The Rock Church

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