Harbor Rock Tabernacle

The areas of our lives that serve as tents--character, marriage, family, friends, work and ministry--all should please the Lord and be places where we can build altars. Even though he was righteous and blessed, Noah became careless and calloused about that, regressing into impurity--which characterizes the approach of the world. That was a sharp contrast to the Rechabites, who were unwavering in their obedience to the Lord's commands. Achan also showed the cost of hidden sin, but the Lord offers us the tent of His presence and provision that is so much better and brings us real joy.   Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsef6Y3ONqc

In the Bible, a tent signified a dwelling where people lived--a place of protection, refuge and even community. They were also a spiritual metaphor, sometimes a picture of negative decisions, and other times, a picture of God's leading and blessing. For Lot and Abraham, where they pitched their tents showed a contrast of heart and priorities, and remind us that if we can't built an altar where we are, we need to leave. In her tent, Sarah laughed at and doubted the Word of the Lord, when she should have trusted Him and found strength and confidence in His presence. These choices call us to examine where the "tents" in our lives are placed, and how we are using them.   Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfkLe3VzXj8

The steadiness of the Early Church rested in the simplicity of their approach. Simply being filled with the Holy Spirit, being faithful to their calling and fervent about the Lord gave them a powerful effectiveness that is unmatched by anything we try to do now. Since the enemy's biggest tactic to limit our influence is to attack our depth and consistency and our distinctiveness as Jesus' disciples, we have to constantly be on guard against drift and compromise. As Acts closes, Paul quotes Isaiah, leading to 3 important questions to ask every day, to assess the credibility and consistency of our walk.  Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7NvNBrV8LM

Despite the heavy opposition the 120 and Paul faced, they remained unflappable, with a powerful calmness that was not normal. But often, the fact that being a believer doesn't exempt us from difficulty can tempt us to question the Lord's leading. One benefit of being Spirit-filled is that we are given a special insight into the invisible work of the Lord. Focusing on His power, control and faithfulness in everything fills us with unique spiritual strength and stability, and helps us to be settled and secure in His perfect plans.  Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmFtRYI-pp8

We are blessed to hear from our missionaries in Kenya, as they talk about how the Lord has been working in their lives and ministry.  Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fhtc0RyJFM

The enemy tempts us to be spiritually discouraged by promoting fear and frustration, to push us toward shallow selfishness. That is indicative of the Last Days, when people will be marked by arrogance, rebellion, lack of self-control and love of self and pleasure more than love of God. As the world becomes more volatile, people are dissatisfied with the results of that behaviour, and look for real hope...which is only found in Jesus. Paul's defence of his faith in Acts 25-26 causes us to evaluate the depth and health of our spiritual walk, as well as our acceptance of the requirement to surrender to the Lord every day.  Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdb9Z7nu1Lo

When false charges were brought against Paul in Caesarea, the accusations were based on feelings, emotions and perceptions, which is typically how the enemy tries to fight truth. But Paul was strong in destroying their arguments. Knowing that God is not willing that any should perish but that all would come to repentance, he showed his areas of theological agreement with his accusers, while detailing how the Gospel is for all, including the Gentiles. With that hope in mind, he teaches that we are called to be blameless in our conscience, before God and others.  Video of this service is also available:  https://studio.youtube.com/video/v_ez5s4Cwjw/edit

With the Bible's undeniable emphasis on walking by faith, the strength of our convictions, the maturity of our walk, and the effectiveness of our ministry rests on one truth:  Being certain that we can fully trust the Lord. Even as a faithful servant of God, the apostle Paul had this tested when he was guarded from a hostile crowd by the Romans, and detained awaiting trial. Jesus appeared and stood by Paul in his cell, urging him to "take courage" and trust in the Lord's protection, provision and leading. Like Paul, this is a choice we make to put our complete confidence in the Lord. 

When the apostle Paul was threatened by a crowd in Jerusalem, he spoke to them to try to persuade them to trust Jesus. Rather than a theological or philosophical defense, instead, he described how his life had been completely transformed by Jesus. Using 5 important details, he explained how his eyes had been opened--away from self-sufficiency and works, to being saved by God's grace. His speech serves as a model for us anytime we share our testimony and talk to someone about trusting the Lord, and causes us to evaluate how ready we are to do that at any time.   Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y2h9or_Kbo

One of the most common issues believers deal with is how to discern the will of the Lord for our lives. This shows up in Acts 21, where Paul was determined to follow the Spirit's leading to go to Jerusalem, where he knew he would be arrested and likely martyred. When his friends heard this, they tried to talk him out of going, not out of contradiction over the word he had received, but out of sadness and concern that this would end his ministry. This contrast challenges us to be sure we are hearing the Spirit's voice, and especially when Godly people confirm it, to move forward in confidence. When we are in the center of God's will, we can be sure He will bless us and fill us with perfect peace.  Video of this service is also available:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1dEkzc_yIQ