Author Archives: pastorjeffsneighborhood

About pastorjeffsneighborhood

Born and raised in Minnesota, I have served in churches in Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon and California. I am a graduate of Crown College (MN) and George Fox Evangelical Seminary (OR). I have also done additional graduate studies in New Testament Studies at the Center for Advanced Theological Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary (CA). I am also a graduate of the College of Prayer. Having served as the Academic Dean and Program Director at Horizon Institute of Los Angeles for several years, I have returned to the pastorate and serve as Pastor of Big Trees Community Bible Church in Arnold, CA.

Nursery Duty

Posted on August 6, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Learn to walk, to eat solid food, to explore, to follow God on adventures of faith that will cause you to mature and grow. There’s so much to learn, so much to do, so much to experience, so much of life yet to be lived, so much to accomplish for Him. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged babes in Christ, christian living, growing up, growing up or growing old, immature Christians, maturity, solid food, Spiritual growth | Leave a comment

The Foolishness of Brilliance

Posted on August 5, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

We will never be able to completely comprehend the brilliance of God’s plan—his wisdom is beyond ours. But what we do know is that God loves foolish people like you and me and seems to delight in transforming the foolish, to frustrate the wisdom of this world. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged brilliance, Corinthians, foolish, foolishness of the message of the cross, God's wisdom, human wisdom, intelligence, Jesus, Paul, wise | Leave a comment

Plastic Prayers Make Plastic Churchgoers

Posted on August 4, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Open up your heart to God, just like David did. Get it all “out on the table,” then allow God to deal with the questions, the fears, the pain, the problems, the doubts. He patiently waits on us to clean out the closets of our heart. He delights in meeting with us when we do. Honesty is the road to transformation. We trade in our plastic religiosity to become authentic Christ followers. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged authentic christ followers, bible, faith, God, honest praying, honesty, hypocrisy, Jesus, lament, plastic christians, plastic churchgoers, prayer, praying, Psalms | Leave a comment

Amazing Grace!

Posted on August 3, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Grace truly is amazing. If it can find and change a man like Manasseh, there might be hope yet for you and me. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged amazing grace, another chance, Grace in the Old Testament, humbled, Manasseh, sweet sound | Leave a comment

The Mountaintop

Posted on August 2, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Repentance, prayer and obedience brought blessing. They always do. They also help to keep us from slipping. Look to God for the fullness of his blessing (Romans 15:29) and for the humility to enjoy each and every blessing and any success he brings. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged Blessing, Good kings aren't perfect, Hezekiah, humility, mountain top experiences, obedience, prayer, pride leads to a fall, repetance, slide to the bottom, success breeds pride | Leave a comment

Blessing Instead of Bleeping

Posted on August 1, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Our social media feeds are filled with it too. Words filled with contempt. Angry words. Slanderous, malicious, untruthful words. Name calling. Words that seek to divide and conquer–to tear down rather than build up. This is not the way of Christ. These things, too, ought not to be so. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged angry words, bible, Blessing, christianity, contempt, curse, cursing, faith, God, gossip, Hope, Jesus, joy, judgmental words, malicious, peace, power of blessing, power of words, sarcastic comments, slanderous, social media, these things ought not to be so, untruthful words | Leave a comment

Thank God For Broccoli

Posted on July 31, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Our freedom in Christ may lead to differing convictions on some issues. These should not be a source of disunity in the body of Christ. Flaunting our freedom before someone with differing convictions would also be wrong. For the sake of the other believer, keep your conviction to yourself. When your weaker brother leaves you can serve the meat, “and thank God for prime rib,” but don’t violate his conscience and don’t put a stumbling block in his way. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged broccoli, convictions, differing convictions, freedom in Christ, insensitive to others, prime rib, Professional Weaker Brother, stumbling block, taboos | Leave a comment

Starting and Finishing Well

Posted on July 30, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Uzziah’s “crash and burn” came because of his pride. Lofty thoughts of God led to his success. Lofty thoughts about himself led to his downfall. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged crash and burn, fear of the LORD, finishing well, King Uzziah, pride goes before a fall, started well, success, things didn't end well, Uzziah | Leave a comment

Medium Rare or Well Done

Posted on July 29, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Being a living sacrifice is demonstrated by our reaction to trials, suffering, persecution, and curses (12, 14-21). Here is advice for a living sacrifice dealing with difficult times: “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Trials demonstrate how “well done” you are as a living sacrifice. Do they make you better or bitter? A living sacrifice is patient, joyful, hopeful, and prayerful as he perseveres through trials. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged blessing and cursing, devoted to one another in love, leave retaliation to God, living sacrifice, serving others, trials, warm a pew, well done | Leave a comment

I Stand in Awe

Posted on July 28, 2025 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

God’s plan is sometimes difficult to understand. Especially when we try to figure out how he’s “working all things together for good.” There’s a lot of mystery there. Some things are beyond our knowing. But instead of trying to figure it all out, worship the God who knows and understands and is working it all out according to his plan in the most mysterious but glorious way. Continue reading →

Posted in Devotional Thoughts | Tagged beyond tracin gout, God's paths beyond tracing, God's plans, mysteries, riches of wisdom and knowledge | Leave a comment