Refuge Church Ojai Valley

Living in the land of Glustony

Words like lust and gluttony sound like they come from long ago, but we live in a world that is soaked in both of them. Every day, every one of us is invited to indulge in both. As followers of Jesus we must be discipled well here. We must be discipled by Jesus and not tradition, popular opinion, or by what we feel. The prison of gluttony and lust is real and the only hope is found in Christ. #sermons #sermon #onlinechurch 

"I'm So Glad I'm Not Like _________" Pride and Humility

It doesn’t matter who you are, it's likely that you want to feel approved and accepted by someone or some group. It's hard wired into us as humans. For thousands of years and within thousands of cultures we have been trying to earn and prove our worthiness for approval and acceptance. When Jesus comes on the scene he solves the problem. He reveals our blindness, affirms our need, and then calls us to know an approval and acceptance that far surpases anything our minds or hands can come up with. 

He is in the Fire

What would inspire us to go against the comfort and norms of this world and choose the fire instead? This week, is an important message for the life of Refuge Church as we look at what it looks like to worship the one true God. We see how the fire refines us, and ultimately causes us to find the greatest HOPE in the one who is more than able. #trials #faith 

Standing Room Only

There are several times in the New Testament where Jesus gathers such a crowd that it is literally "Standing Room Only". Today, our guest speaker, Conor Le Blanc from Real Life Church, explores an epic story from Luke 5 and talks about what it looks like when we step out in faith to pursue Jesus at all costs. 

Will Anyone Hear This? (Greed vs. Generosity)

Jesus wants to talk to us about our greed but we never want to listen. It's almost certain that you don’t think you are greedy. Most people don’t. We compare our lives to those who have more than we do and we convince ourselves that its ok if we want more. We also compare our level of generosity to those who are less generous than us and are convinced that we are generous people. Thankfully Jesus doesn’t let us just stay in our blindness. He shows us the emptiness that is found in greed and the truth that we were both created and saved out of God’s generosity. 

Envy Steals, Kills and Destroys; But Jesus Has a Plan

When sin is normal, no one thinks it's sin. When everyone does it, it's the people who abstain who look strange; but that doesn’t mean sin is still not wrecking lives. Our world loves to envy and we don’t think much about it. But envy is destroying lives and crippling our ablity to relate to one another. So where is the hope? How can Jesus and a few of his peculiar people bring life?

Peculiar People: "Salt and Wrath"

Christians are supposed to look different than any culture they find themselves in. Jesus said they are supposed to be the salt of the earth. They are supposed to bring a flavor and a value that changes everything. So, how does that happen? We live in a angry, wrathful, rage filled world; is it even possible to be salt in the midst of wrath? 
 
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What Did Your Name Used to Be?

We go through our life with a few names. Names that were given to us a birth, nicknames that friends or family offered, and names we may not tell others but that we give ourselves. Some names we embrace and others we despise. But for every follower of Jesus there is a new name. That new name holds a reality and a future that looks nothing like our old names. The question is will we leave our old names behind and let him usher into the people he has created us to be. #identity #faith #giftsoffaith #Jesus #followingjesus

Hometown: The 5 Essentials

When God brought the first Christians together in the book of Acts there were five specific ways they “lived” out their new faith. But what about today? Is it different now? How do we actually live out our faith through our everyday lives?
 
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Hometown: Sent to our Hometown

What if God really means what he says? Jesus says some crazy things that sound good, but do we really believe him? If we do it means we have a huge part to play in his plan to redeem, restore, and make all things new. So how do we do it? How do we live as people who are his and ready to follow him anywhere? This week we dive headfirst into that question and see where Jesus sends us! #sermon #ojai #mission #greatcommission