E53 Christmas Eve 2020
Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
Merry Christmas to all our listeners, from Living Stones!
Growing People, Multiplying Leaders
The Acts 2 Church was part of a powerfully unified community connected by shared values and purpose. The culture was so countercultural that people were drawn into their community. You see, if the culture isn’t right, nothing else really matters, and that’s because culture always wins! If you have a great culture, your church will thrive. A great culture enables you to do great things! In our current series: Our Tribe - we will clarify what Living Stones is all about! We will talk about the 7 things we value here, and how these values shape what we do! Our culture must be incarnated! Today we talk about our second value: Pregnant Hope! The Apostle Paul said, “For I live in eager expectation and hope…”-Philippians 1:20 AMP Hope comes from the promises of God rooted in the work of Christ. Biblical hope is a confident expectation and desire for something good in the future. Biblical hope not only desires something good for the future — it expects it to happen. And it not only expects it to happen — it is confident that it will happen. There is a moral certainty that the good we expect and desire will be done. We need to understand that if God is going to do something, He will look for people who are operating in a spirit of expectant hope! But, O my soul, don’t be discouraged. Don’t be upset. Expect God to act! For I know that I shall again have plenty of reason to praise him for all that he will do. He is my help! He is my God! - Psalm 42:11 TLB
The Acts 2 Church was part of a powerfully unified community connected by shared values and purpose. The culture was so countercultural that people were drawn into their community. You see, if the culture isn’t right, nothing else really matters, and that’s because culture always wins!
If you have a great culture, your church will thrive. A great culture enables you to do great things!
In our current series: Our Tribe - we will clarify what Living Stones is all about! We will talk about the 7 things we value here, and how these values shape what we do! Our culture must be incarnated!
Today Pastor Ron talks about our first value: Bold Faith! We believe God for BIG THINGS!
The great evangelist, D.L. Moody said, “If God is your partner, make your plans BIG!”
God honors big dreams because big dreams honor God.
Bold Faith pleases God. 3.Bold Faith goes first!
Bold Faith prays preposterous prayers!
“Let’s go across to the outpost of those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!” - I Samuel 14:6 NLT
In the book of Acts we find the expression of the first Church of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. The church was filled with signs and wonders, great fellowship, generosity, and God added to their fellowship daily! How many of us would like to be a part of a church like that?! Well if you flip a couple pages ahead to Acts 4:32, you’ll discover what I believe is a powerful secret to their success:
“All the believers were united in heart and mind.” Acts 4:32 NLT
The opposite is also true…
“Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.” Luke 11:17 NLT
The Acts 2 Church was part of a powerfully unified community connected by shared values and purpose. The culture was so countercultural that people were drawn into their community. You see, if the culture isn’t right, nothing else really matters, and that’s because culture always wins!
If you have a great culture, your church will thrive. A great culture enables you to do great things!
In our current series: Our Tribe - we will clarify what Living Stones is all about! We will talk about the 7 things we value here, and how these values shape what we do! Our culture must be incarnated!
Our 7 values:
Doesn’t God know that it is virtually impossible to be thankful when our lives seem to be fraught with one challenge and one disappointment after another?
We live in a sin-filled and broken world. How does God expect me to be filled with thanks when my circumstances are disastrous?
As we come to the final leg of this year, I want to equip you with a powerful weapon to help you win the battle over discouragement and to enable you to move in the joy and power of the Holy Spirit no matter what your circumstances look like.
“No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” I Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
Do you really want to live for God and for His awesome purposes? The first step to live for God might not be what you are typically taught in churches. To truly make Jesus the King of your life, you must first dethrone the tyrant who has been whispering lies all your life: Fear. To walk in the supernatural, to listen and obey God's voice - we must first expose and remove the debilitating voice of fear. And God has already given us a path of victory to overcoming fear in His promises. Come find out what that means for you today. Scriptures: Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Jeremiah 42:11 “Do not fear him, declares the LORD, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand.” Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Joshua 1:5-9 “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.”
In America today, the public square is more toxic than ever, and many Churches have resolved to steer as far away as possible from anything controversial. But is that the proper role of the Church? It turns out that we have one more sermon left in this series. Into this dark mess of moral morass, God raised up men and women to be light in our generation. God has done this throughout every generation, and I believe He is doing it even now in our own. We need men and women to stand up and face the darkness. Heroes are made in perilous times. Pastor Ron discusses the advice we must take from David's 3 Mighty Men. We must learn to: 1) Raise our spear; 2) Stand firm; and 3) Defend our ground. “Surely our law-breaking and sins are hurting us. They will kill us. What can we do so we will live?” -Ezekiel 33:10 NCV
In America today, the public square is more toxic than ever, and many Churches have resolved to steer as far away as possible from anything controversial. But is that the proper role of the Church?
In the conclusion to our series, Unalienable, we will talk about where we place our faith. We don’t just stand against wickedness; we must provide hope for a preferred future. We are not prophets of doom and gloom; but the darkest hour is truly just before dawn. We need courage and conviction to stand as "impossible men" and put our faith in the Unstoppable God.
“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” - Hebrews 10:23 NLT
In America today, the public square is more toxic than ever, and many churches have resolved to steer as far away as possible from anything controversial. But is that the proper role of the Church?
Continuing our discussion on how to bring the blessings of godly government in our city, state, and our nation, we are convinced that Psalm 33:12 is true: Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the nation whose God is the Lord. (AMP)
In today's message, Pastor Ron moves the discussion past the realm of personalities, politicians, and political shenanigans in general, and into the realm of policy ideas. So the question remains, “Based on the clear teachings of Scripture, are there certain policies we cannot support?” Are their certain biblical lines that cannot be crossed?
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb." Jeremiah 1:5 NLT
In America today, the public square is more toxic than ever, and many Churches have resolved to steer as far away as possible from anything controversial. But is that the proper role of the Church?
In today's message, Pastor Ron talks about the paradox of freedom, and that without character, virtue and self-restraint, the unfettered freedom without responsibility will lead to triviality, corruption and the undermining of all authority. But what is the source of the self-restraint and self-government? We find that it all goes back to faith...
"No human society has ever been able to maintain both order and freedom, both cohesiveness and liberty apart from the moral precepts of the Christian Religion. Should our Republic ever forget this fundamental precept of governance, men are certain to shed their responsibilities for licentiousness and this great experiment will then surely be doomed." John Jay - The First Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court & President of the American Bible Society.