|City on a Hill - Writings for Refuge

I t's important to understand the humility required to watch for the return of Yeshua and still be faithful as though it were occurring. It is promised to be harder to see the nearer it becomes. At midnight a cry goes out. Lamps are trimmed. Some believers won't have the oil necessary to see. Jesus is selecting those who are found fruitful at His appearing. Not fruitful the way the flesh would assume. No. Prophetic and full of authority to tell the other servants the right things at just the right time, called "food in due season" in the Mat 24 passage below. You have to know the time in faith not by eyesight. This is a warning and a promise to all spirit-filled believers. All servants. This isn't a warning to "the world" and a promise to those who believe. This warning and promise is all about, and only about, those who believe, just like the parable of the 10 Bridesmaids: Matthew 24:44-51 NKJV — “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is c...

If God gives you something, no one can take it away. Psalm 37:1-9 NKJV — A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the LORD, They shall inherit the earth. I've found this to be true over and over in my life. The yoke of Yeshua is easy and His burden is light...

Faith + Joy > Hope Faith and joy are the basis of hope.   Romans 5:1-5 NKJV — Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. The faith the Bible describes is confidence in God's character, not in outcomes.  Confidence God will keep His word, even though we don't exactly understand how.   This faith produces humility in our hearts. T he fleshy alternative to Biblical faith... The one you can grit your teeth and eek out...  is certainty in an outcome.  Believing 'what we think God will do to perform His word' is...

A Palestinian friend recently said to me, "until there is peace from the heart, there won't really be peace." What he was saying, as we talked more, is that we have to learn to see each other as people God made. Allowing better access to resources or power, sharing land, dividing what we have... Being more fair... These don't make for peace. There is always a perceived power differential that keeps people feeling oppressed on both sides. Power, whether given or withheld, can't make peace. Caring about another person's life. That makes peace. It's only possible in the power of grace. Loving enemies... Not just accommodating them. Blessing those who curse. Praying for those that use you. Walking away from fear. Perfect love casts out fear. Peace in Israel is macro... It's a symptom of a spiritual problem, not the problem itself. The solution will come from inside the micro, not the other way around. We all have conflicts. We all need peace. As w...

Prophecy that appeals to the flesh is false prophecy, but all prophecy can provoke the flesh. The prophesied thing may happen, but if it empowers my flesh it's resisting my faith! The flesh and my faith cannot grow together. One has to die. For this reason, prophecy isn't supposed to be something I hear and then sit back like Jonah over Nineveh to see if God does it or not. No! Prophecy should get me talking and watching with God (watch and pray) so our connection grows as His word is fulfilled in a way that requires FAITH for me to see. Galatians 5:16-21 NKJV — I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery,...

Samantha and I often have the privilege of visiting the Temple Mount and seeing what is left of the Second Temple. Not much. The Second Temple had become corrupted by greed, and the entire religious system had become an external expression with no internal leadership of God. Yeshua was clear about why the Temple would be destroyed. The house was left desolate because Israel could not discern the heart of God enough to recognize it in Yeshua. Specifically, in His: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and His self control. This is because they were serving God, but wanting something else. They wanted what God could give them, not wanting God to give them Himself. The service of the temple carried on generation to generation, but the interior effect of the temple service stopped penetrating the heart of the people. What was a house of prayer became a den of selfishness... Thievery. Look at how God judges the house of prayer: Matthew 21:12-14 NKJ...

You cannot learn your way to truth. You have to pray your way there. John 6:63-65 NKJV — “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” The flesh profits nothing.  Those who search the Scripture to find life are cast out.  John 5:38-41 NKJV — “But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. “I do not receive honor from men. You have to come to Jesus.  Most would rather find someone else to tell them what's right.  The fle...