Study about the
Crown of Protection...
The Crown of Separation ...
The Crown of Insolence ...
The Crown of Lovingkindness and Crown of Tenderness ...
and the other crowns of the believers.
It's finally here! It's available on Amazon.
Kindle, too!
Read more about it in the post Seven Crowns of the Believers
I hope you will purchase the book, and let me know what you think! Give me your insights, discuss what you discover as you study the crowns. I hope to keep updating the book as time goes by so that many believers will know what, how, and why we have these rewards.
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Paul was very fond of using The Race as an analogy for the
Christian Lifestyle. To the Corinthians, he espoused this theme pointing to the
victor in the race receives a crown of corruption. That was a wreath of leaves
of laurel which soon withers. In fact the runner coveted the victory much more
than the crown. Paul immediately points out that believers’ crowns are
incorruptible, lasting forever, being the proof of victory in Christian living.
I have heard studies on “the five crowns” we receive, but there actually are more than five crowns. Believers have already received two of these crowns, which are worn daily.
Crown of Separation – the word is actually translated separation and is the Hebrew word nezer which means consecration, crown, or separation. Looking closely at Numbers 6:8 we see all the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD. It could also be termed our Crown of Holiness. We are of God. He has transformed us through Christ's blood sacrifice into a holy people.
In order to make the correlation between crown and separation, look at what the Hebrew word nezer means. It is translated crown and is used in describing the Nazarite. When we compare this verse with one written by Peter in the New Testament, we see something amazing. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a special people, a holy nation, priests and kings, a people given up completely to God, so that you may make clear the virtues of him who took you out of the dark into the light of heaven. Peter is talking about God setting us aside as peculiar people, special by divine design as well as divine purpose. The next crown we discover is just as intriguing and hard to identify.
I have heard studies on “the five crowns” we receive, but there actually are more than five crowns. Believers have already received two of these crowns, which are worn daily.
Crown of Separation – the word is actually translated separation and is the Hebrew word nezer which means consecration, crown, or separation. Looking closely at Numbers 6:8 we see all the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD. It could also be termed our Crown of Holiness. We are of God. He has transformed us through Christ's blood sacrifice into a holy people.
In order to make the correlation between crown and separation, look at what the Hebrew word nezer means. It is translated crown and is used in describing the Nazarite. When we compare this verse with one written by Peter in the New Testament, we see something amazing. 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a special people, a holy nation, priests and kings, a people given up completely to God, so that you may make clear the virtues of him who took you out of the dark into the light of heaven. Peter is talking about God setting us aside as peculiar people, special by divine design as well as divine purpose. The next crown we discover is just as intriguing and hard to identify.
Crown of Protection
is found in Psalm 5:12 translated surround. The Hebrew word
is âṭar and it is a primitive root meaning to encircle as for
attack or protection, especially to crown either figuratively or literally. The
verse reads, For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You
surround him with favor as with a shield. This verse tells us many things,
for one God is all powerful and it is He who is our protection which is a
blessing reserved for the righteous person. How assuring that promise is. The
Bible tells us there are several different kinds of this crown type.
Therefore, the first two crowns are ones that we receive immediately. Just as the Holy Spirit is our engagement ring so to speak – our seal of betrothal – He is also our shield of protection and our crown of holiness, separation from this world. He is our worldly dirt repellant and shield of grace.
Therefore, the first two crowns are ones that we receive immediately. Just as the Holy Spirit is our engagement ring so to speak – our seal of betrothal – He is also our shield of protection and our crown of holiness, separation from this world. He is our worldly dirt repellant and shield of grace.
Crown of Insolence is first mentioned in Isaiah 28:1. The Samaritans were thoroughly corrupted.
The derogatory term, Crown of Insolence, stems from how the Samaritans took great pride in the work of their own hands (much like Cain did with his offering of grain). They were drunk with their pride and drunk with the wine including all the attached evils that come with that kind of lifestyle. Yes. Believers can wear this crown especially when self becomes more important than pleasing the Father.
Crown of Incorruptibility – Is found in 1 Corinthians 9:25 And everyone who strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Then those truly that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. This could also be called the Crown of Victory. Just as the first two crowns, this crown is given to every Believer. It is the mark of finishing the race of Christian living which is victory over death and sin through Christ who achieved that victory for us. It is everlasting and will never tarnish eternally sparkling and shining reflecting the glory of Christ our king.
Crown of Rejoicing is found in 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 – For what is our hope or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are you not even to be in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy. The victor of the race had a crown as proof of his victory, Paul had the churches he had established, then supported with his letters and visits which reflected God’s glory and is a matter of much rejoicing. This crown is reserved for evangelists, missionaries, seekers of lost souls and those who bring the lost to Jesus to be saved. These do not seek glory for themselves, but consistently reflect God's glory and constantly give Him glory.
Crown of Righteousness is found in 2 Timothy 4:8 Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that Day; and not to me only, but also to all those who love His appearing. The Crown of Righteousness is given strictly to all who are saved because all who love Jesus’ coming are saved. Those who fear His coming or despise Him are not saved and will get the Lake of Fire, not this crown. The Crown of Righteousness will be worn into the 1,000 years of peace. Each person who believes God's testimony concerning His Son will receive this crown.
Crown of Life James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, because having been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. This is the crown that goes to those children of God who have endured the trials and temptations, learning the lessons God has set before them. Also see Rev 2:10 This is the crown that goes to those who endure many things and do not waver in their faith. Their faith has been tested and it has been proven Sincere. They love God, and they trust God. We all experience times when we suffer doubt or when we ask out loud, “Where is God?” That is not questioned here. The Crown of Life is the proof of surviving the trials, temptations and tribulations of life. Those that are common to man and those that are allowed by God in order to strengthen our Spiritual Muscles. If we did not suffer trials, our Spiritual muscles would be flabby and unable to support the skeleton of our faith. We must exercise our muscles for a healthy body and the same holds true for our souls.
Crown of Glory 1Peter 5:2 ...to the Elders... 2Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight, not by compulsion, but willingly; nor eagerly for base gain, but readily; 3 nor as exercising lordship over the ones allotted to you, but becoming examples of the flock. 4 And at the appearing of the Chief Shepherd, you will receive the never fading crown of glory. The Crown of Glory is reserved for those who are the backbone of the church, the elders, pastors, teachers and those who are above reproach in guiding the Bride of Christ. (See 1 Peter 5:1)
Here is the exhortation: We should always be working, using our gifts toward the edification of the body. When we set on a pew hatching nothing, then we will never receive this crown. However, when we utilize the gifts the Holy Spirit bestows upon us at the very instant we are saved then we can look forward to this crown.
What will we do with these crowns, all these rewards we receive? Rev 4:10 says that we will throw them at His feet and glorify Him. Our job here on earth is to labor and be ready for His glorious coming.
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Refreshment in Refuge
God works through His child’s problems and He will use situations to teach us eternal lessons about ourselves and our siblings in Christ. After the process, He leaves a much tenderized heart with no holes or hard, unyielding scar tissue which is conditional upon us being willing to let go of it and let God handle it. God is mightier than our feelings, and mightier than our fears. We must trust that God is entirely capable of finishing the work He has begun in His children. Therefore He gives us hope which is an absolute must for healthy living. Without hope, there is despair. Without hope there is depression. Without hope, faith cannot survive. Without hope, love gasps for breath.
Refreshment in Refuge is a unique collection of stories and Bible studies of a Christian woman who has struggled with those troubles which are common to mankind such as infidelity and divorce, co-dependence, unemployment, death of a loved one, rebellious child... With God she remained steadfast in a topsy-turvy world which isn’t easy to do. It's not the average non-fiction book; nor is it the average collection of short stories. The blend is radical, courageous, and straight from the heart.
Some of the stories include a little dog revived with rain, a desperate woman comforted by warm arms, an intimate look at Mary Magdalene’s thoughts the morning Christ arose, and a woman’s unselfish desire are illustrate living the Christian life. They demonstrate some extraordinary paradigm breaks and parallels in living as Christ would have His Bride live.
Sometimes everyday living creates a fog over our spiritual enlightenment, dulling our understanding and even our relationship with God. Other times, we get entangled in the worries and cares of the world. Christ’s light will guide us to clear thinking, and He will burn off that fog, just like sunshine. Refreshment in Refuge is a collection of stories and studies of how to make Christ the ruler of your heart, allowing the Son to dissipate the fog of trials and troubles that invade our lives on a daily basis.
I am so passionate about touching hearts that have been hurt and betrayed by others. I hope and pray that the lessons I’ve learned will make it much easier for another to walk through that valley of shadows. Gina Burgess, 2011
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What people are saying about
Refreshment in Refuge
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Want a beautiful way to start or end your day? Get this book and simply read a chapter or
two from it as you awaken or lay down to rest.
Also, it would be a great book to carry close to you when you have a
time to invest in your spiritual growth.
It transcends time. One
chapter will have you back in the heart of a scripture based story as if you
were inside the mind of the person as they witness the events unfolding before
them. Then Gina brings you to a modern
day struggle with the same flair for “putting you there.”
Below are a few key relevant
points concerning Gina’s book.
- Gina reminds us that God is mightier than our feelings and mightier than our fears.
- She creates a freshness of the truth, “that in Him is our greatest hope, for He most assuredly keeps His promises.”
- She states, and brings to life throughout her book, “one thing I have learned during my years with my beloved Lord God – there is no faith where there is no hope.”
- Her chapter – “Come Rejoice With Me” Won the Editors Choice Award, October 2010, Fiction Writers Platform
- It seems that her book was written with women in mind but as a man, I found it enjoyable and insightful.
- Gina repeats a mantra throughout her book, which is summed up in her words, “Our greatest lessons are learned in the storms of life so that our greatest purpose can be fulfilled on the other side of the storm.”
- She also reminds us, “. . . that Satan has no power except that which God allows, or that which we give. Knowing this we are forewarned and forearmed against an evil foe.”
This book is a winner! The
only sticking point I had with it was that, as a man, I struggled to identify
with some of the issues Gina addresses.
Refreshment in Refuge, by Gina Burgess is a devotional with meat on it’s bones. The book contains 40 readings, some with short stories followed by practical application, some the sharing of personal lessons learned. The theology is sound and the lessons are enlightening and uplifting. If you are interested in refreshing and strengthening your walk with God, this book can help.
The first story in the book gave me pause. It really isn’t very well written, however, the lesson it imparts is outstanding. Happily, the odd story structure is an anomaly and the book is quite easy to engage in. I happily recommend it as your next devotional.
Andi Newberry, author of Radiant Light--a nice slice of book reviews.
My Thoughts: This book was written by a fellow blogger, which is exciting! I found the book to be interesting in idea. Some of the passages were good. Yet, transitioning from one to the other were choppy and didn't flow.
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Amber French, author of Snidbits -- all about tibits of life with book reviews thrown in.
My thoughts: While Burgess does make some good points, I wasn't overly impressed with the book. She said a few things I don't agree with but we're all allowed to have our own opinion. I highlighted a few lines that spoke to me, thus making the book worth reading. I didn't feel there was much flow between sections - it seemed choppy to me. Overall, a decent read.________________________________
Carlybird's Home -- a great place for insightful Christian book reviews.
My review of Refreshment in Refuge:
Gina Burgess is a woman who has a heart for Christ. She has experienced a great deal of pain in her life, but after reading Refreshment in Refuge it is easy to see that she has also experienced a great deal of joy and grace in the Lord. In this book, Gina has put her life experiences and her observations on paper in an open an honest way and shows us through Scripture how she has been able to heal and she shows us the things that God has shown her that have brought her comfort.
I have always enjoyed reading memoirs, especially if the memoir is written by an average, everyday person like me; a person who experiences all of lives joys and sorrows. Refreshment in Refuge
is much more than just a memoir. It is indeed a very personal and very honest look at Gina’s life and her faith. I had the distinct feeling while I read this book that Gina’s heart was being poured out onto the pages, which not only gave the book a deeply personal feeling, but also a very real look at a very real woman - a woman who has a passion for sharing her faith in Jesus.
I also felt very much like she was speaking directly to me. Gina has a gift for communicating and ministering through her writing, a gift that I embraced from the very start of this book. I loved her honesty and her strong Christian message. There were many times when I felt uplifted, and amused, but also humbled and amazed by God’s grace. Refreshment in Refuge is one of those books that I don’t want to just read once and put it down. I want to refer back to it again and again because there is much to learn and I have enjoyed learning from Gina. I highly recommend adding Refreshment in Refuge to your collection. It is full of Godly wisdom and comfort.
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Brenda Casto -- author of WV Stitcher -- a wonderful collection of book reviews, the topic of reading, and stitching.
"Refreshment In Refuge" will do just that, it will refresh your spirit and remind you of God's unwavering love.
A compilation of short stories, from the authors own life experiences make this book very easy to relate to.You can easily feel the authors emotions as she shares her inspirational and uplifting stories of faith.
I found myself completely drawn into this book after reading the first story titled The Refreshing, in this story an owner of a garage thinks that he has run over his beloved family pet Alfie, and unable to bear taking the animal home to bury he places it in a dumpster. He worries all day about how he will break the news to his family, especially his daughters, so when he blurts out the news, and as the family mourns, the heavens open up and rain begins to fall, it was as if God was sharing in their grief. When the man arrives at his garage the next day, a neighbor of the body shop informs him that his dog has been barking in the dumpster, what joy the man must have felt, and what a celebration his family must have had that night. What Alfie needed was a little reviving. Sometimes as Christians we also need a little reviving.
Their is also a chapter titled 10 things a christian must know, and eleven things one cannot live without, that I have found myself referring to several times even after finishing the book. I think because of the straightforward, clear way this book is presented it would be perfect for Bible study groups, but individuals would also find it a useful study tool as well. I feel like it would also make a great gift for anyone who needs a little encouragement or spiritual "refreshing" in their life.
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