|City on a Hill - Writings for Refuge

If God is working all things for my good (Romans 8:28) then it really doesn't matter to me what the enemy of God is doing. If God is truly working all things for my good, then it really doesn't matter to me what human enemies are doing. If God is truly working all things for my good, then I don't need to worry about what my body is doing, my money is doing, the government is doing, the wind and the waves... God tests faith in adversity.  He also builds it in the very same way.  When my faith fails, there He is. When my faith holds out and grows... It was God. As long as I stay in the truth, I've got it made. A number of challenges all piled up in my mind yesterday.  This morning as I sat before God in the throne room of my heart, I had the most amazing thought:  "Here I am needing you, Abba, and you are more than enough. Thank you that I'm here needing YOU!" If I needed people to fix things, money, healing, opportunity, a break from trouble... If I needed ...

The weight of true salvation is not on the person being saved. The Cross is the power of the gospel. That means the flesh cannot save itself. False teachers place the weight of salvation on people. Change this, tweak this, stop this, do more of this… if only we had done this, then God would have done more… These are vain thoughts. God is looking for children to make saints, not saints to make children . The flesh is arrogant. It does not want to be weak. The flesh hates being needy. It hates being a child. This goes all the way back to the original sin. Adam and Eve wanted to be like God, but outside of His leading. This delusion has infected all flesh. It is why Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit AND David’s seed. David learned to embrace weakness and need. This was the true source of David’s strength: getting out of God’s way. Jesus took David’s flesh and submitted it fully to the Holy Spirit’s leadership… even unto death on a cross. The false Gospel wants to save man’s ...

I don't want to let anyone talk me out of self denial, including me. Why? Because I am warring against my own salvation in ways I cannot detect. Adam and Eve's rebellion introduced a virus to the human frame that goes undiagnosed until the sharp two-edged sword of the Spirit uncovers it. It hides in my thoughts, my emotions and my will. It takes everything good God wants and turns it into something I should do, rather than rely on God for. The flesh... All flesh... From the most trained, well known and ambitious theologian to the most depraved, addicted, and self-led beggar... FIGHTS God's will: Galatians 5:13-17 NKJV — For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and...

Doing things in faith is very different than doing things to make myself feel like a faithful person. Faith puts all the leadership on God. Jumping off of cliffs because I feel like I haven't been "faithful" enough doesn't please God. Believing He rewards those who seek Him... Who let Him lead them... That's the faith of the Bible. Self leadership in the name of God is still self leadership! If the whole world were led by God, everything would be good. I can let Him start with me.  No one else, and nothing else, needs to change for me to be faithful. Just me.  I need to change. Changing my circumstance isn't necessarily faithful, letting God change my heart is always faithful. The hardest thing to do is wait on God in faith.  The second hardest thing to do is move in obedience when HE says move. Both of these are required for faith. I know I am doing both when my character changes to be more like Yeshua. Jesus is patient, kind, hopeful, joyful, peaceful, self ...

At the end of 2022, God asked Samantha and I to leave a life we had known for many years. We had a successful business, a paid-off house and no debt, a small nest egg, family, friends, connections, purpose, and identities that we had established for 30 years together. We weren't ready to retire, but God was saying we needed to trust Him. (We haven't retired, just in case you are a client reading this :) ) It was hard to really even know where to start.  We didn't know where to start. But, two years later, I can say, "God knew." It isn't like I would have imagined.  I don't really know where/how it will end, but I know God is freeing me from lifelong fears about provision, control, and self-identity.  Sam and I are learning to trust God in a whole new way, and, to be honest, finding God to be more faithful, gentle, generous, and exciting than we knew. This morning He asked me to testify about this. It's hard to talk about, honestly. It's hard to exp...

The Antichrist is going to win a fleshy war against the saints.  But, the saints are going to win a SPIRITUAL war against Satan. The saints will win a war against shame, pride, impatience, doubt, fear, control, anger and lawlessness... The victory the saints win will determine their eternal destiny.  The war the flesh "wins" will also determine their eternal destiny. The flesh will win torment forever.  The Spirit will give life forever. I want to let God win me.  If I won't humble myself and let God win the world, and I insist on trying to win it, I'll end up competing with God and forfeit my soul. Am I getting ready to embrace the life Yeshua already picked? Yeshua already picked a fleshy loss and a Spiritual win.  He already picked the cross? He already picked the life He wants.  If I don't pick that same life, I will not be with Him forever.  Do I want the fellowship of His suffering? Or, do I want to cherry-pick His victories and leave Him alone o...