Santa Maria Foursquare Church

The Ways of Jesus Pt 1 - Introduction

We often think about the words and works of Jesus, but rarely about His ways. But as we learn His ways, we discover the very heart of God. And while His ways are always good, they are nothing like our ways; while they lead to a hope-filled future, they are often filled with challenges we wouldn't choose on our own.

These good-but-challenging ways of Jesus are now being seen in the lives of our associate pastors, Joel and Veronica Arreola. Listen to their story, allow their faith to stretch your own, and join with us in partnering with them in their next seasons of ministry. 

Wrestling with Choices

We are constantly faced with making choices — but do we just slip into habits, fears and the ruts of past decisions when a choice needs to be made? Or is there a better way? Pastor Tim talks about five important concepts as we wrestle with decisions as followers of Jesus. "Every decision we make declares what we truly believe about God." 

Obedience

Pastor Joel brings a word on a topic that causes some people fear: what it means to obey God! But as Peter discovered, as he learned to trust Jesus, and simply do what He said, beautiful things followed. 

In the Beginning Pt 14 - The Tabernacle

In this final message in our series, Ron Brown shares about God's Tabernacle — the special "tent of meeting" where God visited His people as they traveled through the wildreness. 

In the Beginning Pt 13 - The Law

When God took His finger and wrote out the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone, He wasn't just giving "rules and regulations" for His people, He was revealing something for all generations that is for our liberation! Discover what God was showing us through the Law given long ago. 

In the Beginning Pt 12 - Dealing with Trouble

In the days just after God's intervention that set His people free from the Egyptians, they faced trouble. They were out of water. But instead of calling out to God, they complained. What do we do when we face trouble, and what can we learn about choosing a different path?

In the Beginning Pt 11 - Set Free

When Moses showed up in Egypt to set God's people free, their liberation didn't happen immediately. The Israelites had to learn to trust God for their freedom as they watched Him work on their behalf. In this story we find encouragement for our own struggles and learn the power of taking our families with us into freedom. 

In the Beginning Pt 10 - Moses

The story of Exodus is one of God's intervention to bring freedom to those trapped in captivity and oppression. And as Moses learned, God's revelation is always intended to bring our liberation. But before he could lead others to freedom, he needed to become free himself. And it all happened at a bush on fire. 

Who are you?

When God asked Jacob, "Who are you?" it's not because God forgot! He was asking Jacob about his identity. Pastor Robby Booth deals with this issue as he discusses Jacob's wrestling match with God. 

Mothering Moments

Guest speaker, Jojo Murdock, talks from her own life — from foster child, to mom, to advocate — about those who poured into her with "mothering moments" and revolutionized her life. "Moms are ordinary people who do extraordinary things!" 

In the Beginning Pt 9 - Joseph

Joseph's life was a crazy adventure — from prison to the palace — as he became the one God could use to accomplish a great mission. Learn from his story the lesson all of us desperately need: "I can't — but God can."

In the Beginning Pt 8 - Jacob

For much of their lives, Jacob and his twin brother, Esau, were at odds with each other — to the point of murder. But they experienced a miraculous reconcilation. Jacob's experience teaches us truths about reconcilation we can experience in our own lives — with God and others from whom we've become separated. (WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE POOR SOUND QUALITY OF THIS RECORDING!)

In the Beginning Pt 7 - Isaac

Throughout Scripture God is known as "the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." Like many of us, Isaac was a second-generation believer. And his life teaches us how to thrive in our faith in this second-gen position. 

In the Beginning Pt 6 - Abraham

Abraham is known as the "father of our faith," who not only heard the promises God made to him, but held to them without wavering. Through his journeys he discovered much about what God does and does not do — things we'll benefit from learning as well. 

In the Beginning Pt 5 - Noah

Do you ever feel like you're the only one you know who is trying to follow God? That was Noah's story. And while God needed to do a "reset" on the human story, Noah discovered imporant things about God — things we need to know as well. 

Easter — What does it mean to rise from the dead?

The disciples had no idea what Jesus was talking about when He referred to "rising from the dead." But they found out in a big way on that first Easter day. And it changed everything — not just for them, but for us as well. 

In the Beginning Pt 4 — The Fall

Into the middle of creation — in all its beautiful perfection — came the ruin of sin. And we find that sin always shatters relationship, truth and life. But that's not the end of the story, because Jesus came to restore what had been destroyed!

In the Beginning Pt 3 — Finding Fulfillment

Everyone wants fulfillment. No one wants the heartache of an empty life. In the story of creation, we find evidence of five aspects of humanity God designed into our common story that show us how we can find true fulfillment. 

In the Beginning Pt 2 - Creation

Some people — even followers of Jesus — don't know what they feel about the story of creation and Genesis 1. Could it possibly be true? As we see in Hebrews 11:3, this is a conversation about faith. Do we believe that God is truly who He says He is?

In the Beginning Pt 1

The Apostle Paul wrote, "Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us...so that we might have hope" (Romans 15:4). As we get ready to dive into the the story of Genesis and Exodus, we look at the importance of the Old Testament and all that it means to us as followers of Jesus.