April 14, 2021
Sonship Begins with Submission |
| Hello Rock Family, This morning I am sitting at the Denver airport waiting to fly to Pakistan…a place I have never been. Yet because of a spiritual father, Papa Leif Hetland, I am walking into a nation with favor resting on me. It is amazing! Just the other day, the Grand Iman of Pakistan, Maulana Syed Muhammad Abdul Khabir Azad, wrote a letter to the Pakistan consulate calling me his friend, yet I have never met him. This favor has nothing to do with who I am or anything I have done. It is solely because of who I have as a spiritual father… someone who has poured out 23 years of his life to loving the people of Pakistan. As I go into Pakistan I know that my job and my position is SON. I cannot come in with any arrogance or pride, thinking I know what to do, but must walk in humility and submission, with my eyes on Papa Leif so I can FOLLOW his lead. Jesus did this SO WELL when He came to this earth as a Son! He came with no agenda other than to “Do the will of the Father”. It was in His reverent submission to the Father, that the Father then listened to the Son! (Heb 5:7) And it was out of obedience (even unto death) and humility (with no dependence on self) that the Father blessed the Son and placed Him in the very highest position!Jesus came to give us abundant life… because of what He suffered. This abundant life comes to us through the Holy Spirit. In John 14 Jesus tells us that He will not leave us as orphans (fatherless). How is this possible since He left us and is at the right hand of the Father? It is through the Holy Spirit who has been sent to us! If we are to walk in Sonship, we must be led by the Spirit. So our mission in this life is NOT TO LEAD, it is not to try and make things happen by our own strength, but it is to FOLLOW… to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit who knows and reveals all things, all truth, and give to us everything Jesus was given by the Father (read John 16:14-15)… this is the “fullness of life”! Amazing right? Yet, if we are to take hold of this amazing life that Jesus suffered for, there is a cost. We can’t just say Jesus is Lord, continue to go in our own direction, and expect a life led by the Spirit. We must have a reverent submission of our lives to the Spirit! I encourage you to stop for a moment and evaluate your daily decisions. Who is leading? Are you following the leading of the Holy Spirit in every area of life? …not just asking for direction in the “big” decisions. God isn’t looking to be your “way out” of crisis situations. He is looking to be “the WAY” of life!“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will LEAD you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to Jesus by taking what is His and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is Jesus’. That is why Jesus said the Spirit will take from what is His and make it known to you!” (John 14:13-15) IMPORTANT SERVICE & WEEKLY INFORMATION: YOUTH ~BASE CAMP (6th – 12th Grade) – WEDNESDAY NIGHT (4/14) – 7:00pm Thursday Evening (4/15) Hot Meals & Saturday Morning (4/17) Food Bank Distribution SUNDAY MORNING (4/18) PRE-SERVICE PRAYER 8:15-9:15am – *In-Person & On-line* SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE (4/18) 9:45am *In-Person & On-line* May we bring glory to Jesus with our lives as we complete the work given to us to do! (John 17:4) OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE If you would like to give to The Rock, here are some convenient ways you can partner with us as you practice generosity – our regular tithe/giving, COVID help, and our compassion/food bank. Click on the following link or graphic. www.therock.org/give Need Prayer, Help, Feel Alone, or Disconnected? |