Author Archives: pastorjeffsneighborhood

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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.

Wisdom

Posted on November 17, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

. He wants us to ask him for it. He never gets tired of our coming back again and again to ask for it. He never faults us for asking over and over again. Continue reading →

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Through Us and In Us

Posted on November 16, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

What tasks has God given you to do today? Do you believe that God will give you everything you need to do his will in all that he calls you to do today? He is always there to provide everything we need if we rely on him for it: the strength, the initiative, the follow through, the gifting, the wisdom, the love, the joy, the resources. Continue reading →

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Practical Holiness

Posted on November 15, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

As Christians, we are called to a life of holiness. But what does that mean? To some it might bring images of life in a monastery rejecting all worldly things to spend the rest of my life in prayer and solitude. To others, it means a rigid life of keeping rules and trying hard. Many of our images of holiness suggest a joyless existence–rigid and austere. But that is not the picture of holiness that the Bible gives. Continue reading →

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Keep Running

Posted on November 14, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

I suppose we all have times when we feel tired and weary and are tempted to quit. In those times we are, in essence, told by the writer, “Don’t give up, keep running, persevere to the end; keep your eye on the finish line.” Continue reading →

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Faith That Passes the Test

Posted on November 13, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Your faith will be tested. For Abraham it was a test of “willingness.” Would he be willing to sacrifice his only son even though it made no earthly sense and seemed to contradict everything he knew about God and his promise? Continue reading →

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Even When We Don’t Know Where We Are Going

Posted on November 12, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Often we find ourselves in the same place as Abraham who obeyed and went even though he didn’t know where he was going. Often faith requires us to “walk in the dark.” God gives us just enough to light to know the next step and then we must take it. Continue reading →

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Spurs of Encouragement

Posted on November 11, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

We all need encouraging words. Often those words of encouragement are ones that we want to hear such as a word of hope when we are going through a tough time; a word of affirmation when we are discouraged. Yet, encouragement doesn’t always mean flowery words of praise for another. Sometimes encouragement requires a spur–a painful poke in our backside that spurs us on to action. Continue reading →

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Standing in the Gap

Posted on November 10, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

What a haunting verse. I was looking for an intercessor, a prayer warrior, someone to stand in the gap, but I found none. Continue reading →

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Once for All

Posted on November 9, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

Jesus came with a better sacrifice: himself. He had lived a perfect, sinless life. He was the perfect Lamb of God who had come to take away the sins of the world. In his one time, once for all act of dying on the cross, Jesus made atonement for all our sins for all time. Continue reading →

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Unlimited Access

Posted on November 8, 2021 by pastorjeffsneighborhood

We are able to come to this place of intimacy with God without fear. We may come with confidence. Continue reading →

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