The Rock Weekly – June 18, 2025

  • Joshua Aaron Concert this Sunday is CANCELLED until further notice!  Unfortunately Joshua cannot get out of Israel right now.  We will be rescheduling.
  • Youth Summer Camp – July 14-18 For more information and to register go to: therock.org/youth 
  • Brazil Mission Trip – Come join Bill Johnson, Randy Clark, Leif Hetland, and a group of fellow Coloradoans on a trip to Voice of the Apostles in São Paulo, Brazil! Get marked by the baptism of the Holy Spirit and equipped to live a life of victory, faith, and miracles so that you can walk like Jesus walked. Spots are filling up fast! For more information, email Jonathan Day at j.alexander.day@gmail.com
  • Men’s Advance – Sept 11-13 Mountain retreat for Men with Jake Hamilton. Lock-in the early-bird rate now with a $100 deposit https://www.therock.org/advance/

 

Remove The Idols… Establish An Altar

Both of these statements are critically important if we are to live our lives in accordance with God’s plan, will, and ways!  The Lord has been drawing us into deeper times of prayer and worship over these past few months…to the point that we have now established a Day and Night Prayer Room!  When the Lord calls a people to pray, GET READY!  He wants to move in a powerful way on the earth and He is looking for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to Him, consecrated and set apart from the things of this world, and ready to move at the sound of His voice! This requires a posture of prayer and worship…an establishing of the altar!   But it is not just about establishing the altar in our lives.  We must also remove the things that hinder…the things that can take precedence over God. 

So before we talk about establishing an altar, let’s touch on removing the idols first.  God makes it very clear from the beginning that He is NOT ok with a life of God + ____ (whatever else you want to put in there).   God’s first two commandments of the Ten Commandments are (1) “You shall have no other gods besides Me.” and (2) “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God…”  (Exodus 10:2-5)   In Exodus 32 when Moses was on the mountain with the Lord, the Israelites became restless and demanded that Aaron make them a god-idol that they could see and worship. Aaron did so and placed the gold calf before them but also built an altar for burnt offerings to the Lord. But God was not OK with this mixture of worship to Him and to a gold calf and told Moses that the Israelites “have become corrupt”.  God was so angered by this that He planned to destroy them all. If it hadn’t been for Moses seeking the favor of the Lord for the people, the book of Exodus would have ended with only 32 chapters!  God takes serious worship to idols!  You might say, “Well, good thing I don’t have any little gold statues that I’m worshiping.”  But be aware that you may actually be worshiping idols in your life and not even realizing it!  

John Piper defines an idol as “anything that we come to rely on for some blessing, or help, or guidance in the place of a wholehearted reliance on the true and living God.”  Tim Keller says that “when anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshipping.”  James 4:4 says “You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”  Take a minute right now to pause and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything in your life that may have become an idol.  If something was brought to mind, be mindful of this and begin to take action to remove these things from your life! 

In addition, may we establish the altar of the Lord in our lives!  You may say that you have already done this, but I see this more of a transformative progression…as we “are being transformed into His likeness with an ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18)   We see in Scripture that the Altar of the Lord is for the purpose of burnt offerings, incense, worship, and remembrance under the ‘old covenant’.  What does this mean for us now?  In Hebrews 10:8-9, it is clear that God isn’t looking for burnt offerings and sin offerings, but for us to “DO HIS WILL”!  Now in place of animal sacrifices, God is looking for US to be on the altar…as a ‘living sacrifice’ – one who is set apart and not in love with anything of this world.  This is a true act of sacrificial and spiritual worship to God! And positions us to DO HIS WILL! (Rom 12:1-2)   And in place of physical incense, the Lord desires the “prayers of incense” from the Church that fill the golden bowls in heaven! (Rev 5:8)  And in place of remembrance of God’s faithfulness…well that doesn’t change! Jesus just upped the ante!  Now we give thanks to the Lord in remembrance of God’s faithfulness by taking the body and blood of Jesus – COMMUNION!  And God also looks for worship to Him and to the Lamb…as we see in the throne room in Revelation 4, 5, & 7!

1 Thess 5:16-19  “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” 

Lord Jesus, May we remove all idols from our lives in this season, and may we build and establish an altar with our lives as an obedient act of true worship to you for your glory!  As we live our lives in joyful abandonment to you, praying continually, and giving thanks to you in every circumstance, may your Spirit burn within us day and night.  May this fire NEVER GO OUT! (Lev 6:13)  AMEN!

I hope to see you all tonight for worship and prayer…on the altar!  I 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/

 

FOUNDATIONS CLASS – 6:00pm Wednesdays
Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99757846764?pwd=Tm8zQ0JQWk1xeHFBcEU5anNFN1l4dz09

 

YOUTH ~ ABIDE YOUTH (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

 

FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION – 1st & 3rd Saturday of each 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.