The Rock Weekly – July 30, 2025
- Regional Prayer and Worship Tonight at 7pm in the Lighthouse Prayer Room.
- Family Breakfast THIS Sunday at 9am in the foyer!
- Men’s Advance – Sept 11-13 Mountain retreat for Men with Jake Hamilton. Lock-in with a $100 deposit https://www.therock.org/advance/
To Know Him & Be Known by Him – The Eternal Relationship with God
I could write a book on this, so writing this email has the sense of taking a 5-course steak dinner and giving you only a small taste of each portion. Bon appetite! 😊
Let’s start here…1 John 4:19 “We loved because He first loved us.” (also see 1 Jn 4:10) Without God’s love demonstrated to us, we have ZERO chance of relationship with God. We would be doomed for destruction…every one of us! It would be over before we took our first breath! Thank God for His love for us, demonstrated through the Son, that we may be in relationship (as one) by the Spirit! For it is only the Spirit that gives life. (Jn 6:63)
With this as a foundation, let’s quickly dive into the two critical components necessary for the ‘us and God’ relationship to work out. First, we must “Know Jesus” and second, we must “Be Known by Jesus”. We see in the following verse that both of these relational components are a necessity for eternal life!
John 10:27-28 (words of Jesus) “My sheep hear my voice (Know Him). I know them, and (for) they follow me (Known by Him). I give them eternal life and they shall never perish…”
The Apostle Paul also had a great grasp in this understanding, and though he had accomplished so much more than most of the religious leaders of that time, he realized it was all worthless when compared to Knowing Jesus and being Known by Him.
Phil 3:8-10 “…I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of KNOWING CHRIST JESUS my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ, and be found in Him (BE KNOWN BY HIM)…I want to KNOW CHRIST...”
This Scripture has a similar sense to the parable Jesus tells in Matthew 13 about the man who found the treasure in a field, sold EVERYTHING, and bought the field! I pray that nothing in our lives takes precedence over Knowing Jesus and being Known by Him…so that we do not become corrupted by the cares, riches, pleasures (the oxidation) of this world and become rusted, weak metal that has no strength to withstand the storms…that are coming. (from Pastor Andrew’s message last Sunday on ‘being galvanized’). Let’s sell everything and buy the field with the treasure (Jesus) in it!
Here are a couple of practical ways to get to KNOW HIM: (1) Read and meditate on His Word daily. (2) Take time daily to worship & pray individually and corporately in the presence of the Lord (come for worship & prayer tonight at 7pm in the Prayer Room) (3) guard your heart (through forgiveness, mercy, grace, and love) *This is the daily Abiding nature of our relationship…giving us the mind of Christ…the knowledge of His will. For apart from Jesus we can do nothing!
Here are a couple of practical ways to BE KNOWN BY HIM: (1) Walk in an obedient faith to the commands and ways of Jesus (2) Walk in-step with the Spirit – having ears to hear what the Spirit is saying, and the courage to obey! This is putting into practice what you hear from God. (3) Live your life from a place of radical faith, hope, and love, trusting that He will work through you to accomplish His will. *This is the Obedient nature of our relationship…doing the will of the Father.
Lord Jesus, We want to Know You and Be Known By You…in order that we would make You known! Help us, by your Spirit, to live out our lives every day in your presence, hearing your voice, knowing your ways, and walking out your plans for us with radical obedience by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us! May we count all the things of the world as rubbish, and run the race with perseverance, casting off every weight, so that at the end of our days, we may say: ‘I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness’. And may we hear the words from our Lord, ‘Well done good and faithful servant’. Amen
All for Him!
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.