The Rock Church

Humility

“Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.“ — Proverbs 18:12

“For Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.” -Timothy Keller

Christian, when we walk in humility, we walk within the circle of God’s blessing. The world tells us that we need more power, money, fame, position, praise, more…more…more! The Bible, however, actually calls a person like that a leech. The world is a leech!

“The leech has two suckers that cry out, “More, more!”  — Proverbs 30:15

You see, God’s plan is the exact opposite of the world’s way. In the world, it’s always about more of me, more of me, and more of me. By contrast, the Lord tells us something else. We find true joy in thinking not less of ourselves but thinking of ourselves LESS.

Pride is indeed competitive by its very nature. If I am a proud person, then as long as there is one person in the world more powerful, richer, or smarter than I am, that person is my rival and enemy. Pride always means division and separation. Not only between people but also between us and God.

What It Is

To be humble, however, is to recognize that you don’t always need to be correct. To be humble is to realize that you certainly don’t know everything. To be humble is to remember you can apologize when you’re wrong. To be humble is to recognize that you can finally stop pretending to be the best at everything. To be humble means you can absolutely have real friendships without having to “prove” yourself.

The point of humility is that God wants you to know Him. But pride always gets in the way of that. He wants to give you Himself. And when you know Him, you will inevitably be humble — wonderfully humble! As a matter of fact, you will feel infinite relief. The relief of finally getting rid of all the silly nonsense of your inflated ego. It has only made you restless and unhappy all your life.

For now, think about this. God is good, and He loves you. He wants what leads to your greatest joy. So, if He tells you that pride leads to destruction, by all means, we must learn to listen and obey. Therein lies true joy.

This week, consider thinking of yourself less. Consider not fighting for first place but being content to be last. Not surprisingly, this is a pathway to joy.

Seeking humility with you,

Steele

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

A Life Worthy of the Calling

In Ephesians 4, Paul called Believers to live in a manner worthy of their calling. Even now, he reminds us how vital unity and spiritual growth are within the Church.

If we remember, the Church in Ephesus was mainly Gentiles. They were just beginning their Christian lives. Gentiles and Jews had always been very different. Now, they were to be one with them. These verses also guide us today as we live in community. They urge us to live in humility, gentleness, patience, and love — regardless of our differences.

Let’s dive into the first three verses and see how to apply their principles.

“Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.” — Ephesians 4:1 (NLT)

Paul’s description of himself as a “prisoner for serving the Lord” underscores his commitment and dedication to his faith. While imprisoned in Rome, he wanted us to understand, even more importantly, that he was a prisoner for serving the Lord.

He desperately wanted the Believers to live a life worthy of their calling. He emphasized that our actions should naturally reflect the divine calling we have received from God. In fact, this verse is significant as it reminds us to align our daily lives with our spiritual identity. Consequently, we should embody virtues such as humility, patience, and love.

Living in a manner worthy of our calling honors God and strengthens the Church’s unity and growth. Additionally, it fosters a community that mirrors Christ’s love and teachings. Ask yourself, are you imprisoned to the Lord? Is it perhaps other passions?

Look Within

“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” — Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

Next, Paul tells us always to be humble, gentle, and patient with each other. Along with that, we should make allowances for one another’s faults because of our love. This verse emphasizes the importance of treating each other with kindness and understanding. Coupled with that, we must recognize that none of us are perfect.

Think about your own life; how often do you see the faults in others but forget to look inward and see faults of your own? This is a great exercise as you look at other’s faults. Instead, reflect on your own. Without a doubt, it will change your perspective.

“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” — Ephesians 4:3 (NLT)

Lastly, at least for this blog, Paul urged the Ephesians to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. That, despite their differences, they were to be united as one body in Christ. Equally important, they shared one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism. And above all, one God and Father of all.

His Purpose For Us

By no means is this unity about being identical. Instead, it’s about embracing the diversity of gifts and roles within the Church. Again, this had to have been mind-blowing for those Gentiles. People had told them their whole lives that they were unworthy of God’s love. Now, they were to live in peace with the Jews. That peace could only happen because they had the Holy Spirit in them. How about you? Are you living in peace with others?

God calls us to a life of purpose. It’s His for us, no matter how difficult it may seem at first. Paul wanted us to know it. What’s keeping you from living for the purpose God has for you?

Learning to live out a life worthy of my calling,

Tony

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by Tony D'Amico

Gratitude and Hope

Ephesians 1:15-21 is a set of verses that really encourages me. We glimpse Paul’s heart and his thankfulness for the church in Ephesus! He speaks with gratitude and hope. On top of that, he deeply desires the saints to continue their spiritual growth.

First, Paul starts by expressing his gratitude for the Ephesians’ faith in Jesus. At the same time, he also expresses thanks for their love for the saints.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by Tony D'Amico

The Cup of Blessing

^“Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance!” — Psalm 16:5-6

Have you ever wondered where your life might be apart from knowing Jesus as your Savior? If not, spend a moment pondering what that might have looked like.

It certainly doesn’t take long to realize how richly blessed we are to be His children. It always goes far beyond the material blessing of His provision. We no doubt find that in our homes or aligning with our interests. Looking deeper, however, we also see a life filled with grace, forgiveness, purpose, hope, and beauty.

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The Circle of Blessing

“Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.” — Psalm 119:35

As people, we look for happiness in a variety of places. Often, we look for happiness in our hobbies, careers, or even our family and friends. Indeed, these things can contribute to joy and happiness for all of us. I, too, find much comfort in many of them.

I love what the Psalmist prayed. Without a doubt, we find happiness in the Lord’s commands. What a wonderful truth and tremendous reminder to us all. Walking in the “path” of God’s commands means naturally living in obedience to His Word and fellowship with Him.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

What God has Prepared

“However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him’— but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.”— 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NIV)

I recently taught on a section of verses from Romans 8. As a result, it got me thinking about Heaven. We are told in Colossians 3:1-2 to get our minds and hearts on Heaven and not be fixed on earthy things. As I tried to apply that verse, I was reminded of a Christmas at our home many years ago.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

20/20 Vision

“O Lord, I give my life to you.” — Psalm 25:1

This is undoubtedly the most profound prayer of my heart. It’s a simple little sentence found at the top of Psalm 25 — “O Lord, I give my life to you.”

Christian, is there anyone (or anything) more wonderful, more powerful, more satisfying than Jesus to give our lives to?

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Entrusted

“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” — Luke 12:48

Recently, I taught a message from Romans 3:1-8. Those verses are clear. God entrusts us with His Word. In fact, as disciples, we must unapologetically share the Good News of the Gospel of Grace to a lost world.

If we want to see lives changed, we need to take personal responsibility for this charge. But, if you are like me, we can often feel like Moses when he complained, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” — Exodus 4:13 (NIV84)

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Right Here, Right Now

Do you realize that God could have chosen any time in history for you to live? Not only that, but He could have placed you in any geographical location to live your days. However, in His perfect sovereignty, He chose to put you right here, right now, for a specific reason.

In Acts 17:26 (ESV), Paul tells the deep-thinking Greeks that God “made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place.”

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It Shall Not Return Empty

“so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” — Isaiah 55:11

If you’re like my family and me, you take in and process a lot of words throughout the week. These words come to us through various means, whether reading books, watching the news, or listening to podcasts or sermons. We certainly live in a time when we hear words constantly. 

For all of this reading and listening, God promises that only His Word will fulfill His purpose in authentic spiritual growth. 

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by admin