refuge

Our Stronghold

/ pastorpete51 / 10 Comments

In case anyone hasn’t watched any television recently, we here in Florida are in for a doosie of a hurricane named Ian! So of course as we were finishing up our morning men’s prayer meeting the storm was central to our conversation. Just then my friend interrupted our small talk and suggested we turn to Psalm 46. This morning that passage took on a whole new meaning for us.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though tye earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. Psalm 46:1-2 NIV

Well we don’t have even one mountain in our whole state, but huge swaths of real estate are predicted to be under the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Some of us are evacuating inland, others stocking up on water and gas for their generators. But no matter where we decide to go we can rest assured that God is very present in this our troubled time.

Finding Refuge

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
Psalm 34:8 ESV

Storm shelters or at least a safe room are a must in North Texas where our son and his family live. They discovered this not long after their move there last year. One night as the rain was coming down and the winds suddenly picked up their cell phones went off warning them to take cover immediately. Ben, Deb and all five of our grand kiddos huddled together in the only room without windows in the center of their home. Fortunately the worst of the weather missed them, but it taught them an important lesson. Always be on the lookout for storms, and remember where to find shelter. Today’s verse puts together those thoughts in our our relationship with Jesus. Our Lord is with us and available, just like the safe room in our family’s house. They couldn’t rush out with 2 by 4’s, nails and plywood to build it after the warning came. It needed to be a familiar place they could find easily. When we daily taste and see the goodness and mercy of Jesus, we will know immediately and without asking, where to head when storm warnings light up our world and the wind is raging outside our door. Maybe you haven’t tasted and seen God’s goodness in a long time. Today is the perfect time to spend time with Him. Get to know Him so well that when the warnings come, there will be no panic or confusion. He longs to fill with calm assurance anyone who runs to Him for refuge. Today is your day to surrender to Jesus!

I was immensely blessed and in need of this new release fron Don Moen titled, Great is Your Mercy.” I pray that it ministers peace and mercy to you this morning. Have a blessed Sunday all.

Rainy Days

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

Did you ever have one of those days of constant rain? We get them a lot in Florida, in fact they call it, “Rainy season!” On those long wet and dreary days, I often have wondered where the birds go and what they could be doing while thunder rumbles and lightening is crashing down. I hope you enjoy my little answer in verse to that question. Have a blessed day everyone, even if it is raining again!

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. 
Psalm 57:1 ESV


Some days the hawk sits silently
While the thunder crashes round
And the sparrows flit into the barn
Where the chickens huddle down

The cranes stand in the rushes
In her house the blue bird sleeps
While the chickadees are twittering
In the thickets dark and deep

But eagle flies up to her nest
When she hears her children cry
And shelters them with wings so strong
While the rain is passing by

Can you and I do less than birds
Who know the place to hide
And fly to God our refuge strong
To rest safely by His side

Rainy Days by Peter Caligiuri © 2021 All rights reserved
Photo by Jou00e3o Cabral on Pexels.com