Harbor Rock Tabernacle

All throughout His ministry, whether in direct teaching or parables or pointing to the cross, Jesus focused on the Kingdom of God. He said it was His purpose for being sent. But He wasn't just talking about a future kingdom...as the King. He brought it here, and invited us to live as subjects of His Kingdom. This requires forsaking the trappings of this life and giving ourselves fully to Him.  Vid...

As we live for the Lord and fulfill His calling, it is no surprise when we face significant spiritual opposition to our faith and faithfulness. Especially when we're criticized or accused, it's all too easy to slip into feelings of discouragement and defeat. Nehemiah and the people building the wall give us an example by modeling strength and resiliency, through calling on the Lord, clearing out t...

Nehemiah 3 is a seemingly insignificant chapter of hard-to-pronounce names of people who rebuilt the wall in Jerusalem. But within it, there are powerful truths about building each other up, taking responsibility for the Body and the Lord's work, and repairing what is broken so there is personal and spiritual restoration. This starts in our homes, and continues as we labor alongside each other to...

It would have been easy for Nehemiah to go back to Jerusalem and use the agency of his calling to take charge of the rebuild.  But his quiet approach to inspecting the wall speaks to his self-effacing character and desire to hear from, and be led by, the Lord.  As we serve the Lord, it's vital to guard against this temptation to make it about ourselves.  Video of this service is also available:  h...

Nehemiah prayed and waited for four months for the opportunity to ask the king to return to Jerusalem. When the king asked why he was sad, Nehemiah made sure to praise the Lord and get His confirmation. Then, he was bold in his request, and his humility and humility convinced the king that this was right. But the Lord added two details that prove His plans and faithfulness are the catalyst for unf...

A familiar chair in a den has come to symbolize a place of brokenness. That is especially needed in times of spiritual attack or sadness about a situation. In Nehemiah's case, it was the deep personal pain that Jerusalem was still torn apart. So while in captivity in Persia, he came to the Lord with a broken heart and spirit, admitting the fact and consequences of sin, but also confident that the...

Often temptation seems so outlandish that we dismiss it's threat. Peter learned that the hard way. After affirming Jesus as Messiah in a place known for false gods, Peter acted like an authority and admonished Jesus when He talked about His upcoming death and resurrection. Peter's action warns us to rebuke our pride and frustration and fear, and instead fully trust the Lord.  Video of this service...

As autumn begins, schedules, sleep and stress are all affected. The enemy tries to exploit that pressure by offering distorted substitutes for our calling, ministry responsibilities, relationships, work and reaction to warfare. Jesus offers us a powerful example of prioritizing daily time with the Lord, being refreshed and resetting our heart and mind to live out the fruit of the Spirit and faithf...

It's such an inclination for us to compare ourselves to people and how we think our life should be...which breeds jealousy and discontentment and steals hope This is actually a spiritual issue, affecting our faith and maturity, so we need to avoid 5 snares to our confidence. Proverbs 4 gives us warning signs, which contrast to the tranquil heart and peace that comes from walking with full trust in...

While warning them about the ultimate consequences of sin, the Holy Spirit challenges Judah, (and us), to evaluate their impurity and to depart from it immediately. But He also offers great hope: That the Lord protects His people by both going before us and being our rear guard. This echoes Psalm 23, that His goodness and mercy follows us all the days of our life, giving us confidence in the times...

We live in a time of noise, confusion and distortion of Truth--how much do we consume vs. keeping the wisdom of God's Word in our heart? We're called to guard our heart from the danger of spiritual corruption, because from it flows the springs of life. This Lord fills us with the power to overcome sin and walk in holiness, so we need to be disciplined in how we talk, how we trust and how we live. ...

As we look for clarity in discerning the will and leading of the Lord, how can we ensure that we're in position to hear Him, and are willing to obey without hesitation? Through multiple texts, we see that confessing sin thoroughly establishes the foundation, so we can be sacrificial with our plans, yielded and confident in the Lord's help, and content with whatever He knows is best for us.  Video...

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we often look for clarity about His will and leading.  But there are foundational values--Conviction, Conscience, Character and Communication--that we also must be clear about, which give us certainty, confidence and an effective ministry.  Not only do we crave these in our own lives, but how we live them out has a tremendous impact on all those around us.  Video of t...

HRT's missionaries in Kenya share the exciting work that the Lord is doing in their midst, and the fresh opportunities to impact the lives of children and families in Africa.  Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIkdUF-f0us&t=5s

After David's major sin, he was deeply broken, but counted on the zeal of the Lord to forgive and cleanse him, But that wasn't license to sin more, it was a reminder to be honest, humble and aggressive against further sin. Psalm 51 is an important call for us to have to approach with even the "little", everyday offenses that we may not take as seriously. The Lord wants to teach us wisdom, and we w...

What we say can either escalate or de-escalate a conversation and relationship, depending on our word choice, tone, attitude and body language. Are we refreshing--trying to promote truth, wisdom and calm, or depressing--wounding people and breaking their spirit? Instead of causing strife, we need to guard our mouths, and have a heart and mouth that advances righteousness.  Video of this service is...

After 40 years of living in the wilderness with his in-laws, Moses went back to Egypt and brought Israel out. Though his father in-law almost certainly has plenty of objections, he sensed the Lord's leading and yielded to it. When Moses came back with the people, he then spoke truth in love, challenging Moses to be wise in his actions. His faith, wisdom and boldness are an example of the powerful...

Psalm 118 is the center chapter in the Bible, and is full of praise, thanks and victory as it points toward Jesus and the Gospel. Within it are 6 powerful truths that call believers to remember all that He has done in our lives--salvation, strength, righteousness, mighty things and even discipline. Our response can only be "joyful shouting", not only to show our unashamed gratitude, but also to le...

We tend to remember people and events with an emotional bias--either idealizing how things were, or overemphasizing negative experiences. We usually do that latter out of fear or incomplete faith, and that can make us discontented. So while Isaiah told Judah they would go into captivity, he also assured them the Lord would eventually bring them back and restore them. Remembering the Lord's goodnes...

There are important parallels between the covenant in our relationship with the Lord as believers, and the marriage covenant. In both cases, lack of commitment and infidelity will severely damage the health of the relationship. So it is vital that we are unwavering in the exclusivity of our love and devotion in both, while holding a holy jealousy that nothing will steal our heart away.  Video of t...

Every believer has a calling from the Lord, whether our daily commitment, short-term or full time. So it's vital that we are able to discern the Lord's hand and leading, and be willing to pivot to serve Him. That may be uncomfortable, but like Elisha, our response needs to be immediate and joyfully sacrificial, because the Lord will use us in a powerful way when it is.  Video of this service is al...

A warning given by the Lord to an evil city 3200 years ago has implications for us today, in how it gives us a full picture of the Lord. It's uncomfortable but important to remember that the Lord is the Holy One Who has to judge sin, because any "user friendly" view of Him avoids that Truth. But the Lord is also good, kind and gracious, offering salvation to all, knowing those who are His and serv...

When you have a crisis or trial, do you get despondent and give up, or deepen your dependence on the Lord. An unbelieving widow in 1 Kings 17 endured three painful tragedies, but when the prophet Elijah called her to seemingly unreasonable faith, according to God's miraculous promise, she boldly believed in the Lord's provision, and experienced a profound expression of His goodness and care. This...

Often we people help us, we infer negative ulterior motives that aren't true. This can lead us to unnecessarily alienate relationships. When we realize our mistake, it's far better to apologize and seek forgiveness, unlike a man named Hanun, who dug in his heels against King David and escalated the situation. When offended, we need to recognize how often we've been the offender, and offer forgiven...

Spiritual and psychological attack is a fact of life for every believer. In the life of King Hezekiah, we see a strong response: Doing what is right in the Lord's sight, tearing down "idols" and clinging to the Lord in faith. The Lord responds to that with His presence and power. But it will also invite internal and external opposition, seeking to undermine God's Word, character and promises. But...