Dayspring Fellowship Podcasts

Steadfast in Suffering March 5, 2023 Time is our most valuable commodity. Tolkien said “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”  Time management means organizing your time intelligently – so that you use it more effectively. The benefits of good time management include greater productivity, less stress, and more opportunities to do the things that matter. But who decides what things matter? Is it just completely subjective? We are working our way through the Apostle Peter’s letters to the churches scattered throughout Asia Minor in a series we’ve called On This Rock: The Unshakeable Hope of 1 & 2 Peter. As we dive into 1 Peter 4 this week, we’ll find that Peter has some insight for us about how to make the best use of our time On the one hand, we all get 24 hours every day. No more, no less. On the other hand, none of us knows how much time we have left. How we use whatever time God gives, is of utmost importance. Let’s learn how to make the most of it! --------------------

Righteous Life / Ready Defense On This Rock: The Unshakeable Hope of 1 & 2 Peter February 26, 2023 We are three weeks into our series On This Rock: The Unshakeable Hope of 1 & 2 Peter. The Apostle Peter wrote his letters to both Jewish and Gentile Christ-followers who were scattered throughout five different parts of the Roman Empire in Asia Minor. Life for them, living in a foreign land and under the persecution of the Roman emperor Nero, was difficult, to say the least. Peter’s words of hope as they faced uncertainty reminded them of the unshakeable foundation that was theirs in Christ. And his words of encouragement, to steadfastly live out their faith, even in the face of oppression, motivated them to imitate Christ, that the world around them might see and know Him. As followers of Jesus, we are called to become like Him, to walk and talk the way He did, so that others might see a true picture of Christ and be drawn to Him. Are you growing to be like Christ? Be encouraged in your pursuit to be m

Our Submission/God’s Honor On This Rock: The Unshakeable Hope of 1 & 2 Peter February 19, 2023 Last week we began a brand-new series called On This Rock: The Unshakeable Hope of 1 & 2 Peter. Over the next few weeks, we will be taking a look at these two letters written by the Apostle Peter. Peter knew first-hand what it meant to forget who you are and who you represent. He’d felt the sting of failure and born the weight of disgrace. So as he encourages his readers to remember who they are and whom they represent, he writes from a deeply personal place. Who do you represent and what kind of representative are you? ----------------------------------- TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP ---------------------------------- Give Online: https://www.simplechurchgiving.net/App/Giving/dsf Message Notes: https://www.dayspringfellowship.com/sermons Like, comment & subscribe to stay updated! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayspringkeizer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DayspringKeizer YouTube: https://www.youtube.co

Living Hope/Holy Life February 12, 2023 his week we are beginning a brand-new series we’re calling, On This Rock: The Unshakable Hope of 1 & 2 Peter. Over the next several weeks, we will be digging into these personal and passionate letters written by the Apostle Peter. If you’re familiar with Peter’s story from the gospels, you know that he was bold, outspoken, and passionate. There was no holding back with Peter! Peter was well-known throughout the early church. So, imagine the joy and excitement of the believers who received his written words of encouragement! Living essentially as exiles, scattered through Asia Minor, following Jesus was not just counter-cultural, it was difficult! As we will discover, Peter’s words to them, and to us, are filled with encouragement about the hope we have in Christ and the firm foundation upon which our faith can stand. ----------------------------------- TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP ---------------------------------- Let us know that you were listening to us and you will be en

Don't Look Back February 5, 2022 We are wrapping up our series, Resilient: Strength That Prevails this Sunday. And as we do, we’ll be taking a look at the importance of steadfastly looking forward, not gazing back to the past. I invite you to join us as we as we unpack why the direction of our attention matters so much and how we can make sure we are facing the right way. Practically speaking, we all understand the value of looking where we’re going. But it’s actually easier said, than done. Our hearts are drawn to the past, to the good ol’ days; to what was, because what is can feel overwhelming, frustrating, even hopeless. The past – even if it was hard – feels safe because it's known. The future – what’s unknown – is scary. And yet, we also know that unless you want to get sidelined or stuck, you gotta look where you’re going! ----------------------------------- TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP ---------------------------------- Let us know that you were watching with us and you will be entered to receive a free prize

The Deep Well Within Us [Part 4] January 29, 2023 We are in the fourth week of our series, Resilient: Strength That Prevails. This week, we’ll are taking a look at what the Bible refers to as our ‘inner being.’ The apostle Paul, writing to the church at Ephesus, says, “I pray that out of his (God’s) glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.” But what is our inner being? And how do we access the strength and power God puts there? I invite you to join us as we seek to understand more deeply what it means to access and live out of this inner part of ourselves and how to connect with God in that place. The process of getting to that deeper part of who we, are and connecting with God there, will look a bit different for each of us. And, like anything worthwhile, it will take time, patience, and perseverance to get to what’s at our center. But I can tell you from personal experience, the process is worth it. ----------------------------------- TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP -----

Resilient: Unconverted Places January 22, 2023 We are in week three of our series, Resilient: Strength That Prevails. This week, we’ll be considering the unconverted places in our lives and what the process of more closely aligning our hearts, minds, and actions with the heart of Christ looks like. Those unconverted places, those areas where we haven’t yet surrendered to Jesus, where we struggle to walk in obedience to Him, aren’t profitable for His kingdom or for us. ----------------------------------- TAKE YOUR NEXT STEP ---------------------------------- Let us know that you were listening and you will be entered to receive a free prize by completing our Connection Card: http://dsf.church/ecard Give Online: https://www.simplechurchgiving.net/App/Giving/dsf Message Notes: https://www.dayspringfellowship.com/sermons Like, comment & subscribe to stay updated! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayspringkeizer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DayspringKeizer YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/dayspringfe

The Strength That Prevails   Resilient: Glory or Desolation January 15, 2023   The landscape of Oregon is dotted with evidence of once-bustling, thriving frontier communities that have, for one reason or another, been abandoned. While it’s almost impossible to prove, some have claimed that Oregon is home to more ghost towns than any other state. There are no set definitions for what makes a particular place a ‘ghost town’ but experts have agreed on three classifications: true, partial, and tourist. A true ghost town has no permanent residents, while a partial ghost town has lost the majority of its population. A tourist ghost town has completely changed the purpose for their existence, while retaining the character of their historic heyday. In the book, Ghost Towns of the Northwest, an old-timer from the dwindling Wheeler County village of Spray was quoted as saying, “They’s just like any other town ‘cept they ain’t hardly no one livin’ there.”   So, what causes a once-thriving community to decline to the poi

The Strength That Prevails Resilient: Strength That Prevails January 8, 2023  There’s a popular children’s worship song that came out in the early to mid 70’s. It had fun hand motions, and who doesn’t love a song with fun hand motions? Maybe you remember it... I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me. Makes the lame to walk and the blind to see. Opens prison doors, sets the captives free. I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me. Spring up, o well, within my soul! Spring up, o well, and make me whole. Spring up o well, and give to me, that life abundantly.   Now, I don’t know about your Sunday School teachers, but I don’t recall mine ever really taking the time to explain the “river of life.” Where does it come from? Of course, the Sunday School answer is “Jesus” or “God.” And maybe as a kid, I didn’t really care all that much where it came from; it was just fun to jump, hop, and “splish, splash” with my friends as we sang. But if those words are true... then now, as an adult, I want to know more about t

2022: Year In Review January 1, 2023 Happy New Year, friends! All across the country it was a memorable Christmas with wild wintry weather, cancelled flights, and rescheduled or postponed family gatherings. Whatever your circumstances, I hope you enjoyed the holiday and made good memories with family and friends.   What is it that makes something memorable? Science is still figuring out how the brain, and more specifically, memory, function. But we do know that strong emotions or trauma associated with events creates memories with more sticking power. So... this Christmas, with all of the drama involved, will probably stick out in people’s minds when they look back through the years. The associated emotions or stress will make the memories of this year stand out!   Brain science also tells us that the more we practice something or think about something, the stronger the connections or synapses in our brains become. Those synapses grow stronger or weaker based on how much we rehearse or think about something.

A King Like No Other The Gift December24, 2022 Have you ever met a royal? There is a tremendous fascination with the British royal family here in the United States. Millions of Americans willingly crawl out of bed at an ungodly hour, to watch a royal wedding or funeral. All of the pomp and pageantry is undeniably breathtaking... even when you’re just watching on TV. I can’t imagine what it must be like to experience it all in person. It’s not likely that I ever will, but just in case... there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First of all, stand when a royal enters the room. And stay standing until they sit down. Be sure to use the correct titles: Your Majesty for a king or queen; Your Highness for a prince or princess. The most important ‘rule’ is to never touch a monarch! A slight bow of the head for men, or a brief curtsy for women is appropriate, but don’t try to shake hands unless it's initiated by them. And never attempt to give a hug! It’s primarily a security thing, but they are royal, after al

It's Hard To Understand The Gift December18, 2022 It’s only one small word. But in the mouth of a young child, it has the power to drive a weary mom to the edge. Some kids repeat it incessantly... over and over and over. Why is the sky blue? Why do I have to go to bed? Why do people get sick? Why aren’t there dinosaurs anymore? Why can’t I have ice cream for breakfast? Why do birds fly? Why is it dark at night? Why? Why? Why? It can be challenging to satisfy the insatiable curiosity of a child. And perhaps it’s our thinly veiled frustration with the never-ending questions that eventually kills their curiosity. Because sooner or later, many of them...and many of us, quit asking the ‘why’ questions. Somewhere along the way, we lose the gift of wonder.   I’m Chris Voigt, Lead Pastor at Dayspring Fellowship in Keizer, Oregon. This holiday season, we are looking at a piece of the Christmas story that we’ve not really unpacked before, in a sermon series called The Gift. Have you ever wondered about the gifts the w

Someone Finally Understands Me The Gift December11, 2022  The Amazon, UPS, USPS, and FedEx drivers are working around the clock this time of year making holiday deliveries. And if the traffic in and out of Keizer Station on the weekends is any indication, there’s a whole lot of people who are still working on their Christmas shopping. Gifts – both giving and receiving them – seem to be the centerpiece of the holiday season in our culture. But in a way, I think that’s appropriate. After all, the story of Christmas is all about the greatest gift ever given to mankind. Over the next three weeks, we will be taking a look at the gifts the wise men brought to the Christ Child in a new series called The Gift. Sometimes, I think familiarity with the Christmas story causes us to just read right past those three baby gifts without really thinking about them. I can’t imagine Mary putting those items on her Amazon wish list! Have you ever stopped to wonder why the wise men gave the things they did? How are gold, franki

Becoming Victorious Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are December 4, 2022 Almost every Wednesday our staff spends time together praying for our Dayspring family. This week, as we reviewed the list of requests and shared concerns for family and friends, someone commented that it is definitely ‘sick season.’ Various versions of ‘the crud’ are going around – be it colds, the flu, covid, or whatever – lots of people are down with some sort of bug!   When we get sick, there is a battle raging in our bodies. Though we can’t see it, we definitely feel the effects. Coughs, sore throats, body aches, fevers and other assorted symptoms alert us to the fact that something is amiss within. We respond by doing whatever we can to help our bodies fight off the offending invader. We rest, drink fluids, take medication, slurp chicken noodle soup and ginger ale... all in an effort to conquer the virus that’s trying to take us out. If good habits like exercise, drinking water, and a healthy diet are part of our everyday lives, we ar

Becoming Imitators Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are November 27, 2022 It has been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. The idea behind this proverb has been around for centuries, but it was first popularized by English author Charles Caleb Colton who included it in a book of axioms and essays published in 1820. The word imitate means to follow or endeavor to follow as a model or example; to mimic or resemble.   I’m not much of an outdoorsy kind of guy. But let’s think about the sport of fly fishing for a minute. I do understand enough about it to know that the goal of the fisherman is to actually catch fish, not just whip his line back and forth on the river all day.  According to the ‘experts’ at Wikipedia, a successful fly imitates something that the fisherman’s target species preys on. All successful fly patterns must imitate something to attract the fish to strike. So, to return to our proverb, the fly has been sufficiently flattered, enough to convince the fish to bite!   I’m Chris Voig

Becoming Righteous Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are November 20, 2022 In March of 2020 the world turned upside down and inside out. ‘Normal’ was redefined and daily rhythms reworked as we figured out how to do school from home, order groceries online, attend church via livestream, and of course, attempt to work remotely, surrounded by all the chaos. One thing that quickly became a part of our “new normal” was the Zoom call... the virtual meeting space where we could see and communicate with our people... family, classmates, friends and co-workers. The bulk of our personal interactions moved from in-person to online. Having the technology to maintain our connections while navigating the challenges of the pandemic was an incredible benefit. But occasionally, the Zoom window into our personal worlds allowed people to see a little more than they bargained for! For most of us, who we are and how we dress (or don’t, as the case may be) in the privacy of our homes is just a bit different than who we are with the who

Becoming United Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are November 13, 2022 I love a good musical. My favorite is probably Singin’ In the Rain... or Seven Brides For Seven Brothers... or... My Fair Lady (which I get to see in Portland with my daughter next Spring!) ...there are just so many good ones! Another that would land in my top ten would be The Music Man... the classic with Robert Preston and Shirley Jones. I’ve worked with enough young interns to know that I can’t take anything for granted when it comes to the musical education of the younger generations. So, for those of you who have not yet seen this classic film, allow me to enlighten you.   “Professor” Harold Hill arrives in River City, Iowa, posing as an organizer and leader of a boys' band. In reality, he’s a just a slick con man. He convinces the naïve townspeople to purchase band uniforms and instruments from him, while promising to train the young band members. But his real intentions are to skip town with their money.   As you might expect, nothing go

Becoming Rooted Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are November 6, 2022 If you’ve been around here very long, you know that I’m a sunshine and blue skies kind of guy. Summer is my favorite time of year. I am thankful that, for the most part, our typical rainy fall weather didn’t kick in until the end of October this year. Which made for a beautiful fall. We were treated to a gorgeous display of autumn glory as the leaves turned colors, creating a tapestry of vibrant red, yellow, and orange throughout our city.   The changes we see in the trees as the seasons turn are pretty spectacular. But what is even more amazing is what is going on beneath the surface, where we can’t see!   The root systems of trees are really just beginning to be understood by scientists. An online article published in Smithsonian Magazine by journalist Richard Grant outlines new discoveries about the incredible things that take place within the “wood-wide-web” beneath the forest floor, as groves of trees “communicate” with one another; sharin

Becoming One Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are October 30, 2022 September 1938. Tension as thick as the London fog hung heavy over the city. Less than one generation away from the horrors of World War One, Britain teetered on the edge of yet another war. Six months earlier, Hitler had annexed Austria, laying claim to everyone and everything that could fuel his ruthless march toward the creation of a greater Germany. Now, he vowed to invade Czechoslovakia on October 1.   Two days before Hitler’s promised invasion date, he agreed to meet with British Prime minister Neville Chamberlain, as well as Italy’s Mussolini and French leader Daladier. The negotiations resulted in an agreement, known as the Munich Pact, which ceded part of Czechoslovakia to Hitler’s control, as well as establishing a non-aggression pact between Germany and Britain.   Returning to London, Chamberlain declared, “Peace for our time!” And for a brief moment, Londoners breathed easier. But five months later, in March of ’39, Hitler annexed the r

Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are October 23, 2022 Tony Merida, in his commentary on the book of Ephesians. recounts the story of eclectic English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, who lived from 1748-1832. Merida writes, “He was an interesting figure in more ways than one. In Bentham’s will he apparently left a fortune to a London hospital. But there was one condition: Bentham was to be present at every board meeting. Reportedly, for more than 100 years, the remains of Jeremy Bentham were wheeled into the boardroom every month and placed at the head of the table. His skeleton was dressed with seventeenth-century garb, along with a hat, which sat on his wax head. In the minutes of every board meeting, a line read, “Mr. Jeremy Bentham, present but not voting.” Of course, he never voted because he had been dead since 1832!”   I’m Chris Voigt, Lead Pastor at Dayspring Fellowship in Keizer, Oregon. We are in the second week of our new series Ephesians: Becoming Who You Are. This week, we’re unpacking the truth of what it