The Rock Weekly – June 12, 2024

  • Tonight – Prayer & Worship Night! @ 7pm in the Chapel or via Livestream.  Growing in the Word – 6pm in the Prayer Room or via Zoom. 

 

The Battle Over Our Inheritance

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and INTO AN INHERITANCE that can never perish, spoil or fade – reserved in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”  

1 Peter 1:3-5

 

Hello Rock Family! 

We are back from our family vacation and feeling very refreshed.  Thank you for your prayers and for allowing us to take some time away to get refreshed as a family.  And while we were gone, the pastors/staff didn’t skip a beat.  They are AMAZING!  This Sunday is Father’s Day and the Lord has been stirring in me the importance of our inheritance in the kingdom.  As fathers, we desire to leave a legacy, a lasting impact on our children and the next generation.  I believe the Lord has some great insight for us this coming weekend and I look forward to being back with you all!  Here is a prelude to Sunday…

The beautiful thing about becoming a child of God is that we are each promised an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven and offered eternal life with our heavenly Father with Jesus living in us through the Holy Spirit…  “…that the love the Father has for Jesus would be in us and that Jesus Himself would be in us!” (John 17:26)   But I want you to ask yourself: Do I really know and understand the inheritance the Lord has for me?  For those who are His children?  My hope this Sunday is that we gain an even better understanding of what our Father wants to lavishly pour out on us…His children, and in doing so, that we would increase the ‘good fight of the faith’ (1 Tim 6:12) and not give in, or give up (Gal 6:9), or give away, or sell this amazing inheritance for the enamoring things the world has to offer (1 Jn 2:15).  For there is a battle over our inheritance!  We do have an adversary and his plan is to deceive us (Rev 12:9) and ‘steal and destroy’ (Jn 10:10) our kingdom inheritance, but thanks be to our Great Shepherd who reminds us that no adversary can snatch us out of the Father’s hand! (Jn 10:29).

Remember the story of Esau in Genesis 25, when he came in from the country and was ‘famished’ and asked Jacob for some of his stew and Jacob looked to take advantage of the situation and responded, “First sell me your birthright.”  Esau didn’t understand the value of his birthright and responded, “I am about to die. What good is a birthright to me?”  The writer of Hebrews later used this example of Esau to warn people not to turn away from the Lord… “See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the older son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.” (Heb 12:16-17)

I see it like this:  If you were handed a book of instructions and told you would receive a $500 inheritance in 5 years if you adhere to this book, you may glance at the book and see how difficult the instructions are, but you wouldn’t likely be too concerned if you didn’t follow the book and get the $500.  However, if you were told you would receive an inheritance of $5 Billion in 5 years as long as you followed the book of instructions, I am quite certain you would do EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to live the next 5 years according to that book!  And you wouldn’t just read the book once and hope to remember everything.  You would read it over and over again, highlight the pages, make copies, put the requirements on your refrigerator and your bathroom mirror. My point is, you would make every effort possible to follow the book – because of the value of this inheritance.  I know this is a crude example because our heavenly inheritance is FAR GREATER than this and goes beyond anything this world has to offer!  The inheritance Jesus offers us is worth more than ALL the riches of this world, and yet so many people often treat it more like a $500 inheritance.

 

Lord, I pray that the depth of our souls would be flooded with revelation light so that we would know and understand the kingdom inheritance you have given to those you have called – your consecrated people who set themselves apart from the worldly riches and become your rich and glorious inheritance…which is our priceless inheritance! And so we commit ourselves to you, Lord Jesus, and to the Word of your grace, to build us up and give us a kingdom inheritance among all those who are sanctified and set apart to do your will!  (Eph 1:18 & Acts 20:32)

 

I love you all! Happy (early) Father’s Day!
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/

 

GROWING IN THE WORD – 6:00pm Wednesdays
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7709609677?omn=83428418208

 

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

 

FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTION – ON BREAK UNTIL JULY 6TH
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*
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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

 

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