God's Word in Our Lives
Words are a big deal. In an understood word, my thoughts become your thoughts! And this happens almost instantly. Then you speak, I listen, and your thoughts become mine! Remarkable.
That the God who created all things, sustains all things, and fills all things would communicate with us is nothing short of beautiful. God speaks. We listen. Then we speak. God listens. Join us to hear what God has to say every week!
God's Word in Our Lives is a weekly dive into God's Word with Pastor Pete Zaferos.
Episodes
264 episodes
Undivided Attention: On The Mystery And Majesty Of Our God
At the top of the list of things worthy of our undivided attention: God. That does not mean if we focus long and hard, we will understand all there is to know about God. That is impossible! For example, Scripture teaches that there is one God i...
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Season 5
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Episode 48
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22:01
Because He Lives: Christ Sends Us His Spirit
Jesus ascended into heaven. That does not mean the gospel has ceased to spread around the world. For Jesus promised to send another advocate to represent God to the world: the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the constant companion of believers in th...
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Season 5
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Episode 47
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26:39
Ascension: "Your Kingdom Come!"
When the Church gathers, it regularly remembers Christ’s ascension. The words “He ascended into heaven” are found in the three ecumenical creeds Christians use to confess their faith. In addition, the Church sets aside a day each year to focus ...
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Season 5
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Episode 46
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22:26
Because He Lives: We Have Deep And Lasting Joy!
Conventional wisdom says that joy is a direct result of circumstance. Our disposition is nothing more than the product of the events, conditions, and relationships of which our life consists. Therefore, it would seem that for our disposition to...
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Season 5
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Episode 45
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21:45
Because He Lives: Jesus' Voice Is Trustworthy And True
The world is full of talkers. There are plenty of people who say they care about you. But we are aware of what many of those people will do when it comes time to put those words into action. Jesus tells you in his Word that he cares for you dea...
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Season 5
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Episode 44
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24:38
Because He Lives: We Can See Things Clearly
A recent survey asked Americans which of the five senses they would least like to lose. 77% chose sight. Navigating life blind poses a plethora of challenges that the sighted do not face. This is why Scripture often uses the concept of blindnes...
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Season 5
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Episode 43
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25:34
Because He Lives: Death Has Lost Its Sting!
Death can sting in many ways. First, death can sting by casting a shadow over every moment of life. No matter what earthly joy you are experiencing, death guarantees it won’t last. Second, death can sting by separating loves. There are no phone...
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Season 5
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Episode 42
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30:44
Dead And Buried: Surrender Buries Seizure
As we begin Holy Week, we see Jesus bury humanity’s endless attempts at seizing power. In our world, power dynamics are almost always in play. Those who don’t have power want it, often more than anything else. Those who have power are willing t...
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Season 5
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Episode 41
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23:32
Open Door Policies: Hiding Treasure in The Trash
This week we see how our Father makes the treasures of his house available to any and all. He places them in the last place we’d expect—the trash. In God’s family, the things the world prizes and pursues are counted as worthless. Conversely, wh...
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Season 5
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Episode 40
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26:06
Open Door Policies: Grace Instead Of Condemnation
We assume people get what they deserve. We assume that what goes around comes around. We assume God helps those who help themselves. Those assumptions are false. God does not operate on the principle of merit but of grace. No one is beyond the ...
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Season 5
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Episode 39
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24:34
Open Door Policies: Always Present, Always Patient
The heavenly Father is always present in the lives of his children. He sees every sorrow we endure. He also sees every sin that we commit, even if it’s only in our thoughts. He is always present. Yet, he is also always patient. God does not sna...
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Season 5
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Episode 38
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26:04
Open Door Policies: One Stands; Everyone Else Sits
Normally in a family everyone must do their part. . . pitch in. . . pull their weight. In God’s family, he assigns and accepts the work of one on behalf of all. In God’s house, God’s Son—our brother, Jesus—stands alone on the field of battle ag...
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Season 5
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Episode 37
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26:11
Epiphany Moments: Glory Is Hidden In Order To Be Revealed
Would you look directly at the sun? Only if you wanted to burn your retinas and have permanent blind spots. Would you like to look directly at God? It sounds wonderful in theory. Yet Scripture describes God’s glory as being brighter than the su...
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Season 5
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Episode 36
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22:12
Epiphany Moments: Blessings Are Cursed; Curses Are Blessed
“This is good. That is bad.” We often think life is that simple. We believe we can assess a situation accurately determine if it is positive or negative. It’s hubris. As Jesus gathered followers, he taught them that his kingdom runs exactly opp...
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Season 5
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Episode 35
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24:58
Epiphany Moments: The Least Qualified Are The First Sent
Imagine you need heart bypass surgery. When meeting with the surgeon, you ask, “How many of these have you done?” He responds, “You get the honor of being my very first patient!” You probably feel more anxious than honored. With important jobs,...
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Season 5
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Episode 34
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19:21
Epiphany Moments: Popularity Is Not Proof Of Success
In 2009, Facebook added the “like” button. That same year, Twitter added the “retweet” feature. Interestingly, reported cases of depression began to rise sharply in 2010. It is easy to think that the more people like us, the more successful our...
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Season 5
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Episode 33
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24:33
Epiphany Moments: Rejection Is Not Proof Of Failure
When you are trying to share some important information with someone, but they refuse to listen or perhaps totally reject what you are saying, it feels like you have failed. This is especially true when someone rejects the gospel! We proclaim t...
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Season 5
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Episode 32
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24:30
Epiphany Moments: Baptism Is The Cure For An Identity Crisis
“Who is Jesus?” For the longest time, people thought the answer to that question was, “Mary and Joseph’s son” or “a carpenter from Nazareth.” While true enough, those answers do not adequately describe Jesus. But when Jesus was baptized, God th...
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Season 5
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Episode 31
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24:12
The Gift of God Is For All People
On Christmas Eve the angel told the shepherds, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10). One wonders if those words struck those Jewish shepherds as odd. For centuries, God had given special attention to ...
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Season 5
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Episode 30
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22:22
God Gives Himself As One Of Us
Have you ever opened a Christmas present and had to ask, “What is it?” Perhaps it was some new type of technology or perhaps a unique toy. You were grateful for the gift, but also not 100% certain what you were looking at. “What is it?” Today, ...
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Season 5
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Episode 29
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24:31
Heaven's Best Gift In The Unlikeliest Place
When the President of the United States visits a city, he does not stay at a discount motel. He stays in some posh hotel with luxury accommodations. Moreover, when making such trips, the President’s agenda generally does not include him spendin...
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Season 5
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Episode 28
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19:08
A Real Christmas Results In Great Joy
Multiple studies have proven that the holiday season exacerbates mental health issues. For some, the pressure to have “a perfect Christmas” can be overwhelming. For others, their loneliness is amplified. Such people need a real Christmas, one t...
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Season 5
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Episode 27
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17:36
A Real Christmas Is Rooted In Repentance
The closer we get to Christmas, the greater the pressure. There is so much work to be done! We want our houses to look good for out-of-town guests. We want to impress people with the thoughtfulness of our gifts. What a welcome relief, therefore...
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Season 5
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Episode 26
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17:14
A Real Christmas Requires Remembering Why Christ Came
It is easy to get so caught up in the imagery—a tiny newborn baby, lying in the straw filled manger under a star-filled sky—that we forget the why. Why did the Son of God come into our world and take on human flesh? So that he might die as the ...
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Season 5
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Episode 25
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20:02