New Life Ministries Sermon Podcast

From God's perspective, what makes a good life, or a life well lived? Sometimes we spend so much effort just trying to make it all work, we forget to ask if we are focused on the right agenda. In today's passage, we read about the death of Saul and ponder how scripture sums up his life.

Any political leader has a value system and a list of priorities. When we talk about Jesus as king, what might expect to encounter?Part of the answer comes by understanding the values and priorities of King David in the Old Testament. Let’s join our service as we ponder the connection between the throne of David and the kingship of Jesus.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. Is magic and superstition just a silly game, or is there an element of truth in it? In today's passage, we see Saul turn to magic when he is in crisis. What does the Bible teach about using magic or avoiding it? As we listen to the message, maybe ask yourself how often you look to magic or superstition to help you in life.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. What's the most helpful way to respond when someone is constantly picking on you or making your life difficult? If we act the way the person is acting towards us, it rarely leads to peace. But admittedly, sometimes we really want to let them have it. How do we do the right thing when we'd rather not? Or what stops us from doing the wrong thing? Let's join our service as we discuss this question.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. Lying comes quite naturally. Sometimes we just want to avoid consequence, but other times we are genuinely trying to protect, either protect ourselves or protect others. While we say lying is bad, is it always? How can doing what is bad be good? Let's ponder this through our passage today.

In today's passage, we see Saul increasing in anger, jealousy, fear, and hatred towards the young warrior David. We notice how he misinterprets people's words. We watch him create awful plans to hurt others. When anger gets a hold of us, it distorts us. We don't understand accurately and we start to act out our misguided reality.It's awful, but it is very human. Let's ponder a different way together.

David versus Goliath is one of the most famous stories from history. We celebrate it when the little guy takes on and defeats the strong man.Have you considered though that the Lord might be calling you to be David and take on some monstrous wrong or injustice? How does that affect what we hear in the text? Let's join our service as we look into the story.

We know that being patient can be difficult, especially when a crisis is speeding towards us. Have you considered what it is like to be patient, waiting for God to do what He wants to fix the problem? Today we consider why the Lord's solutions are often better than ours and therefore why being patient matters.

It is not uncommon when we read Scripture to come across a passage or a teaching that we disagree with. It might even offend us. Do we respond with curiosity, trying to understand? Or do we judge God and change what He said? Today's Old Testament passage contains a command we might find hard to swallow. Let's join in and consider it together.

Living free, being courageous, having no pressure against impossible odds, that is how a person who is fully trusting Jesus can live. When we are not all in with our trust, we end up unsettled, kind of panicked, and uncertain what to do.Let's see how two men live out the difference in today's passage.

Have you ever been caught between a rock and a hard place, where each choice seems less than ideal.  Or perhaps, each choice means not being faithful with a responsibility.  That is the situation in today’s passage.  Rather than ignore that these situations happen, let’s look  for guidance in how to respond

Today's passage looks at a tendency many religious people have to worship the Lord on Sunday and then worship other gods during the week. It might be doing what we think we have to do to be successful at business, make a good profit, have an intimate relationship, or have a family. The fault is giving our religious responsibility over to an authority who will tell us what we need to do so then the rest of the week we can think about other things than following Jesus. Let's look at how this happens in 1st Samuel chapter 12.

Have you ever heard a news story that made you cringe or be revolted at a gut level because it seemed so barbaric or inhumane? Sometimes inhumane behavior makes a person inhuman. They are less than what being human should be. Today's passage contains such an incident. But consider, what makes behavior more human compared to inhuman or inhumane? Let's join today's service and consider the question.

Do you think your life matters that much? How we answer that question partly determines how we behave. Sometimes we are so involved in our private personal story, we don't think about how we affect the people around us.In today's passage, we get to watch the future King Saul's behavior before he realizes the camera is on him, before he realizes that he matters. Let's join today's service.

We often see people protesting the government, protesting a new policy, protesting when authorities start to implement what the government commands. Not everything a government does is welcomed by its people.In today's famous passage, we see the warning God gives His people when they set their eyes on a change in leadership as a way to solve their problems. Today's guest speaker is Randy Jaspers. Let's join as he begins.

While we may agree that the Lord is good and forgiving, He is not a pushover. He does not accept being disrespected. Today's passage feels a little uncomfortable as we see the strong arm of the Lord be against folks who were treating Him as inferior to themselves and their own gods. Let's join our service as we begin.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. Have you ever had a plan or perspective that you are sure is what God wants His people to do, and then something happens to stop that plan? Have you ever wondered, why did God let that happen? In those situations, we often knuckle down and push harder. Today's passage of Scripture challenges us to step back and reconsider what we are doing.Let's join our service as we begin today's message.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. Sometimes we call out to God to deal with corruption. How long until you do something about this? But when God steps in, sometimes He acts in ways that surprise or unsettle us. In today's passage, the Lord brings judgment to a family of priests, people who had become sloppy and indifferent towards the Lord Himself. Let's join today's message and consider the Lord's actions.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. When everything goes wrong and the nation around you seems stalled and corrupt, what is the solution? In today's passage, we consider the life of Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. Through her incredible devotion to the Lord, we see God begin his work of renewal and hope.Let's join our service as we begin this morning's talk.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. There's more to forgiveness than everything's fine. There's more to forgiveness than don't worry about it. Psalm 32 offers us a look at the layers and beauty God offers in forgiveness. If sin comes from our lack of trust in God and His ways, we also see God's desire to bless us with a good path, if we will trust. Let's join our service as we look at Psalm 32.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. At the end of the first day of Jesus' resurrection, He appears to His disciples. They are confused, overwhelmed, afraid, and joyful, all at the same time.First, He proves that He is not a ghost. Then, He tells them what comes next, what the next thing is for them to do. Let's follow the story and learn what Jesus wants His people to understand.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. On Easter morning, the disciples were confused. What had happened? Some ran to the tomb, others decided to leave and go home. Why stick around when all their hopes had come to nothing? But what were they turning to instead? In today's passage, we see Jesus gently guiding his disciples back to their place with him.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. When Jesus entered Jerusalem a week before his crucifixion, he was treated like a celebrity. He was treated like a king.But the religious elite didn't think it was appropriate. They missed recognizing Jesus. How often, how easily do we make the same mistake? Let's join our service.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. Jesus often spoke in parables and stories to teach a lesson. If we consider what it would be like to be a person in that story, we are drawn deeper into its lesson. Today we look at Luke 15 and the story of the prodigal son. Let's dig a little deeper into what Jesus was wanting his listeners to learn.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. Once in a while, we encounter Jesus speaking in a harsh way. It almost sounds condemning. It's hard to reconcile his words with his normal message of love and forgiveness. Today's passage is one of those harsh teachings. What is he getting at? Why does he speak this way? Let's join our church as we begin the message.

Welcome to the New Life Ministries podcast. Trust is hard. We’ve been hurt; we’ve been let down so often. Yet Jesus calls his people to trust him… wholeheartedly. How do we make that bridge to trusting Him? and what do we do with our anxiety or unsettledness as we trust? Let’s look at Luke chapter 9 together.

Today we begin a new sermon series that helps us prepare for Easter. In today’s talk, we look at the temptations of Jesus. At one level, his experience helps us learn how to respond to our own temptations and trials. But at another level, it reveals something very unique about Jesus. Let’s join our service as the message begins.

Sometimes we are scared; afraid of what we see, anxious at what might happen.  What do you do?  Avoid looking at the potential danger?  Force yourself to think about something else? Being afraid is a very common experience for people in the Bible.  When it happens, their attention is called back to God for perspective and instruction.  Let’s look at this in the words of 1 Peter 5

What makes someone good or bad at leading? Part of it is their motivation - why are they doing it and what do they expect to get out of it? in today’s passage, we consider leading that is really about the well-being of others. We also look at an appropriate response to that type of leading. Let’s join our service as we look at 1 Peter chapter 5.

Does suffering have value in-and-of itself? In today’s message we look at how suffering can be misunderstood and how people can manipulate scripture for their own purposes. This chapter in First Peter does in fact talk about the call to suffer, but in a way that makes sense. Let’s join today’s service as we begin.

How does a person figure out what God wants them to do? So often we look for signs by interpreting the things that happen to us. Have you every had a day go badly and asked, “Is God punishing me for something?” In today’s service, we are encouraged to build our confidence in the choices we make in following Jesus. A confidence that comes by trusting Jesus and his victory.

When a person becomes a Christian after they are married, how should they relate to their spouse? Should they take steps to force that person to go to church, or to make friends with their new Christians friends? All too often that ends up alienating their spouse and putting up barriers to Jesus. Today’s text calls us to the nuances of serving one’s spouse through submission and equality for the purpose of helping them find Jesus.

Have you ever experienced getting picked on or nit-picked by someone who makes fun of your faith in Jesus?  Have you ever lost an opportunity because you would not compromise your faith?  These experiences can be infuriating.  What’s the best way to respond?  We know how we want to  respond, but what does scripture tell us and why?  Let’s join our service as we look at 1 Peter chapter 2.

As we learn to follow Jesus, not everyone in our life is excited by our change.  How should we think about this?  Why does God seem to let our life have these difficult experiences?  Today’s passage looks back to the past as well as the future to help us understand today.

The folks Peter is writing to are experiencing hardship and social exclusion as a result of becoming Christians.  How are they to respond? Do they fight the government?  Do they prove their views to their neighbours?  What should they focus on?  Today’s passage gives them guidance… guidance which also helps us as we navigate living in this world.

Today we consider the contribution Simeon and Anna made to our understanding of the Christmas story.  We might be familiar with their words of blessing.  If they were not present, what might we miss that is important for us to consider today.

Today’s podcast is a portion of our Christmas Eve service.   We ponder what the birth of Jesus, the one who would become both saviour and king, says to an empire that is flexing its power and claiming to do what is best for you.  We invite you to remember the story of the birth of Jesus with us.

This mornings message was delivered when the tensions from the States were first beginning in Canada.  Our country was beginning to feel politically threatened.  This was not un-similar to the land of Judah when great prophecies about Jesus were given.  Let’s consider what those messages where about in light of how we feel in our world today.

Welcome to the start of this Advent series!  As we read these stories in the Bible, the scents and sensations that were present are something that we can't experience solely by reading. Scents can evoke emotion, memory, and meanings. So as we discuss this year's theme of kingship, let's explore the symbolism carried by the scents on the air when the king finally came.

Claiming that God needs to save us can sound offensive… I should be enough as I am!  But what if I’m not enough?  What about when I don't feel strong enough to tackle a hard situation?  or if I realize God protected me from something I couldn’t handle?  In today’s passage we see the good side of when we are not enough… because that is when God pours out so many blessings all we can do is offer praise.  Let’s join our services and consider today’s message.

As you walk with Jesus and try to follow him in your days, it is not uncommon to feel like more and more, you fit into society less and less.  Sometimes you just don’t want to participate; other times people might exclude you.   How are we to think about this experience?  What is the best way to respond? Let’s consider what the book of First Peter says to encourage Christians who experience being excluded.

Climbing the social ladder… or, climbing the corporate ladder... just trying to get ahead in life, … inevitably that means getting ahead by pushing someone behind. The writer of this morning’s text looks around at how people live, likely also looks back at his own life, and asks: “Is there a better way? A way where I am not left behind but where I don’t have to climb over others to get ahead?” Yes, there is another way. Let’s consider the good news in Proverbs chapter 30.

When does Lady Folly call you to come and be foolish? Does she call everyone or does she have her eye on specific targets? It’s the latter. In today’s talk, we look at different ways of responding to live’s challenges and the call from both wisdom and folly as we make our decisions. Let’s join our service and learn together.

Does Jesus want you to be successful? Has the question even ever crossed your mind? Success matters to us - we want to have good careers, be good parents, have a successful marriage. In chapter 8 of Proverbs, lady wisdom says that she can bring you success. Let's join today's message and see who she is and how she can make such a claim.

As Christians, we are called to serve and help others. It's part of reflecting what the LORD is like. Have you ever encountered someone who asked you for something that seemed against your better judgement to give? Are we always to give and trust God with what happens or at times can we rightfully say no? Proverbs chapter 6 gives us three examples that give us pause to think about what is way of wisdom. Let’s join this morning’s service.

If the Book of Proverbs helps us to navigate living well, what does it have to say on the subject of sexual desire? Quite a lot, actually. There are three large speeches in the opening chapters. Today we look at the first, where, in a man-to-man talk, the father advices his son on how to be in control of his sexual activity. Let’s join our service as we begin today’s message.

Have you every been taught a little proverb and thought “I’m not sure I believe that is true”? Not all the wisdom we learn aligns with the goals of the Bible.  In today’s passage we consider how important it is to use discernment when applying wisdom.Let’s join our service as we begin Proverbs chapter 4.

Have you ever struggled to understand the phrase “the fear of the LORD”? Are we supposed to be afraid of God? And yet scripture says "The Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom". What does that mean? In today’s service we found that many people have questions about its meaning. Let’s join Curtis as we dig into today’s passage.

The book of Proverbs helps us learn wisdom…if we want to learn it. But what is wisdom? Is it just the natural consequence of things? or Understanding how the world was made to work? or is it something more? Let’s join Curtis as we begin today’s message.

Today we begin a new series from the book of Proverbs. What does a blessed life look like? Is it where you’ve been successful in your career, marriage, and health? Most of us would say “yes.” Proverbs is full of teachings to help us live well, to be successful, but its understanding of blessed might be different that ours. Let’s join our service as we begin.