Harbor Rock Tabernacle

Jesus interacted with a man names Jairus, whose young daughter was very ill. Even though he begged Jesus to come alongside and help him, she died before they got to the house. The person bringing the bad news told him not to "trouble" Jesus anymore, and it would have been easy for Jairus to just accept her fate, or even get angry and bitter. But Jairus had strong and resilient faith, which require...

There are countless, distinctive examples of the Lord blessing people and groups. But why does He do this, and are there conditions under which He is more inclined to bless us? Jacob's unique blessing of Ephraim in Genesis 48 not only gives an advance picture of the undeserved mercy Jesus offered at the cross, it also affirms 2 Chronicles 16:9, which says "the Lord is looking to strongly support t...

As we live as believers in Jesus Christ, we're called to escape safely from sin while running swiftly toward deep faith, holiness and being like Christ. Using the analogy of hunting, we see that this pursuit requires intentional prioritization and preparation, and that working together, we can fulfill our individual and collective purpose of imitating Jesus in our lives and church. The great motiv...

Whether in parables or direct explanation, the constant focus of Jesus' teaching was the Kingdom of God. When we view life through the Lord's priority, it transforms our thinking, because everything is filtered through the concept of the rule of Christ over our lives. When we are spiritually reborn and have His Spirit, He then has Lordship over all we think, say and do. The Spirit's power also ena...

The issue of mental health is a significant and complex issue, especially among the younger generations. This battle resides in our mind, which the enemy is constantly attacking to corrupt and lead away from the Lord, and he pushes us to live by the "flesh" rather than by the Holy Spirit. It's important for us to honestly assess whether the flesh is controlling us and leading us toward death, or w...

When we believe in someone or something, we are convinced, but it doesn't necessarily change our behavior...but when we trust, we are convinced, and it produces change. Israel struggled with trust, so at Sinai, the Lord called them to hear Him. That Hebrew word sama means to carefully hear, listen to and obey. The depth of our relationship with the Lord determines how well we are doing this, and t...

Death has been in the news because of the conflict in the Middle East, but it continues a growing narrative that some lives aren't worthy--Israel, life in the womb, and even those who hold Biblical convictions. But as Christians, we have the hope of life. The Lord not only created us, but offers every person rescue from sin and death through Jesus Christ. This secures eternal life, and until then,...

When we reach our mid 20's, our brain's ability to form new neural connects--it's neuroplasticity--starts to decline, more rapidly as we age. This means we have to be intentional about learning--Biblical truth, essential facts and about ourselves and others. This is vital in living for the Lord, so we remain humble and teachable. In Daniel 5, King Belshazzar didn't learn from the mistakes and spir...

We all endure difficulties, but at times, the problems stack up so high that we feel very discouraged. Psalm 34 teaches us to first carefully analyze possible self-inflicted causes like sin, self-dependence and soft faith. Spiritual warfare also incites fear, which can control our thinking and perspective. But we need to remember that circumstances are only temporary, but trusting in the Lord's fa...

The book of Ezekiel is full of odd and confusing imagery, but it's timeless message comes down to simple truths: God is holy, mankind is sinful and rebellious, but the Lord is still loving and gracious to offer His mercy and redemption to everyone. At that time, the nation of Judah had ignored the prophets, and allowed their unguarded hearts and tolerance of sin to choose what was openly offensive...

What are the essence and purpose of a Christian? When the apostle Paul said to the proud, worldly and distracted Corinthian church to "imitate me as I imitate Christ:, he was stressing the importance of looking at Jesus to answer those questions. Every believer is called to be a replica of Christ, especially by genuinely living out the fruit that His Holy Spirit equips us to live out. This will en...

Often when we face change, in frustration we question why it had to happen, or wonder what life might have been like if it hadn't. A more beneficial response is to understand what the Lord is teaching us through the change. By looking at decisions of both King Jehosophat and Jesus' disciples, we see the importance of seeking the Lord with confident humility, knowing that the enemy may cause change...

With the pressure and stress that inevitably comes with fall's schedules, how do we ensure that we grow and thrive spiritually? In John, after Jesus had ministered to the Samaritan woman at the well, He tells the disciples that He has a secret food that empowers Him. He prioritized times alone with the Father, being refilled and refreshed. Following His model will keep us from getting burned out,...

The Psalms tell us that "it is good" to thank and praise the Lord, declaring HIs lovingkindness and faithfulness. To declare means to "stand boldly and openly make known", which not only changes our perspective on everything, but also puts us in the position to experience five benefits the Lord provides as a result. These benefits center on building a deeper love for the Lord, a heart of humility...

The calling of every believer, and the Church, is to tell all people the Good News of salvation and hope through Jesus Christ. But first, we have to overcome obstacles like complacency, fear and personal biases. We have the answers people need to be rescued from sin and death. Jesus gave us an example and charge to do the ministry of outreach in the parable of the Good Samaritan. He highlighted th...

It can feel a bit awkward to hear the Church referred to as the "Bride of Christ", until we remember that marriage is the closest relationship we can experience. The concept of leaving everyone else and becoming "one flesh" is a metaphor for the restored and sanctified relationship we have with the Lord once we trust Jesus as Saviour. The new life He Alone gives us is based on His love and faithfu...

Everyone who is involved in the life of the church should be serving in at least one ministry. Not only the Church is our place of greatest community and encouragement, but Jesus modeled the life of a bond-servant, and His Spirit gives us each of us gifts to use. So like an aspen tree, we need to sow back into the soil we're planted in and reproduce. In addition, there are powerful benefits of ser...

For millenniums, religious and political leaders--good and bad--have known that it is essential to influence the hearts and minds of children.  As research shows that kids under 18 are rapidly becoming relativistic and spiritually disinterested, the Church has an urgent and vital responsibility to communicate the truth of the Gospel, and prioritize discipling the next generations.  As we call them...

Many people have been hurt by the local church, due to leaders failing morally, division about decisions, and people's selfish agendas. That was the case in Corinth, and the apostle Paul wrote to tell them this is not how the Lord designed it to be. Instead, we are to be walking by the Holy Spirit, because that creates a situation where we all have the same mind and judgment. So believers must be...

When the Church describes itself as "a family", that isn't trite hyperbole--it is how God designed it. When we trust Christ for salvation and receive forgiveness and freedom from sin, we are all given a heavenly nature and God's Holy Spirit. So, all believers share the same new spiritual DNA. As part of God's family, we share the same affinity and priorities, but this "family" gets messy if we all...

No matter what our age or life situation, we have a responsibility as disciples to be actively maturing in our walk and fulfilling the Great Commission. In writing to Titus, the apostle Paul explained the important value of the older generations teaching the young, and setting a strong example of faithfulness to the Lord. The younger generations are called to learn from that, while also stepping i...

With so much redefinition of the focus, style and substance of churches over the last 40 years, it is essential to understand why God founded the Church. Jesus defined it's purpose in the Great Commission to all HIs disciples, in 5 definitive and all-encompassing statements. As the Leader and Focus of the Church, He calls us to make disciples of all nations, teaching each other to obey all He has...

Whether it's 1st Century Thessalonica or the US in 2023, Christians can become discouraged by spiritual opposition and the state of the world. Unfortunately, one response to this can be complacency and compromise, rather than a determination to stay faithful. To combat this, believers need to remember our urgent purpose to spread the Gospel, persevering in the Lord's powerful protection against th...

After Israel failed at Sinai, the Lord gave them the Law, and established the Tabernacle to be at the center of their lives...because the Cloud of His presence was clear evidence of His mercy, faithfulness and leading. Still today, we need the Lord's presence. We fail when we're in control, but the Lord knows what is wise and best, and in His presence is the fullness of joy. Faith and spiritual ma...

During a time of political turmoil and spiritual decline in the nation of Judah, a priest named Jehoiada proved that one person who takes a stand for the Lord can make a significant difference in reforming the culture. Despite having a family that was evil and hated the Lord, Jehoiada "gathered his courage" and challenged the people to return to God, to precisely obey His Word, and to restore the...