Highrock Church

David notices that he lives in a grand palace while God dwells in a simple tent. David wants to correct the situation by building God an even grander palace, the Temple, but God says, "No." Even so, God chooses this moment to bless David. Because David wanted to build God's house, God will build David's house, promising that one of David's descendants will sit on the throne forever! Looking for a...

There is a constant temptation to define ourselves in terms of our work. It's one of the first questions we ask of others, "What do you do for work?" In this scene of worship, David strips off all the vestments of his "job". Before the Lord, the king himself is just a worshiper like everyone else. You are not your job. In the Lord, your identity and worth has a far greater foundation! Looking for...

Saul was a terrible king in many ways but his death still represented the death of a dream. He was Israel's first king and the nation had put its trust in him. With his death, the nation would fall into civil war and their enemies would exploit this time of weakness. But Israel should never have put its trust in human kings. That dream was an idol that needed to be broken before Israel would be ab...

It’s easy to drift: the joy fades, the sacrifices feel heavy, and before long we’re just going through the motions. Left unchecked, that drift can open the door to regret and destruction. In this message, Pastor Dave Swaim names the subtle danger we’d rather not see. · · 👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n 👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://...

In this flashback from October 30, 2024, we consider the times that it might be tempting to doubt that God is for us. But because our relationship with God is based on God's faithfulness rather than ours, we can have great confidence that God is for us. More than that, we are called "friends of God". Family is a given but you choose your friends. God chooses us! Looking for a previous devo? Want t...

In a moment of ungodly anger, David sets out to exact vengeance upon a man named Nabal. Hearing of the events that have been set in motion, Abigail intercepts David and is able to stop him with grace and humility. Despite his anger, David is able to see she is a literal godsend, saving him from himself. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highrock....

Once again, David has an opportunity to take Saul's life and, once again, David demonstrates mercy rather than judgment. David's kindness toward Saul and trust in God were not one-time decisions but evidence of a heart in harmony with the heart of God. Perhaps God chose David to be the honored ancestor of Jesus for illustrating the grace that would be fully demonstrated in Christ. Looking for a pr...

Refusing to take matters into his own hand, David finds himself on the run. Stripped of all other security, David finds himself hiding out in a cave with darkness all around him and darkness within him. In that darkness, David finds a light of hope that will never go out. In this psalm, this prayer, this song, David shows us that God's light can often be seen most clearly in the darkest of places....

Friendships that allow for emotions that are raw and real can be rare, especially when those feelings express opposing perspectives. David and Jonathan have that rare kind of relationship that makes room for the kind of emotional honesty that we see in Jesus in Gethsemane and from the cross. Do we feel permission to have this kind of intimacy with God, and hopefully with others as well? Looking fo...

In this flashback to December 9, 2024, we consider how waiting can be especially challenging when you are waiting for the fulfillment of (what appears to be) a broken promise. God had promised that a descendant of King David would sit on the throne forever, so what had happened? Israel waited for centuries without any such king in sight. Had God forgotten the promise? Today, many might feel simila...

Saul had tried to impale David with a spear, twice. Afterwards, Saul sent David repeatedly into harm's way, hoping that David might be killed in battle. Saul then resorted to more direct plans to simply assassinate David. Jonathan bravely and lovingly chooses to step in front of his father Saul's animosity to intercede for David. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start...

David was successful in all that Saul gave him to do. Rather than gratitude, Saul was jealous, especially as people began to take notice of David's victories. Are we also provoked to envy in our lives? How did David respond to Saul's envy and anger, and what might we learn about how to respond to those who oppose us? Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https:/...

Why did Jonathan love David? In contrast to the cowardice and self-centeredness of his father, King Saul, Jonathan saw in David a kindred spirit. They shared a bold courage and faith in God, and that shared love bonded them together. Any shared love will draw people closer together, especially the love of God. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.hi...

Many want to be leaders; few want to be followers. One of the principles of biblical leadership on display in David's life is that being a good leader starts with being a good follower. How can we lead others into a life of following God if we ourselves resist being good followers? David here begins to display his faithfulness to God by being faithful in serving others -- in particular, the proble...

In this flashback to March 22, 2023, we see that Jesus was often very secretive about his identity as the Messiah. Even more rarely, such as in this passage, Jesus hints at his identity as not only the Messiah, the son of David, but his identity as the Son of God! Understanding Jesus as both human and divine is more important than we might realize. Because of his divinity, we can know God; because...

God doesn't look at us the way the world does. In fact, God often chooses people precisely because the world does not understand or value their most important qualities -- qualities like faithfulness. Before David became king, he was someone who was easily overlooked both by the prophet Samuel and his own father, Jesse. The world treasures outward appearances but God looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7...

We begin with David's story on what started out as just an ordinary day. David was doing what he was tasked to do on every other day – to tend his father’s sheep. When God enters the picture, ordinary days have a way of becoming extraordinary! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/ For Reflection: David was faithful in...

In closing his letter, James reminds us all of the purpose of his letter and the purpose of our lives. Rather than living for ourselves, Jesus invites us to join him in a search and rescue mission. This is a mission that is motivated by truth, grace, and love. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/ For Reflection: Searc...

We return to the end of the passage we covered last time, which is James's encouragement for us to confess our sins to one another. James connected powerful prayer with the healing that comes through confession, and yet, confession is the least favorite part of prayer for many. God wants to heal us, not to hurt us, so is it possible that we have misunderstood the practice and purpose of confession...

In this flashback to March 21, 2024, we see Jesus sharing back-to-back parables about prayer. One exhorts us to be persistent in prayer and the other commends an attitude of humility, a constant dependence on God's grace rather than our own supposed goodness. We may not fully understand why God wants us to pray or how prayer works, but we can be confident that God does meet us in prayer, and we ar...

James earlier said we often do not have because we do not ask. Now he adds that we should ask in all circumstances; with requests, praises, confession, and intercession. Not only should we pray, but we should be confident that God is listening and that the prayers of those who are close to God are powerful! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highr...

James opened his letter with an encouragement to be patient (James 1:2-4). He now returns to that same theme in his closing, but patience is not waiting for something, but someone -- that is, God. We do not need to be anxious or to take matters into our own hands. Jesus will return to judge, heal, and restore. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.hi...

Wealth can be a great blessing but like almost all blessings, it can be a curse for those who are not prepared. James summarizes several scriptural statements about wealth and arranges them in the form of a trail with evidence and witnesses. If we were on trial, would our wealth be evidence of our generosity or evidence of our indifference to the suffering of others? Looking for a previous devo? W...

This question is often not a question, but a challenge. We often act as if we know things we cannot know. James says that we act in arrogance when we make plans as if we know what will happen or as if we are in complete control of our destinies. Instead, we should make all plans with the acknowledgment that God alone is in control. Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Star...

In this flashback to September 4, 2024, we looked at the Fruit of the Spirit called "self-control" and its connection to humility. Speaking to the Corinthian church, Paul counsels them to be humble in their approach to temptation. They should not think too much of themselves nor too little, especially because God is faithful and will be with them! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one wit...