First Church Podcast

The Book of Luke describes many instances of Jesus eating with those that were not like Him - Pharisees, tax collectors, sinners, and others. From this we can learn that Jesus modeled hospitality, God loves strangers, and true hospitality heals.

Luke is the only Gospel writer that tells the story of 12 year old Jesus in the temple. From this account, we can learn that Jesus, though He was the Son of God, was born humble, poor, and different than any other boy. Yet He confounded the religious teachers with His knowledge as a young man.

The Book of Luke tells us that Anna, a prophet, stayed in the temple night and day praying and worshiping God. First Church is in the middle of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting and this message answers the questions, Why go to church to pray? What should we pray? and How should we pray?

The first two chapters of Luke share the stories of four people who were advanced in years. Their most distinguishing characteristic was that they had all been devout -- devoted fully to God -- for many years. They did so with worship, prayer, and fasting. As we enter into our annual 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, Pastor Daryle gives 10 Biblical reasons to fast.

What is the spirit of Christmas? Many people would give you many different definitions. But the true spirit of Christmas is worship - worship toward a God who would love His creation so much that He would become a man and come to earth the rescue us from our sins.

God is interested in the affairs of men and women. So in anticipation of sending His Son to earth, He sent angels to two couples who would be parents of John the Baptist and Jesus. Mary, Jesus' mother believed the words of the angel while Zechariah, John's father, disbelieved.

The Book of Luke gives the most complete account of Jesus' birth in the Bible. In this first message in the series, Pastor Daryle Williams shares powerful evidence of the Bible's validity, authenticity, and truthfulness.

What does it mean to be pardoned? A pardon results in a release from punishment and guilt. Every one of us has the wonderful opportunity to be pardoned from our sins by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

The Bible speaks about the end of the world and the second coming of Jesus. Are we living in those times? Can we know when it will happen? Pastor Daryle Williams cuts through the sensationalism and the guesswork and gives us solid Biblical perspectives on the end times.

Why was Israel attacked in October 2023? Why has Israel faced so many enemies and attackers? Why are so many people around the world so polarized over such a small nation? In this first message in the Headlines & God's Lines series, Pastor Daryle Williams traces God's covenant with Israel 4,000 years ago through to present day.

Jesus told a parable about a man hiring workers to work in a field. The point of the story is that if we show up for God, God will always show up for us and give us provision, blessings, and His presence.

The most meaningful way to experience God is to walk with Him. Both Enoch and Noah in the Bible walked with God and they walked in faith, chose the path of righteousness, and they walked in a way that pleased God.

Have you ever felt like God was absent? Have you longed to experience God but it seems like He's just not there? In this first message in the Experience series, Pastor Daryle Williams helps us understand 5 reasons why we may feel like we are not experiencing God and how to push through them.

The apostle Paul lived a complete life. He said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith." Pastor David Hale concludes the Complete series by challenging us to be like Paul and fight, keep the faith, and get back on course.

What does a Complete life look like? The most complete life ever lived was Jesus himself. But he didn't have all the things we usually associate with a complete life. What He did have was a dynamic connection to God, He loved others passionately, and He was committed to His purpose. If we have these things in our lives, they too will be complete.

Your life is made up of many unique pieces. The Bible says that you are uniquely designed. You are not like anyone else. You are your own beautiful puzzle. But, as you put the pieces of your life together, if there is a piece missing, the picture of your life will not look right. Jesus is the only piece that fits into the missing void in our lives.

When struggles, battles, and circumstances come at us in life we are often tempted to fight back in the natural realm. But the Apostle Paul tells us that though we are human, we don't wage war as humans do - in the natural. We wage war in the spiritual with faith, worship, and prayer.

What separates winners from those who come in second, third, and even last? Often they have the same natural ability and talent, but those who win do so because they want it more - they hunger for the win. Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to get hungry for God's presence so we can come out on top.

The Bible tells us that when trials, tests, and temptations come, we should consider it an opportunity for great joy. That runs counter to our human nature. Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to take a different perspective and allow God to strengthen us and make us better through our sufferings.

Freedom is never free - and freedom always comes with consequences in other areas of our lives. We have a free country because people all throughout our history were willing to pay the price. So what kind of freedom are you pursuing? If you want God's freedom, He asks that we love Him and keep His commandments.

Can you get a fresh start when you've hit rock bottom? In this message in the Fresh Starts series, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us with the Biblical story of Ruth, who hit rock bottom and yet found a fresh start and great success.

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.

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.

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.