The Rock of Refuge Tabernacle Blog

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” ~Psalm 34:18-19            

“I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” ~Psalm 34:4 

“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.” ~Psalm 34:6  

          All afflictions, all fears, and all troubles the Lord will deliver you from. Not a few or just some, but all of them He will deliver you from. Just cry out to Him. 

          The brokenhearted who is crushed in spirit will be comforted by His tender mercies. He who is anxious and afraid will receive a spirit of power and will know the peace of God in Christ Jesus that guards the heart and mind. The man who humbles himself, knowing he cannot save himself, will see the richness of God’s grace as He saves him from all his troubles, making a way where there seems to be no way.

          Beloved, think not that the Lord cannot see or hear you. Let not your heart say that He has no affection toward you; for His loving kindness endures forever, and you are under the shadow of His might in Christ Jesus. The Word has declared that many are the afflictions of the righteous. We do not always know why we are tried so, but we can trust that He will deliver us from them all. 

          Whether your spirit is crushed because of the past or by something present, He will come to you; and He will comfort you in them all. For the Lord knows the beginning to the end, He will restore your soul and mend your heart. Be patient, beloved, as He works in you each new day. 

          Seek Him even in your fear, beloved. Cry out to Him while you are in your troubles; for the Lord will answer you, and He will deliver you. Seek Him now, against all hope. Hope in God. Let not your troubles persuade you of the outcome, but be persuaded by God and His promises. Instead of being moved by brokenness, fear, and trouble, be moved by His word to faith, peace, perseverance, and joy, knowing that He sees you and hears you. He is Christ the Savior, and for His own He will not withhold any good thing. In His wisdom and love, God will work all things for the good of those who love Him. Trust the Lord, beloved, for He will deliver you from all affliction, fear, and trouble. 

          In Christ alone is our salvation. 

          Pastor Wight 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org

“The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” ~Psalm 147:2-3  

          The Psalmist attributed the work of restoration to God, praising Him for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the healing of His people. For those who love His appearing and yearn for the fires of revival, let us take this truth into prayer and seek the face of Him who can rebuild His church and bind up their wounds. 

          Come to the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that we, too, shall find help in our time of need. The Lord who rebuilt Jerusalem will bring revival to this church age. The Lord is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him; so seek, knock, and ask. The rebuilder of broken walls will come and close all breaches, fortifying that which was weak, so now it may be strong by His own hand. 

          God is building His church in these last days, for He is coming for a glorious church without spot or wrinkle, a church clothed in His righteousness and walking in holiness, separated from this world and empowered by His Spirit. This is the church of Jesus Christ, of which He is the head. 

          Beloved, God is not only restoring His church as a whole, but He is mending each life within His body. Today God in His love wants to heal your broken heart. He desires to bind up your wounds and calm all your fears. Take this promise to heart today, and do not think it does not apply to you. Grab hold of His garment, believing that you will be made whole in your heart. Cast all your cares upon Him, for it was He who first cared for you, enabling you to come to Him. 

          There are many reasons why we might be brokenhearted, and God will bind up each and every wound. One such brokenness is that of the outcast. Thankfully, the Word declares God is the gatherer of the outcasts of Israel. He knows those who are His, and He calls them by name. The sheep know their Shepherd’s voice, the one to whom they belong. No one or nothing can separate them from His love in Christ Jesus. 

          Beloved, many of God’s true people were considered the outcasts. The prophets were despised in their day. Many of the patriarchs chose to suffer and wander, for they refused to be a part of this world or of any apostate people. Jesus was rejected and was not esteemed by men. Be careful then, beloved, by whom you are accepted and whose approval you desire. Only the Lord can validate a life. 

          It is better to be an outcast to men and to be gathered to God. Many of God’s saints know the lonely garden of prayer as their Savior did. They are those who sit before the Lord in quietness and seclusion. Many of God’s convictions will cause you to be an outcast, even within the church; but therein lies the test. Will you choose to be accepted by man or by God? 

          Beloved, if you find yourself walking alone today because of the cross the Lord laid upon you, be not dismayed. Choose to die to self so that you may live through Christ. If the carnal who claim to be the “in” thing in church reject you and persecute you, know that they did the same thing to the prophets before you. Jesus Himself endured such opposition from sinful man and was without sin. He is your example, and He is your companion. 

          The Lord gathers the outcast and heals their broken hearts, binding up all their wounds. This is your promise today, beloved. He has gathered you to Himself, for you have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying. So you follow, no matter the cost. As each price is paid, in every sacrifice, and through the opposition of man, He heals you and binds every wound, always bringing you ever closer to Himself, for in Him is your reward. Be comforted by His gathering you to Himself. 

          Christ alone is our reward. 

          Pastor Wight 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org

“The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days.” ~Isaiah 30:26  

          God was encouraging His people about a new day of restoration. They would no longer be in judgment and grief, but in the time of renewal and deliverance. God compares this restoration to a bright new day, a bright day of joy and peace. Where there were darkness and despair, there is now the brightness of God’s favor. The favor of God would be so great and comforting it would be as if the moon shone as brightly as the sun. The compassion and mercy of the Lord would be so overwhelming it would be like the sun being seven times brighter.  

          The Lord God is the Almighty One, and what He does He does in might. Mighty are His acts towards His children. God is mighty in love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy. Let us praise Him for all His many blessings; and let us take comfort if we find ourselves in a dark day, for the bright day of the Lord is coming. 

          Beloved, take heart this day if you feel the darkness of despair and discouragement. Do not give into the clouds of perplexity. Do not be overcome with the waves of sorrow, for all these things shall pass. 

          Each perplexity will give way to the answer and wisdom of God given to you. Every cause of despair will be overcome by the brightness of the Lord’s day. Each sorrow will be comforted in the warmth of His great love, and all sorrow shall flee away. 

          Beloved, it will not just be the fact that God has a new day that will console you, but the magnitude in which the Lord will touch you. The day of the Lord’s restoration is good news; but when He tells us that the day will shine as if the moon were the sun, He is talking about the degree of His blessing and comfort. Who has ever seen the moon at its brightest ever shine as the sun? No one, but that is how the day of the Lord’s healing will be. He will overwhelm you with His favor and goodness. Who has ever seen the sun seven times brighter? No one, but it shall be like that when the Lord God Almighty breaks through for you on your behalf. 

          Faint not, beloved; for the day of the Lord’s blessing will break forth into your life as the dawning of the sun in seven times its intensity. Even in a dark hour, the moon will shine like the sun; for the God of all comfort will be with you and see you through. Take heart, beloved, for the moon will shine like unto the sun, and all that is dark will be driven away. 

          In Christ alone. 

          Pastor Wight 

Scripture quotation taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org

“Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” ~Revelation 3:8 

             Behold, beloved, He who opens what no one can shut and shuts what no one can open has made an open way for you to enter His kingdom and to be used for His purposes. In Christ you gain access into the kingdom of God, and by Christ you cannot be kept out. You are His body, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against you. All the promises of God are yea and amen in Christ, so nothing can separate you from His love and blessings. 

          May we not consider this promise for the Philadelphia church only or keep from trusting the sovereign God with all areas of our lives. Have you ever felt forgotten? Maybe it seems others are going on ahead of you, that others seem to have more of the blessings of God in their lives. Things just don’t seem to be coming together for you. You feel if you only tried harder, did more, or knew the right people things would be a lot better right now. The regrets of the past now loom larger than ever and seem inescapable. The consequences have come to rest. 

          Beloved, why did God put an open door before them? Because you have a little power. No one was going to be able to shut the door because Christ was going to hold it open, for He knew how little their strength was. Do you honestly think your past failures can keep the present blessings of God out of your life? Has He forgiven you? Is Jesus the Lord of your life and can He not keep you even in the midst of consequences? Yes, He can, for if God be for you, who can be against you? It’s not strength you need; it’s faith. 

          You believe that all your sins have been forgiven and that God loves you and will call you home one day. You believe that the Spirit of God gives you power for each new day to walk before God in victory. Why will you not believe Him to take care of all your earthly needs as well? The same God who has touched your soul can also touch your heart. If the penalty of sin has been taken care of, certainly He cares for your emotional needs. Every area in which you may feel weak or shut out, God Himself will be your strength and open what is of His will in such a way that no one else can close it. If God is truly sovereign, then trust Him. 

          The Lord said because the church had little strength but did not deny His word and His name, He had put an open door before them. Beloved, trust in Him. Trust in the promises of His word. Build your life upon the word of God, and let the Spirit write it upon the tablets of your heart. Seek His face, and put your faith in who He is. Do not disbelieve the character and attributes of God. He is not a man that He should lie, beloved; He is Faithful and True. 

          Beloved, it comes to this: will you trust the providence of God for all of your life–all past, present, and future? Will you trust and rest in Him concerning all areas of your life? Will you completely belong to Him and let Him have absolute control? It is He Who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one can open. The Lord makes everything beautiful in His time, even your life. Trust Jesus. 

          In Christ alone is peace. 

          Pastor Wight 

Scripture quotation taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org

“My message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

          ~1 Corinthians 2:4,5              

“For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”

          ~1 Thessalonians 1:5 

          We may be mere men, but let us be carried along by the Holy Spirit in preaching the word of God. Whether one teaches or preaches the word of God, the source of unction and wisdom must be from the Holy Spirit. It does not matter if you stand before a congregation, a small group, or your own family; the only way to rightly divide the word of God is with the ability given by the Spirit. 

          You can certainly come in your own wisdom and charisma, but lasting fruit and true life transformation can only take place when the Spirit is confirming the word. Homiletic discipline can never replace the power and unction of the Spirit. He must accompany all true preaching. 

          The apostle’s message was not in the persuasive words of the wisdom of man, yet the church has resorted to such polished poets to try to expound the word rather than waiting on God for a messenger with holy unction. Is it possible, beloved, that some have never heard preaching as explained by Paul–preaching demonstrating power? Not demonstrative speakers who rely upon their own flesh, but priests and prophets having a God-given authority and are filled with His power. Has the church become so dull in its ability to hear what the Spirit is saying that it can no longer discern between Holy Spirit-led preaching and charisma? 

          Beloved, may our experience be that of the prophet Jeremiah. He could not keep silent, for the word was a flame upon his heart and a fire shut up in his bones. 

          Souls must not rest on the wisdom of man but on the power of God. What is needed in these last days is preachers who know what it is to be carried along by the Spirit in proclaiming God’s word, servants who deeply understand how dependent they are upon His unction and wisdom, listening from beginning to end to the still voice of God, and by His grace being able to say, “Thus says the Lord!” 

          We must wait upon Him until we receive power and then know what it is to walk in that power and preach in His power. Paul said, “You know what kind of man we proved to be among you.” What kind of man are you proving to be? Your personal life cannot be separated from your preaching. Either both will have power or both will be weak. Conviction and authority from God must be experienced in all your life, public and private. 

          Begin today to depend upon the Spirit’s strength to carry you along in sharing His word, not because you are lazy or unprepared, but because you have chosen to humble yourself beneath His mighty hand. Wait on Him for His message and anointing, trusting in His power to give the increase with the conviction that His word in His power will not return void, not because you were clever, but because the Spirit demonstrates Himself in and through you as you learn to yield to Him. 

          Let us pray that the gospel continues to come in power and in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit and that we have ears to hear and hearts to respond. 

          In Christ alone. 

          Pastor Wight 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org

“For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures…but when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.” ~Titus 3: 3-6

          We were all foolish once, but praise be to God who has saved us from such a deadly foolishness. We were fools in rebelling against God and persisting in the deadness of our sin. Like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand, we trusted in self and in what this world offered. We fulfilled various lusts thinking we were free; but in reality, we were foolishly enslaved with the penalty of death against us. 

          But then the goodness and love of God appeared unto us in Jesus. He saved us by His death and resurrection and not by our deeds. We were fools, and our works like filthy rags were never able to earn our acceptance before a just and holy God. 

          However, because of God’s mercy, we have been saved through Christ. He was holy and without sin, and so His death took our place. Now we are no longer dead fools, but we have received the wisdom of God in understanding what He did for us through the cross. Where those who are dead in sin see the cross as foolish, those who have come to life in Jesus see the wisdom and glory of God in the cross. 

          We have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, made alive unto God, and now call Him by name–Abba Father. The heart used to be rebellious and could not please God. It has now been made new and desires Him, longing to please the Lord, and finding the power to do so through the indwelling Holy Sprit. 

          Beloved, you are no longer foolish or enslaved. You are free in Christ Jesus and accepted, not by your merit, but by the grace and mercy of God. So let us pray this day that God would continue to spare us from our own foolish hearts. May we by the power of the Holy Spirit find the grace to continue to walk in freedom, never to be enslaved again to sin or the things of this world, fleeing the various lusts of the flesh, and running into the welcoming arms of our Savior who is able to keep us and give us the victory in Him. 

          Take heart, beloved, that God can save us from all our foolish ways. If you find this day that the difficulty you are in was brought about by your own foolishness, try no longer to free yourself. Turn to the kindness of God in humility and repentance. God will save you, not on the basis of your deeds, but according to His mercy. You may still suffer the consequences of your foolish ways, but you will be saved; so let us ask God to richly pour His Spirit upon us in Christ Jesus so that we might find new strength and wisdom for this day. 

          In Christ alone is our salvation. 

          Pastor Wight 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org

“They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace.” ~Jeremiah 6:14 

          When an illness is life threatening, no one wants a false diagnosis. The truth is what is sought and a specialist who knows the surest way to cure the disease. No matter if there be physical or emotional brokenness, the remedy is sought out until there is wholeness. Why should our soul be treated any differently? Although you may live with an ailment, no one can live in sin and not suffer the consequences now and the judgment to come. 

          Beloved, let us realize the severity of our sins and the reproach that is before our Lord. Sin and rebellion are what separate us from God. Who, then, can proclaim peace to those who are sowing to the flesh and who are entangled in sin? Who would want to be superficially healed, understanding the gravity of the condition? Too many of the Lord’s people have only superficial bandages over their brokenness. They wonder why they never experience lasting joy and victory. If the issues are not properly addressed,  how can one then be made whole?

          This is not what God intended for His people. It is for sin that Jesus bore the stripes that we might be healed spiritually. The word must come as the double-edged sword, cutting away the flesh and loosing us from the bondage of sin.

          “Circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit.” (Romans 2:29) This is what we need, beloved, the inner work of the Spirit of God upon our hearts.  We need His wise counsel cutting away the desires that are not of Him and the renewing of our minds that they be in conformity with the mind and will of God. Let us throw off the superficial bandages and seek the deep work of the Great Physician, exchanging our filthy rags of self-righteousness for the righteousness of Christ.

          Beloved, Christ has come to make you whole, to heal wandering hearts and all our diseases of sin. He has the power not only to heal your physical body; but more importantly, He can heal your soul. So dire is the condition that the Bible has declared that we are dead in our sins, but Christ has come that we might have eternal life. Who, then, would want superficial healing when God has promised to make us whole? 

          Beloved, come to God today in humility, yielding to the work of the Holy Spirit, so that you might be made whole. Only then will you be able to live in victory and experience the joy and peace of God. 

          In Christ alone are your healing and deliverance. 

          Pastor Wight 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org

“For this is a rebellious people, false sons, sons who refuse to listen to the instruction of the Lord.” ~Isaiah 30:9         

“If any one loves Me, he will keep My word; and my Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words.” ~John 14:23,24 

“You are My friends if you do what I command you.” ~John 15:14 

          Beloved, we demonstrate our love for God by how we desire His word and keep it as hidden treasure within our hearts. By not listening to the instruction of the Lord, we prove ourselves to be false children. 

          Every true child of God longs to be known as Enoch was, for he walked with God. Beloved, today you can walk with God by following His word. It can be to you sweeter than the honeycomb, or you can choose to see it as a burden and hold it in disdain. The scripture is very clear. A rebellious people are those who refuse to listen to the instructions of God. Such people prove themselves to be false sons. For those who thirst for it as a deer for the water brook, they are the Lord’s friends. 

          How closely then we should listen to the word of the Lord. It is to be followed as commands and not suggestions. The word is to be applied to our lives daily. The word is the light that diagnoses the heart, revealing unto us the instructions of God, so that we may be made whole and walk uprightly before Him. 

          Jesus said if we love Him, then we will keep His commands; and those who do will experience the love of the Father and have fellowship with Them. To not keep His commands is to not love Him and to forfeit God’s fellowship and, yes, even the love that is experienced by a child resting in the Father’s fellowship. 

          Beloved, it is true that God so loved the world that He sent His Son; but it is the one who shall believe in Him that shall not perish. It is the one who has taken God at His word and written it upon his heart so that he might not sin against Him. It is loving the Lord’s instruction and knowing His love, growing in the knowledge of it, and experiencing the height, the width , the depth, and the length of God’s love. The false son has no such experience. There is no such desire to hear the instruction and to be held accountable. There is no desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of God. 

          Those who long to be the friend of God seek His ways and ask that God give them the grace to walk in them, keeping the whole of God’s word with all their hearts. These are the sons and daughters of God, those who are led by His Spirit and call Him Father. 

          Love Him today, beloved, by keeping His word and serving God with all your heart. Be a follower of Jesus, love His commands, and He will call you friend, knowing that it is the Holy Spirit who will give you the power and grace to do so. Trust in what God has done for you and that He can keep you and enable you to walk before Him. 

          If we are to claim these promises of being the friend of Jesus and having fellowship with God, we must recognize the condition, and by grace see that it is fulfilled. The condition is to do as He commands. You can, beloved, by His help in grace through the power of His Spirit. See to it that His word is fulfilled in your life today, beloved, showing yourself a true child of God. 

          In Christ alone. 

          Pastor Wight 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org

“What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces! But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet.” ~Luke 7:25,26 

          Jesus was asking the crowd what they went out into the wilderness to see when they went to hear John the Baptist preach. Were they there for the reeds swaying in the breeze or to see a man in soft clothing? No, it was the word of God with authority that drew them. 

          Sadly, today the church has become as comfortable and easy as reeds blowing in the gentle breeze along the river. There are no words that cut to the quick like a double-edged sword or a stirring like the rush of a mighty wind filling people with the Spirit and fire. A comfortable gospel preached by those who do wear soft clothes and live in luxury fill one too many pulpits. How these so-called preachers of the prosperity gospel stand in stark contrast to the example of the servants of God recorded for us in scripture. 

          Not only have such teachers taken advantage of the sheep and led many astray by their greed,  but others feel the only thing the church can do is offer people everything the world does, using every worldly device to package and sell the gospel. Instead of true preaching in power and the Holy Spirit, we use whatever means necessary to get people in and keep them entertained. Have such lives truly been transformed by the power of God if the word has not been made alive to them by the Spirit?  How is it that the church has become experts in social and humanitarian services, yet still lacks the true love to tell people they need to be saved or they will be lost for all of eternity? Jesus did not come to make you happy. No, He came and died in your place that you may be holy, for without holiness no one will see God.

          Beloved, is the gospel practical? Yes, but its practicality can only change lives for eternity when the power of the gospel is evident through the Holy Spirit. There is a lot of practicality, but no demonstration of power. There are large crowds, but not many transformed lives. There are many willing to give out backpacks, but too few carrying their cross. Instead of men denying self, they promote self. The very thing we are to die to–the flesh–we are finding new ways to enable to live in church. 

          Beloved, are we to eat bugs, wear animal skins, and live in the wilderness to really be effective? No. We are not to be like this world, however; and we are to be filled with the Spirit. The word of God is what changes lives. God has always used His word through His servants to reach the hearts of men. We are told by God through Moses that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. This is what we need–God’s word. In some places the church has become everything except the place where God’s word is preached. Sadly, some have chosen a place of worship if it facilitates their needs rather than if the whole counsel of God is being preached. If you are compromising in hearing truth for comfort, you will suffer the consequences, just as he who will be judged for not preaching truth. 

          It is imperative, beloved, that in these last days you are feeding on the truth of God’s word and find yourself in a place where the word is preached without compromise. Let us pray that God would raise up prophet and priest, servants of the most High who will live above reproach and preach the gospel in power and in the Holy Spirit. 

          Jesus asked them, “What did you go out to see?” What was it that drew them there? What were they hearing? Beloved, why do you go to your church? What are you hearing? This is still an important question to ask oneself until the Lord returns. 

          In Christ alone. 

          Pastor Wight 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org

“Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.” ~Psalm 30:5  

          Sorrow and tears can last the whole night through; but just as the night gives way to the dawn, so must sorrow give way to the comfort we have in Christ. For the Lord thy God is the God of all comfort, the Prince of Peace, the mighty Counselor. 

          There are seasons in which we have an abundance of tears. Some are caused by our own doing, others are produced by the refiner’s fire and the chastening of a loving Father, and still others flow with the trials of life. No matter the origin of our tears, beloved, the Bible declares, “You will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13) 

          Whether through loss or trial, our grief flooded with tears still has a foundation on hope–not a false hope, but a true trust in the sovereign God. Beloved, your weeping does not have to lead to despair if you cast your care upon the One who has first cared for you. So much sorrow could be relieved if we would stop looking for comfort in others. There is only One true comforter; and although the Lord may utilize people in your life to encourage and console you, no one can ever fulfill His place as the Comforter. 

          You will not grieve as do the rest, and weeping will endure for the night. Notice, beloved, the scripture does not say you will never grieve. Your grief, however, will not be as one who has no hope. Hope in Jesus will cause you to believe that even though you are weeping, weeping has its end. That is not because there are no more tears to cry or because of utter hopelessness, but because shouts of joy have come. The morning of joy will come with all its sheaves of rejoicing. 

          Be still, beloved, for your song is coming. Your shout of joy and victory will fill your mouth, and all tears will be wiped away. God has heard your cry, all your tears have been gathered, and He will answer you. 

          “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes…” (Revelation 21:4) 

          In Christ alone. 

          Pastor Wight

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. www.lockman.org