Pastor Steven G Lightfoot's Podcast

As I read the passage in Acts 17 where Paul addresses the Athenians in front of the Areopagus, it got me thinking two things... 1) What idols do we worship in our time, and 2) are we still worshipping an unknown god… or perhaps better stated, is the one true God still unknown to us?

Pastor Steven preaches on John 14:1-14.

Have you ever stopped to ponder the question, "What makes an abundant life?" Have you ever asked yourself, "Is my life abundant?"Jesus is the good shepherd - The one who leads us to green pastures and still waters. He is the gate to life - abundant life. Abundance is not so much about quantity as it is quality. Pastor Steven preaches on John 10 and Acts 2.

Each month with a fifth Sunday, at Countryside UMC, we celebrate our laity with a special Laity Sunday wherein the laity brings the message and conducts all aspects of the service except the weekly Podcast. April 30 is one of those Sundays. Pastor Steven will return to the pulpit next Sunday, May 7. In the meantime, have a listen to the Apostles' Creed and hear what we believe as followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. Blessings and peace to all.

Jesus said, "As the Father sent me, I am sending you." You are missionaries. Are you in your mission field yet? You are evangelists. Are you proclaiming the gospel yet?

He Is Risen! Thanks be to God, His resurrection is our resurrection when we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that He is Lord of all!

In order to get to the joy of the resurrection, we have to complete the journey. We have to endure the crucifixion. Good Friday service at Countryside UMC.

Upon Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the people celebrated the arrival of an earthly king. But his kingdom was of a different sort, and in a matter of days, the shouts of praise, the shouts of "Hosanna," would turn to shouts of "Crucify him!"

The account in John 11 of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is amazing, but not at all surprising. Resurrection is what Jesus does. He brings the dead to life. He resurrected Lazarus, he resurrected himself after dying on the cross to exchange our sins for His righteousness, and He resurrected you and me when we confessed with our mouths and believed in our hearts that He is Lord. He's in the resurrection business.

"Who sinned, this man or his parents?" the disciples asked Jesus as they looked at the blind man. What a different place the world would be if, instead of constantly looking for an explanation of the evil in the world, instead of looking for someone to blame, we decided to focus our attention on what God can do!

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. That proves God’s love for us. While we were still adrift in the wilderness of sin, with no water in sight, God gave his only Son, who poured out his life, his living water, for you. Thanks be to God. Pastor Steven discusses Exodus 17 and John 4.

Pastor Steven discusses John 3, The Shack, and Truth

We simply have to grasp the seriousness of the human condition of sin we find ourselves in, because of the first man, Adam, so that we can understand just how very much we need the grace, mercy and redemption only made possible by the second man - Jesus.

ASH WEDNESDAY service at Countryside United Methodist. Pastor Steven preaches on 2 Corinthians 5 and 6.

From time to time we are called to the mountain. Our tendency in that experience is to want to stay on the mountaintop. It is there where we find inspiration, receive instruction and commune with our Lord. But, we are not so much called to the mountain as we are sent from it. Because our true calling is always in the valley or on the plain where the people are -that's our mission field; that's where we put the mountaintop inspiration to work for the kingdom!

A good foundation is essential to support the structure built upon it. And the structure built upon a good foundation should be worthy of the foundation. Every craftsman involved in the construction must do their part or their part won't pass the inspector's thorough inspection. Building buildings or building lives... the principles apply.

A lot of questions about the law in the news feeds recently. What exactly is the standard? In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls us to a higher standard, a higher righteousness than the righteousness of the Old Law. What exactly is that standard and how do we attain it? Good questions for which there are good answers.

NaCl. Sodium Chloride. Plain old salt. Why would Jesus tell us to be that? Light, too. He tells us to be light. Light and salt. Salt and light. Salty light? What's the deal?

Patricia Ann Hughes was born to Emma and Leo Ray on August 6, 1932 in Sabine Pass, Texas, where she lived with her husband Bill Hughes until he retired, and they moved to Palestine, Texas where they resided until 1999. She moved to Splendora, Texas and resided there with her daughter until Pat went to be with the Lord at 4:45 p.m. on January 24, 2017. Pat was preceded in death by her parents and siblings, her husband Bill Hughes, and her companion, John Schweitzer. She is survived by her children: Melody Ferguson; Linda Biggs and her husband, Joe; Beverly Pierce and her husband, John; and Gary Hughes; her five grandchildren and their spouses and thirteen great grandchildren. Pat was a faithful member of Countryside Methodist Church and also attended Caney Creek Cowboy Church. She was a light to all who knew her and she will be greatly missed.

This Sunday at Countryside we look at the true source of a nation's greatness. It doesn't come from a president, it doesn't come from a government. No, it comes from "we the people" unified in purpose and spirit. Still, if we are to be truly great, we have to be unified in the right things - things of righteousness; things of God.