GI Free Podcast: Recent Episodes
GI Free Church
Discover your greatest treasure. Our desire is to help people love Jesus, love each other, and love those who are separated from God.
"What Man Means for Evil, God Means for Good"
Genesis 50
November 12, 2023
Pastor Dan Brenton
"Spiritual Insight Is Better Than Physical Eyesight"
Genesis 48
October 22,2023
Pastor Dan Brenton
" Wisdom Solves Problems Before They Happen "
Genesis 41:33-47
Pastor Dan Brenton
August 27,2023
What man intends for evil, God turns to good
Genesis 37:1-11
July 2,2023
Pastor Dan Brenton
"Right Living in the Midst of Trials"
Graduation Sunday Sermon
May 7,2023
Pastor Daniel Longmore
"Holy Thinking in the Midst of Trials"
James 1:1-18
April 16,2023
Pastor Daniel Longmore
"We never find in sin what we go in to sin to find"
Genesis 26:18-35
February 26,2023
Pastor Dan Brenton
A series In Genesis
The opposite of Great
Genesis 12:4-20
Pastor Dan Brenton
August 7, 2022
Sermon from July 4, 2021 Daniel 3:19-30
Pastor Dan Brenton’s summer series, teaching through the book of Daniel.
More from Pastor Dan Brenton on the How Shall We Live Then series? This message is from April 25, 2021.
More from Pastor Dan Brenton on the How Shall We Live Then series? This message is from April 18, 2021.
Pastor Jeff McKearney looks into the magnitude of Christ's love for us through his descent to take on humanity and die for us. The text from this March 28, 2021, message at GI Free is Philippians 2:5-11
Message from the text of Philippians 2:1-4 from Pastor Jeff McKearney at GI Free on March 21, 2021.
Note: We apologize for choppy audio during the recording due to technical difficulties.
Pastor Jeff McKearney looks at more implications from Philippians 1:27-30 as to how we're to conduct ourselves as believers.
What kind of a place is the church for those on the fringes of society? Pastor Daniel Longmore explores that as we look at 2 Samuel 9.
What does is mean, as is says in Philippians 1:27 that we are to "as citizens of heaven, live your life worthy of Christ?" Can we repay God anything for he has done for us through Christ?
Pastor Jeff McKearney explores those questions while looking at Philippians 1:27-30.
Service from February 21, 2021, at GI Free Church. Message by Jeff McKearney from Philippians 1:19-26.
What does our suffering say about God's place in our lives? Is it something he can do anything about or is he just there to help us through it. It might make us uncomfortable, but God has a lot more to do with it than we think.
Pastor Jeff McKearney explores that as we look at Paul's situation in Philippians 1:12-18.
In Philippians 1:9-11, Paul prays for the believers that they may grow up. What does that look like?
What is our purpose? What were we made for?
The Bible gives us two main reasons. Find out these and how it means for us to live our lives in this message from Philippians 1 by Pastor Jeff McKearney.
What is the foundation of your faith? Does it depend on God's promises or your efforts? Is there more to it?
The message from January 17, 2021, at GI Free Church from Pastor Jeff McKearney. The text was Philippians 1:1-2.
Message from 1 Samuel 17 on December 27, 2020, at GI Free Church with Pastor Daniel Longmore
God wants to interrupt our lives with the life of Jesus. During this time of Advent, we want to look at some of these sacred places in his story.
In the passages from Luke and Matthew we examine today, we see how God orchestrates not only the personal story of Joseph and Mary, but also the larger cultural story. Each road traveled is there to serve a purpose and to fulfill prophecy.
The road traveled is sacred because it serves as a training ground. Like Joseph and Mary, God ordains these hard roads for our greater good and his glory. And we never walk alone.
Where is our hope? Where can we stand in unstable times?
Looking again in Hebrews, we see what God tells us in chapter 6:13-20. We see what God promises to give us hope. And we see that our hope is established on the rock-solid authority of God who sustains and orders the universe.
Through Jesus and his work on our behalf, the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, and God's deep love, we have a firm foundation.
Hope makes living through trials worth it. It gives us fuel to keep going.
In Hebrews 6:1-12, we are encouraged to move forward in our relationship to God. But in this same passage we receive a sobering warning.
What we do know is that God holds and keeps those he saves, but he will not abide a believer dull of hearing. He will lovingly discipline us. Let us then be hopeful in Jesus, who fully saves his own.
We all need the fundamentals. They are the building blocks on which are lives are built. When they are neglected, we see everything crumble.
Looking at Hebrews 5:11-14, we see a strong directive from the writer of Hebrews. Many times, we become dull to hearing the messages we need to hear. We become to deaf to warnings that we should heed. It keeps us from growing in faith.
While we need to grow up in our faith, we cannot neglect the basics to get there. Our spiritual immaturity hinders our ability to learn deeper spiritual truths. God's word gives discerning power.
We are prone to obey our wishes. What we learn from Hebrews is that obeying Jesus is better than obeying our own wish list. And what is the case for that?
As we study the passage from Hebrews 5:5-10, we are introduced to this term "the order of Melchizedek." What is that about? What does it have to say about Jesus and the roles he fills for us?
Jesus lives for all time to reign and to serve through his perfect obedience to his Father. His obedience through testing saves us and makes our obedience possible. He is better than an earthly priest or leader.
Is it possible for a Christian to turn away from Christ? Do you have confidence you will endure in your faith?
Looking at this question that gives many believers angst, Pastor Jeff McKearney teaches from John 10:11-30. What do we learn from scripture and from Jesus' own words? What is a true Christian?
John 10 is good news for troubled saints. Why? Because we have a Good Shepherd who not only knows his sheep, but dies for them, rescues them, and keeps them to the end. God acts. God gives. God secures.
We fight a spiritual enemy who seeks to confuse and destroy us. And we, in our fallenness, contribute to that. We have a code of skewed thinking.
In Hebrew 4:11-16, we see that God gives us his word to give us relief from our broken thinking. How? By being relevant, trustworthy, accurate, convicting, and lifesaving. It's no ordinary book.
And that word tells us we have a Savior in Jesus who knows everything about us and lives to rescue us from our broken thinking. He breaks the code. Let us trust him.
What is the relationship between belief and obedience? Can we really say we believe if we choose not to obey?
Continuing our series in Hebrews, we look at Hebrews 3:7-19. In it, we see the consequence of disobedience. The ultimate goal of God disciplining us is to help us believe rightly.
The more we sin, the easier it is to sin. That is why we need to encourage one another to obey. God saves through community. Don't stray.
What is obsession? What is it that preoccupies our minds?
We continue looking into Hebrews, this week examining Hebrews 3:1-6. Jesus, who has faced every temptation we have, is worthy of our attention, our obsession. Why? Because he is sent by God and our perfect representative, and sacrifice, before God.
Consider Jesus. There is no one like him. Trust him to do what we or no one else can do for us.
Nobody chooses to be expendable. And, yet, that is exactly what Jesus did for us. But why?
As we continue our series in Hebrews, we look at Hebrews 2: 10-13. There we Jesus not as a distant leader but one who suffered as one of us for the sake of our salvation. He was tested in human experience like no one ever has been and obeyed perfectly.
This is why we turn to Jesus – and him only – to not only be made right before God but to be a part of God's family. And as a part of God's family, we need to display this kind of sacrificial love for others.
What did Jesus mean when he said "from everyone who has been given much, much will be required?" Continuing our series in Hebrews, we get an answer.
In Hebrew 2:1-9, we are warned not to drift from God's word. We cannot reject the gospel through faith in Jesus for rule keeping. We also see God's plan, through Jesus, to raise mankind to a new status.
As believers, we are given much through Jesus. We can either squander it or capitalize on it. How are we representing our savior with our lives?
Opening a new series in the book of Hebrews, we look at Hebrews 1:1-14. There we meet Jesus, a savior like no other.
In difficult times, it is easy to retreat into a private religion or to compromise. Neither is a good option. We have a tendency to look at mankind and God in the wrong proportions. We magnify men and minimize God. The book of Hebrews corrects that mistake and makes the case for who Jesus really is.
Are we looking through our binoculars correctly? We have a tremendous savior in Jesus.
We conclude our series in Ruth by looking into Ruth 4:13-22. In our trip through life, we face obstacles. What do learn we from them and why must we?
Naomi's journey in Ruth is one of suffering – famine, death, loneliness. Yet God redeems her story in the end. Those sufferings take on a different perspective in light of where they ended.
Our sufferings in this life can blind us to the horizon. Like Naomi, we are helped to see God working even where we are struggling. God works through our suffering.
It is easy to be reactionary. And it is easy to be offended. What is hard is to love, and it is only by God's grace can we do that.
We continue our series in the book of Ruth, looking at Ruth 4:7-12. There we see Boaz sealing the covenant to redeem Naomi and Ruth by giving up his rights on their behalf. Boaz did this with his sandal; Jesus did it for you with his blood.
Our preconceived ideas about "the right way" to do God's will often don't match our cultural standards. God's grace succeeds where culture fails.
We return to the story of Boaz and Ruth in the book of Ruth, this time in Ruth 3:14-17 and continuing in Ruth 4:1-6.
We learned last week of Boaz's intentions to be Ruth's kinsman redeemer. Like Naomi and Ruth, we live under grace. And like them, we must wait on God for him to act on our behalf.
We also see that, like Boaz, our Redeemer fulfills all qualifications and willingly pays the price for us. Jesus paid it all.
We are captivated by a love story. And one of the greatest love stories is the one involving Ruth and Boaz. What draws these two together?
Pastor Dan Brenton continues our series in the book of Ruth, teaching from Ruth 3:1-13. We know Ruth and Naomi's situation and their need for a kinsman redeemer. What motivates Boaz? His love for Ruth.
We all have a Redeemer who loves us. One who sacrificed for us not for anything that we could do for Him, but because of his love for us.
We pick up our series from the book of Ruth as Pastor Dan Brenton teaches from Ruth 2:14-23.
The way of religion is not the way of grace. In this passage, Boaz acts not out of duty but out of love. Ruth's humility is rewarded with plenty. Grace is undeserved and grace is abundant.
Are we humbled by God's gracious provision in our lives? Have we let our trials blind us to that grace? Let us turn to God who loves and redeems us.
Pastor Jeff McKearney continues our series looking at seven statements Jesus makes about himself in the book of John.
Why do people who are looked at as successful in this life feel emptiness? What are they missing? Looking at John 10:1-10, we see Jesus answer this longing and craving beyond our expectations.
We are made to have fellowship with God. Until we find that, we will be lost and dissatisfied. There's no other way but through Jesus.
Starting a new series called "Treasuring Jesus," Pastor Jeff McKearney teaches from John 6:25-35.
If you and I were created to love and enjoy Jesus, how do we get there? By getting to know him. One statement that Jesus made about himself was that he is the Bread of Life. What does that mean?
We live in a culture that promises much but delivers little. We see in this passage that Jesus exposes our shallow desires and instead offers a deeper, everlasting joy. Jesus sustains and nourishes. He is our bread.
How we understand God's providence versus his miracles? His providence, what the world often calls coincidence, is God using his control of the universe to work his good will. A miracle is God using supernatural means to achieve his purposes. What we see in today's message from the book of Ruth is God using his providence for the benefit of Ruth and Boaz.
Pastor Dan Brenton continues our series in Ruth by teaching from Ruth 2:1-13. There we see God causing a collision of situations that does tremendous good for two women who have experienced great hardship, Naomi and Ruth.
What do we learn from this? We learn this is how you love people. When you love someone, burden turns into a blessing.
We pick up the story of Naomi and Ruth in this week's message by Pastor Dan Brenton as we continue our series in Ruth. Looking at Ruth 1:19-22, we see Naomi and her pessimistic outlook. How do we react to circumstances beyond our control?
Bitterness robs us of any lesson that God can teach us through trials. God is doing much more than we can comprehend, even in our misfortunes and tragedies. Are we misrepresenting ourselves, and God? Where are we putting our faith?
God is in total control of all history. But how does that work with man's free will?
Continuing our series in the book of Ruth, we see God working his will through tragedy and misfortune. Pastor Dan Brenton teaches from Ruth 1, where we see Naomi dealing with her daughters-in-law. In that scene, we see Ruth's will working to do God's ultimate will. We know God rules.
Are we, like Ruth, clinging to God and the hope he offers us?
We live in a fragile society. We as believers must think biblically and behave responsibly. What do we know to be true from God's word about our situation concerning racial unrest?
What we see is that the cross takes away the hostility that exists in our sin nature. We are all tainted by sin and racism. Without the cross we are lost. Beginning a series in Ruth, Pastor Dan Brenton opens scripture as we look at the pivotal story of what some would consider an "outsider" and gives us a better picture of what God's kingdom looks like.
As we return to in-person meetings at GI Free, Pastor Dan Brenton teaches from under the tent on the north side of the church.
Looking again at the dynamics of relationships, we turn to scriptures once again to see how are relationships are the foundation for how we go about our lives in the larger culture.
Our job as believers is to point people to Jesus and his saving grace. We are all leaving a footprint. In Hebrews we are called to do good, but that will require a reality check. Reality will challenge our commitment to Christ and to each other. How will we respond?
What is God's job description for women? What is the calling that women have in relationships and in our culture?
Pastor Dan Brenton continues our series on relationships by looking to God's word for clarity on this important issue. The truth is, the more we understand who God is the more we understand how we are purposefully created male and female to reflect who he is. The high calling women have from God is to bring glory to him through their unique role.
Have you ever wished that you had more so you could do more? Have you ever wished you were more?
Pastor Jeff McKearney teaches from Ephesians as we look at the opening verses of Chapter 1. We live in a world where we are constantly measuring ourselves against someone or something else. If not that we are taking stock in our personal worth. What can make us feel like we have or are enough?
If we are in Christ and have his spirit in us we already have all that we need. If you have Jesus you have everything. Our focus needs to be higher than where we are now.
Will we just talk about our faith or will we apply what we learn? How do we know whether we are applying our God-given duties faithfully?
Continuing our series on relationships, Pastor Dan Brenton looks at the responsibilities and role that men play in relationships. Our society and families suffer when men fail to live up to the standard God has given them in his word. Looking at the scriptures, we learn how we need to "play the man." It's all about following the Perfect Man.
In the latest chapter of our relationship sermon series, Pastor Dan Brenton looks at our relationship with God. What we think about God says a lot about who we are. The most important relationship, the one that sets the tone for all others, is our relationship with God. Despite what our culture says, we were created for inter-dependence with God and others. His pursuing love calls us to a better life.
Wouldn't it be great if we know our opponent's strategy going into battle? God has given us that capability and advantage in our daily struggle against Satan and his schemes.
As we continue in a series on relationships, Pastor Dan Brenton teaches from scripture to see three things we need to understand about Satan, ourselves, and the world that wreck relationships and dishonor God. Along with that, we see examples of how these work against God's plan for relationships.
What is the answer? The best tool God gives us is keeping his word and His Spirit in front of us daily. We will not live without troubles, but we are not left without guidance.
What does spiritual leadership look like? We see it many facets throughout our circles as believers, not just families. When we consider relationships, understanding this is at its core. Looking at passages throughout the Bible, Pastor Dan Brenton continues in our series. Concerning spiritual leadership, we need to ask ourselves: Have we been given a bad model or have we failed to apply a good model because of our own sin? Pastor Dan gives us three poor models of spiritual leadership and then four positive models. While we all must deal with our sin nature, we do not have to resigned to poor leadership in our families and circles thanks to God's grace in our lives.
We can approach our interpersonal relationships one of two ways during this time. We can look at it like a blizzard or as winter. The former is a short-term approach that looks at getting back to "normal" as quickly as possible while the latter looks to make adjustments while expecting an unknown ending.
Continuing on a series on relationships, Pastor Dan Brenton asks the question, "What does God intend for our family?" Looking at various passages, we see that the Bible starts with a family at its center, Adam and Eve, and ends with Christ being reunited with his bride, the church, in Revelation. Family is important to God, and it should be to all of us.
Jesus' death, burial and resurrection have provided clarity about the past, confidence in the present, and courage to face the future.
There are times when instruction needs to intersect with real felt needs. What does it look like if Jesus influenced our actions and our relationships? Looking at Romans 12:2 and selected passages, Pastor Dan Brenton continues our series on relationships. It's very easy to conform ourselves during normal, busy times. But to be "transformed" is something that we can't do on our own. That is an action that happens only by God's work. Our words can do great good or great damage. There is nothing more evident to where our heart is than how our speech is influenced by the world. To tame our tongue is a transformative work that only God can do through Jesus Christ.