Highrock Church

[An earlier version of this episode was missing the first scripture reading.]

In this section of Jesus' sermon, he turns our attention to spiritual practices (fasting, praying, giving) as expressions of trust. He highlights money itself as a critical focus, one that can easily become a substitute for God in our hearts and minds. Money promises security but in the end, it creates even greater anxiety about the future. Instead, we find true peace in God when we put God first in our lives.

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[An earlier version of this podcast was uploaded without the first scripture reading.]

Throughout this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus continues to magnify the reach of God's Law, not just to our behavior, but to our hearts. God wants us to know God's heart and follow it in all ways, even to the point of loving our enemies. God's love is so amazing that it extends even to those who see themselves as God's enemies, and Jesus invites us to follow God's example.

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Jesus, much like Moses, brings God's covenant and God's instructions to the people from the mountain. Jesus is calling the people into a relationship with God, one that is richer and more connected with God than they may have ever thought possible. These opening words are called "beatitudes", from the Latin for "happy" or "blessed", but they are much more than principles of happiness. Jesus is revealing who God is, who he is, and what true life will look like for all of us.

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Jesus faces temptation not with mere arguments or willpower, but with God's Word. His victory over temptations reminds us that spiritual strength is formed long before moments of testing arrive. Temptation often appeals to godly desires pursued in the wrong way, but God’s Word anchors us in trust and faithfulness.

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https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

Resources for "New Testament in a Year"

https://www.highrock.org/newtestament

For Re...

First Sunday of the year: fresh calendars, fresh goals, and fresh resolve. Then Jesus cuts through all of it with a different invitation - one that doesn’t start with “try harder,” but with “turn around.” What if repentance isn’t shame but a new and better direction?

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👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

In this holiday replay from September 5, 2024, we consider the Apostle Paul's encouragement to practice self-control. The Corinthians were well-acquainted with Olympic-style games; their city held similar games every two years. Paul uses these athletics as a metaphor for the Christian life, especially the need to say "no" to our appetites in order to achieve goals with a far greater value!

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https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

We will resume new devotionals on Monday with Matthew 4, tracking...

Happy New Year! In this holiday replay from August 29, 2024, we consider Jesus as our high priest. A good high priest is able to be gentle with wayward people because he shares their weaknesses and struggles -- and Jesus is our perfect high priest. When we fail to be gentle with others, could it be because we forget or deny our own weaknesses?

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https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

We will resume new devotionals on Monday. We...

In this holiday replay from July 15, 2024, we consider kindness as a fruit of the Spirit. Do you keep any trophies, certificates, diplomas, or awards on display? What important events or achievements do they commemorate? God, too, has trophies; we are trophies of God's grace and kindness. What are some of the ways that you display God's kindness to the world?

We will resume new devotionals in the new year that track with our congregational read-through of the New Testament.

https://www.highrock.org/newtestament

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In this holiday replay from July 31, 2024, Pastors Taylor and Dave discuss the relationship between patience and confidence in Paul's words to the ancient believers in Rome.

We will resume new devotionals in the new year that track with our congregational read-through of the New Testament.

https://www.highrock.org/newtestament

Looking for a previous devo? Want to share one with a friend? Start here:

https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

In this holiday replay from August 15, 2024, we consider the Apostle Paul's encouragement to allow peace to "rule in your hearts." How might we finally live at peace with one another and experience the feeling of peace we so often desire? The Apostle Paul shares several steps that we can all take together today.

We will resume new devotionals in the new year that track with our congregational read-through of the New Testament.

https://www.highrock.org/newtestament

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Christmas is supposed to be the moment everything changes. But the first Christmas passed almost unnoticed followed by years of ordinary life, silence, and waiting. What if faith is formed not in the miracle itself but in the long waiting that follows?

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👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

In this holiday replay from August 5, 2024, Paul instructs us to be continually joyful, and prayerful, and thankful. These are not separate commands. Rather, they are like a 3-legged stool that cannot hold us without all three legs. God deeply cares about our joy, and our joy is possible only when partnered with continual prayer and gratitude!

We will resume new devotionals in the new year that track with our congregational read-through of the New Testament.

https://www.highrock.org/newtestament

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In this holiday replay from July 8, 2024, we consider God's agape love -- the first fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). This love is very different from all the other kinds of love that we might experience. But in order to understand it and share it with others, we must first receive it ourselves. It is a fruit of the Spirit, not our own efforts!

We will resume new devotionals in the new year that track with our congregational read-through of the New Testament.

https://www.highrock.org/newtestament

Looking...

In this holiday replay from last year, we see that Joseph faced a difficult choice -- the woman he loved was pregnant and the child was not his. What should he do? Though he likely felt betrayed, he chose a path that would spare Mary of any additional shame, even at great cost to himself. God gave Jesus parents who would raise Jesus in the path of true righteousness, a path of faith, mercy, and self-sacrificial love.

We will resume new devotionals in the new year that track with our congregational read-through of the New Testament.

Through the prophet Zechariah, God paints a picture of the coming messiah-king, a ruler unlike any other. Riding on a donkey rather than a warhorse, this king proclaims peace not just to Israel but to all nations. This picture is a foretelling of who Jesus would be and what he would do for us. Zechariah’s vision continues to invite us to expect and embrace the peace of Christ which will one day end all war.

Christmas Eve Services:

https://www.highrock.org/calendar/christmaseve2025

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God’s peace often comes in unexpected ways and places. The angels' announcement of "peace on earth" is given to shepherds - shift workers on the margins of society. God's peace is not reserved for the powerful and privileged, but offered freely to all in Christ. Advent invites us to listen for God’s good news in humble moments, and even dark circumstances.

Pastor Dave's sermon on Luke 2

https://youtu.be/ZUDG3TDi6Yg

Christmas Eve Services:

https://www.highrock.org/calendar/christmaseve2025

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Peace on earth gets sung every Christmas—but the world still feels loud, fractured, and anxious. What if the peace promised that first Christmas was never meant to wait for the world to be fixed?

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👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

A religious leader named Nicodemus came to Jesus under cover of darkness to seek answers but left with even more questions. One clear answer that Jesus gave encapsulates the entire Gospel, the fullness of the good news. In Jesus, God has come down to us (that's Christmas) and Jesus told Nicodemus that one day, he would be lifted up (that's the crucifixion and Easter). And behind that answer was the simple truth, that God so loved the entire world that he has offered eternal life to us in Jesus.

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Many would agree that nothing matters more than love, yet those same people often disagree on what love actually is. What is love? What does it look like? The Apostle John insists that the answers to these questions is that God is love. We know what love is only because God first loves us, which is what Christmas is all about.

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For Reflection:

- If a child asked you what...

Through the prophet Hosea, we see God as a loving parent whose tender love is ignored and even rejected. God teaches this child to walk, feeds them, and leads them with "cords of human kindness". And this is the love God expresses toward a rebellious, wayward child! God's love is not distant or conditional; it is patient and persistent. It is the love that comes to us with Jesus' birth, when God comes to lead wayward children home.

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God’s love is not distant or detached. In Jesus, God has drawn close to us, inviting us to be part of God's family. Jesus came for everyone, even those who would misunderstand or reject him. God is with us, full of grace and truth, and offers us the right to become true children of God.

From Fast to Feast (Community Meal on 12/17)

https://www.highrock.org/calendar/fromfasttofeast

The registration form for MetroWest is open. The Arlington registration form is closed but there is a contact listed. Be sure to me...

Advent invites us to contemplate the love of God displayed through the humility of Christ. Pride lifts yourself up, even at the expense of others while love lifts others up, even at the expense of yourself. In Jesus, we see that God will raise us up when we lift up others in love.

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For Reflection:

- What stands out to you about Christ’s humility and love in this passage?

Sometimes the most powerful expressions of love arrive in forms we don’t expect. A familiar name for Jesus may hold a deeper meaning for our worth, belonging, and grace than we’ve ever noticed.

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👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

Mary and Joseph are not alone in having to hold onto hope. Eight days after Jesus was born, they encounter someone who is holding onto hope as well. Simeon carried hope in his heart for many years, trusting in the promise that he would see the Messiah. Our hopes are fulfilled in Christ, whether we have to wait for weeks, years, or a lifetime.

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For Reflection:

- Have you ever...

The angel Gabriel brings a message of great hope to Mary but she still faces a choice. Will she choose to pull back and protect herself, or will she embrace the angel's invitation into a life in which she will have no control? She chooses to trust God and accepts the invitation to step into God's story, saying, "May everything you have said about me come true.” She is able to hope in the possibilities of what God might do because she knows who she is, that is, a servant of the Lord.

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Jeremiah found hope not in changing circumstances, but in remembering God’s unchanging character. As we continue through Advent, we strengthen our hope by recalling God’s steadfast love. We can continue to hope even in the darkest of times if we continue to remember who God is and the ways that God has been proven faithful in the past!

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For Reflection:

In community, our hope can lighten the darkness for...

Advent is a season of waiting — not passive, but active, hopeful waiting. The psalmist waits “more than sentries long for the dawn.” A sentry or night watchman cannot hasten the dawn through waiting. Even so, watchful waiting will help them endure the night and to be ready for whatever may come. In hope and trust, we wait on God for what only God can do, ready for whatever God may call us to do when the time comes.

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When we are in a dark place, that darkness can seem unending. Hope in God can shine like a light that pierces the darkness. In a very dark moment of Israel's history, God spoke a message of hope through Isaiah. God showed them a future promise of the coming messiah. We, too, are reminded that hope rests not on what we can see, but on who God is.

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For Reflection:

"...

Ever hoped God would show up in big, obvious ways—only to feel underwhelmed or overlooked? This sermon wrestles with why God’s greatest gifts often arrive in small, unassuming packages… and why hope rarely looks the way we expect.

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👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

Joy is not only a gift; it is also a calling. Jesus desires to place his own joy in us — not just a little bit, but overflowing joy. How do we receive such joy? By remaining in his love. And how do we remain in his love? By obeying his commands. And what is his command? To love each other in the same way that Jesus has loved us.

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For Reflection:

...

Advent is, at its core, a season of waiting. And waiting often reveals what we truly believe about God. Joy in Advent is not passive; it is a choice to trust that God is at work even when we cannot see it. Our joy is built upon a confident hope that God will continue to be faithful to all the promises made to us.

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For Reflection:

"Rejoice in our confident...

We often think of joy as a feeling reserved for the high and easy moments — but biblical joy is often a renewal in darker times. When Nehemiah said "joy of the Lord is your strength", the people were exhausted, overwhelmed, and convicted of their own sin. Yet God extended an offering of joy to them. Joy is not just for the best moments in life. Joy is a gift that fortifies us when we feel empty.

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The angel doesn't just bring ordinary news to the shepherds, but good news of great joy! What is this good news? A savior has been born -- a child, lying in a manger. Once again, we see that the gift of joy arises from the presence of God with us. How might we more fully experience this joy? Like the shepherds, we can make the effort to go and see what God is doing.

The Kairos Circle (mentioned by Pastor Kim):

https://vimeo.com/101761387

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The gift of joy arises not from outward circumstances but from God's presence with us. Everything good comes from God, and the ultimate gift is to receive the giver. As King David expressed in Psalm 16, our joy is that God is with us. That is why we call Jesus "Emmanuel" -- which means, "God with us."

Pastor Taylor's sermon on Psalm 16 and Joy:

https://youtu.be/LmnmBvuY4Kk

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https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/<...

Whether this season finds you surrounded by laughter and lights—or numb, lonely, or emotionally worn—many of us know the quiet ache beneath the surface. In a time when so much around us promises quick fixes and feel-good moments, what if the gift we truly long for is something deeper, steadier, and more sacred?

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👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

In this famous parable, Jesus says to the faithful, "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." When we serve the last, the lost, and the least, we are actually serving the ruler of heaven and earth!

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For Reflection:

The practice of serving leads not only to becoming more like Jesus, but recognizing that God is present in every...

In this holiday replay from November 19, 2024, we see that our motivations reveal our hearts. 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. But 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 gratitude! Happy Thanksgiving!

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God is the ultimate giver and invites us to join God in blessing the world. In order to do so, God gives each and every one of us a gift that others need! Our talents, skills, and resources are not just for our benefit — they are tools to serve one another in love. You are gifted! What gift has God given you?

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https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

For Reflection:

People often resist the idea of be...

Like yesterday's passage, service involves a paradox. Not only is service the path to true freedom, but the path to being raised up is a path of laying your own life down in service. As Jesus puts it, whoever wants to be greatest must be the servant of everyone, which is exactly who Jesus is. In our upside-down world, Jesus shows us that the path up is a path down into humility and service.

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<...

The idea of serving naturally implies a loss of freedom, but many of life's greatest truths are paradoxes. Ultimately, the call to service is the path to true freedom -- the freedom to become the people God means for us to be.

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For Reflection:

Service is love in action. Service isn’t about earning favor with God; it’s a natural response to God's love for us.

- Do y...

You feel the weight of the world’s hurt—and maybe also the tension of your own life, whether it feels cushioned with comfort or stretched thin by struggle. What do we do with that ache? Perhaps the practice of service isn’t about fixing everything, but about becoming the kind of people who refuse to look away.

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👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

Christian community is built upon a new law. The old law already commanded that we should love one another. What is new about Jesus' command is that he personally showed the way, "Just as I have loved you, you should love each other" (v34). Jesus' love does not create a closed circle. Instead, it is a living testimony of God's love to the world.

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For Reflection:

Jesus gives us a...

Community isn’t just about finding friends and fellowship — it’s about bearing each other's burdens. We live out Christ’s love by helping one another through struggles, both spiritual and practical. Community meant that when one suffers, we all suffer; when one rejoices, we all rejoice. This isn't a race; life is not a competition. We are sojourners, travelers who are moving through life together.

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For Reflection:

"Share each other’s...

Community is a word that has been greatly reduced in power, much like hospitality. Paul points to the true power of community and how it arises from nothing less than the power of Christ through the Spirit. This kind of power is most clearly on display when we love people who are difficult to love -- relationships where there is difference or division. Christ calls us to a community that builds bridges, not walls.

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<...

From the very beginning, God designed us for connection. Even before sin entered the world, even while Adam was with God in the garden, there was something that was "not good." It was not good for Adam to be so alone. Our need for community is not a weakness -- it’s part of being made in God’s image. Just as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist in perfect fellowship, we too are called to share life together.

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ht...

The vision of the early church community found in Acts 2 is a lasting inspiration. For many today, that vision of community seems more like a fantasy than a reality. What did they have that we lack? Perhaps it is not what they shared but the frequency with which they shared. We are told several times that they connected with God and one another every day. If we feel disconnected, maybe the solution is not greater intensity but greater frequency?

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Community sounds dreamy until the misunderstandings, disappointments, and sparks start to fly. But what if those wounds aren’t signs that something’s wrong . . . but clues to how Jesus actually grows us into people who can truly belong?

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👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

The Apostle Peter writes that God’s Word produces life, eternal life, in us. Scripture doesn’t just inform us, it transforms us. It plants God's life in us, a seed that produces love for God and others, reshaping us from the inside out to "Love each other deeply with all your heart" (v22).

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https://www.highrock.org/daily-devotionals/

Jesus Loves Me (Souvenirs Worship):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXrC_uzsnsg

Jesus Love...

When Jesus prayed before his arrest and trial, he asked his Father to change us and protect us through God's Word. Jesus prayed that this word would transform us and equip us as he sends us into the world. And what would give God's Word this kind of power? Nothing less than Jesus' life, poured out for us.

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For Reflection:

"Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word...

People often wonder why we read the Old Testament when we have the new. In today's passage, the Apostle Paul was speaking into a conflict between Jewish and non-Jewish believers in the early church. Paul chooses a passage from the Psalms, from the Old Testament, and says that these things were written in the past to teach us and encourage us. We are the spiritual descendants of those people, and this family history can help us understand who we are even today.

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Psalm 119, the longest psalm in the Bible, is devoted entirely to the importance of God's word to us. In this section of the psalm, scripture is seen as a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. When life seems dark and treacherous, God's instructions can light the way, one step at a time!

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For Reflection:

"Your word is a lamp to guide my feet, and a light...

As we delve into the practice of reading Scripture, it's important to pay attention to how we read Scripture. After all, the Devil himself uses the Bible to tempt Jesus! But Jesus not only knows the words of the Bible, he knows the spirit of the Bible. The Devil's temptation is to get us to justify what we want, even using the Bible to do it. But Jesus uses the Bible to focus on what God wants, which guards him from each temptation that the Devil brings.

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You’ve tried reading the Bible—maybe out of duty, maybe out of guilt—but it feels more like homework than hope. What if the point isn’t reading more but meeting Someone in the words who can make them come alive again?

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👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

In his final words with the leaders of the church in Ephesus, Paul reminds them of the words of Jesus: "It is more blessed to give than to receive.” It's a lovely sentiment, but is it true? And if it is true, then why aren't people racing to give everything away? Truly, Jesus was not just offering us pleasant advice. His life reveals that generosity is the secret to a life well-lived!

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Fo...

Is generosity ever not a good thing? Actually, yes! As important as generosity is, it's goodness becomes twisted against us when it's done to promote ourselves. When we are generous in order to call attention to ourselves, Jesus says, "Watch out!" (verse 1). Not only is God not impressed with such generosity, we miss out on one of the most important benefits of generosity -- for us!

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For Reflection:

"Give your...

Why should we be generous? Anything we "should" do implies an obligation but "should" can also describe an opportunity. We should be grateful because it is an incredible opportunity to be enlivened and empowered to truly live, and to share that life with others in the same spirit of sacrificial generosity. But how do we practice this spirit of generosity in a way that sticks?

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For Reflection:

2 Corinthians 8:9b "Though...

Daily Devo | The Call to Cheerful Generosity (Practicing the Way, 2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

The call to cheerful generosity is sandwiched between two larger principles. The first is that your generosity is an investment that will be multiplied, but a very small gift is still small even when multiplied. The second principle is that God will reward you when you give cheerfully, but not so you can have more. Instead, God will reward you with more so that you can give even more, joining God in the joy of being a giver!

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If you suddenly received a large gift, what would you do? How might you celebrate? Who would you bless with some of your windfall? The practice of generosity starts with the realization taht we have received such a gift, that everything we have is a gift. We might be hold onto and trust in money but the true secret to a rich life is to trust in God. By joining in with God's flow of generosity, we can experience true life now and in the future!

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We hustle, compare, worry about not having enough, and quietly hope we’re doing “better than most.” But what if Jesus invites us into a different economy - one where security, joy, and freedom don’t rise and fall with our bank balance?

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👉🏻 Check out other Highrock sermons: https://tinyurl.com/3rdw4x8n

👉🏻 Check out Highrock's 15-min daily devotionals: https://tinyurl.com/38d4aryd

After Elijah ran into the wilderness, God met with him. First came the violent wind, tearing up the rocks. Then came an earthquake and finally, fire. Though we might imagine that God would show up in power, God was not in any of these signs. Finally, there was a moment of silence, a quiet like the eye of a storm, or a gentle whisper. Rather than fill all the moments of silence in our lives, might we also find God revealed in gentle whispers?

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Through the prophet Isaiah, God laments to Israel that: "In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it" (v15). Instead, we tenaciously hold onto the illusion that we will be saved by cleverness and activity. In the meantime, God must wait for us to "come to him so he can show you his love and compassion." In the practice of solitude, we return to the God who has been waiting for us all along.

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God knows us deeply and completely, even better than we know ourselves. In Psalm 139, David asks God to "search me, O God, and know my heart!" In solitude, we can learn not only who God is but who we are, and who we might become.

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For Reflection:

When we are curious about or troubled by what we see in our lives, we can turn to God in solitude.

...

Embedded in the call to solitude is a call to stillness. In the midst of earthshaking events, instead of responding with a flurry of anxious activity, God invites us to “Be still, and know that I am God!" (v10) and to find peace in knowing that the Lord is here, with us (v11).

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For Reflection:

The invitation to stillness is to rest in the security of God's presence.

...

Throughout the Bible, people often experienced God most powerfully in times and places of solitude. Jesus himself often retreated to quiet, wilderness spaces. As valuable as those times and places might be, a dependence on those places leaves spiritual solitude out of reach for most of us. Is there a way to richly connect with God in the moment rather than on the mountain?

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For Reflection:

Jesus invites us to, "...

We’re surrounded by noise, pulled in every direction, and still feel strangely empty. In fact, we often feel drained. Jesus experienced the same busyness and franticness, yet he often slipped away to quiet, lonely places - why? Maybe what he found there is the very thing our restless souls are missing.

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Daniel’s fast was not a quick prayer for instant answers — it was a sustained season of prayer. For twenty-one days, he persisted until he received his answer. Daniel's fast reminds us that our faithful actions often unfold in spiritual dimensions we cannot see. This three-week fast also reveals that answers delayed are not answers denied. Through fasting, we can persevere until that moment finally arrives.

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For Reflection:

Fasting is not...

Ezra and the Israelites faced a dangerous journey. Instead of seeking human protection that would have compromised their mission, they turned to God in fasting and prayer. Fasting removes distractions and centers our hearts on God’s direction. When you fast, you’re not trying to earn answers -- you’re creating space to hear the One who already knows the way.

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For Reflection:

Ezra and his companions made every prepar...

Before his ministry began, Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit. For 40 days and nights, Jesus fasted before being tempted -- perhaps the greatest challenge Jesus faced other than the cross itself! Why did the Spirit lead Jesus into this battle in such a weakened state? Though fasting may have left Jesus physically weak, it also left him spiritually strengthened. Fasting and praying before a spiritual challenge or temptation can be a powerful way to draw strength from God.

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...

Although fasting may have many purposes, one of the most common reasons for fasting in the Bible is for repentance. When we have abandoned God's way and pursued a path of our own desires, fasting can be the start of saying "No!" to our own appetites. In the end, the ultimate reason for repentance is that God eagerly desires reconciliation and is always ready to receive us with grace and love.

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For...

There are many ways to fast and many reasons to fast, which we will explore throughout this week. In today's passage, we see a connection between fasting and compassion for others. So many people lack the things we take for granted. By temporarily denying ourselves these non-essentials, we may grow both to appreciate them more and to have compassion on those who lack them entirely. The fasting that God desires leads to compassion for others!

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What if the very practice you’ve written off as outdated could open the door to real freedom? Isaiah’s ancient words expose why our attempts at change keep looping—and how saying “no” for a moment might lead to the deeper “yes” our hearts are hungry for.

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The prayer for forgiveness serves as the dramatic climax to the Lord's prayer. We are to pray for forgiveness, as we might expect, but then we are to pray for something unexpected... and dangerous. We are to pray that God would forgive us "as we have forgiven" others. What is Jesus saying? Does God's grace have a limit?

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For Reflection:

Forgiveness is not optional for followers of Jesus. Instead, forgiving...

By teaching us to pray for our "daily bread", Jesus was actually inviting us into something much deeper than just food. Once again, prayer is more a relationship than a ritual. "Daily bread" is a day-by-day relationship with the God who delights in us and eagerly desires for us to draw closer.

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For Reflection:

God is not bored by the details of our lives. Instead, we are invited to come...

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he taught them to pray for God's kingdom to come. In other words, Jesus taught us to bring our own priorities into alignment with heaven's. In essence, we are to pray for God's will rather than our own. How well do our prayers reflect a desire for God's will to be done? How different might our lives be if we were to truly put God first?

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When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he started by making it clear that prayer is not about a ritual, but a relationship. He highlighted many of the ritualistic ways to pray that we should avoid. Instead, we should begin with the relationship of being children of a loving, heavenly parent, "Our Father".

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Pastor Dave's sermon on prayer:

https://youtu.be/1c-q8ToeTwE

For Reflection:

In this holiday replay from March 12, 2025; Martha, Mary, and Lazarus host a dinner to honor Jesus and to express their love and gratitude. Mary's gratitude is almost embarrassing -- she pours a fortune in perfume over Jesus' feet and mops it up with her hair! Judas questions her extravagance but his practicality is actually a cover for his own selfishness. How do we show our gratitude to God? How much is enough? How much is too much?

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You can be gifted, passionate, and still running on empty. Many of us are doing good things for God while quietly running out of fuel. What if prayer isn’t another task to master - but the simple, daily way to be refilled with the love and power we’ve been missing?

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Every Sabbath points us forward to something greater — the eternal rest we will experience with God. One day, all striving will cease. There will be no more stress, no more toil, no more brokenness. The Sabbath is a weekly rehearsal for heaven!

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For Reflection:

Sabbath looks back to the original week of Creation, re-establishes us in the present moment with God, and calls us into the future hope of what is...

At the end of a word about true and false worship, God speaks through Isaiah about sabbath. In essence, Sabbath is like a final word on true worship. True worship leads to justice, and sabbath leads to true worship because we make room in our lives to truly invite God in to renew and recalibrate us.

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For Reflection:

Sabbath is about more than ceasing from work; it is about delighting...

We have already seen that sabbath is founded upon the very rhythm of God in Creation -- that God worked for six days and rested on the seventh. The ten commandments in Deuteronomy brings up another reason for sabbath, that is it given for our freedom. Sabbath was their protection against becoming slaves once again. Sabbath can be our protection as well, reminding us that there are more important things than work, money, status, and control.

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Sabbath is the fourth commandment but long before it was commanded, it was modeled. The God who needs no rest stopped and rested, and delighted in all that had been made. God's rhythm of work and rest was then made into a rhythm for us to follow. All the other cycles on a calendar -- a day, a month, a year -- are written into the stars, but the weekly rhythm is written into us. Sabbath is an invitation for those who are made in God's image to enter into God's own rhythm of work and rest.

...

It's easy to misunderstand sabbath by rigid rule-keeping on the one hand or disregarding it entirely on the other. When the Pharisees challenged Jesus about the disciples gathering grains to eat on the Sabbath, Jesus reframed the discussion, pointing out that sabbath was meant to be a gift, not a prison. Looking at sabbath as a gift is a fitting place to begin!

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For Reflection:

“The Sabbath was made to me...

What if the life you’re building by working harder is quietly breaking the soul you’re meant to protect? In a world that prizes hustle and productivity, Jesus invites us into a different rhythm—one that redefines success through rest, delight, and trust.

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No one looks to political powers like Assyria these days, but we certainly look to political power in other forms. God invites Israel to no longer trust in these institutions and implements of political and military power and instead look to the Lord. They are invited to finally return home and to trust in the Lord. And what is the price of return? Nothing but the confession and gratitude that will lead God to heal them of their sin. May God heal us all!

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This section of Hosea begins with an image of God as a loving parent and Israel as a child who chooses to run away. Like a heartbroken parent, God continues to call out but each effort only pushes Israel further away. One day, God will roar like a lion, not out of anger, but in a call for God's children to finally return home once again..

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For Reflection:

"I will...

What is planted in the ground seems so small and inconsequential, but the harvest it yields can be tremendous. Extending this metaphor even further, God says that those who sow the wind (and what could be more insubstantial than the wind?) will reap the whirlwind (a tornado of destruction). What seeds do we sow today? Are we sowing seeds that will lead to destruction, or seeds that may lead to the promised fruit of the Spirit?

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Contrary to the popular saying, what you do not know can hurt you. In this case, the people did not know God. More than just a lack of head-knowledge, God accuses the people of having no real relationship with God. Knowledge about God can be a great start to real relationship, but it is a terrible substitute for real relationship. For all our knowledge about God, do we truly know God? And if we don't know God in love, how will the world know?

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Daily Devo | Does God Even Like Me? (Prophet & Loss, Hosea 2:17-23)

Many believers are rightly convinced that God loves them, while at the same time wondering if God actually likes them. Perhaps God's love is merely a duty and an obligation? After all, God knows exactly who we are when no one else is looking. The beginning of Hosea's ministry shows clearly that God knows exactly who the people are and who we are, and still, God loves us passionately.

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Sometimes hope feels like a cruel joke - distant promises when you’re drowning in present pain. But Hosea dares to suggest that God’s love can cure even our chronic unfaithfulness and teach us a new, better way to live.

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After all the warnings and bad news, Amos lands on a vision of what could be, and because of God's faithfulness, what will be. His message envisions a day of transformed government, renewed creation, and restored relationship with God. It was important then that the people did not lose hope in what God could and would do. It is just as important that we do not lose hope today!

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For Reflection:

God shares with Amos a vision for how God will judge Israel for her sins, but Amos twice asks God to relent, and God listens to Amos' request. Amos appears to change God's mind! This amazing moment actually is part of a long tradition of faithful people who appear to change God's mind -- Abraham, Moses, and even Jesus' mother Mary. What is happening? Do these people change God's mind? Is God training us to intercede for others, or inviting us to be part of God's work of redemption?

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God warns the people not to go to Bethel, or to Gilgal or Beersheba! Why not? Those places had been key places in their spiritual history, places where their heroes had personal encounters with the living God. They had been key places but in Amos' time, they had been corrupted into places of idolatry. When corruption is that deep and widespread, it can be tempting to just retreat into silence, but God offers a different direction for us all to follow.

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...

Most of what we have been hearing from the prophets has been directed toward Israel, the people of God. Here in the opening of Amos, we see that God also has much to say to the other nations as well. We see an overflowing of violence and sin, along with incredible patience from God, a patience that was about to give way to justice.

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For Reflection:

When we are tempted...

Surely it would take a special kind of arrogance to presume to speak for God, but Amos does not presume to speak for God. Instead, Amos, a poor shepherd and fig farmer, faithfully says "yes" when God chooses to speak through him - despite his lack of any special religious training. Jesus likewise chose and commissioned his followers to speak for him, bringing his grace and truth to the entire world (Matthew 28:19-20). Are you willing to say "yes" to Jesus?

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...

We love the idea of justice - until it interrupts our comfort or costs us something. But what if God isn’t impressed by our worship songs at all unless our lives also flow with justice? Amos’ fiery words push us to face the disconnect we’d rather ignore.

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Has it ever seemed like God did not, would not, or could not fulfill a promise to you? In such times, it can be vital to remember how God has faithfully kept even "impossible" promises in the past. In today's passage, God repeats an ancient promise that seemed beyond imagining for those in captivity. That promise would one day be fulfilled, not only to them, but to all of us in Jesus!

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...

Jeremiah finally switches from 100% bad news to a mixture of good news and bad news. He presents them some good news -- it's time for stability and peace! The bad news is that this stability will take place as exiles in Babylon for 70 years. The good news for us is that God's people have often felt like exiles even in their own homelands and have thus found healing, health, and hope in Jeremiah's instructions.

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<...

As Jeremiah continues to suffer for being faithful to God's calling, he begins to wonder if God has abandoned him. He even compares God's help to a stream that has run dry. God once again answers Jeremiah and reveals that it is Jeremiah who has become distant. Suffering presents us with a choice. We can pull away from God and others, or we can discover God's invitation to draw even closer.

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For...

Have you ever become overwhelmingly frustrated with the injustice you see in the world? Even this week, many of us may be caught up in the firestorm over political violence. Jeremiah was frustrated, too, but rather than bring his complaints into social forums, he brought his complaints to God -- and God answered him! God gave Jeremiah, and us, a new perspective on the injustices that God calls us to face.

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For...

When God calls Jeremiah into service as a prophet, Jeremiah is not enthusiastic. He tells God that he can't do what God asks because he is too [fill in the blank]. For Jeremiah, he claims he is too young. How might we fill in that blank? Too busy? Too scared? Too unqualified? God not only addresses Jeremiah's lack of qualifications, God also addresses the underlying fear. Like Jeremiah, we do not need to be afraid because God's calling to service comes with the promise that God will be with us.

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