<![CDATA[Hope For Today With Jon Fontanez]]>Grab some great encouragement for your week with relevant hope and application from the Bible.

This podcast is all about God's timeless Word and it's real encouragement for us during our everyday. Christ's message is for everyone in the right now of our life! It's message is timeless and in today's crazy world, maybe that's exactly the kind of encouragement we all need!

This podcast is all about hope, relevance, encouragement, and ageless truth from the Bible. Join us and take a listen!

]]>https://riverside.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Mon, 19 Oct 2026 08:52:41 GMTTue, 22 Sep 2026 18:58:47 GMT60Jon Fontanez<p>Grab some great encouragement for your week with relevant hope and application from the Bible.</p><p>This podcast is all about God's timeless Word and it's real encouragement for us during our everyday. Christ's message is for everyone in the right now of our life! It's message is timeless and in today's crazy world, maybe that's exactly the kind of encouragement we all need!</p><p>This podcast is all about hope, relevance, encouragement, and ageless truth from the Bible. Join us and take a listen!</p>episodicJon Fontanezjmfonzy@gmail.comno<![CDATA[Abiding in Christ: being faithful to Jesus even when troubles come]]>When life’s storms arise, how can we still remain faithful to Christ? In Part 1 of this series on Abiding in Christ, we explore Jesus’ teachings on building our lives upon the solid rock of His Word. We look at choosing faith over our fears, and trusting Him to be with us in every trial we face. Together, let's discover how abiding in Christ gives us the strength, courage, and hope to stay standing firm until life's storms pass.

]]>25b03d89-7c79-4367-bc0a-aa1170198df6Mon, 12 Oct 2026 18:24:25 GMT<p>When life’s storms arise, how can we still remain faithful to Christ? In Part 1 of this series on Abiding in Christ, we explore Jesus’ teachings on building our lives upon the solid rock of His Word. We look at choosing faith over our fears, and trusting Him to be with us in every trial we face. Together, let's discover how abiding in Christ gives us the strength, courage, and hope to stay standing firm until life's storms pass.</p>no00:37:5217Abiding in Christ: being faithful to Jesus even when troubles comefull<![CDATA[The Book of Acts Session Ten]]>In this next teaching from our series in the Book of Acts, we dive into Acts 2:43–47. There, we explore the defining qualities of the early Church and their reverence for God, the supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit, the sincere love and generosity they lived by, their devotion to worship of God and their fellowship with each other, and their powerful witness to others about the risen Christ. Together, lets discover how this biblical framework for doing life and ministry as followers of Jesus challenges every believer today to prioritize Christ, care for one another, live in the Spirit’s power, and reflect the light and love of Jesus so others may be drawn to Him.

]]>65e8c0a4-a21a-4981-91df-018af3ee0ca7Mon, 12 Oct 2026 14:54:04 GMT<p>In this next teaching from our series in the Book of Acts, we dive into Acts 2:43–47. There, we explore the defining qualities of the early Church and their reverence for God, the supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit, the sincere love and generosity they lived by, their devotion to worship of God and their fellowship with each other, and their powerful witness to others about the risen Christ. Together, lets discover how this biblical framework for doing life and ministry as followers of Jesus challenges every believer today to prioritize Christ, care for one another, live in the Spirit’s power, and reflect the light and love of Jesus so others may be drawn to Him.</p>no00:41:1018The Book of Acts Session Tenfull<![CDATA[The Book of Acts Session Nine: the impact of the Gospel]]>This message explores Acts 2:38–42 and Peter’s teaching following Pentecost.

Key Points

  • Peter calls people to repent, turn to God, surrender fully to Jesus Christ, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
  • God’s promise of salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit is available to all generations and all people the Lord calls. His gift is without an expiration date or ethnic boundries.
  • Peter's message emphasized God’s extraordinary grace and love, even toward those who had participated in rejecting and crucifying Christ.
  • Peter urged his listeners to separate themselves from the values of a corrupt generation. About 3,000 people believed his message and were baptized, demonstrating the extraordinary power of the Gospel message.

Central message: When the Gospel is faithfully proclaimed and received, it produces repentance, spiritual transformation, devotion to God, care for others, and growth in the Lord's Church.

]]>86e6e72a-aa29-4edb-83d6-65ac15c272aeWed, 07 Oct 2026 18:55:39 GMT<p>This message explores <b><strong>Acts 2:38–42</strong></b> and Peter’s teaching following Pentecost.</p><p><b><strong>Key Points</strong></b></p><ul><li>Peter calls people to <b><strong>repent, turn to God, surrender fully to Jesus Christ, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit</strong></b>.</li><li>God’s promise of salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit is available to <b><strong>all generations and all people the Lord calls. </strong></b>His gift is without an expiration date or ethnic boundries.</li><li>Peter's message emphasized God’s extraordinary <b><strong>grace and love</strong></b>, even toward those who had participated in rejecting and crucifying Christ.</li><li>Peter urged his listeners to separate themselves from the values of a corrupt generation. About <b><strong>3,000 people believed his message and were baptized</strong></b>, demonstrating the extraordinary power of the Gospel message.</li></ul><p><b><strong>Central message:</strong></b> When the Gospel is faithfully proclaimed and received, it produces repentance, spiritual transformation, devotion to God, care for others, and growth in the Lord's Church.</p>no00:41:2816The Book of Acts Session Nine: the impact of the Gospelfull<![CDATA[Sincerity In Our Calling]]>This conversation focuses on the importance of faith, commitment, and responding to God's call in our lives. Illustrated through the biblical story of Hannah and Samuel, it emphasizes the need for a steadfast heart, humility, and the significance of surrendering our lives wholly to God with a spirit of generosity and dedication.

Key Takeaways

  • Our faith requires steadfast commitment to the Lord
  • Generosity is a reflection of our devotion to God
]]>81231664-edfd-4062-9679-459fec3d2c27Wed, 07 Oct 2026 18:13:17 GMT<p>This conversation focuses on the importance of faith, commitment, and responding to God's call in our lives. Illustrated through the biblical story of Hannah and Samuel, it emphasizes the need for a steadfast heart, humility, and the significance of surrendering our lives wholly to God with a spirit of generosity and dedication.</p><p>Key Takeaways</p><ul><li>Our faith requires steadfast commitment to the Lord</li><li>Generosity is a reflection of our devotion to God</li></ul>no00:39:0315Sincerity In Our Callingfull<![CDATA[The Wonder of God's Presence]]>Do you think it's possible for a young man to catch fire for the things of God and for the living presence of God so much that his life purpose just shifts in a fundamental way? Well, that was Joshua's story in Exodus 33 of the Bible.

The truth is that God loves it when we pursue Him with everything in our life. And, as we pursue Him, He totally changes us from the inside out. This episode gets at some of this to help encourage us to get into God's presence.

]]>c4cf9496-aeac-4f99-ba4e-71aa8f43eb18Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:12:28 GMT<p>Do you think it's possible for a young man to catch fire for the things of God and for the living presence of God so much that his life purpose just shifts in a fundamental way? Well, that was Joshua's story in Exodus 33 of the Bible.</p><p>The truth is that God loves it when we pursue Him with everything in our life. And, as we pursue Him, He totally changes us from the inside out. This episode gets at some of this to help encourage us to get into God's presence.</p>no00:09:1414The Wonder of God's Presencefull<![CDATA[The Book of Acts Session Eight: the early Church blueprint]]>What does a life completely immersed in Christ actually look like?

In this episode, we dive back into our Acts Teaching Series to explore one of the most pivotal moments in church history: the conclusion of the Apostle Peter’s Day of Pentecost message. When the guilt-stricken crowd asked Peter, "What should we do?" he didn't offer a complicated ritual. Instead, he laid out a simple, powerful pattern for salvation, transformation, and receiving the ultimate gift—the Holy Spirit.

We break down the true meaning of biblical repentance and uncover the profound depth behind Peter's instruction to be "baptized in the name of Jesus Christ." Hint: it’s not a reference to water baptism here, but a complete, unconditional surrender where your entire life is fully submerged and overwhelmed by His divine character and authority.

Inside this episode, you’ll discover:

  • The Divine Sequence: A step-by-step look at how the Holy Spirit convicts us, saves us, and subsequently empowers us through Spirit baptism.
  • A Promise Without Borders: Why Christ’s atonement and the gift of the Holy Spirit carry no expiration date and no cultural boundary lines—it is explicitly for everyone God has called.
  • The Active Church Mandate: The vital role the Church plays today in sharing the Gospel so that others have the opportunity to hear, repent, and experience life-changing miracles.
  • The Four Pillars of Community: How the early believers responded to the Word by completely devoting themselves to biblical teaching, authentic fellowship, sharing meals, and corporate prayer.

When we truly believe God's Word, miracles follow and lives are permanently re-routed. Tune in to unpack how we can step out of a "crooked generation" and walk in the awe-inspiring power, joy, and generosity of the early Church.

]]>ba60ff53-41df-46e2-8510-770bbad76399Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:16:22 GMT<p><b><strong>What does a life completely immersed in Christ actually look like?</strong></b></p><p>In this episode, we dive back into our <b><strong>Acts Teaching Series</strong></b> to explore one of the most pivotal moments in church history: the conclusion of the Apostle Peter’s Day of Pentecost message. When the guilt-stricken crowd asked Peter, <i><em>"What should we do?"</em></i> he didn't offer a complicated ritual. Instead, he laid out a simple, powerful pattern for salvation, transformation, and receiving the ultimate gift—the Holy Spirit.</p><p>We break down the true meaning of biblical repentance and uncover the profound depth behind Peter's instruction to be <i><em>"baptized in the name of Jesus Christ."</em></i> Hint: it’s not a reference to water baptism here, but a complete, unconditional surrender where your entire life is fully submerged and overwhelmed by His divine character and authority.</p><p><b><strong>Inside this episode, you’ll discover:</strong></b></p><ul><li><b><strong>The Divine Sequence:</strong></b> A step-by-step look at how the Holy Spirit convicts us, saves us, and subsequently empowers us through Spirit baptism.</li><li><b><strong>A Promise Without Borders:</strong></b> Why Christ’s atonement and the gift of the Holy Spirit carry no expiration date and no cultural boundary lines—it is explicitly for <i><em>everyone</em></i> God has called.</li><li><b><strong>The Active Church Mandate:</strong></b> The vital role the Church plays today in sharing the Gospel so that others have the opportunity to hear, repent, and experience life-changing miracles.</li><li><b><strong>The Four Pillars of Community:</strong></b> How the early believers responded to the Word by completely devoting themselves to biblical teaching, authentic fellowship, sharing meals, and corporate prayer.</li></ul><p>When we truly believe God's Word, miracles follow and lives are permanently re-routed. Tune in to unpack how we can step out of a "crooked generation" and walk in the awe-inspiring power, joy, and generosity of the early Church.</p>no00:34:2713The Book of Acts Session Eight: the early Church blueprintfull<![CDATA[The Lord's Calling: living with an unwavering faith in God]]>Imagine wanting something so badly in life, but it was literally impossible for you to obtain. Not something like more money, or fame, or power, but something more humble. Hannah in the Bible longed for a child to be born to her. She wanted children so badly, yet her womb was barren and she just couldn't. As hard as that was for her, she refused to stop hoping for the answer and in this she was able to muster enough faith in God to bring the matter before Him in prayer. Her prayers of faith to God ultimately resulted in Him supernaturally giving her and her husband a child who was very special in their family, but he was also a gift to the people of God during that season. Really, this story is all about faith and calling and legacy in the Lord. In this episode of Hope For Today we'll take a look at what a relentless faith in God can accomplish.  

]]>d9bc421f-1050-4911-8379-68afbb7f0cf2Wed, 30 Sep 2026 18:21:28 GMT<p>Imagine wanting something so badly in life, but it was literally impossible for you to obtain. Not something like more money, or fame, or power, but something more humble. Hannah in the Bible longed for a child to be born to her. She wanted children so badly, yet her womb was barren and she just couldn't. As hard as that was for her, she refused to stop hoping for the answer and in this she was able to muster enough faith in God to bring the matter before Him in prayer. Her prayers of faith to God ultimately resulted in Him supernaturally giving her and her husband a child who was very special in their family, but he was also a gift to the people of God during that season. Really, this story is all about faith and calling and legacy in the Lord. In this episode of Hope For Today we'll take a look at what a relentless faith in God can accomplish.  </p>no00:39:0012The Lord's Calling: living with an unwavering faith in Godfull<![CDATA[Our call is to have a faith that shows up]]>Imagine walking into a room filled with heated arguments. Voices are raised, theories are being debated, and everyone's trying to prove they're right! As the moment unfolds we see in the middle of all this noise that there's someone there who has been desperately waiting for help.

This is the scene Jesus encountered in Mark 9:14-24. It serves as a profound warning for our lives and ministries today about not overlooking the need of the hour just to win the argument.

The Apostle Paul beautifully frames up the remedy for all of this noise in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 saying:

"When I first came to you... I didn't use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God's secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified."

Really, our call from God isn't to win arguments of pointless human intellect, it's to move and operate according to His will and Word. In al of this we ought to always remember that: The Kingdom of God isn't just a lot of talk; it's actually living by God's power (1 Corinthians 4:20).

]]>2e253c5d-cbd9-4cc8-8a87-6824373adeccTue, 22 Sep 2026 19:17:38 GMT<p>Imagine walking into a room filled with heated arguments. Voices are raised, theories are being debated, and everyone's trying to prove they're right! As the moment unfolds we see in the middle of all this noise that there's someone there who has been desperately waiting for help.</p><p>This is the scene Jesus encountered in <b><strong>Mark 9:14-24</strong></b>. It serves as a profound warning for our lives and ministries today about not overlooking the need of the hour just to win the argument.</p><p>The Apostle Paul beautifully frames up the remedy for all of this noise in <b><strong>1 Corinthians 2:1-5 </strong></b>saying:</p><i><em>"When I first came to you... I didn't use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God's secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified."</em></i><p>Really, our call from God isn't to win arguments of pointless human intellect, it's to move and operate according to His will and Word. In al of this we ought to always remember that: <b><strong>The Kingdom of God isn't just a lot of talk; it's actually living by God's power</strong></b> (<b><strong>1 Corinthians 4:20</strong></b>).</p>no00:35:0911Our call is to have a faith that shows upfull