's not an emotion.Listen, you don't have to like them.But you do have to love them.And biblically, love is an action.Here's what I mean.Love is an action.First, John 5.3 says, "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments."Jesus said the same thing.What is it?John 14, 15.Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."John 15, Jesus said, "Abiding in Him is keeping His commandments."Notice the Bible never calls us to stir up some kind of emotion.Loving God is a choice.And yes, we worship God with our emotions in song and worship, yes, but that is thefruit of a choice to love God.The proof that you love God isn't based on your feelings.The proof that you love God according to our Lord is based on your actions.And listen, church, love works the same way with your enemies.You are not called to love your enemies by conjuring up gushy feelings.You're called to love them by your actions.You're called to love them by actively blessing them.Why?Because that's what God does.Look at verse 45, the rest of it.He says, "For He makes His Son rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on thejust and on the unjust."God is so kind to sinners.Did you ever stop and think about that?Have you ever stopped to just marvel at the glorious truth that somebody can live theirentire life and completely ignore God?And they can still have a pretty good life on the earth.Isn't that astounding?Isn't it amazing that somebody can live their entire life hating God, speaking against God,speaking against God's people, speaking against God's truth.They can live their whole life and do that, and they can still have a good life on theearth.In God's kindness, He still lets them have sun and rain and a million other good things.You can hate God, still have food and friends and laughter and family and health.And yeah, the heart hearted may refuse to be thankful or acknowledge this, but regardless,God does it anyways.God's kindness says little about them, but it says much about Him.And Jesus says, "Take note, children of God, you show love for your enemies by what youdo for them.You show love for enemies by actively seeking their good."Like, well, what does that look like, Pastor Jeff?What does that look like?Okay, so you've got a nasty, older family member who's always hated you.Go do your yard work.You got a jerk co-worker always looking to get their little shots in on you?Look for ways to sincerely and genuinely compliment their work.You got a nasty neighbor?Find out what they like and treat them.Hey, I saw your garden, and the other day I was at the store and I saw that there wasthis magazine about gardening, and I picked it up for you.I thought you might be interested.I don't know.Just get on your face and ask God to show you how you can show kindness to your enemy.Romans 12.20, Paul quotes from Proverbs 25.He says if your enemy is hungry, feed them.If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.For by so doing, you will heat burning coals on his head.When I was a young Christian, when I read this, I had this idea that if you do goodto people that aren't good to you, like if you meet their needs, they're going to havethis like mini Sodom and Gomorrah experience on their head.Like I'm going to be nice to you, and it's going to rain lava on your head.I'm burning!Like that will show them.And then I learned that that's not what that means at all.It was actually an Egyptian symbol that they would put hot coals in an insulated pot andcarried around on their head.It was a sign of repentance.See, Israel had the sackcloth and ashes.Israel had the pot of coals on their head.And that's what God's Word is driving us to.Because no one's ever been one to Jesus because a Christian matched their pettiness.No one's ever been one to Jesus because a Christian just flat-out ignored them.It's kindness that leads to repentance according to Romans 2-4.Show love to them.Actively show love to them.Why would I do that?Because it's not about who they are.It's about who you are.And one more.I love my enemies because of who I am by what I do.In Romans 2-3 we get to another because I love my enemies because I'm called to be different.Look at verses 46 and 47.Jesus says, "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have?Do not even the tax collectors do the same?And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doingthan others?Do not even the Gentiles do the same?Stop there.If you're like, "You know what?I love the people that I like.I love the people that I like."Well, then you do what people who don't even know Jesus do.And our Lord here is saying, "What's so special about that?"Oh, so you think you're great because you do what's normal.Well hang on a second.Let me shine up your participation trophy.Why is it that we want applause for doing what's expected?Here's an example.Well Aaron and I, we always look at each other and kind of laugh.When we hear a dad say, "Yeah, I had a baby sit my kids last Monday."Do you hear somebody say that?You're not going to say it anymore.I had a baby sit my kids last Monday.I believe that's called being a father.You didn't baby sit your kids.What did your wife pay you $10 an hour?Like look, I'm not giving you a cookie because you did what was expected.That's what our Lord is saying here.You're expected to be different because Christians have something that no one else in the worldhas.Do you know what that is?Like the Bible?Not everybody has that.Like compassion?No, a lot of people have that.Christians have something that nobody else in the world has.You know what that is?God living in them.In other words, you should be different.I mean, anybody can go one mile.That was the law.That's expected.Anyone can give up a shirt that they lost legally in a lawsuit.That's expected.And here our Lord is saying, "Anybody can say hi to their friends."That's expected.But God expects and empowers us to do more, to be like Him.So do you do what the world expects?Or do you do what God expects because God's called you to be different than the world?Do you have a heart like God?We'll find out.We'll find out because it's revealed not in how you treat your friends, it's revealedin how you treat your enemies.You love them.Not because of who they are, but because of who you are.Oh yeah, there's one more verse.One of the most deeply convicting and challenging verses in the whole Bible.Jesus says, "You therefore must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."In the context of this teaching, obviously, he's talking about the way we love, right?You must love perfectly the way your heavenly Father loves perfectly.That's what Jesus is saying here.And look, you and I, we look at that verse and we say, "I failed.I failed."We all have.And actually, remembering the beatitudes, step one and two of the beatitudes was recognizingthat you failed.And you're like, "Man, I'll never be perfect."But God says you must be perfect.You know what that means?It means I always have room to grow.And today we're talking about loving your enemies.And maybe right now you're saying, "You know, I knew that.I knew that, but today I'm encountered by this calling in a fresh way and I realizenow I need to grow.I want to grow in this area."It's grace.It's grace.God has made us perfectly righteous in Jesus Christ.God has adopted us as His children, and He is constantly changing us.We don't deserve anything, but God has given us everything, even though we were His enemies.It's grace.You get that?Then like your Father, give it.In just a moment, we're going to be gathering around the Lord's table as a church.And it is the Lord's table that reminds us that we are grace people.Because in essence, what we are remembering, what we are celebrating, what we are declaringwhen we take the Lord's supper together is the Lord is saying, "I saved you."Not because of who you are, but because of who I am.

Sunday sermon from June 8th, 2025. Pastor Jeff continues in our series teaching through the book of John. This week's passage is John 5:19-29.

Revival begins with individual believers surrendering to the Holy Spirit, not waiting for a massive movement. True revival awakens Christians and transforms non-believers through God's power. The gift of prophecy—delivering declarations of God's mind, will, or knowledge—is available to every believer, not just special people. When we operate in spiritual gifts like prophecy, people far from God take notice. Learning to hear God's voice involves reading Scripture, paying attention to impressions, and noticing unexpected words or pictures that come to mind. By becoming yielded vessels for the Holy Spirit, ordinary people can spark extraordinary revival.

Pastor Jeff emphasizes the hope that the Gospel provides, particularly in the face of death. He shares the powerful story of Todd Beamer, who faced his own demise with unwavering faith and hope in eternal life with Christ. By unpacking Scripture from First Thessalonians, he encourages believers to grieve differently, trust confidently in Christ's resurrection, and live with expectancy for His return. Ultimately, Pastor Jeff urges everyone to embrace this living hope, as it fundamentally transforms how we navigate life's challenges and encourages us to share this hope relentlessly with others. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

06.08.2025 | Shut the Door on the Devil | Pastor Jeff Wickwire Pastor Jeff Wickwire emphasizes the reality of spiritual warfare that all Christians face and the importance of recognizing the enemy's strategies. He urges believers to submit to God first, as true resistance against the devil can only come from a position of submission. By rejecting the lies and bargains of the enemy and arming themselves with Scripture, Christians can effectively withstand attacks and maintain their spiritual authority. Ultimately, Pastor Wickwire highlights that victory is possible through a devoted commitment to God and His Word.

Thank you for watching the live stream of All Peoples Church. Pastor Jeff shares a teaching called: Pride and Science. This is the fifth teaching in the series: A Biblical Response to Pride Month. Service from June 8, 2025. For more information, please visit our website, www.allpeopleschurch.us or find us on social media!

Pastor Jeff delivers a powerful message entitled, "HEAVEN'S WISDOM > HELL'S AGENDA | Shutting the door on jealousy, ambition, and the demonic."   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

Pastor Jeff explores the profound theme of divine forgiveness available through Jesus Christ, emphasizing that our ultimate need is the forgiveness of sins, which only God can provide. It underlines that true healing and salvation come not from our own efforts but solely through Jesus’ sacrificial work on the cross. The message challenges believers to […] The post The Great Spiritual Physician appeared first on Echo Lake Church.

This week, Pastor Jeff continues our series in the Psalms named Selah. The next message in the series is based in Psalm 91 and is entitled "The Shelter of the Most High." The main idea of the sermon is: The LORD is the personal refuge and fortress for all who trust in Him. ————————  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

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/

Do you want to be faithful and fruitful in your life? Pastor Jeff teaches on how we can steward our influence to make an impact for the Kingdom of God. 

Today is FRI-YAY! And shout-out day! Today, Pastor Jeff asks - Have you ever wished you had a time machine to zoom into the future and see what would happen? Matthew 6:34 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

06.04.2025 | Staying Strong in Stormy Times | Part 4: Finish the Race | Pastor Jeff Wickwire Pastor Jeff Wickwire emphasizes the importance of perseverance in the Christian faith, as demonstrated by the Apostle Paul's final words in his letter to Timothy. He reflects on the challenges of living in a godless world and the need for a steadfast commitment to maintaining holy habits, which foster spiritual growth. Pastor Wickwire highlights Paul's readiness to meet Jesus and his triumphant acknowledgment of having fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith, despite experiencing isolation and betrayal. The message encourages believers to endure hardships, remain focused on their spiritual assignments, and finish their race with grace, knowing that there are rewards for those who love His appearing.

Today, Pastor Jeff teaches us that God's "best" may not always be the fanciest or flashiest—but it's precisely what we need. Matthew 6:28-29 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

Pastor Jeff reminds us today that when we stop worrying and start trusting, we see how faithful God really is. Matthew 6:26-27 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

In this episode of "Walking with God, Pat and Jeff's Podcast" we ask the question, "Do we really need Jesus?"  You probably already know the answer, but many people in our world are unsure and many do not see any need for Jesus.  To us the answer is clear. Note: The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of Pat Barry and Jeff Quinto and may not reflect the opinions of the Bethel Bible Series or Bethel Lutheran Church. Blessings in Christ,  Pat & Jeff Soli Deo Gloria!

Pastor Jeff highlights the importance of character development over public persona in the Christian walk. He emphasizes that as believers, we are called to love deeply, work diligently, and live grounded lives, all while reflecting the love of Christ in our actions. He reminds us that our behavior matters in how we witness to others, urging us to be examples of good character in a world that often lacks it. Ultimately, he encourages us to remain rooted in God's love, allowing it to shape our character and impact those around us. Speaker: Jeff Schwarzentraub

06.01.2025 | The Woe of Worry | Pastor Jeff Wickwire In his sermon, Pastor Jeff Wickwire addresses the pervasive issue of worry, emphasizing that it not only burdens individuals but also grieves the Spirit of God. He cites Matthew 6, highlighting Jesus' command not to worry about life's necessities, reminding congregants of their worth in God's eyes and the assurance that He will provide. Pastor Wickwire encourages a shift in focus from worry to faith, urging the congregation to seek God's kingdom first and trust Him with their concerns. Ultimately, he reassures them that casting their worries onto God leads to peace that transcends understanding, as they navigate life's challenges one day at a time.

Thank you for watching the live stream of All Peoples Church. Pastor Jeff shares a teaching called: Did God Really Say? - Part 2. This is the fourth teaching in the series: A Biblical Response to Pride Month. Service from June 1, 2025. For more information, please visit our website, www.allpeopleschurch.us or find us on social media!

Thank you for watching the live stream of All Peoples Church. Pastor Jeff shares a teaching called: Did God Really Say? - Part 2. This is the fourth teaching in the series: A Biblical Response to Pride Month. Service from June 1, 2025. For more information, please visit our website, www.allpeopleschurch.us or find us on social media!

This week, Pastor Jeff continues our series in Psalms named Selah. The next message in the series is based in Psalm 90 and is entitled "From Everlasting to Everlasting." The main idea of the sermon is: In light of the eternal, unchanging nature of God, we must learn to number our days. ————————  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

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/

05.28.2025 | Staying Strong in Stormy Times | Part 3: The Final Words of the Great Apostle | Pastor Jeff Wickwire Pastor Jeff Wickwire emphasizes the importance of staying rooted in the Word of God as the key to finishing the Christian race, especially in challenging times. He draws on the Apostle Paul's final words to Timothy, encouraging believers to endure hardships, teach sound doctrine, and remain persistent in sharing their faith regardless of circumstances. The sermon warns against the rising trend of people seeking teachers who cater to their desires rather than those who provide biblical truth, highlighting the dangers of following myths and fables. Ultimately, Pastor Jeff calls for a commitment to sound teaching and critical thinking, urging believers to define their experiences through theology rather than allowing their experiences to shape their beliefs.

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!

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!