Living Faith Christian Church Sermons

It's been another year of ups and downs with a new year on the horizon, we are left with uncertainty about what's ahead. It's easy to be "done" and want to check out or give up. But Christmas comes at just the right time for our hearts, reminding us that God hasn't given up on us, because He loves us.

The birth of the Messiah was more than a silent night of wonder and awe - it was a spiritual victory for God & His people. Revelation 12 gives us insight into the nativity story that gives a spiritual perspective to what was happening when Jesus was born. What we can discover is that the battle continues to rage as the devil, no defeated has only a short time left.

*there are a number of technical issues this week. There is buzz for the first 30 seconds followed by a short silence. The sermons is audio only after the first min till minute 8 and video resumes. Also 30 seconds is missing around minute 8 so you will notice a quick jump in phrasing.

God chose Joseph to be the father and protector of His son, Jesus. In the gospels we discover that Joseph was a man of faith and faithfulness. Through his obedience, Jesus was protected and God's will was done.

December arrives and the busyness begins. Many of us feel stress, anxious or irritable even though its the "most wonderful time of the year" We can find peace and be present when we minimize distraction, slow down and focus on Christ. A sermon to inspire a slower pace and an invitation to the peace and pace of Jesus.

Acts 28 closes in an anti-climactic way. The book closes with Paul, under house arrest, is in Rome speaking the gospel. Yet as we look at the final years of Paul's life we see a man who has been through a lot, yet remains tenderhearted. How did Paul finish this way? He kept his eye on the end. As we conclude our series on Acts we are reminded what the book is all about.

As Paul travels by ship towards Rome he experiences a powerful storm which jeopardizes not only his itinerary, but his very life. Yet through the storm, Paul remains calm. He trusts in God and the promises He has made to know that whatever may come, God is working to bring about His good will. From experiences like this, Paul teaches us that in everything, we can give thanks.

As we turn towards the end of Acts, we find Paul 25 years after his conversion as passionate as every about the gospel of Christ. Paul finds himself far from where he thought he would be, but through his story we learn that trials, troubles, and twists and turns are actually opportunities for us to give testimony.

Paul is determined to go to Jerusalem, even though he knows trouble awaits him there. He must discern between the appeal of friends, the prophetic warnings and his own confidence in what Christ has called him to do. It causes us to consider whether trouble and trials mean we must have made the wrong choice.

Paul gathers the Ephesian elders together with an important message. His time with them has come to and end and they must be on guard against threats to Christ's church. They must watch themselves and their flock and the challenges ahead for them, and for us, require discernment.

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Can you even imagine the book of Acts without God's Spirit at work? Of course not - disciples of Jesus left without the Spirit is not how God intended His church to function. Acts 19 tells of what God worked through men and women who were filled with and transformed by the Holy Spirit.