Harbor Rock Tabernacle

At the north shore of the Sea of Galilee were 3 cities: Capernaum, Chorazin and Bethsaida. Jesus did the majority of His miracles there, and though thousands believed, these cities refused to repent and trust in Him. This is a heart issue, and right now our world is having to decide the same thing, in the midst of this crisis. Will people cry out to God? And what would happen if even a few areas o...

Jesus ministered to a number of people who were dealing with personal problems and shame, especially a demon possessed man who was deeply tormented and anguished. But when he saw Jesus, he recognized that there was help and healing available through the power of the Lord. Each of us has issues and experiences that cause us embarrassment and insecurity. How we deal with them--especially as it relat...

Because of the worldwide health crisis, advice has been given to practice "social distancing", staying six feet away from other people. For a man with leprosy in Mark 1, that was his normal condition--he couldn't go into cities or be near people because he was contagious and seen as socially "dead". But in his fear and desperation, or even anger and resentment about his condition, he didn't distan...

The world is in upheaval right now, with people feeling confused, uncertain and anxious. Jesus faced the same situation in Galilee, as multitudes with various health problems surrounded Him, looking for mercy and help. But Jesus showed His complete authority, both through teaching and healing. We can experience the same amazement the crowds felt when we listen to His voice and understand His power...

On the third day of His ministry, Jesus attended a wedding in Cana of Galilee. When the guests ran out of wine, Mary went to Jesus with the problem, and then told the attendants "whatever He says to you, do it". In a time of subjective Christianity and a flippant "whatever!" attitude that permeates our culture, her words are full of the conviction we all should have. When we have a deep faith that...

To launch His public ministry after John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus left Nazareth and "withdrew" to Galilee. There were strategic reasons for this move which apply to our daily lives, especially when we are needing fresh direction or clearer direction. This first study from our new series "Galilee" encourages us to understand and be content in the Lord's reasons for having us in our present c...

Hebrews 10 warns against claiming to trust Christ but living in a way that retreats from full commitment. This could be described as being a "Christian In Name Only". Chapter 12 calls us to something far greater: A life that endures for the Lord, and stands strong for the cause of Christ. As we look toward Jesus Christ and live in the power of His Spirit, this "exercise" of our endurance builds ou...

Each of us has a "budget" of 186 hours this week. If we don't spend them wisely, it can greatly affect us spiritually and personally. Looking at the pivotal decision of 6 important Biblical figures, this study shows the sharp contrast between using our time poorly and using it wisely and productively.

The Bible calls the tongue "a restless evil, able to defile the entire body". Though we might think that we only say damaging words when our emotions are heightened, it is far too common to say what is "unwholesome". Every word that proceeds from our mouth is a choice made by our mind. Ephesians 4 calls us to say only what is pure, edifying and full of grace, because our words reveal our heart and...

We all struggle to deal with the impact of a critical spirit. As recipients, we feel discouraged and defeated, and as the source of criticism, we can get stuck in a chronically negative attitude. Christians should not be characterized by a critical, judgmental mindset. We have to move beyond a preoccupation with self, and ask the Holy Spirit to change a mindset of dissatisfaction and fault-finding...

The Lord gives believers power to actively advance in maturity, so when He opens doors of opportunity, we need to go forward. Inactivity inhibits growth and usefulness, while advancing brings discernment and blessing. This is shown in the example of Peter in Acts 12, when the Lord miraculously releases him from jail, so the work of ministry can continue. It reveals that the Lord is ready to do gre...

Our mind is a place of great conflict, battling between holy and unholy thoughts. This determines how feel and function, especially spiritually. In Romans 12, Paul calls us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, which only takes place when we passionately and purposely develop and nurture what brings spiritual life. We have to understand what the voices in our mind are leading us to belie...

In the middle of Ephesians, between praise of Jesus Christ and the Gospel, and a call to live sanctified lives, there is a powerful promise of the unlimited potential of God's work. This is available to anyone who trusts Jesus as Savior and is walking in the power and leading of the indwelling Holy Spirit. But we need to be careful not to "quench" the fire of His work, because the Lord is able and...

The wise men are unexpected participants in the Christmas account--they weren't Jewish, didn't have any connection to anything surrounding Jesus, and didn't have a vision prior to arriving in Bethlehem. But their hearts were stirred, and that brought them to find Jesus, Whom they fell to the ground and worshiped. Their sensitivity to God and obedience provide a strong example to us about getting c...

Joseph and Mary experienced tremendous pressures and challenges in being at the center of the birth of Jesus, both before, during and after. And yet, they are calm and at peace living in God's plan. As we experience the chaos of our culture and an uncertain future, do we have the same peace and confidence in the Lord? We can...because Jesus came to be our Peace and to bring peace to our lives.

The message the angels gave in announcing Jesus' birth addressed all the problems of mankind: Fear, lack of hope and joy and peace, and the need for a Saviour. Every person needs true peace, but man's solutions to find it all fail miserably. So Jesus came to be peace and bring peace...but why is He the Only One Who can provide it? This study examines 5 convincing truths which verify that because J...

Many Christians have little sense of God's calling and little expectation of being used in a significant way. Every believer has a general calling to be witnesses and make disciples, and a specific calling unique to them. But do we understand and embrace it, especially when it changes our plans and requires deep trust? Both Joseph and Mary exemplify an immediate willingness to follow God's calling...

When the multitude of angels announced the birth of Jesus, the declared "Peace on earth". This not only indicated that Jesus as the literal embodiment of peace, while offering the peace of a restored relationship with God. Knowing Jesus this way changes our perception of God and brings peace and purpose amid the noises and stresses of life.

When Jesus healed the blind man in John 9, he immediately started to testify about how the Lord had changed his life. The Pharisees doubted this because they wanted to try to discredit Jesus, but the man kept pointing them back to the facts. Unlike his parents, the man wasn't worried about losing his "standing" by standing for his convictions. Instead, he gave a strong, logical defense of Jesus. T...

How we respond to Who God is and what He does shapes everything we do. Whether we're hostile and resentful, or passively compliant, or yielded with contentment will determine where we fit in the "bell curve" of conviction. Every Christian should move out of the middle ground and have a supernatural faith, as illustrated by the blind man in John 9. He pushes aside any objections he might have had t...

Suffering can cause us to drift into discouragement, blame and distance from God, or we can see that the Lord utilizes it to refine us spiritually. In John 9, Jesus' interaction with a blind man gives insight into the role of sin in suffering. His teaching also challenges incorrect presuppositions about dealing with difficulty. Through this, we see the God's authority, and how He utilizes sufferin...

Psalm 1 shows that the believer is put in a wonderful position--saved and adopted through Christ, and blessed by the Lord when we walk in righteousness. In this last study of the series, "1 Way To Live", we see that the Lord also promises that He knows everything about us, and is focuses on strengthening us spiritually, and on leading us to what is best for us. This protects us from the destructiv...

Psalm 1 sets up a contrast between the righteous, who are blessed by God, and the wicked, who are guilty of sin and hostile toward God. Their lives and works are described as "chaff", which doesn't have foundation and is carried around by the wind. This has a spiritual parallel in terms of the impermanence and destablization of our culture, but there is an ultimate cost: Judgment. This doesn't hav...

Scientists are spending billions searching for any tiny biosignatures of life on Mars. In contrast, as Christians, it should be unmistakably clear to everyone that we have life in Jesus Christ. Psalm 1:3 describes how that will look--like a tree planted deeply by streams of water. Each detail of that description is a call to examine our spiritual "DNA", to determine whether we are showing life and...

As culture has changed and become more hostile to Christianity, there is a temptation to become bitter or numb about reaching people with the Truth. We may become entrenched as "Truth" Christians or "grace" Christians, rather than both being fully and equally present in us. This is why it's important to look at the example Jesus set, because He wanted people to stop living without value and hope....