The Rock Church

A Message for the Parents of The Rock Church

Dear Rock Parents,

As you can imagine, we are very excited to be meeting together again starting THIS weekend — June 20 & 21!

We believe the gathering of God’s people is so vital and beneficial for us as Believers. However, due to the regulations regarding COVID-19 (and the precautions we’re taking for your safety), there will be no Kid’s Rock classes offered at this time. 

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The Beatitudes

I’ve found a lot of wisdom and comfort in the Beatitudes lately. If you’re not sure what the Beatitudes are, they’re eight little proverbs that Jesus used as an introduction to His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, Chapter 5.

I think one of the reasons they’ve been so encouraging to me is because there is no circumstance in which these truths should or shouldn’t be applied. These eight gold mines (that our King and friend Jesus teaches us) are timeless, incredibly practical and able to be applied to all areas of our lives. 

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Loving My Neighbors

It’s with a deep conviction that I’ve been thinking a lot about loving my neighbors. The Bible is crystal clear on this point; the onus of obedience is on me. Here is one of just many verses on loving your neighbors (I love how James quotes from the Old Testament and refers to it as the royal law).

“Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” — James 2:8 (NLT)

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The Faithful Love of the Lord

“Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.” — Psalm 107:43

Recently, I was deeply moved by this verse. It comes at the end of an amazing Psalm (which highlights the on-going rescue of the Lord).

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The Lord is Near to His People

I want to encourage you today with something we see over and over in the Bible. The Lord is near to His people. Throughout time and during all sorts of difficulties, that has remained true. 

Psalm 145:18-19 says “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.” That is a beautiful truth!

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The Roar of the Crowd

“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns…” — Revelation 19:6

I have been reading the Revelation of Jesus Christ for the last month; it has personally encouraged and challenged me. Recently, I read the above verse. Can you imagine that moment? The history of our planet is winding down. God is about to usher in the new heavens and earth. A great multitude of Believers from all of human history is gathered together worshiping God. 

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Forgiveness

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” — Ephesians 4:31-32 (NIV 84)

Forgiveness always sounds good — at least in theory. We are told in Colossians 3:13 to, “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” But, how do we do that? And, what happens when we get hurt by someone and have difficulty forgiving? How can we practically forgive those who have hurt us?

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The Spirit of God Lives in You

You and I are the Church — we don’t need brick and mortar. We can have church wherever we are because the Spirit of God lives in us. He has been so good to us!

The Apostle Paul asked the Believers in Corinth, “Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?” How exciting is it that we are the body of Christ? We are His temple, not a building.

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More Time for God’s Word

Over the last two months of self-distancing and home quarantine, we’ve never had more time on our hands. My family and I have certainly enjoyed this extra time together. Aside from the fact that I have watched more princess and super hero movies than most people have seen in a lifetime, I’d say things are going okay. As I ponder this extra time that has fallen into many of our laps, I think it’s worth asking ourselves, “Has this season allowed me to spend more time with God and His Word?” 

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Consider it Pure Joy Whenever you Face Trials

Is there any way to find a blessing in the midst of all the difficulties we’re facing? I say, “Yes!” — and so does the book of James. James (Chapter 1) says that we can consider it pure joy whenever we face trials. 

God teaches us through our trials. I want to encourage you that even though things get hard, there are blessings. 

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