Pastor Steven G Lightfoot's Podcast

Christmas Eve candlelight service - message by Pastor Steven G. Lightfoot

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil."

The Advent season is generally about two things: 1. waiting expectantly and 2. urgent preparation. 2 Peter 3:14-15 talks about waiting and preparing. "Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation."

Pastor Steven preaches on the meaning of Advent...

Pastor Steven preaches on Ephesians 1

Pastor Steven preaches on 1 Thessalonians 5

The Lord is coming... are you ready?

Are you leading a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory? Pastor Steven preaches from Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians.

Is the congregation you belong to a congregation with convictions of steel? Pastor Steven preaches on 1 Thessalonians 1.

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Pastor Steven preaches on Philippians 4.

Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

"Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus ..." Pastor Steven preaches on Philippians 2.

Forgiveness is one of the most difficult Christ-like qualities for us as human beings to master. Yet, it is one that Jesus tells us we must master if we are to receive forgiveness from our Father in heaven. Pastor Steven speaks on the story of forgiveness given by Jesus in response to Peter's question, "How many times should we forgive?" A timely message for us today...

Pastor Steven discusses Paul's urgent call for us to love one another... a timely message for today.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, we take time to remember that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Countryside UMC is open for business, and we pause in our recovery efforts for just a moment to look at "Reflections in the Water."

Pastor Steven talks about faith and fear.

Jacob wrestled with God, or maybe Jacob wrestled with the angel of God, or maybe Jacob wrestled with his God-created true identity... scholar's debate, but one thing is certain, Jacob was a prodigal son. We all are prodigal sons until we finally turn around and see our Father running toward us.

In Romans 8, Paul teaches us that we are joint heirs to the kingdom of God with Christ - if we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. So just who exactly is this Christ with whom I am joined as a co-heir? Paul tells us who he is in Colossians 1 and it's pretty amazing: "...for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross." (Colossians 1:16-20, NRSV)

Pastor Steven preaches on Romans 8:1-11

As Christians we most often live a life of contradictions as we continue the life-long process of sanctification - of becoming more like Christ. We struggle with overcoming our sin-nature even though we want to do what God wants us to do. If that sounds like your struggle, you're not alone and you're in good company. The Apostle Paul struggled with the same issue, and he talks about it in Romans 7...