Dayspring Fellowship Podcasts

Hope for the New Year

December 30 & 31, 2017
Hope for the New Year
Most of us spend December anticipating Christmas. But the week that follows finds us in a no man’s land of sorts, poised between what was and what will become. Too often we find ourselves stuck, holding on to the past and afraid of the future, both working to steal our joy in the present! This weekend we will learn to enjoy His presence in the present, while looking back in gratitude for what God has done in our lives and looking forward with hope. Happy New Year!
- Pastor Chris

Invisible Dad

December 23 & 24, 2017
Invisible DadWhat Child is This?  - Part 4 
What Child is this, who laid to rest,On Mary's lap is sleeping?Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,While shepherds watch are keeping? 
This, this is Christ the King,Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;Haste, haste to bring Him laud,The Babe, the Son of Mary. Why lies He in such mean estate,Where ox and ass are feeding?Good Christians, fear, for sinners here,The silent Word is pleading. Nails, spears shall pierce Him through,The cross He bore for me, for you.Hail, hail the Word made flesh,The Babe, the Son of Mary. So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,Come, peasant, king, to own Him.The King of Kings salvation brings,Let loving hearts enthrone Him. Raise, raise a song on high,The virgin sings her lullaby.Joy, joy for Christ is born,The Babe, the Son of Mary. 
These lyrics of the famous Christmas carol, “What Child Is This?” were written in 1865 by Englishman William Chatterton Dix. Throughout the various stanzas, the song poses an important question, well worth our pondering: who is this baby in the Bethlehem manger? It is interesting to note the characters mentioned overtly such as the Christ child, His mother, Mary, shepherds, angels and even two forms of feeding livestock. While not specifically named, the recognizable actions of the wise men are referenced as the ones who brought their well-known gifts of incense, gold, and myrrh. All the characters normally present in a Nativity are accounted for and in place, except one. Do you notice who is missing from the stable scene roll call, either by name or by referenced action? In this message we learn about the invisible dad, Joseph, and his role in Jesus’ story.- Pastor Chris

Pondering the Advent

December 16 & 17, 2017
Pondering the AdventWhat Child is This?  - Part 3 
Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Luke 2:34-35
What makes Mary a model of faith is not only her willing submission to God's will, but the way she treasured and pondered the revelations about Jesus.  Mary’s ponderings serve as a model for us; we desperately need to consider the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. Mary’s life was not easy before or after her encounter with an angel. She would have many more opportunities for questioning and pondering the life of Jesus. Yet, in her encounter with God’s announcement, Mary found favor with God. Like her, we find favor with God when we respond with searching questions, deep ponderings, and obedient submission.
- Pastor John

Heaven Revealed

December 9 & 10, 2017Heaven RevealedWhat Child is This? - Part 2
 Ever since His birth, men and women have been seeking the answer to life’s greatest question, “What Child Is This?” We could undertake no greater journey than the one that leads us to the answer. The wise men of old followed a star on their journey, and allowed the answer to change them. We may not have a star to follow this Christmas, but maybe we can learn something from their perspective. - Pastor Chris

Heaven Revealed

December 2 & 3, 2017Heaven RevealedWhat Child is This?  - Part 1
This weekend we enter the season of Advent with a series called What Child is This?  The term advent is a version of the Latin word meaning "coming." Many Christian churches take the month of December to focus and prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Many of us grew up thinking the story of Advent began in a manger.  But the story began in a Garden.  Amid the darkness, God spoke a word of hope: a Savior would come, born of a woman, to defeat the enemy and deliver God’s people (Genesis 3:15).  This is a great time for us to consider the greatest question ever asked…what child is this?  It’s a question asked by kings, magi, shepherds, and Roman rulers long ago.  It’s a question we must answer as well.  Let’s turn to the pages of Scripture to discover what heaven revealed long ago about His long awaited birth; truths so amazing our lives can be transformed for time and eternity.Pastor John

Stewarding the Gift of Grace

November 25 & 26, 2017Stewarding the Gift of GraceThe Ghost, Part 4
As we transition from a season of thanksgiving and into a season of gifts it seems only fitting that we would conclude our series on the Holy Spirit by talking about the gifts the Spirit entrusts to us to share in together as a church family.This weekend we turn to 1 Peter 4:10-11 and 1 Corinthians 12 to view our gifts through the lens of grace and stewardship. The Spirit has given each of us a gift to contribute to the common good of the body and each of these gifts point others to the glory of the Lord we serve.Let us not neglect what the Lord has instilled in each of us, and let us learn what it means to steward these gifts by His grace.God Bless,Nathan

Keep in Step!

November 18 & 19, 2017Keep in Step!The Ghost, Part 3
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). Since every genuine believer has the Holy Spirit, we must understand what it means to walk by the Holy Spirit. God wants us to know that through the Holy Spirit’s guidance & empowerment, we can live a life pleasing to God, we can avoid the pitfalls of sin, we can experience a life truly blessed!  Who wouldn’t want these things?  Yet, many of us fail to recognize the importance of walking by the Spirit; some may not understand what this means. To “walk by the Spirit” means we live each day, from waking in the morning til our head hits the pillow, by the enabling power of the Spirit.  How is this accomplished, practically speaking? How do we “walk by the Spirit”? In this message we attempt to answer these questions in our continuing series on the Holy Spirit.    Pastor John

Fill ‘Er Up!

November 11 & 12, 2017Fill ‘Er Up!The Ghost, Part 2
The phrase is familiar to most of us, we find it throughout both the Old and New Testament. But what does it really mean to be “filled with the Holy Spirit”? How does it happen? What difference does it make? And how are our lives impacted?We’re returning to our study on the Holy Spirit this week, in which we look at what God’s Word has to say about what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit and how we respond to that filling in our daily lives.  - Pastor Chris

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

November 4 & 5, 2017Won't You Be My Neighbor?Refugee Weekend
“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor, would you be mine? Won’t you be mine?” We all remember the familiar lyrics, but what does it really mean to be a neighbor? We’re taking a break from our series on the Holy Spirit this week to look closely, along with hundreds of other churches across the country, at the refugee crisis that is impacting our world. What does God’s Word have to say about what it means to be a neighbor and how we might make a difference, right here in our own community, for those trying to build a new life in this place that we call home?  - Pastor Chris

The Breath of God

October 28 & 29, 2017The Breath of GodThe Ghost, Part 1
The Christian's life in all its aspects -- intellectual andethical, devotional and relational, upsurging in worshipand outgoing in witness -- is supernatural; only the Spiritcan initiate and sustain it. So apart from him, not onlywill there be no lively believers and no lively congregations,there will be no believers and no congregations at all. - J.I. Packer -
The Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, as earlier Christians referred to Him, is critical to the life of every believer and the church. Why do we so often neglect Him and take His presence for granted? We have the very same power that raised Jesus from the dead living in us, and He is ready to help us thrive for His glory.In this message we learn about the role God intends for the Spirit to have in our lives. - Pastor Chris