The Rock Weekly – June 8, 2022

  • Wednesday Night Service – Tonight at 6:45 pm in the Sanctuary!
  • Comedy Night with Nazareth!  – $10/seat with all proceeds going to help families in need. THIS Saturday, June 11th at 6:30pm.  Click HERE to reserve your seat.  And click this LINK if you want to laugh.

 

Shoulder To Shoulder We Serve The Lord

“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve Him shoulder to shoulder (in one accord).” Zeph 3:9

The Lord is calling His church, His bride, into a heart position of unity and oneness that the world has not seen since the days of the early church in Acts.  I believe there has been a grace on the church to operate individually in the past, but this is changing.  The division of the church…which we have grown to accept as ‘denominations’ is not acceptable to the Lord and is actually a position of pride in the church…which the Lord hates.  This is seen both between churches and within churches.  We divide over our theology, over principles and preferences we have established in our lives, and over past experiences.  The Apostle Paul so beautifully states, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Cor 2:2)  Isn’t it amazing how we come up with a position or an understanding of the Bible that might differ from someone else and it actually causes us to divide to the point where we no longer have a love or even a like for one another.  1 John 4:20 tells us, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.”

As we set our hearts on Jesus, spend time with Him, worship Him, read His word, meditate on Him, and pray with Him, we will begin to build our lives on Him and when this happens, the condition of our heart will dramatically change into a heart like Jesus.  We will begin to walk in step with the Spirit and this will result in LOVE, joy, peace… (Gal 5:22-25)  Our differences with other believers will no longer cause division, but we will love with the same love Jesus has for us!  Jesus Christ is our firm foundation, our chief cornerstone, and ONLY upon this foundation will we be built TOGETHER into oneness with Christ!  Eph 2:21 tells us, “In Christ Jesus the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.”  What God desires and has designed for us as His bride is absolutely beautiful!  TOGETHER, we become the dwelling place in which God lives by His Spirit! (Eph 2:22)

And let me say that no matter how loving and kind we try to be, this act of oneness or unity would be impossible without Jesus giving us His Spirit, making us one with the Lord.  For whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in Spirit. (1 Cor 6:17)  If we truly love the Lord, then our love for one another will override every difference.  And as we surrender our lives to Jesus and say ‘yes’ to the leading of His Spirit, pride, selfishness, arrogance, and jealousy, will be removed from our heart and we will live lives according to the Spirit – in meekness and humility and trusting in the name of the Lord. (Zeph 3:12)

I want to encourage and challenge us to not only live in this unity and oneness, but to pray for the body of Christ to truly become one in the same way Jesus prayed in John 17:21, “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be, were they to become ‘unity’ conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship.”  A. W. Tozer

Lord, may the eyes of our heart truly be on Jesus every day of our lives so that as we behold Him, we will become like Him by the Spirit!

We love you!
Pastors Mike, Kristi, and your Rock staff

 

 

 

IMPORTANT SERVICE & WEEKLY INFORMATION:

WEDNESDAY NIGHT WORSHIP & PRAYER SERVICE  6:45pm * 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

Summer Camp is July 25th. For more information and to register CLICK HERE.

 

EMBER – Young Adults (Ages 18-29) – Friday Nights at 7:00pm
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.