|City on a Hill - Writings for Refuge

Do you want to enjoy reading your Bible, but it just doesn't come naturally? Do you want to fall in love with the Word? There is a secret that David, the man after God's own heart knew: if you want to love and understand God's word, it starts with asking for it: Psalm 119:33 Teach me your decrees, O LORD ; I will keep them to the end. 34 Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart. 35 Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. 36 Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! 37 Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. God called David "a man after His own heart." David wanted to love and understand God's words, but needed God to give it to Him. The enemy tries to flood our hearts with guilt or discouragement when we don't automatically love reading the Bible, but God loves our desire to want to like re

Revelation 4 says that God the Father is right now sitting on a physical throne in heaven. He is shining brightly, like a gemstone. The brightness is a fiery red, which indicates His burning desire. He is passionate about His plans, His creation...He is passionate about you. Around His throne is an "emerald rainbow." The rainbow is God's chosen symbol of mercy (think Noah’s ark). Green symbolizes life. Every shade of green is present in this rainbow. Bright, fiery red and merciful green. Passion, and life, and mercy. There is thunder and lightning all around Him. Power mixed with His mercy and passion! And His throne is surrounded by people and angels according to Revelation 4. God isn't dealing with people, He made us because He wants us around Him. Close to Him. If you are wondering whether or not God feels this way about you, the answer is Yes. If He created you, then He feels this way about you. He isn't waiting for you to do it all right before He loves you

I want my life to be completely tilted towards God. I want to learn how to give Him everything. I don't want to be balanced! I want to be all in! I am slowly learning that being unbalanced is truly the only way to the fullness and joy many are trying to get by trying to live "balanced" lives. Luke 9:24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

I want my life to be completely tilted towards God. I want to learn how to give Him everything. I don't want to be balanced! I want to be all in! I am slowly learning that being unbalanced is truly the only way to the fullness and joy many are trying to get by trying to live "balanced" lives. Luke 9:24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

(John 14:16) And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. Jesus told the disciples that when He went to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, He would send the Holy Spirit to live in people who were His. If Jesus is your savior, the Holy Spirit...the living God....lives inside of you. I have heard this for many years, but today I think God revealed something to me! I often get in a mode where I am slightly worried about things...anxious about things...whether it is my health, or my resources, or if I am following God's plans in the right way...whatever. But I heard in my heart today: If the living God is dwelling IN me, then what do I have to fear? If He is dwelling in me, then I am His "temple." Jesus said he would NEVER leave me. Would He let His temple fall apart before His plan is complete? Would He allow His temple to not have everything it needed? Would He, if He is actually with me, let me miss His plan on acc

Today is the 64th anniversary of the forming of the modern state of Israel. The creation of Israel happened overnight in 1948, fulfilling the end-time prophecy in Isaiah 66:8: Isaiah 66:8 Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But by the time Jerusalem's birth pains begin, her children will be born. Isaiah said Israel would be born before the "birth pains begin." The world has witnessed an increase in the frequency and intensity of the birth pains ever since 1948. Jesus listed the birth pains and what they would look like in Matthew 24. Last week, Prime Minister Netanyahu formed a coalition government of unprecedented strength, rather than allow an election to happen that He was sure to win. Experts say the coalition government gives PM Netanyahu 18 months of politcal stability, and elections would have given him 4 years. Why would He choos

God is a happy, generous, and kind Father. You are His favorite you. If you have been justified by Jesus, you can approach God with confidence! In fact, this is what God desires. He isn't honored by us putting ourselves on probabtion for our past mistakes. He is honored when we believe Him and agree with Him. If some sin or mistake is between you and Him, just admit it, agree with Him that you don't want it in your life, and confidently come near to Him. This is what He wants: Hebrews 10:22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.