FaithWestwood UMC Podcasty

Matthew 28:16-20 If you want to take a road trip, you’ll need to prepare. Pack your clothes. Fill your tank. Book your reservations. Those who don’t prepare aren’t going anywhere. And it’s in our daily quiet times that God prepares us so he can send us. Only through time alone with God, we will be able to sustain the motivation to be a witness for …

Matthew 6:5-8, 16-18We live in a world where it seems the only thing that matters is what we post on social media. But the deeper life requires hiddenness. Our time alone with God is not an activity we exploit to gain subscribers. Jesus said, “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father” (Matthew 6:6). Pray where only G…

Luke 10:17-21 Sometimes we lay our heads on our pillows at night and realize, I haven’t thought about God once all day. Jesus taught us to look for God’s presence in all of life. What if we started each day seeing it as a miraculous gift? What if we learned to respond in awe to God’s created beauty? Couldn’t we all use a daily dose of wonder?…

Luke 4:1-13Most of us eat every day – unless we’re fasting for spiritual or medical reasons. We can’t survive without nourishment. And there’s another nourishment we need. Jesus said, “People do not live by bread alone” (Luke 4:4, NLT). He faced his temptations, strengthened by scripture. It was in him. If the Son of God needed to feed on the Word …

Luke 5:12-16 What if you set aside a little time each day (most days?) to meet with God? What if you looked forward to it so much that you started making more time for it? Jesus became so popular as a teacher and healer that he was constantly surrounded by crowds of people. But he wasn’t always busy teaching and healing. “Jesus often withdrew to lo…

1 John 5:1-12Does it seem that sometimes you’re losing the daily battle? Is the world squeezing you into its mold? Good news: by faith in Jesus you will overcome the pressures of the world. His victory is your victory! His life is your life! Just keep listening to the Spirit and the Word.Autor: FaithWestwood UMC

1 John 4:1-21How do we know if certain teachers are faithful or false? Here are some helpful questions. Do they believe or deny that Jesus is the Messiah sent in the flesh from the Father? Do they speak from the viewpoint of Christ or culture? Do they love or loathe our sisters and brothers in the Lord? We have to ask the last question because God …

1 John 3:1-24What changes when we put our faith in Jesus and put our lives in his hands? Everything! We become God’s children. We are being transformed into Christ-like people. We begin to practice self-sacrificing love. And we confidently look forward to seeing Jesus in the life to come. We are now God’s new kids on the rock!…

1 John 2:15-29Do you know someone who has “deconstructed” their faith and left Jesus behind? Will that ever happen to you? Remember, God has given you all you need to stay true. You have Jesus, the anointed One. You have God’s anointed Word. You have the anointing of the Holy Spirit. And if you live into that anointing, you can be confident that Je…

The New Old Command1 John 2:3-14When you are commanded to do – or not do – something, do you bristle at it? Would you gladly obey if you genuinely believed it was for the best? You might. Jesus obeyed the Father’s commands out of love. Now he invites you to obey him. Step out of the darkness and into the light.…

1 John 1:1 – 2:2What do I assume? That as long as I’m basically a good person, it doesn’t matter to God what I do? That I don’t really need much forgiving? That Jesus living among us was optional? What we assume makes a huge difference! So, listen to Jesus. He’s the Word of life. Walk in his light.Autor: FaithWestwood UMC

Scripture: Genesis 15:1-8It is a custom at the start of a new year to make resolutions (which are usually broken too soon). These resolutions are promises we make to improve ourselves in physical, spiritual, and material ways. In the church we use the word “covenant” to represent a special promise we make with God. Abraham made a covenant agreement…

FaithWestwood Christmas Day message from Pastor Steve Todd.Autor: FaithWestwood UMC

Christmas Eve message from 12/24/2022.Autor: FaithWestwood UMC

1 Samuel 1:2-20Infertility was somewhat common in the Bible and a source of deep shame for women in ancient times. In her desperation Hannah made a deal. If God would give her a child, she would give him up to the Lord. What did that look like? How do we commit our children to the Lord?Autor: FaithWestwood UMC

Exodus 2:1-10Pharaoh opposed God’s will by ordering all the Hebrew boy babies be put to death. But a mother will do anything to protect her child. One mom placed her son in a floating basket on the river, while big sister Miriam kept a close eye. What follows is a miraculous story of God’s deliverance.…

Genesis 18:1-15Sometimes the Lord lets parents know how special a child will be by the events surrounding the child’s birth. A stranger says to Sarah and Abraham that they will have a child in their advanced years. It sounds so impossible, Sarah bursts out in laughter. A year later laughter returns when their baby is born.…

2 Corinthians 8:1-5; Ephesians 3:20-21This Sunday we’ll hear the story of a community in Christ that was richly blessed, even though they were materially poor. They knew they had been given so much by God that it overflowed in their generosity to others. And when an opportunity came to bless others, they exceeded expectations. The One we worship is…

1 Corinthians 1:10-15A potentially divisive decision is around the corner for FaithWestwood. Pastor Steve wants to share why he believes it’s important that we stick together in the coming year. We are part of something bigger than ourselves. In the same way, the Apostle Paul said to the church in Corinth, “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, . …

Philippians 1:3-11Why do you thank God for FaithWestwood? Because of all the ways we serve the community? Or maybe because it’s helping you become a deep, daring, daily disciple. It could be for showing you how to be a BLESS friend. Maybe it’s about all the great friendships you’ve made. Why do you thank God for FaithWestwood?…

Lamentations 3:17-23At life’s darkest moments, we wonder who God is, don’t we? Is God the author of my pain? Or is God on my side against it? The prophet Jeremiah wondered these same questions. And in the end he dared to hope in God’s great faithfulness.Autor: FaithWestwood UMC

Nehemiah 9:1-3, 6-20Who is God now? That’s a hard question if you and your people have just spent the last seventy years in exile. So, they listen again to the story they had almost forgotten. They hear how God brought their ancestors out of Egypt. They learn that God keeps his promises. The Lord is loyal to his covenant and abounds in love.…

Numbers 14:1-19Do you know someone with a short fuse? Maybe it’s you! The Bible says that love “is not easily angered.” But some things are worth getting angry about. Well-measured anger can be a healthy response in some situations. Nine times in the Old Testament we find that “the Lord is slow to anger.” Is that how you experience God?…

Psalm 86:11-17The world can be a cruel place, can’t it? We must constantly be on guard for identity thieves, porch pirates, and online scammers. When your accounts have been emptied, when your life is threatened, and even when you’ve been unfaithful, there is one who remains on your side. That’s how gracious God is.…

Psalm 103:1-14Do you imagine God as all business? Impatient? Eager to catch you messing up? Meet the God who cares deeply, whose heart goes out to those who suffer. Get acquainted with the God who regards us with tender affection, who is compassionate. “He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14).Autor: FaithWestwood UMC

Exodus 34:1-10Is God just? We hope so, don’t we? We hope God’s justice will one day set right all this world’s wrongs. But if there was only justice, who could stand before the Almighty? Fortunately, God has also revealed his forgiving nature. Then the question remains, “How do we step into that forgiveness?”…

1 Chronicles 13:1-14Perhaps the most repulsive parts of the Bible are the violent ones. God commands the Israelites to wipe out other nations: men, women, children. The Lord strikes dead a man who touched the ark of the covenant, trying to steady it. God kills all the first-born Egyptians, so Pharaoh will set the Hebrew slaves free.Is this really t…

2 Timothy 3:14-17The Bible is full of bold, universal statements. It says only Israel’s God is the true God, while the gods of the other nations are empty idols. It claims that Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth – and that he’s the only way to salvation. If that’s true, then we have to be ready to respond to questions like these. What about people w…

Genesis 1:26-31; 2:1-7In one corner we have the Bible with its description of a six-day creation. In the other corner we have science with its belief in 3.7 billion years of evolution. But do we have to pick sides between the Bible and science? Reading Genesis 1 and 2 the way the original audience understood it, instead of through our 21-century le…

Luke 24:1-11Does the Bible denigrate women? Here are a few verses you might find offensive. “If a man sells his daughter as a servant, she is not to go free as male servants do” (Exodus 21:7). Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says (1 Corinthians 14:34). I do not permit …

Hebrews 1:1-3Beware of Bible verses taken out of context. For example, in Genesis 1:29 God says to humans, “I give you every green plant for food.” Does this mean Christians who eat meat are disobeying God? Here’s another. In Leviticus 25:44 God tells Moses to instruct the Israelites, “You may buy slaves.” How can God allow something as evil as sla…

The Bible can be hazardous to your faith! Some people find it easy to believe in God – until they read the Bible. That’s when they find all kinds of horrific stuff. How could God . . . allow slavery? tell women to keep quiet? forbid eating shrimp? create light and daytime before creating the sun? kill all firstborn Egyptians?During this series we w…

Jonah 2:1-10, NLTJoin us this Sunday as we explore the famous story of Jonah. We’ll examine the role of problems in our lives and the helpful (and unhelpful) ways we respond. We’ll talk about what it means to follow Jesus when we’re in the middle of big challenges. We’ll learn some important lessons Jonah learned sitting in the belly of that whale.…

2 Kings 10:15-16Every congregation has its own culture. Each one has its own form of government, style of worship, and unique beliefs. What’s our attitude toward those that aren’t like us? We could say our differences don’t matter, but sometimes they do matter. What matters more is the way we love one another, possessing what John Wesley called a c…

Ephesians 2:1-10One part of salvation is being forgiven. What an amazing gift of grace! Our sins are pardoned, and our guilt is removed. And we receive this gift through faith in Jesus. Another part of salvation is being transformed and living a holy life. Does this happen by our efforts? By trying harder? Or does it come through faith? The answer …

Matthew 10:5-8, 40-42This Sunday instead of giving a message, Pastor Steve will interview several students about their summer mission trip to Loveland, Colorado. Hear their stories and see their pictures. Let’s support our students!Autor: FaithWestwood UMC

John 3:1-8Jesus said it, “You must be born again” – which raises all kinds of questions. What did he mean? Do I need to have a dramatic experience? Or not? What happens when a person receives this rebirth from the Spirit? Sure, being “born again” a metaphor, but what’s the reality behind the metaphor? This Sunday Pastor Steve will share with us Joh…

1 Peter 4:1-5, 12-19Elite athletes punish their bodies. They lift heavy weights. They push the limits of their cardio capacity. They endure all this suffering, so that when the real competition begins, they’re prepared. Peter says this is what happens when we endure suffering for Jesus. It prepares us. Then when temptation strikes – and it will – w…

1 Peter 5:1-7What do leaders look like in Jesus’s family? They’re under-shepherds of the head shepherd. They care for others and serve willingly, without trying to elevate their own status. They’d rather be an example for people than their boss. They’re not looking for their own reward. But when Jesus returns, their humility will be honored.…

Monumental Sunday is a full worship service with music, prayer, and a special message titled Surprise! from Director of Children's Ministry Leah Dinoso. The Petes will be there to recap our adventures at VBS and share the Bible points, the music, and the important lessons our kids learned throughout the week too.…

1 Peter 5:8-14There is an invisible war that is not between forces we can see but on the unseen war between the devil and God for our souls. We need to remember that we fight from victory and not for victory. The war has already been won by Jesus Christ with his victory over sin and death.Autor: FaithWestwood UMC

1 Peter 3:8-18We’ve already learned that Jesus’s people are to avoid retaliation. Now Peter tells us to respond opposite of those who oppose us. When you receive insult, reply with blessing. When you’re treated hurtfully, respond helpfully. And even if it doesn’t change your situation, at least you’ll have a clear conscience.…

1 Peter 3:1-7What if you belong to Jesus but your spouse does not? How can you draw them toward the Lord? Peter says it’s not by trying to look like a model in a magazine. He says it’s simply by showing them respect and serving them with kindness. And maybe, just maybe, they will be “won over without words.”…

1 Peter 2:11-25The world practices retaliation: eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. But Jesus modeled a remarkably different way. He had the power to punish his persecutors, but he left it to God’s final judgment. And one of the most radical ways we can follow in Jesus’s steps is by forsaking retaliation and leaving justice to God.…

1 Peter 2:4-10Imagine you’re a builder, creating a stone structure as a place of worship. You start with one well-chosen stone--the cornerstone. All other stones align with it. God is the master builder, Jesus is the cornerstone, and we are God’s chosen stones, built into his temple of priestly people. Welcome to the rock club!…

1 Peter 1:13-23Peter talks about faith and hope. In this we have a choice to make. We can either live our lives in quiet desperation and confused chaos, or we can live with hope-filled faith. Let’s choose the latter.Autor: FaithWestwood UMC

1 Peter 1:1-9“But for now.” Those can be potent words, can’t they? As Jesus’s chosen people, we’ve received a new birth in this life, and we’re promised a glorious future in the life to come. But for now--for a little while--we suffer many trials. Our faith gets tested. It is purified and proven genuine, like gold refined by fire.…

Luke 24:1-12; 1 Corinthians 15:50-55The opening round was brutal for the challenger Life. Formerly undefeated and undisputed champion Death pummeled Life with blow after stinging blow. By mid-afternoon Friday, spectators were already dispersing, assuming the fight was over. Death celebrated that evening and throughout the second day. Then in the th…

Matthew 21:1-17On Palm Sunday we remember Jesus’s donkey ride into Jerusalem. The people laid down their coats before him, waving tree branches and shouting “Hosanna!” Then Jesus walked into the Temple courtyard, knocked over the money tables, and sent the buyers and sellers out of God’s house.Jesus could get rough with religious people – conservat…

Ephesians 6:10-13Earth is a battlefield. Our enemy desires to steal, kill, and destroy us, but Jesus has come to reclaim and restore us. Prayer is essential for Jesus’s people if we’re going to prevail in the daily struggle against the evil one. One way to practice prayer is to recognize that we’re fighting in a battle on the side of God’s kingdom.…