REFUGE KENOSHA

Contentment. A word that brings an assortment of feelings, as it is something that everyone desires, but seemingly few experience. Today, Refuge Elder Mark Lehmann looks at 1 Timothy 6, and challenges us to find our contentment not as the world offers it, but as Christ has offered to us.

We all attach to different things in moments of discomfort, struggle, or hurt. Today, as Jono Navarro takes us through a passage in Luke 18, we are confronted with the question, “What is your life attached to apart from Christ and is it qualified to do the job?” Is what you are attaching to bringing you closer to God, or is it operating as a substitute for Him?

Forgiveness is tricky. One of the streams that we see in the Bible is the ability to separate out wrongs against God and wrongs against us personally. It is then that we are able to see clearly, and let go of the things that we often hold onto. What wrong done against you are you still carrying, and how has it shaped your life? Can you release the debt, absorb the cost, and make room for Christ

While the world often treats forgiveness as a therapeutic tool for personal peace, biblical forgiveness demands a standard that is set apart and holy. To truly reconcile with those who have hurt us, we must first look at how God Himself forgives us.

In a culture that constantly praises us for pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, it is dangerously easy to bring that same self-reliant mindset into our walk with Jesus. By contrasting the powerless, self-sufficient disciples with a desperate, kneeling father in Matthew 17, we discover that true, mountain-moving faith requires us to drop our "do-it-yourself" attitudes and become completely empt...

When our hearts become too focused on the here and now, we often forget who we are, who God is, and what this life is really about. We are in constant need of spiritual “receipts,” or reminders of what’s been purchased for us. Today as we look at what’s called “The Transfiguration” in Matthew 17, we’ll see that not only is Jesus exactly who He said He was, but will see a “receipt” for future glory...

Our culture consistently whispers that true happiness is found in acquiring "just a little bit more" of wealth, status, and comfort; yet, Jesus modeled and taught a completely upside-down ethic. True life is not gained by successfully satisfying our selfish concerns, but by willingly denying ourselves, taking up our cross, and losing our lives for His sake. Are you trading the eternal value of you...

We all have opinions on things that don’t matter, but the only question of eternal significance is the one Jesus posed to His disciples: "Who do you say that I am?" Today we look at the questions of “Who is the Messiah,” and “What does it mean that Peter is the Rock?” In terms of Jesus, are you merely holding a scholarly opinion about a historical figure, or have you fully surrendered to the resur...

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is far more than a historical fact fading into the background of a fast-paced world; it is transformative knowledge that proves both His power over death and our need for rescuing. By conquering the grave, Christ ensures that those who believe in Him are justified—declared free from guilt—and promised a future resurrection that answers our innate hunger to live for...

Today we are looking at Jesus’ warning against the "leaven" of the Pharisees and Sadducees, showing how the secret teachings of self-righteousness and self-advancement can silently infect our faith. To guard against building earthly kingdoms for our own comfort, we must actively practice remembrance by focusing our minds entirely on the person and work of Christ. Are you more driven by your focus...

As we look in Matthew 15 we’ll see how a Canaanite mother’s plea for her demon-possessed daughter models a bold, beggarly, and resilient faith that pushes past divine silence and societal obstacles. True spiritual greatness isn't found in dressing up our external lives, but in maintaining a humble fixation on Christ when we have nothing else to offer. Are you mistakenly treating Jesus as a mere li...

Are you secretly using outward religious performance to hide a struggling heart, or blaming your external circumstances for the sin that actually originates from within? In this message from Matthew 15, Jesus cuts through the illusion of external righteousness, teaching that true defilement—and our deepest rebellion—comes exclusively from the unaddressed condition of our own hearts rather than our...

Have you ever considered that the spiritual leadership you follow might be using religious traditions to mask a heart in full-blown rebellion against God? In this study of Matthew 15, Jesus exposes the toxic ambition of self-centered religious leaders, warning that these "blind guides" will inevitably poison others and lead their followers into a pit. Jesus urgently commands believers to leave the...

Could your most cherished religious traditions actually be a form of rebellion that masks a heart far from God? In this study of Matthew 15, Jesus exposes how elevating human rules over Scripture leads to spiritual hypocrisy and a failure to love others as God commanded. Listen in to discover how to distinguish between hollow rituals and a heart-centered faith that truly honors the Word of God.

We are in Part Two of the story of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14. In observing Peter’s experience with Jesus, we will see that there is power in the commands of Jesus. Not only that, but faith in God itself is something that desires to step out and take risks.

How do you view Jesus in seasons of difficulty or when you are experiencing a struggle with living according to God’s ways? Do you see a Savior who has paid the price in full, or do you see a phantom of your own making—one who demands more, or is full of disappointment? In part one of the story of Jesus walking on water, we’ll see that we have the tendency to make a phantom of Christ, when he is m...

We are in Part Two of the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. We continue looking at what the right priorities are for our lives by looking at the life of Jesus. Again, to Christ, intimacy or closeness with the Father was of highest priority, and then compassion and love for others, and then discipleship.

Today is part one of a message on the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus withdraws to be alone with the Father—yet when the crowds chase Him down, He meets interruption with compassion, healing the sick and multiplying five loaves and two fish until everyone is satisfied.

In Matthew 14:1–12, Herod shows what happens when truth brushes your conscience but never becomes your King—interest without obedience turns into fear, compromise, and eventually violence. John the Baptist stands as the opposite: steady, costly faithfulness to the God of truth, even when it leads to chains, isolation, and a brutal end. Are you living the truth you admire—or silencing it to protect...

As we close out Matthew chapter 13, we are going to see one big idea: your ruler determines your steps—your destination, your responsibility with God’s “treasure,” and even how people respond to you when you won’t bow to their kingdom. What (or who) is ruling your heart right now—and where is it actually taking you?

Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a buried treasure and a priceless pearl—so valuable that the one who finds it gladly gives up everything to possess it. When God truly rules a life, priorities don’t just shift; they’re transformed by joy-filled surrender. 

When we consider how we are to be used by God, often we approach the question with a very mathematical mindset. Today, as we look at the Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Leaven, we will see that when Christ rules in the lives of His people, results always follow. In a world that expands through conquering, the kingdom of God will expand through humble, compassionate love.

Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the weeds explains why evil, hypocrisy, and confusion can exist right alongside real gospel fruit. Instead of overreacting with scorched-earth “purity” campaigns, we’re called to wise patience, sober discernment, and confidence that Jesus will make all things right at the harvest. If Jesus sees the injustice and still says, “let both grow together,” what does faithf...

Christmas exposes our “bigger and better” obsession—bigger boxes, louder hype, more followers—and then flips it upside down with the shocking humility of Jesus. From the manger to the cross to the quiet victory of the resurrection, Jesus came not to be served but to serve, paying the ransom we couldn’t and offering the only gift that actually lasts: peace with God.

In a world where high-profile believers and everyday friends alike seem to “fall off the wagon,” this podcast digs into Jesus’ first parable in Matthew 13—the Sower and the soils—to make sense of why the same gospel produces wildly different outcomes. We’ll see that you can’t control how people receive the message, but you can control the quantity and quality of what you sow.