Sermon Teaching Podcasts

Pastor John speaks today about a gift from the Lord. Among the many riches He has given us through His sacrifice, He has also given us His divine natureΑπό τον Pastor John Thrift

Pastor John reminds us that God has always had a plan. His opinion and plan has never changed and He continues to follow it to this very day.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Working off the cuff and with the help of the Grace children, Pastor John recreates the first Christmas and the birth of Jesus.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Today starts with the dedication of baby Judah Oti, Hannah and Richard Oti's son. Pastor John then warns us that simply believing in Jesus is not enough. Our faith must govern our lives. Instead, starting with Colossians, Pastor John talks about how to be led by and walk in Him.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Pastor John starts with a simple and important reminder - God doesn't change His mind. What he said about sin and curses remain forever just as what He said about grace and forgiveness. The only thing He "changes" His mind on is whether we are forgiven or not. Going to Numbers 22 and Balaam, Pastor John demonstrates how the Lord knows what is best …

Missionaries to the Philippines Moon and Lindsay Choi share how they both "knew" the life plans the Lord set aside for them. That is until the Lord shook both of them up individually and through a bevy of closed doors and personal disappointment called them to the missionary field. They ask for support in their efforts asking us to: Pray for their …

Miracles come when we praise the Lord. Salvation comes when we praise the Lord. Freedom comes when we praise the Lord. Our help comes when we praise the Lord. On this Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving, Pastor John goes to Psalm 117 to remind us to praise Him, for His faithfulness and love endures forever.…

Each one of us may have a different calling - different ways we walk out our faith. Today Pastor John reminds us that everyone has the same ministry, a ministry of reconciliation. Working from 2 Corinthians 5, we can see that whatever our calling is, we must reconcile others to Christ and each other.…

Pastor Michael Masambu reminds us that “to be born again is to [be] completely translated from the kingdom of the devil into the kingdom of God completely.” Therefore, going to Psalm 78 Pastor Michael presents the challenge for us to take our limits off God. We need to trust and obey the Lord and allow Him to be God.…

Physical growth is a function of time. Intellectual growth is a function of learning. Spiritual growth is a function of obedience. Going to Galatians 5:16-26, Pastor John goes deep into the text to discuss what the Lord clearly states how to judge whether we are living by the flesh or God's spirit. The Lord wants us to judge this correctly because …

The Lord is relentless. He'll always bring us back to points of disobedience in our life. Why? He loves us and is readying all of us for eternity. Going to 2 Peter 3, Pastor John points out that the very same word the Lord gives can either bring life and blessings or may be used to pass judgment and punishment. And that final day will come when no …

Today Brian and other members of the Teen Challenge group join and lead us in service. They discuss the culture of addiction that currently live in and how they are fighting it in the name of the Lord.Από τον Guest Speaker(s)

Today we are exhorted - someone is at our door! Pastor John reminds us on the one hand that sin is crouching at our door and it's ready to pounce. While the devil can't cross the Bloodline, i.e., he can't possess you, he can mess with and oppress us. In contrast, Jesus just stands at the door and knocks, waiting for our reply. With Him stands all t…

Dave MacLaren finishes the recognition of our pastors that the Lord has given him. Then Pastor John returns to 2 Peter 2 and speaks about the false prophets we are warned to watch for. These are the ones that grow up and are part of the church. The only way to counter their enticing words is with God's perfect truth which always teaches, encourages…

Today's service starts with Dave MacLaren sharing a prophetic word to the church and people of Grace Assembly at Wake Forest. Pastor John has a basic, fundamental reminder for us. Keep it simple. Don't over complicate it. Don't over think it. Instead, focus on doing the known will of the Lord (Matthew 7:21).…

Recognizing and celebrating the Hebrew holiday Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, we start today with the sound of a shofar. Then burdened with a message he urgently wants us to understand, Pastor John starts in 1 John 3:8-10, 23-24. Pastor John then emphasizes that the core will of our Father is a big deal - we are called to love. For when the …

Leaving the letters of Peter and going to Luke 11:24-26, Pastor John talks about something the Lord has been birthing in his heart for a while now. Our house has been cleaned; but have we left it empty? We have a responsibility to fill the space with Godly things. Scripture is clear, if we leave it empty, it will be filled by others and we'll be wo…

We start by welcoming the following new members to Grace Assembly: Joann and Ken Barkham; Lois and Jessie Daniels; Dorie and Ken Wilkins; Alica and Kathy Volkening, and; Tabitha Tambling. Then, going to Genesis 6:5-9, Pastor John emphasizes a key truth about God and our sins. God isn't evil or mad, instead He is hurt over our sin.…

Today's service starts with testimonies from Courtney and Alex Kearney and then Rachel Boyce on how God recently gave them more freedom. We then recognize Elder Jessie and Louise Daniels for an outreach we are partnering with them on and then Olga and Eric Pluhar for their wedding. Pastor John then goes to 2 Peter 1:16-21 and Mark 9:18 to highlight…

Pastor John returns to 2 Peter 1 and the seven qualities we are called to grow in. He tempers it with Jesus' summary of the commandments in Matthew 22:34-40. Doing so creates focus and motivation for the believer.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Pastor John speaks on three things from 2 Peter to help us: How to partake of the divine? How to be effective and fruitful? How to keep from falling?Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Pastor John asks the simple question - have you met Jesus Christ? If so then you will never be the same again. And may His grace and peace be multiplied to us.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Going to 1 Peter 5, Pastor John reminds us that issues we encounter may be caused by the fact we are operating from a position of pride. Further he emphasizes, while He still loves us, God will oppose us and our pride. Instead, humble ourselves and give all our concerns to God thereby enabling Him to restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish us.…

Do you want Godly things to increase in your life? Not just a sprinkling or a dash. How about multiple increases over and over? Then Pastor John reminds us that when we hear the Word we need to accept it and let it bear fruit in our lives (Mark 4:20).Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Under the prompting of the Spirit, Pastor John goes to Romans 1:21-32 to warn us about the four steps that create a downward spiral into sin. We need to know and be aware of this truth so we can avoid falling into this trap.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Joshua and Alina Gordon, missionaries to Costa Rica, join us today and they share their stories. Joshua goes on to challenge us to honestly identify the differences between the whitewashed, censored fiction we often share with what we are really experiencing in our lives. Then we can start to realize we shouldn't be the center of our stories, Chris…

Going to 1 Peter 4, Pastor John points out that if we think like Christ then we’ll want to please our Father. Further, we won’t want to sin. And when we really understand and embrace this, we can recognize what God is trying to do in us. To change our thinking, values, and passions.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Because of the verses, it sounds like Pastor John is talking about marriage. And while the word is directly about marriage, Pastor John goes to 1 Peter 3 to demonstrate how the believer's lifestyle is meant to be transformational to those around us. Our lives in Christ are about relationships with all of those He puts around us.…

On this Father's Day, Richard Oti delivers a simple but powerful message. Honoring the Lord starts in the home and with the people God has placed around us.Από τον Pastor Richard Oti

Today we start by recognizing our six High School and college graduates: Dylan Bethea Eli Brown Caleb Farrell Katie Hood Carlie Johnson Emily O'Dowd Pastor Hannah then goes on to use Sampson to warn us all about who we become loyal and commit ourselves to. Partnering with unGodly people and things turns spiritually toxic. Instead, Pastor Hannah war…

The Lord challenges us to consecrate, sanctify, and set ourselves apart. Look at our secret sins, the little things, our deepest pleasures and affections. Are they more important than our relationship with the Lord? Going to 1 Peter 1:13-15, Pastor John challenges us to rethink whether our personal joys and pleasures aren’t really sins that interfe…

Wanting us to know the will of God for us individually as well as the body, Pastor John goes to 1 Peter 2:13-25 to discuss a key issue related to being mindful of God. Knowing in general what the Lord intends is key to understanding how to apply it during times of testing.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Today starts with extended worship. Then we repeatedly hear an invitation and invocation from the Lord. Nothing is impossible with God. He makes the crooked paths straight. God is essential. He makes the difference. Embrace this truth.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Today the Overflow team takes over all of today's service from greeting to the message to prayer. Greeters: Mikayla Johnson Nick Albright Jose Garcia Sebastian Garcia Sound & Media: Zach Thrift Leah Williams Brianna McBride Announcements, Opening Prayer & Offering: Jake Bethea David LaBerge (video segment) Dillon Bethea Worship: Joslyn Blomberg Mad…

Today's service starts with Rick Ross recognizing Pastor Jenn Revoir for all of her efforts and obtaining ordination within the Assemblies of God. Then Susan Ross leads this Mother's Day service and focuses on Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, and how motherhood is not for the weak. But using spiritual mom-isms, simple spiritual truths from spiritual mo…

Furthering the study in 1 Peter, Pastor John warns us about the passions of our flesh that we war against. Using Joshua and reclaiming Jericho, he looks at the "-ites" in our life that we may have to drive out from among us.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Continuing in 1 Peter 2, Pastor John takes us from tasting and experiencing to what the Lord is doing in the church and what we are called to.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Happy Easter or Resurrection Day! Starting back in 1 Peter, Pastor John challenges us with the word. If we have tasted that the Lord is good, then let us live like we believe. We need to hold on to this experience with Him even, like King David, when life isn't good or fair.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

What's Love Got To Do With It? Pretty much everything! Working from Luke 1:5-80 and other texts, guest speaker John Blomberg encourages us to fight the powers of this word and the evil around us with the single greatest weapon we have - God's love for us and for all of mankind. After all, God is love.…

The word of God is profitable but only if we receive and act upon His words. So preparing our minds for action and starting in 1 Peter 2:1, Pastor John warns us of sins the church must put away. Instead, we are instructed to crave His spiritual food.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Starting at 1 Peter 1:1, Pastor John begins a review of this disciple's epistles. In the first chapter, Peter reminds us that during our times of trouble we need to keep it simple. Despite the fact believers during Peter's time were shunned, suffered, and persecuted, Peter reminded them, and now us, to focus on our salvation and the fact that this …

All scripture is inspired by God and intended to help us in all ways. And yet even though some of the most simple commands are missed, overlooked, or ignored. Scripture is pretty clear about things that interfere with the effectiveness of our prayers. Starting with 1 Peter 3:1-7, Pastor John highlights four key traps we can easily fall into.…

Today's service focussed on dedicating lives to and baptizing people in the Lord. This included: Sean Fergal, Luke Bethea, Logan Bethea Cattelya Moore, Sebastian Garcia, DeeDee Eckley, and Oliver Harney. What a day of rejoicing!Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Instead of ministering on divorce, Pastor John takes time to minister to the divorced. To encourage them. To hear the Lord's heart on this matter. He's not justifying divorce; he's clarifying the divorced aren't second rate citizens. After all, God's not done with us even after a failed marriage.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Pastors Hannah and Richard Oti lead today and share a host of wisdom on how to live single and still live. Take this time to learn, discover, flourish, and grow. After all, our lives don't start with "I do."Από τον Pastor Hannah Bochert Oti

Continuing the series on marriages, Pastor John and first lady Sherry cover topics from successfully picking a mate to exercising faith over our spouses. In doing so, they cover important tips in having a successful marriage.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Pastor John and first lady Sherry start a series on marriage and relationships. Today they begin with a focus on being single. After all, scripture says that being single is a gift to those who receive it.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

After worship we celebrate the baptism of Arianna Greene with her family. Taking his direction from the Book of Life, Pastor John looks to scripture to challenge us to consider whether we are disqualifying our own faith or preparing ourselves for holy uses.Από τον Pastor John Thrift

Where we have worry and anxiety, we have the absence of faith. And the absence of faith is equal to unbelief. Guest speaker Pastor Michael Masambu joins us today and leads us in six scriptural truths that enable us to cast down our anxieties and worries.Από τον Guest Speaker(s)

Going to Genesis 4:1-16 and keeping it simple and pure, Pastor John looks at the killing of Abel and reminds us the same warning given to Cain applies to us today. And the Lord tells us we must master it.Από τον Pastor John Thrift