Living Rock Podcast

In the last part of our New Year trilogy, we see that when Jesus ascended on high and poured out His Spirit He was empowering His church for its mission (Acts 1:4-8): proclaiming and demonstrating the good news of the Kingdom everywhere - and so completing what Jesus had started and preparing the way for His second coming!  And we discover that the opening chapters of Acts show us in simple, practical ways what this looks like and how we can all play our part.  Great strength and success this year will come from knowing Jesus is Unchangeable, His Kingdom is Unshakeable and His Mission is Unstoppable!...

In the second part of our New Year trilogy, we discover that Jesus is not only "the same, yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) but is also enthroned as Head over "a Kingdom that is unshakeable” (Hebrews 12:28).  The Unchanging Person came into our world bringing the good news of an Unshakeable Kingdom!  This everlasting, ever-growing Kingdom is God’s total answer to mankind’s total need, and is the new home of every follower of Jesus... 

At the start of a year in which so much is changing and uncertain, the Bible assures us that "Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).  He is the Rock on which our lives and churches are built and we invite you to join us this Sunday for the first part of our New Year trilogy - Unchangeable, Unshakeable, Unstoppable!...

Numbers 11 helps us to understand that living in uncertainty can cause us to grasp for control. When we’re rooted in the certainty of who God is though, we can let go of control and lay hold of all God has for us. We can live in certain times.

Numbers 7 gives a detailed account of the offerings brought to the Lord on behalf of the people. It’s a passage that’s easy to skim over due to its repetitive nature, but it contains principles that are important for us to grasp as we prepare to gather around The Lord’s Table this morning.  

The book of Numbers is a powerful reminder of the vital need for the church to embrace her true identity and enter in to all God has planned and promised for us.  In this message, and against the backdrop of Numbers chapter 1, David outlines ten vital attributes and characteristics that we can and must embrace if our amazing church is to thrive and fulfil our great calling in these days!...

As the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness on their way to Canaan they had the best local guide you could think of - The Presence of God. Although they went the long way round to reach their destination, their journey was an important experience for them to go through and a necessary preparation. As believers in 2020 we can know that the presence of God is no longer restricted to a tent, or even a grand temple, but now lives inside us - Transformed people. The presence of God leads us in the wilderness, causes us to worship and moves us to witness. Let’s be a church that is ready to move when The Lord commands and follows the leading of His presence.  

The book of Numbers is a story of wanderings. A people on a pilgrimage through the wilderness, called to a promised land flowing with milk and honey. However, not yet ready to take hold of it, they became nomads instead of pilgrims. God has a plan and purpose for each of us as well. A journey which should have taken weeks for the Israelites, instead took them years, with a whole generation dying out. Numbers provides us with a helpful picture about making progress in own journey, to avoid wandering and being taken off course. Like the Israelites, most of the time the biggest obstacle to our progress is US; sometimes it’s our CIRCUMSTANCES, and occasionally GOD Himself steps in, to protect us from our mistakes!  Numbers has been given as an instruction to us (1 Co 10:11), so let’s embrace it so we can be pilgrims rather than nomads!

The opening chapter of Numbers describes the census taken to count Israel’s army, before they began their journey to the promised land.  And as we read the story in its context we find several features relevant to our day.  Everyone was “counted by name”, a reminder that we're known and loved by God.  Everyone was “qualified to serve”, a reminder that all of us have a vital part to play.  But - tragically - none of those counted (except Joshua and Caleb) ever made it into the promised land, a reminder (and a warning, 1Corinthians 10:11) that we must embrace God’s promises and provision and do all we can to make sure our lives count.  This timely message will inspire you to take every opportunity to serve God’s purpose in our generation!...

Mike continues in our new series in the book of Numbers and will be sharing about how we all have a part to play in outworking the mission of the church, no matter who you are or what's going on around us!

Luke 23:32-43 – As we close our 'Gospel Encounters' series, we consider the last encounter, thankfully recorded for us by Luke. This one takes place between the innocent Son of God and the convicted criminal, during the final moments of both their lives. The intensity of this last encounter is obvious, and shows us that at its heart, the gospel message is about injustice, brutality, divisiveness, and is intensely personal! 

God’s word has a lot to say about ‘heaven’ yet as believers we rarely seem to talk about it. In today’s message, we look as what we have already been told about heaven and the age to come, asking ourselves ‘how then should we live?’.

Being a Christian isn’t all about sitting in pews while waiting to go to Heaven. In fact, not at all. We’re called to play a very active part in restoring all things! How? By being the salt of the earth: enhancing flavour, enabling wholeness and embodying holiness.

Paul's prayer for the Colossians is that they might be "strengthened with all power” (Col 1:11) and that's our prayer for our church at this time. Paul goes on to set forth many reasons for them to be strong, culminating in his sensational revelation of Jesus, who is Lord of all things! As we look together at these great truths it’s our prayer that we too will be really strengthened and really encouraged!

Let’s Pray!…During August we will be posting a series of short prayers on our YouTube channel.  Each of them is a prayer for our church: that we would be people of Faith, Hope, and Peace; a Source of Blessing, with a Good Confession; expressing Kindness and Generosity, and Ready for the Return of Jesus!We encourage you: firstly, to listen, receive and embrace these prayers over your own life; and then, secondly, to re-listen as many times as you can and join-in with others in praying them over our church.  We know God hears and answers our prayers,  and as we unite in lifting these requests before Him throughout August we look forward to all He will do amongst us in the days ahead.  Let’s pray!...

Let’s Pray!…During August we will be posting a series of short prayers on our YouTube channel.  Each of them is a prayer for our church: that we would be people of Faith, Hope, and Peace; a Source of Blessing, with a Good Confession; expressing Kindness and Generosity, and Ready for the Return of Jesus!We encourage you: firstly, to listen, receive and embrace these prayers over your own life; and then, secondly, to re-listen as many times as you can and join-in with others in praying them over our church.  We know God hears and answers our prayers,  and as we unite in lifting these requests before Him throughout August we look forward to all He will do amongst us in the days ahead.  Let’s pray!...

Let’s Pray!…During August we will be posting a series of short prayers on our YouTube channel.  Each of them is a prayer for our church: that we would be people of Faith, Hope, and Peace; a Source of Blessing, with a Good Confession; expressing Kindness and Generosity, and Ready for the Return of Jesus!We encourage you: firstly, to listen, receive and embrace these prayers over your own life; and then, secondly, to re-listen as many times as you can and join-in with others in praying them over our church.  We know God hears and answers our prayers,  and as we unite in lifting these requests before Him throughout August we look forward to all He will do amongst us in the days ahead.  Let’s pray!...

Every Gospel encounter with Jesus was sensational in the truest sense of the word. His words and actions came with impact as people heard, saw, touched and even tasted and smelled the nearness of the Kingdom of God through Him. As His body in the world, we have been sent out by Him to be audible, visible and touchable to those around us, filled with compassion and the power of the Holy Spirit. A sensational Church with a sensational commission! Let’s go!

Let’s Pray!…During August we will be posting a series of short prayers on our YouTube channel.  Each of them is a prayer for our church: that we would be people of Faith, Hope, and Peace; a Source of Blessing, with a Good Confession; expressing Kindness and Generosity, and Ready for the Return of Jesus!We encourage you: firstly, to listen, receive and embrace these prayers over your own life; and then, secondly, to re-listen as many times as you can and join-in with others in praying them over our church.  We know God hears and answers our prayers,  and as we unite in lifting these requests before Him throughout August we look forward to all He will do amongst us in the days ahead.  Let’s pray!...

Let’s Pray!…During August we will be posting a series of short prayers on our YouTube channel.  Each of them is a prayer for our church: that we would be people of Faith, Hope, and Peace; a Source of Blessing, with a Good Confession; expressing Kindness and Generosity, and Ready for the Return of Jesus!We encourage you: firstly, to listen, receive and embrace these prayers over your own life; and then, secondly, to re-listen as many times as you can and join-in with others in praying them over our church.  We know God hears and answers our prayers,  and as we unite in lifting these requests before Him throughout August we look forward to all He will do amongst us in the days ahead.  Let’s pray!...