Refuge Audio Podcast

Near the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, the disciples were impressed by the temple in Jerusalem. And who could blame them? Many of them were from the small communities in Galilee. These were really impressive buildings built with white marble and gold. Sitting high on Mount Moriah, they would have been visible for miles. But Jesus knew what was coming. As impressive as these stone buildings were, He...

In Acts 8, the preaching of the word of God is mentioned seven times. And the man at the center of most of those mentions was Philip—one of seven men appointed by the apostles to serve physical food so that the apostles could continue to serve spiritual food. While Philip was serving, God was teaching him, training him, and forming him for what was next—not only to be the first great missionary in...

The religious rulers during Jesus’ earthly ministry survived on the understanding that man looks at the outward appearance and can’t see the heart. But Jesus, being God, saw right through their hypocrisy and publicly called them out in front of the people they were supposed to serve. In response, the chief priests, elders, Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes attempted to trick and trap Jesus. But ti...

After the amazing display of God’s power and presence on Mt. Carmel, Elijah prayed for rain (which ended the 3 and a half year drought). You would think that after such great acts of faith, Elijah would continue to have a mountain-top experience. But as soon as he heard that his life was under threat, he fled into the wilderness. Defeated and dejected, Elijah had had enough. But after some good fo...

In Matthew 23, Jesus gives a warning concerning the scribes and the Pharisees with such intensity and specificity that it seems out of character for His usual meek and mild manner throughout the Gospels. His intensity in calling out these religious rulers should cause us to take note. While He is angry, He is still sinless and maintains a righteous judgment in this word of warning, correction, and...

When studying scripture, context is important. Reading what is written before and after will help you understand what is going on. This is especially helpful in our study of Matthew 21, where we encountered several scenes. If studied individually, we may be left scratching our heads. But when read and studied together, clarity comes. For example, in this chapter, Jesus curses a fig tree (for what...

When Jesus left Jericho, He was followed by many who wanted to hear what He had to say. But there was someone who kept getting in the way—a blind beggar named Bartimaeus who interrupted, crying out loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" He had a genuine, desperate need and was reaching out to Jesus the only way he knew how.

People often have a “what’s in it for me” motivation for ministry rather than simply a desire to serve. We’re not the only ones who struggle with motivation in ministry. Jesus’ closest and most devoted followers struggled with the proper motivation for ministry. Jesus really meant what He said when He taught, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, a...

None of us has been faithful in our relationship with God (see Romans 3:23). God has every right and reason to leave us. Though He is permitted to divorce us, He does not. In fact, He continues to pursue us and has made Himself the means of restoring our broken relationship with Him.

Matthew 19 initially appears to address marriage, divorce, singleness, and parenthood. However, its message reaches beyond these topics. When we read the Bible, we often seek solutions for others' sins. Yet, God's word is meant to work within us and draw us into a deeper, unhindered relationship with Him. 

After 25 years of waiting, Abraham was finally blessed with the son God had promised him. But years later, the Lord commanded him to take his only son and offer him as a sacrifice. At the last minute, the Lord stopped Abraham. Isaac was spared. And God provided them with a sacrifice. This account in Genesis 22 wasn’t just about Abraham or Isaac. It points to another Father and another Son. And the...

What will Heaven be like? Guest teacher Charlie Campbell lays out ten wonderful truths about the eternal home awaiting all who are redeemed through Jesus Christ.

Over and over, God has proven Himself faithful to give insight and understanding as we simply commit to wrestling with Him. Like Jacob in his actual wrestling match with the Lord, we can say, “I’m not going to let you go until You bless me” as we wrestle with Him through His word. We can say, “I’m not letting this passage go, Lord, until you bless me and give me insight and understanding.” And the...

What does it mean to be greatly used of God? How does Jesus view and define greatness? How does one become great in His Kingdom? These are the questions we asked as we considered the stark and serious statement Jesus made to the Apostles, who promptly argued afterward.

The only hope for lasting change in our country and communities is not found in our own intellect, abilities, or strategies, but only in Jesus. Our only aim is to bring people to Him and watch Him pour out His power in love by His Holy Spirit. This might seem irrelevant in light of the section of scripture we considered this past Sunday. But as we work our way through it, we see the importance of...

There are moments in the Gospels when we read of Jesus and His disciples on a mountain. These are typically profound yet temporary moments of intense emotional or spiritual experience. In those moments, we witness a profound sense of connection, joy, or revelation. We can also have those mountaintop experiences—times of solitude that bring clarity and inspiration. And if we are honest, we wouldn’t...

The life of a believer isn’t just being born again to wait around in a spiritual diaper until He returns. We have work to do that we have been called to do—saving souls and making disciples. To participate with Him in this work, we must learn what it means to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.

Jesus of Nazareth went about doing good, for God was with Him. And yet, the scribes and the Pharisees from Jerusalem were constantly finding fault with Jesus. They were supposed to be devoted to Scripture, but at some point, they began to believe that their culture was more important—even than Scripture. We, too, are guilty of sanctifying our own preferences, or writing our own set of rules, or pr...