Living Water Worship Centre

Waiting isn't doing nothing. Waiting on the Lord is staying faithful, obedient, hopeful, and fixed on God's Word until He accomplishes what He has promised.

This sermon centers on one of the best-known promises in Isaiah:

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles…” — Isaiah 40:31

But the message makes an important distinction: waiting on God does not mean doing nothing. Biblical waiting is an active faith that trusts God, obeys God, stays fixed on His Word, and refuses to abandon its position simply because the answer has not arrived yet.

The sermon begins with Israel in Babylonian captivity. Psalm 137 describes a discouraged people who had “hung their harps upon the willows.” Their circumstances had stolen their song. The message applies this personally: sin, disobedience, discouragement, and difficult circumstances can cause believers to lose their joy and stop singing. Yet those are often the very moments when praise is needed most.

Isaiah 40 then changes the tone. God speaks comfort to His people. Their captivity is not the end of their story. God has not abandoned them, and deliverance is coming.

That becomes the foundation of the message:

God is still faithful—even while you're waiting.

What do you do when everything seems to fall apart at once?

In this final study through 1 Samuel 28–31, David returns to Ziklag to discover the city burned, his family taken captive, and his own men so devastated that they begin talking about stoning him.

David had every reason to panic.

Instead, Scripture gives us one of the greatest statements about his life:

“David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”

Before chasing the enemy, making a plan, or reacting emotionally, David sought God's direction. God told him to pursue—and David ultimately recovered all that had been taken.

At the same time, Saul's story reaches its tragic conclusion. The contrast between these two men reveals one of the greatest lessons in 1 Samuel: both David and Saul failed, but David repeatedly returned to God while Saul continued resisting Him.

This Bible study explores:

• How to strengthen yourself in the Lord
• What to do when life becomes overwhelming
• Why David sought God before acting
• David's recovery of everything lost at Ziklag
• The power of repentance and restoration
• Why failure doesn't make you a second-class Christian
• David and Peter as examples of God's restoration
• Giving God the credit for victory
• Why spiritual warfare continues after salvation
• The tragic ending of King Saul
• The importance of finishing well
• Why Saul's real problem wasn't David
• Jonathan's willingness to choose God's will above his own future

Salvation gives us the great victory—but that doesn't mean the enemy stops fighting.

The question is: when the next battle comes, where will you run?

David teaches us the answer:

Run to God. Strengthen yourself in Him. Ask Him what to do next.

📖 Primary Scripture: 1 Samuel 28–31

Can rules make us righteous—or do we need something much deeper?

In Colossians Session 3, we continue through Colossians chapter 2 as Paul warns believers not to be deceived by persuasive words, worldly philosophy, religious traditions, or outward rules that distract us from the sufficiency of Jesus Christ.

Paul gives us a powerful truth:

We are complete in Christ.

The Christian life isn't Jesus plus enough rules, rituals, traditions, or religious activity. Those things cannot change the human heart. Salvation and true transformation come through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

This study also moves into Romans 7 to examine the purpose of God's law. The law isn't bad—it is holy and good. But the law functions like an X-ray: it can expose what is broken inside us, but it cannot heal us.

That's why simply creating more rules cannot defeat the flesh.

The answer is Jesus.

Paul eventually cries, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” His answer points us directly back to Christ: “I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

In this message we explore:

• Why God's Word must govern our lives
• How outside voices influence our thinking
• What it means to be complete in Christ
• The danger of religious deception
• Why rituals cannot replace salvation
• The difference between legalism and genuine transformation
• Why Christianity is a relationship, not merely a religion
• What Romans 7 teaches about the law and sin
• Why rules cannot change the human heart
• How Jesus gives us victory over the flesh

📖 Primary Scripture: Colossians 2
📖 Supporting Scripture: Romans 7

The law can show us what's wrong. Religion can build fences around us. But only Jesus Christ can give us a new heart.

What does it really mean to be lukewarm in our relationship with God?

In Colossians Session 2, we continue through Colossians 1 and begin moving into chapter 2 as Paul challenges believers to remain grounded and steadfast in their faith.

Paul wasn't simply concerned with people hearing the Gospel. He labored, suffered, warned, and taught because he wanted believers prepared to one day stand before God. His own life demonstrates what complete commitment to Jesus Christ looks like—going from persecuting the Church to suffering for the very Gospel he once tried to destroy.

This study also connects Paul's concern for nearby Laodicea with Jesus' warning to the Laodicean church in Revelation 3. Their wealth and prosperity had caused them to value earthly things above spiritual things, leaving them spiritually lukewarm.

The same question confronts us today:

What do we value most?

Our faith can become lukewarm when comfort, possessions, success, entertainment, or the desires of the flesh gradually become more important than obedience to God.

But Jesus' correction isn't given because He has abandoned us. Scripture reminds us that God disciplines those He loves. His desire is repentance, restoration, spiritual maturity, and a relationship with Him that is alive and useful.

This message challenges every believer to become grounded in God's Word, share the hope of Jesus with others, receive God's correction, value eternal things above temporary things, and become completely committed to following Christ.

📖 Primary Scripture: Colossians 1:19–2:1
📖 Supporting Scripture: Revelation 3:14–22

Don't settle for lukewarm. Value what God values and live fully committed to Jesus Christ.

   Jesus Christ takes us from the barrenness and helplessness of spiritual death, covers our brokenness by grace, gives us a place at the King's table, and calls us to leave the old life behind and live continually surrendered to Him.

  In this message from Ephesians 2 and 2 Samuel 9, we discover a powerful picture of salvation through the story of Mephibosheth. Crippled, helpless, and living in the barren land of Lo-Debar, Mephibosheth could do nothing to change his own condition. But one day, the king sent for him.

King David brought Mephibosheth out of barrenness, restored what had been lost, and gave him a permanent place at the king’s table. In the same way, Jesus Christ came for us when we were dead in our sins and unable to save ourselves. By grace, He made us alive, brought us into His family, and gave us a place at His table.

But the Christian life doesn't end with coming to the table—we are called to stay at the King’s table continually.

This message challenges us to stop trying to blend our old life with our new life in Christ, to yield every area of our lives to Jesus, and to remember that salvation isn't found in religion, church attendance, or good works. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

If you've ever felt broken, spiritually barren, unworthy, or too far from God, the story of Mephibosheth reminds us of the incredible mercy of the King:

The King is calling you out of Lo-Debar and inviting you to His table.

There is a strong progression running through this first Colossians session:

Leave the past → Surrender to Christ → Pray → Grow in God's knowledge → Walk consistently → Trust Christ alone → Reject competing philosophies → Live by faith → Accept sacrifice → Keep Christ first.

Paul's message isn't merely about knowing more theology. What we believe about Christ should transform how we actually live.

One-Sentence Summary

Because Jesus Christ has redeemed us, reconciled us to God, and revealed the invisible God to us, we should leave our past behind, willingly surrender our lives to Him, walk consistently by faith, and choose obedience—even when following Him requires sacrifice.

 

Because our sovereign God reigns over all creation, believers can surrender their lives to Him, trust His promises without fear, and rest in the assurance that His purposes cannot be defeated.

 

God is sovereign. Because He reigns over everything, believers can live with faith instead of fear.

Bro. Matthew explains that God's sovereignty means He possesses absolute authority, unlimited power, and complete ownership over all creation. Unlike every created being, God depends on nothing outside Himself for existence—He has always been and always will be.

• God reigns over all creation.
• Nothing surprises God.
• God's sovereignty gives believers peace.
• Faith trusts God's promises before circumstances change.
• Jesus' resurrection guarantees God's victory.
• Everything belongs to God.
• Salvation clothes believers in Christ's righteousness.
• God desires a relationship built on freely chosen love.

True peace comes through surrendering your will to God's.

Why didn't David kill Saul when he had the perfect opportunity?

In this Bible study through 1 Samuel 26–28, we explore the striking contrast between David and Saul. While Saul grows increasingly driven by fear, pride, and the flesh, David learns to trust God's timing rather than forcing God's promises.

This session also examines one of the most challenging passages in Scripture—the account of Saul and the medium of Endor. Instead of offering simplistic answers, we consider what the text clearly teaches about God's sovereignty, spiritual authority, and the importance of approaching difficult passages with humility.

Whether you're facing injustice, waiting on God's timing, or wrestling with questions about difficult biblical texts, this study points us back to a timeless truth:

God is still in control, and faith trusts Him even when we don't understand everything.

What do you do when the battle is still raging, the answer hasn't come, and your circumstances give you no reason to celebrate?

You praise God anyway.

In Victory Through Praise, we look at Psalm 22, 2 Chronicles 20, and Acts 16 to discover the biblical power of praise in the middle of adversity.

Jehoshaphat sent singers ahead of the army before the battle was won. Paul and Silas sang praises at midnight while they were beaten, chained, and locked inside a prison. In both situations, praise came before the breakthrough.

Praise isn't simply music, and it isn't reserved for Sunday morning. Praise is an expression of faith that declares God is still on the throne regardless of what we see around us.

When adversity comes, our natural response may be fear, frustration, complaining, or trying to fix everything ourselves. But Scripture shows us another response:

Praise the Lord before you see the victory.

The battle may still be raging.
The chains may still be on.
But God still reigns.

Praise Him anyway.