Think about this statement and ask yourself whether it seems to be true or false: “If you spend a lot of time thinking about heaven, you’ll not be very productive on earth.” Or how about this: “It’s best to focus on this world; you can worry about heaven later.” Today, Pastor John shows from the writings of the apostle Paul that keeping heaven firs…

We often hear phrases about the Christian life like “denying yourself,” “losing your life,” or “dying daily.” Sounds kinda disheartening, doesn’t it? But today, Pastor John shows us why that’s actually a good thing. It’s because Christ doesn’t want to smash us down; He wants to build us up. He doesn’t want to destroy your personality; He wants to r…

Let’s say that you had a strong conviction one day that you really ought to do something to serve God. How would you go about figuring out what to do? Today, Pastor John urges us not to make up our own ideas or plans for ministry. We need to seek God’s calling and God’s direction. God has given you a ministry. It’s not necessary for you to create i…

If you need to find a doctor, where do you start? You probably want to get some kind of recommendation. Maybe from a friend. You may also check to see how many stars they have on an online rating system. Today, Pastor John asks, “what is the recommendation of a minister or a ministry?” His answer – (the same answer as given by the apostle Paul) – i…

How easy is it to find a balance between two ideas? Often, we pick one extreme or the other and defend it. Today, Pastor John shows how Paul threads the needle between two religious heresies. On the one hand, he faced the teachers who wanted the gentile Christians to follow the Old Testament laws to be saved. On the other, he had those who took the…

Have you ever bought a product and you checked to make sure it had a guarantee, but when something went wrong, you found out that the guarantee wasn’t worth much? Today, Pastor John reminds us of a guarantee we have from God. And God’s guarantees are always good. When you became a born-again believer, God gave you the Holy Spirit. And that means ma…

It’s tough to get criticized. And sometimes, when we face criticism, we know it’s because we’ve done something wrong. But there are other times when we are criticized for doing what’s right. Today, Pastor John reminds us that when that happens, we can be steadfast because we have a clear conscience. Your conscience was given to you by God to help y…

It may seem odd to us today that the apostle Paul was accused of not being a true apostle because of his sufferings. That’s because today, we’ve read of the lives and the deaths of Jesus’s apostles and the martyrs through the ages. Today, Pastor John shows that Paul’s tribulations proved exactly the opposite. Just as Jesus promised, following Him w…

It may not always be stated out loud, but generally, people have the idea that if you’re following God faithfully, then God should work things out for you really nicely. And if you’re having trouble, that probably means you’re doing something wrong. Well, today, Pastor John blows that idea out of the water as he starts to dive into Paul’s defense o…

We read all the time in the news how someone in a public position has been caught in some wrong-doing. And often, there’s a confession – an admission of guilt and maybe an apology. As Pastor John shares today, that’s fine, but there’s something more important. ALL sins are ultimately not against some person or some people but against God Himself. A…

When you’ve done something wrong against God, how would you like Him to respond? Would you like Him to “do nothing” and just let you go on as you are? Would you like Him to give you what you “deserve”? Today, Pastor John shows how God responded to David after David had committed a series of horrendous sins. Out of God’s great love, He sent a prophe…

How many steps does it take to depart from walking the godly path? The first step would probably be okay, right? Maybe two or three more, and you’re still safe? Can you go all the way to the threshold and still escape in time? According to Pastor John today, probably NOT. You’ll see the small but significant missteps that David took that led him to…

It’s easy to stand back and take shots at someone who’s been caught doing something wrong. And if you’re not careful, you could think or say with great indignation, “I’d never do anything like that!” If you feel that way, Pastor John has a warning for you today: Watch Out! David, the “man after God’s own heart,” the shepherd, psalmist, and king of …

After King David had established his throne in Israel, he had a grand and noble idea. He wanted to build a house for God. But, the prophet Nathan told him that God said “No” to that idea. Today, Pastor John shows that God had an infinitely better plan for David: God would build a house for David’s descendants – one that would last forever. And God …

Have you ever had a really great idea of something you wanted to do for God? And you prayed about it, and planned it out, and talked to people about it, and everything seemed perfect. But then, it suddenly got shut down. Today, Pastor John gives an example of how that happened in the life of David. His great idea was to build a house for God. But G…

As David continued to establish his kingdom in Israel, it was vital to him that God would be at the center. So, what better way to do that than to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the new capital city of Jerusalem? But, as Pastor John will show today, it was a great idea but a disastrous execution. David didn’t check his Bible. He figured, as long …

As the story of David unfolded, there were many, many strange turns and delays. It almost seems as though there’s been no plan. Perhaps sometimes your life has looked that way to you, too. But don’t worry. As Pastor John shows today, God’s got it all under control, all the time. David came to exactly where God wanted him, exactly when he wanted him…

If you have a job, you probably have a boss. And the boss tells you where you’re supposed to be working today and what you’re supposed to be doing. Imagine if you went in to work one day and said, “Boss, I’m going to work at such-and-such a place and here’s what I’m going to do.” Today, Pastor John reminds us not to treat God that way. There’s one …

People are often trying to figure out what God is doing in some particular situation and why. And while sometimes they might be able to make a pretty good guess, most of the time, it’s just a big mystery. Today, Pastor John explains that we shouldn’t be surprised by that. God’s knowledge and wisdom are infinitely beyond our understanding. But there…

How many times have you made a great start at some endeavor? Maybe it’s a new diet. Or you’re tackling a new assignment at work. Perhaps it’s a project around the house. But somehow, the great start never makes it to a finish. Today, Pastor John reminds us, from the example of King Saul, that a great start is not enough. Saul began by trusting in G…

When you ask people, “what is the opposite of faith?,” you’ll get a lot of answers. Some might just say “un-faith.” Others would say “skepticism.” But today, Pastor John points out the best indicator of a lack of faith: fear. Using the example of Saul in the Old Testament, he shows how Saul’s lack of faith led him into more and more overwhelming an…

When we read of the lives of God’s people in the Bible, we see a lot of drastic ups and downs. Sometimes, the hardships are caused externally. Sometimes, they come from attitudes or choices within. Today, Pastor John explores the heart-breaking story of David at his lowest of low times. He’s been out of God’s will for a long time, and now, finally,…

You’ve probably heard of “self-talk.” There’s positive self-talk, where you tell yourself how good you are and how great everything is. And there’s negative self-talk, telling yourself negative things about yourself and your situation. But today, Pastor John tells us about a better kind of “talk,” and that’s God-talk. Talking to God. Prayer. When y…

Have you ever heard of “Preventative Providence”? Maybe you were in a situation where you got really angry and were about to do something you’d later regret. But somehow, something happened, and you didn’t get the chance to carry out your plan. Today, Pastor John says: when that happens, THANK GOD! And he gives a prime example from the life of Davi…

There are people who self-identify as “atheists.” They say they don’t believe in God, and they act that way. And there are many who self-identify as “believers” in God who act consistently with that belief. But today, Pastor John asks us to consider another category of people: those he describes as “practical atheists.” In theory, they believe in G…

If you watch almost any movie or read almost any book, you’ll find that in the end, the protagonist gets sweet revenge on his enemy. Evil was done to him, and he returned evil. Today, Pastor John lays out three choices for responding to others. One, you can return evil for good. Two, you can return good for good and evil for evil. Three, you can re…

Some people believe that if you’re a Christian, God will make everything go really well for you. You’ll be healthy and prosperous. And if you’re going through any great difficulties, well, maybe that’s a sign that you’re not really a very good Christian. Tonight, Pastor John shatters that myth in his examination of the story of David. Although Davi…

It’s interesting to think of all the things that someone could be afraid of. Stuff is happening in the world, in your country, in your city, in your family, and in your own life. It’s easy to focus on fear. But today, Pastor John brings a much-needed exhortation: do not let your fear conquer your faith! It can be tricky. Fear doesn’t always jump ou…

Have you ever been in a “panic”? Maybe it was something small like you were ready to leave for work and you couldn’t find your car keys anywhere. Or maybe there was a situation at work where you were afraid you could lose your job. Today, Pastor John shows what can happen when a faithful, God-fearing person succumbs to the fear of man. Through a se…

Of all the friendships we read about in the Old Testament, it would be hard to find a greater one than David and Jonathan. Today, Pastor John continues to explore these unique friends. What characteristics did they have? How did they treat each other? More importantly, how was their relationship built on their faith in God? You also can have strong…

People have a lot of ideas about what it means to be a friend. Some think it’s more like a “fan” – someone who’ll always tell you how great you are. Others think of friends in terms of how many “followers” they have on social media. But today, Pastor John illustrates from the lives of David and Jonathan what true, biblical friendship is. Their frie…

It’s isn’t easy to get everything to work out exactly the way you’d like it to go. It’s hard to get everybody to do what you want them to do. It’s even harder to convince God to go along with your plans. So, try what Pastor John recommends today: trust God. When King Saul started scheming against David, David didn’t reciprocate. Instead, he just ke…

When people compete, they want to win. No team wants to come in second place. No one wants to be the first runner-up. But today, Pastor John tells us about a remarkable character in the Old Testament, a man named Jonathan. Even though he was the son of King Saul, he recognized that God had anointed David, not himself, to be the next king of Israel.…

When you’ve gone into a really tough situation, how have you approached it? Well, certainly, you’ve done your homework and preparation. Probably, you’ve devised a plan of attack, and you have your offense ready. But as Pastor John explains today, all the physical preparation you could possibly make – without reliance on God – will miss the point. W…

When you get into a difficult or dangerous situation, where’s your focus? It’s easy to see and think about your obstacles or your opponents. But what about your faith? Today, Pastor John explores the compelling story of David – the shepherd boy, and Goliath – the mighty warrior. And it’s not just a story about an underdog. It’s a story about a youn…

Usually, when we think of people who are used mightily by God, we think of “famous” people. Maybe it’s someone in the Bible, like Moses or the apostle Paul. Or perhaps it’s an author or an evangelist of modern times. But today, Pastor John points out that God wants to use everyone. You may not write a book or speak before thousands, but if your hea…

A lot of people have heard of a person named David in the Bible. Some may know that he was the guy who killed a giant named Goliath. Others may know that he committed adultery with a woman named Bathsheba. But today, Pastor John shares that there’s a whole lot more about David than just those two things. And greatest of all is that he was “a man af…

If you’re a Christian, that’s evidence that somebody evangelized you. It may have been your parents. Maybe it was a friend, or a neighbor, or a co-worker. Or perhaps it was a book you read. Even if you picked up a Bible on your own, you were evangelized by the words of Jesus and His apostles that are recorded there. Today, Pastor John explains how …

When you think of a spirit-filled church, what comes to mind? Certainly, it would be founded on the Word of God. It would also be a loving and caring fellowship. And it would worship God in spirit and in truth. But today, Pastor John reminds us that there is a fourth mark of a genuine, living church: its mission. And just as the newborn church in t…

What is worship? Is it something we do? Is the person who’s playing the organ or the electric guitar “doing” worship? Are the people singing quietly or at the tops of their lungs “performing” worship? Today, Pastor John, without discounting our “acts” of worship, reveals that true worship is something deeper and more fundamental. It’s the response …

Signs, signs, everywhere signs. It’s easy to look at current events – in the world, or our nation, or even in the weather, and speculate about when the Rapture of the Church may occur. But, as Pastor John shares today, there’s a risk in doing that. It could make us complacent, thinking we have plenty of time to get ready because there’s “stuff” tha…

As Christians, we know that after our earthly life ends, we’ll receive a resurrection body. But what’ll it be like? Unfortunately, a lot of people today are not very excited about heaven because they have an inadequate understanding of our new heavenly bodies. Today, Pastor John shares several key facts that should change that poor image forever. Y…

As a Christian, is it important that you believe in the resurrection of the dead? If you didn’t think there was life after death, would it make any actual difference in the way you think and act? According to Pastor John in his message today: Yes, it makes ALL the difference. There were some in the Corinthian church who didn’t believe in the resurr…

There are a lot of ideas about what happens to a person’s soul or spirit after physical death. Atheists believe in “termination” – that there is nothing remaining. Some believe in “reincarnation” – that you’ll come back in another earthly life. Others believe in “absorption” – that you’ll become “one with the universe.” But today, Pastor John shows…

Most people in the Western world have heard of Jesus. But who was He? Many will say He was a great moral teacher. Others suppose that He came to live a good life and teach us to be kind. And there are people who don’t like Him – He taught moral rules that we don’t want to follow anymore. But today, Pastor John clearly explains exactly who Jesus is:…

Of all the discussions that typically take place within a church, many of them have to do with “style.” And of all the “style” questions, one of the most common is musical style. So today, Pastor John asks us to think about: what is the “correct” musical style? And his answer is: “not necessarily what I like.” In fact, the best way to honor God is …

What are the best positions in the church? Would it be a pastor, a teacher, or a worship leader? And that’s just in the local church. How about being a Christian musician on the radio? Or a famous speaker or author? Today, Pastor John explains that those are needed positions in the church. But those aren’t the most important ones. It’s more importa…

If you’re a member of a church, and you’re invited to a “fellowship,” what does that usually mean? Would it be coffee and donuts? Or a potluck, or a full banquet? And would there be entertainment? Today, Pastor John explains that fellowship is not an “event” but a “position”. It’s not something you “do,” but something you “have.” All who share in t…

What are the characteristics of a thriving church? Would you look at their facilities or budget? How about their programming, both on-site and in the virtual world? Today, Pastor John explains the first of four vital characteristics of a “living” church: the teaching of the Bible. Even before the New Testament was written, the apostles were teachin…

If you were to ask people to name the important organizations in the world today, what would you hear? Certainly, the government is important, and so is the education system. And there are many other public and private organizations that perform community services. But today, Pastor John shows that the ONE organization through which God is DIRECTLY…