John Wasserman Podcast

This sermon explores God's desire for a transformed heart rather than mere outward obedience. Drawing from Israel's repeated failures throughout the Old Testament, the message reveals how God promised a new heart through the prophets, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus embodied what Israel was meant to be—the faithful son with a perfect heart devoted to God. Through Christ's ministry, death, and resurrection, believers receive the new heart promised in Ezekiel 36, where God removes hearts of stone and gives hearts of flesh. The sermon emphasizes that guarding this new heart begins with walking in our new identity as sons and daughters of God, refusing to live as our old selves, and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out. True revival and transformation start in the heart, not through external religious rituals.

In this heartfelt and honest conversation, Mom Bev Wasserman reflects on what the Holy Spirit has taught her in this season of her life. With vulnerability, wisdom, and faith, she shares how God's presence, comfort, and guidance have sustained her through one of life's most challenging journeys. This is not a sermon, but a sincere testimony of God's faithfulness and the lessons learned while walking closely with the Holy Spirit.

This deeply personal and vulnerable sermon explores the theme of being held by God through life's difficulties and uncertainties. The pastor emphasizes that God is not distant but intimately close, seeing us in our struggles and holding us through every season. Drawing from Paul's letter to the Corinthians, the message focuses on God as the Father of all compassion and comfort who holds us in our pain, not necessarily removing every storm but sustaining us through it. The sermon challenges believers to move from striving to abiding, from self-reliance to God-dependence, and from isolation to community. It emphasizes that prayer is not performance but honest dependence on God, even when words are hard to find. The central message is that the same God who was faithful yesterday will be faithful in tomorrow's unknown, and that comfort becomes our calling as we learn to comfort others with the comfort we receive from God.

Begotten or Adoption | Andre Blignaut by John Wasserman

We have to be intentional about things, first knowing, and then doing, even as Moses intentionally prepared and anointed Joshua for succeeding him as the leader of Israel. Sadly, Joshua did not do the same, leaving Israel in chaos when he died, during which time everyone did what was right in their own eyes. – the very way in which our modern society is operating. During this chaotic time of Israel’s existence God raised several judges to help his people repent of their wicked ways, return to him, and overcome the enemies who had invaded them. The fourth of these judges was Deborah. Deborah fulfilled five roles, that of a prophet, a judge who settled disputes, a leader, a mother and a wife. She did not usurp God’s structure of spiritual authority but gave His word and instructions to Barak, the commander of Israel’s army, to attack Israel’s oppressor Jaben. But, because of Barak’s weakness and fear, the glory of the eventual victory over Jaben went to a woman named Jael, who killed the commander of Jaben, Sisera, by driving a tent pen through his temple. This morning’s group discussion was about why the people trusted Deborah’s leadership, what practices help us hear God clearly and what it might look like for us as women to develop that kind of spiritual influence. The question was asked, what the cessation of village life mentioned in Judges 5:7 meant, and where that could be applied to the lives of the people attending this meeting. The encouragement came to arise in Biblical ways like Deborah did. Further topics to discuss were - why did Barak need Deborah’s presence to fulfil God’s instructions, and the importance of encouragement and partnership in leadership.

This sermon explores the vital connection between abiding in Christ and bearing spiritual fruit. Pastor John emphasizes that Christians are called not just to believe, but to produce fruit that glorifies God. Drawing primarily from John 15, he explains that fruitfulness is not mechanical or automatic, but relational and intentional. The message traces the flow of divine life from the Father dwelling in the Son, to the Son dwelling in believers, to believers abiding in Christ, resulting in fruit-bearing that impacts the world. The pastor stresses that answered prayer, joy, love, and transformed lives all flow from this abiding relationship. He challenges the congregation to move beyond complicated Christianity to the simplicity of remaining connected to the Vine, noting that pruning often comes not because we're doing something wrong, but because God wants us to be even more fruitful. The ultimate purpose of our existence is to bear fruit that demonstrates we are Christ's disciples, bringing glory to the Father.

This sermon addresses the critical importance of renewing our minds as the foundation for spiritual growth and transformation. The message emphasizes that the greatest barrier to spiritual maturity is not external circumstances, the devil, or culture, but an unrenewed mind. Through examining the progression from thought to belief to habit to stronghold, the sermon illustrates how our thought patterns shape our entire lives. The core teaching centers on the truth that transformation begins internally through deliberate mental renewal, not through trying harder or changing circumstances. The sermon challenges believers to take captive every thought, replace lies with God's truth, and trust Him completely rather than conforming to negative thinking patterns that hinder kingdom growth.

Pastor John delivers a sobering message about the need for integrity, accountability, and biblical standards in prophetic ministry. Drawing from recent controversies in the broader church community, particularly involving prophet Sean Boltz and Bethel Church, he addresses the dangers of unchecked prophetic authority, the grooming of congregations to accept anything labeled "prophetic," and the real harm caused by false prophecies. While affirming the genuine power and place of prophetic gifts in the church, Pastor John emphasizes that character must match calling, that prophets need pastoral oversight, and that congregations must exercise biblical discernment. He calls both prophetic ministers and church members to accountability—ministers to operate with humility and transparency, and members to test all prophecies against Scripture. The sermon balances correction with encouragement, concluding with a commitment to pursue authentic prophetic ministry marked by love, integrity, and submission to God's Word.

This powerful message confronts us with a profound truth: our spiritual maturity isn't measured by what we know, but by what we experience through trials. Drawing from James chapter 1, we discover that every good gift from God follows a path toward perfection—but that path runs directly through temptation, testing, and trials. The question isn't whether difficulties will come, but whether we'll allow them to transform us. We're presented with a sobering reality: we can go through multiple trials and remain spiritually stagnant, or we can embrace each challenge as an opportunity to experience God more deeply. The concept of 'makarios'—being blessed—takes on revolutionary meaning here: it's not just receiving God's favor, but becoming so transformed that earthly troubles no longer control us. We learn that the 'crown of life' promised to those who persevere isn't merely eternal life, but something more intimate—the privilege of experiencing God personally through every circumstance. The Israelites' journey through the wilderness becomes our mirror: they repeatedly complained to Moses instead of asking God directly, essentially declaring 'God isn't here with us.' Their murmuring wasn't just negativity—it was a refusal to acknowledge God's presence and provision. When we complain, we're doing the same thing: standing still in darkness, stirring up mud rather than moving toward the light. This message challenges us to see our current struggles not as obstacles but as divine invitations to know God experientially, to move from head knowledge to heart relationship, and to bear fruit that remains.

This powerful message confronts us with an uncomfortable truth: spiritual progress is not automatic. Drawing from James chapter 1 and Paul's words to Timothy, we're challenged to examine whether we're truly advancing in our faith or remaining spiritually stagnant. The central question pierces through religious complacency: 'In what area have you made no progress?' James reveals that trials aren't meant to crush us but to mature us—every difficulty we face is designed to test and strengthen our faith, producing perseverance that leads to spiritual completeness. The message dismantles two dangerous deceptions: first, that we're merely 'in a season' of testing (when actually, trials are part of life's fabric), and second, that God tempts us with evil (when really, we're tempted by our own undealt-with desires). The transformative insight comes in understanding that God gave us birth through His Word, and that same implanted Word has the power to save our souls—not just our spirits, but our wounded emotions, stunted maturity, and broken thought patterns. We're reminded that weeds and wheat both mature; bad character and good character both grow up. The question isn't whether we'll mature, but what we'll mature into. This is a call to intentional spiritual growth, to let perseverance finish its work, and to receive God's Word with meekness so it can heal the deep places that keep us from progressing into the fullness of who we are in Christ.

This powerful message centers on the biblical principle of spiritual progress and stewardship found in 1 Timothy 4:15, where we're challenged to be diligent in our growth so that our profiting may be evident to all. The core revelation here is that God doesn't give us gifts merely to possess them—every gift, calling, and talent we receive comes with a divine expectation to mature it, maximize it, and steward it faithfully. Drawing from James 1:17, we discover that every good and perfect gift originates from God, but the journey from 'good' to 'perfect' requires our active participation. The message beautifully illustrates how God makes us different by design, not by accident, and how our unity isn't found in sameness but in celebrating those differences while progressing together. What's particularly compelling is the reminder that the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable—they don't disappear when we stumble or grow cold. When we return to Him, everything is still there, waiting to be activated and matured. The challenge for us in this season is to recognize that fruitfulness isn't optional; it's woven into our spiritual DNA from Genesis 1:28 onward. Whether it's the gift of life itself, our relationships, careers, natural talents, or spiritual gifts, God expects progression in every area. The pathway to this growth? The same Word that gave us birth, humbly received and actively applied, combined with wisdom sought through prayer and godly counsel.

This message invites us into the beautiful tradition of Advent, specifically focusing on the second candle—the candle of peace, also known as the Bethlehem candle. Drawing from Isaiah 9:6-7, we're reminded that Jesus came not just as a baby in a manger, but as the Prince of Peace whose government and peace would have no end. The word 'shalom' encompasses far more than absence of conflict—it means wholeness, completeness, nothing lost, nothing stolen, nothing broken. We discover that peace isn't something we achieve through our own efforts or control; it's a gift that comes from receiving Christ himself. John 14:27 becomes our anchor: 'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.' The world offers temporary relief, escapism, or numbness, but Jesus offers himself—the Prince of Peace living within us. Our role is to guard that peace, choosing not to let our hearts be troubled or afraid. The lighting of the Advent candle becomes a prophetic statement: this world won't end in chaos but in glory, when Christ's eternal reign brings complete restoration. Perhaps your heart has lost its sparkle this year, perhaps storms have raged around or within you. This Advent season offers us the opportunity to return to the pool of His presence and let peace be restored, remembering that we cannot operate in the miraculous outside of peace.

This powerful message invites us into a profound exploration of what it truly means to live as citizens of God's kingdom right here, right now. At its heart is a compelling question: if Jesus stood before us today and asked, 'What does my kingdom look like in your life?', what would we say? Drawing from Matthew 6:33's call to seek first the kingdom and Luke 17:20-21's revelation that the kingdom is within us, we're challenged to move beyond merely consuming church services and instead become active participants in demonstrating heaven's reality on earth. The message emphasizes three transformative elements of kingdom living: purity as alignment with God's heart rather than perfection, life as overflowing abundance rather than mere survival, and love as the operating system of heaven that must characterize all our relationships. We're reminded that purity clears the window of our hearts so God's light can shine through, that the Holy Spirit's indwelling means we carry resurrection power wherever we go, and that love—costly, sacrificial love—is the non-negotiable command that marks us as Jesus' disciples. This isn't about religious performance but about genuine transformation that starts within and flows outward, affecting our families, workplaces, and communities. The call is clear: let's live as walking contradictions to every lie the enemy speaks, proving through our lives that God's kingdom is not distant or theoretical but present and powerful.