Curwensville Alliance Church Podcasts

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 11/30/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. The Logos is the unchanging word. He’s the Word – the Logos. He is the same as he ever was. He is the same as He ever will be. He is always faithful. Why would we doubt His faithfulness now? Hebrews 13:8 states that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. The Logos is the essential word. It’s not just that we couldn’t live without Him, it’s that we would not exist without Him. He defines our being. He defines what we are and who we are. He defines what’s right and wrong. The Logos is the life giving word. He gives life meaning. He makes life eternal – starting now.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 11/23/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Doesn’t every “thank you” count? There is the mandated thank you, the non-thinking thank you, and the faked thank you. A thank you that doesn’t count is based on self righteousness. A thank you coming from comparison instead of objectivity. A thank you that counts is a thank you that recognizes Christ’s work. A thank you that recognizes God’s grace. A thank you that recognizes your need.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 11/16/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Listen as Pastor Steve takes us through the passage in Matthew 7:24-29 concerning foundational wisdom. To have wisdom founded in Christ you’ve got to pay attention. You’ve got to live His words by implementing them. Be humble and admit your need for grace. Be honest in prayer. Be light and not darkness. Invest in the eternal by laying up treasures in heaven. Love others. You can’t hate and walk with God. Trust God and give Him your whole heart. Don’t dehumanize. People are not objects. Be real. Don’t be a “pretender”. Make your word your bond. Let your yes be yes. Be golden – do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Don’t be vindictive instead be gracious and forgiving. Be on your guard and beware of false teachers. You’ve got to cling to the Rock. These directives are benchmarks of faith. This is nothing to ignore, and everything to reach for!

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 11/09/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. People look for wisdom in novel places. They look to someone with a big social platform, but not everyone with a big following delivers helpful content. Many people with excellent content go unknown in the world. People look to a professional. People look to someone whose life they can see. So where do we find real wisdom? Wisdom comes from Godly men and women. The kind of people who reflect the image of God and display the character of Christ. Wisdom comes from those interested in you in the kingdom. They don’t give it for fame, money or attention. They give it because they care. Wisdom comes from one who cares about your wellbeing. Wisdom comes from those who worship the God of Scripture. How do you receive wisdom? Be willing to discuss what you’re doing. Don’t hide your struggles. Don’t pretend to be someone you aren’t. Be willing to hear hard words. Be ready to evaluate and implement the wisdom. Discern that this is from God. Pray, evaluate, communicate and initiate.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 11/02/25 by Rev. Bernie Knefley. Listen as Bernie continues with Part II of Oh Great, Now What. Life happens while we’re making other plans. Not every path is God’s direction. Not every detour is God’s plan. Not every obstacle is the enemy. Not every bad idea is a bad idea. Not every good idea is a good idea. Just because you think it doesn’t mean you should do it! Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. The road of faith is marked with failure and uncertainty. The question is how do you respond? What do you do next? Our victory is found when we see ourselves as God sees us. Learn to practice what God says about you through His word.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 10/26/25 by Micah Yager. Listen as guest speaker Micah Yager speaks on seeds of the kingdom, and how God is in the business of using common, imperfect men and women to do His kingdom’s work.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 10/19/25 by Rev Bernie Knefley. We are told in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 that we will be afflicted. When life gets you down, what do we do? Sometimes we panic. Sometimes we do the opposite of what we should do. Life happens while we’re making other plans. How do you respond? What do you do next? 1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. Our intentions are good, but our follow-through often falls short. Just like Peter when he denied Jesus 3 times in Matthew 26:34-35. Our words and actions are two different things. We need to draw closer to Christ, and put on the armor of God daily.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 10/12/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Life puts us in places where we feel unprepared. More accurately God puts us in places where we feel unprepared. A change of job. An illness. A windfall. And we ask ourselves am I ready for what is ahead? Beliefs that are essential for receiving God’s wisdom. Believe that God is a God of grace – hesed. Believe that you are in need. Believe that the task is weighty. The tasks God gives are difficult. The tasks God gives are greatly important. Believe that nothing is more important than serving God. This wisdom becomes accessible at the cross. You need grace. The work is too weighty for you. You can’t do this without God. Prioritize serving God. Be prepared to receive wisdom.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 10/05/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Paying attention helps you live wisely. Failure to pay attention can cause drift. Failure to pay attention can bring disaster. Paying attention makes it possible to receive blessing.. Focus your attention on things that advance the Kingdom. What’s going on around us. What God says in His Word. Hold on to what you have learned. Visit it repeatedly. Unpack it thoroughly but not creatively. Live it deliberately and dependently.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 9/28/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Wisdom is the centerpiece in all of life. You need wisdom in the good times. You need wisdom in the bad times. James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James is talking about a wisdom that helps us stick with God. Trusting that His plan is a good plan. As you grow in wisdom, you trust God’s plan and as you trust God’s plan, you grow in wisdom. Trust God’s plan so that you don’t get tossed around. Trust God’s plan so that you don’t get tricked. Don’t be deceived. Receiving wisdom requires humility. The humility to revere God – to fear God. The humility to submit to God. The humility to trust God.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 9/21/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Wisdom is a gift that must be pursued. While wisdom comes as a gift from God, you must pursue it as though it depended upon you. Wisdom expands your life by limiting you. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 Wisdom is both earthly and spiritual. Biblical wisdom protects you spiritually.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 9/7/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. What is the church? A building. A family. A gathering. A moral and cultural fixture. A body. God’s implement to shatter the gates of hell. Why I’m committed to Alliance Missions. Our message is the centrality of Christ. Jesus answered “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6. Our mission is to complete the great commission. A commission is a calling to complete a task. “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20 Our method is to plant missionary churches. Our members are a missionary movement.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 8/31/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Pastor Steve takes us through Luke 12:35-48 and asks the question are you ready for the end times? What are the essentials? The return of Jesus Christ is an absolute certainty and He expects us to be ready. Don’t confuse end-times study with end-times preparedness. Being prepared means being the people who do what Jesus commanded. Love one another, Love your neighbor, Love God. Love your enemies, Turn the other cheek. Do good to the “least of these”. Go above and beyond. Your preparedness reveals your heart! What does a ready heart look like? Watchful, faithful and diligent. What kind of servant am I? Are you thinking about what matters? Are you doing what matters? Are you being who you were made to be?

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 8/24/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Listen as Pastor Steve leads us through Matthew 18:21-35. When we fail to forgive, we show we don’t get it. God shows us grace, and we need to show others grace. God shows us a grace that is grace, that is faithful, that is available to all, that is counterintuitive, that is effective, that brings glory to Himself. We show others grace that is grace, that is faithful, that is available to all, that is counterintuitive, that is effective, that shows God’s glory and goodness. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. I Corinthians 10:31

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 8/17/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Listen as Pastor Steve goes through the parable found in Matthew 25:31-46. The determining factor are you “blessed” or “cursed”? Unless you have humbled yourself and understood your own need for grace, giving grace to others doesn’t come naturally. The way you live doesn’t determine your spiritual destiny – it reveals your heart. The judgement tells us you do have to face the reality that you need forgiveness. You get to live your faith as an expression of your experience with grace.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 8/10/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Listen as Pastor Steve goes through Proverbs 3:1-10, 21-35 on back to school. Don’t forget you are being formed every day in your life. You are being formed in surprising environments. As we head back to school remember to not set your OS for automatic updates. Consider the source. Do the math. God’s wisdom is greater than my wisdom. As you move forward in life ask God to lead you. As you move forward in life stay away from evil. As you move forward in life honor God with what you have. Don’t forget to trust in the Lord.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 8/3/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. What is the kingdom worth? If you could purchase citizenship in the kingdom, it would be worth giving up all you have. What is a person worth? In God’s eyes, your value is immeasurable. Listen as Pastor Steve goes over the common interpretation and a concurrent interpretation of the parable found in Matthew 13:44-46. In the common interpretation, the treasure and the pearl represent the kingdom. The man/merchant is a seeker. The response is to give all for the kingdom. In the concurrent interpretation. The treasure is you and me. The treasure seeker is Jesus. The response is Jesus purchases persons with His blood. Carry these truths in your heart. Pursue the kingdom of Heaven with all you have. Rest in the incomprehensible sacrifice that Christ made for you.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 7/27/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Listen as Pastor Steve goes through the parable of the tenants. People tend to reject God’s Word and those who bring it. What’s up with the Stones? The Stone is Jesus. We get our life from the Stone. How do we live from the Rock? Let go of sin that damages your connection with the rest of the building. Have an appetite for spiritual growth. Expect to become part of something greater. Jesus makes you one of many living stones. The Father loves the stones. He is pleased with His Son. He is pleased with those who trust the Son. He is pleased to make us a part of the Kingdom.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 7/20/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. Pastor Steve will walk us through Matthew 13:3-23 and the Parable of the Sower. You can walk with God if you really want Him. A key phrase in the passage is Whoever has ears, let them hear. Experiencing Jesus requires your heart’s attention. People who want God don’t give up easily. People who want God don’t pretend. Give your soil attention by giving your heart attention. Be on your guard against the evil one. Receive the presence of God deeply into your life – into every aspect of your life. Use weedkiller! Let anxieties push you to God. Manage your money intentionally. Don’t let money manage you. Allow the Spirit of God to produce His fruit in the soil that is your life. Jesus invites you to hear the Word, understand it and let the Spirit of God use it to transform your life.

Presented at Curwensville Alliance on 7/13/25 by Pastor Steve Shields. How does kingdom growth happen? God plants a seed. God brings the kingdom to life. The kingdom grows well in good soil. Kingdom growth is a process. Kingdom growth is absolutely certain because God makes it happen. The kingdom is people. Not just numbers or influence. God grows the kingdom by growing us. Our place in the process is to cooperate. How does personal spiritual growth happen? God plants a seed. God brings you to life. You grow as the soil of your life receives the seed. Your spiritual growth is a process. God’s work in your growth is certain. Our job is to cooperate with God.