REFUGE KENOSHA

PURSUING EMPTINESS // Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

PLAYING PRETEND // Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

Many of us loved playing pretend as kids. How do we play pretend as adults? We pretend that our pursuits and acquisitions can fill the voids in our life. Today, Pastor Tom begins walking through the book Ecclesiastes, addressing the issue of how we are not made for this life, but made for life with God.

THE REASON FOR RESURRECTION // EASTER 2023

Why on earth did Jesus have to come, die a brutal death, and rise again in three days? Was that necessary? Pastor Tom looks at why the resurrection was necessary in order to offer people the opportunity to be reconciled to the God who formed them.

TRANSFORMATIONAL ASSURANCE PT 2 // 1 John 5:18-21

Sometimes assurance comes to us from the most unlikely places. As we close out our series on the book of 1 John, we will see that believers have access to bold assurance through their incompatibility with the world around them.

TRANSFORMATIONAL ASSURANCE PT 1 // 1 John 5:13-17

How can believer's know that they belong to Christ? Is there any value in having assurance? The short answer is yes, and this assurance will take your prayer life to a whole new level. Today, Pastor Tom will take us through 1 John 5:13-17.

WHEN GOD DEMANDS A VERDICT // 1 John 5:6-12

There is no shortage of opinions that we have access to. Social media influencers, news outlets, and blogs all produce their opinions as to what is right. However, have you considered that God has a point of view? The Bible describes Jesus as someone who testifies about the true of the world. As we dive into 1 John 5:6-12, we will look at what God's testimony is and how we should respond.
 

DEFINING VICTORY // 1 John 5:1-5

How would you describe a "win" in life? Does it depend on career advancement? Does it depend on financial well-being? Does it depend on romance? The Bible describes what true victory actually is. As we explore 1 John 5:1-5, we will see that victory is found where faith, love, and obedience meet.

WHICH WAY DOES LOVE GO? // 1 John 4:13-21

Is our love only allowed to be directed at one specific person or group? Can that love be separated from our love for God? As we look at 1 John 4:13-21, we will see that love is necessarily multi-directional, that it is first and foremost a reaction, and that in order to love God rightly, we must love one another.

WE MUST LOVE // 1 John 4:7-12

Love is no option for someone who follows Jesus--It is an absolute. must. Because God Himself is love, those that He saves have no choice but to become more like Him.  As we explore 1 John 4:7-12, we will see that because is the essence and giver of love, and that we are called to reflect His character.

TESTING THE SPIRITS // 1 John 4:1-6

Does everyone who claims to have Holy Spirit authority actually carry that authority? No...no they don't. The Apostle John was experiencing people who claimed that the Holy Spirit gave them new revelations, but their "revelations" were actually false. We are not to stifle the gifts of the Spirit, but we are also not called to blindly accept any spiritual claims. As we look at 1 John 4:1-6, we will see that truth demands persistence in resistance.