Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

------------

Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Today Pastor Andrew brings an incredible amount of practicality to meeting our goals through discipline and consistent habits.

Have a great week!

-----------------------------------------

Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Have a great week!

-----------------------------------------

Stay Connected: Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected: Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected:

Website: https://www.lstones.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected: Website: https://www.lstones.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected: Website: https://www.lstones.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected: Website: https://www.lstones.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected: Website: https://www.lstones.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

Stay Connected: Website: https://www.lstones.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lstoneschurch Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lstoneschurch

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From all of us at Living Stones, we hope you had an amazing Christmas Sunday!

Paul tells us to “earnestly desire spiritual gifts” (I Corinthians 14:1), but he prefaces that commandment with this one – “pursue love.”

“Let love be your greatest aim.” (TLB)

Men, will you consider the offer to host God’s presence in your home a great privilege?

Mary was a virgin, so how could she conceive? This is the way the natural world works. But God is the God of the supernatural! And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (ESV) When our hearts are pure to take the Lord at His word, and to believe He will do what he says he will do, we are blessed!

In seasons of special blessing the need to guard our hearts would not seem to be as urgent. Hard times often encourage us to press in to seek the Lord. But when times are good, when the pain is a distant memory, when the lean season becomes a season of plenty, Satan employs a different strategy. We become satisfied and self-sufficient. How do we maintain prosperity with passion and purpose? How do we guard our hearts in this season?

Even as a healthy physical heart is the core of one’s health and well-being, so the spiritual heart regulates the condition of our soul.

“Our view of revival shapes how we live. If revival is a pointless demonstration of religious fervor, we live to avoid it. If it is an emergency fix for the church, we sometimes seek it only when things get bad. But if revival moves history toward Jesus’ return, we do everything we can to live for the next wave.” - Mark Nysewander

“He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ Matthew 20:13-15

"You alone are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you." Nehemiah 9:6 NLT

"Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things." - I Chronicles 29:11 NLT

Can you relate to this place, where you have had to face your brokenness? What do we do?

In Psalm 51, David shared this journey with us, so let’s hear what lessons we can learn from David's confrontation with His brokenness, and how Jesus still heals today.

Finally, what does disobedience have to do with a heart that doesn't believe that God knows him or her deeply? Through Christ, God has given us the gift of being known, and we need to steward it correctly. How can we give the gift of being known to our wives, husbands, and kids and not lose their hearts? Find out in today's message.

Text: Psalm 139

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue" - Proverbs 18:21

You’re not free if your beliefs are confined to your mind. Everyone in world history, under every sort of regime has been “free to believe.” What makes America unique is our freedom to peacefully live out those beliefs, and the Constitution protects that freedom.

“I always strive to keep my conscience clear before God and man.” - Acts 24:16

“This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.” - Colossians 1:6 NLT

Text: Philip and his encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-39)

What if the Lord actually wanted you to experience them on a more regular basis? God did not place you on this earth to notice Him at work only once or twice in your whole life. He wants this to be a lifestyle!

The truth is, you were born to live a supernatural life doing God’s work by God’s power.

“The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” - 2 Chronicles 16:9 NLT

God came up with the idea of multiplication.

If you give him your time, he multiplies it. If you give him your money, he multiplies it. If you give him your talent, he multiplies it. If you give him your energy, guess what? He multiplies it.

It’s the same principle as planting seeds.

“You won’t regret it. No one who has sacrificed his home, spouse, brothers and sisters, parents, children – whatever – will lose out. It will all come back multiplied many times over in your lifetime. And then the bonus of eternal life!” (Luke 18:29-30 MSG)

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1: 6-9

"Then he said, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times. 19 But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.” - 2 Kings 13:18-19

"Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. “Why should we sit here waiting to die?” they asked each other. “We will starve if we stay here, but with the famine in the city, we will starve if we go back there. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway.” - 2 Kings 7:3-4

Cicero in one of his speeches condemned it as ‘a most cruel and disgusting punishment.’ Roman citizens were exempt from crucifixion, except in extreme cases of treason. How ironic that Jesus, the rightful King of the world, is condemned to die while being identified as a rebellious traitor!

“When He was hung on the cross, He took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” - Galatians 3:13, NLT

Text: Isaiah 53:5 — "But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed."

On our Vision Sunday, we are excited to present to our church family the direction God is leading Living Stones. Embeded in our vision is the message of NOW! Like Martha in John 11:17-26, we often put our focus on the past or in the future, not realizing that God wants us to have faith for the present! In the NOW is where Heaven touches Earth! We are not promised tomorrow. When is the right time to forgive? NOW! When is the right time to obey? NOW! When is the right time to believe God? NOW! When is the best time to get your marriage healed? NOW! When is the right time to break an addiction? NOW! When is the right time for a spiritual breakthrough? NOW! When is the best time to surrender your life to Christ? The Bible tells us: Indeed, the “right time” is NOW. Today is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)  When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss. When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him. But Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” John 11:17-26 NLT

This week we will break down three additional ways that the Holy Spirit speaks to us. Promptings are a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit in the right direction. God often uses godly people who are also our trusted friends to help us direct our paths. Finally, nothing gets our full attention like pain. God often uses pain to powerfully move us into the right path!    “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.’   Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.” Psalm 32:8-10 NLT

We have talked about how important it is for God to speak to us through both the Word AND the Spirit. This week, we discuss 3 additional ways God speaks to us - through doors, desires and dreams. God often uses open or close doors to direct our paths. God also uses the passions and the desires of our hearts to guide our way. Finally, the Lord still speaks to us using dreams! 

“Then, after doing all those things, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on servants—men and women alike.” - Joel 2:28-29 NLT

The Gospel is the greatest love story ever told! From Genesis to Revelation, we see example after example of God’s relentless pursuit to redeem a Bride for His Son, Jesus! The Father uses the language of covenant love to give us a picture of his passionate pursuit for His people. The written Word and the Holy Spirit work in tandem to lead us into a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus! The goal is learning to recognize and respond to your heavenly Father’s voice so you can grow in intimacy with Him. When we take the Holy Spirit out of the equation, we’re left with the letter of the law, which leads to lifeless legalism. In contrast, the language of redemption is all about relationship.   “Let me see your face; let me hear your voice. For your voice is pleasant, and your face is lovely.” - Song of Solomon 2:14

This week, we turn to the journey of a young Samuel, and his process to hear God's voice. Though Samuel was consecrated for God's purpose, "Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before." (1 Samuel 3:7). What can we learn from Samuel in how to tune our ears to the frequency of heaven? Find out in today's message.

“Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon.2 One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God. 4 Suddenly the Lord called out, “Samuel!” “Yes?” Samuel replied. “What is it?” 5 He got up and ran to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you,” Eli replied. “Go back to bed.” So he did. 6 Then the Lord called out again, “Samuel!” Again Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” “I didn’t call you, my son,” Eli said. “Go back to bed.” 7 Samuel did not yet know the Lord because he had never had a message from the Lord before. 8 So the Lord called a third time, and once more Samuel got up and went to Eli. “Here I am. Did you call me?” Then Eli realized it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 9 So he said to Samuel, “Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went back to bed.10 And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” 1 Sam 3:1-20

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.

1. Bold Faith is our reasonable response to the greatness and goodness of God!

2. Bold Faith pleases God. 3.Bold Faith goes first!

3. Bold Faith prays preposterous prayers!

4. Bold Faith CHOOSES to Believe!

“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

“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:

1. Daring Love: Love that is courageous

2. Bold Faith: Faith that believes for big things

3. Pregnant Hope: Hope filled with anticipation

4. Covenant Relationships: Relationships that last forever

5. Kingdom Generosity: Giving that overflows

6. Growth Mindset: Reaching our full potential

7. Increasing Excellence: Always offering our best

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

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

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 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.

In today's message, Pastor Ron will use the Scriptures as well as the historical roles the Church played in Government to encourage God's people that we must not disengage in this crucial hour of our nation.

"The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

One of the myths of modern life is that there is no supernatural, thus no God. All that is real is that which can be experienced with your five senses. Our problem is with a competing worldview, called Naturalism, which makes sensory experience, ultimate. Its a world that embraces the seen while denying anything unseen. But we saw last week, Jesus is Lord of both the seen and the unseen. The Apostle Paul reminds us that the gospel is Jesus Centered, cross- centered, and it is lived in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NLT

If we are to live out our faith with integrity, we must be aware of the current divorce in our culture between public life and private life. In America today, we must contend with a secularized view of life where faith has been quarantined from any meaningful expression in public life.

However, genuine Christianity prescribes that Everything exists for the Glory of God and rejects the sacred/secular paradigm. For us to live out the Christian worldview with integrity, we must firmly embrace that Jesus is truly Lord of all!

Scripture: Colossian 1:16

One of the subtle seductions of modern life is the sheer number of options we enjoy by virtue of our freedom and prosperity. The list of choices before us is dizzying, but choice has become a value in itself, even a priority.The problem is that the focus is on choice as choosing rather than choice as the content of what is chosen. Being “pro-choice” is seen as virtuous. We have become a culture that celebrates choice regardless of whether the choice is right or wrong, wise or stupid. Choosing is all that matters. You are the sovereign chooser.While this is wonderful when you are pursuing the college of your dreams or the toothpaste of your liking, it is deadly when applied to faith and morality.

Christianity, however, is a revealed religion. It comes to us as objective truth and not open to buffet-style revisions. God is a God of truth and what He says is true.

The Great British pastor and theologian Martin Lloyd Jones writes, "There can be no doubt whatsoever that all the troubles in the Church today, and most of the troubles in the world, are due to a departure from the authority of the Bible.We all therefore have to face this ultimate and final question: Do we accept the Bible as the Word of God, as the sole authority in all matters of faith and practice, or do we not? Is the whole of my thinking governed by Scripture, or do I come with my reason and pick and choose out of Scripture and sit in judgment upon it, putting myself and modern knowledge forward as the ultimate standard and authority?"

This is the question we all need to ask ourselves today.

Scripture: Deuteronomy 4:2

Like the confrontation on Mt. Carmel, we are experiencing a similar battle for the soul of our nation. We have a showdown between competing and opposing worldviews. The battle lines are drawn. Whose "god" is greater? Elijah basically challenges the people with this question: to whom will you give your full allegiance? The same question goes out to us today. If we are not careful, we allow the blessings of “modern life” to seduce us, and the result is that we conform to the world instead of being the transforming presence Christ has called us to be.

Scriptures: 1 King 18:16-21

Even though we all want great relationships and great communities for ourselves and for our families, so few people are actually able to achieve this. Why is there such a disconnect between what we desire and what we actually have, in terms of authentic, intimate, godly relationships? The disconnect comes from a failure to set proper expectations for the cost and the rewards of building a Christ Centered Community (CCC). In today's sermon, Pastor Andrew talks about the costs of what it takes to build a CCC and ends the sermon on what is really at stake. Yes, building a CCC is costly and demands that we grow and change, but the rewards and the blessings are absolutely worth it!

Scriptures: Luke 14:31-33

How do we respond when we go through a season of loss? What are God's promises when we go through disappointments? When you are down and out, what does faith say? Using the life of Job, we will encourage you with the promises from our Heavenly Father's heart. Here is a hint: the latter half of your life is going to be greater than the first half.

Scriptures: Zechariah 9:12

Sometimes the blessings of God is so outrageous we tune it out. Let it not be said of us! The promises of God are so good that it promises to overtake us. But what are the purposes of the promises? What is the reason behind God's overwhelming blessing? Is it so that we can be independent of Him? Come find out in today's message! Here is a hint: the Gospel is at the center of it all!

In today's message, Pastor Ron breaks down the greatest blessing of all that turned God from being against us to being utterly and devotedly FOR us! This great commitment God has for us and for our redemption is tied in with the unfathomable sacrifice He made in giving us his beloved Son. Listen and be encouraged in the truly great news of the gospel!

In today's message, we will direct our attention to a personal God who speaks over each of us who have come to know Him as Father! God blesses us with six amazing gifts as we obey and honor Him with our lives

God by nature is a bless-er. It is part of His character!

Scriptures: Numbers 6:22-27

In today's teaching, we turn to one of the many amazing miracles Jesus performed for our edification - the Feeding of the Five Thousand. When we are faced with overwhelming odds, God is simply asking us to give Him all that we possess, so He can multiply it! And here is the ending (spoiler alert), there are plenty of leftovers! There's always enough for everyone in the Kingdom of God!

Scriptures: Luke 9

When you are squeezed, does anxiety come out? Many of us have learned to cope with anxiety instead of facing it head on - and claim victory. In the final message to our series, we will talk about facing the roots to anxiety and 3 practical ways to grow our faith so that anxiety will not have a hold on our lives.

Scriptures: Matthew 6:30, Romans 10:17, Romans 8:28

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

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

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

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

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

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