Community Covenant Church - online media: Recent Episodes
Jeff Palmberg
The 3rd Covenant Affirmation is: "We Affirm a Conscious Dependence on the Holy Spirit" How do we do this and what keeps us from this?
The 2nd Covenant Affirmation is: We affirm the necessity of the new birth. What does that mean?
At the crossroads, we need to know who we are TOGETHER so that we can follow God as His body
We're at a crossroad as individuals and as a congregation - where does God want to take us? And how do we best follow Jesus into the future?
Does God promise that our kids will follow Him with their lives if we've done our part in raising them right?
He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead Watch the video by pasting this link into your browser https://youtu.be/7wA4OOvZEik
He suffered under Pontius Pilate Was crucified, died, and was buried He descended to the dead
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary
Daniel fasted and prayed for 21 days without seeing any result. But God loves us more than we love ourselves, is doing more than we understand, and is our strength when we are weak.
The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles is nothing but genealogies and unfamiliar, hard to pronounce names. What are we supposed to get out of them?
As we mature as Jesus-followers, we will join him on mission. The key is to remain connected to Christ - to stay "under the faucet of living water" so that we can overflow and splash it on everyone we encounter
Our spiritual maturity happens when we live in partnership with the Holy Spirit and remain connected to Jesus, the True Vine, as our source. The best way to remain connected to Jesus is by building and maturing spiritual rhythms into our daily life.
Our maturity as followers of Jesus depends on our willingness to surrender to the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.
Being a disciple of Jesus requires us to follow him. How closely are you following Jesus?
Psalm 134 is the final psalm of Ascent which means that it celebrates the end of the long journey to Jerusalem and the Temple. So what is waiting at the end of this pilgrimage? Blessings!
Psalm 131 is a psalm of victory. But victory looks different than what we might normally expect
Psalm 129 gives us hints at how God helps us deal with the trials and difficulties we experience as his followers.
Psalm 133 celebrates the unity we were meant to experience as the Body of Christ. Are you living in harmony with your brothers and sisters?
Everyone dreams of living "the good life", but what does that look like? And, more importantly, how do we get there? Psalm 128 gives us the secret.
Psalm 121 asks the question, "Where do I turn to when I'm desperate?" Thankfully, we have a loving God who is always there for us.
One of the most important attitudes Jesus-followers need to have is generosity. But the biggest barrier to that is a "scarcity mindset". How do we break free of that?
The word "enthusiasm" comes from the Greek "en theos" which literally means "in God" or "filled with God". So the question is: are you full of God? And if so, does it show in your enthusiasm?
When everything and everyone around us tends to be discouraging, Jesus-followers are called to be the most encouraging people there are! How can you do that? Receive God's encouragement and then share encouragement with others out of the overflow in your life.
We all struggle at times with insecurity and a lack of self-confidence. But what we really need in our life is God-confidence!
There are endless things for us to complain about. But that's not where God wants us to land as His followers. We need to flatten the curve on the pandemic of complaining and the cure is gratitude.
With all of the bad news in the world, it's easy to start thinking negatively. But God is still in control and He has something better in mind for our minds.
As we wrap up our journey through the book of Acts, we're focusing on Paul the story-teller. How did he share God's story, His own story, and invite others to allow God to transform their own story.
Paul and Silas experienced cruel and unfair treatment in the city of Philippi. What can we learn from them as we face trouble in our own lives? And how does the Holy Spirit provide the strength we need?
The church is the Body of Christ and is made up of very different people - different backgrounds, tastes, opinions, etc. The Holy Spirit provides us with unity. (The recording is missing the first few minutes of the message)
Saul was transformed by an encounter with Jesus, but so was Ananias. And both of them were transformed so that they could partner with God on His mission. That goes for you and me as well.
One of the foundational affirmations of the Evangelical Covenant Church (our denomination) is the importance of a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit. But, how do you do that? Who is the Holy Spirit and why is He important?
Easter not only celebrates Jesus' resurrection, but it also celebrates your new identity in Christ!
The Book of Job is all about making sense of suffering. The key conclusion is: when you go through trials, what matters is not what you know, but who you know.
God will bring you through whatever you face. Reading Psalm 126 is a great reminder during challenging times.
The book of Ecclesiastes is all about the quest for meaning, satisfaction, and hope. But "the Teacher" comes up empty. So where's the Hope?
How do our current circumstances within the COVID-19 pandemic affect our worship? What is worship all about? What should worship look like when we can't meet in a building together?
The book of Proverbs is all about wisdom. But what is it, why is it important, and how are we supposed to acquire it?
The Song of Songs seems a bit out of place in the Bible. What's a collection of silly love songs doing here?
Sometimes our only response to life is despair. But God not only allows us to feel and express it, He enters into our pain and meets us there.
Are you completely honest when you talk to God? Is that even permissible? The Psalms are completely and brutally honest and God invites us to speak to Him in the same way.
Daniel had to make a life or death decision - would he continue to honor God as number one in his life even if it cost him his life?
King Nebuchadnezzar needed a serious "I Exam" and Daniel was the one to bring the warning. But notice how Daniel communicated the warning. I think there are some important things we can learn and apply in our own relationships with people heading the wrong way.
Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego faced a point where they had to take a stand for God. But notice not just WHAT they did, but HOW they did it.
When King Nebuchadnezzar demanded the impossible, Daniel sought out the only One capable of helping and then saw God come through.
As we face the challenges of living in a post-Christian society, we need to stay focused on honoring God while remaining respectful in our relationship with others. Daniel gives us a perfect example to follow.
Love is an action. We received it through Jesus coming to earth and bringing us salvation and we give it through our generosity to others.
In the film "It's A Wonderful Life", George Bailey has lots of hopes and dreams that don't come true. Where is our real hope found?
The book of Jonah demonstrates over and over how God is greater than whatever He encounters.
Ezekiel saw God remove His Glory from the temple in Jerusalem with the promise that He would bring it back to the temple in the future. You and I are that temple
God asked Jeremiah to do something completely illogical. But it was an object lesson in placing our hope in God and His promises.
Sometimes the only way forward is to first go back. God needed to completely gut the "black mold" out of Israel before he could rebuild a beautiful house out of them.
As we prepare to read through the 18 books of the Old Testament Prophets, we need to approach them with the right attitude and understanding
As Paul wraps up his letter to the Colossians, he sets us on a course to reach out to bring the hope of Jesus to others.
What kind of fruit can we expect as a result of our deep roots in Jesus? Paul Eklund shares what God is doing at the Ninos Con Fe orphanage in Rosarito, Mexico.
How should our rootedness in Jesus demonstrate itself in our parent/child relationships?
Beginning in Col. 3:12, Paul begins to describe what we need to "put on" in order to be living, speaking, and acting like Jesus.
Not only is it important to remain firmly rooted in relation with Jesus, we must also, with the help of the Holy Spirit, identify and root out the sinful behaviors, attitudes and interactions still taking root in our lives.
We need to be firmly rooted in Jesus in order to join him in sharing the Good News with others.
As Paul begins his letter to the church in Colossae, he prays for them in a way that is a perfect model for our prayers for other believers.
Josiah became King of Judah as an 8-year-old, but he led the nation in the greatest revival in their history. And it all was because they found the book.
Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. But wisdom is only valuable when you act wisely. He and his son, Rehoboam, messed up big time in that regard. What can we learn from these negative examples?
The story of David and Mephibosheth is a wonderful way to understand God's grace towards us
How many Facebook "friends" do you have? How many TRUE friends do you have? We can learn about True Friendship from David and Jonathan's friendship
In the book of Ruth, Naomi has two daughters-in-law: Ruth and Orpah. What can we learn from their different actions toward their mother-in-law?
We all experience times in the "wilderness" when we wonder if God even cares about what we're going through. There are important lessons we can learn from what the Israelites experienced during their 40 years in the wilderness.
What does it look like when we're bold in witness? How do we become bolder? Why bother?
Many Christmas songs are about love - which is appropriate since Christmas is all about LOVE
Jesus is the Prince of Peace and the angel declared "Peace on Earth". So what does that mean for you and I?
Moses wraps up his farewell address to the Israelites by presenting a choice: Life or Death
One of Moses' main instructions to the Israelites in Deuteronomy is "remember"! How does God want to use our ability to remember to prepare us to follow Him into the future He has for us?
The Israelites ended up wandering in the desert for 40 years because of their unwillingness to trust and obey God. How can you and I avoid the same thing?
The exodus story is an example to us of God's provision and our need to take action whenever we find ourselves stuck.
The story of Joseph is a crazy roller coaster of ups and downs. But God never leaves Joseph (or you and I) even when it seems like he has.
We've discovered how God's Word is needed, enough, and understandable to gain salvation and know how to live as a follower of Jesus. Now we'll talk about it's final authority in our lives
The Bible is all that we need for being saved and living as a follower of Jesus. Do we treat it as "enough"?
Jesus concluded his Kingdom Parables with a reminder of the value of both old Truth and new.
Have you ever found a treasure? Jesus told a couple stories about treasures and what they're worth.
Jesus told a story about how an enemy planted weeds in someone's wheat field. What's that all about?
Paul wraps up his letter to the churches in Galatia with a reminder that what we sow we will reap
There are two ways we can go in living: our way in our own power or God's way in the Spirit's power. The results are strikingly different!
Adoption is a wonderful, if not challenging, thing. Do you grasp the amazing truth that God has adopted you into his family?
Where do you get your information? How do you know it's the truth? Paul argues that he got the Truth of the Gospel directly from Jesus
Paul is seriously concerned with an issue facing the Jesus-followers in Galatia. It's the same issue that faces you and me.
In Christ we've been set free. But we're not all living like it. The book of Galatians helps us to understand our freedom and how to avoid becoming enslaved again.
Jesus healed a number of blind people, but not all of their blindness was physical. Saul was healed of both physical and spiritual blindness.
The two guys walking to Emmaus were not expecting to see Jesus come walking along with them. Maybe that's why they didn't see that it was him. How often do we fail to see Jesus is right there with us?
Can you see Jesus enough to call out for his help? Sometimes our difficult times actually work against our coming to Him.
When we experience difficulties it's all too easy to focus only on the setbacks. But God turns our setbacks as set ups for amazing things He will do in and through us.
Is there something that you haven't dealt with in that closet? It stinks and Jesus wants to clean it out. Will you give him the key?
The first step to experiencing an extreme makeover of your heart is to open the front door to Jesus
Picking out the best Christmas gift requires following some guidelines. Jesus meets those qualifications in a way that no other gift ever can.
One of the key parts of exchanging gifts is receiving them. Jesus is the ultimate gift, but how should we receive him?
God is a good gift-giver. But sometimes we see things differently. But don't reject the gift of God as found in Jesus.
Jesus arrival was a gift from God, but it wasn't what people were expecting or looking for.
We have the constant opportunity to speak with and listen to God, but do we use this amazing resource?
It's important to know WHO our enemy is and HOW God has equipped us to stand up against him.
It's too easy to focus on whether the other person is doing what they're supposed to be doing, but how about you? God is calling each of us to do our part and leave the rest up to Him.
Marriage is not always an easy relationship. Steve Ludeman hosts a panel of two couples who have lived out the highs and lows and they share what they've learned along the way.
If we're going to be able to take advantage of every opportunity God brings our way, we need to be sure we're prepared.
When you are a part of a family, there are expected ways you treat each other. It's the same way in the Family of God.
Unity is the very LAST thing Satan wants in the church - that the highest priority to maintain!
Phoebe is only mentioned in 2 verses of scripture, but she's an example of living out faith.
God has always had a perfect plan in mind for us. Our job is to put it into practice and demonstrate his wisdom.
It's important to remember that we are only a part of God's family as a result of His loving grace and mercy towards us. And now he has an important role for us to play.
Do you ever pray for your fellow Christians who aren't going through a problem? Paul models a prayer we should use on behalf of our teammates so that they will be even stronger in their faith.
Les Miserables contrasts Jean Valjean's character who lives by grace with Inspector Javert who lives by the law. This debate is at the heart of the Gospel.
When a movie really grabs us and impacts us on a deep level it's often because we sense that the story is reminding us of THE Story. The classic film Casablanca reminds us that transformation of a life is possible.
The final S in BLESS is "Share your Story". As we build friendship with someone, the opportunity will arise to share what Jesus has done for you.
As we build relationships with those people we want to BLESS, we need to look for ways to serve them - it's what real friends do for each other. What can we learn from the way Jesus served people?
Have you ever considered that eating can be a missional practice? That's what Jesus did.
The second missional practice in the BLESS habit is to Listen with Care. Listening is not the same as hearing and it's a powerful way we can bless others.
God is always at work - our best approach is to pray that God would show us how he is at work and that we can join him
Don't go through life with a list of things you "have to do..." God intended you to be driven by things you "HAVE to do!" Joining God in mission is what you were made for!
Jonah was the Bible's most successful evangelist - 120,000 people in Nineveh repented and turned to God. But he wasn't happy about it. What are your thoughts about those people you don't care for? Are you on board with God's purposes for them or are you just concerned with yourself?
After his time in the fish belly, Jonah was ready to obey God. But his obedience just physical obedience - it wasn't heart obedience. What about you and me - are we following Jesus in our heart as well as in our actions?
Jonah is finally ready to stop running once he's inside the fish. What will it take to get you to stop and do a U-turn?
Jonah ran from God and there were consequences. But it wasn't only Jonah who suffered - the sailors were in the storm with him! How are your choices impacting those around you?
Jonah didn't want to hear what God was telling him to do, so he ran away and then went to sleep. What is God telling you to do? Are you listening? Are you ready to wake up and get to it?
Jonah got a message from God and didn't respond in a positive way. So how will we respond when we get a similar message?
After looking at Jesus' various "I AM" statements, the question is, "what difference does it make?" So lets consider who WE are because of who He is
There's an eighth "hidden" I AM statement found in John chapter 8. And this one is the BIGGIE!
What gives Jesus the right to say "I AM"? The short answer is "Justification". So what does that mean?
Eternal life is usually considered something we look forward to after this life is over. But what if we don't have to wait until then?
The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is very popular, but what is he really saying about himself with this title?
As John the Baptist sat in prison, he began to doubt what he had known for certain only a matter of months before. What can we learn from him to help us when we experience similar feelings?
The habits/disciplines we practice in our lives lead to our destiny. What small habit can you begin this year that will result in the big differences you want?
Words seem like small things, but Solomon pointed out that they have the power of life and death. The trick is choosing what to say, when to say it, and when to say nothing.
Our thoughts seem small and insignificant, but they can move us in a positive or negative trajectory. Let God change the way that you think.
A new year often causes us to look to make big changes in our lives. But small things can make a big difference. Start with one word.
As we wrap up our series on the Original Christmas Playlist, let's take a look at that hole in the center of the record album/CD. What's filling it in your life?
The original Christmas songs were sung by some people 2000 years ago. Mary's song was all about magnifying the Lord. What does that me for you and me?
God is very clear: we must STOP loving the world and the things of the world. What does that mean?
Jesus' Sermon on the Mount is all about adjusting our attitude toward God and others to be more in line with God's. He begins with a summary of those attitudes: the Beatitudes
The short letter to Philemon is unique among the rest of the New Testament books. In it, Paul addresses a specific situation, but we can find encouragement and challenge in it for today as well.
The foundation of our security as Jesus-followers is the knowledge that God loves us beyond our comprehension. What does that mean for us?
As the Good News spread throughout the Roman Empire, Peter had a pivotal change in perspective as recorded in Acts 10. And it's a good thing he did or most of us would be outside of the Kingdom of God right now.
One of the first people we encounter in the gospel of Luke is John the Baptist. He has a message from God and it's, "Repent!" What does that mean for you and me?
The Holy Spirit not only inspired the writing of the Bible, but he also illuminates it to us as we read it. Of course, it's very important to read scripture the right way.
If the Bible is the Word of God, then we must treat it as the ultimate authority for faith and conduct. So what does it mean when we say Scripture is the "Word of God"?
Scripture has been called a "love letter from God". It is absolutely necessary for us to know of salvation and how to live in a right relationship with God. Do we treat it that way?
As we conclude out study of James, we're reminded that the key to a living, active faith is integrity in our relationship with God and with others.
Patience, as James describes it, is not passively waiting around for God to arrive on the scene. It is actively doing our part as we trust that God will do his part on our behalf.
There's nothing wrong with holding wealth in your hands as long as it doesn't get into your heart.
Independence is something we all desire. But when it comes to our faith, it can cross the line into rebellion. Our faith works only to the degree that we submit to God.
Is your life going in the right direction or have you been heading the wrong way down a one-way street? James gives us two tests and a gift to get us going the right way.
There are plenty of people who claim to be wise, but how do you know that they really are. More importantly, how do you know that YOU actually have True Wisdom?!
How do you know if someone is alive? There's movement. It's the same thing with our faith -- it needs to be more than words
We're saved through Faith - so that we can move forward in action! Being a Christ-follower suggests that we're not just following him with our eyes, but that we're actually up and moving!
We've been saved by the grace of God alone - not by somehow earning God's favor. However, faith isn't really real if it doesn't result in actively loving God with all that we are and loving other people. The book of James helps us to practically live out our faith. In this message we set the context for the rest of the book.
Living an abundant life with Christ depends on our belief system lining up with God's TRUTH. Check that what you believe about success, significance, fulfillment, satisfaction, happiness, security, and peace are in tune with how God defines those things.
Becoming a mature Christian doesn't happen automatically over time. You don't want to be a 40-year-old baby, do you? There's good news - you have everything you need to walk toward maturity!
Life would be great if it weren't for other people! Since that's not an option, we need to understand how God wants us to relate to them so that we can experience true Freedom in Christ
Do you ever feel like Christianity just isn't working for you? The Good News is that there's a fix!
Some of us have a huge boulder keeping us from fully following Jesus: DOUBT. The good news is that doubt does not have to mean the end of our faith. For many people, doubt is the beginning of real faith.
When we refuse to forgive someone, we're actually hurting ourselves! You'll never experience freedom until you forgive
God designed our emotions to serve an important purpose, but how we handle them is the key to our freedom
Wrong beliefs and patterns of giving into temptation will allow our enemy to build fortified castles in your backyard and attack you on a daily basis. It's time to tear 'em down!
Everyone sees the world, thinks, and acts according to their unique worldview. What is yours and what does a Biblical worldview mean?
It's not the amount of your faith that is most important. It's in what or whom you are placing your faith.
What's wrong with thinking of yourself as "a forgiven sinner"? Well, it may be a key reason you're not living in freedom
The deepest question we ask ourselves is "who am I?" But the most important question is "am I spiritually alive?"
We all like to make out our Christmas lists, but in doing that, we also buy into the lies of Christmas
What do Christmas trees symbolize? How can you be a Christmas tree in the lives of those around you?
What do you do if you don't feel the way you're "supposed to"? The message of Christmas is "HOPE". Where can you find it?
In what ways has Christmas become a "big commercial racket"? How has that impacted you and your family? How do you need to experience the abundant life Jesus offers? What things have distracted you from Jesus? What adjustments can you make to fix that?
Being a Community of Good News. How has the Gospel message been Good News for you? Who are you praying for that needs the experience the Good News? How are you living out the Good News?
We will be a Community of Generous Living. That means not only our money, but also our time and talents
We will be a Community of BIG FAITH! (unfortunately, there was a technical problem that caused the end of the message to be cut off)
God made each one of us as his unique masterpiece! Our task is to discover how we've been SHAPED to serve... and then to start serving!
We were made for relationships. That's why we need to be sure to approach them the way God instructs us to
Our relationship with God requires two shifts: that Jesus becomes our Savior and then that he becomes our Lord
Our actions begin with the things we fix our thoughts on. How do you filter out the bad and focus on what is excellent and worthy of praise?
There are countless things that can cause us to be anxious. But Paul tells us that we can be free from that paralysis of anxiety by tapping into God's presence.
Followers of Jesus do not have a choice whether they will seek to reconcile with people with whom they have a conflict. And we can not be indifferent to the disagreements other believers have either. Why is God so zealous about reconciliation?
Our life of following Jesus is more than simply saying a prayer. It's a race with a finish line to strive toward.
The key to safeguarding your faith is to rejoice in every situation. That requires living by grace and not legalism
We're all drawn to look up to and aspire to be like our heroes. Paul lifts up two people for the Philippians (and you and me) to treat as heroes: Timothy and Epaphroditus
Following Jesus means that we're moving - not just sitting where we are. Paul tells us that means we should be focusing on relational harmony and faithfulness to God's Word.
The only life that has lasting worth and satisfaction is one that's lived for Christ. So what does that look like?
God's UPPER story plan leads to the death of his Son - and it makes all the difference!
The Kingdom of God is where God reigns. But Satan is always at work to deceive and limit us. You can only recognize a lie when you know the truth!
Jesus established his credentials and authority through performing miracles such as healing paralytics. How might your be experiencing paralysis in your life?
Every baby comes with a story - and Jesus is no exception. But he was unique and that made all the difference!
While rebuilding Jerusalem's wall, the Israelites faced opposition from their enemies. But God is greater than our enemies!
You may be in a high place of success and influence or you may be at a low place with little going for you. In either position God is ready to use you right now.
The Jews were released to return and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, but the failed to complete the job. How does God speak to us in our failures?
God finally allowed southern kingdom of Judah to fall to the Babylonians. When you decide to worship yourself God will often allow you to just live with your decision.
Going with the flow is usually the easiest thing, but it often allows us to be swept along in a way that leads to somewhere we don't want to be.
Even the great prophet Elijah had moments of depression and fear. We can learn from his story how we can avoid wrecking our lives by staying in that place of fear.
King Solomon was the wisest man to ever live. But wisdom does you no good if you don't apply it. Solomon's downfall came from giving his heart - and the #1 spot in his life - to losers.
Isaiah listed the royal titles of the coming Messiah, Jesus: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. So how does Jesus bring us peace?
Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor who is here to bring us healing. So how can we best receive all that he has for us?
Love motivates us to great things. But we all need a Kinsman-Redeemer: the ultimate expression of LOVE.
Everyone values freedom, but what does it look like? Some people rush after a freedom that actually leads to slavery.
The Christian life is not a sprint - it's a long distance race. Make your faith your own and run it
Our bodies cannot live without water. What was the significance of Jesus saying, "I thirst"?
Are we supposed to tithe like the Old Testament? In Matthew 5 Jesus said, "I didn't come to abolish the law, but to accomplish it". God wants us to look at the underlying motive in our hearts toward tithing. Our tithe shows what's most important in our lives. God will provide our needs but we must trust him. We can ask ourselves, "How might God want to bless us as we give to others"?
When we go through tough times sometimes the challenges are extreme and it seems to us that it would be a whole lot better to just be with Jesus. How does the presence of God help you in these times of trouble?
People today don't believe there is a divine law. They don't believe in morality. Denying we sin is the problem in this world today. What does this have to do with marriage? Everything...
God made us in His image. He created us for relationships. No one wants to take responsibility for what they do. The "Blame Game" goes back as far as Adam and Eve. Self-centered-ness is the norm in our lives and sometimes is even promoted.