PocketNeif Podcast

Last week I got to thinking about worship. I turned to the book of Revelation and found a couple of passages full of God-honoring praise. As I read them, a song came forth. I hope "Amen! Praise and Glory!" will cause you to bow before the One who sits on the throne and before the Lamb! Salvation belongs to our God! Verse: Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strengt...

Someone asked recently, “Can we just go ahead and make 2020 a cuss word?” I’m not one to utter obscenities, but I’m okay with this suggestion. This year has been a rough one.  If you haven’t lost your sanity yet, good for you! You must be living right…or trusting entirely in our Lord! I hope it’s both! In case you're struggling, in this episode I share three promises from God to grab a hold o...

One of the most encouraging passages to me as a pastor is Isaiah 55:9-11.  It reads:  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the ea...

I witnessed a good deed quietly done the other day. It reminded me of Jesus' words concerning acts of righteousness and how they should be done if you want rewards in heaven. This episode is a good reminder to me (and I hope you) that when there's something amiss, it might be my job to do it when no one's watching.

Amazed by God's love which he demonstrated by sending Christ to die for us while we were sinners (See Romans 5:6-8), I wrote this song of worship and thanksgiving. I pray that it will draw you to Christ and that you will believe on him for your salvation. Verse: At just the right time, when we were powerless, Christ died for all the ungodly. While we were still sinners, God reconciled us To himsel...

Generally speaking, following the laws of man and the commands of God, leads to a better life. I know there are exceptions, but most of the time, joy rather than sorrow is in the hearts of those who are obedient. The writer of Psalm 112 shouts a hallelujah as he considers God's goodness toward the righteous. He gives thanks for the way God provides and protects. I invite you to hear this song of p...

What do you do on a rainy day? I write songs! This one, I wrote years and years ago when my kid were small. Hope you enjoy "Beautiful Day for Ducks" and have a ducky day! Lyrics Chorus: It's a beautiful day for ducks (QUACK!) A beautiful day for ducks (QUACK! QUACK!) A beautiful day for ducks and ducklings It's a beautiful day for ducks (QUACK!) A beautiful day for ducks (QUACK! QUACK!) A beautifu...

Everywhere we go, around every corner, ENEMIES! Or so we think. But what if those we think are enemies aren't enemies at all? What if we're mistaken about this whole enemy thing? In this episode, I urge every listener to consider what Jesus and Paul say about enemies - who they are and how Jesus-followers treat their foes.

What does your evening look like? How do you spend the hours after work is done? Do you sit and watch movies, read a book, play games, iron your clothes for the next day? I hope what you do brings joy to your life and peace to your soul. We all need those things! I hope your nighttime schedule allows time for praising God, thanking him, acknowledging his goodness shown to you throughout the day. T...

Sometimes I think it would be nice to get a weekly "coming soon" report? Can you imagine the ad revenue YouTube could bring in from a channel that told each of us what's next? Such a thing doesn't exist. (Probably wouldn't be good if it did.) So trusting God and submitting our plans to him is the way forward. This week's episode encourages you to do just that. Listen and then...follow God with gre...

Like eating a good breakfast, pondering the goodness of God early in the morning gives strength for the day. In this episode, I share with you a song that uses Scripture to honor God for his grace, his mercy which is new every morning. It acknowledges his sustaining love and our need for his presence in each new day. My prayer is that you will be encouraged as you listen. (Scripture references: Ps...

"What if I'm wrong?" I think we ought to ask that question more often than we think we need to. It is foolish to think we're always right. Titus 3:9-11 suggests something else that's foolish. On this week's episode I talk about that and suggest away to avoid foolishness. It starts with acknowledging that others could be right, but goes beyond that.

I have a friend who loves the ancient prayers written by the saints of old. He's always introducing me and other pastors to them when he leads retreats. About three years ago, after attending a get-away at which he facilitated prayer times, I sought out prayers from centuries ago to put to music. One of the first I ran across was a prayer of Columba, a man from Ireland, who opened monasteries all...

You're not much of a risk taker, right? Or are you? Are you the stay at home on the couch type or the let's go hang gliding this weekend type? Whatever level of danger you're okay with, there is a behavior that is by far more dangerous than any other action you might take. It has to do with God and his commands. Do you obey him or do you not? Take a listen as I talk about a story from the end of J...

I read a poem on Facebook on August 9, 2017. I love it and wrote a song using the words. Then I decided to find out from the friend who posted it where she got it since she hadn't given an author's name. Did she write it? Did some famous poet pen the words? The answer she gave blew me away. The words were from Johnny Hart's B.C. comic strip. Wiley, that prehistoric philosopher, spoke them in a str...

My siblings and I decided to obey God's command to honor our father by putting together a special two-part podcast. This second session features my brother, Jon's, and my responses to the question: What did you learn from dad? I hope that our words will encourage you to thank your dad for his goodness to you. I hope, also, that you will commit yourself to God and follow him as our dad did. He was...

Psalm 139 is one of my favorites. I love the intimate relationship with God that David reveals in the deeply personal words of this song. I imagine the king sitting under a tree on a starry night, singing to the lover of his soul. At the end of the psalm is a prayer that I find engaging. It asks God very simply to reveal to the writer the truth of his position before God. It invites God to search...

My siblings and I decided to obey God's command to honor our father by putting together a special two-part podcast. This first session features my sister, Pam's, and my youngest brother, Patrick's, responses to the question: What did you learn from dad? I hope that their words will encourage you to thank your dad for his goodness to you. I hope, also, that you will commit yourself to God and follo...

Seven or so years ago, I was surprised by God’s overwhelming presence as I read the story of his coming to his people on Mt Sinai to enter into a covenant with them. As he prepared to give them the ten commandments, the people trembled before him. His power was on full display. When I finished reading the story, I sat in stunned silence and then, after a pregnant pause, I wrote a song encouraging...

My medical training sometimes makes me understand things differently than others mean them. Take the term unresponsive. That word makes the heart of an EMT race, while it just causes irritation or concern for those in the non-medical community. In this episode, I examine an arena in life where I'm trying to be more unresponsive so as to maintain peace with friends and family. I'm doing so with var...

At a 2017 spiritual retreat in the mountains of Colorado, I ran across a prayer written by Dimitri of Rostov (1651-1709). The words moved me to write the song I share with you today. My hope is that you will find yourself inviting God to rule in your life as you listen. Lyrics: Come, my Light, and illumine my darkness. Come, my Life, and revive me from death. Come, my Physician, and heal all my wo...

How do those around you know that you're a believer? They can't tell by your church attendance. You've been watching from home! What is it then that says loud and clear, "I'm with Jesus!"? Jesus told his disciples how people would know they were his. Maybe it's time you and I reviewed his words and put them into practice.

I love singing hymns. Some my favorite songs of all time were written hundreds of years ago. To be clear, I love new songs too. Any song that exalts Jesus and helps the church worship God in spirit and in truth is okay by me. A few years back, I wrote a new melody line and added a bridge to a beloved hymn, My Jesus, I Love Thee. The resulting song, Love You Now, is featured in this episode. Hope i...

Jesus spoke about the end times with his disciples so that they would be ready for his return and aware of what those times would be like. He also made sure they knew how to live in light of his second coming.

After my previous episode, I knew exactly which song I wanted to share with you. This one is based on Romans 7:14-15; 19; 24-25. I encourage you to read the chapter in its entirety before you listen. In it you'll find Paul's heart-felt testimony of the struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. He also shares with his readers the source of his victory over sin! Lyrics: Chorus:  I am unspiritu...