The Lighthouse Midlothian

"Rome wasn't built in a day". Building and rebuilding takes time and effort. It would be nice if construction could be completed without issues and trials, and yet all to easily it comes. This week, as we look through Ezra, we learn of the adversity the rebuilders came against and how they persevered in spite of it all.

With the changing of the seasons, the flu virus begins to spread even more. While that virus can harm you physically, there is another pair that that harm you mentally, physically, and spiritually: Fear and Doubt. This week, Guest Speaker Judy Radachy speaks on the easiest way to combat the Fear and Doubt Virus: a Faith Vaccine.

What happens when the world come through and destroys all that we hold dear? We rebuild. Looking through Ezra this morning, we understand that we have the favor of those who are over us to go out and rebuild what was ruined.

We understand that the Holy Spirit was sent after Jesus had ascended, but why was he sent? Today, Children's Pastor Christina Aguilar discusses the Paraklaytos nature of Holy Spirit and uses an example of Peter being freed from Prison with help from the Holy Spirit.

Anyone who has had to put together furniture knows that getting it finished is glorious. You can revel in the finished work and have that sense of accomplishment. As we continue and complete our series on "Some Assembly Required", we look at what the completed work of the church looks like: The Glory of the Lord. However, just like putting together furniture, it can be a struggle getting to that completed work, especially when it means working with others. See how this week we can focus forward on the completed glory despite all the challenges that come against us.

As we continue through our "Some Assembly Required" series, we venture to the one place that specializes in required some assembly, IKEA. This week, we take a look at our new acrostic and learn how the church requires a few things to function: Inclusion, Kindness, Encouragement, and Accountability.

Wouldn't it be nice if everything just fit together easily? No worrying where what piece goes where, or if you have the right connectors, or if you have an extra piece? Unfortunately, that isn't how things are, and it can be frustrating to put things together, even if you have the instructions. That is how it can be with the church sometimes. We all have a place where we fit into the church, but it can be frustrating to find where we fit in. Thankfully, we are not the ones who put us in our proper positions, but Jesus is.

This week, guest speaker Kim Pitner takes us back to Genesis, back to where it all began, to discuss the struggle and fight that we must all go through: Do we choose the tree of Life, or the Knowledge of Good and Evil?

This week, we continue our look on Paul's call to Be Strong. It is easy enough to tell someone to "Be Strong" but how does one exactly accomplish that?

It is Father's Day, and with it comes the question that all weary Fathers ask: Why Be Strong? This week, we look into Corinthians and Paul's call to them to Be Strong.

As we continue our talks on missions, we focus on the book of Acts, a book wholly dedicated to the mission of the Church, and how we are to go out into the world to fulfill the mission: by working alongside the Holy Spirit.

To finalize our Mission's Week (Turned into Mission's Month), our Mexico Mission's team returns with a report that of how God touched and worked in Mexico.

As our Mission's team is in Mexico, Resident Prayer Coordinator Dominikus Hinda leads us in a time of intercession for the team as well as a message of the importance of prayer in fighting against everything that comes against those on the mission field.

As we continue our Mission's Week and prepare to send out our Mission's team to Mexico, Guest speaker Richard Apfel comes with a word that regardless of how unqualified you believe you may be to do mission's work, God see's otherwise. He will surround you and equip you with people who will help support you on your work, no matter what you look like.

We are kicking off Mission's Week here at Lighthouse, and who better to help kick it off than Missionary to Zimbabwe and lifelong friend of the Lighthouse, Ruthanne Garlock, who comes with a message of when things are difficult and the world surrounds you with words of trouble and chaos, who will you believe: The word of the chaos, or the Word of the Lord?

Mother's Day is a special time for us. It is a time for us to honor those who helped bring us into this world and the efforts they made to help raise us. But what about those who have lost? Widows. Orphans. Today we look at Isaiah 54 and learn that despite having experience loss or infertility, God still cares and tells to rejoice in spite of their troubles.

If you ever had the feeling that you were being held back, imprisoned, or that you are boxed in, know that through God, nothing can stop you. This week we look at Acts and understand that no matter the circumstances that surround you, you will always make it to where God wants you to be, even if it looks impossible.

Over the last year, the word of "normal" has been said a lot. When are we going back to "normal"? This person will bring us back to "normal". I guess this is the new "normal". But what does it mean to be "normal"? This week, guest speaker Scott Hinkle teaches on how with Jesus, there is no normal that exists on this earth, but there is a continually new normal with Him.

"Can these bones yet live?" This was the question the Lord asked Ezekiel, even though He knew the answer. When God asks us a question, he isn't asking because He doesn't know, but because He wants us to partake in His miracle. As we learn this week about the prophetic, we learn that when the Lord asks us a question like that, we have the opportunity to join in and speak out His words. He even tells us what to say when we don't know what to say!

When troubles come, it is easy for us to hold on to the problems and try to navigate our way through it. But what if we didn't? This week, we get the 411 on faith and how Jesus has been given authority over everything, regardless of the situation.

It has been a rough year since our last Easter Service, filled with troubles, losses, grief, and trials. But there has also been many, many blessings. This Resurrection Sunday, we look towards hope and how when Christ had died and was resurrected, the hope that came from the Holy Spirit and its outpouring still lasts to this day.

It is finally Palm Sunday, the day that Jesus came into Jerusalem humbly and triumphantly. As we consider how Jesus triumphed over death and has claimed victory over sin, it is good to consider how he has covered us just as our PPE has covered us this last year. But instead of our "Personal Protection Equipment", we must see Jesus in another way: we Partner, we Praise, and we Experience.

What does it mean to be church? Is it simply gathering into a building and fellow-shipping together, or is there more to it? This week we course through Ephesians and look at how we are to operate as a church to the community around us, accepting and loving others regardless of how we think of them, just as Christ did for us.

What does it take to be chosen by God? Nothing on our part. But what does it take to choose God? Everything. This week we look at the differences between Saul, David, and Solomon, and how despite each one having their flaws, each was chosen by God to rule over their nation. In the same way, we may have our flaws, but we are still chosen by God. All it takes from us is the willingness to know and to follow where God has chosen us to be.

To quote the song "Love Came Down", "If my heart is overwhelmed and I cannot hear your voice, I hold on to what is true though I cannot see." Fear and doubt are heavy influencers in our lives, but it is up to us to decide how much they can influence us. As we continue our series on Faith, we learn about how to hold on to the Truth and use that as our structure when fear and doubt overwhelm us.

The favor of God may not always be what it seems. This week, Lighthouse Prayer Coordinator Dominikus Hinda comes with a testamony and a message on how when things never looked to be going the way they should, God's hand and favor were still over him, and how even when things may not appear what they would like to for us, God's favor is still at work.

God cares about his people, that we know of for sure. But how do we reach out to His people? This week, taking notes from Habakkuk, Missionary Mark Mccord tells us how things are changing and how we need to begin to look outside the pulpit in order to influence people; that by being people of God and showing His Glory in a dark world where his people are will draw people unto Him.

Continuing from last week, Paul and the crew finally made it on shore, but that doesn't mean that peace had come yet. When we think the storm is over, more troubles may come, but if we look to Paul's experiences we can learn that as long as we are set and following the path that Jesus has set us on, nothing will stop us.

Storms come in many shapes and sizes. They can come with a forewarning, or show up unexpectedly. But what happens when you get sideswiped by catastrophic storm after catastrophic storm? This week, we look to Acts and Paul and how despite the destruction and chaos on his way to Rome, he was still able to hold on, all due to his Faith in Christ Jesus.

Come join us this week as we provide you an update on the vision of the Midlothian Lighthouse for 2021!

Anxiety is all to common in today's world, that is certain. The question is, what do we do when we get anxious? This week, we look to Paul's letter to the Philippians and find that the best way to have peace is by going to the Prince of Peace Himself.

It goes without really saying: Words are Powerful. They can create. They can destroy. They can encourage. They can discourage. So how do we meter our words and make sure we say the right things? We measure them against the Word. This week we look into Isaiah and how words matter.

If 2020 has shown us anything it is that often plans that we make never go according to how we want. But that should not discourage us to not make plans at all. In this New Year, we discuss that we should continue on with making plans and scheduling out our year simply out of wisdom, but to also leave our plans up to the Lord and focus each day on Him.

As the year comes to a close, we look back at what is important about being a Christian: Walking as a child of God. Elder Geary Barret shares his tales on how just being a child of God has helped bring people peace and life through humble circumstances.

As we continue our look through Romans, we come to a word that best explains what we needed to make it through this year, if not any year: Endurance, Encouragement, and Hope. But where is it that we get these three things and how about do we receive them?

God has a will for us all, that is for certain, but do we know what His will is? As we continue our look through Romans, we look at what it is that God wills for us as well as how we are able to carry that out.

It is easy to say that you know something. You can study something forever and say that you know something, but when it comes right down to it, do you really know? This week we look at the differences between Jesus and the Pharisees and while the Pharisees knew the letter of the Law, Jesus knew who the Pharisees missed: the Lawmaker.

What does it mean to be righteous? This week, Children's Pastor Christina Aguilar takes us through the story of Jesus healing on the Sabbath and asks the question, is righteousness doing good works or is it bringing life?

It is the week of Thanksgiving, and this week we reflect back on the first Thanksgiving in America. We look at how a group of people, seeking out freedoms and suffering loss, managed to celebrate abundance and life with the natives, and how we can reflect that same attitude of gratitude in our lives as well.

All things require some sort of sacrifice. Living for Christ absolutely requires a sacrifice. This morning, we look at Romans and try to answer how we are able to live daily as sacrifices for Christ and what results when we do give up ourselves.

Being a child of God is easy. When you know who you are and who you are loved by, it is easy to go through life. Maturity, however, is much harder. This week, we take a look at how we are not only supposed to be like children, but also act with maturity and responsibility as Christians and how to overcome some of the challenges that may prevent us from growing up, even if those challenges are ourselves.

It has been a year since the church was hit by a storm that changed our normal. This week, we take a look back at that day and how in spite of losing the building for over half a year and still not having everything completed, we are able to see how God worked in all of it. Where in your life have you experienced a crisis and can you see where God had his hand in protecting you?

We know of fear, but who or what shall we fear? This week, guest speaker Tim Crouch carries a message of the different types of fear and how we should correctly respond to each one.

As we finish up our look at the Jewish festivals, we must ask ourselves, "Why do we even celebrate these feasts if we are Christians?" Join us as we look at the symbolism between the Jewish tradition and the value behind community and communion with friends, family, and most importantly, God.

As we continue our look at the Jewish fall festivals, we arrive at Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. This week, we learn about why the Jews even celebrate Sukkot, what it entails, and how we can adapt those ideas into our Faith.

As we continue through the festivities of the Jewish New Year, we look at Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. This week, we will look at how Atonement itself is a gracious gift and how the Levitical model of atonement was carried through the gracious sacrifice of Jesus.

Rosh Hashanah. It is a ceremony that doesn't have a lot of recognition in our culture, but it is very important to the roots of our faith. This week, we look at this Jewish New Year, its context within in scripture, and ask and answer the question: Should we as Christians observe the Jewish festivals?

What happens when crisis hits; when the world around you flips? How do you make it through? This week, we look at Daniel, a man who was caught in a time where his beliefs were challenged, and how by holding on to his faith, he not only persevered, but thrived and influenced and entire culture, even when tossed to the lions.

As we finish our series on Joshua, we come to Shechem. After the lands had been conquered, they went up on the mountains on either side of the city and proclaimed loudly over the city. This week, we take a look at that into our lives and how when we have conquered our lands and our enemies, we need to proclaim loudly over our victories.

As we continue our look through Joshua, we come to an fundamental truth: You have a promise and that promise has enemies. This week, we look at the fall of Jericho and how by following the orders of God and fighting in the spirit, the enemies of that promise will fall.

Times will be rough for us, that is a certainty. This week, guest speaker Ryan Miller preaches an encouraging through Philippians that regardless of the current circumstances, we are to push through, not out of our own strength, but through our faith in the Lord.