GSLCVA Podcast

Jesus shows us that a Christian life encompasses a faith that is active in love and renewed by the Word of God. Jesus is not influenced by the culture of any time or place as listening to His word is more important than anything else we do. Join us today as Pastor James discusses how church is the place where Jesus reveals Himself to us and showers us with His gifts. His words strengthen our faith; provide forgiveness, and the blessing of salvation.

How do you inherit eternal life? Jesus himself says to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. You must also love your neighbor as yourself. God’s law requires total righteousness — but we are sinful human beings unable to live up to it. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how our only path to eternal life is through Jesus. His grace alone is the answer as His love flows through us, to others, and allows us to love our neighbor as ourselves.

In today’s gospel, we see Jesus, sensing an evangelistic urgency, sending seventy-two disciples on an urgent mission to share the story of the kingdom of God with the people and minister to their needs. Listen today as Pastor James focuses on us – today’s disciples – and our sending to do the same.

As Christians, do we take time to sit down and ponder our response to a call from Jesus to follow him. Join Pastor James as he looks at three men in today’s gospel text who responded with a yes, but were unwilling to accept the cost and dedication demanded by Jesus, which then begs the question for each of us – are we responding likewise today.

We have many problems in our society and our lives today. Often, we are haunted by metaphorical demons of various kinds: abuses, past ugliness, hurtful rejection, and we find ways to numb the hurt. Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how powerless we are in fixing the root cause of this hurt, our loneliness. We are powerless without Christ as only He can fill the void and provide the lonely person the antidote, Peace and Purpose centered in Christ.  

We are like the disciples living day to day and enduring the difficulties of the present. Jesus offers us something new to ease these difficulties and show that there is more. Join us today as Pastor James discusses the Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Different and yet the same, speaking the word of God, being the Word of God, and enabling the Word of God. Through the Spirit we are guided in discerning what it means to live out Christian faith today.

Does the stress and pressure of life cause you to evaporate and want to disappear? Have your relationships broken down and you want to vanish without a trace? Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how as Spirit-filled children of God we are recipients of three great privileges: Security, Intimacy, and Inheritance. With these privileges, we are able to continue onward in this hurting world, strengthen our relationship with God, and mend our broken relationships.

Do you feel like you’re on an island? Are you disconnected from the world and looking for more? Join us today as Pastor James discusses how Jesus has a prayer for unity. This prayer is based on His word, His love, and the salvation and coming glory shared by all believers. We are not alone and are united by God’s love, grace, and word.

Have you said to yourself life just doesn’t seem fair when we have greater financial needs than resources?  Or our pillows are filled with tears instead of with drool? Life is full of worry, yet in today’s Gospel we hear Jesus say, “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Yeah right.  It sounds nice, but how can it be true? Join us today as Pastor James delves deeper in the Gospel text to show us that we have – God’s pardon – God’s presence – and God’s peace.

Love is a wonderful feeling. In fact, we are commanded by Jesus to follow Him by loving one another. Is this command a rhetorical exercise? Something to aim for? Or is it the essence of following Jesus? Join us today as Pastor Johann discusses how love is not a feeling but a commitment. Jesus wants us to have an eternal love, a higher love (agape), one that is experienced by trust and faith in God.