NEW SERIES: Patterns for Living :: PATTERNS

Presented at Curwensville Alliance by Pastor Steve on 6/7/20

The times they are a-changing.

Dylan said that in the 60’s. But if he could have looked a half-century into the future, he might have waited to release that song.

How do you live well in times of uncertainty?

Perhaps the best idea would be to look at Jesus.

Yeah – that’s definitely the best thought you could have.

In this podcast, Pastor Steve shows how God actually establishes patterns for us to follow that help us live well – regardless of the times.

How In Tune with God Am I, Really? :: PAIN

PRESENTED FOR CURWENSVILLE ALLIANCE ON 5/3/2020 BY PASTOR STEVE SHIELDS

Most Christians want to feel like they are in tune with God. Whether or not you attend church, read your Bible, or spend much time in prayer, you probably feel like, “Meh – God and I are okay.”

Then something happens.

Pain comes along. It doesn’t have to be big.

Even the pain of an unexpected setback can alert you to the reality that you’re not as in tune with God as you thought you were.

In this podcast, Pastor Steve offers biblical counsel on how to be in tune with God.

The Substitute Teacher :: PAIN

Presented for Curwensville Alliance on 4/19/20 by Pastor Steve Shields

When you are confronted with pain, how do you respond?

Some people get angry. Some withdraw. Some look for ways to get even.

Did you ever consider that pain may be a teacher – teaching you things that will benefit you in the long run?

In this podcast, the first in the series Pain, the Substitute Teacher, Pastor Steve lays out several questions that pain may evoke in our lives.

The Lid of Fear :: LIDS

Presented online on 3/22/2020 for Curwensville Alliance by Pastor Steve Shields

Fear…

If there is one thing that keeps you from moving forward in you life, it’s probably fear.

It acts as a lid, holding you down. Maybe as the most effective of lids.

When you look around at our world, do you ever feel afraid?

In this podcast, Pastor Steve looks at King Saul and discusses how we can deal with fear.

The Lid of Hypocrisy :: LIDS

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 3/15/2020 by Pastor Steve Shields

Hypocrisy — it shows up in a lot of different forms.

There’s the good old double-standard:
Dad – why do YOU get seconds on ice-cream and we don’t!!!

There’s the issue of pretending, where you say,
Well – I never do that.
And then you get caught doing…that!

And then there’s the issue of moral duplicity,
where you pretend you’re doing something for one reason, but you’re really doing for another, self-serving reason.

What we may or may not realize is that hypocrisy is a lid — something that holds us down and prevents us from being who God wants us to become.

This podcast helps us identify hypocrisy in our own lives and deal with it from the counsel of Jesus in Matthew 6.