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  • 4 hours ago
    Posted by Dion Todd
    "Don't be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you." Isaiah 43:1'2 WEB...
  • The Day of Small Things from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. As with many of my messages, this was a word for me, but I will share it with you as I found it encouraging. I have been building a new social media website for Refreshing Hope behind the scenes for months. It is a massive undertak...
  • Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place where he was about to come. Then he said to them, "The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send ou...
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Amazing Grace

  • Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5 WEB

    A friend of mine stopped by my house one day and asked me to ride to town with him. We played music together on the weekends, he was a drummer and I played bass guitar. I was not much of a believer at the time, but he would tell me about Jesus and the Holy Spirit and would invite me to church with him, all while smoking a joint. He was an humble person and never looked down on anyone, but my did he love the drugs. He often grew his own. Though I didn't really care for drugs, nor Jesus, I rode with him to town because he was my friend.

    He drove an old mid 70s Camaro with missing hubcaps, the exhaust pipes dragged under it when you hit a bump, and it was hand painted using a brush and a roller with house paint. There was a knife stabbed in the dash with an FM converter hanging from it by a shoestring. His driver's license had been suspended, he had no insurance, and an illegal tag. Yea, those were the days of young and dumb...

    When we started back home and reached the outskirts of town, we ran into the biggest pack of police cars that I had ever seen. There must have been at least eight state troopers parked on the sides of the road and they were just setting up a road check. As we approached, a policeman started walking out into the road to stop us and my heart sank. I knew that my friend here was going to jail for a long time and I could see a big bag of drugs sticking out from under my floor mat as well. This was going to be hard to explain.

    We were the first car that arrived at the road check, and man had they hit the jackpot. Then we got about 50 feet away and suddenly the policeman waved us on past, then stopped the car directly behind us. It was a moment right out of Star Wars: 'These are not the ones that we are looking for' when really, we were exactly what they were looking for. We drove on home uneventfully.

    I could hardly believe it. I talked with my friend and his motto was 'Never judge anyone.' He took judge not and you shall not be judged literally. It certainly seemed to work for him. He had great grace on his life. In fact, he later painted that on the gas tank of his motorcycle: 'Great Grace.'

    Grace is the unmerited, unearned, undeserved favor of God. Even though I was not really a believer at the time, I learned that having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus is priceless, anytime, anywhere. I am not saying that any of this was right, most of it was certainly wrong and I was just a passenger. I don't do drugs and my car is insured. I am just telling you what happened. That brother loved God dearly, served God just as he was, where he was, and God took care of him. The moral of the story is this: 'You don't have to perfect to have a relationship with Jesus.'

    Prayer: Heavenly Father please forgive me for ever looking down on others and spare me from the seeds that my words have planted. Let me learn to walk in Your grace and mercy right where I am, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

    Note: Good morning! Thanks to all who participated in last night''s FAAD chat. A blessed time was had by all! For next week, the FAAD chat will take place at the same time (Wednesday from 7:30pm to 8:30pm EST), but will also be preceded by a new RHM Live mid-week worship service, which will be from 7-7:30pm EST! For timely announcements on the new service, you can sign up for email announcements by going to the Watch page and click on the "Keep Me Informed Via Email" link. Have a blessed Friday!

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Social Sharing

26 comments
  • 2
Christie Smith
Christie Smith

Thank you sharing this Story Pastor.  I too would be in the same situation as your friend and always spoke of our Lord, non the less His Grace would cover many events until He finally put the brakes on that.  God does Not look down on those with Sin but rather brings them to where He wants us in His time.  Today I am careful about my past, yet share openly in enviroments where someone can be lifted up.  Lord use us where needed and keep us Humble yet not ashamed to share to others. I ask this in Humility in Jesus Name

March 17, 2017
  • 3
Stacie Chambers-Franklin
Stacie Chambers-Franklin

Exactly!!! Praise God!!!

March 17, 2017
  • 3
Roseanne Braverman
Roseanne Braverman

Amen

March 17, 2017
  • 3
Jim Jarrell
Jim Jarrell

I think we can all say Amen to that!

March 17, 2017
  • 2
Deng Tembreza
Deng Tembreza

Amen

March 17, 2017
  • 3
Stacie Chambers-Franklin
Stacie Chambers-Franklin

Tears!!! And more tears!!! Glory to God!!! Such confirmations!!! God is sooooooo good!!!!! 

March 17, 2017
  • 2
Yvette York
Yvette York

Amen 

March 17, 2017
  • 2
Schalk  de Beer
Schalk de Beer

AMEN Lord Jesus. 

March 17, 2017
  • 2
Kay Collinsworth
Kay Collinsworth

Amen and praise God!

March 17, 2017
  • 3
Mari Kaufmann
Mari Kaufmann

God protect my Grandson amen. 

March 17, 2017
  • 2
Jeannette Ortiz
Jeannette Ortiz

amen

March 17, 2017
  • 3
Roseanne Braverman
Roseanne Braverman

My friend Laury used to say 'God watches over drunks and fools'.

March 17, 2017
  • 4
Jim Jarrell
Jim Jarrell

Just for the record, I know the guy in this story, and in some ways he is still the same way. He does love God and trusts Him in all that he does and God certianly seems to honor him in his walk through life. Being perfect is not a preregosit, faith in the Living God is. Today just try believeing and submitting to His will and see how your day goes!

March 17, 2017
  • 1
Christie Smith
Christie Smith

Will do.  Progress, not Perfection.

March 18, 2017
  • 3
Carol Pady
Carol Padyedited: March 17, 2017

Amen. Just as we are , He takes us and begins to change us. Some of us need a lot more changing than others. I know this because I needed a lot of changing.

March 17, 2017
  • 3
Jim Jarrell
Jim Jarrell

Carol, I am preparing to do a series of teachings for the FADD group that may help you understand how that process works. I hope to make clear the process God has taken me through for over twenty years now. Some of us need a lot of changing, and God seems very patient in changing us!

March 17, 2017
  • 2
Marilyn DeJongh
Marilyn DeJongh

Perfect message for me this morning, Pastor Dion.  Thank you.

 

March 17, 2017
  • 1
Kevin J. Eck
Kevin J. Eck

Amen, Gods Grace is amazing, knowing that personally.

March 17, 2017
  • 1
Debbie Bible
Debbie Bible

This devotion is one of the things I love about this ministry. It's real life. It made me smile to think about some other ministries posting that someone who isn't perfect was given a break. Thanks!

March 17, 2017
  • 1
Diane Symborski✝
Diane Symborski✝

Amen!!         Thank you Pastor for todays devotion it was a close one but God loves your friend just the ay he is. Because he really loves the Lord. Amen <3

 

Prayer: Heavenly Father please forgive me for ever looking down on others and spare me from the seeds that my words have planted. Let me learn to walk in Your grace and mercy right where I am, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen and Amen. <3

March 17, 2017
  • 1
Wesley Paulus
Wesley Paulus

Amen! Pastors prayer, Heavenly Father please forgive me for ever looking down on others and spare me from the seeds that my words have planted. Let me learn to walk in Your Grace & Mercy right where I am, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray Amen!!

March 17, 2017
  • 1
Ida Ruth Rodriguez
Ida Ruth Rodriguez

Amen♡

March 18, 2017
  • 1
Ticardo Williams
Ticardo Williams

Lord have mercy.  Thanks Pastor Todd!

March 18, 2017
  • 1
Rosemary Marsh
Rosemary Marsh

Amen.Thank You Heavenly Father for your Grace and Mercy.Help me to see others as you see them,and help me to walk in your Grace and Mercy every day.Forgive me for the times I have not felt love and compassion towards someone.In The Name of Jesus Christ I pray.

March 18, 2017
  • 1
Loriann Riley
Loriann Riley

Amen 

March 18, 2017
  • 1
Cheryl Hepler
Cheryl Hepler

WOW...That was a loaded story.....And Jesus was on it!  Incredible Grace!

March 24, 2017