NewGrace Podcast

Jesus uses the parable of new wine in old wineskins to teach us about embracing God's fresh work in our lives. Old wineskins represent outdated mindsets and habits that can't accommodate God's new blessings, while new wine symbolizes the fresh opportunities and growth God offers. When we remain set in our ways, we miss out on what God wants to do. To experience God's new work, we must be open to stretching beyond our comfort zones, upgrade our mindset through Christ, and pull down mental strongholds that limit us. God has fresh touches, anointings, and opportunities waiting for those willing to become new containers for His work.

Pastor Derek speaks on how God helps us in and through our times of need.

Joshua 1

In Mark 10:13-16, Jesus teaches us the profound importance of children in God's kingdom, rebuking His disciples for preventing children from approaching Him. Jesus emphasizes that we must receive God's kingdom with childlike faith—pure, trusting, and wholehearted. This passage challenges us to examine whether we're 'bringers' who lead children to Jesus or 'blockers' who hinder them. With statistics showing most people accept Jesus before age 13, we must prioritize children's spiritual development through prayer, investment, and authentic role modeling, creating environments where their faith can flourish.

Our spiritual hearts, the source of our faith and God's love, face three major threats: Satan's attacks, worldly influences, and our own sinful nature. These threats create spiritual heart conditions that parallel physical heart problems: inflammation from Satan's lies, clogging from worldly values, and inherent flaws from our sinful nature. Healing begins with submitting to God, being honest about our condition, approaching God with humility rather than pride, allowing the Holy Spirit to examine us, and being completely transparent with God. By guarding our hearts as Solomon advised, we can ensure God's grace flows freely through our lives.

Pastor Robert Altman visited and preached on Malachi.

Pastor Derek brings in a friend to talk about biblical giving. Gospel-rooted giving is about approaching generosity with joy rather than obligation. In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul teaches that our resources are like seeds to be sown generously, resulting in a harvest of righteousness. True biblical generosity is voluntary, planned, and faith-based—not pressured, impulsive, or fear-driven. When we give cheerfully, we reflect God's character and experience a unique joy that material possessions cannot provide. Even in seasons of need, generosity remains essential to Christian life, demonstrating our trust in God's provision and our commitment to His kingdom.

God's work in our lives mirrors a potter reshaping clay, as seen in Jeremiah 18. When vessels become marred, the potter doesn't discard them but transforms them into something new. God continues to shape us through difficult seasons, preparing every aspect of our being for His purpose. The process involves being dug from dark places, soaked in water, and treaded upon until resistance fades. Even when we're broken, God picks up the pieces and reshapes us. If you're still breathing, God isn't finished with you yet.

Jesus saw beyond Levi the tax collector's despised status and invited him to follow, revealing that we're all made for greater purpose than what we often settle for. Levi responded by leaving everything behind and hosting a grand banquet to introduce his friends to Jesus. This story challenges us to examine where we're settling for less than God's purpose, what we need to leave behind to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, and how we can use our resources to introduce others to Him. We were created for more purpose, more passion, and even more celebration as we share Jesus with those around us.

Hebrews 9:23-28 reveals Jesus' three distinct appearances across time that complete our salvation story. In the past, Jesus appeared on earth to remove sin through His one-time sacrifice. In the present, He appears in heaven as our advocate and intercessor before God. In the future, He will appear in the sky to bring final salvation to believers. These appearances show that salvation spans all of time—Jesus dealt with our sin problem, currently represents us before God, and will return to complete our salvation. This progression should transform how we live today with forgiveness, confidence, and expectancy.