First Church Podcast: Recent Episodes
First Church
In this powerful message, we explore the profound trust we can place in Jesus, the Lamb of God. Through His sacrifice, we find hope, redemption, and unwavering assurance. Join us as we delve into the scriptures to understand the significance of trusting in Christ, the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. Let this sermon strengthen your faith and remind you of the ultimate love and grace found in Him.
The seeds of hurt or disappointment can fall into the soil of any heart and, if not properly dealt with, become a root of bitterness. Roots are hidden but they bring forth a fruit of a different nature - anger, irrational behavior, stonewalling, and more. Join with us in this message as we learn how to destroy the root of bitterness and generate the fruit of the Spirit.
Join us in this powerful sermon as we confront the pervasive giant of doubt that lurks in all our lives. In "Killing the Giant of Doubt," we explore the universal struggle with uncertainty and the ways it can hinder our faith and purpose.
Through biblical insights and relatable examples, we will uncover the truth that doubt is not a sign of weakness but a common human experience. Learn practical steps to recognize, confront, and overcome your doubts, empowering you to live a life of faith and confidence.
Whether you're facing personal challenges, questioning your path, or seeking reassurance in your beliefs, this message offers hope and encouragement. Discover how to reclaim your strength, silence the whispers of doubt, and step boldly into the life God has planned for you.
Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more uplifting messages. Together, let’s embark on a journey to slay the doubts that hold us back!
Check out week 2 of our series, Goliath Must Fall, as Pastor Daryle Williams speaks on how to remove the Giant of Complacency from our lives.
We all face giants, enemies that seek to keep us from what God has promised to us. We don’t have to fight everyone of them, but we do need to take a step of faith and believe that God will fight for us. Join us in this message as we learn the how and why behind Killing Giants.
Watch as Guest Speaker, Jeff Goodman from Metro D.C. speaks on the topic of being Leveraged For Life!
God does the supernatural, the miraculous. However, He does the supernatural in response to our faith. Stretch yourself, take the first step, listen to the voice of God, and experience His provision.
We all go through seasons of our lives where it feels as though we are sinking – financially, relationally, or emotionally. God told us to get in the boat and go, but now it feels as though He is nowhere to be found. But one thing is for certain, when God gives us a word, He follows through. What He speaks, He guides us to – and He might even call us to walk on water in the meantime!
All of us want to know our lives count for something, that they matter, that we’re a part of something bigger than ourselves. God gives us that opportunity to come together and make an impact through the unimaginable power of the church. Through the glory, presence, and Holy Spirit of God, we can be a part of seeing God’s kingdom come and His will getting done on earth – together!
Discover the enigma of divine favor: while God’s love encompasses all, some seem to bask more in His favor. Who are they, and what sets them apart? Explore the path to becoming one of the chosen few.
Are your personal aspirations too low? Consider the higher expectations that God may have for you. Dare to leave behind limited visions and embrace the divine plans for your life. Join us as we journey towards fulfilling God’s envisioned purpose for us.
“Let’s Go Up The Mountain.” It was the ultimate test of faith. It was a faith journey that was so much more than Abraham could have imagined. God asked Abraham to worship Him by sacrificing his only son, Isaac. Abraham passed the test and was greatly blessed. This narrative, however, isn’t just ancient history, it holds profound relevance for us today. Discover the power of obedience and faith and uncover the blessings that await those who trust in the providence of the Divine.
Your life is made up of many unique pieces. The Bible says that you are uniquely designed. You are not like anyone else. You are your own beautiful puzzle. But, as you put the pieces of your life together, if there is a piece missing, the picture of your life will not look right. Jesus is the only piece that fits into the missing void in our lives.
The Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. Where does faith come from? It comes from remembering what God has done in the past so you have confidence in what God can do in your future.
Because we've been wronged, we often feel justified in holding back forgiveness for the people who have sinned against us. But Jesus made it clear that our forgiveness from God is directly tied to our willingness to forgive others.
When we make a list of the most serious sins, pride probably doesn't show up at the top of the list. But it is one of those "dead flies" - a seemingly small distraction that can actually be a very serious deterrent to a thriving relationship with God.
Little things can get in the way of great successes in our lives. In this first message in the Dead Flies series, Abraham challenges us to make a once-and-for-all decision to follow Jesus and leave no opportunity to turn back.
When struggles, battles, and circumstances come at us in life we are often tempted to fight back in the natural realm. But the Apostle Paul tells us that though we are human, we don't wage war as humans do - in the natural. We wage war in the spiritual with faith, worship, and prayer.
We all want to be winners in all areas of our lives, but which area is the most important to win? In this message in the Winning series, Abraham challenges us to win in relationship with God, pleasing God, and trusting in God.
What separates winners from those who come in second, third, and even last? Often they have the same natural ability and talent, but those who win do so because they want it more - they hunger for the win. Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to get hungry for God's presence so we can come out on top.
The Bible tells us that when trials, tests, and temptations come, we should consider it an opportunity for great joy. That runs counter to our human nature. Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to take a different perspective and allow God to strengthen us and make us better through our sufferings.
Freedom is never free - and freedom always comes with consequences in other areas of our lives. We have a free country because people all throughout our history were willing to pay the price. So what kind of freedom are you pursuing? If you want God's freedom, He asks that we love Him and keep His commandments.
What happens when your Fresh Start doesn't come? Abraham in the Bible was promised a fresh start, but it didn't come until he was 100 years old. In this final message in the Fresh Starts series, Abraham LaVoi challenges us to remember 3 important things while waiting for our fresh start.
Can you get a fresh start when you've hit rock bottom? In this message in the Fresh Starts series, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us with the Biblical story of Ruth, who hit rock bottom and yet found a fresh start and great success.
The Bible tells us that God's mercies are new every morning. What exactly does that look like? In the book of the prophet Ezekiel, God shows us the system for seeing God's fresh starts work in our lives - believe that God can and will give you a fresh start, immerse yourself in God's Word, and allow God's Spirit to flow in you at all times.
Jesus gave us a new commandment - to love others as he has loved us. In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he told us how to do that. He explained what love does and what love doesn't do. In this final message in the Love Does series, Abraham explains that love does not do selfishness, pride, unforgiveness, nor does true love from God ever end.
The earliest Christians turned their world upside down despite being few in number, hated by society and persecuted by their rulers. They did it because they overwhelmingly loved their neighbors. We too can change our world if we will follow Jesus' commandment to love one another as He has loved us.
What can we do to demonstrate the love of Jesus to others? Some can give a lot of money, others can go on a missions trip - but all of us can show love by using kind words toward others.
All throughout the Bible, God asks people to do something in the physical realm and then God blesses them in the spiritual realm. That's how it works with baptism - we are buried with Jesus in baptism and God raises us up to walk in newness of life.
Pastor Daryle Williams introduces One Child, a child sponsorship agency that facilitates supporting children in Manila, Philippines, in conjunction with Ima's Home for Children.
One week after Easter is the lowest attended service of the year even though Easter is the highest attended. Why is that? Because our lives have ebbs and flows, ups and downs. Peter encountered Jesus one week after Easter and Jesus brought him back from his valley and enabled him to fulfill his purpose.
The first thing the angel said to the women visiting Jesus' tomb was, "Don't be afraid." The first thing Jesus said to his followers when He appeared to them alive was, "Don't be afraid." On this Easter Sunday, Pastor Daryle Williams gives us 6 reasons the resurrection should take away all our fear and give us complete confidence in Jesus.
When God rescued His people Israel from their slavery in Egypt, it was both an end and a beginning. It was an end to slavery, but the beginning of freedom, victory, and promise. The same is true with the death of Jesus. While it was an end to His time here on earth physically, it was the beginning of salvation, new life, and blessing for those of us who trust in Him.
What we we do today is an investment in our future. Jesus makes it clear that we are free to pursue prosperity, materialism and the things of this world, but we are not guaranteed any of it. But if we seek the kingdom of God first, we get true fulfillment and satisfaction, and all the things of this world as well.
We would all love for God to take us from where we are now to where we want to be in our lives and in our relationship with Him in an instant. And He can, but often He chooses to take us there little by little. In this message in the "Me in 5 Years" series, Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to take one small step toward God each day and be amazed at how God will bless those small steps and use them to take us to our goals.
What do you do when something, some unexpected event, some tragedy, some big surprise wreaks havoc on your 5-year plan? Remember that God is trying to get your attentions, God always has better plans than we do, and, most importantly, God wants us to trust in Him in all circumstances.
God has good plans for your life and He wants you to be better in 5 years than you are today. In this first message in the "Me in 5 Years" series, Pastor Daryle Williams shares several challenging principles that will help you point your life in a direction that will carry you to your goals.
Many of the struggles we face in our families and our relationships are the result of our own human nature and wrong desires. In this final sermon in the "Family Values" series, Abraham LaVoi shares that God has provided a gift for us that can change our nature and can give us right desires - the Holy Spirit.
Lynita Williams continues our February series, "Family Values," with a message challenging us to make sure our lives are in order with God's priorities. Lynita encourages us to make certain the mission is always greater than position, choose motivation over expectation, and choose legacy over temporary.
In this second message in our "Family Values" sermon series, Pastor Daryle Williams asks professional counsellor Donisa Hammond to discuss with him the four horsemen of marriage. Based upon the research of Dr. John Gottman, this study will help you analyze your marriage relationship for indicators that could lead to struggles.
In this first sermon in the "Family Values" series, Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to
• Surrender our Life and Family to Jesus
• Trust God Completely
• Think About the Generational Consequences of Today's Actions
• Keep our Family in a Bible Believing Church
If we will do these things, we will build a lasting family.
No matter the circumstance or the appearance of being impossible, nothing is impossible with God. We believe that as a church. In this concluding message in the "I Love My Church" series, Abraham LaVoi challenges us to believe in God's limitless power in our hearts, declare it with our voices, and act upon it in our lives.
We all need something to lean on in times of struggle and trouble. For followers of Jesus, the Bible is our crutch - it is a stable and reliable foundation on which to lean when times are tough.
God designed each of us to be fulfilled only when we take our eyes off ourselves and learn how to be generous toward others. In this message in the "I Love My Church" series, Pastor Daryle Williams shares how First Church is generous in our community and around the world.
Everybody needs a fresh start. And God knows this about us and He reminds us over and over again in the Bible that God gives us a fresh start whenever we need it. In fact, the Bible says that, "His mercies are new every morning." First Church is a church that believes in fresh starts, and that's why I Love My Church!
Jesus compared those who are filled with the Holy Spirit to the wind. The physical wind is a necessity to our world and the same is true of the Holy Spirit. If we want our lives to be full and complete, we will ask Jesus to fill us with this great gift.
All throughout the Bible, God describes His presence as being like fire. In this message in the "Christmas Gifts" series, Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to keep the fire that God started alive in our lives everyday.
Jesus told us that the Holy Spirit is a gift that God wants to give to every one of us. He also said that the Holy Spirit is like a river of living water overflowing from our lives. In this first sermon in the Christmas Gifts series, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks for the gracious hand of God on our lives. The Bible says at least four times that Ezra in the Old Testament had the gracious hand of God on his life. How did he get so blessed? Ezra did five important things to position himself in God's blessing - things you and I can do to benefit from God's gracious hand.
God understands that all of us, even the closest followers of Jesus, will sometimes fall. The true test of a Christian is whether he or she will get back up after they fall. In this message in the "How to..." series, Pastor Daryle challenges us to determine to get back up, determine to go to God for help, and determine to use this knock down to make us better.
Everyone lives their lives with one of two mindsets: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. A fixed mindset says, "I'll never be anything other that what I already am;" a growth mindset says, "I have potential to make progress in my life." God has great plans for our futures and wants us to live with a spiritually growth mindset - trusting that God is able to take our insufficiency and do the miraculous.
Everybody is talking about work/life balance. But how can we live a live that is balanced in God's eyes? Pastor Daryle launches the new "How to..." sermon series by challenging us to live in every opportunity, have fun, leave some things undone, define your purpose and values, and live to glorify God.
Everywhere we turn there are voices speaking into our lives. Too many of those voices are negative, harmful, and deceitful. It is absolutely critical that we, as Christians, listen to the right voices when it comes to our identity, our family, and the way we interact with the world around us.
On this Baptism Sunday, Pastor Daryle Williams reminds us that tomorrow’s experience follows today’s obedience. When we obey Jesus' command to be baptized, God blesses us with forgiveness, righteousness, new life, and blessings.
How can we love Mondays and every other day of the week? Read the Bible. The daily practice of ingesting God's Word into our minds and hearts does remarkable things for us. In this message, Abraham LaVoi gives us 3 reasons we need to read the Bible and 3 practical tips for making the most of our Bible reading.
In order to love Mondays, we need to have a constant source of power to overcome the mundane, the obstacles, and the challenges we face in life. God knew this and provides us the Holy Spirit to give us that power.
Jesus told us what we must do to be His disciples - deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. We can check our progress by asking ourselves these questions: Who is calling the shots? How much do I love Jesus? How do I feel about His Word and His house? How well do I love others? and How well am I glorifying Him with my actions?
How can we love Mondays instead of dreading them? In this message in the Love Mondays series, Pastor Daryle Williams helps us discover that serving and blessing others actually aligns us with God and His blessings. That makes any day - including Monday - a great day!
How can we love Mondays instead of dreading them? In this message in the Love Mondays series, Pastor Daryle Williams helps us discover that serving and blessing others actually aligns us with God and His blessings. That makes any day - including Monday - a great day!
Everybody fails. We make mistakes, commit sins, and do things that offend God. How can we be undaunted in the face of our failures? The apostle Peter learned that even in the midst of mistakes, Jesus shows up and, though painful, He confronts our sins so He can take them away from us and put us back on track to fulfill our purpose.
When you see all the wickedness that is advancing in our world, how do you keep an undaunted faith in God? Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to hold on to God's presence, God's power, and God's promises. In doing so, His light will shine so bright in us that the darkness will have no power.
The Biblical figure Job found out that life was uncontrollable. Yet, he had prepared himself for the chaos of life by worshipping, connecting with others, and knowing his purpose long before the tragedies hit. Pastor Daryle Williams helps us prepare for chaos in this sermon from the Undaunted series.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow in the face of opposition from society and the king. How can we do the same? Pastor Daryle Williams launches a new sermon series, Undaunted, with the answer to these three men's courage.
In this final message in the You Asked For It series, Abraham LaVoi answers this question: "How can I worship a God I cannot see?" The answer is that we have to have faith in God. But God does not ask for us to believe in Him blindly - He gives us abundant evidence to His existence.
We continue our sermon series, "You Asked For It" based upon questions you submitted. In this sermon, Pastor Daryle Williams clarifies, "Can God be in the presence of sin?" He further explains why we sometimes feel far from God or feel as though God's presence is not with us in a way we would like.
This month we are answering your questions in a sermon series titled, "You Asked For It." Several people submitted the question, "Why do I keep sinning?" Pastor Daryle Williams provides answers from the Bible to this question and ways we can break the cycle of habitual sins.
How should Christians approach people who identify themselves as LGBTQIA+? In this sermon in the "You asked for it" series, Pastor Daryle Williams gives Biblical ways a Christian can love and interact with those who identify this way.
Jesus said, "By this will all people know you are my disciples: if you have love one toward another." Radical love is risky; it is an adventure. But the reward of radical love is that we are pleasing to God and we will be rewarded for investing love in others.
God is not a boring God. All throughout the Bible, God never did the same miracle in the same way twice. He led His people on adventures of faith and living real, exciting lives. So, are you in on a life of adventure with God?
Jesus did 38 miracles that were documented in the Gospels and He did many more that were not recorded. He said that we would do greater works than these because He went to be with the Father. How can we see more of the supernatural in our lives? Make sure you are remaining and abiding in Jesus. Get 1% closer to Jesus this week and you'll see significant results.
The followers of Jesus in the Bible lived their lives to the fullest - lives of adventurous faith in God; lives of bold confidence in God's power. One of the reasons is that they were constantly filled with the Holy Spirit. Pastor Daryle Williams launches the "I'm In" series with a challenge to us to allow God's Spirit to constantly flow through us.
Jesus tells us that the one who seeks, finds. The implication is that the one who does not seek will not find. In this final message in the Climate Change series, Abraham LaVoi challenges us to seek God passionately, aggressively, and often. God promises us His presence and help when we do this.
David asked the question in the Psalms, "Who can ascend to the hill of the Lord." The answer - those with clean hands. How can we have clean hands before God so we can be blessed by His presence? By trusting completely in God to wash us clean. Only His righteousness is good enough.
The very first followers of Jesus in the days immediately following His death, turned their world upside down. They did so by focusing on four things - devotion to God's Word, prayer, loving those around them, and serving the less fortunate. We can change the climate in our culture if we do those four things well.
Happy Mother's Day!
On this Mother's Day at First Church, Lynita Williams speaks about three areas mothers can change the spiritual climate in their homes so children will be committed to God's house, God's priorities, and God's purpose for their lives.
God wants to have a relationship with you that is continuously growing deeper and more meaningful. In order to see that come to pass, we often have to change the climate in our lives to be receptive to God's pursuit of us. In this first sermon in the Climate Change series, Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to get rid of the shade - the things in our lives that prevent us from growing closer to God.
Baptism is an amazing act of obedience and faith that brings many promises upon our lives: sins forgiven, buried with Christ, clothed with Christ, and so much more. Pastor Daryle Williams shares these promises with us before more than two dozen people take this step of faith in their lives on Baptism Sunday.
Easter is the celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. But it is also the celebration of the hope that we have as followers of Jesus that we too will someday rise from the dead and receive glorified bodies. This Easter, rejoice that death has lost its sting and the promise of God of eternal life prevails!
Jesus told His disciples plainly that He was going to be tortured, beaten, and killed. But the Bible tells us that they didn't understand what He was saying. How can this be? And might it be possible for us to miss the significance of Jesus' death? In this message in the "Let's Celebrate" series, Abraham LaVoi points out that the disciples had wrong preconceptions, wrong preoccupations, and prayerlessness and that is why they missed the meaning of Jesus' death.
God does many good things for us and we should take time to thank Him and celebrate Him for what he does. But we often don't think about thanking God for the things He did not do. In this first sermon in the "Let's Celebrate" series, Pastor Daryle Williams gives us the account of things God didn't do in people's lives and how we should recognize God's gift in what He doesn't do.
As followers of Jesus, we have an enemy that wants to steal, kill, and destroy all the good things in our lives. The weapons we use to fight him are not physical weapons, they are spiritual. In this final sermon in the "This Is War" series, Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to use our worship to God - singing, lifting hands, and clapping our hands - to give our battles to God, who has promised to fight them for us. This is how we fight our battles!
We have an enemy, Satan, and he wants to destroy us by tempting us away from God. But don't be discouraged, he tempted Jesus too. In this message in the "This Is War" series, Pastor Daryle Williams examines the temptation of Jesus and shares with us how we can use His strategies to resist our own temptations.
The battle for our children is one of the most important battles we will fight. The Bible says we should, "Train up a child..." or "Direct your children on the right path." Which path is correct? In this message in the "This Is War" series, Abraham defines the two approaches to God people take and encourages us to approach God with a tree of life attitude and direct our children to take that same path.
Yes, there really is a devil. And while we should not be overly focused on him, or see a demon in every bad thing that happens, we also can't ignore what the Bible says about Satan and his intentions. In this first message in the "This Is War" series Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to be awake to the plans of the devil, and to realize that Jesus is always victorious!
How do I know if God really loves me? How do I know if He really forgives me of my sins? How do I know if God wants me to be His child? In this final sermon in the "Mind Games" series, Abraham LaVoi challenges us to believe that because Jesus was the Passover Lamb, our standing with God has been settled once and for all.
When God's people, the Israelites, were freed from slavery in Egypt, God did many great miracles among them - yet, they complained! Their problem - they had trained their minds to complain rather than to be thankful. In this message in the "Mind Games" series, Pastor Daryle Williams is joined by psychologist and counselor Donisa Hammond and together they challenge us to reprogram our minds to be grateful.
The sermon series "Mind Games" encourages us that, although depression, emotional trauma, and mental distress are real and debilitating struggles, God has a plan to free us and give us renewed minds. In this message, Pastor Williams let's us know we can change our thinking by believing in the power of God to change us, meditating on God's Word, and deciding which thoughts we will dwell on.
The supernatural is a popular subject in our culture - from movies to books to television shows - we accept the supernatural in our entertainment. But God wants to give us a real experience of His supernatural power and presence every time we gather as a church. It's not weird or scary, it is God's plan and purpose for all His children.
What are the characteristics that make up a church you can love? High up on the list should be that a church prioritizes prayer. As we launch our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, Pastor Daryle Williams emphasizes that First Church is a church of prayer.
What defines a church? What makes a church pleasing in the eyes of God and faithful to the Biblical definition of a church? Abraham LaVoi launches the "I Love My Church" series with a message on the necessity of being a church patterned after the first church in the Bible.
Guest speaker Pastor Stephen Drury encourages us to shake off 2021, step up to 2022 and remember that God's help is on the way.
Jesus told us that the thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy and the He came to give us life to the full. How do we come to live in that abundant life? Through life stories and Bible examples, Pastor David Hale reminds us that God wants to give us back our joy, our confidence, and our trust in God.
God asks us to be grateful for all His blessings to us. But this is not because God needs our gratefulness - it is because we need gratefulness to fully enjoy all that we have. God's blessings and provisions do not bring us joy and satisfaction - joy and satisfaction comes when God's blessings are coupled with our thankfulness.
Generosity - seeing the needs of others and using our resources to help them - actually demonstrates our faith in God. When God calls us to generosity He is not asking us to give up what we have, He is asking us to put what we have in His hands so He can bless and multiply it.
All of us face struggles, discouragements, and even hopeless circumstances sometimes. But the God we serve is able to respond to those circumstances with His overwhelming, miraculous power. In this message titled, When God Responds, Abraham challenges us to respond to our situations by bringing them to Jesus who can then respond with His power.
God speaks to His creation through His Word, the Bible. But what happens when we don't listen? Does God give up on us and leave us alone? No, God uses circumstances - sometimes chaos and disorder - to catch our attention. Sometimes that's how God has to speak to us. So, are you listening?
Although God works in His own time and in His own ways, often He waits for us to demonstrate our faith in Him before He acts on our behalf. In this message in the "When God" series, Pastor Williams looks at three things Jesus told us we should be doing to show our trust in His ways: when we give, when we pray, and when we fast.
We all have an opinion on when God should answer our prayers, when God should rescue us, when God should perform a miracle. But, as Pastor Daryle Williams tells us in this first message in a new sermon series, "When God," God has His own timetable and He is never late. We can trust and have patience knowing God will always be right on time.
Many people perceive Christianity as drudgery, obligation, and boring. But Jesus called His followers to a life of adventure. In this message in the My Church ____________ series, Pastor Daryle encourages us to live the adventure Jesus calls us to in prayer, serving, giving and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus revolutionized much of the norms and practices of His society and influenced human behavior for over two thousand years after His death. One of his most revolutionary practices was to care for the needs of others. In this message in the My Church _____________ series, Pastor Williams challenges us to pattern our lives after Jesus' and live a life of service to others.
Jesus said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." In this sermon series for the month of July, we examine attributes Jesus said should be characteristic of His church. In this first message in the series, Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to be passionate about our pursuit of God's presence and power through prayer, praise & worship, purity, and loving others.
Sometimes we read the words of Jesus and they cause us to say, "You've got to be kidding me!" But then, we ask ourselves the questions, "Wait... was He really serious?" In this final sermon in the "You've Got To Be Kidding Me" series, Abraham LaVoi takes a look at four things Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount that many Christians don't take seriously... but Jesus was serious!
On this Father's Day, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages fathers to set the right example for their children in prioritizing God and His Kingdom above all other pursuits. Pastor Williams gives us 6 ways to lead our families in the worship and service of God.
If you had been present when Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the grave, how would you have responded? John records that some believed and others left frustrated. Why did they leave frustrated and how does that apply to us? In this message, Daryle Williams answers these questions and helps to see how to move forward in faith.
Jesus told His followers, just before His death, that He was leaving them a gift - peace. But not a peace like the world gives. Peace to the world around us is merely the absence of conflict or strife. The peace Jesus gives overwhelms our hearts and minds in the midst of, and often in spite of, our circumstances.
In one of the biggest "You've Got To Be Kidding Me" moments in all the Bible, an angel tells Joseph, "Don't be afraid." This was after informing him that his fiancee was pregnant, the child wasn't his, and that the child was, in fact, fathered by God himself. This story illustrates that God often allows us to be in uncomfortable or distressing circumstances, but assures us that He is in control, so we never have to fear.
Love your enemies? Bless those who curse you? You've got to be kidding me! Does God really expect me to show love to those who hurt me? Yes He does. And He has a good reason for this. In this way, we demonstrate the love of God in our world, and we gain fulfillment and purpose in our lives.
The Bible tells us that God's mercies are new every morning. That might be the ultimate, "You've Got To Be Kidding Me" statement. Yes, no matter what you have done, God has new mercy for you this morning, and every morning. In this message in the "You've Got Be Kidding Me" series, Abraham LaVoi looks at how both King David and the Apostle Paul trusted in the new mercies of God every day.
In this Mother's Day message, guest speaker Anita Hale challenges us to embrace four anchors that prevent us from being set adrift from our purpose as followers of Jesus and examples to others.
Many of us think of worship as singing, attending church services, praying. And we think of serving as something else. To serve is to worship? You've got to be kidding me! In this first message in the series "You've Got To Be Kidding Me," Pastor Daryle Williams explains that Jesus' words, "if you did it to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did it for me," means that serving others is the worship that God desires.
As humans, there is no way we can truly appreciate or comprehend the immensity, power, and greatness of God. The Bible says that His greatness is unsearchable. In this message, Abraham encourages us to catch a glimpse of the vastness of God by understanding He is eternal, He is the creator, and He is omnipresent. Because of this, we should never quench God's Spirit in our lives and we never need to worry.
One of the most amazing truths of the Bible is that even though God is the all-powerful creator, He genuinely wants to have personal encounters with His creation. God said, through the prophet Jeremiah, "If you pray to me, I will hear you. If you search for me wholeheartedly, you will find me." In this message, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to position ourselves for daily encounters with God.
Do you ever feel like God sometimes takes things from you instead of answering your prayer to add things to your life? Why would God do that? Just as a tree requires pruning, or cutting away, in order to have productive growth, so God sometimes cuts things away, not to be mean, but to facilitate greater growth so we can bear more fruit. Pastor Paul Price challenges us to trust that God knows what is best for us and His ultimate goal is our growth into all that He has for us.
All of us, at some point in our lives, ask the question, "God, where are You?" During times of suffering, loneliness, hurt, and sickness we sometimes question whether God is anywhere near. But the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus reassures us that God is interested in being near us; and when we don't feel close to God, it is not God who is distant - it is us. But Jesus made the first move to reconcile us to Him - He came to earth, paid our debts, and invited us to come close. This Easter Sunday, draw close to God and He promises He will draw close to you.
When Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the crowds recognized Him as the promised savior. When the religious leaders asked Jesus to tell His followers to be quiet, He replied, "If they are quiet, the stones would cry out!" What would the stones have to say? What lessons can we learn from stones in the Bible? We learn to remember all the good things God has done for us, and to proclaim them to those around us.
Fixer Upper. Extreme Makeover. HGTV. Why are these shows so successful? Because they tell the story of broken, worn-out, tired things being restored. They are stories of redemption. God's intention is to make your life a story of redemption - and in this message in the Too Good To Be True series, Pastor Daryle Williams shares three important elements to making your life a life God restores.
The Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. But what does that kind of faith look like? Faith that pleases God believes that He exists and even in the middle of trying and adverse circumstances, He will reward those who diligently seek Him.
We all have the tendency to be skeptical of things that sound too good to be true. Can good things really happen to me? Will God really bless and take care of me? Yes! But God asks us to begin believing Him, His Word, and His blessings before they come to pass -- this is called faith. God's favor in your life is not too good to be true, begin to believe and speak in faith and watch God act on your behalf!
We live in a selfie world - focus on yourself, indulge yourself, gratify yourself. But Jesus said that anyone one wants to be His disciple must deny himself. How can we live selfless lives in a selfie world? In this final message in the Fight For It series, Abraham challenges us to flip the camera and begin to focus on others by denying our passions and pursuing God's purpose of love toward others.
Relationships require work; they require effort - but they are worth it! When your car runs out of gas, do you sell the car? No, you fill it with fuel! The same is true of our relationships - just because they have run low on fuel doesn't mean we abandon them - we fill up! In this sermon in the Fight For It! series, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to manage our memories, fight the real enemy, and quit trying to change people.
It's Valentine's Day! So the question all married couples should ask themselves is, "Who comes first?" While the answer should always be, "God," we must prioritize our spouse above every other person or pursuit. In this message in the "Fight For It" series, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to make sure our husband or wife knows they are our priority and we are willing to do whatever we have to so our relationships not only survive, but thrive.
Even the best relationships can go through difficulties when toxic elements are allowed in. In this first message in the Fight For It series, Pastor Daryle Williams shares three things we can do to eliminate toxins in our relationships: honor, forgiveness, and blessing.
Every one of us are a servant to something or someone. We serve God or sin. We serve light or darkness. We serve right or wrong. The question is not whether we will serve someone or not, the question is which master will we serve. In this message in The Hustle series, Abraham LaVoi encourages us to make a public commitment to serve Jesus as our master, knowing that He is not only a kind and loving master, but he adopts us as his sons and daughters.
The best way to approach a test is to know the answers before you take the test. Every time we receive money, we are given a test; but we already know the answers. The answer is, "God is in control; everything is going to be alright." If we trust in this answer, we will pass the money test and place it in God's hands to do with as He wishes. God can then bless us with more and more.
We all have money, time, talents, abilities, and resources. What are we doing with these things that will matter for eternity? In this second message in The Hustle series, Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to recognize that everything we have has been given to us by God and ultimately belongs to Him. So, we should carefully and diligently use what we have to bring glory to God and honor to His name.
Jesus had more to say about money than any other topic. In this first message in our January series, "The Hustle" Pastor Williams challenges us to look at money as Jesus did and follow His principles to freedom.
The Bible tells us that, as Christians, we, "are a letter from Christ." Our purpose as followers of Jesus is to take the Word of God found in the Bible and let it pour out of us to those around us. As we launch into 2021, let's leave behind the survival mentality of 2020 and enter this new year on a mission to share Jesus with those in our lives.
The Christmas story in the Bible contains four instances of God telling people, "do not be afraid." In this message, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us not to be afraid because the Holy Spirit is at work, God hears our prayers, God has shown favor to us, and God speaks to us no matter who we are.
Everyone knows that Christmas is the celebration that Jesus the Savior was born. But there is a difference in knowing this and allowing that knowledge to influence and guide our everyday lives. In this message in the Hidden Wonders series, Abraham looks at two lesser-known characters in the Christmas story and challenges us to know the Savior like they did, and let our lives be changed by it.
The Christmas story is the greatest story in history - but one character who often gets overlooked is Joseph. Joseph certainly had questions and skepticism about Mary's pregnancy, but an angel visited him and said to him, "Do not fear." Even though many of us have fears in our lives, Jesus has come to cast out our fear with His perfect love.
Have you ever asked God to give you a sign? Have you begged God to give you directions? In this first message in the Hidden Wonder series, Pastor Daryle Williams explains how God gave a star to direct seekers to Jesus - but the star was only a sign to point people to the real destination - Jesus!
Everyone, at one point in their life or another, finds themselves having doubts about God. Especially when circumstances are not what we had hoped they would be. Do you have doubts? Welcome Home! But don't allow your doubts to define you - deal with your doubts so God can be real in your life.
The religious people of Jesus' day accused Him of having too much fun - He ate and drank, He associated with sinners. But Jesus was demonstrating a powerful principle - you can be holy AND happy at the same time!
Far too many Christians have the mistaken perception that you have to choose between holiness and happiness; between living for God and enjoying life. This is not God's plan for us! Following Jesus can be exciting, fulfilling, and... fun!
If you're not dead, God's not done! Guest speaker Drew Anderson brings a message of encouragement that God is still working on you to believe in Him and to accomplish His will in your world.
We all like the idea of independence - that we can do things on our own, and receive the credit. But God can only do His best work in our lives when we escape from independence and utter the words, "I need You."
Though we don't like it, suffering is a part of human existence. Why does God allow it - especially to people who follow Him and call Him Lord? In this message, Pastor Daryle Williams examines why God allows suffering, and how He uses it for our benefit.
We all find ourselves anxious, worried, or fearful from time to time. God has given us a formula to alleviate these emotions and rest in Him and His sovereignty.
How can we escape from circumstances, habits, depression, or doubt? The first step is to realize there is hope for escape. In this, the first sermon in the Escape Room series, Pastor Daryle Williams lets us know that we are God's children, He loves us, and He finds joy in us.
As humans, we always do what we most want to do at the moment of our decision. But what if we want the wrong thing? God has given us a force that can work in our lives to guide us to want the right things - His Holy Spirit. So step into the water and let God's Spirit become a river of living water flowing into you and out of you every day.
Although the sacrifice of Jesus makes us justified in the eyes of God, He still calls us to pursue perfection - to be like Jesus. In this sermon, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to daily take small steps toward perfection with the help of God.
As humans, we all like to be able to take credit for a job well done. We like to think of ourselves as self-sufficient and capable. But much of what we need accomplished in our lives can only be done by God. In this message, Pastor Daryle Williams invites us to step away from ourselves and allow God to do the miraculous works in us that only He can do.
The Christian walk is just that - a walk. One foot in front of the other, day by day. In this first message in the One Small Step series, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to make a commitment to walk with Jesus everyday, and not wait for mountaintop experiences to propel us forward.
How should I live as a member of the kingdom of God? As a Christian, what can I do and what shouldn't I do? In this final message in the Kingdom Come series, Abraham LaVoi challenges us to live selflessly with others' feelings and convictions in mind.
Jesus invited us to pray, "thy kingdom come." We are challenged to invite the kingdom of God into our lives. But for the kingdom to be welcome in our hearts, sometimes some things have to go. Pastor Williams challenges us to make room for the kingdom to be the priority in our lives.
Jesus declared himself to be the Son of God. Radical? Extreme? Absolutely. Yet it was true. Being a part of the Kingdom of God means declaring Jesus king over our lives.
Why wouldn't everyone want to be a part of God's victorious Kingdom? Because entering God's Kingdom requires that He sit on the throne of our hearts and lives. In this second message in the Kingdom Come series, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to allow God to rule in our lives because His Kingdom will always win!
Over 100 times in His ministry here on earth, Jesus spoke of the "kingdom of heaven," or, "the kingdom of God." In this first message in the Kingdom Come series, Pastor Daryle Williams explains the concept of the kingdom of God and challenges us to wholeheartedly embrace God as King in our lives.
Have you ever felt like you just couldn't get ahead in life? God's book tells us that is we will build His house and His kingdom first, He will add all the other things to us in abundance and with His blessing.
How can we have the best day ever? It is when we respond to God's call to us to turn from our sins and turn towards God and are baptized into the family of Jesus.
God loves everyone. There is nothing you can do that will make God love you more or love you less. However, there is favor and blessing for those who choose to follow God's instruction book, the Bible. In this message in the House Party series, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to follow God's directions to a more blessed life.
What if “church” could be more than a dying tradition? An empty obligation? What if “church” could be a place - and more than that, a community - where faith comes alive and lives are changed? In this first message in the "House Party" series, Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to pursue truth, togetherness, and transcendence just as the first followers of Jesus did.
When Mary poured an expensive bottle of perfume on Jesus' feet, Judas asked why this perfume was wasted. Pastor Daryle Williams challenges us to have the attitude of extravagant worship of Mary rather than the thieving spirit of Judas.
In this first sermon in the "Conversations" series, Pastor Daryle Williams shares a vital conversation Jesus had with his disciples about the promise of the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Williams encourages us to trust in Jesus so we can live a life filled with peace.
Abraham reminds us that it is important to remember who and what we were before God repurposed our lives so we will not be tempted to return to our old ways and so we will fulfill our new purpose in God.
In this Mother's Day message, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us all to selflessly serve others. When we embody a spirit of service, like mothers do, God can open the door to our own successes.
Pastor Daryle Williams kicks off the (Re)purposed series with a message on defining what it means for us to win in the eyes of God.
In this final message in the Miraculous series, Abraham LaVoi encourages us to seek the greatest miracle of all - the miracle of a transformed heart.
Welcome to First Church! In this message from the Miraculous series, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to remember and take encouragement from all the miracles God has done for us in our past.
How would you react if you had been one of Jesus' closest followers after his death? On this Easter Sunday, Pastor Daryle Williams shares a look into the life of Mary Magdalene and how she continued to pursue Jesus even when circumstances looked bleak.
Welcome to First Church! In this Palm Sunday message, Abraham LaVoi looks at two of Jesus' friends who failed him on the same night. One survived, the other never recovered from his failure. What can we do when we fail Jesus to recover and thrive? Check out this message to find out.
In this first series in the Miraculous series, Pastor Daryle Williams encourages us to take steps in order to position ourselves for the miracle God wants to give us.
Pastor Daryle Williams launches the Double Blessing sermon series with a message in which he defines "blessing" and reminds us that God originally created us in His image and designed us to be blessed by Him.
In many areas of our lives, we have become programmed to be dissatisfied. Don't return the faulty product, don't send back the improperly cooked meal - just settle for dissatisfaction. In this Sunday sermon, Abraham LaVoi encourages us to pursue true satisfaction in Jesus.
Are you distracted by things less important than your relationship with God? Pastor Daryle Williams preaches on the priority of our relationship with God over all others.
Is it better to be single or to be married? In this message, Pastor Daryle Williams talks about and shares a Biblical answer to the question.
Doctors tell us the most effective way to prevent the coronavirus is to wash our hands. In this message, Abraham LaVoi suggests we should wash our hands, spiritually speaking, as we approach all our relationships.
Pastor Williams concludes the Into The Deep series by letting us know that our lives will flourish and be abundant when we allow God's river of living water to flow through us.
A new year offers a chance to reevaluate what’s working in your life and what isn’t. 365 days from now, what will you be celebrating… or wishing you were? What if you could decide now what your life will look like then? When it comes to your faith, God is offering you a choice: stay on the shore, where it’s safe and predictable... or follow him into the deep.
Pastor Williams continues the Into The Deep series by asking us to examine what we are allowing to flow into our lives.
In this first message in the Into The Deep series, Abraham LaVoi examines how Jeremiah was rewarded by God for buying in completely to God's plan.