A "Satisfying" Blog Post

Filled.  Satisfied.  Mission Accomplished.  In life we are often chasing those feelings.  So common is the pursuit of those experiences The Rolling Stones sold a giga-ton of their song "Satisfaction," or better recognized by the lyrics, "I can't get no ... Satisfaction." We as believers are quick to chime in with religious sounding phrases like, "Jesus is my source, my salvation.  My soul is satisfied with Him!"  We wag our heads at the young stars and starlets of Hollywood fame who've reached the zenith of the American Dream and yet end their lives tragically in a drug and depression induced haze.  Christians often attach any number of achievements and conditional outcomes to our satisfaction level if we're being honest.  We are often swayed by our current circumstances and whether or not we have accomplished particular goals which are sure to provide the satisfaction of success.  

There's another sinister, creeping sensation that comes and is not as detectable:  when we got what we were after, but it didn't deliver the feeling we thought we'd have.  I was reading through my Facebook feed and saw another high profile pastor fallen, ensnared by unspecified but "very serious" issues.  Sadly, he's not the only one and for sheer sake of grief I won't list them.  We know their names all too well.  As these represent our view of what it takes to reach “the top,” to achieve “success” and a sense of “when” we’ll be satisfied, the entire proposition begs a question.

Can you be satisfied with something “less” than Jesus.  Or, even more deceptive, can you be satisfied with something parading in your life plan AS Jesus?  Why is this important?  Anything else, and certainly less, will fail to ultimately satisfy.  Anything else will drain your strength and vitality and fulfillment.  It’s time to reevaluate why we do what we do and for whom we are doing it.  All that is done for Christ will last… including us.

Consider this poem by Missionary C.T. Studd:

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choiceBidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God’s holy will to cleave;Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;Each with its days I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;Faithful and true what e’er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;Only one life, “twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;And when at last I’ll hear the call, I know I’ll say “’twas worth it all”;Only one life, ’twill soon be past, Only what’s done for Christ will last. ”-C.T. Studd 

Shock and Awe

“Phil Robertson pulled off the air.”  In the era of redefined tolerance, it is very often the case that those with contrary opinions are immediately vilified, censored and virulent attempts are made to shun them from any secular venue whether it be government, education, media or business.  In the “land of the free and home of the brave” these tactics seem diametrically opposed to our founding principles.

Shock!  We are shocked when we hear federal judges pronouncing that a wedding photographer is compelled by law to violate their religious beliefs and thus we see that free speech and the free exercise of religion is trumped by the mandated and enforced law of not-so-tolerance.  Shocked is exactly what we should be, but that’s not all.  We must be diligent to use all legal processes available to us to right these wrongs as afforded to us in the Bill of Rights and Constitution.

Awe!  I’m wondering when we in America somehow erased our memory banks of Christian persecution in history.  We’ve enjoyed a great deal of freedom of expression, indeed western-styled success.  Now as those contrary to Biblically-informed beliefs (and those who hold them) come to power in government, business, education and media we see that a corner has been turned in our post-Christian nation.  In fact, it could be stated that we are in apostatized America.  This does not mean the Church gives up its mission – God forbid – but that we see the signs of the time.  But, those signs of the times indicate a greater hostility. 

The “awe” that I’m referencing is the “awe of God’s Word” which guarantees that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim 3:12).  It’s an awe that God’s Word is unyielding timeless and accurate.  The Word of God also exposes the world’s truth suppression agenda in Romans 1:18:  “…who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.”  After the famous and much memorized John 3:16, verse 19-20 shows us how mankind has reacted to verses 16 & 17:  “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”  We were expecting them to flock to the church by the millions?  To thank us for sharing?  To even praise us and speak highly of us?

What are we to do and to expect?  Go on to verse 21:  “But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”    We go forward in word and deed.  Phil Robertson spoke like a backwoods, ordinary guy in honest, forthright and plainly logical fashion, but he spoke truth and he did it on purpose.  Whether or not interviewing with that particularly despicable magazine was wise is another question.  That he was (and is) always on a Gospel mission is not in question. 

I wonder if we think that our Gospel (if we are actually spreading it as Jesus commanded) will be received by the world with gladness and we’ll all have to build megachurches in coliseums to house the masses?  Really?  When Jesus started speaking the plain truth most people who followed Him walked away (remember, “eat Me, drink Me” in John 6:54-56?)  Just how many stayed with Him during His passion?  Hmm…

While I think Phil Robertson might’ve used more winsome language, I’d be willing to posit that even if he’d been a skilled diplomat and wordsmith, he’d still be banned.  If you’ve followed the show at all along with comments made to other media, Phil’s been really clear about his determination to remain who He is in and for God.  He has always been ready to give it all up for Christ’s sake.

I leave you with this passage as Peter was writing to the Church under fire for its beliefs:

If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God [be confident in your delivery]. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 12 Beloved, DO NOT THINK IT STRANGE concerning the FIERY TRIAL which is to try you, AS THOUGH SOME STRANGE THING HAPPNED TO YOU; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.  (1 Pet 4:11-13) [emphasis added]

While we may experience an initial shock, we need to quickly readjust our stance to awe as we see the confirmation of God’s Word and move to an even greater awe as God’s glory is manifested in us as we are shamed for His Name and His Words.  (Mark 8:38)

The End of the World! What are the odds?!?

Well, it's December 21st and we're all still here.  You can just hear somebody say, "What are the odds!"  Even as they may have said that as a turn of phrase, it begs the question.  How does anyone know the future?  Who could possibly predict it with certainty?  I suppose it would help if the person who was the "predictor" had a track record of success, right?

Consider the following:

# of prophecies in a given ancient book = 2500.
# of those prophecies which have been fulfilled to the letter with no error = 2000.
Statistical probability of those coming to pass =  1 in 10 to the 2000th power.  (That's a ten with 2000 zeroes behind it.)

Let's put that in perspective:

From the Harvard School of Public Health:

-- Dying from a bee sting: 1 in 6.1 million.

-- Dying from a lightning strike: 1 in 3 million.

From U.S. Hole in One, which insures golf prizes for holes in one:

-- An amateur golfer making a hole in one on a par-3 hole: 1 in 12,500.

-- A golfer hitting a hole in one on consecutive par-3 holes: 1 in about 156 million.

From a 2011 State Farm study on collisions between vehicles and deer:

-- Hitting a deer with a vehicle in Hawaii, the state where State Farm says deer-vehicle collisions are least likely: 1 in 6,267.

From the National Weather Service:

-- Being struck by lightning over an 80-year lifetime: 1 in 10,000.

Now let's refresh:  the chances of an ancient book, containing 2500 predictions of which 2000 have already come to pass, to the letter with no errors is 1 in 10 with 2000 ZEROES behind it.  Seems to me like this book's author knows a little something about what's gonna happen, right?  It also would suggest that the remaining 500 predictions, let's call them prophecies, will certainly come to pass as well.

The best selling author of all time wrote this book.  No, it's not Socrates, Ernest Hemingway or even Tom Clancy.  It's God Himself Who has chosen to provide prophecy as an air-tight case of His plan (and heart) for mankind.

Why is it that so many freaked out over the Mayan prediction and yet blow off the Bible as fairy tales?  Could one reason be that the Author of the Bible has some moral requirements for His creation and all the Mayans had to offer were similar to the band R.E.M., "It's the end of the world as we know it?"  It's as if to say, "there's nothing you can do about it."  Here comes a classic Doris Day tune, "Que sera, sera ... whatever will be, will be."  Is life just one big gamble with no guiding purpose or determining factor?

The fact that the Author of this Book also gave us some personal predictions as well, should at the very least pique our interest.  If He can predict the rise and fall of dictators hundreds of years before it happened, I think I can trust Him when He says that if I do such-and-such, certain things WILL happen and that these things are for my benefit.

Perhaps billions of Christians are actually on to something.  Perhaps there's a reason the Bible remains the bestseller of all time.  Perhaps there's a reason that those who believe what it says and then do what it says, have incredibly similar experiences across the span of time.

Probability of the Mayan prophecy coming to pass?  Absolute Zero. 

Probability of trusting the God of the Bible's end times prophecies coming to pass?  Probability of trusting God in terms of His good and precious promises coming to pass?  Absolute-ly!  

2 Corinthians 1:20:  "For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us."

Numbers 23:19:  “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?"

Still stressed about tomorrow and the next day and the next year?  Listen to the answering given by the universe's premier prophetic Author:

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”  5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”  6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:1-6)

Here's the prescription and the plan in Matthew 6:31-33:  “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Statistical Data sources:

Many More Bible Prophecies viewed in light of Statistical Probability

CNN Article on the odds...

More solid teaching and discipleship opportunities:  http://therefugecorona.com/

Going on Record

The following blog reflects the "opinion" of the writer and does not constitute any official positions of The Refuge.

There is a tendency in an election year by political parties to paint the bleakest picture possible; to stir fear and raise clamorous alarms to the impending doom should the other person be elected.  This year it is no less true that any other election cycle.  However... and this is a "big however," I do intend to raise some alarms.

Over the last four years I have watched the so-called liberal agenda advance considerably in this country due in no small part to their champion, Barack Obama.  The aggressive campaign to wash-out the definition of marriage, the advancement of all things homosexual, the historic and increasing expansion of government-endorsed, promoted and funded abortions and the calculated crusade to erase all mention of God and roll-back Christianity and its free-exercise in this country are just SOME of the alarming, yet not surprising facts of this president's tenure.

I could go on and on, but let me say this.  We need to pray.  No doubt about it.  But we also MUST VOTE.  We have the privilege and thus the responsibility to vote - even if we are sorely out-numbered.  The Christian must go on record before God and the rest of the world.  We cannot just sit back, do nothing and wait 'til Jesus comes.  "Occupy til I come," Jesus said.

Let me crystallize a voting issue for you.  Read with me in Romans Chapter One, verses 26-32:

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

If you vote for a person who practices - or vigorously campaigns and legislates special privileges and protections for such, you are complicit. You have also joined the league of the ungodly. I want to be clear. A vote for Obama is exactly this. Yep, I said it. As someone who has, on more than one occasion, skipped over references to God in the Declaration on Independence, his agenda is clear.

This man champions unrighteousness all while calling himself a Christian. No sir. No ma'am. It seems like there are those out there who, just because someone calls themselves a Christian, want to extend every assurance... "well we can't judge whether or not he is or not." Really? The Bible is NOT unclear about this. I can call myself a surgeon all day long, and even think that I should have the annual income of such. But, I'd wager that on the day of your surgery, you may want to check me out and find out if I really am one. Friends, Mr. Obama is a poser. "Many will come in My Name..." He has come in name only as a Christian. You know, "Christian," as in "he who has given every decision of his or her life over to Jesus Christ and His Word."

Make no mistake. I do not believe we are electing a "theologian in chief." This is a secular office of government. But there are wicked acts in this government; acts that promote evil and are stifling the good works of Christ-followers: killing the innocent unborn, casting all who believe in the 6000-year-old, physiologically-sound and physiologically-proven system for the furtherance of all societies (traditional marriage) as intolerant bigots... well, the choice seems very clear. How can a Christian vote in favor of such a man with such an agenda?

Reason for warning. If Mr. Obama had to worry about re-election and yet he so aggressively pursued this agenda over the last four years, what are we to expect if he's re-elected and does not have to worry about re-election on his second term? Not just more of the same, friends... an even more radical pursuit of silencing the salty voice of the Church, wholesale legalization of many, many immoral and detestable social vices which will plague us.

Some day, a blog such as this will be illegal (if the IRS would not view it as such already) if we who have the right to go on record for righteousness do nothing. "If the salt loses its saltiness, what good is it except to be thrown out and be trampled under the foot of men." See Matthew 5:13 for that. Note the consequence of a lack of saltiness: "trampled under the foot of men." Want to be trampled? Do nothing... it'll happen anyway.

Do not be weary, friend. Stand for righteousness. Vote for the candidate who best represents Biblical values. I'll tell you this: it is NOT Barack Obama, that's for sure.

The Absent Testimony

Come:  Psalm 9:1-2:  "I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will TELL of all Your marvelous works.  I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."


Hear:  David was never ashamed to give credit (praise) to God for any number of things.  He makes a bold declaration and is not intimidated by lack of Godly respect and honor from those around him.  He is so happy with God and in God that nothing else matters!


Do:  There's a real and intentional push in the world today for believers to shut their mouths and keep it to themselves.  This is, make no mistake, a tactic of Satan himself.  The Gospel is VERBAL.  Faith comes by HEARING (Rom. 10:17).  It must must must be spoken (2 Cor. 4:13).  Satan realizes that if he can get Christians to cease "putting it out there" then he's won untold billions of people because the Church (that's you) is silent.  David would say, "NO!" (Ps. 34:1)  Jesus said that if He commanded those who praised Him to be silent (at the request of the hard-hearted, unbelieving Pharisees) on that Palm Sunday, that the rocks would cry out (Luke 19:37-40).  We must give God more credit in our daily affairs. When speaking of something that blessed us, we must say things like, "Yes, I'm just so thankful to God for getting me that job.  God's good like that, you know?!"  Will it make some people uncomfortable?  Yep!  Is that ok?  Yes, indeed.  We go way to far out of our way in the country to make sure that no one is ever offended (even if they are unreasonably looking for ways TO be offended).  Jesus said, "blessed is He who is not offended at Me." (Mt. 11:6)  Did Jesus offend?  Yes.  (Mt. 13:57; 15:12) Those who were not offended at Him experienced the fullness of His salvation and a new power residing in their lives to shake off the temporary comforts of this world for a weight of eternal glory!  (John 1:10-12; 2 Cor. 4:17)


Prayer:  Let me never, never, NEVER be ashamed to speak Your praise, O my God.  You have been so incredibly good to us and I must never be poor in my praise, in my worship, in my expressions of gratitude to my great God and Savior!.

Handle Your Business

Come: 1 Kings 2:1-2; 9: Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man…. Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”

Hear: David is speaking his final words and he is advising Solomon as to current and lingering issues regarding the Kingdom. He recounts some unfinished business; business that he was unwilling to handle on his own watch. David, for all his faithfulness and zeal for God, was one who let some things go unhandled, most especially when it related to personal relationships. He did not handle the issue of his own wife, which led to Bathsheba/Uriah and the death of a son of David. He did not handle the issue with Tamar being raped and that produced a problem with Absalom. He did not handle the issue with Adonijah trying to ascend the throne without proper authorization. In many times of David’s life he let things go under the heading of “mercy” or “humility.” For instance, when he was leaving the city, fleeing from another problem with Absalom, a man met him on the way and cursed him with great vigor. David did not take appropriate action with that man at that time and so it is left to Solomon to defend his father’s honor, the honor of the kingship by not allowing a citizen under this monarchy to speak so insolently to the king of Israel. Joab executed some men of renown with prejudice and David never dealt with Joab’s inpropriety; it was left to Solomon.

Do: Handle your business. Do not let it go unaddressed. This does not mean to handle it right away or in the heat of passion. Consider it before the Lord, but ACT. Remember David’s command to Solomon: “be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man”. Do not sin in your own heart, a “feeling sorry for yourself” emotional state or fear cause you to draw back from handling people business. Collect yourself. Present yourself and your case before the Lord. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Act according to what you heard and the principles set forth in God’s Word.

Prayer: Lord may I not be slothful in handling the issues that are before me. Let me be found faithful in every aspect of life. Help me be just and equitable, always with a heart of love for people, but decisive and resolute nonetheless. Forgive me for times when I have fallen short and flat out blown it. Give me Your wisdom to discern the battle that it may bring profit to all in Your Name.

An Evil Heart Defined

COME:  Hebrews 3:6b, 12-14; 19:  "... but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end... (12)   Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; ¹³ but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end... (19)  So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.  

HEAR:  Notice the holding fast of confidence and rejoicing of hope FIRM to the end.  This is faith.  Faith is believing God.  But that term, "believing God" is too ambiguous.  Let's dig deeper.  Believing God is believing, having unwavering confidence in what He said.  All we know about God is what He said about Himself in His Word.  All other data about God is subject to error.  

DO:  So, believing God is believing what He said, which is to be found in His Word, the Bible.  This "believing" is the proof that we are in Christ's "house."  Note He also says that it is a confession.  Homo-logeo in Greek.  Homo = same.  Logeo - Word.  The Same Word.  We say the same thing God says.  In other words, my words to not waver or depart the content of God's Words.  

I MUST speak what God speaks.  I must believe what God said.  I must hold this confession FIRM to the end.  

Notice that the definition of an evil heart is defined as UNBELIEF.  Note the effect of unbelief:  "departing from the Living God."  Is it any wonder that Satan's first tactic with Eve was to question what God said?  He's been using that trick for 6000 years.  He doesn't even need another trick because that one is still as effective today on humanity as it was back then!

Then, a sad reality:  "So, we see they could not enter in because of unbelief."  Remember, it's not just about believing there is a God and He's good and all that other ethereal data.  No.  This is about believing what God said and that confession... that fact... produced the price of admission into the Promised Land.  Remember again, this passage is directly tied to the Book of Numbers where millions of Israelites refused to believe what God SAID and they all died in the wilderness (save two).

Refusing to believe what God said (steadfastly, to the end vv.6, 14) will cost us every blessing and ultimately could cause us to be shut out of Heaven itself.  Recall what Jesus said to Jairus when someone told him it was all over and to give up:  "Do NOT be afraid.  ONLY BELIEVE."  Jesus spoke about believing a lot!

Make no mistake:  an evil heart is one that doubts what God said.  As "believers" we are expected to hold fast our confession of faith, steadfast and firm to the end."  What is the end?  The fulfillment of the promises of God... ALL OF THEM.  And guess what the Bible says about the promises of God?  

1 Cor. 1:20:  For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. 

Prayer:  Today God, let my words be Your Words.  Let my speech match Yours.  Instead of having an evil heart of unbelief that departs, let an evil heart in me depart!  Create in me a clean heart, O God!  Let it live and breath and rejoice in the firm, sure and abundant promises that You said!  You delight to fulfill Your Word to me.  So today I say, "Yes and Amen" to Your every word.  Let Your words always be steadfast and firm to the end in me!  Amen!