The Rock Church

You Are Not Forgotten

“But this is what the LORD says: I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky.” — Jeremiah 33:25–26 (NLT, excerpt)

I recently visited a church in Phoenix, Arizona, with my son. Time to tour colleges and explore some options for his future education. We then decided to attend a local church on Sunday morning.

A few things stood out to me during our visit that were incredibly meaningful.

First, even though we didn’t know a single person in the building, we somehow felt at home.

The same familiar language of praise and adoration filled the worship center. We also heard the same expressions of love and dependence upon Jesus that we experience every weekend at The Rock Church. The church celebrated baptisms, just as we celebrated changed lives through baptism back home that same weekend. The pastor preached about Joshua. He reminded the congregation of God’s promises and our absolute dependence upon Him.

Different city, church, and people.

Same Jesus, Spirit, and family.

And as I stood there worshiping, something beautiful struck me.

Though I knew no one, in a very real sense, I knew everyone. God’s children surrounded me as I stood among them. I was not a stranger, but part of the family. Surely God has not forgotten me, but He loves me. At the same time, I was not distant, but connected through a common faith in the living Christ.

Church, do you realize not only WHO you belong to in Jesus, but also WHO you belong WITH?

Church With A Capital C

I’m talking about our local church family, of course. But also the Church with a capital C. The family of God that extends far beyond the walls of our own building, our city, our country, and even our generation.

Have you ever experienced this?

Maybe you stood in line at a grocery store and struck up a conversation with someone. Only to discover that you both know Jesus. And suddenly, there’s a familiarity there. A connection that goes beyond a casual conversation.

Possibly, you’ve experienced it on a mission trip. Worshiping with believers halfway around the world (who don’t even speak your language). Or perhaps, in an Uber, an airport, or some unexpected place, you’ve met someone and thought, I know that Spirit. I know that love. I know the Jesus they belong to, because He’s the same Jesus I belong to.

Isn’t that amazing?

And yet, isn’t it also true that sometimes we feel terribly alone? The daily demands of life sometimes overwhelm us. Indeed, we carry burdens, face disappointments, and struggle with uncertainty. Sometimes. we quietly wonder, “Does anybody really know what I’m going through? Am I the only one? Has God forgotten about me?”

Church, listen to the promise of Jeremiah 33.

He Speaks

God is speaking to His people about His faithfulness. He reminds them that His covenant is as certain as the laws that govern day and night. In other words, as surely as the sun rises and sets, God will remain faithful to His promises.

He has not forgotten His people.

And He has not forgotten YOU.

One of the beautiful reminders of this truth comes through the small, but all-too-real miracle of belonging to the family of God.

Think about it. How is this possible? Take people who have never met. They come from entirely different backgrounds, live hundreds (or even thousands) of miles apart. But they can stand together in worship and experience such a profound sense of kinship and love.

Is it simply tradition? Shared religious customs? Familiar songs and language?

Oh, Church, I think our spirits know it’s something much deeper than that.

It’s the Living Lord. Living in, among, and through his people. Christ reminds us that He is at work. That He knows us, loves us, and never leaves us alone. He is always building us together into something far greater than ourselves.

What An Incredible Gift

So, the next time you feel isolated, forgotten, or overwhelmed by the circumstances of life, remember this: you belong to Jesus. And because you belong to Jesus, you belong to a family that stretches across the entire world.

The Spirit of the Living God unites our family. Not geography, personality, preference, or tradition. On the contrary, the Spirit of the Living God unites us.

And if the Lord is faithful to uphold the very laws that govern the heavens and the earth, you can trust Him to remain faithful to you.

God knows you. He loves you. God never forgets you. And, Church, you are never alone.

May we never take for granted the miracle of belonging to Christ. And through Him, to one another.

Belonging with you, 

Steele

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Itchy Ears

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” — 2 Timothy 4:3–4

We live in a remarkable age! With my phone, I can listen to or watch podcasts, videos, reels, and music from around the world. Individual results may vary, but studies find people spend:

• 33 minutes per day on Facebook
• 34 minutes per day on Instagram
• 49 minutes per day on YouTube
• 54 minutes per day on TikTok
• 148 minutes per day on Spotify

The point is obvious: we are consuming an incredible amount of content day to day. And in many respects, it’s incredible! I can listen to people discussing culture, sports, and politics. Also, I can listen to science, the history of the Bible, theology, etc. In fact, I can mow the lawn and learn the Bible. Not only that, but I can always enjoy hours of music.

However, I recently read the passage above. And it surely lands differently in light of the hours we spend consuming digital content each day. The phrase “to suit their own passions” reminds me of our algorithm-driven, carefully curated feeds. Myths stand in contrast to the truth of God’s Word.

Pondering

Some questions to ponder as we make decisions about the content we consume daily:

• There is freedom in Christ. But am I constantly replacing the Word, preaching, and worship with something else? In other words, does my content dull my affection for God’s truth?
• Is this perhaps satisfying some sinful desire in me?
• Will this content fill me with the Fruit of the Spirit? Or am I angry, fearful, or anxious after I consume it?
• Does the content I consume reduce my appetite for meaty things like the Word or worship? Think about cotton candy versus a well-balanced meal. Do I find it harder to digest the parts of the Bible our culture doesn’t like?
• Will my content merely make me feel good, or does it specifically feed my soul?
• Am I painting myself into an echo chamber?
• And finally, does the amount of digital content I consume leave room for the other things the Lord has called me to do?

Questions I am pondering…

Josh

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Set Your Mind on Heaven

In 1952, Florence Chadwick attempted something almost unimaginable: swimming the 22.8 miles from Catalina Island to the California mainland.

Florence definitely knew a thing or two about long swims. She had already become the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. But that day, off the California coast, the water was freezing. Also, people in the support boats had to drive sharks away, and a thick fog settled over the ocean.

For nearly 16 hours, Florence swam.

Finally, exhausted and discouraged, she told the people in the boat beside her that she couldn’t go any farther. Her mother encouraged her to keep going. The shore was certainly close.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Does Following Jesus Make You Stand Out?

“And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere…” — Acts 1:8 (NLT)

Being a witness isn’t always easy or comfortable. At times, standing out for Jesus might mean looking like the weirdo or the outcast. It can also feel like cultural suicide or even career suicide.

But you know what? We should look different from the world around us. In fact, we should stand out. Jesus certainly did. His followers did, too.

Sadly, I think this is one of the more dangerous things that has crept into Western Christianity at large. This desire to look just like the world. To not rock the boat or let others label us as extreme or different.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by Caleb Yetton

Being Renewed

“And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” — Colossians 3:10

There is something incredibly encouraging hidden in that little phrase, “being renewed.” God’s Word reassures you that God, not you, makes you new. Paul doesn’t say, “You just need to do better.” or “Try harder to become a better version of yourself.” The wonderful thing about this verse is that for all who belong to Christ, God is already doing something in you.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Where Are Your Eyes?

“Sensible people keep their eyes glued on wisdom, but a fool’s eyes wander to the ends of the earth.” — Proverbs 17:24 (NLT)

Notice that Solomon doesn’t separate the wise from the foolish by intelligence in this verse. Instead, he points out that it’s connected to where they’re looking. The fool isn’t necessarily ignorant. He’s distracted. His eyes roam to the ends of the earth, always scanning for the next thing. A fool wants the far-off answer, the life he assumes is happening elsewhere. He always thinks the grass is greener somewhere else. The wise person, by contrast, doesn’t have to search to the ends of the earth. Why? Because wisdom isn’t far away. Moses told Israel that God’s word was “very near you” (Deuteronomy 30:14). The New Testament goes further: wisdom is not merely a principle but a Person. Christ Himself is “the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24).

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by Tony D'Amico

Authority

Good vs. Evil. God vs. Satan. Two equally powerful beings in an eternal struggle between darkness and light. Yin and yang. Nobody knows who will win or who will lose. But as long as they balance each other out, all is well with the universe, right? Wrong! We call this cosmic dualism. Sadly, many people (who call themselves “spiritual”) use this idea to make sense of the spiritual realm. 

The Bible tells us a different story. It tells us that God is the eternal, sovereign Creator. Furthermore, God created Satan as a rebellious angel who can act only within the limits God permits (Job 1–2). The Bible tells us that Christ defeated Satan through His death on the Cross and His Resurrection (Colossians 2:15; Hebrews 2:14). Coupled with this, Satan’s final judgment is certain, not undecided (Revelation 20:10).

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

Yes, Lord!

I am so thankful that I said yes to Jesus. Best decision I ever made. And I love, love, love it when others say yes to Jesus as well. Just like the man in John 9.

“’Yes, Lord, I believe!’ The man said. And he worshipped Jesus.” — John 9:38

There seems to be absolutely no hesitation in his response. In fact, the yes is immediate, and the worship is instantaneous. It’s as if you can’t have one without the other. The created being, reacting to the Creator God. Together with entering into an intimate and loving relationship forever. Without a doubt, it really is the greatest love story that any of us has ever lived!

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

A New Song is Coming

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” — Psalm 40:1-3

There are definitely seasons when waiting patiently for the Lord sounds a lot easier than it actually is.

For the past three months, I have been in persistent back pain. Over the years, I’ve dealt with lower-back issues from degenerative disc disease, arthritis, and mild scoliosis. Probably from all the years of slinging my guitar around… or maybe just bad posture.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church

The Power of God

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us.” — Ephesians 3:20

We take power and electricity for granted. That is to say, I do. I didn’t realize how dependent I am on the power till this past May. 

It was a typical Wednesday morning. And then suddenly, the power went off and on three times. Next, it was partially on, and eventually only certain rooms worked! I called Rocky Mountain Power, and a repairman showed up. He discovered that something had killed one of the two main lines to the house.

Posted in A Word from the Pastor by The Rock Church