Live Oak Church

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” Psalm 23 In Psalm 23 David paints the picture of what a good shepherd is and does. Ultimately, he is pointing to the good shepherd we have in God our Father. Michael Dougherty did a great job walking us through Psalm 23. It was more like a prayer time than a sermon. Micahel helped us slow do, and reflect on what it means to have God our good sheph...

“Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God.” Acts 16:25 In Acts 16, Paul and Silas had their backs against the wall! They had been arrested for crimes they didn’t commit, stripped naked, beaten with wooden rods and chained in a dungeon. In this story we get a glimpse of what it looks like to suffer well, to endure pain and navigate situations we can’t control. What can w...

”Trust in Lord w/ all your heart; Don’t depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, & he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT In Acts 16, Paul and Silas continued their 2nd missionary journey, traveling throughout Galatia and expanding into new territory in Macedonia. In this passage, we get a glimpse of how the Holy Spirit used their circumstances and a dre...

”If Possible, so far as it Depends on you, Live Peacefully w/ All.” Romans 12:18 ESV At the end of Acts 15, Paul wants to travel together with Barnabas to see the new churches they established on their previous missionary journey. Barnabas agrees, but wants to bring John Mark along. This caused a sharp disagreement, so sharp that they separated and went different ways! What was the situation that...

“Why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 15:10-11 NLT In Acts 15 the Jewish Christians, known as the Judaizers, were complicating the message of the Gospel. They were trying to require the Gentile believers to fu...

“Paul was able to successfully navigate the influence of the crowd because he knew who he was and what he was called to do!” In Acts 14 Paul and Barnabas continue their first missionary journey through Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe, all in modern day Turkey. When they arrive in Lystra, Paul and Barnabas face a fickle crowd. In one moment the crowd tries to worship them, and in the next moment...

pentecost sunday

In Acts 13, the Holy Spirit commissioned Barnabas and Saul for the special work of taking the Gospel to the Gentiles. Barnabas, Saul and John Mark sailed to the island of Cyprus, where they preached the Gospel from town to town all over the Island. After a few months of traveling, John Mark called it quits. We’re not sure why, but we know the journey wasn’t easy. We face the same temptation in our...

In Acts 12 Herod Agrippa was severely persecuting the church in Jerusalem. He beheaded James, the brother of John, and had arrested Peter with the same intention. The church had its back against the wall. But God intervened by sending an angel to rescue Peter from prison, and striking Herod dead for being arrogant. This story reveals that no matter how bad life gets, God is in control and He alway...

Sunday May 3, We had the opportunity to hear from Pastor John from India as he joined Pastor Brian for a conversation about his ministry. He shared about his family and the work God is doing through his ministries like the Goat Project, Prayer Journeys, and his goals of a training center. We were reminded of the power of prayer, the importance of making disciples, and that every area of our lives...

Yesterday in Acts 11, we learned that the Jewish Believers were having trouble accepting the Good News of Jesus is for all people. They were struggling to lay down their prejudices and discriminations against Gentiles (non Jews). But when Peter told them about the vision he had they all "fell silent and praised God". They realized that Jesus gave His life so that all people can experienc...

In Acts 10, God makes it clear that The Good News of Jesus Christ is for all people, not just a specific group of people. Peter had a vision where God told him to “kill and eat” all kinds of animals that were unclean according to Jewish laws. Peter realized the vision wasn’t just about food, it was about people. There is no favoritism, The Gospel is for everyone! Jesus said, “Go into the world and...

How are Christians to approach prayers for healing? There are two distinct ditches on either side of this topic: the belief that God will ALWAYS answer prayers for healing, and the belief that God will NOT heal.  If you believe God will answer prayers for healing, you’re at risk of constant disappointment and becoming jaded.  If you believe God will never heal, you’re at risk of miss the chance to...

n Acts 9, we looked at what happened after Saul's conversion. As soon as he was strengthened, he began preaching that Jesus is the Son of God, and his transformed life left people amazed. But this season wasn't just about boldness, it was also about preparation. God used hidden time to shape Saul before what was ahead. As Saul followed Jesus, he faced opposition and rejection, even having...

This Sunday we looked at the powerful story of Saul's conversion in Acts. Saul was fiercely opposed to the church, convinced he was serving God while actually fighting against Him. But on the road to Damascus, Jesus intervened in sovereign grace. Saul wasn't searching for Jesus, Jesus was searching for Saul. When Jesus asked, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" we see the d...

God used Phillip's obedience to bring understanding of the Gospel to a man of Ethiopian noblilty. This helped to spread the hope of Christ and fulfill the Great Commission to the disciples.

In Acts 8:4–25, following Stephen’s murder, a wave of persecution scattered the believers throughout Judea and Samaria. Philip preached the Good News of Jesus Christ and many people believed and were baptized, including Simon, a Samaritan Sorcerer, known for amazing crowds with his magic. When Peter and John arrived to confirm the authenticity of the conversions, Simon revealed his lust for power...

In Acts 6:7 “God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.” This reveals God’s love and grace for all people, even towards His enemies, the Jewish priests. Stephen, a Greek-speaking Jew described as full of faith, the Holy Spirit, grace, and power, boldly performed miracles and proclaimed Christ, but f...

AW Tozer said, “What comes to mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you.” This is true because what you believe about God shapes your entire life; the way you relate with God, yourself and the world around you! The Good News is that we don’t have to guess what God is like, the Bible gives us a clear picture of Who God is and how he feels about you and me. God is a perfect...

“Where there is No Vision the people perish - If people Can’t See What God is Doing they Stumble all over themselves.” Prv. 29:18 KJV & MSG The principle is, when you don’t have a clear vision, you struggle and stumble through life unnecessarily. Most people don’t want to stumble through life; they want to be fully alive and attentive to what God is doing each day. The Good News is “When peopl...