Author: Bryan Gibson

Weekly Bulletin
June 11, 2017

God Is Our Refuge
by Bryan Gibson
Here’s a sampling of the many passages that offer this assurance. “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms…” (Deut. 33:27). “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalms 46:1). “…for my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by” (Psalms 57:1). “…and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler” (Psa. 91:4). “In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge” (Prov. 14:26).
Specifically, this “place of refuge” is found in our relationship to God through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 6:17-20), a relationship formed and maintained by faithful obedience (Matthew 7:24-27; 1 John 2:3-6).
This relationship offers a refuge from many harmful things, but especially from sin and its consequences—both in this life and in the life to come. What follows is just a partial list.
God is our refuge…
From substance abuse—by teaching us not to be brought under the control of anything (1 Corinthians 6:12), and by offering us far better ways to cope with the problems of this life.
From sexual immorality and all its consequences—by teaching us the sanctity of marriage (Hebrews 13:4); and by showing us that sexual relations outside this bond of marriage are sinful (1 Corinthians 6:13-20; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8).
From the perils of greed—by warning us about the love of money, by revealing its many temptations and snares, and by giving us a better set of priorities (see 1 Timothy 6:9-11).
From the fear of failure—by completely redefining prosperity and success (Matthew 20:26; 3 John 1:2).
From the rebellious spirit that clashes with authority—by replacing it with an attitude of submission to authority (1 Peter 2:13-3:12).
From the despair that comes from being unloved—by assuring us of His great love for us (Romans 8:35-39), and by surrounding us with brethren who would lay down their lives for us (1 John 3:16-18).
From the crippling effects of anxiety—by giving us the perfect prescription for the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:6-9).
From the self-serving attitude that destroys so many relationships—by teaching us to deny ourselves (Luke 9:23), to esteem others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:1-8).
From other poisonous attitudes like wrath, bitterness and envy—by replacing them with attitudes like self-control, gratitude, kindness, and tenderheartedness (Ephesians 4:31-32; James 3:13-18).
From the heartaches of this life—not by removing them, but by giving us sufficient grace to cope with them (2 Corinthians 12:9), and by promising something far better in the life to come (Revelation 21:4).
From the shackles of denominationalism—by teaching us a way that we can simply be Christians, serving Christ and Him alone, free from associations, conventions, or any other organization of churches beyond the local church (Ephesians 1:22-23; 5:23-24; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 5:1-4).
From the condemnation of sin—by assuring His children that if we repent and confess our wrongs, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all righteousness” (1 John 1:9).
From the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15)—by promising us that if we live and believe in Him, we will live again, that we will in fact live forever with Him (John 11:23-26; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
“I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust’” (Psalms 91:2).

Contact Information
	P.O. Box 680872 / Prattville, AL 36067
	(334) 365-5887 / (334) 868-0801
	prattmont@knology.net / prattmontchurchofchrist.org

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The Prattmont Church of Christ is just what the name suggests, a church that belongs to Christ. We are not a denomination; we are simply a group of Christians trying very hard to practice the teachings of our Head, Jesus Christ. The New Testament offers a complete pattern for what each local church should be like—its organization, its worship, its work, etc. We are committed to following that pattern. We cordially invite you to attend our services. We would also welcome any comments or questions about this bulletin.

TIMES OF SERVICES:
Sunday
Bible Study 9:00 A.M.
Worship 10:00 A.M.
Training Class 5:00 P.M.
Worship 6:00 P.M.
Wednesday:
Bible Study 7:00 P.M.