A Memorial before God

Pastor Gary Stebbins
Church on the Rock - Melbourne


In Acts 10 we find the incredible story of a Roman Centurion named Cornelius. The writer of Acts gives us some insight into the heart of this man. It says that he was “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually” (Acts 10:2, NASB). Cornelius receives an angelic visitation and the angel speaks to him and says, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4, NASB).

As I was reading this story I was reminded of the angelic visitation that Zacharias had when he was performing his priestly service in the temple. First, it is interesting that while Zacharias was in the temple ministering to God that, “the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside” (Luke 1:10, NASB). Second, the angel speaks to Zacharias and says, “Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your petition has been heard” (Luke 1:13, NASB).

With both Cornelius and Zacharias, the angels said that God had heard their prayers and was responding to them. Our prayers are important to God and He is listening to them. It does not say how long Cornelius or Zacharias prayed before God answered their prayers, but what is important is that He did hear and He did answer their prayers.

When Peter was imprisoned by Herod in Acts 12, he also had an angelic visitation. An angel appeared in his prison cell, freed him of his chains, and led him out of the prison. Immediately after being released from prison Peter, “went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying” (Acts 12:12, NASB). Again we see God responding to the prayers of His people.

James makes a very encouraging statement, he says, “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16). In another translation it says, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16, NLT).

Wow! Our prayers are important, God is listening, and He does respond to them.

Have you been praying? What stories can you tell, like the story of Cornelius, Zacharias, or Peter, where God heard and answered your prayers?

Imitators of Christ

Rachel Hauck
Church on the Rock - Melbourne

Why pray? I mean, isn’t God sovereign? What can our weak words do? How can we effect the mind and plans of the living God?

That is small thinking. Even wrong thinking. Prayer is the one thing Jesus demonstrated over and over. Prayer is how we get to know the love and heart of the Father. Perhaps, His sovereign will is that we pray, partnering with Him for His kingdom to come onearth as it is in heaven. The outcome of our life and political, economical and social situations may very well be determined by the prayers of the Elect. You and me.

Jesus said, “And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” He said to the people, “It is written, ‘AND MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER,’ but you have made it a ROBBERS’ DEN.”

House of Prayer. Jesus wants us, His dwelling place, to be a house of prayer. Individually and corporately. Even now, Jesus the God-Man is “…able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Heb 7:25 Jesus lives to make intercession for us. If He’s seeking the Father on our behalf, how can we do less?

Psalm 72 talks about the Righteous King during His Millennial reign. Here’s what verse 15 says, “So may he live, and may the gold of Sheba be given to him; 
And let them pray for him continually; 
Let them bless him all day long.” We will be engaged in intercession for and to Jesus in the age to come. How critical it is in this life to learn the attributes, attitudes and construct of prayer. Prayer is hard. No doubt. It’s a discipline.

Shelley Hundley talks about coming to the Lord in those hard, dark times in her book, Cry for Justice. “…only during my life time on the earth do I have the opportunity to impact the heart of God in the midst of darkness, accusation and blindness. I have a chance only today to love Him in the midst of my current hardship, for this is when my heart feels nothing and sees nothing, but still I move in love toward the One I cannot see. And His heart is most undone. I feel nothing but He feels everything.” We want prayer to be easy, to be about “me.” But prayer is about Him. And in His great mercy and kindness, He called us to partner with Him in love and to work to bring His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

Let’s not have a temporal but eternal attitude of prayer. Kind of like saving money. Most of us want money when we retire from our jobs, but find it hard to not spend and save now. But if we would just set aside so much money per paycheck, and leave it alone, no matter what, over time, we will see the fruit of our labor. Same with diet and exercise. Or any life discipline. Guarding our tongue. Controlling our emotions. It’s easy to do when we are feed, rested, satisfied, happy, when life is going our way. Harder when we are famished, tired, weary, feeling beat up by the world.

Prayer connects us with heaven. With the heart of God. Prayer changes us. Let’s not stand before Him one day and give an account for a prayerless life.

What a mighty God we serve!

Bonnie Stebbins
Church on the Rock-Melbourne

“What a mighty God we serve!” Most of us would acknowledge the might of God, but do our prayers reflect this belief? When you approach the throne of God in prayer, what kind of petitions do you bring to Him? Are they stinted petitions, narrow requests, limited desires? God is on the throne. He is the creator, the maker of heaven and earth. All power belongs to Him. His thoughts are above our thoughts. What He imagines is far greater than what our imaginations can conjure up.

So, when you approach the boundless, limitless, endless, all-powerful throne of God in prayer, remember to ask for great, grand, glorious things. For He would do for you “infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.” (Eph 3:20 NLT)

What will you ask God today?

The Christmas Story

Tony Hauck
Church on the Rock - Melbourne

In light of the season, can you take a few minutes to open to the Christmas story found in Luke 2:1-20? I want to show you something there.

This is, of course, the story of Jesus being born in a manger in Bethlehem; God becoming man to make a way for us. But I want to focus on the response of the shepherds. First, they left their flocks (verse 15), then they returned full of joy (verse 20). Why joy? Two things. They heard the heavenly proclamation: peace, goodwill from God toward you (verse 13-14). They saw God (verse 17). This is the fulfillment of the cry of David in Psalm 27:4, to paraphrase, “All I want is to be where You are, to see You, and to hear Your declarations”.

Perhaps if we, like the shepherds, can leave our work for a bit during this busy season to seek Jesus, we’ll see a bit of His glory – even if it’s veiled in human wrappings, hear His declaration of “I have good will toward you”, and experience the true joy of the season.

Take a Leap of Faith

Pastor Kelly Franklin

Freedom Christian Center

I remember when my boys were young, my husband, Tim would stand them on the top bunk bed and then with just a simple word from him, they would take a leap of faith and jump into his arms. I stood amazed that they so easily believed that their Dad would always catch them. No fear, no questioning, just raw faith and the trust of a child.

The Lord desires each of us to take a leap of faith and believe His Word for the situation that we are facing. Is it financial pressures, strained relationship, job demands, or physical need? Whatever the challenge that seems to be capturing your attention these days, are you willing to release it to the Lord? He longs that you take a leap of faith, believe His Word for the situation, and set your focus back on Him. Just like Josh and Caleb had to focus on their Dad and believe His words that he could catch them when they jumped, the Lord is looking for you to overcome the hurdle that is holding you captive and keeping you from His loving arms of grace and peace. Jesus, our redeemer, is the answer to the problem that you face. He will carry you through the difficulty, into victory, as you place your trust in Him. He will catch and carry you every time.

In II Chronicles, chapter 20, Jehoshaphat was facing his challenge much like us, with the “ites” in his life. The armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and the Meunites, thus the “ites” of life, were coming against Jehoshaphat to battle. Yet he chose to set his focus on the Lord, acknowledging how great, awesome, powerful, and wonderful the Lord is. He stood in confidence that the Lord would speak and provide direction to bring solution to his problem. He took a leap of faith, putting His trust in the Lord. What I love is that the Lord spoke to Jehoshaphat in the midst of his challenge saying, “Do not be afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” Jehoshaphat could rest in the midst of the challenge knowing God was in control. He heard the word of the Lord and the result of his faith was victory!

So I want to encourage you with these words, “Do not be afraid or dismayed just take a Leap of Faith. Set your gaze and trust on Jesus today. You can always trust Him to catch you in His arms of Grace!” God loves child-like faith!

Weapons of our Warfare

Rachel Hauck
Church on the Rock - Melbourne

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete." 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

It’s hard in our American reality – which I love, btw – to comprehend living in a war zone. Bombs do not explode outside our windows or down the street. We don’t fear, on the average, walking into a mall and having a suicide bomber blow us all up. We shop in grocery stores that have full shelves and clothing stores that over flow with goods. Most of us have a cell phone, a computer and a half way decent car. We are entertained by flat screen TVs and movies on demand. What war? What fight? Why do I need to pick up a weapon? And, what weapon might that be?

But we are in a fight. The apostle Peter warns, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” And that someone might just be you. You don’t fear mall bombings? But fear the lure of the lust of the eye and the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life that comes flinging toward us every day: Via the media, via movies, news, talk, books, electronic devices, and all forms of entertainment. Perhaps even people we call friends.

I can tell most Christians aren’t aware of the fight by the size of the common prayer meeting. We grip and claw our way through life, wishing God would “just do something,” or wonder, “why does God allow bad things to happen?” And He’s leaning over the balcony of heaven, screaming, “Pick up your weapon!”

Listen, beloved, we have ALL authority in Jesus. Kick those temptations, doldrums, and spiritual attacks in the teeth. It’s your God given right. Wake up early. It won’t kill you. Trust me. Head off to the local prayer meeting and wage war with the saints. If that’s all it takes to be victorious….?

What’s the delay?

We have no excuse really. We don’t. I don’t. And I’m kind of fond of excuses. But, when I give an account to the Lord, I’d rather know I went through life fighting than realize I just laid down my weapon and let the enemy have his way.

See you at prayer.
Peace!

Justice

Tony Hauck
Church on the Rock - Melbourne


It’s hard to see injustice all around us and not get angry. But it is comforting to know that, ultimately, no one escapes justice.

(Mat 12:18-21) Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench, Till He sends forth justice to victory; And in His name Gentiles will trust.

Jesus is coming again, and will see to it that every man, woman and child receives justice, except one. (Acts 8:32-33) He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.

Jesus is the only man who will never receive justice. Throughout eternity the one great injustice will stand, an innocent man killed for the sins of others, and they will never be called to account for it. He chose to sacrifice His own justice to become a gift to us. Romans 5:8 calls this the demonstration of His incredible love. The next time you feel you’ve been treated unjustly, think about this.