Tag Archives: Refuge

Aug18

You’re Invited…

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P1100245

You’re Invited…

“Come with me

by yourselves

to a quiet place

and get some rest.”

~Jesus

 

Mark 6:31b

 

Imagine going to your mailbox and finding a personal invitation from your best friend to a relaxing, weekend get-away at an off-the-beaten-path location beside a beautiful pristine lake.  Just the thought of that could begin to melt away stress and worries!

Read the words of the divine invitation above from Mark 6:31b, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  Envision Jesus speaking this invitation directly to you.  Allow these words to penetrate your soul and pause to grasp the full meaning of each phrase.

“Come with me…”

 The Son of God is personally inviting you to join Him for a break from the busyness of your life.  He loves you, and He wants YOU to be with Him!

“…by yourselves…”

 The Savior of the World desires to have a personal relationship with YOU.  He longs for you to spend time alone with Him.  It’s difficult to get to know someone in a crowd.  True friendships are formed through one-on-one interaction, and Jesus is asking you to develop a one-on-one connection with Him.  He wants you all to Himself, without anyone else around…including your cell phone, computer, iPad or any other type of distraction…totally unplugged and disconnected from the outside world.

“…to a quiet place…”

 The Prince of Peace is inviting you to come away from your daily responsibilities and join Him in a quiet place.  There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to carry on a conversation with someone in a loud and distracting environment.  A quiescent place is tranquil and calm and free of disturbances.  It’s a place of peace, and the type of place you can focus solely on your interaction with the Messiah.  In that quiet place you can talk to the Wonderful Counselor and listen as He to speaks to your soul.  You can reverently honor Him and praise His power and majesty.  You can sense His presence and know that He is with you.  In Psalm 46:10a, God tells us to “Be still and know that I am God.”  Jesus’ invitation is encouraging us to come to a quiet place alone with Him so that we can truly know Him.

 “…and get some rest.”

 God knows the importance of rest.  Even the almighty, all-powerful Creator of the Universe, who never sleeps nor slumbers, rested from His work after He created the world and everything in it.  Jesus understands that we get tired and weary from all the demands and burdens of life, and He promises that a relationship with Him will provide rest for our souls.  (Matthew 11:28 – 29):

Dear Child of Mine,
 
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on Religion?  Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”  (Matthew 11:28 – 29 MSG)
 
Love, Jesus
 

How will you respond to Jesus’ invitation?  He’s patiently waiting for your R.S.V.P.  Relax in the unforced rhythm of His grace and mercy, and find rest and peace in this life-changing relationship.

 

 

 

Feb2

Anchor for your Soul

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“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” Hebrews 6:19

 

Do you ever feel as though life’s circumstances are engulfing you like a powerful rip tide, pulling you into a tumultuous sea of despair? You are powerless to the force of the current, and the more you fight against the flow of events, the weaker you become. When life is seemingly out of your control or when events take a sharp, unexpected turn, remember that by placing your hope in our Heavenly Father, He will be the immovable anchor for your soul. His promises are unchanging and true. His love is unfailing. His strength is limitless. Regardless of what you are going through, you will be secure in His grasp. Just as a ship anchor holds firmly to the seabed, our hope is firm and secure when our souls are anchored in God.

Jan25

Heavenly Help

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“But You Yourself (God) have seen trouble and grief,

observing it in order to take the matter into Your Hands.

The helpless entrusts himself to You;

You are (our) Helper…”

Psalm 10:14 (Holman)

 

God is watching over you

God is observing each minute of your life.  He sees everything you are going through.  Nothing is too difficult for Him to handle.  He wants to take your trouble and grief into His hands.  Entrust your life to Him and seek His Heavenly Help.

 

Jan22

The Gift of Peace

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”I leave peace with you;

I give *My* peace to you: 

not as the world gives do I give to you.   

 Let not your heart be troubled,

neither let it fear.” 

John 14:27 (Darby Translation)

What is True Peace?

The end result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives is deep, lasting peace.  This peace transcends our understanding, meaning it can never be completely understood.  It is a peace that is difficult to explain and must be felt in order to fully comprehend its meaning.  Worldly peace is usually defined as the absence of trouble or conflict, but the peace of Christ is a peace we have in the midst of the trouble or conflict.  This peace is confident assurance in any circumstance.  It is a sense of God’s wholeness, of everything coming together for good.  Heavenly peace comes from total trust in God.  With this kind of peace we don’t need to be afraid of the present or the future.  Peace of mind and heart is a precious gift.  The world cannot give this kind of peace, because this peace is a result of God watching over and guarding your mind and your heart. 

How do we obtain Heavenly Peace?

When you are in the midst of a crisis, worry, fear, doubt, and anxiety are constantly battling for your focus and energy.  A mind controlled by the flesh will race night and day, composing many what-if situations, and you will virtually live out the worst-case scenarios.  Keeping track of all the possible outcomes is exhausting.  So if you are in the middle of a life crisis and feel consumed with worry and fear, begin to shape your worries into prayers.  Let Christ know your concerns.  Lay your burdens at the foot of His cross.  Isaiah 26:3 tells us that “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”  So perfect peace is dependent upon total trust in our Heavenly Father.  Fill your mind with the promises found in His Word.  Trust in His promises to you.  In other words, believe His promises:   trust that He has a plan for your life; trust that He causes all things to work together for good; trust that He knows how all the pieces of the puzzle in your life fit together; trust that He will use this trial to perfect your faith; trust that He is all we truly need; trust that He will carry you when you are too weak to move forward; trust that He will provide your comfort, your strength, your provision, your shelter from the storm, your protection; trust that He is your Rock and your Salvation; trust that He will be your guide and give you wisdom; trust that He will light your path; trust that He sees your distress and hears your cries for help; trust that He is always with you and will never leave your side; trust that He catches each one of your teardrops; and trust that nothing is too difficult for Him. 

What is the end result of Heavenly Peace?

We are instructed to “let the peace of Christ rule your hearts…”  (Colossians 3:12)  If we choose to let the Prince of Peace rule, then worry, doubt and fear will be banished from the kingdom of our hearts.  When we allow Christ to completely fill our hearts, He will completely displace all our distress.  When our hearts are overflowing with Christ instead of worry, God will stand guard over your heart and your mind, and He will bless you with a Heavenly Peace that no one can completely understand.

~cb.cooksey

Dec28

Rest for the Weary

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

 

Are you carrying a burden that seems to heavy to bear?  Do you need “rest” in your life?  The above verse offers hope to weary travelers in life.  Your burden may be financial, health, relational or work related, but in any case, you can find rest in the arms of Jesus Christ.  At this moment you may feel worn out in strength, energy or zest for life because of a battle you are facing alone.  You may be exhausted and all your pleasure may be drained.  You can find peace in the midst of your troubles by praying to Christ and laying your encumbrances at His feet.  He may not remove the trials from your life, but He will give you strength to face each moment, and He can provide a refuge from the storm which is raging all around you. 

His peace is the only true rest we will ever know.  With Him, you are never alone in this life.  Seek Him today…

Sep26

Refuge from the Storm

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“Rogers Bridge Over Chattahoochee River”

By cBrown.Cooksey

 

The scene above shows the Chattahoochee River on a peaceful summer day. In the past week, however, the rivers and streams in our area of Georgia have become inundated with record rainfall, causing historic, catastrophic flooding. Creeks and rivers have overflowed their banks, causing massive destruction to anything in their downstream paths. Roads and bridges have been washed away. Homes, businesses, churches, schools and other personal property have been destroyed. Lives have forever been changed. Even at this very moment, more rain is pelting our roof and flashflood warnings blare on the television. Through all of this, I know that I must trust firmly and completely in God.

 

At times our lives can seem as though we are consumed by floodwaters in other ways. We can be overwhelmed with financial strain or relational struggles.  A longterm illness can drain our strength and sink our hope. The death of a loved one can engulf our hearts and take us to the miry depths of grief. Regardless of the crisis in our lives, there is One whom we can call upon to save us. He is our Solid Rock and our Firm Foundation. He is our Refuge from the Storms of Life. Call out to God in your distress…He is listening! “Save me, O God…Answer me out of the goodness of Your love; in Your great mercy, turn to me. Come near and rescue me!”  Let this be your prayer…

 

Psalm 69

1 Save me, O God,
       for the waters have come up to my neck.

2 I sink in the miry depths,
       where there is no foothold.
       I have come into the deep waters;
       the floods engulf me.

14 Rescue me from the mire;
       do not let me sink;
     

15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
       or the depths swallow me up …
 16 Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love;
       in your great mercy turn to me.

18 Come near and rescue me;