|City on a Hill - Writings for Refuge

Jesus is not passive, He is patient. Patience is strength. Passivity is weakness. There is a difference. Jesus doesn't 'cause His voice to be heard.' He is patient that truth, and only truth, will remain when the dust clears. Jesus won't 'break off a bruised reed.' He doesn't force anyone in, or out, of the truth. He waits for the natural process of truth to do it's work to heal or judge. Jesus won't 'quench a smoking flax.' He isnt worried about the mess and confusion created by someone trying to burn in the truth. He lets the fire take or go out...He trusts in truth and the desire for it or hatred of it to do it's work. This is the true light of love. Jesus doesn't force His will upon anyone, but His will, and only His will, is going to prevail. In this patience, Jesus will lead all people who remain in His ways forever...voluntarily. He won't have to convince ANYONE to stay loyal to truth...and He IS truth. Many want to argue t...

God is not looking for one or two here and there to build Him a house of prayer. God is looking for communities of people to covenant with Him at cost...in overwhelming generosity. Each one individually seeing the cause of the destruction all around them and drawing near to God voluntarily. God isn't looking for any person to build Him a house. He is looking for His body...his own hands and feet...to work as a body to build it. He is the head. Everyone that signs up is the body. The work is not in vain if the head is the leader of each part. God is a covenant God. Each person individually enters into a covenant with Him. A community is blessed when the righteous...those in covenant...bless it. We bless the House of God, and God himself, by seeing that what He has given is not for us alone, but for a family in God. This is the point of the tithe, and the offerings, and the commitment necessary to build a House of Prayer. It is the correct context of doing the Sermon on The...

John 1:21And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” Asserting who you think you are, or who others have told you you are, before men is usually an indication that you aren't. John knew who he was, and the quote from Isaiah that he chose to give in response to the question demonstrated it...but he knew those asking his identity wouldn't understand. Those who say they are apostles, and the like (prophet, evangelist, etc.), are generally false: Revelation 2:2“I know your works, your labor, your patience,...

There is a generation of lay-ministers arising. Those who serve the Lord for the fame of His name. Those who refuse to be paid, and insist on going further into generosity than they have ever witnessed. They are educated by the Spirit and walk in deep revelation. They work for their own needs and the needs of others and they serve the Body of Christ as an overflow of passion for Him alone. No, they aren't the young people coming of age...these are those who the young ones will model their lives after. These are the ones coming out of the world even right now...coming out of their career building, coming out of their humanistic family building, coming out of their dream fulfilling, coming out of the American Dream at cost. They have tasted and seen that it is empty. They have tasted and seen that you can't serve two masters. They have simply decided whom they serve. These are the giants of our day. They are arising. They can't be bought. In the next few years they will radic...

There is a very simple reality that is essential to understand if you want to know how to navigate the next years successfully. This reality is why Samantha and I spend the vast majority of our time in a prayer room. We don't pray because we are 'good with God'. We actually pray because we aren't ! This is the basic truth of the gospel: Jesus paid for us to enter in to a new life. That new life requires a different leader. What Jesus bought on the cross was a reconnection to God by the Holy Spirit. "Getting saved" means signing up for this reconnection. However, this reconnection is VERY costly. How much will it cost in terms of your time and money, dreams, worldly success, reputation, standing among your peers?... ...well, everything. It will literally cost you all of that. But, it will get you a satisfying, pure, clean, and free life of meaning, power, and joy. Everyone has to decide for themselves if it is worth it. The process of following Jesus ...