GraceLife Sarasota

Some of the most important moments in our lives happen when we finally stop resisting what has always been true. You know the kind of moment I mean. It wasn’t that you received new information; you finally admitted what you knew was already true. For some, admitting an addiction controlling you, a relationship destroying you, a path you had chosen taking you somewhere you did not want to go, or th...

We often measure our value by our usefulness. What can I accomplish? What can I contribute? How badly am I needed? That can happen at work, in our families, in recovery, even in church. Without realizing it, we start believing that being useful is the same thing as being faithful. But are they always the same? Most of us want to feel valuable. We want to know our work matters, and that somebody im...

How often do you look at something another Christian did and think, “How can somebody who claims to follow Jesus act like that?” Maybe it was hypocrisy. Bitterness. Revenge. Abuse of power. Often, one of the hardest things about Christianity isn’t Jesus’ teachings. It’s Christians who act nothing like Him. We believe Jesus changes people, right? Yes! We believe He gives us new hearts, teaches us t...

Can we trust God’s promise without trying to control it? Have you ever asked God to do something, then immediately started trying to make sure He does it your way? You pray for His will but already have a timetable in mind. You trust Him with the outcome but still feel responsible for controlling the process, you believe He will keep His promises but subconsciously demand He do it in a way that ma...

We usually assume the greatest threats to Christ’s kingdom come from outside the church, from unbelief, persecution, false teaching, or the values of the world. But some of the deepest damage to Christ’s kingdom happens when people inside it begins building little kingdoms of their own. I’ve seen disagreements inside a church become far more destructive than the issue that started them ever deserv...

Almost every organization says, “People are our greatest priority.” Businesses say it, governments, sports teams… churches. But you usually discover the truth when caring for people begins to interfere with an organization’s success. What happens when protecting someone becomes expensive? When patience slows down the progress of the mission? When wounded people become burdens? When doing what is b...

One of the most frustrating things about following Jesus is when the wrong kingdom appears to be winning. It seems to have more people, more influence, more freedom, more power, more options. And if we’re honest, that can be confusing. We believe Jesus is King, that He reigns. His Kingdom is now, but also not yet. We look around & see how active the kingdom of darkness is. It’s loud, attractive, &...

The New Testament is filled with powerful stories of people hearing the Gospel, believing in Jesus, and being baptized. Today we are celebrating both adults who are publicly professing their faith in Christ and children of believers who are receiving the sign of God’s covenant promises. Those may seem like two very different moments but Acts 2 and Acts 16 help us see how they belong together. Fift...

What happens when success comes before humility? When power comes before character? What happens when abundance comes before dependence? We tend to think God's promises will solve our problems. It sure can feel like the hardest part of receiving God's promises is waiting for them. But what if the harder task is becoming the kind of person who can receive them well? What happens when a promise arri...

Have you ever thought you understood what makes someone tick but found out you were completely wrong? You knew the important facts about them. You knew what they liked, what they believed, what they had accomplished, but you completely misread their character, you fundamentally misunderstood who they really were. You assumed they would respond to something one way, and they responded the exact opp...

Pastor Keith Ledford shares with us on the book of Philemon.

Guest speaker Pilgrim Benham, Dean of Students at Calvary Chapel Bible College in Bradenton, FL.

God's great blessings to us are never meant to be and ends unto themselves. We have the great privilege and opportunity to be a blessing to others by introducing them to Jesus, bringing glory to the Lord.

God's great blessings to us are never meant to be and ends unto themselves. We have the great privilege and opportunity to be a blessing to others by introducing them to Jesus, bringing glory to the Lord.

What would it take for you to conclude that God's promises had failed? What circumstances would have to unfold before you finally say, "This is it. God's plan has collapsed. The enemy has won." Now, us "church people" know we're not supposed to say that out loud. But let's be honest. Most of us have faced moments that tempted us to think exactly that. "Well... there's no coming back from this." Ma...

What would it take for you to conclude that God's promises had failed? What circumstances would have to unfold before you finally say, "This is it. God's plan has collapsed. The enemy has won." Now, us "church people" know we're not supposed to say that out loud. But let's be honest. Most of us have faced moments that tempted us to think exactly that. "Well... there's no coming back from this." Ma...

Pastor Joe & Fred discuss Chapter 2 of Pastor Joe's latest book "Power For Ordinary People, The Story of Ruth"

Do you ever look around at other Christians and assume most everybody else is doing better spiritually than you? Like somehow, they’re winning battles you keep struggling with. Their faith seems stronger. Their life seems cleaner. Their prayers seem more confident. Meanwhile, you’re exhausted just trying to hold yourself together. Or maybe you’re on the other side of that. Maybe life is stable rig...

Do you ever look around at other Christians and assume most everybody else is doing better spiritually than you? Like somehow, they’re winning battles you keep struggling with. Their faith seems stronger. Their life seems cleaner. Their prayers seem more confident. Meanwhile, you’re exhausted just trying to hold yourself together. Or maybe you’re on the other side of that. Maybe life is stable rig...

Have you ever had a moment where life changed so fast it felt like the ground disappeared underneath you? Where suddenly the life you were building, the future you imagined, the things that made you feel stable and secure all started collapsing at once? For a child of God, those moments are deeply spiritual. We start asking questions we usually neglect when life is comfortable. What’s God doing? W...

Have you ever had a moment where life changed so fast it felt like the ground disappeared underneath you? Where suddenly the life you were building, the future you imagined, the things that made you feel stable and secure all started collapsing at once? For a child of God, those moments are deeply spiritual. We start asking questions we usually neglect when life is comfortable. What’s God doing? W...

Fred Packwood interviews the founder and executive director of Urban Youth Justice, Pedro Rodriguez

Have you ever found yourself somewhere you never thought you’d be, asking yourself, “How did I get here?” You didn’t just wake up one morning wanting to rebel against God. Instead, a series of small, seemingly reasonable decisions slowly took you there. Not because you stopped loving Jesus or stopped believing the Bible, but because fear, exhaustion, disappointment, or simply the pressure of real...

Have you ever found yourself somewhere you never thought you’d be, asking yourself, “How did I get here?” You didn’t just wake up one morning wanting to rebel against God. Instead, a series of small, seemingly reasonable decisions slowly took you there. Not because you stopped loving Jesus or stopped believing the Bible, but because fear, exhaustion, disappointment, or simply the pressure of real...

a podcast reviewing chapter one of Dr Joe Davis's latest book "Power For Ordinary People, The Story Of Ruth