The Rock Weekly – January 10, 2024

  • Tonight – Prayer & Worship – 7pm in the Chapel. Growing in the Word – 6pm in the Prayer Room.
  • Converge Conference 2024 – Save the date, March 7-9 with special guest John Bevere.
  • 21-Day Prayer & Fasting… A Colorado Jesus Fast (now more than 20 partner churches): 1/8-1/28 with 45 minute Noon Weekday ZOOM Prayer Calls led by ministry leaders/pastors.

Weekdays at Noon ZOOM Prayer Meeting LINK:
https://zoom.us/j/98268830819?pwd=SFNmQUIvT0tRaHlDaVYrN3l5bzJVQT09

Meeting ID: 982 6883 0819 Passcode: 1
One tap mobile phone option: +17193594580,,98268830819#

The Circle of Abiding Love

“No one has ever seen God; if we LOVE one another, God ABIDES in us and His love is perfected in us”. (1 John 4:12)

Wow!  Every time I read this, it blows my mind to know that the Almighty God promises to live and abide in us and make flawless His love in us when we love others with His love.  He has been telling us to love from the very beginning.  Thousands of years ago, we saw the command in Scripture to love God.  In Deuteronomy 6:5, we receive the command to love God with ALL that we have. And in Genesis 1:27 we find that we were created in the image and character of God and then in 1 John 4:8 we find the words, “God is love.”   Put this together and we can see that we are created to be the very nature of Love and from that position, to reveal Love to the world!

So now when we read the words of Jesus in John 15:10 which says, “If you obey my commands, you will ABIDE in my love.” And then in verse 12-14, Jesus says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” This gives us great insight in the Circle of Abiding Love…telling us that Abiding in His love comes through obedience to His command to love as Jesus loved us.  Yet realizing that it is only through His love that we can obey His command to love, and that Jesus will lay down His life for His ‘friends’…who are the ones who will love as Jesus loves us and lay down their lives for others.  Are you confused? 😊  This is why I call it the Circle of Abiding Love.  Jesus is the beginning and the end…which makes love NEVER ENDING!    

To add to this, God’s word also tells us that our ability to love the way He commands us is only possible because He first loved us. (1 Jn 4:19)  So without intimately knowing His love, we can’t love. And this makes it impossible to abide in Jesus.  And if we don’t abide in Jesus, then we can do nothing and our lives are meaningless. I know that seems quite harsh, but it is the truth.  This is reiterated by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.

 

So to summarize our part in this Circle of Abiding Love, it comes down to this: Love one another!  (Jn 15:17) 

Lord Jesus, thank you for your Holy Spirit that empowers and perfects the love of God in us, so that we can love others with your love.  We pray that we, as followers of Jesus, would continue to make the Father known so that the love the Father has for Jesus would be in us and that Jesus, through the Spirit, would be in us! (John 17:26)  May we be found in Christ and may Christ be found in us! That we would become the hope of glory for a world that needs a true LOVE encounter!  Jesus, may we live in the Circle of your Abiding Love!  Amen. 

I LOVE you!  😊
Pastor Mike & 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.