Highrock Church

Why should we do as God says? A lowly servant might obey out of fear. An employee might obey for hope of reward or fear of punishment. Those motivations reveal the nature of our relationship. For those who are in Christ, Paul says, our obligation is that of adopted children. We respond to God's generosity, not to gain something positive or avoid something negative, but purely out of joyful gratitu...

Pouring gas into an electric car would be disastrous -- an engine needs proper fuel. It would be similarly disastrous if those who are in the Spirit turn to the old fuel of the sinful nature, which leads to death rather than life. This most basic choice opens or closes the door to so many other important choices in our lives. Let's choose the right fuel! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share...

Sermon #6 of Highrock's fall series, "Behind the Curtain: Secrets of the Seven Churches of Revelation" by Pastor Richard Lee from Revelation 3:7-13 (NIV)

Finally turning the corner on sin, Paul highlights how God, through Jesus Christ, accomplishes what the Law could not do! All that dark language about sin was not about condemnation. Rather, it was a diagnosis that leads to the healing found in Jesus. The Law, as good as it is, leads to death while the Spirit leads to life -- life for us with God! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one wit...

Paul concludes his deep dive into our sinful condition by calling it slavery. In our inner being, we desire to do what is right and pleasing to God, but the sin within eventually compels us to do the opposite. We are not in control, but are we without hope? Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

Paul continues to develop a deeper picture of how sin affects us. Sin is like a disease or a parasite that is able to make us do even the evil things we hate! But that dark diagnosis hides some hope because in some sense, it is sin itself that is at fault! Rather than condemnation, Paul's picture exonerates us in many ways, even though it still leaves us in a state in which we are helpless to esca...

Paul feels the need to be clear that God's Law itself is a good thing! However, there is a corrupting force in us that turns that good thing to destructive ends. Paul will soon explain how God resolves this problem but in the meantime, we focus on the importance of not acting out of the fear that leads to sin. Rather, we embrace the love of God that leads to full life! Looking for a previous devo?...

Sermon #5 of Highrock's fall series, "Behind the Curtain: Secrets of the Seven Churches of Revelation" by Pastor Taylor Burgoyne from Revelation 2:18-29 (NIV)

The Law of Moses was a good thing, even a very good thing. However, this good thing was causing harm in several ways. Rather than lead people into right relationship with God and with one another, it was leading to division and self-righteousness. In response, Paul points out that when we were buried with Christ in baptism, we died to the Law and were united with Christ. Looking for a previous dev...

We have a choice to make, a choice between two paths. One leads to doom and the other to life. Each path is defined by its destination but there is another difference. On one path, we get what we deserve and on the other, we receive not what we deserve but what God graciously offers as a gift. The choice is real and it is ours to make! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend?...

Much of life is often very complex but some decisions are simple, even if they are not easy. One of the simplest decisions, according to Paul, is to decide whom we will serve. We can serve sin, that is, anything that we place above God, or we can choose to serve God. We will serve; that reality is inevitable. But whom we serve will make all the difference in the world! Looking for a previous devo?...

Continuing his discussion of our relation to sin and grace, Paul urges us to no longer offer ourselves as tools for sin. Rather, let us offer ourselves to be used as instruments of God. Even a modest instrument in the hands of a master can be used to create great wonder and beauty! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/...

Imagine if you woke up and amnesia had wiped out your memory of important events of the recent past. So much would be lost! Your life would be mired in confusion! According to Paul, continuing to sin is like spiritual amnesia. We have forgotten not only who we are but whose we are, and all that Christ has done for us! What do you need to remember about who you are today? Looking for a previous dev...

If our sin highlights just how gracious God is, then wouldn't sinning more just highlight God's grace even more? Paul answers this objection with a reminder that we have died to the world in order to experience new life in Christ, but what does that mean, exactly? And if new life in Christ comes only through dying to self, are there ways that God might be inviting us to die a little bit more today...

Sermon #4 of Highrock's fall series, "Behind the Curtain: Secrets of the Seven Churches of Revelation" by Pastor Dave Swaim from Revelation 3:1-6 (NIV)

Just as Adam's sin changed everything for everyone, Jesus' righteousness and grace now also changes everything for everyone -- but how, exactly? In addition to ultimate questions about our connection with God, grace is now supposed to rule how we relate even to one another. How might God be inviting you to relate to others more through grace today? Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one wi...

All human beings share a deep and mysterious connection -- what happens to one affects us all. This connection is especially pronounced in the case of our inheritance from Adam (the first human) and Jesus (the ultimate human). Paul shows us that our connection to these two people illuminates not only our origins but our ultimate destiny! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend...

When times are tough, or when we have been less than faithful, 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 to sha...

Through Abraham, God revealed that we can be right with God solely by putting our trust in God. We call this trust, "faith". This face, Pauls says, leads to a peace with God that transforms our lives, empowers us to find joy even in times of suffering, and strengthens our hope for the future! Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highrock.org/daily-d...

Sermon #3 of Highrock's fall series, "Behind the Curtain: Secrets of the Seven Churches of Revelation" by Pastor John Mury from Revelation 2:8-11

With Abraham as a model, Paul exhorts us to have a faith that never wavers. It seems like an almost impossible example to follow until we remember that Abraham's journey took several detours and that Abraham once even laughed at the idea of God's promise! So what exactly is our faith supposed to look like? Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here: https://www.highro...

It is clear from Paul's example of Abraham that God grants life forever based on our willingness to trust God's promises, not on the basis of our obedience to God's Law. Then what is the purpose of God's Law? Could it be that life forever is granted solely on the basis of faith but obedience to God's instructions enables us to live life to the full, even now? Looking for a previous devo? Want to s...

Daily Devo | The Father of All Who Believe (Romans 4:9-12) Abraham was right with God through faith for 13 or more years before any signs of obeying the later law of Moses. He is thus the forebear of all who believe, whether Jew or Gentile. Abraham knew little but what little he did know about God led him to put his trust in God. But does that idea open the door for faith to show up in other place...

In demonstrating the truth of what he says, Paul appeals to Abraham as the father of the Jewish nation -- but Abraham also started out as a Gentile! There was no nation of Israel and God would not give them the Law for over 400 years. Since Abraham's relationship with God was based on faith (Gen 15:6), he serves as a demonstration that we all come to God through faith rather than obedience to the...

Apart from faith, Paul spoke of the Law as having such limited power that it can only make us aware of our own guilt. But through faith in Christ, the Law can be fulfilled and we can be cleansed of all guilt. But how? There are many ways to unpack the answer to thist question, but they all start with Christ's goodness. Through faith, the Law can finally produce goodness in us by driving us to Chri...