The Rock Church Blogs

The Spirit helps us pray

Tue, 10 Jan 2017 08:52:27 +1300

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 09:49:27 +1300

To those who love God...pt6

Wed, 26 Oct 2016 15:29:26 +1300

To those who love God...pt5

Wed, 26 Oct 2016 15:28:51 +1300

To those who love God...pt4

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 11:14:09 +1300

To those who love God...pt3

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 11:12:28 +1300

To those who love God...pt2

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 11:08:45 +1300

To those who love God...

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 11:06:17 +1300

Hope for what is unseen

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 11:05:00 +1300

Awaiting the redemption of our body..

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 11:02:12 +1300

Set free

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 16:34:19 +1200

The revealing of the sons of God

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 16:32:16 +1200

Sufferings are nothing compared to the glory in Christ

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 16:28:43 +1200

Heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 16:26:54 +1200

The Spirit testifies that we are sons.

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 16:25:07 +1200

We've received the Spirit of sonship.

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:39:53 +1200

Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God.

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:39:02 +1200

As we live by the Spirit, our flesh naturally dies.

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:35:17 +1200

We are no longer bound to the flesh.

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:33:38 +1200

Living and walking from the Spirit

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:31:27 +1200

Alive to Christ by Faith

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:30:00 +1200

The Spirit of Christ dwells in us

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:28:31 +1200

The flesh's hostility towards God

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:25:19 +1200

The mind set on the flesh is death...

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:24:08 +1200

Living by the Spirit

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 15:21:47 +1200

Walking according to the Spirit

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 12:53:33 +1200

The Law can't save

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 12:51:23 +1200

Set free from the law of sin and death

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 12:50:01 +1200

No Condemnation in Christ

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 12:48:54 +1200

What is the Gospel?

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 12:48:12 +1200

6 Attributes to receive God's Word

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 12:46:11 +1200

Appointed Time

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 16:47:42 +1200

The Purpose of Marriage

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 16:46:07 +1200

A Vision to Become

Wed, 29 Jun 2016 14:07:58 +1200

Demonstration of God's Power

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 10:05:46 +1200

Proving that we are of Him

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 10:03:29 +1200

The Gospel

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 10:32:32 +1200

Be found at His feet

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 10:31:48 +1200

Wholehearted Disciples

Wed, 01 Jun 2016 09:14:16 +1200

Rules of God's Kingdom

Wed, 25 May 2016 15:48:38 +1200

"Surely the Lord is in this place and I didn't know it."

Fri, 20 May 2016 09:46:56 +1200

Unseen Things

Fri, 13 May 2016 14:22:19 +1200

The Unexpected Messenger

Fri, 13 May 2016 14:19:58 +1200

Lets Be Wholehearted

Fri, 13 May 2016 14:17:58 +1200

Seeing through Eyes of Faith

Fri, 06 May 2016 11:26:24 +1200

Fighting for Unity in Spirit

Fri, 06 May 2016 11:24:10 +1200

Communal in Heart : Missional in Attitude

Thu, 28 Apr 2016 09:47:47 +1200

The Clash of Kingdoms

Thu, 28 Apr 2016 09:47:16 +1200

The Standard of Truth

Thu, 28 Apr 2016 09:46:11 +1200

We Lay Our Lives Down

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 12:08:11 +1200

Blesssed are the Peacemakers

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 12:06:25 +1200

We Can Know God's Will

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 10:52:33 +1200

The Purpose of God's Word

Thu, 31 Mar 2016 09:00:10 +1300

The Love of Christ Controls Us

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 17:02:59 +1300

Be Quick to Hear and Slow to Speak

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 17:01:43 +1300

The Great Commandment

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 17:00:11 +1300

Hear and Obey

Mon, 21 Dec 2015 12:29:51 +1300

Speaking only the Living Word

Sat, 19 Dec 2015 12:28:28 +1300

Understanding the Words of Christ

Fri, 18 Dec 2015 12:27:51 +1300

Truly Believing and Changing

Thu, 17 Dec 2015 12:26:42 +1300

Hear what the Spirit is saying

Wed, 16 Dec 2015 12:25:46 +1300

People of No Compromise

Tue, 15 Dec 2015 12:25:09 +1300

Love with the Father's love

Sat, 12 Dec 2015 12:23:35 +1300

The Principle or The Person?

Thu, 10 Dec 2015 12:22:57 +1300

Eating of the Bread from Heaven

Tue, 08 Dec 2015 12:22:07 +1300

Choose Life choose Christ

Sun, 06 Dec 2015 12:21:12 +1300

Are we abiding in Christ?

Sat, 05 Dec 2015 12:20:29 +1300

Kingdom vs. Empire-building

Fri, 27 Nov 2015 12:19:33 +1300

Things not yet seen

Wed, 25 Nov 2015 12:18:02 +1300

Faith in Son of God

Wed, 18 Nov 2015 12:16:56 +1300

Operating from Power of God

Tue, 10 Nov 2015 12:15:34 +1300

Letter or Life?

Fri, 03 Apr 2015 00:45:59 +1300

Hi everyone,

Thought for this week: "Are we obeying the letter of His commandments without the corresponding life of His commandments?"

If our obedience does not bring life then we are missing the whole purpose of the commandments. Anyone can apply self-control and obey a rule, but God is calling His people to a greater revelation that awakens the life of the commandments in us. Peter said God has given us His precious and magnificent promises so we can partake of the divine nature^[1]. Did you catch that? “...so that we can PARTAKE of the divine nature”!

What is this divine nature we can participate in? God’s nature is His love, His joy, His peace, His faithfulness, His holiness, His righteousness and all His other communicable attributes that through His Spirit well up from within us.

The ultimate purpose of God’s promises is to lead us into His divine nature. Can you honestly say that you are partaking of this? Be encouraged, it is fully possible, for in God ALL things are possible^[2]. The only thing that holds us back is our unbelief.

I will be sharing on the divine nature - particularly His love, joy and peace - over the next coming weeks to bring greater clarity to the life He wants to release in us and from which we can live the abundant life He has offered us.

My prayer is that we are meditating and marinating in these thoughts that are being shared and we are allowing Him to define our lives through His word.

Have a favoured week,

Greg

[1] 2 Peter 1:4
[2] Matthew 19:26

Do we want to know the power of His resurrection?

Thu, 26 Mar 2015 11:14:11 +1300

Hi family,

Key thought this week: "Do we want to know the power of His resurrection?"

Do we want to know intimately, and experience in our inner most being, the power of God that raised Jesus from the grave? This is the power that Paul says he wants to know in Philippians 3:10...

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”

Paul had experienced the power of God being revealed in him to an overwhelming measure, and yet he was not satisfied with this measure. He desired to know it more and more. Why?

Paul knew that it was the power of God being released into his inner most being through the Holy Spirit that empowered and enabled the internal transformation of his very being. He knew full well that it was this power that arrested him when Ananias laid his hands on him and God filled him with the Holy Spirit.

He knew that the more power that was released in him - the more he would be the embodiment of God’s wisdom on the earth. He also knew that the more power that was released in him, the more equipped, empowered and mobilised he would be to accomplish God's will.

This brings to light the promise of Jesus from Luke 24:49...

And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." Luke 24:49 (NASB)

This promise was to Jesus' disciples, and it is also our promise as His disciples today. I guess the question is: are we a disciple of Christ or someone who just goes along with Christ?

The promise was made to men and women who were not getting it perfectly but who were committed "wholeheartedly" to following Jesus Christ, and doing His will and not their own.

Questions to ponder...

- Are we wholeheartedly committed to following Christ and doing His will?

- Do we want to intimately experience this all encompassing power in our inner most being?

- What has the Holy Spirit said to you through these thoughts?

Please feel free to respond with any thoughts that you have on this passage and the questions in the comments section below.

Have a favoured week,

Greg

God disciplines His sons.

Thu, 19 Mar 2015 12:45:38 +1300

Hi family,

Key thought this week: "God disciplines His sons."

If you are a son^[1] of God then you should expect to be disciplined by God out of the love He has for you. God’s discipline sanctifies us so that we are able to share in His holiness^[2]. God has this incredible kingdom life that He has made available to us, and His discipline enables us to come into the fullness of this abundant life now.

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Hebrews 12:11

This passage is so powerful. All who have been trained by God's discipline have produced in them the fruit of righteousness. Righteousness is living a life of right standing before the Father, allowing the Father to build you His way so His life is produced in and through you. It is those who do the will of the Father who enter the kingdom of heaven^[3].

Hebrews 12:8 says that without this discipline, of which all have become partakers, then we are illegitimate children and not sons. Let us all allow His discipline to shape us as His sons, not shying away from this discipline but embracing it full on. Then we can all come into the fullness of this spiritual life awakening within us, and receive all that He has for us as true sons of God.

Spend some time in Hebrews 12:4-13 this week, meditating on these words and engaging with His Spirit to reveal the message He has for you there.

Please feel free to respond with any thoughts that you have on this passage and the questions in the comments section below.

Have a favoured week,

Greg

[1] “sons” referring to our adopted relationship with God the Father, irrespective of our biological gender.

[2] Hebrews 12:10

[3] Matthew 7:21

Function or relationship?

Wed, 11 Mar 2015 23:53:10 +1300

Hi family,

Key thought this week: "Is our worship to God coming from a place of function or of intimate knowledge of Him?"

³⁸Now as they were travelling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. ³⁹She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. ⁴⁰But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”⁴¹But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; ⁴²but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42

In this verse we find an enlightening illustration of one person's worship coming from function and another’s coming from intimate relationship.

Our function - or what we do for God - is to flow from our intimate knowledge of God and not the other way around. When we flow out of function and not relationship, very quickly what we do for Him becomes our purpose and our source of identity - even what we live for, rather than from God Himself.

If we are living from function, from the doing, then we are not building our lives on the true foundation of Christ himself, but on what we do for Him. This will ultimately lead us into dysfunctional place.

Ask yourself today what position you are living your life from. If you find yourself living from what you do for Christ rather than your love for Him, then repent of this, turn to Him and ask Him to change you through the power of His Spirit.

Please feel free to respond with any thoughts that you have on this passage and the questions in the comments section below.

Have a favoured week,

Greg

God tests His people

Fri, 19 Dec 2014 13:37:57 +1300

Hi family,

Key thought this week: “God tests His people.”

God tests us to see whether we will put Him first in our lives. He creates opportunities for us to be tested to see where our hearts truly lie.

God tested Abraham, asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac on an altar. Would Abraham obey his Lord? Did he truly love God more than his beloved son^[1], the son of God’s promise?

God tests our hearts and looks at our response to Him. A great question to ask is, “why does He do this? What is God looking for, and why?”

All this is a temporal example of a spiritual dimension and reality. God uses the temporal to teach us the spiritual.

The way that Abraham responded to his test is the key to all of this. Abraham didn’t falter and think twice but acted immediately to obey what God had commanded.

When the disciples were invited to follow Jesus the bible says they acted immediately^[2].

The blessings that Abraham and the disciples received were incredible, and the eternal reward that we have to look forward to is greater still.

God was testing them and He is testing us. Let's be a people who rise to the test and prove our faith and commitment to God by trusting in Him and doing what He asks us to do and becoming who He has called us to be.

Here are some questions to ask ourselves:

1. What is God looking for from us when He tests us?

2. What gets produced in us through the testing?

Please feel free to respond with any thoughts that you have on this passage and the questions by email or leave a comment on this post on our discipleship blog: http://therock.org.nz/blog/

Have a favoured week,

Greg

[1] See Genesis 22:1-19
[2] Matthew 4:22

"Transformative knowledge"

Fri, 12 Dec 2014 08:00:00 +1300

Hi family,

Key thought this week:

"Are we seeking and receiving transformative knowledge or factual knowledge?"

Clay used the term "transformative understanding" in his message last Sunday, speaking of a knowledge that transforms us from the inside out.

It is this knowledge that births the life of Christ in us and literally changes us so we are fully capable of demonstrating His nature, character and power on the earth now.

Transformative knowledge is a living, active, creative, powerful knowledge that births life where life wasn't. This is the life we receive as He abides in us and WE ABIDE IN HIM. May we pursue this transformative knowledge and no other.

We will know what knowledge we are in because we will have the corresponding life operating in us, the life that innately comes with and from this transformative knowledge.

If there is no change and ongoing transformation in us then we only have factual knowledge and this isn't the knowledge the Bible speaks of.

⁹And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you mayapprove the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; ¹¹ having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

Here are some questions to ask ourselves:

Ask yourself what your life would look like if you received more and more of this transformative knowledge?

What fruit could you expect to see being produced through a person who was loving from the nature this transformative knowledge nurtures?

Please feel free to respond with any thoughts that you have on this passage and the questions by email or leave a comment on this post on our discipleship blog: http://therock.org.nz/blog/

Have a favoured week,
Greg

“Truly knowing Jesus intimately is the master key to unlock the abundant resurrection life found in Him.”

Fri, 28 Nov 2014 17:43:32 +1300

Hi family,

Key thought this week:

“Truly knowing Jesus intimately is the master key to unlock the abundant resurrection life found in Him.”

A great example in God's word of someone coming into this intimate knowledge of Christ and the impact this has on their life is of the apostle Paul in Philippians 3:1-11...

³ For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— ⁴ though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. ⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Here are some questions to ask ourselves in relation to this passage:

What is the difference between "knowing about Jesus" and truly "knowing Jesus"?
How can we tell which of these positions we are mainly living from?
Why is knowing Jesus intimately so important to us becoming mature disciples?
What difference should an intimate knowledge of Jesus make in our lives?
Are you experiencing this difference in your life? If so what testimony are you able to share of this?

Please feel free to respond with any thoughts that you have on this passage and questions in comment section below.

Have a favoured week,
Greg

"Set your mind on the things above..."

Fri, 14 Nov 2014 17:01:34 +1300

Hi guys,

Here is a thought for the week...

"Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth" - Colossians 3:2

How many of us have written this off as impractical or just considered it some biblical rhetoric that holds no value in real life?

To dismiss this scripture would be a big mistake, as Paul teaches us this for a specific and significant reason.

Ask yourself why Paul wrote this for us and let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.

Have a favoured week,
Greg

...by word only?

Fri, 31 Oct 2014 18:13:19 +1300

Hi guys,

Here is my thought for the week...

Q. Did the gospel message we received come to us by word only?

We read in 1 Thessalonians 1:5 Paul affirming to the church in Thessalonica that the gospel they received did not come to them in word only, but also in power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

I want us to meditate on this passage and ask ourselves what was our testimony?
Have we received the message of the cross in word only; or have we received it not only in word, but also in power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction?

There is a massive difference between these two experiences and just like the Thessalonian church we must experience the later position and come into the fullness of Christ and transformation that they did.

Let us seek and pursue God for this reality in Him, as it will radically affect our relationship with Him.

Have a favoured week,

Greg

Living from His Presence

Fri, 17 Oct 2014 20:11:53 +1300

Hi Family,

Key thought this week: "We are to live our lives from the presence of God."

Ask yourself this question: “Do I spend more time seeking and pursuing the presence of God, or living from the presence of God?”

These are two very different positions.

As a follower of Jesus Christ we received His presence, His Spirit, the day we made a commitment to follow Him wholeheartedly^[1] . His Spirit came to live and make His home IN US, and because of this we can now live our lives from His presence.

Learning to live from the reality of His presence is a life long process that was made possible through the work of the cross which we all received, and continue to receive as we are sanctified into His likeness, and it is imperative we understand it continues to be a process^[2].

Through Jesus' death and resurrection everything required for us to come into a Spirit-filled life was accomplished. All barriers to God’s presence were removed. Everything we need to live this life now has already been given to us.

No longer do we need to look for rest, our rest is found in Christ^[3] whom we already have, we just need live to live from what He has already given us. No longer do we need to look for peace, we have been given a peace which transcends all understanding, we just need live to live from what He has already given us^[4]. These are just two examples of the gifts we have already received that are we need to recognise and live from, rather than continue to ask for and pursue.

If this isn't your reality today, be encouraged, it can be. God knows what is holding you back from living in the revelation of His Spirit, so be courageous and ask Him to show you what that is, and ask yourself honestly, do you actually want to live your life from the presence of God?

There are people in our community who are living from His presence already, and we can learn so much from them. You will know them from how they speak, and the example of their lives. Take the initiative to ask these people to share the story of how this reality was birthed and continues to mature in them. And can I encourage and urge us all today to continue to ask God for the breakthrough in this area. We don’t need Him to give us His presence, we need the sight to see that we already have it!

Have a favoured week,

Greg

[1] Ephesians 1:13, Romans 8:9-11
[2] Philippians 1:6
[3] Matthew 11:28
[4] Philippians 4:7

Who we are...not what we do!

Fri, 10 Oct 2014 12:16:34 +1300

Hi guys,

Key thought this week: "God sets his premium on who we are...not what we do."

What we do and who we are, are radically different, but God will use what we do to form who we are and who we are becoming.

Paul supported himself through his trade of tent making.
Jesus followed his adopted father into the trade of carpentry.
Peter worked as a fisherman.
I am employed as a church minister, but also serve as a music leader, an elder, and a ministry leader.

But none of these things defines me. Our vocations and ministries are not who we are, they are just things that we do...so who are we?

“... you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession...” 1 Peter 2:9

This is how God defines us. This is who He says we are. Are we hearing Him? Are we believing Him? Are we living from this reality, from the new identity He has given us? Something to chew over this week.

Have a great weekend everyone,

Greg

Talking with Dad

Fri, 03 Oct 2014 11:54:06 +1300

A growing heart’s desire to know God our Father in spirit and in truth sits at the centre of our love for Him, and we love because He first loved us^[1]. This is revealed by and in His Holy Spirit dwelling within us, and in His truth as He defines the truth about Himself.

Our Messiah said “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”^[2] There is so much more to knowing Jesus than simply looking at the writing in the Gospel accounts and studying the words. We are to seek to know Him in His word and respond to His revelation in us. This is when intellectual knowledge becomes intimate relational knowledge, and the living reality of the Christ grows in us. As we have been hearing, the Apostle Paul says, “But when it pleased God who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace. To reveal his Son in me that I might preach him…”.^[^3] This revelation of ‘the Son in him’ opens up a wide range of discovery for us regarding who the Son is, who the Father is, and how He reveals Himself so that we can know Him intimately as His children.

How can we know God as father as the Son does? This must come by revelation from Him, and the best way I know how this takes place is through a humble heart asking for this revelation through prayer, knowing His word, walking together, and a readiness to repent of things we hold fast to that may not be of Him and are holding us back. Remember, repenting is turning to the Kingdom of God, not just turning from sin in thought or deed.

Love is the hallmark of this process, and not love as the world knows it, but love as God loves. This is agapē, unconditional love; love that allows us to walk in truth, and discover truth without the need to defend ourselves, or judge others for their understanding when it differs from ours. We walk together with humble hearts, striving for the truth together. Remember, it’s His Spirit and His truth we are seeking, allowing the Holy Spirit room to bring revelation of “...his Son in me”.

As Jesus is our example of how to live this life in the Spirit, it is worth noting He spent lots of time in prayer. Who did he pray to? What was the relationship from which He approached prayer? It was to God, His (our) Heavenly Father^[4]. So if this was His posture and practice, surely this would be a model for us to follow also.

Praying together as a family is great (and we encourage you to join us before our Sunday Services and at Mountain Movers as often as you can), but prayer as a life posture is even greater. Prayer needs to be more than a programmed meeting. God is calling us to a lifestyle of prayer, to pray without ceasing^[5].

I encourage us all to be honest with our Lord and let Him know our heart in regards to prayer. His arms are open for us to come and be real with Him; and in His arms we will find that He will fill us to a greater measure with this gift of love and faith.

Paul Costelloe

[1] 1 John 4:19
[2] John 14:7
[3] Galatians 1:15-16
[4] Deuteronomy 32: 6; Matthew 6:9
[5] 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Renewing the mind = transformation

Fri, 26 Sep 2014 18:33:58 +1200

Hi guys,

Key thought this week... "Renewing the mind = transformation."

As you may have noticed, we have been preaching a lot at The Rock on transformation. We have been teaching that the main purpose of God's people is their personal transformation into the image of Christ^[1], which will in turn sanctify us corporately as Christ’s glorious, eternal Bride^[2]. This transformation will be produced through our daily commitment to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength^[3]; and by the renewing of our mind^[4]. This transformation is a work of His Spirit^[5] that will enable us to hear, see, think, speak, and act like Christ.

As an eldership, we have been pressing our family at The Rock to commit our lives to this process, because this is what we know God is calling His Church to become. As every one of us engages in this process of transformation then we will see a whole community become one with Him and each other; an authentic oneness in the Spirit, where we can say without any doubt we are of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in Spirit, and intent on one purpose^[6].

As His people we are all called to live a demonstration of His life, which is the fruit His Spirit and His word operating in us^[7]. From this revelation we share with people the hope and the life that we have in us from our relationship with Him^[8].

This is all well and good, but for us to see and experience this truth in our lives, our minds must be in a state of constant renewal by His Spirit and truth. In other words: His reality is to become our reality, His ways are to become our ways, and His truth is to become our truth, so that we are able to see from a divine perspective rather than a worldly one^[9] and start living it^[10].

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

How many of us are still conformed to the pattern of this natural world we live in? How many of us have allowed our old natures to determine how we live and think? This is not an unusual condition; even the Apostle Peter struggled with it on occasion^[11]. This natural thinking is from the kingdom we have been rescued from, the kingdom of darkness. We are not demonic but this natural way of thinking is^[12].

Jesus constantly declared the truth and lived from its reality in Him; and so we find Him continually speaking and acting in opposition to the way of the world, and to the natural thinking of those around Him who could still not see, hear, or understand the truth He was proclaiming^[13].

Christ has given us the Spirit of truth to lead us into ALL truth^[14], into all of His divine reality. The Spirit leads, but to partake of His truth we must follow. His truth is a light that will reveal our old natures for what they really are. His truth sanctifies our souls^[15], killing off the old nature and nurturing the new.

Paul spoke in Romans of a "renewing" of the mind. This is an ongoing process, not a one-time event^[16]. God has proved Himself faithful to complete the good work that He has started in us^[17], but we must daily surrender to allow that work to progress in us^[18].

Christ’s blood covers all our short comings (i.e. our iniquity and sin^[19]), so these things don't disqualify us from all that He has for us. So let us all press into Him and come into His fullness, through the renewing of our minds by His Spirit and truth.

My prayer is that we continue to surrender ourselves to Him and His process of transformation here at the Rock, so that the demonstration of this life will be seen both in the life of our church and in each one of us.

Love to hear your thoughts on this.

Have a favoured week,
Greg

[1] 2 Corinthians 3:18, Colossians 3:10
[2] Revelation 21:2, Luke 1:17
[3] Mark 12:30
[4] Romans 12:2
[5] 2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 15:16
[6] Philippians 2:2
[7] John 14:17, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:13
[8] 1 Peter 3:15, 2 Corinthians 5:11-20
[9] 2 Corinthians 5:16
[10] James 1:22
[11] See Matthew 16:23
[12] James 3:14-16
[13] Matthew 13:13-14
[14] John 16:13
[15] John 17:17
[16] Colossians 3:10, 2 Corinthians 4:16
[17] Philippians 1:6
[18] Philippians 2:12
[19] 1 John 1:7, Hebrews 9:14

Stinking thinking!

Fri, 12 Sep 2014 19:01:58 +1200

Hi family,

Speaking with a buddy of mine a wee while ago, he gave me this acronym: ANTS...

"Automatic Negative Thinking Syndrome"

When we live from our old nature we tend to see the world through the lens of the negative rather than the positive. We tend to see why something won't work as opposed to how it could. We tend to squash all possibilities and speak death into it before it has ever had a chance to form and breathe.

Ultimately, we tend to speak death over our own lives.

Why do we do this?

Because of our "automatic negative thinking syndrome".

As His followers, it is imperative that our thinking is undergoing constant renewal to His divine perspective by the Holy Spirit^[1]. Without this ongoing transformation in our lives we will be locked in a state of negative thinking and doubt, which will blind us to the spiritual reality that Jesus died for us all to see and enter into - the Kingdom of God.

Jesus came to seek and save ALL that was lost^[2]. He didn’t come just to save sinners from hell, but to reconcile us to right relationship with the Father^[3], to restore us to our destiny as sons and heirs^[4] of the King of Heaven.

Let’s surrender our negative thinking to God, taking every faithless thought captive and making it obedient to Christ^[5], and allowing His Spirit to renew our minds as we seek Him with all our heart^[6] and follow Him into His glorious Kingdom.

Have a favoured week,

Greg

[1] Romans 12:1
[2] Luke 19:10
[3] 2 Corinthians 5:18
[4] Romans 8:17
[5] 2 Corinthians 10:5
[6] Jeremiah 29:13-14

Are our lives a reflection of Christ's life?

Fri, 05 Sep 2014 21:29:10 +1200

Here's a question I believe God would have us all ask ourselves at this time:
"As His people, are our lives a reflection of Christ's life?"

We can no longer be content with mere words about truth^[1] without the corresponding reality that the Truth brings^[2].

God's grace is one of the most powerful, life giving and life changing attributes of His nature^[3]. It is given to us so that we are able - by the power of His Spirit - to come into the fullness of God; a transformative reality, not a theoretical view point that we hold or discuss.

Let's not be found in apathy, or ingratitude - abusing His incredible grace^[4], a gift that cost Him the life of His one and only Son. Let's be found living in the freedom it bought for us and the transformation it enables.

The more humble in spirit we are, the more we will come into this fullness of God He has promised us^[5]. So let us allow God to continue to work on us and build His life in us^[6], so that we are found in this authentic place where our words match our lives^[7].

Let His truth arrest you today to create life bringing change.

All things are possible to those who believe!^[8]

In His love,
Greg

[1] Matthew 15:9
[2] John 8:32
[3] Acts 4:33-37;
[4] Romans 6:1-14
[5] Ephesians 3:19; Ephesians 4:13
[6] Philippians 1:6
[7] James 1:22
[8] Mark 9:23

We are the church, we don't do it.

Fri, 29 Aug 2014 21:27:11 +1200

Here is the thought for the week: "We are the Church, we don't do it".

I am constantly surrounded by God's people who are both in positions of leadership and not, who continue to ask "How do we do church differently today?" They say we live in modern times and we need to be relevant and change the way we do church. I have even heard people say “church is boring”. Yes, we need to be relevant; and yes, church services may be boring; but despite what some may think this has very little to do with programming, and everything to do with who we are.

“How should we do church?” is not a question of the Kingdom of God, but of the wisdom of the world. These kinds of questions can distract us from the true purpose of Kingdom community. Jesus encountered this type of question when Nicodemus asked Him how a man could enter into his mother's womb and be born again^[1]? Jesus didn't give this question any of His precious time, but instead spoke of a true kingdom reality and then said "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?"^[2]

The questions that we need to start asking ourselves (if we haven't already) are: "How can we be the Church?" And, “What do we need for us to be the Church and embody HIs Kingdom?”

What God has been showing me is that we need a revelation, a growing revelation of the Christ/truth in us; and we need His power operating within us continuously through the Spirit.

While our focus and priorities remain on external things, we will never enter into the truth God has for us. Unfortunately for many, the external things that God has given us to help facilitate our transformation have become our focus and priority. We have become distracted and confused, focusing our energies on the services, the music, the programmes, the building; rather than on the only One who has the truth, and can transform our spirits and renew our minds.

We have lost sight of our true purpose: not to do church, but to be God's people and function as His ambassadors on the earth^[3].

Please hear me, we are all called and taught to meet together regularly as His people^[4], as a family^[5]; and we continue to do this to receive greater revelation of Him and an ongoing transformation of ourselves, rather than just ticking religious boxes.

A prayer we could all offer up this week and in the weeks to come is...
“Lord, renew our minds through the power of your Spirit as we seek you.”
And in this prayer we will find the true purpose of our gatherings and our community.

In His love,
Greg

[1] John 3:4
[2] John 3:10
[3] 2 Corinthians 5:20
[4] Hebrews 10:25, 1 John 1:7
[5] Hebrews 2:11, 1 Peter 22:17