Vima Church Audio Podcast

Our minds are the battleground of our souls. Finding victory in our mind leads to victory in our lives. Paul encourages us to "take every thought captive". Recognizing that some of the things we battle in our minds are not of God and must be submitted to His truth, His Word.  It's not easy. It may not be simple. But it is possible. Those strongholds have no place when faced by the p...

"How are you?"  It's a simple question that usually yields a simple, surface level response. "I'm good." But what if we took the time to ask it earnestly and honestly.  "How are you, really?"  That question might take more than a passing conversation to answer.  We are three part beings; body, soul and spirit. In the new year, we often focus on how to be hea...

Jesus has come as a Servant Savior. Jesus is coming as a Victorious King. But we are in-between those two comings.  What should we do while we wait? How do we wait well?  Jesus addressed this in Mark 11, where He implored us to stay awake! He wasn't instructing us to load up on latte's or Red Bull's. In normal Jesus fashion, He made a simple statement with a profound meaning.

At the birth announcement for Jesus, the angel said "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." This good news come to us with an expectation, that we will share with all people. It's only good news if it get to you! Just like the shepherds, we might not feel worthy of such a great purpose but when we have an encounter with the real Jesus...

What if that interruption wasn't just an inconvenience but an opportunity to trust God, to change directions and to grow? Paul tells us that God can take "all things" and turn them for the good of those who love God, even that painful and unexpected interruption. Mary and Joseph are a great example of people living an interruptible and available life for the purposes of God.

In the book of Malachi we get the last word from the prophets before Jesus' arrival. From that time until the birth of Jesus 400 years went by. That is a long time to wait for a promise, for the Messiah. While the people of God were waiting, God was working. Things were being positioned for the coming Savior of the World.  How long have you been waiting? Does it seem like God is silent? Be en...

This year for our Heart for the House Sunday we had our friend David Pepper in to bring the word. David is the leader of Amazon Outreach who we partner with in Peru.  David challenged us to follow the mission of God with tenacity, humility, and gratitude. We are called to have a heart for God's house!

The order of a thing matters. It shows precedence and authority. When it comes to God and money, there is a Biblical order in which we have been called to live.  When we live our lives out of order we often find ourselves, "out of order". There is a blessing that comes to those who follow God's word and bring back to God what He has commanded.  It's not enough to do the right t...

In the parable of the talents, Jesus tells a story of a master who gave three men money to invest while he was away. Two men were keen on what the master was saying and the other had his eyes on the money.  Where are your eyes are is where your trust is. Do you trust God or do you trust mammon?

The story of Namaan is one of healing but more than that it's a story of humility. What the world deems insignificant, God does the significant: a young servant girl, an outcast prophet, and a dirty river.  When we shift our trust from wealth, achievement, title, power, and giftedness to trusting Almighty God - we find the blessing we've been looking for.

What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Is it alive and active today? What about speaking in tongues? Pastor Jon goes deep into the teachings on the gifts of the Spirit.

Many people today do not know the Holy Spirit or understand the gifts because they haven't been taught. This lack of teaching can lead to skepticism, confusion, and avoidance of the personhood of God.  The Apostle Paul said this in 1 Corinthians 12:1, "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed."  Pastor Jon takes us through some incredible teaching...

In this weeks message, Pastor Jon explores the profound concept of cultivating the fruits of the Spirit and how they can shape our lives for the better. We dive deep into scripture to understand the battle of the two gardens of the soul - our human spirit and the Holy Spirit. Which garden are you cultivating?

There has been a tension in the church since it's origin on what function the Old Testament has now that we are in a new covenant. Pastor Jon takes us through three OT feasts and how Jesus came to fulfill these. This teaching helps understand the origin and intent of Pentecost Sunday in Acts 2.

So many of us have bad theology when it comes to the Holy Spirit. We treat the Holy Spirit like a weird uncle that we like to keep at a safe distance instead of third part of our Triune God who desperately wants to help us. When we shut out the Holy Spirit, we shut out God. Pastor Jon introduces us (or reintroduces us) to the Holy Spirit.

We are a church who gladly holds the doors so others can go and experience the real Jesus because have already been in and we can't wait for them to go too. It's easy for us to serve, because we have been served by others and by Christ. We believe the psalmist when he says, "it's better to be a doorkeeper at the house of God than anywhere else."

The church is a place to be made new, to belong, to come alive in calling and to change the world. The church was built by Jesus, is led by Jesus, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

How we see the church is in direct correlation to how we see God? The church is the place where God's people meet, where God's presence resides, where God reconciles men/women back to Himself.  Pastor Marty, Vima Church Overseer brought a powerful word on the purpose of the church.

Prayer is our first response not our last resort. As a church, as believers, as followers of Christ we need to be a people who pray; we need to pray more. Pastor Jon broke down several different times that we need to make prayer our first response.  We pray...in suffering, in gratitude, in sickness, and in our burden for the lost.

James warns us that a friendship with the world puts us at odds with God. There is a war of passions within us. One pulling us towards our sin and the other towards our God.  We desperately need an awakening in our churches that calls us to repentance from our sin - not an awokening that calls us to affirmation in our sin.

"Stick and stones my break my bones but words will never hurt me." This might be the biggest lie ever told. Words don't just hurt us, they haunt us. Jesus said that we will have to give an account for every idle word we've ever spoken. Our words matter. Our words give life and take life. Our words have a source.

Is your faith real or is it phony? How can someone tell? In James 2, we get a very straight forward teaching from the writer that our faith without works is dead. This would tell us that once we encounter the real Jesus our faith takes on real measurables. Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 7, when he said real believers bear good fruit! Our works do not earn us salvation but they are our unquencha...

Why? Why did that happen? Why did it happen to me? Why now? What is the purpose of this?  When we read James 1, we see that there is a purpose to trials in our life. God uses trials to implement growth in our lives, to show us that we are not in control, and to help us realize that our help comes from the Lord.

In many ways, the battle of the Christian life is a battle of the mind. Satan knows if he can claim victory over your mind, he can claim victory over your life. God wants your mind to be renewed today!

It's been said that "comparison is the thief of joy" and that is certainly true. But when we are looking what others have we also lose sight of what we do have. Contentment is the result of gratefulness, purpose and faith.