Time of Grace With Pastor Mike Novotny

We've got a bonus episode today for you! Pastor Mike gives you the first chapter of his book, The Basics: God. You. Jesus. Faith. About The Basics: Who is God? What is he like? What does he think of you? What exactly was Jesus all about? How do you get “saved”? And what does “getting saved” mean anyway? What can you do if you want to know the answers to these questions? Pastor Mike wants to help y...

If God has the power to end all our pain and provide answers for all the hurt we've been through, why doesn't he? Why does he let bad things happen to good people? Pastor Mike takes these often-asked questions, flips them, and challenges us to examine our motives: Why do we love God? Or do we just love his blessings? Get your copy of "When Life Hurts": https://bit.ly/3RzKMQh Check out our newest v...

Pop quiz: The book of Job is about _____? Pastor Mike's answer might surprise you. In fact, it almost resulted in Amber getting into a car accident. Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson give us the goods behind October's sermon series, "Seriously, God?," which looks at the book of Job. They talk about why there's pain in life, why many of us tend not to comfort friends during times of tragedy, how...

There's always another awful headline, another hypocrite, another problem we want to fix in our broken world. If only it were as easy as plucking out the bad people from the good. But we know it's not that simple. It's for these moments of frustration that Jesus told this particular story of the weeds and the wheat to give us hope. Get your copy of "Stories to Change Your Life": https://bit.ly/3cs...

It's going to cost us to follow Jesus. He was upfront about us needing to give up the things we treasure. But, Jesus also said, joyfully giving up the things we have is possible when we find a superior treasure. Through two short parables Jesus told, Pastor Mike helps us see what this treasure is. Get your copy of "Stories to Change Your Life": https://bit.ly/3csXi5z Get a free download of Pastor...

We live in a culture that often says bigger is better, as we easily dismiss the small and mundane as too insignificant to be powerful. But believing this common trope can be spiritually dangerous. Pastor Mike walks us through two of the smallest stories Jesus ever told that give us a really big message for the average moments of our spiritual lives. Get your copy of "Stories to Change Your Life":...

God’s Word doesn't always seem to work in our lives. We share it, read it, and hear it, but it doesn’t seem to change us spiritually. That's because the Word of God, Jesus said, is like a seed—it's packed with potential, but it is also small and vulnerable. How vulnerable? Pastor Mike identifies these everyday threats to God's Word that can stop us from growing in our faith.  Get your copy of "Sto...

Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson give us a preview of September's new TV message series, "Jesus' Growth Plan for Me." While discussing Jesus' parables that this series is based on, we also learn of the "mustard seed moments" that changed both Mike's and Amber's lives (both involve their moms), what Amber has in common with Dwight Shrute, and that one time Amber tried calling out Jesus—only for...

God has amazing plans to bless us, prosper us, and save us from pain. But those plans may not be for today, tomorrow, or even the end of this year. What if we're not patient enough to wait for God's promises? Pastor Mike teaches us three big ideas about patience that will help us grow in our own patience and faith.  Make your gift to Time of Grace go twice as far with our $155,000 Challenge Grant!...

Just read the headlines on any given day, and it's hard to imagine finding peace in this world. But, Pastor Mike says, finding peace is not impossible. And it starts with knowing what peace is, what it isn't, and knowing what are the top five peace thieves. Make your gift to Time of Grace go twice as far with our $155,000 Challenge Grant! As thanks for your donation, request your devotional journa...

We all strive for happiness and make decisions on what we think will bring us joy. This feat is even more challenging considering that, according to God, there are three different kinds of joy to be had. But only one of them really works. Pastor Mike takes us through the different joys and shares how to have the greatest, everlasting joy. Make your gift to Time of Grace go twice as far with our $1...

Kindness. Our culture seems infatuated with it as we all preach kindness. Yet it's often difficult to be kind because kindness comes at a cost to us. What does it take to transform our hearts into making us the kind, loving people God calls us to be? The answer, Pastor Mike says, starts with remembering this. Get a free download of Pastor Mike's book, "The Basics: God. You. Jesus. Faith." at https...

Help us have more . . . what? Not material possessions or wealth. But, more fruits of the spirit! Pastor Mike and Amber Albee Swenson—one of our Time of Grace bloggers, podcasters, and writers—give a sneak peek at August's new TV message series, "Help Me Have More," and discuss the fruits of kindness, joy, peace, and patience. In the midst of their conversation, we learn of Pastor Mike's love for...

The reality of heaven and hell is one that Jesus himself talked about. By looking at what he says about them in the Bible, we get the incredible perspective on what comes next and how we should feel about our place after we’re done on this earth. Get a free download of Pastor Mike's book, "The Basics: God. You. Jesus. Faith." at https://timeofgrace.org/download-the-basics/ Get your copy of the Tou...

How do we reconcile the tension of science and religion? What are we supposed to do when we feel like we need to walk away from Jesus for the sake of hard evidence? Pastor Mike gives us five compelling ideas to remind us that, according to the Bible, we don't need to choose between head and heart. Get a free download of Pastor Mike's book, "The Basics: God. You. Jesus. Faith." at https://timeofgra...

Hypocrites are everywhere, pretending to be one thing when they're really something else. What do we do when we meet one or—worse yet—when we have BEEN one? In this message, we examine our own identity and see who we are as seen through the eyes of Jesus.  Get a free download of Pastor Mike's book, "The Basics: God. You. Jesus. Faith." at https://timeofgrace.org/download-the-basics/ Get your copy...

Are we really born sinful? That's a hard pill for many people to swallow. What if we asked Moses, Paul, and Jesus this question? What would they say? Take a closer look at the Bible's teaching about the human heart, and the answer is clear. Get a free download of Pastor Mike's book, "The Basics: God. You. Jesus. Faith." at https://timeofgrace.org/download-the-basics/ Get your copy of the Tough Que...

Is the Bible really a HOLY book? What makes it unique from all the other books of other religions? Pastor Mike lays out the reasons why we can lean heavily on the accuracy and truth of this ancient text. Get a free download of Pastor Mike's book, "The Basics: God. You. Jesus. Faith." at https://timeofgrace.org/download-the-basics/ Get your copy of the Tough Questions set: https://bit.ly/3Nn694T

There are some questions and objections that keep skeptics from seeking faith. You may have asked those questions privately yourself. So if people are asking those questions, that's even more reason to tackle them head-on. Pastor Mike is joined by Time of Grace Creative Media Director, Nhia Yang, to give a sneak peek at July's TV message series, "Skeptical Faith." Nhia, a former skeptic herself wh...

What do you do when you can't forgive yourself? Pastor Mike shares three situations when it is especially hard to forgive our own actions—and reveals the two offensive truths about us when we think we can't forgive ourselves. If you have questions and want to know more about God, like what does he think of you, what exactly was Jesus all about, how do you get “saved” and just what exactly does it...

Does forgiving someone mean you act like their sin against you never happened? And then even if you forgive, how do you heal? The apostle Paul tells you exactly what you need to do. If you have questions and want to know more about God, like what does he think of you, what exactly was Jesus all about, how do you get “saved” and just what exactly does it mean to “get saved,” and what you should do...

Forgiving someone can be one of the hardest things God calls you to do. But how are you expected to do it when it seems impossible? Pastor Mike shows how our relationship with Christ is key in how we behave toward those who have wronged us. If you have questions and want to know more about God, like what does he think of you, what exactly was Jesus all about, how do you get “saved” and just what e...

Where do you start the journey of forgiveness? Is forgiveness a "one and done"? Or is it a process we need to deal with daily? What the Bible has to say about forgiveness is not only helpful and powerful; it's shockingly offensive. If you have questions and want to know more about God, like what does he think of you, what exactly was Jesus all about, how do you get “saved” and just what exactly do...

Why is it so hard to forgive? Here's a double whammy for you: not only is forgiving hard; it is offensive. It feels so offensive to let it go when someone sins against you and they deserve payback—but instead you're supposed to love and not seek revenge. So . . . how do you forgive? Pastor Mike and Dr. Bruce Becker from the Time of Grace team give you a sneak peek at the month of June's TV message...

Churches today face the temptation of believing they are faithful while subtly compromising their values, especially when it comes to biblical sexual morality. It's an uncomfortable topic that needs to be addressed, Pastor Mike says, in order to enjoy God's gift of sex, to understand the consequences of falling to sexual temptations, and to see how God helps us through it all. Get a free download...