Refuge Audio Podcast

Refuge Audio Podcast

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Refuge Audio Podcast episodes

  • Revelation 3:7-13
    The church in Philadelphia probably thought they were the worst, the most foolish, and the most faithless of all the seven churches that Jesus wrote. And yet, they couldn’t be more wrong! Why? Because they were using worldly ways of determining success or failure.
    It’s so important to see yourself as God sees you—not as others see you, not even as you see you! The Lord will bring into the light of day all that is presently hidden in darkness, exposing the secret motives of people’s hearts. Then God will give each person a share of His praise (see 1 Corinthians 4:3-5).
    This church probably didn’t even think that Jesus would write to them. But He did—and they were the only church that Jesus didn’t correct. Though they were feeble, they were faithful. And so Jesus encouraged them through His letter.
    35 min
  • Revelation 3:1-6
    The church in Sardis had a great reputation for being alive, but their inward reality was…different. This church was dead. They had an outward reputation of thriving, but they lacked the inward reality of being alive.
    The seven letters at the beginning of Revelation have multiple layers of meaning. They speak to the actual churches of that day, individual churches of today, a personal application for us, and a correlation with church history. This letter corresponds to the period of church history known as the Protestant Reformation—which had name outwardly, but over time lost their inward reality.
    But it didn’t begin this way for the church in Sardis, for the churches that call themselves Protestant, or for the churches and people to whom this applies today.
    40 min
  • Revelation 2:18-29
    What’s in a name? Plenty! Just ask anyone named Ichabod. There was a child in Israel’s history that was given this name. He was born right after the Ark was taken out of Israel by Israel’s enemies (1 Samuel 4:19-22). Which makes sense—Ichabod means “the glory of God has departed.”
    This Sunday, we continued our study of the seven letters to seven churches in the book of Revelation. The next two churches were on the verge of being called Ichabod. Thyatira and Sardis were dying and almost dead. Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t rename them Ichabod—His glory hadn’t completely departed. However, He cries out to them to repent and fan into flame the smoldering spark of faith still found in their hearts.
    Though it was the smallest of the seven churches, Thyatira received the longest letter—but not for the best of reasons.
    39 min
  • Revelation 2:12-17
    The book of Revelation begins with seven letters to seven churches—letters that are applicable to every church and every individual in every age—but also specific to periods of church history.
    The first letter, to Ephesus, speaks of the first century church. Followers of Jesus became so busy working for the King that they had no time to just be with the King—the very thing He saved them for.
    The second letter, to Smyrna, speaks of the second chapter of church history. During this time, Satan tried to defeat the church with suffering and persecution.
    This past Sunday, we studied the letter to Pergamos, the third age of church history. Suffering and persecution did not destroy the church, but instead helped it grow. In response, Satan switched his strategy and sought to destroy the church from within. For the church at Pergamos, this looked like combining spiritual authority with Roman and pagan idolatry.
    Jesus had some straightforward words of correction (as well as some words of commendation) for this church that struggled with Satan’s strategy of corruption through an unholy union.
    40 min

About Refuge Audio Podcast

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We desire to equip the saints for the work of the ministry as we study God's word together. Join Pastor Dominic Dinger of Refuge in St. Cloud, Minnesota, for a weekly in-depth study of the Bible,…