Aug
12
Good news on the refuge front. As our regulars know, I’ve been on the fence (to say the least) regarding the future of this blog.
On August 23, Protestant Knight will take over refuge.
This is not goodbye, as I have some unfinished business to post before then, and Carole and I obviously want to say goodbye to our friends here.
It’s a beautiful thing…
So glad this means transition but not goodbye! Blessings and kudos to you & Carole. Thanks to PK for taking over (again)….
I hope you get to become one of the regulars here and not fade into the sunset.
Also, PK and PD will do a fantastic job at the helm here.
Jim, We have never met, but you and your wife helped me tremendously in regaining my freedom in Christ. Love you guys and pray that The Lord’s blessings will continue to manifest in your lives!!!
Thank you, thank you for all you’ve done for us by facilitating this blog. You’ve helped more lives than you can imagine.
God bless you as you join Him in a new season!
but yeah, I hope you AND CAROLE will pop in sometimes!
Jim:
While I am counting on you for mentorship, advice, prayer and ongoing comments here at the ‘fuge, I do know that you and Carole need to step back from it, and in your words, “be released.”
Know that what you leave behind are hundreds, dare I say potentially thousands of grateful folks like me whose scales have fallen from their eyes. God used your public blog to address a personal situation and transformed it into one that has helped heal many. Far from being the divisive instrument many have characterized it to be, sgmrefuge.com has indeed been a refuge, a shelter from the storms caused and perpetuated by Sovereign Grace Ministries and its affiliations. Again and again you and Carole have directed people to Christ, and not a personal fan club for selfish gain. You serve God instead of man. Your hours of counsel and support in my life, not to mention countless others, was done selflessly and without the cloud of pretentious nonsense so prevalent in today’s church.
You had some very hard things to say to me at times, and I am grateful for it. I also appreciate your vote of confidence in me again and again, through many storms on and off the blogs.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
All my love to you and Carole.
In Christ because of Christ,
–Protestant Knight
Beautifully said, PK. So beautifully said. Nearly brought tears to this little birdie’s eyes. You can count on my support and prayers as you enter the challenging world of blog hosting.
Thanks Jim and Carole-fellow golden lovers!
You’ve helped our family in ways too numerous to count!
God Bless You,
The Davis Fam
Kudos to Jim and Carole!!! Job well done!
At your service PK and PD —
Thanks, Brother and Carole.
(That was my gift of brevity to you guys.)
Jim and Carole,
I have never blogged here before but I have read for 18 months - before and after coming out of a SGM church. Thank you for being truly humble that you might be used by God as He sets captives free. I was one of them. God has greatly used your faithfulness and ability to clearly communicate truth in my life. Funny how although I have never met you, I will never forget you.
God bless you, bless you, both.
And God bless you PK for the work that He calls you to. May He always be your Strength.
Jim and Carole,
For a season, in sgmville, there was a phrase we used: “For such a time as this……”
Indeed, we surely know that God raised up a couple who would be vessels to shatter the
facade of sgm. As many of us who have experienced religous scales falling from our eyes and hearts know — all is not what it seems in sg ministries. Mauled and broken sheep at the hands of some sgm “shepherds” and top leadership is a shameful blight on the Body of Christ. Thankyou for your obedience and willingness to crack open the door to what goes on behind closed doors of corporate sgm. You are Joshuas! Our family is ever grateful to you for your interractions and advocacy for righteousness on our behalf. We are honored to have “walked ” with you for this season. May the Lord continue to bring about His purposes in your lives as you behold Him more and more……….. Waters & Family
And PK— Thankyou for stepping in—I know we join the crew in saying, we are thankful for your position at the helm!
Jim and Carole – Great news. Wondered how long you could keep this and your sanity going.
Gonna have to hang out over a beer sometime – and a huge plate of Dixie Crossroad’s Rock Shrimp.
Jim,
Thanks for all your hard work so far. I’m looking forward to enjoying the coming conversations with you & Carole being a part from time to time.
If you satay away too long. I’ll miss ya and have to come down to FL to hunt you down and schmooze you with a bottle of Sangria.
Love ya bro, and you too sis!).
PK!
I was (Quietly) hoping you’d take the reigns here.
My invite for you to come and visit up here in CO stands.
(I have internet here, ya know.)
Looking forward to where God want;s to take the ‘fuge.
~Defender
Jim and Carole,
May God infuse you both with a fresh wind of His Presence. You all have been a blessing to many here and those who watch and read- but have never posted. You are passing the blog into good hands. I know it is God’s grace that has gotten you both this far. Now stay away for a while, enjoy your wife, and trust God will finish what He has started.
God bless you both!
PK … welcome and serve God well!
Everyone:
Thanks for the kind words, the encouragement, and warm welcomes.
–pk
To “Let My People Go”— I’d just like to say– thankyou for posting— your sharing is so very encouraging as it probably represents a large number of people who are reading…digesting…….pondering……and becoming ‘awakened’ by the Light of Truth
brought through this blog. So glad you have experienced being set free,and we pray many more will shake off the chains of sin management into knowing the One Who is the
Resurrection and the Life. ——
Be blessed in the strength of the unfailing love of the Lord…………..
Hello this is needin hope here back from some much needed r&r. Now I need some r&r to recoup from the r&r!!!
We had a blessed time with family a much needed time to regroup with the kids and spend time with the Lord away from all the distractions.
I had time to pray about the decisions that are needed to bring peace and stability back to life.
I want to thank Jim and Carole again for this blog. It is a needed resource for those who want to test the waters and be able to seek answers to questions that have weighed on the hearts and minds of brothers and sisters who haven’t known where to turn and fear being found out. This is true in my situation. It helps to know you aren’t alone.
May our God bless you in the next season of your life; you are well loved here by all the relationships that have been born out of this site. God is glorified here, one day you will here “well done my good and faithful servants.”
I am appreciative for all the efforts being made to keep the site up and running. PK you are awesome and I love reading your posts. May God bless and lead you in this undertaking.
Have a blessed Sunday everyone!
Waters – thank you for your thoughts – now I am the one who is encouraged. I especially appreciated your choice of words…”sin management”…..perhaps other brothers and sisters here have referred to it as such but it is the first time that I have “heard” it. It is a profoundly accurate description of the focus of teaching on sin at my particular SGM church. So well said. Once again, the clarity that the Holy Spirit brings me through this site is lifegiving.
Needin Hope– Glad to see “see” you — I tried to welcome you when you first posted but couldnot get into the “My Story” page — anyhoo… Good to hear of your R&R with family and the Lord…He really does order our footsteps as He shines His Lamp before our path!
Let my People Go— Yes, the term ‘sin management’ has been used here as a descriptive focus of sgm lifestyle. Funny, very early this morning I was thinking of the term again. And I realized — when one is focusing on managing sin and always seeking to “kill” it—and the leaders are focused likewise AND focusing on correcting and causing the saints to constantly be aware of their own worm state; and then the leaders morph into the authoritarian “make it happen” and make sure you have the correct submissive response and hatred of sin……… no wonder there is little room for Holy Spirit to Do HIS work of sanctification……..no wonder the leaders and people have little discernment and sensitivity to FIRST lean into and listen to the Lords guidance. — As has been discussed on this forum, “sin management” returns the Believer back into the Law. And the Law, we learn throughout the New Testament, is impossible to keep. Its religous. And it doesnot bring life (Jesus called the Pharisees “white-washed TOMBS”).
In regards to the above, a friend stated: ” I am no longer a sinner trying to be righteous,but now I am as different from the way I used to be as a tiger is from a tiger lily.”—-
Being changed, from the inside out, because the incorruptible seed of the Living Word, Jesus, resides within. Sanctification is a beautiful msytery– for it is a work done by Holy Spirit, as HE changes us, “from glory to glory… into the image of Christ.”
Our part??? To keep our eyes on Jesus (not preoccupation of sin & behavior).
To be filled with His Word (not books from the sgm table).
To spend time with Him, hearing Him and speaking with Him—knowing the authority and love of His Voice ( not submitting ourself to a ‘pastor’ who deems himself to be “standing in the very stead of God” authority).
One of my favorite descriptions Jesus gave of Himself is “IAM the Resurrection and the Life.” Life. In Him. For Him. So glorious!
Dear Waters,
When I think of “waters” I get a word picture of peaceful water that is soothing and gentle. The words you posted today are just that… soothing and gentle. Thank you, thank you. It articulated beautifully what I couldn’t seem to put into words.
AMEN!
PK,
We (Defended & I) love your new avatar.
Kinda reminds me of wanting to keep promises or something like that.
;>}
Well, thankyou for the encouragement, “Needin Hope”, “Let My People Go” – it is good to walk in the Light of His Word, yes?–
In all of our trials and turns in the road as we journey with the Lord,
we can proclaim with the psalmist:
“This is my comfort in my affliction,
That Your WORD has revived me.” (PS 119:50)
– Jesus is the Living Word——-and He is always bringing about Redemptive Life—
Praying the Lords Peace upon His own………….
Hey Jim and Carole,
Like so many others above, owe you guys a whole heap of thanks for your encouragement and timely intervention to bring a God-glorifying resolution to the situation with me over here in the UK.
Thanks to you and your prayers I had the meeting with the SG pastors and all was resolved COMPLETELY and things are far far better with my family too
So please do know that your ministry here has been much appreciated and valued.
Love in Him,
Dan
DAN — YAYYYYY GOD!! Jim and Carole — you are ahmahzing. Thank you.,
Dan, wooo hooo! Dan, what great news. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Dan—- Sooooooooo great to hear!!! Blessings to you and your family!
Jim & Carole
I also want to echo what others have said about their appreciation for what you have both done here with the blog. I am glad that God has used this to start reform or at least questioning and exposure of what has been going on at SGM. Hopefully reform and change will continue there.
PK
Let me know if I can help you and thanks for picking this up.
Dan, sooooooo glad to hear your good news! Thank you, Jesus!
Dan,
Thank you for letting us know!
Rejoicing with you.
Praising God with you Dan. I’m so glad there has been some healing for you.
Jim and Carole, THANK YOU so much for hosting this site and responding to personal emails. It’s been a while since I’ve been on here, but everytime I am blessed beyond belief and experiencing more healing!
Enjoy the weight being lifted and thanks for hanging in there. I have no idea how you guys managed. Well, ok, I do and I’m thankful that the Holy Spirit enabled and empowered you to carry out this important work!
PK, thanks for taking up the reigns and being a light for those coming out and continuing to call for reform.