Advertise on podcast: A Transforming Word

If we touch something hot, our immediate reaction is to jerk our hand away. Why? It’s our nervous system warning us of danger. If, for some reason, we weren’t able to feel the heat, then we might inadvertently stick our hand directly into the fire and get seriously burned. In his message today, Pastor Bill warns you not to ignore the conviction of the Holy Spirit in your life. The longer you ignore conviction, the more likely you are to get burned. Don’t become desensitized to the voice of God.

We all have hopes and dreams in life. For some people, that’s just as simple as living their best life now. Others have the whole thing planned out; a five-year plan, a ten-year plan, all the way down to the T. But as Pastor Bill points out in his message today, Christ calls you to deny yourself, take up your Cross, and follow Him. Could you do it? Could you trade in your “best life now” in exchange for eternal life with Jesus? Could you give up on your lifelong dream in order to pursue a life of self-denial?

You know, there are some careers that take a lot of devotion to pursue. Think about becoming a doctor; it typically takes around eight years of college education. And then if you want to specialize in something, you may need another four or more years. It takes a lot of time and attention to achieve a goal like that. In his message today, Pastor Bill tells you that when you pursue Christ, you should give it your all. Don’t let other things in life distract you from following Jesus. He’s worth pursuing wholeheartedly every moment of every day of your life.

What if I made you some cookies and you asked, “Well, what did you put in them?” And I said, “You know, a little bit of dirt, some mud, and some tree bark and a few weeds…” You’d be pretty taken aback by that, wouldn’t you? Why? Because you know that cookies are usually made with eggs, flour, and sugar… In Pastor Bill’s message today, he wants you to know that there’s only one Truth, and that’s God’s truth. You can’t just pick and choose whatever you like from all the different religions and throw a little Jesus in there and be good. With Jesus, it’s all or nothing.

What if you walked into a gym and everyone was lounging on couches, eating donuts and ice cream, and watching TV? What kind of gym would that be? “Oh, we just wanted to get people in, so we changed a few things to make it more appealing.” That’s not a gym anymore at that point. In today’s message, Pastor Bill wants you to know that when you change the message of the Church to fit culture, then it’s no longer a church. The Church needs to be a place where God’s Word rings loud and clear.

Have you ever had a perfect day? I’m talking about a day when you didn’t make a single mistake. You didn’t stumble over your words; you didn’t forget anything; everything you did, you got right the first time without any errors whatsoever… In today’s message, Pastor Bill points out that even on your best day, you still make mistakes… that’s why you need Jesus. Jesus DID live a perfect life, and so when He died on the cross, He was the perfect sacrifice so that your sins could be forgiven.

Everyone these days has an opinion on just about everything. Politics, sports, health, fitness, religion… No matter what the subject is, you’re going to find varying opinions. But just because everyone has something to say doesn’t mean that everyone’s right. In his message today, Pastor Bill challenges you with the most important question you’ll ever be asked: “Who is Jesus to you?” Was He just a liar who made it all up? Was He a crazy man who just believed He was God? Or is He truly God in human flesh?

You’ll hear the phrase “on-the-job training” quite often. It is one of the scariest, but most effective ways to learn a task. Studying books and the theoretical side of a trade is good, but the trial and error of being in the field works best. It tests and humbles you. However, that humility is where the growth occurs. In today’s message, Pastor Bill teaches that life, too, will humble you. In that humility, you will learn how to pivot in your failures, how to rely on God, and how to seek His wisdom as you try again.

Would you call yourself a people pleaser? Many would. Humans have such a strong desire to make others like them, which causes many people to feel sick to their stomach when they let someone down. Here’s some unfortunate news: You will let someone down whether you like it or not. It’s just part of life. They will have expectations you simply can’t meet. In today’s message, Pastor Bill gives you a bit of encouragement. You can’t let God down because He already knows what to expect.

Sometimes I have a hard time trusting others. Not because I think they are dishonest, but rather because I feel the need to do the task myself. I’m not sure whether that stems from wanting to be in control or out of worry that I didn’t communicate expectations well enough. In today's message, Pastor Bill teaches that we need to do the hard thing. He teaches that you’re to trust in God and let Him be in control. When you do, you will see miraculous things occur that you’d never experience otherwise.

When my dad was fresh out of high school, he took a job with a local welding company. It took many hours, plenty of sweat, and I’m sure an injury or two, but he eventually became part of the team that helped to build one of the rockets NASA used for their space missions. In today’s message, Pastor Bill teaches that when you are faithful to serve in the ways God has called you to, He will use your gifts and talents to do miraculous things for the kingdom. Isn’t it amazing to get to be a part of such a huge project?

Every one of us has a strong desire to succeed in life. We want a blossoming career, financial peace, and a healthy social life. Too often, though, we pursue our own desires and forget that we shouldn’t actually be the ones in charge. In today’s message, Pastor Bill teaches that when you pursue God and make Him the boss, then He will provide you with everything you ever need. It may not look the way you imagined, but by placing your trust in Him as provider, He will always take care of your needs.

Getting hurt is never fun, especially physically. It could be a broken bone, a torn ACL, or eye problems. We can go a little deeper; it could be cancer, a terminal sickness, or severe chronic pain. There is another thing that gets left out, which is the spiritual healing you need. Today, Pastor Bill shares that people might need physical healing at different times in life, but we all need spiritual healing. When you give your life to Jesus and turn from your sin, you are spiritually healed!!

Have you ever gotten a gift that you didn’t deserve? You didn’t earn it or work for it, but it was given to you freely… just because. These gifts feel like they mean so much more. It means they were thinking of you, they know you, and they genuinely care for you. This gift is like the unmerited favor that we receive from the Lord. Today, Pastor Bill shares that no amount of effort you muster can earn this beautiful gift the Lord has given you. God blesses you, not because of how hard you work, but because He loves you.

Relationships matter in our lives. Having close friends, a spouse, or even parents - matters deeply. They are the ones who are there for you, to keep you going, in the moments when life gets heavy.  The Lord is generous and kind, so much so, that we all get to experience His mercy on this side of eternity. Imagine that the same God who saved you from your sin is the One who will listen when you cry out to Him! Today, Pastor Bill shares how Jesus cares for all people and how, when His children cry out, He’s faithful to listen.