Podcast
Covenant Life Church
Hosted by Pastor John Butler · EN
Pastor John Butler
Real. Relational. Reaching.
https://www.covenantlifebremen.org/
17episodes
Episodes
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The Things God Remembers
2w ago00:33:10Tap to summarizeIn Acts 10:1-5, we read about a man named Cornelius. He was a righteous Gentile who loved God, prayed to Him and also gave to those in need. In describing Cornelius, the Bible uses a specific Greek term that only appears three times in the New Treatment. The verses say his prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a “memorial” before God — a word that is also used in Mark 14 and Matthew 26. As we recognize Memorial Day this week, we’re looking at this biblical concept of a “memorial” to explore the things that God remembers. Because He is omniscient, God knows and remembers everything, but just like He chooses to forget our sins when we seek His forgiveness, there are also things that move Him to such an extent that He chooses to bring them to the forefront of His memory and ours.
Transcribe →Life
3w ago00:37:18Tap to summarizeLife is beautiful and offers many great opportunities, but unfortunately, it also has the potential to cause hurt and pain. If we’re going to follow God and succeed, we need to understand the impact and influence of three things: faith, focus, and fear. This week, as part of our annual Graduation Recognition Service, Matt Carlisle — a member of the Covenant Life Student Ministry (CLSM) High School team — delivers an encouraging message to our seniors using heartfelt stories from his own life.
Transcribe →Let It Go and Give It to God
4w ago00:44:37Tap to summarizeMothers carry burdens that weigh heavily on their hearts, including worries about their family members, their finances, if they’re good enough, the past, the future, and more. We have to stop worrying about things that haven’t even happened yet — instead, we need to pray about it and give it to God. He never intended for us to carry these burdens alone; we have to let go of what we can't control, stop worrying, and let God take over. In this week’s sermon, Valerie Butler reminds us that real faith isn't about having all the answers; it's about trusting God's plan even when we aren't in the driver's seat. Just like Carrie Underwood, there are times when we have to say, “Jesus take the wheel. Take it from my hands.” Together, we’ll discover six steps toward letting go of our worries and giving them to God, which is one of the most freeing and challenging things we can do.
Transcribe →Holy Water Series Part 9: Over Your Head
May 300:38:24Tap to summarizeAs Jews, members of the early church knew what the Old Testament said. They knew the law, the prophets and the symbols of the Holy Spirit we’ve talked about: water, fire, cloud, oil, and wind. They knew that He came upon people to empower them for serving the Lord and withdrew again. They knew that Joel prophesied that a time would come when the Spirit would be poured out on all flesh. Everything else they knew about the Spirit came from Jesus and John the Baptist. Too often, we approach a scene or topic in the Bible based on what we know now rather than what they knew then, which limits or clouds our understanding. This week’s sermon is the last message of the Holy Water series, and we’re going to talk about the baptism in the Holy Spirit. As we approach this topic, we’re going to strip away past experiences or testimonies we’ve heard and look at what they knew leading up to Pentecost. If it was enough for them, it ought to be enough for us.
Transcribe →Holy Water Series Part 8: Everybody in the Water
Apr 2600:45:16Tap to summarizeChurch people talk about being Christians all the time. We talk about being followers of Jesus, but what does that actually mean? If we took the time to talk to 1,000 people at churches around the west Georgia area this morning and asked them what it looks like to follow Jesus, we’d probably hear things like going to church every week, not cussing or drinking, giving money in the offering, being respectful and helping people. If that’s what it means to follow Jesus, something is wrong because you can do all those things and still be lost. If every part of Jesus’s life is supernatural, how is it that we think we can follow Him entirely in our own power? Are we to believe that our sins are forgiven supernaturally, but our life with Him is ordinary? This week, we’re talking about our need for the Holy Spirit’s power to truly live a life of impact that’s pleasing to God.
Transcribe →Holy Water Series Part 7: The Problem Isn’t the Water
Apr 1900:40:51Tap to summarizeIn Ezekiel 47:1-5, the prophet has a vision about a river flowing from the Temple that is believed to be a symbol of the Holy Spirit. In the vision, the river goes from ankle-deep to knee-deep to waist-deep, and then, it becomes deep enough to swim in. If you are truly saved, you are standing in the river. The will of God is for you to continue downstream, deeper and deeper, more and more surrendered to His Holy Spirit. However, there are many people who got saved and had some spiritual experiences in the river, and after some difficult times, they are now tempted to get out of the water and go completely back to their old life. This week, we’re exploring the truth that the problem isn’t the water; it’s trying to live in two worlds. Discomfort comes when you’re sloshing around in water but still trying to walk like you’re on land.
Transcribe →Holy Water Series Part 6: The Holy Part
Apr 1200:46:18Tap to summarizeWe are in a series called Holy Water, which is based on the description of the Holy Spirit in Ezekiel 47:1-5. Some people claim that God doesn’t interact with us in a supernatural way anymore; others accept anything done in the name of the Spirit at face value. Because of this, we have spent much of our time looking at how God still speaks, works, and saves through the Spirit. Throughout our series, we have talked a lot about the Spirit part of the equation, but this week’s message is called The Holy Part. With this message, we’re diving into what makes the Spirit of God different than anyone or anything else in the world, and Pastor John is tearing down two misused and misunderstood scriptures that the devil has hidden behind for many years.
Transcribe →The Easter Era
Apr 500:38:43Tap to summarizeIt’s been 2,000 years since Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection, and the story has been told over and over. Because we celebrate Easter every year, it has the potential to become just another story if we’re not careful. We must remember that it’s not old news or some memory we carry. Jesus lived and died. He rose again, and He is still alive — and because of that, Easter is never really over. In every town and city, among every tribe and tongue, there are parts of the resurrection story that are still being written. Because of Jesus, people’s lives are still being changed. Their yesterdays are still being forgiven, and their tomorrows are filled with hope. This week, we’re diving into the topic of “The Easter Era,” exploring how Easter is partly past tense, partly present tense, and partly future tense.
Transcribe →What’s Keeping You From Your Praise and Worship?
Mar 2900:30:33Tap to summarizePalm Sunday was a time of conflicting emotions, political and social dynamics, and the possibility of a coming Messiah. There was a lot of pressure on people, on the government and on Jesus. It’s no different for us today. If we are dealing with the pain and pressure of life, the best response is prayer, praise and worship. In this message from Corey Pearson, worship director at Covenant Life, we explore the various things that may be keeping us from fully praising God. We will discover together that praise built on outcomes doesn’t last in the face of pressure, but if our worship is built on our identity in Christ, it can endure the cross.
Transcribe →Holy Water Series Part 5: Power for Proclamation
Mar 2200:35:37Tap to summarizeWe are continuing our “Holy Water” series. Together, we have been exploring the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit, trying to de-mystify who He is, the ways He works and His place in our lives. Last week, we started talking about the things that the Spirit empowers believers to do after salvation, starting with a look at prayer. This week, we’re exploring how He gives power for proclamation. Over and over, the Bible says something like, “And the Spirit came mightily upon Him to do this or that.” The things the Old Testament saints were able to do were the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives; He enabled them to do what they did. And the result of those supernatural happenings is that God was glorified, people were drawn to Him, and word of His goodness and power spread.
Transcribe →