Living Stones
Growing People, Multiplying Leaders

E22 Moving Forward Week 1

Lessons from the Life of Moses

In our current season of great uncertainty, the Bible gives us a guideline on how to move forward. In Moses's day, there was also great unrest and turbulance - the Egyptians have enslaved the Jews and declared that all new born boys will be killed. In the midst of fear and chaos, God's blessings emerged through the courage of 3 women, and their courage still speaks today to us as we seek to move forward.

"It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command." Hebrews 11:23 NLT

E23 Moving Forward - Week 2

Lessons from the Life of Moses

To move forward, you must know who you are and what you are called to do. In times of cultural chaos, it’s easy to get lost in the whirlwind of the moment. The same temptation occurred for Moses, but in the moment of crisis, Moses took ACTION! If you want to move forward, you have to be one who is willing to speak and to act. Let's learn this lesson from the Life of Moses!

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr

E24 The Divine Reset - Moving Forward - Week 3

Lessons from the life of Moses

Throughout history, God has used the Divine Reset to realign His people to God's purposes. From the outside, the divine reset could be painful, uncomfortable, and takes us out of our usual routines, but if we can understand God's heart and embrace the process, we can be propelled to a new season of intimacy and fruitfulness. In today's message, Pastor Andrew talks about the six lessons we can learn from Moses to thrive in the midst of a divine reset!

Our text today comes from Exodus Chapter 2, verse 15 to Chapter 3 verse 12.

The 6 lessons from Moses include 1) Embrace the change 2) Hold on to your dreams 3) Learn as much as you can 4) Don't focus on the exit 5) Focus on God's personal word for you and 6) Build a monument!

E25 Moving Forward - Week 4

Overcoming Injustice

In light of the horrific death of George Floyd and the national outrage that is on display right now, what is the proper response for the follower of Jesus? Today we are going to offer 3 keys to overcoming injustice from the perspective of the Kingdom of God. Joining Pastor Ron today is Living Stones Elder Amara Kpandeyenge, and worship leader David Walton.

The 3 keys are us having 1) Kingdom Culture 2) Kingdom Identity and 3) Kingdom Hearts.

E26 Moving Forward - Week 5

Overcoming the Spirit of Offense

Injustice, whether actual or perceived, is the breeding ground for offense. The satanic purpose behind every offense is to ignite division and to create strife. The offense is designed to destroy unity. Pastor Ron's message today exposes the spirit of offense operating in America today.

What does the Bible say about the promise of offense and how we should respond?

The text of the message comes from Deuteronomy 23:7 NCV

E27 Moving Forward - Week 6

The Problem of Going Alone - Father's Day Message

For our Father's day message, Pastor Ron addresses two things that men must NOT do in order to finish THE RACE well. This advice came from Jethro, Moses's father-in-law. Jethro's advice was this: you must not 1) live alone, and you must also not 2) lead alone. Come find out the sustaining message Jethro gave to Moses that kept the leader to millions of Israelites mission focused and emotionally healthy!

The text of the message comes from Exodus 18:17-24.

E28 Moving Forward - Week 7

Finishing Well

In the final message in our series, Moving Forward, Pastor Ron addresses how to finish well following the lessons we see from Moses. Though we are called to NOT Live and Lead Alone - we do need to watch who we are living and leading with! From the life of Moses we learn that we should not run with those we are fearful, critical, cynical, have victim mindsets, arrogant, and stubborn. It's easier to get the those guys out of Egypt than to get Egypt out of them!

The text of the message comes from Exodus 14:10-12

E29 The Purpose of the Squeeze

Squeezed - Week 1

We are doing this series called "Squeezed" to directly address the stress-filled culture we are living in right now in 2020. As the people of God, we are not meant to live under an existential dark cloud, waiting for the next catastrophe to strike. We are called to live with joy, faith, peace and a heart eager to learn and grow regardless of what is going on in our world today! In today's message, we will address the different ways we can be stressed, and how God uses the "squeeze" of life to bless us and not to stress us! From the failures and restoration of Peter, we will learn how Jesus gave us the plan to overcome the squeeze!

E30 The Idolatry of Stress!

Squeezed - Week 2

We are doing this series called "Squeezed" to directly address the stress-filled culture we are living in right now in 2020. As the people of God, we are not meant to live under an existential dark cloud, waiting for the next catastrophe to strike. We are called to live with joy, faith, peace and a heart eager to learn and grow regardless of what is going on in our world today!

In today's message, we will contrast how the world views stress against what the word of God teaches. Regardless of where you go on Sunday, when we are stressed, who we truly worship is revealed! Do we face stress with distraction or do we center on the presence of Jesus?

Text: Genesis 28:16

E31 The Fog of Life

Squeezed - Week 3

We are doing this series called "Squeezed" to directly address the stress-filled culture we are living in right now in 2020. As the people of God, we are not meant to live under an existential dark cloud, waiting for the next catastrophe to strike. We are called to live with joy, faith, peace and a heart eager to learn and grow regardless of what is going on in our world today!

As you are pursuing the call of God in your life, what happens when the fog of life hits you? We will talk about 3 things to look out for when your clarity is obscured, and how to rise above the fog of life and not lose your way!

Scriptures: Proverbs 20:18, Proverbs 2:6-9

Launching in 1981 as just 30 people in a living room in Northwest Indiana, Living Stones has grown into a vibrant multi-generational church family. Stones are a product of God the Creator — formed in nature and no two are alike. As we come to faith in Jesus Christ, scripture tells us that we are like living stones in the hand of God and He is using us to build up a spiritual house. Our foundation was built on the work of nurturing and restoring healthy, biblical marriages. In continuing that mission, everything we do here at Living Stones is centered around loving, healing, and equipping individuals and families to grow into a greater likeness of Christ Jesus! By the Holy Spirit, we exist today to Renew Hearts, Restore Homes, Reform Culture and Reach the Nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:4-5 ”As you come to him who is the Living Stone — he was rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious — you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house.” We are a family — misfits, hypocrites, creatives, addicts, reformers, over-churched, unchurched, wanderers — each of us a stone, uniquely crafted by the hand of God, made alive through Jesus, and now living by the power of the Holy Spirit. Together, we are Living Stones.