WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.880
Today, we are going to take a posture of peace by choosing the right refuge.

2
00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:13.040
Posture is a short, audible fist bump to remind you God is with you in everything.

3
00:00:13.600 --> 00:00:17.840
Together, we're going to be emboldened to take a daily posture of perfect peace.

4
00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:27.360
Okay, I'm going to be reading several scriptures today, starting in Psalm 62,

5
00:00:27.360 --> 00:00:30.560
verse 8. It says this about the Lord. It says,

6
00:00:30.560 --> 00:00:40.400
Trust in him at all times. Pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.

7
00:00:40.400 --> 00:00:46.880
And then in Psalm 91, verse 2, it says, I will say of the Lord. Some translations say,

8
00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:56.080
I will say to the Lord. He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.

9
00:00:56.640 --> 00:01:05.120
And then in Psalm 118, verses 8 and 9, it says, It is better to take refuge in the Lord

10
00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:13.680
than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

11
00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:22.000
Now, notice the strong connection of trust and refuge. Refuge being your safe place,

12
00:01:22.080 --> 00:01:29.120
the place you go to seek safety and protection. And Psalm 118 really highlights the truth that

13
00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:35.200
where we place our trust, that becomes our refuge. That becomes the place where we seek our safety

14
00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:41.440
and our protection and our defense. And the word here in the Hebrew for take refuge, I'm not going

15
00:01:41.440 --> 00:01:47.760
to even try to pronounce it in the Hebrew, but that word for take refuge means trust.

16
00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:53.280
And it's used in the following verses. Listen to this, Nahum 1.7, it says,

17
00:01:53.280 --> 00:02:02.800
The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble. And he knows those who trust in him

18
00:02:02.800 --> 00:02:10.240
or who take refuge in him. And then in 2 Samuel chapter 22, verse 3, it says,

19
00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:18.480
The Lord, I'm sorry, the God of my strength in whom I will trust or in whom I will take refuge

20
00:02:18.480 --> 00:02:25.680
in, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my Savior,

21
00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:34.400
you save me from violence. Now, the point is that every single one of us has a refuge because all

22
00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:40.800
of us are trusting in something or someone to be our safety, to be our protection, and to be our

23
00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:47.040
defense, especially in chaotic times and times of trouble. And, you know, some people take refuge

24
00:02:47.040 --> 00:02:53.360
in addictions. Some people will take refuge in their reputations. Some take refuge in their

25
00:02:53.360 --> 00:03:00.320
politicians. Some take refuge in their own knowledge and intelligence. You know, some

26
00:03:00.320 --> 00:03:07.360
have taken refuge or placed their trust in their own natural abilities or in their finances or in

27
00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:13.200
the identity or the titles or the platform or possessions that the world has given them.

28
00:03:14.160 --> 00:03:22.480
But not every refuge is longstanding. Not every refuge can withstand the storms of life

29
00:03:23.440 --> 00:03:30.080
or withstand the battles that we all will face in this life. But here's the beautiful good news.

30
00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:39.200
You get a choice. You get to decide where you will seek your refuge, where you will place your trust.

31
00:03:39.200 --> 00:03:46.240
No one does that for you. You decide. And the beautiful part about it all is that you have

32
00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:55.840
access to the refuge who will never fail, who can withstand every storm, every battle. It's a refuge

33
00:03:55.840 --> 00:04:05.760
who understands and knows and has the victory. You get to choose, so choose wisely. Proverbs 35 says,

34
00:04:05.840 --> 00:04:14.080
Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

35
00:04:15.440 --> 00:04:23.840
The promise of perfect peace is found in Isaiah 26 3. In Hebrew, it is shalom, shalom, meaning

36
00:04:23.840 --> 00:04:32.720
complete wholeness, nothing missing, nothing broken. This is who you are in Jesus because of Jesus.

37
00:04:33.520 --> 00:04:39.520
You are a living testimony of Jesus's ultimate win. With every step you take today,

38
00:04:39.520 --> 00:04:45.040
you're putting Jesus's victory on display and Satan's defeat on replay.