What’s On the Screen in Your Heart?
The prophet Ezekial describes Christ’s rock of revelation: “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God.” (Ezekial 11:19–20)
The Rock and the Church (The Heart of the Matter)
“On this rock I will build My church.” The rock isn’t a religious leader or a political leader — not a pope, a preacher or a president. The church isn’t religious institutions or political alliances. It’s not millions of separate and/or independent religious organizations disagreeing with each other and doing their own thing.
The rock is direct personal ongoing revelation from God. The church is Spirit-led sharing — Christ-followers actively obeying the risen Jesus and the 50+ New Testament “one another” commands.
Let’s look at some Greek words. “This was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter (“Petros” — the name Peter which means stone or a small rock), and on this rock (“petra” — a huge rock or a rock cliff), I will build My church (“ekklesia” — the gathering of citizens in ancient Greek cities where anyone present could speak).
The living Lord Jesus wants to be the Head and to build His followers together on the solid rock of direct personal ongoing revelation from God and on the intimate heart-to-heart connection with Him and with one another that comes from that supernatural revelation rock. Meanwhile, the stumble stones of human pride, organization, control, and competition continue to divide His body.
Where’s Your Fruit?
When love is missing
A Christian’s off track.
When joy is absent
A Christian’s out of whack.
When peace has vanished
A Christian’s faded away.
When patience’s lacking
A Christian’s abandon God’s way.
When kindness is gone
A Christan’s disappeared.
Where there’s no goodness
A Christian’s been sheared.
Without faithfulness
A Christian’s aimless.
Without gentleness
Christians show rudeness.
Without self-control
A Christian can’t be whole.
Jesus said: “By their fruit you shall know them.”
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