|City on a Hill - Writings for Refuge

There are three transitional generations described in the Bible. Each transitional generation has a Passover and a Pentecost. The Passover/Pentecost relationship cannot be overstated. Understanding the desire of God for a transitional generation is the key to agree with Him. Transitional generations are NOT "business as usual." Heaven opens in a unique way for each transitional generation. The first transition...the transition into the covenant of the law...was marked by great signs and wonders. This covenant of the law marked the beginning of a new chapter for humanity that began with the first Passover lambs. Even the calendar was altered to mark this first Passover: Exodus 12:2-3 “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. The blood of the lambs ...

Psalm 12 is a powerful end time Psalm. In this Psalm, David is seeing the same thing that Paul warned Timothy about: II Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! Paul was warning Timothy about what would come at the time of the end...the last days. Paul was talking about people who would be in churches. I LOVE the church. Jesus loves the church. Jesus is coming back for the church. But Jesus also corrects those He loves, and anyone in agreement with Jesus should be doing the same: II Timothy 2:24-26 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,...

I say this often, but I hear the Lord highlighting it this am: it will ALWAYS take faith to see the events of Jesus' return. Always: Matthew 24:37-39 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. This means that all around you, especially in the Church, there will be people who cannot see what God is plainly working out. This has much to do with a carnal mind. I am surprised at how often I hear the same thing: "i just hope Jesus doesn't return until...x..." Life only gets better when the Author of Life shows up. Because it is most common to avoid PRACTICALLY thinking about Jesus' return, most people have a very unrealistic...a negative...idea of what Jesus' return is all about. If you ...

Tradition is often the enemy of truth: Mark 7:5-9 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men —the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” He said to them, “ All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. At the throne of God, the living creatures...called Seraphim, or burning ones...are continually gazing on God and seeing something new. They declare "Holy" into the throne room, and worship rises, the elders respond as they see the new beauty the Seraphim declare, and they respond "worthy!" R...

Love is the antidote to fear. Perfect love casts out fear. This famous passage has a context. The context is the "day of judgment": I John 4:17-18 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. "As He is, so are we"...this is the point of our generation: oneness. Jesus is "one"...one with the Father, one with the Spirit...He desires we be one with Him: John 17:9-11 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. John 17:15-18 I do...

The world wars against holiness. The flesh wars against holiness. Satan wars against holiness. Whole theologies have been fabricated to placate my God-given desire for holiness. Holiness...true holiness...is not about denying myself. Holiness is about pleasure, if I see it the way it really is. Holiness is the greatest treasure this side of heaven. To reach for holiness is to reach to be more like God: I Peter 1:14-16 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” It is the former lusts...the lesser pleasures...that rob the world of true pleasure. True lasting pleasure is found wherever God is found. Pleasure resides...true pleasure is found...in the presence of God: Psalms 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Most of the world is frustra...

Are you troubled by the direction the world is heading? There is an answer. The trouble is FROM God. Hear me out. God is executing a specific plan. There are over 150 Chapters in the Bible DEVOTED to this plan, but most don’t know what it is!! Distracted by the demands and cares of this life is keeping most of the Church from being about God’s business. Jesus said He is always about “His Father’s business”: Luke 2:49 And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" The Father has been executing a plan since the days of Adam…while the juice was still on Adam’s chin, to redeem…to buy back…what was lost by mankind’s rebellion to the Father’s perfect leadership. God is intense in His desire for what He called “very good.” Genesis 1:31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Honestly, God is much more intense about our lives than the vast maj...

Psalms 14:4-6 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call on the LORD? (5) There they are in great fear, For God is with the generation of the righteous. (6) You shame the counsel of the poor, But the LORD is his refuge. It is easy to feel marginalized…eaten up…passed by…ignored. This is actually a Biblical reality. Live in agreement with God and this will happen to you. It is only a matter of time. David, the “man after God’s own heart” had a long season of this reality. For years David was anointed to be king of Israel, yet running from cave to cave chased by 3,000 men of Israel. A person’s outward situation is rarely an accurate reflection of their true spiritual condition OR their ultimate destiny. David was Israel’s king whether anyone knew it or not. God doesn't need the agreement of man to make His statements or plans be true. This Psalm by David shows the irony of the world’s attempts…demonic forces and the flesh of...

I Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” God doesn't evaluate like people do. He sees more. He is the Father, and we are the children. Children see less about life, so children naturally elevate ones who seem to be the best in the moment. The choices of children are fickle. One wrong move and group moves on to the next who seems to have what they want that moment. I have watched groups of boys play in my front yard for years...depending on the game being played, the one most suited to be the best in the moment will be king for an hour with kids...but that king almost always ends up getting tossed aside when his head gets bigger than his skill...or when the game changes...this is the way of the human heart: Hosea 10:2-4 The hearts of the people are fickle; they are guilty and must be...