City of Refuge Fellowship

Community Worship Night: Friday, September 10th

Abie — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:19:47 +0000

Friday night, September 10th, is our next Community Worship Night. We will be meeting at the Knights of Columbus, located at 366 East Broad Street at 7:00 for a time of corporate worship. Please come out and bring a friend with you to pour out our hearts in worship, love and thanksgiving for the extravagant, merciful goodness of God.

Day of Prayer for National Leaders

Abie — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:47:06 +0000

We have set aside every Tuesday as a day of prayer for our National leaders: President Obama, the Senate and the Congress. Each week we present a specific focus, birthed from Scripture, that we can agree and pray together.

Our National Leaders will humble themselves under God’s mighty hand, and seek Him with all their hearts, minds and souls. They will yield to God’s will and obey His direction.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules the people groan. Proverbs 29:2

Therefore, I will exhort that first of all supplication, prayers, intercessions, and giving thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may live quiet and peaceable lives in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. I Timothy 2:1-3

Endure to Prevail

Abie — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:53:42 +0000

When Jesus first introduced the church in Matthew 16:18 He also made us three promises about the church. The church would be built by Him; the church would belong to Him and the church would not be overcome by the power of hell. These promises are for the Body of Christ at large, but I believe that they are also for each member of that Body (churches) and also each individual person that makes of His glorious Bride. I believe that one of the great and often overlooked keys to walking in the fulfillment of these promises is endurance. The Greek word that is translated as endurance in I Corinthians 13:7 is hypomeno and it’s definition in part is “to tarry behind; to abide, to not recede or flee; to preserve: under misfortunes and trials to hold fast.” Jesus’ promise to the church that “the gates of hades shall not prevail against it” is a promise to endure. There will be battles, there will be difficulties, there will be trials, but the battle is not left up to us and our strength, Jesus has overcome and He has promised that the church will also.

I believe that endurance creates victory and that love is the key to endurance. I Corinthians 13:7 says “Love endures all things.” Hebrews tells us that Jesus endured the cross, “for the joy that was set before Him”. Endurance is not about our strength, our stubbornness or our decision to just “grin and bear” it until something changes. Endurance is all about love. Because of God’s love for me I can trust Him when I don’t understand, I can stand firm when I feel overwhelmed and I can believe when everything around me says that the promise is never coming to pass. I encourage you today, hold fast to the love of God. His love for us endured the cross, endured the grave, endured every sin we have or will commit, endured our foolish ways and our faithless seasons. His love has endured to make us in His image and to call us the sons and daughters of God, trust His love and His Spirit in you to endure through your trials, through your difficulty and through your seasons of refining. Hold tightly to the promises, as part of His church Jesus Himself is building you, He calls you His, taking charge of you and He will not allow the gates of Hell to prevail against you. Maybe it’s too simple, but ultimately, endurance is trusting God’s love enough to believe, at all times, that He will do everything that He has said that He will do; His love never fails.

Day of Prayer for National Leaders

Abie — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:39:00 +0000

Father, I pray that our National Leaders would diligently obey Your voice, to observe carefully all Your commandments, so that You, Lord, will set us high above all the nations of the earth. Deuteronomy 28:1

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules the people groan. Proverbs 29:2

God is for us!

Abie — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:48:59 +0000

There are times in our lives in which God creates opportunities for us to trust and depend upon Him in greater measures than ever before. The difficulty we face during these times is that they often appear to us as times of difficulty or even despair. I believe that Elijah endured situations just like this. After announcing to King Ahab that there would be no rain or dew until Elijah announced it, he was immediately sent by God into hiding. In his hiding place he drank water from a brook and ate bread carried to him by ravens each day. After a period of time the brook that Elijah depended upon for water dried up because of the draught that was on the land. At that moment Elijah had the same choices we are often faced with, to trust God and believe that He would lead and provide or to give in to fear and worry and try to create a way to provide for himself.

Elijah chose to trust God, was led by Him to a very poor widow and her son and found that God had chosen to save their lives by bringing Elijah to them. Our closed doors are often simply opportunities to see God open new ones that will bring Him more glory and salvation and freedom to those around us. The key in all of this is being sure that God loves us, that He has a perfect plan for us and ultimately that He is for us. In Romans 8 Paul wrote, after discussing great difficulties and suffering, “If God is for us who can be against us?” I believe that too many of us still see this statement as a question instead of the fact that Paul was trying to convey. God is for us, there does not need to be an if in our hearts, our minds or our speech. Paul was trying to prove a point not create doubt.

Today, whatever you find yourself facing, one thing I know, God is for you. He loves you, He seeks you, He wants you and He will keep His promise to never leave you or forsake you. Be confident in Him, His Word and His character today and know that when your situation changes it is not time for you to make your own way but to hold fast and trust and obey in the way that God has led you to.

Day of Prayer for National Leaders

Abie — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:22:16 +0000

Father, I pray that our National Leaders receive Your words and treasure Your commands within them so that they incline their ear to wisdom, and apply their hearts to understanding. Proverbs 2:1-2

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules the people groan. Proverbs 29:2

Clothing Closet Open House: Saturday, August 21st

Abie — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:56:15 +0000

On Saturday, August 21st, from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM, we will be opening the Clothing Closet at our ministry building at 18 East Broad Street, Burlington. The clothing closet will provide free clothing for all ages to those in the community that are in need. All of the clothing available is gently used but still in good condition and quality. If you or your friends and neighbors are in need of clothing please come and be blessed. If you have any questions you can call the church office at (609)531-0816.

Fasting for Hunger

Abie — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:40:54 +0000

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Spiritual hunger is something that we have to take an active part in. It is not a gift that is simply given by God, but rather it is a gift that we must take part in, one that we must choose to stir, practice and grow. Fasting is one of the greatest tools we have been given to help us grow in our hunger and thirst.

For many of us, fasting has been presented as a way to get God’s attention. We have thought that if we would fast then God would take notice, or God would move on our behalf, or God would simply be pleased. Isaiah 58, probably the greatest chapter in the Bible on fasting, says in verse 4, “You will not fast as you do on this day, to make your voice heard on high.” I believe that there is a prophetic piece to this passage, God is speaking through Isaiah that fasting would change when the Messiah came, that it would change from a way to try to get God’s attention to a way to give God more of our attention.

In this week’s message I try to present fasting as a gift that will emtpy us of dependence upon worldly things and place our full attention, affection and desire upon God. I pray that God’s Word will speak to your heart and that we, together, might follow Jesus’ example and choose to fast in our bodies and in our souls so that our spirit’s might be fed fully by the presence and Word of God.

He loves us!

Abie — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:27:54 +0000

I have often tried to imagine the scene of Isaiah 6 when the prophet is thrust into the throne room of God. Isaiah says “I saw the LORD sitting on a throne . . . and the train of His robe filled the temple.” The vision of God was overwhelming, so much so that all Isaiah could do was fall on his face and declare himself “ruined”. As if seeing God were not enough, he also got to see all of the activity that surrounds God. Isaiah wrote that he saw seraphim, six-winged angels that flew around God’s throne. The part that has always captured my mind is that Isaiah said that these seraphim cried out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” This glimpse into heaven is amazing to me. These powerful created beings that have spent eternity in God’s presence are still so overwhelmed by Him that all they can do is shout to each other of His holiness. They are not shouting it to God, they are not acting out of duty or obligation, this is not their job;, the picture seems to show that they are in the midst of their created purpose but also overwhelmed by not merely what they see in this moment, but what they have seen and known for eternity. God’s holiness has not become the norm for them; it is still overwhelming; He is still overwhelming. The sight of God fills them to the point that they must pour out their awe and reverence and sing a song of amazement, “He is holy!”

For the past year or so I have been overwhelmed each time I have heard the song “How He loves” written by John Mark McMillan. In my mind, the song has great depth, its truth is God-breathed and timeless and it simply strikes a chord in my heart each time I hear it. The chorus is actually very simple:

He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves

A few weeks ago a group from our church went to a worship and prayer conference. There was a point during the first session in which the worship leader began to sing “How He loves”. I stood in my place singing and then I stopped, I didn’t sing anymore I just listened and I heard something amazing. For a few moments I thought I was hearing not the song of heaven that the seraphim sing, but the song of earth sung by the redeemed. As I stood and listened it was as if 1,000 children ransomed by Jesus were telling each other, “He loves us! He loves us! He loves us! He loves us!” The song was for God but it felt as if it was being sung to each other and God was pleased with it. I felt undone for a moment, I know that Jesus loves me, Scripture tells me it is true, His Spirit within me tells me it is true, I even tell myself when doubt creeps in; but that night, for that moment we told each other and it was precious.

At this moment in time and outside of time the seraphim are singing around God’s throne to each other, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” They sing of what they see and what they know, their relationship with God is built on His holiness. My prayer today is that we would sing the song of the redeemed, not merely to God but to each other. In all that we endure, in all that we experience, in all that we receive and in all that we wait for; may we sing to each other what we are sure of, what we have tasted and seen. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.” Love is not coming, it is not going to be proved later; it is settled, it is secure, it is perfect and it is everlasting. May we sing to God, may we sing to ourselves and most of all, may we sing to each other, “He loves us!”

Community Worship Night: Friday, August 13th

Abie — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:52:23 +0000

This Friday night, August 13th, is our next Community Worship Night. We will be meeting at the Knights of Columbus, located at 366 East Broad Street at 7:00 for a time of corporate worship. Please come out and bring a friend with you to enjoy God’s presence and hear His heart for us and our community