The Living Streams Church Podcast

In 1 John 5:13–21, John concludes his letter by reminding believers of the confidence and assurance we have through Jesus Christ. Because eternal life is found in Him, we can approach God boldly in prayer, trusting that He hears us and that His will is good. This assurance also shapes how we love one another, calling us to pray for those struggling with sin and encourage one another toward repentance and restoration. John reminds us that those born of God are no longer ruled by sin but are called to walk in obedience and remain rooted in God's truth. As he cl...

Faith in Jesus gives new life, shown through love, obedience, and perseverance. John invites us to trust and abide in Christ, the Son of God and source of eternal life.

Jesus calls us to a sincere, trusting life of prayer. Not one performed for others, but one rooted in relationship with God. Through the Lord’s Prayer, we learn to honor God, seek His will, depend on Him daily, receive forgiveness, and extend it to others, even in seasons of uncertainty and suffering

In 1 John 4, we are reminded that God is both truth and love, and that our understanding of love must be shaped by His character rather than the world around us. God’s love is not something we earn, but something He freely gives. It is a love that initiates, sacrifices, and faithfully remains. Through Jesus Christ, God has demonstrated the depth of His love, freeing us from fear, shame, and the need to prove our worth. As we abide in Him, His love transforms our hearts and shapes the way we relate to others. Because God first loved us, we...

How can we know that we truly belong to God, even when our hearts are filled with doubt or condemnation? In 1 John 3:19–24, we are reminded that our assurance is not found in our own perfection, changing feelings, or the approval of others, but in the grace and faithfulness of Christ. God knows us completely, and His love is greater than our weaknesses and failures. As we grow in our trust in Jesus, we are invited to approach God with confidence in prayer, love one another through genuine actions, and abide in His presence. The Christian life is not simply ab...

1 John 3 reveals the profound identity given to those who belong to Christ: we are children of God, loved by the Father and being transformed into the likeness of Jesus. John draws a distinction between struggling with sin and making peace with it, reminding us that the patterns we practice shape who we become. God’s children are called to abide in Christ, bring sin into the light, and practice righteousness as His life works within us. This identity also becomes visible in how we love one another, following Jesus’ example by moving beyond words and choosing sacrificial, tangible love “in dee...

God’s promises rest not on our ability to make them happen, but on His faithfulness and power. Like Abraham, we are called to trust God through seasons of waiting, believing that the process does not cancel the promise. But God’s blessing is never meant to stop with us. He invites us to become a blessing to others by offering our gifts, resources, time, prayers, and presence. True multiplication happens as disciples become servants, servants become leaders, and leaders equip others, with each person faithfully playing their part while trusting God to bring the growth.

In 1 John 2:12–28, John calls believers to abide in Christ, remaining rooted in His love, His Word, and the truth of what He has accomplished. Though the desires of the world compete for our hearts, they are temporary and cannot satisfy like knowing God and doing His will. Through the Holy Spirit, we are equipped to recognize deception, remain grounded in truth, and continue growing in faith. Whether we are new to following Jesus or have walked with Him for many years, the invitation remains the same: stay connected to Christ, trust what He has accomplished, and allow His love an...

God is light, and fellowship with Him allows us to see ourselves, others, and the world more clearly. Walking in His light does not mean pretending to be without sin, but honestly bringing our darkness before God and trusting Jesus, our Advocate, to forgive and cleanse us. As His light transforms us, we learn to walk as Jesus walked, obey His commands, love others genuinely, and reflect His truth and grace to the world around us.

In the opening verses of 1 John, the Apostle John points us toward one of the greatest realities of the Christian life: fellowship with God. Jesus, the eternal Word of Life, made the invisible God known and came so that we could be restored to relationship with the Father. This fellowship is more than belonging or community. It is communion with God that sustains us through suffering, transforms our lives, and leads to complete joy. Having received this life through Christ, we are invited to draw near to God and share with others what we have seen, heard, and experienced...

Courageous faith is not rooted in our own strength or certainty, but in confidence in who God is and what He can do. Through the story of Jonathan and his armor bearer in 1 Samuel 14, we see how trusting God can move us beyond comfort, security, and fear into faithful obedience. Courage can mean stepping out, but it can also mean staying, waiting, enduring, and remaining faithful. As we surround ourselves with courageous people, practice courage in everyday obedience, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, we become people willing to ask what Jesus wants us to do and...

Displaying God’s glory is one of the greatest privileges and responsibilities of following Jesus. We glorify God not by drawing attention to ourselves, but by allowing the life of Christ to be seen through us. As we abide in Jesus, bear spiritual fruit, walk in unity with other believers, and allow God’s Word and Spirit to continually transform us, our lives become a reflection of His character. The goal is that our words, actions, relationships, and everyday faithfulness would point beyond ourselves so others can see the goodness and greatness of God and be drawn to worship Him.

Our lives are filled with opportunities to spend our time, energy, and attention, but not everything we pursue carries eternal weight. Jesus calls His people to live awake and intentional, joining Him in the worthy endeavor of expanding His Kingdom. Through disciple making, everyday relationships, acts of obedience, and the unique gifts God has given us, we can participate in bringing His righteousness, peace, and joy into the world. The methods may look different for each person, but the mission remains the same: faithfully helping others know Jesus and learn to walk in obedience to Him.

This week begins our Worthy Endeavors series with a simple but searching question: are we truly living, or merely existing? In a culture that constantly pulls us toward busyness, distraction, and superficial success, Jesus invites us into the abundant life found in abiding with Him. Biblical health is more than spiritual activity or outward productivity. It is becoming whole people whose lives are rooted in Christ and bear lasting fruit. As we learn to honestly examine our lives, cultivate practices that keep us close to God, and faithfully steward every area He has entrusted to us, we discover that...

Throughout the Being Human series, we have explored what it means to be created in God's image and restored through Christ. This final message turns our attention to who we are becoming. As we behold Jesus, the Holy Spirit steadily transforms us into His likeness, shaping not only what we believe but who we are. Real discipleship begins in His presence, where our hearts are renewed before our hands are ever called to serve. And as His love takes root within us, it naturally overflows into humble, faithful service toward others. Loving God and loving our neighbor are never...

As part of our Being Human series, we're releasing conversations that explore faith, work, technology, and what it means to flourish as people created in God's image. In this episode, David Stockton, Anthony Kennada, and Press Reader explore how our culture shapes the way we think about work, success, and purpose. Together they reflect on productivity, ambition, rest, and technology, asking how a biblical vision of humanity can free us to find our identity in Christ rather than in what we accomplish.

God knows what we need long before we ask, and because of that, we are free to live with trust instead of anxiety. Jesus invites us to see ourselves through the eyes of a loving Father who values His children far more than the birds of the air or the lilies of the field. While our world constantly pulls our hearts toward worry, materialism, and self reliance, the kingdom of God offers a different way. As we seek first His kingdom, practice gratitude, generosity, and faithful obedience, we learn to rest in the confidence that God is both willing...

Artificial intelligence is changing how we create, but it cannot replace what God uniquely designed humanity to be. In this episode, David Stockton, Anthony Kennada, and Ryan Romeo explore creativity, craftsmanship, and the purpose of human work, considering how Christians can embrace new technology without losing the distinctly human calling to create in the image of God.

Zacchaeus' story reminds us that beneath every pursuit of success, security, or approval is a deeper longing to be fully known and fully accepted. While the world teaches us to earn our worth through achievement, Jesus meets us with grace before we've proven anything. His acceptance is not a reward for repentance but the very thing that makes transformation possible. As we receive the love of Christ, we are freed from hiding behind our accomplishments or our failures and invited into a new way of being human, one marked by humble dependence on God and the same generous grace...

What shapes our identity in a world full of competing voices? This conversation explores what it means to find our identity in the Kingdom of God, live out our calling with faithfulness, and build our lives on a biblical understanding of what it means to be human.

We all spend our lives moving toward something, but the destination we choose is not always the one we were created for. Ecclesiastes invites us to consider our telos, our ultimate purpose and end. While so much of life "under the sun" feels temporary and elusive, like vapor that cannot be held onto, Scripture reminds us that true meaning is not found in chasing achievement, pleasure, or success. It is found in God Himself. Humanity flourishes when we live in awe of the Lord and faithfully cultivate the life He has called us to through joyful obedience. Though everything...

As part of our Being Human sermon series, we're releasing conversations that explore what it means to follow Jesus in a rapidly changing world. In this episode, David Stockton, Anthony Kennada, and Brandon Gurney discuss the intersection of faith, work, and technology, and why a biblical understanding of humanity is essential as AI continues to reshape our culture. Together they explore human flourishing, meaningful work, and how Christians can engage innovation with wisdom, conviction, and hope.

God's greatness is not revealed only in the vastness of creation, but in the astonishing truth that He is mindful of humanity. Psalm 8 holds together both awe and intimacy, inviting us to marvel that the Creator of the stars chooses to know, love, and entrust His image bearers with purpose. In a culture that measures worth by achievement, influence, or intelligence, our identity is rooted instead in being created and cherished by God. Though humanity is small in comparison to the universe, we are crowned with dignity, called to faithful stewardship, and ultimately redeemed through Jesus, who embraced humility...

Holistic, unrestrained love is not something we manufacture but something we receive. Centered on the Shema, Israel's daily confession of faith beginning with, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one," this message explores God's invitation to love Him with our whole being: heart, soul, and might. As we discover that God's command is grounded in His covenant love for us first, we begin to see that true humanity is found not in fragmented affection or reluctant obedience, but in wholehearted dependence on Christ, who loved the Father perfectly on our behalf and now empowers us...

As part of our Being Human series, David Stockton and Anthony Kennada continue their conversation about faith, work, and technology by exploring what it means to move forward when the path ahead is uncertain. Looking at Israel's crossing of the Jordan River, they reflect on trust, courage, and how God leads His people through seasons of change.

Genesis 3 confronts one of humanity’s oldest temptations: the desire to define reality apart from God. What begins with the serpent’s question, “Did God actually say?”, leads Adam and Eve to pursue autonomy, wisdom, and self determination on their own terms. Instead of freedom, they find shame, fear, hiding, and fractured relationships. The deeper tragedy of sin is not merely that it breaks God’s commands, but that it deforms what it means to be human. Scripture presents human flourishing not as freedom from God’s boundaries, but as life lived within His good design. In a culture that celebra...

As part of our Being Human sermon series, we're releasing a collection of conversations exploring faith, work, technology, and what it means to flourish as humans in a changing world. Technology is changing faster than ever, but the deepest human questions remain the same. In this opening conversation, David and Anthony reflect on uncertainty, resilience, faith, and how to move forward when the future feels unclear.

Genesis 1–2 grounds our understanding of humanity in a truth that is both ancient and urgently needed today: we are not accidents, products, or data points, but image-bearers of God. In a world marked by anxiety, technological disruption, and questions about identity, Scripture reminds us that human dignity comes from the God who created us, breathed life into us, and called His creation good. Humanity was designed to reflect God's character, steward His world, cultivate flourishing through meaningful work, and live in relationship with both God and one another. While modern culture often fears what the future may hold, the go...

Renewal begins with what shapes our minds. In a world filled with competing voices, shifting opinions, and pressure to define truth for ourselves, the invitation of Christ is to be transformed by the renewal of our minds and anchored in what is eternally true. Jesus does not merely point to truth, He declares Himself to be the Truth. As we learn to recognize God's presence not only in worship gatherings but also in the ordinary moments of everyday life, gratitude becomes worship, anxiety becomes dependence, and daily routines become places of communion with Him. Renewal is not behavior modification...

Romans 16 closes with a doxology, lifting our eyes to the glory of God. After tracing the depth of the gospel, Paul ends by reminding us that God alone carries the true weight of glory. We were never made to bear that weight ourselves, yet we often chase empty glory and try to prove our own strength. Paul points instead to the power of God that strengthens us in weakness, the mystery of Christ now revealed through the gospel, and the obedience of faith that flows from trusting Him. The only wise response is to be honest about our weakness...

Romans 16 reveals the beauty of God’s kingdom at work through ordinary, faithful people. In Paul’s final greetings, names like Phoebe, Priscilla, Aquila, Rufus, and many others become a picture of generosity, courage, hospitality, discipleship, and spiritual family. The church is not built by celebrities, but by servants who work hard in the Lord, open their homes, share their resources, and carry the mission of Jesus together. Paul also gives a sober warning to guard against divisive voices and deceptive teaching, calling believers to be “wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.” Romans c...

Romans 15 closes Paul’s teaching on Christian living not with correction, but with reinforcement. Paul reminds the church that reminders are not reprimands, they are invitations to remember what God has already made true in Christ. The chapter calls believers to serve like Jesus, finding the motivation for sacrifice not in guilt or law, but in the overflow of the gospel. Scripture becomes a source of endurance, encouragement, and hope, leading the people of God into unified worship and deeper community rather than isolation. Paul reminds the church that they are full of goodness in Christ, called to openly li...

Romans 14 calls believers to a deeper kind of unity, one not built on uniformity of practice but on shared surrender to Christ as Lord. In a community shaped by differing convictions, Paul redirects attention away from judgment and toward love, urging each person to be fully convinced before God while refusing to impose those convictions on others. Freedom in Christ is reframed not as personal license, but as a responsibility to build others up, even at cost to oneself. The kingdom of God is not defined by external behaviors, but by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit...

Romans 13 calls believers to live rightly in relation to governing authorities, our neighbor, and our own flesh. Authority is described as instituted by God and serving His purposes, leading to a posture of submission, honor, and good conduct. What is owed in civic life is to be given fully, yet one debt remains: to love one another. Every command is summed up in this, that love does no wrong to a neighbor. Paul then turns inward, urging believers to cast off the works of darkness and put on the Lord Jesus Christ, making no provision for the flesh. The...

Romans 12 marks the shift from understanding God’s mercy to embodying it, calling believers to offer their whole lives as worship through ongoing surrender and inner renewal. Out of this transformed mind flows a new way of living marked by humility, where identity is received rather than asserted, and by a shared life where each person’s gifts are given for the good of others. Love becomes the defining expression of this life, not as sentiment but as a steady, discerning, and active commitment to what is good. Even in the face of opposition or harm, the way forward is n...

Romans 9–11 unfolds a surprising pattern in God’s redemptive plan, where Israel’s story is not abandoned but woven into a wider mercy that reaches the whole world. What looks like failure becomes a turning point as Israel’s stumbling opens the door for the Gentiles, and that same mercy is meant to stir Israel back to faith. Grace stands at the center, undeserved and freely given, inviting humility rather than pride. The image of the olive tree reminds us that no one stands by merit, only by faith, and the promise remains that God’s calling is irrevocable. In the end...

Romans 10 holds together both the nearness of salvation and the urgency of response. Zeal without surrender is not enough, and striving cannot produce the righteousness God freely gives. Christ has already fulfilled what the law could not, and now salvation is as close as a confession on the lips and belief in the heart. There is no distinction, no barrier, no distance left to cross, only the call to trust and receive. Yet this nearness carries weight. Faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ, so the gospel is meant to be spoken, carried, and shared...

Romans 9 wrestles with a deeply personal and difficult question: if God is faithful, why have many in Israel rejected Him? Paul responds by shifting the focus from human expectation to God’s mercy. Belonging to God has never been about lineage or effort, but about His sovereign calling. Through examples like Isaac, Jacob, and even Pharaoh, Paul shows that salvation rests not on human will or striving, but on God’s compassion. This raises tension around fairness, yet Paul anchors everything in God’s character, reminding us that mercy is not owed but freely given. The image of the potter...

Romans 8 gathers the whole gospel into a steady, unshakable hope: life in Christ begins not with striving, but with the settled reality that there is no condemnation, and it unfolds through the Spirit who reshapes our desires, assures our identity as God’s children, and sustains us in both the fight against sin and the weight of suffering. Even as creation groans and believers wait for what is not yet seen, the Spirit is already at work, interceding in weakness and forming Christ within us, while God sovereignly weaves every moment toward that same end. What emerges is not fr...