Refuge Audio Podcast

Romans 12:9-21 contains approximately 30 exhortations and applications—practical ways we can practice being the kind of friend to others that Jesus has been to us. Just consider what a good friend we have in Jesus and how we can be that kind of a friend to those around us.

In most letters he wrote, the Apostle Paul spent half the letter addressing doctrine and half the letter addressing application. The letter to the Romans had a little more doctrine than application, but that doesn’t make the application any less intense. Romans 12 begins the application portion of this letter as we ask two questions of the Lord: Who are you? What do You want me to do?

Romans 11 is full of the goodness and severity of our God. The Apostle Paul provides examples and evidence from scripture that God still has a plan for Israel. But before Paul gets into that, he makes an emphatic and enlightening statement about how we are saved: Salvation is either all by your own works, or all by God’s amazing grace.

On the first Sunday of every year, we review the history, vision, purpose, and practice of Refuge so that we can confidently answer these questions: What are we doing? Why are we doing it? What does it look like? We turn to the Bible to find the answers to those important questions so we can understand God’s vision for His church.

The birth story of Jesus in the Gospel of John isn’t easy to find. Unlike Matthew, there’s no list of names. Unlike Luke, there’s no heavenly host addressing shepherds. That’s because John highlighted the deity of Jesus—how Jesus is God.

Luke 2 may be a familiar text. But as we work and worship our way through the word from God that never changes, by the power of the Holy Spirit we will change as we preserve, ponder, and proclaim the indescribable gift of God’s Son!

Christmas is a time we choose to set aside to ponder and proclaim the indescribable gift of God’s Son. In this study, we took a deeper look at the genealogy of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew and marveled at the irrefutable proof that Jesus is the promised Messiah!

Paul points to the prophet Elijah as an example of a faithful remnant in Israel. But even Elijah struggled at times with discouragement and frustration in his ministry. What can we learn from his experience?

The public proclamation of God’s word is important. The same God who sent the prophets to plead with His people to repent so that He could relent from bringing judgment in the past is the same God who sends preachers to us today to plead with us to repent so that He could relent in bringing eternal judgment.