Biblical prophecy is framed as Spirit-inspired speech that builds up, guides, and comforts God’s people, always anchored in Scripture (1 Corinthians 14). It clarifies identity, calls for faithful obedience, and offers God’s gentle reassurance, strengthening faith over time through attentive, discerning prayer. Drawing from Acts 27, the church is reminded that storms and loss do not cancel God’s promises but often become the very means by which He fulfills them. Looking toward 2026, a shared call begins to take shape—one of restoration and preparation marked by simplicity, surrender, and trust, where “less is more” and a slower, deeper obedience yields lasting spiritual fruit.
Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 reframes the end of the age not as a timetable to decode, but as a way of living faithfully amid uncertainty. Rather than offering dates or predictions, Jesus prepares His disciples for a world marked by upheaval—wars, deception, suffering, and lawlessness—while repeatedly calling them to discernment, calm, and endurance. These events are described not as signs of collapse, but as birth pains, signaling that God is bringing new creation through suffering. Scripture consistently resists speculation, reminding us that no one knows the day or hour, yet believers are invited to remain spiritually alert, grounded in wisdom, and shaped by hope. Drawing on Romans 8, the groaning of creation and the suffering of the present age are real but temporary, held within the promise of coming glory and restoration. Until Christ’s unmistakable return, the church is called to be a non-anxious presence in an anxious world—faithful, patient, discerning, and rooted in Jesus—trusting that history is not spiraling toward chaos, but moving steadily toward redemption.
Isaiah 7 places us in a moment of fear, where King Ahaz faces real political threat and is invited by God to trust His presence rather than grasp for false security. The promised sign of a child—given first in Isaiah’s own day—becomes, in the light of Christ, a prophetic horizon pointing to Jesus Christ, Immanuel. What began as reassurance amid crisis unfolds into the heart of the gospel: God does not merely help from a distance but comes near, taking on flesh to dwell with His people. From Eden to the temple, and finally in Christ, Scripture reveals a God who moves toward humanity even when humanity turns away. Advent, then, invites us to confront our fear and unbelief not by escape or control, but by receiving God’s greatest gift—His presence with us, here and now.
Pastor David and Kurt sit down with special guest and LSC alum Ryan Romeo (now at New City Church) for a reflective conversation on hearing God’s voice, weighing prophetic words, and learning to walk faithfully with the Spirit amid uncertainty, suffering, and renewal.
“King of Nations” emerges from Isaiah’s prophecy during Judah’s political collapse and fear of surrounding empires, announcing a faithful promise that even from a seemingly dead stump, a righteous King would rise from the root of Jesse. This Messianic ruler would not only restore Israel but reign with justice and peace over all nations, confronting evil, defending the poor, and bringing creation into harmony. The sixth Advent antiphon, “O King of the nations, and their desire,” points to Jesus as the fulfillment of this hope—born in David’s line, recognized by the nations, and crowned King not through conquest but through sacrificial love. His cross became the victory over sin and death, and His resurrection His coronation. Revelation completes the vision, declaring that this King will return to gather a redeemed people from every nation and establish a kingdom where the knowledge of the Lord fills the earth.
The name O Oriens—“O Dayspring”—reveals Jesus as the first light that breaks into every kind of darkness. Scripture shows God meeting people in fear, confusion, guilt, and exhaustion, and Isaiah announces a great light that rises precisely when the night feels deepest. The New Testament identifies that light as Jesus Himself, the Dayspring who brings clarity, healing, and a new beginning. As the Bright Morning Star, He signals that the long night is ending and God is ushering in a new world. The teaching explores how Christ’s dawning presence awakens purpose, exposes lies with truth, restores what darkness has taken, and declares a new day over every part of our story.
David and CJ dive deep into Advent longing, the anitphon of "O Key of David,” and why our ache for things to be made right is shared by believers, skeptics, and the whole human story. This episode hosts a grounded, honest conversation about hope, endurance, and learning to hang our lives on Christ alone.
This Advent message reflects on Jesus as the Key of David—the One who opens what no one can shut and brings real freedom, honor, and security to His people. Isaiah’s story of failed and faithful leaders points ahead to the greater One who would be “cut down” for us, and Revelation shows that this authority now rests fully in the risen Christ. He sets open doors before weary believers and invites us into a life of faithful patience and surrendered trust. In a season full of noise and striving, we remember that the freedom and joy we long for come not from self-rule but from the One who governs with perfect love. O Key of David, come.
This episode goes deeper into the O Antiphons, Isaiah 11, the longing for Messiah, and how Advent invites us to anticipate both the birth of Christ and His return. We explore the wisdom of God, the might of Christ, and the hope that springs from the stump when life feels broken.
In this message we look at Isaiah’s image of a shoot growing out of a dead stump—a picture of how God brings life where we’ve already declared the story over. Israel was collapsing, hope was thin, yet God promised a humble Messiah from Jesse’s line who would carry justice, peace, and renewal for the whole world. We feel those “stump moments” too: places in our lives, families, or culture that seem beyond repair. Isaiah points us to Jesus—the Root of Jesse—who isn’t just an inspiring figure but the One who holds everything together and brings real life into the places we’ve written off. Advent teaches us to turn our eyes from ourselves toward Christ, the One who makes dead things live again.
We continue our Advent journey with “O Lord of Might,” the ancient cry that remembers the God who rescued Israel and reveals Jesus as that same redeeming Lord. Throughout Scripture, Adonai is the warrior who saves—powerful in judgment, rich in mercy, and faithful to deliver His people. In Christ we see this fullness: gentle and gracious, yet the One who will return to judge evil and make all things new. This week invites us to take that portrait seriously—not to fear evil, because Jesus conquers it, but to fear drifting toward the very sin He opposes. The Lord of Might stands ready to redeem, lead, and strengthen all who call on His name.
In this Advent teaching on O Sapientia — O Wisdom — we explore what it means to grow in godly discernment. Wisdom in Scripture isn’t just knowledge but the ability to taste and recognize what leads to life. Isaiah points to the One who embodies perfect wisdom—Jesus, the shoot from the stump of Jesse. In Him, we learn to perceive, practice, and proclaim wisdom, allowing His Spirit to shape our desires, decisions, and way of life.
Acts shows us what happens when ordinary people are filled with the Holy Spirit and sent by Jesus. The gospel advances not through comfort or human strength, but through surrendered lives and bold witness. As we follow Paul’s journey to Rome and the early church’s testimony, we are reminded that the same Spirit empowers us today to share Christ and make disciples wherever we go.
Paul’s shipwreck and suffering in Acts 27–28 reveal a peace that transcends circumstance. In this episode, we talk about what it means to endure with hope, to see storms as sacred, and to live with “passionate patience” in a culture addicted to immediacy.
When storms rise, Paul shows us what it means to trust God in the middle of them. From imprisonment and shipwreck to standing before kings, his story reveals that suffering is not a detour from God’s plan—it’s the very soil where faith grows strong. Through patient endurance and a non-anxious presence, Paul turns every trial into testimony and every hardship into hope.
Pastor Ciprian Balta and his family left security in the U.S. for Ireland, not by plan but by providence. This is a story of reluctant obedience that became joyful calling.
In Acts 23 and 24, Paul stands in the middle of his legal and spiritual trial, facing false accusations and strong opposition from both religious and political leaders. Yet even in confinement, his message remains free and his mission unstoppable. Before the Sanhedrin, Paul boldly declares his clear conscience before God and reveals that the true reason for his trial is his hope in the resurrection of the dead. Jesus appears to him, saying, “Take courage…you must also testify in Rome,” reminding Paul that his life is directed by divine purpose, not human plots. Through it all, Paul remains steadfast—a faithful witness whose calling continues even in chains.
In Acts 21, we encounter a powerful moment in Paul’s life as he journeys toward Jerusalem, “constrained by the Spirit,” knowing imprisonment and suffering await him. Though believers along the way receive prophetic warnings and plead with him not to go, Paul remains steadfast, saying he is ready “not only to be imprisoned but even to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.” This passage reveals a key truth about the Spirit’s work: revelation may be clear, but interpretation and application require humility and community discernment. Paul listens carefully yet stays obedient to what he has discerned, modeling courage and submission. In the end, the believers surrender and say, “Let the will of the Lord be done,” reminding us that the Spirit’s purpose is not to control or confuse, but to guide us together into truth, love, and faithful obedience.Clarity Through Humility & Unity
In Acts 19–20, Paul’s ministry in Ephesus shows the gospel’s power to transform lives and entire communities. Through faithful teaching, miracles, and repentance, the name of Jesus is lifted high and the Word of the Lord continues to increase and prevail mightily. As Paul prepares to depart, he urges the Ephesian elders to lead with humility, endurance, and generosity—reminding them it is more blessed to give than to receive. His example calls us to live out the gospel with courage, compassion, and full surrender to Christ