The Rock Weekly – January 25, 2023

  • Growing in the Word with Pastor Marcus tonight at 6pm
  • TONIGHT – REGIONAL Prayer & Worship at 7pm– This Wednesday in the CHAPEL!
  • Financial Peace (You can still join…and you should!)  – Register by Clicking Here
  • Converge 2023 – Regional Gathering with Leif Hetland, Heidi Baker, Lou Engle & Regional Leaders- Feb 8-11. www.therock/converge/
  • Discipleship Training (Jan 30, Feb 6) – Mondays at 7pm in the Chapel. Click to Watch Past Trainings

 

Be Careful How You Pray

This past Sunday I talked about the importance of prayer and how we can begin to SHIFT into more effectual prayers.  God created us to be in His image and likeness and to rule and reign on earth…but not on our own. He breathed His Spirit into us so that in oneness with the Spirit we would walk in power and authority on this earth.  But pride entered in and we were stripped of our authority.  But thanks be to God that was not the end! Enter Jesus!… and now through His blood – the New Covenant – we can now come back into oneness with God by surrendering our fleshly desires (our pride) and living in humility (fully submitted and dependent) to Jesus through an in-step walk with the Spirit of God who has been sealed within us because of our faith, love, and surrender to Jesus!  Whoa!

So does this mean pride is gone from our lives?  By no means!  Satan is alive and working diligently through lies to take us (the body of Christ) off course and I believe that one of his most successful and tactical ways is through prideful prayers, which keep us ineffective in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.  In the words of C.S. Lewis, “Make no mistake about it: PRIDE is the great sin. It is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool.”

Will you stop here and read James 4:1-10 before you move on.  OK.  Read it one more time and realize that these 10 verses are all connected to the same issue – pride!  😊

Through these verses, I believe God wants to reveal His heart for us to walk humbly before the Lord and set our heart’s desires on what He desires, so that we will see His kingdom come to earth through us!  He doesn’t want us to be caught up with longings for the things of this world.  God goes so far to say that those who choose to set their heart’s desires on worldly things become an adulterous people and enemies of God. He equates this to pride. 1 John 2:16 calls it the “pride of life”, and 1 Peter 5:5 says, “God resists those with pride”.  So when we pray with these desires in our heart (pride), God does not listen and our prayers become powerless!  “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives (pride), that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:3)  I have read these scriptures many times before, but only now are they convicting me in a deep way!  

So we must be careful how we pray!  When we pray, we should be “quick to listen and slow to speak” (James 1:19)  Do not pray what we ‘think’ God wants to do.  This is being wise in our own eyes! (Prov 3:7), and do not pray from your own desires, but stop and listen and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s desires before you pray. For the Spirit will guide you into truth, tell you what He hears from the Father, and make known to you whatever is of Jesus. (Jn 16:12-15) Then as we align with the Spirit, we can pray for anything and we will receive it with abundant joy! (Jn 16:23-24) 

Remember that the purpose of prayer is to reveal the kingdom and will of God to the earth!  And Jesus has commissioned us through the power of the Holy Spirit to do this!

Lord, Align us with your plans and your heart. Reveal the areas of our heart where pride lingers and may we remove it by your grace.  May we be slow to speak and quick to listen to your Spirit so that the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart is pleasing to you Jesus!  May your kingdom come, and may your will be done on this earth and in our lives as it is in heaven!

I hope to see you tonight for Regional prayer and worship at 7pm!  Love you!

Pastor Mike and your Rock Staff

 

 

 

IMPORTANT SERVICE & WEEKLY INFORMATION:

WEDNESDAY NIGHT WORSHIP & PRAYER SERVICE  7:00pm * In-Person & On-Line *
Facebook Live:  https://www.facebook.com/rockchurchco
The Rock Online Livestream:  https://www.therock.org/live/

 

YOUTH ~ BASE CAMP (6th – 12th Grade) – WEDNESDAY NIGHT – 7:00pm
Invite a friend and come have a great time. If you have any questions, email jaden@therock.org

 

EMBER – Young Adults (Ages 18-29) – Friday Nights at 6:30pm
https://www.therock.org/ember/
Meet in the Chapel for a time of worship, prayer, teaching, and connection.

 

FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION – 1st & 3rd Saturday of the Month
https://www.therock.org/foodbank/
Email Lindy@therock.org if you would like to volunteer or have questions.

 

SUNDAY MORNING PRE-SERVICE PRAYER  8:15-9:15am – *In-Person & On-line*
ZOOM Direct Video Link:
           https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85340164797?pwd=V0lmWFRRL0R6Tm56QTdRUHNoMWI3QT09
ZOOM Meeting ID: 853 4016 4797
          ZOOM Phone Option +12532158782,,85340164797#

 

SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE 9:45am  *In-Person & On-line*
           Facebook Live:  https://www.facebook.com/rockchurchco
The Rock Online Livestream:  https://www.therock.org/live/

 

OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE  Here are some ways you can partner with The Rock as you practice generosity – our regular tithe/giving, compassion help, missions, and our food bank.  Click on the following link or graphic.  www.therock.org/give

 

Have a Question, Need Prayer, Help, Feel Alone, or Disconnected?

Please email us at family@therock.org and put QUESTION, PRAYER, NEED HELP, or CONNECT ME at the top of your email.