Substitutes are people made righteous to do righteous deeds for those in need, to the glory of God.Come along as Pastor Daniel Steeves unpacks the theology of being a substitute through Job 29.

Scripture says, "Do not be afraid," and Scripture also commands us to fear God. Which is it? In Luke 12:1-12, Jesus takes up the question of fear and puts guardrails around it.Daniel Steeves walks through the passage verse by verse: hypocrisy as leaven, working slowly and in secret until the day when everything hidden is brought into the light; the fear of God as the one fear that frees us from every lesser one; what Jesus means by blasphemy against the Holy Spirit; and His promise that the Spirit supplies the words when His people are put on the spot for Christ. The God who holds authority over your soul is the same God who counts the hairs on your head.

How can you enjoy life without idolizing it? How can you enjoy life without it being vanity? Daniel Steeves moves through Ecclesiastes 9 to show that, with the right heart, enjoying God's gifts is part of enjoying God!

The disciples watched Jesus heal the sick, preach to crowds, and silence a storm, yet the one thing they asked Him to teach them was how to pray. Whatever they saw in Him, they wanted it.In this message from Luke 11:1-13, Pastor Daniel Steeves walks through the model prayer and the parable of the persistent neighbor. Jesus offers His disciples something no rabbi before Him could offer: unhindered access to God as Father. The Father who hears is glad to be asked, and every petition, from daily bread to protection from temptation, serves the fame of God's name.

You can tirelessly serve Jesus for years and end up resenting Him. Martha did just that, and she managed to do it while Jesus was sitting in the next room.In this study of Luke 10:38-42, Pastor Daniel Steeves leads us through four moevments of the passage: Martha welcomes, Mary listens, Martha complains, and Jesus corrects. Hospitality isn't the problem in the passage, and Jesus does not tell Martha to have a bett attitude while serving. Instead, He tells her that one thing is necessary, and that Mary has chosen the good portion, the one helping set in front of her that nobody can take back. In the end, this passage shows us that service for Jesus that is not fed by Jesus will curdle into resentment every time.Luke 10:38–42 — Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus tells His disciples that the least among them is the greatest, and most of us hear that as a call to think poorly of ourselves. I am convinced that is not what He means. In Luke 9:46–50 two scenes belong together: twelve men arguing over rank, and John shutting down a stranger who was casting out demons in Jesus' name.This passage shows that "least" is a position you take rather than a feeling you work up about yourself, and Jesus makes it measurable by asking who you are willing to stand next to. The cost runs in two directions, and I work through both, along with the line between guarding the gospel and guarding your own circle.

When a lawyer comes to Jesus with a good question yet bad motives, Jesus turns the tables and shows that the man's heart reveals he does not have eternal life. Using a parable about a good Samaritan, Jesus exposes this man's heart and teaches us a lesson about how we must be characterized by love and mercy if we are to have eternal life.

Luke 10:17–24 — The seventy-two return from their mission, thrilled that "even the demons are subject to us in your name." Jesus is glad for them, but he isn't finished. He takes their joy apart and rebuilds it on ground that will actually hold.In this study of Luke 10:17–24, Daniel Steeves walks through the three places Jesus locates Christian joy: results, record, and revelation. The text shows why only one of them can carry the weight of a whole life.When the 72 report demons, Jesus reports something bigger: "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." It's the same mission from two vantage points, and only one of them takes in the whole thing. That gap is good news for anyone discouraged by ministry that doesn't seem to work. Your assessment of your own obedience is not the final word on it.Then comes the correction in verse 20: "Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Be thrilled by his power, but be overjoyed by his grace. Results change. Some weeks the demons submit, and some weeks the town runs you out. A joy tied to ministry success will rise and fall your whole life long.In this episode:Why Jesus "audits" his disciples' joy instead of simply celebrating with themWhat "I saw Satan fall like lightning" means (and the Isaiah 14 imagery behind it)The authority to tread on serpents and scorpions — what verse 19 actually promises, and what it doesn'tWhy a newborn's birth certificate explains "your names are written in heaven"Jesus' unique sonship and authority in Luke 10:22 — "all things have been handed over to me by my Father"Why prophets and kings longed to see what you hold in your lap

In this devotional, Daniel reflects on the significance of his son's name, Asher. Asher means "blessed" or "happy." That Hebrew word shows up in Psalm 112 to describe the man who is blessed. Ultimately, this Psalm points to Jesus, the one blessed by the Father who, in turn, blesses us!

Who is worth climbing a roof for? In Mark 2, four men decide a paralyzed friend is worth wrecking a stranger's house, because they believe Jesus can do what no one else can. This sermon traces their bold faith and asks a hard question: why do our own hands stay empty? The answer reaches beyond closed garage doors and awkward break rooms into something closer to home: the pride that tells us we are less broken than the people around us. If you have ever felt stuck, unsure how to share your faith, or convinced someone you love is too far gone, this message points you back to the One who walks into graveyards.Themes include grace, forgiveness, sharing the gospel, and treasuring Christ. Preached at Litchfield First Baptist Church.