PocketNeif Podcast

Normally the "early morning" story we focus on each Easter is the one about the women going to the tomb and finding the stone rolled away and the angels scaring them and the disciples finding the hole in the rock empty. Jesus shows up a little later and everyone is happy. In this episode, we examine together a different "early morning" story. It's a 2-parter found in John 21. This one is about int...

The spiritual style song I share today is a reminder of all our savior went through to purchase our salvation. It reminds us over and over of Jesus' suffering as he hung on the cross dying for our sin. Let it's words humble you and cause thanksgiving to well up within you for God's amazing love that made the way for us to become children of God. Dem Thorns Verse 1: Dem thorns be a-hurtin’ my Jesus...

Excitement is in the air as the 2021 NCAA basketball tournament moves into its second weekend. Who will win? Who will go home? In this episode, I compare the tension in the air in this season with the electricity in the air as Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem a few days before he would go to the cross.

There are certain "jobs" that are not ours as believers in Jesus. There are others which are ours. At the beginning of Matthew 7, in verses 1 through 5, Jesus talks about judging and reproving, laying out whose job each of these is. One of these is your job as a believer. The other is not. Listen to this episode to find out which is which.

As we prepare to celebrate St Patrick's Day, this song recalls the holiday's namesake's love for Christ and his recognition of God's closeness. The poem which I put to music is reported to have been engraved on Patrick's shield or breastplate. I hope its words will encourage you. St Patrick's Song Verse 1: Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, C...

I've been tested multiple times as a school bus driver. As a human being, I've been tested as well, tempted to sin in various ways. In this episode, my 50th, I talk about how to deal with the devil's testing. I hope you will be encouraged and strengthened in your faith.

The recommendations of others influence us. Our words of praise cause others to take note. What if in the midst of all the negativity in the world we spoke highly of the good things in our lives? Might we affect change?

I love the blues. The words, the feel, the mood. A few years back, I decided to write a blues song. I wanted the lyrics to pack as big a punch as the music would, so I went looking in the Bible for a bluesy passage. I found it in James 4:7-10. James, Jesus' brother and a leader in the church, uses strong language to call the church to repentance. What could be more blues than grieving over sin? No...

"Be careful!" From our earliest days to our last we hear those words from others and coming out of our mouths. Sometimes we're being alerted to relatively minor dangers. Other times our lives are in serious jeopardy! Jesus says these words in Matthew 6:1. What he cautions us against is interesting. It's about doing righteous things to draw attention to ourselves. Is that a low-level warning or a u...

Psalm 51 is David's plea for mercy song. He wrote it after he'd committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, killed to cover up his indiscretion. The king asks God to cleanse him and create in him a pure heart. That is my prayer as well and should be the prayer of every person who knows God. We all have sinned and all need his cleansing. Let the words of David's psalm set to music...

Unless you live under a rock, you've heard Jesus quoted over and over: "Do not judge!" What if Jesus said more than that. He did! In this episode, you'll hear what our savior said immediately after these famous (and often misused) words. You'll learn what kind of judgment you should practice and get an idea of what Jesus was prohibiting.

Jesus said it: "Apart from me you can do nothing!" (John 15:5) When I was younger, I thought he was mistaken. I could think of dozens of things I assumed I could do without him. In this episode, I tell that story and share a song that agrees with Jesus. You see, I'm older and wiser now. I know for a fact that apart from Jesus, I can do NADA! Apart from God Verse 1: Apart from God you can do. Apart...

Look around you. You've been given so much. I can spot numerous things in my office and home which friends, family, and even strangers have given me. In this episode, I want to encourage you (and me) to respond to the generosity of others (and God) by giving wildly and joyfully when opportunities arise.

Imagine a father singing a lullaby quietly to calm his restless infant daughter who struggles to fall asleep after a late night feeding. That's the picture of comfort I get when I  hear the words of Zephaniah 3:17. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. Th...

Funny story! I was mistaken for Santa Claus recently. Hear the story and my new year's hope for 2021 in this short episode to start the next 12 months off right. You may want what I want in 2021...at least part of what I want!

Jesus is greater than any of us usually think of him. In Colossians 1:15-20, we find an awe-inspiring description of the King of kings. Reading this passage a few years ago, I found myself worshiping Jesus with a new song. It came together fairly quickly and incorporated ideas from Colossians and a few other passages. I hope it encourages your faith and invites worship of Jesus. Firstborn Over Cre...

"Famous" Christians are walking away from the faith and publicly sharing their deconstruction stories. Less famous Christians overwhelmed by doubts and a multitude of questions are doing the same. In this episode, I ask a few simple questions to those walking away from God. What or who are you rejecting? Who are you listening to? Is truth worth pursuing? I hope you'll give it a listen.

I seems there are a lot of people worn out by all that's going on around them. They're burned out, stressed, worried, afraid. In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus invites weary and burdened people to come to him and find rest. About seven years ago, I wrote a song based on the words of our savior, inviting listeners to do as he says, to come to him. I pray you will be encouraged as you hear Jesus' words and...

Throughout the Bible God gives warnings and promises to people. He gives them through prophets, angels, Jesus, the disciples. His assurances are meant to bring peace to the godly. His advisories aim to stir up fear in the heart of every sin-loving person. They call forth rejoicing and, if heeded, repentance. This episode fleshes out this idea using words from a popular Christmas song and a word fr...

There are things which happen in life for which we are less than thankful. Cars break down. Shirts get stained. Food spoils. What do we do when these things occur? We whine and complain! We have so much and still we mumble about how unfair life is. Thank You for the Things I'm Not Thankful For is my musical attempt to wake myself (and others) up to the truth: I have enough and then some! It is a r...

Over the past several years, I've been able to take in numerous natural vistas, places of amazing beauty. In this episode, I talk about a few of them and urge listeners to give thanks to the God who created this world for our pleasure. My hope is that all will see God's goodness as they walk through each and every day and that they will give thanks.

Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner. In my family, my mom will, on that day, ask one simple question of each person gathered around her dining room table: What's one thing you're thankful for? Everyone will answer. Mom's rule! This week as I was reading in the psalms, I ran across a repetitive song of thanksgiving. This psalm, Psalm 136, starts with these words: Give thanks to the Lord, for...

"Whatever you do..." (Colossians 3:17) That's pretty broad, isn't it? In includes all we do in life - the use of our gifts, abilities, talents. It encompasses every word we speak - sermons, lessons, conversations. Listen in as I talk about how God has allowed me to use one specific ability - running - for his glory and the good of others.

What do you do when you hear a young boy singing, "Get that rattlesnake outta my house," over and over accompanied by an off-key toy guitar? If you're a songwriter, you take his one line and pen a new song. That's the actual story behind the song I share on today's pre-Halloween episode. I hope you enjoy this humorous tale of a church worship service gone wild. Verse 1: Walked into church, half in...

The 2020 presidential election is fast approaching. You probably have a favorite candidate. You probably have a candidate you kind of dislike, too. Few people seem to be apathetic about this year's contest. In this episode, I want to challenge you to pray specifically for one candidate. If that makes you nervous, good. It should. But don't turn away. Listen. I believe you'll choose the politically...