First Church Podcast

The Bible tells us that God's mercies are new every morning. What exactly does that look like? In the book of the prophet Ezekiel, God shows us the system for seeing God's fresh starts work in our lives - believe that God can and will give you a fresh start, immerse yourself in God's Word, and allow God's Spirit to flow in you at all times.

Jesus gave us a new commandment - to love others as he has loved us. In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he told us how to do that. He explained what love does and what love doesn't do. In this final message in the Love Does series, Abraham explains that love does not do selfishness, pride, unforgiveness, nor does true love from God ever end.

The earliest Christians turned their world upside down despite being few in number, hated by society and persecuted by their rulers. They did it because they overwhelmingly loved their neighbors. We too can change our world if we will follow Jesus' commandment to love one another as He has loved us.

What can we do to demonstrate the love of Jesus to others? Some can give a lot of money, others can go on a missions trip - but all of us can show love by using kind words toward others.

All throughout the Bible, God asks people to do something in the physical realm and then God blesses them in the spiritual realm. That's how it works with baptism - we are buried with Jesus in baptism and God raises us up to walk in newness of life.

Pastor Daryle Williams introduces One Child, a child sponsorship agency that facilitates supporting children in Manila, Philippines, in conjunction with Ima's Home for Children.

One week after Easter is the lowest attended service of the year even though Easter is the highest attended. Why is that? Because our lives have ebbs and flows, ups and downs. Peter encountered Jesus one week after Easter and Jesus brought him back from his valley and enabled him to fulfill his purpose.

The first thing the angel said to the women visiting Jesus' tomb was, "Don't be afraid." The first thing Jesus said to his followers when He appeared to them alive was, "Don't be afraid." On this Easter Sunday, Pastor Daryle Williams gives us 6 reasons the resurrection should take away all our fear and give us complete confidence in Jesus.

When God rescued His people Israel from their slavery in Egypt, it was both an end and a beginning. It was an end to slavery, but the beginning of freedom, victory, and promise. The same is true with the death of Jesus. While it was an end to His time here on earth physically, it was the beginning of salvation, new life, and blessing for those of us who trust in Him.

What we we do today is an investment in our future. Jesus makes it clear that we are free to pursue prosperity, materialism and the things of this world, but we are not guaranteed any of it. But if we seek the kingdom of God first, we get true fulfillment and satisfaction, and all the things of this world as well.