Recent Blog Entries
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Ripples from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. (Isaiah 55:10–11 NKJV) "For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that... -
For I, Yahweh your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, Don't be afraid; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13 WEBWe have a proverb we live by when performing live music: "If you hit a bad note, hit it good." Yes, it should be "hit it well," but that's the phrase I grew up hearing in South Carolin...
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Because he has set his love on me, therefore I will deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him, and honor him. I will satisfy him with long life, and show him my salvation.' Psalm 91...
Time in a Bottle
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For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hurries toward the end, and won't prove false. Though it takes time, wait for it; because it will surely come. It won't delay. Habakkuk 2:3 WEB
For the vision is for an appointed time. In other words, God has marked it on His calendar, and every hour that passes brings us closer to it. When the proper amount of time has elapsed, then the vision will come to pass.
When I was young, the Lord spoke to me and told me that one day, in His appointed time, that I would 'pioneer' new things in ministry, and that it would not always be easy for I would be clearing the path for others. At first, I was really excited and expected it to come soon. I worked in the day, went through Bible college at night, tried to make myself ready. Then I waited, and waited.
Time passed by, lots and lots of time, and when it did not happen, I eventually got on with my life. Over twenty years passed by as I worked daily in the computer field and various other jobs along the way. I forgot about ministry altogether thinking that I had either missed God, or somehow wrecked His plans for me.
Life happened. I learned and forgot, lost and found. In one year I lost my Dad, divorced, and had my computer business burn to the ground during an insurance lapse.
When I had graduated from Bible college years before, I felt that I knew lot about the Bible and had something to say. After those years in the desert, I felt completely empty, like I knew nothing, and the last place on earth that I needed to be was in ministry.
Then it happened. He squeezed us out of the computer business and after months without work, the week that we were packing to move out of our house, a door opened up. A local company put up an ad like 'Wanted: A creative arts pastor with strong computer skills. Must be able to maintain websites, perform video editing, and put together teachings.'
Well, we were hungry and I did have that degree that I had never done anything with, so I contacted them and told them I had graduated Bible college, I was ordained, had owned a computer business for twenty years, and have built a hundred websites. It almost sounded strange saying it, but God had prepared me for this, and now it was time.
Suddenly what I had long given up on, I was now living. There were times when I thought that He had forgotten about me, but all that time He was preparing me. When the time came, His word came to pass, and we are only at the beginning. The simple, but true stories that I share here each day, are the things that I learned along the way.
When the Lord puts a dream in your heart, hang on to it. There may be a span of time between the beginning and the fulfillment, but if you continue on with Him, and keep a positive attitude, it will come to pass. Don't get frustrated and take your anger out at God, because of what you feel is a delay. You will probably find out that what you are living, is simply part of the way.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me see the big picture. Speak to me in a simple way that I understand. Open my mind to understand Your word and light a fire in my heart to seek Your face like never before, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.> You can subscribe to our daily devotional here <
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This message could not have come at a better time.....I also was at the point of moving on and God brought back into my life a very important person. Praise God!
That is wonderful, Dominique, praise God <3!
Before my beloved husband died we were planning on moving to Florida. Unfortunately my wonderful conscientious daughter and mother of four decided to become ensnared in drugs and that ended our dream. I feel stuck watching my grandchildren. I know it sounds horrible of me and I pray daily and ask God to forgive me bc I know it's not their fault. I love them and it's not easy sometimes, 13 to 20 years old. My home is filled with family and love. My mom will be 90 on may 10. God provides and I am thankful. Perhaps my dream will come to fruition at some point. Only God knows. Amen.
God has something very special for you! In His timing He will bless you behond your understanding. He did not create you for nothing. Psalm 139 . Psalm 37:32-34. It is Gods work and He will fulfill it! I am going to be praying for you to put your life in His hand, He is a big God and can handle anything.
Thank you so much for your prayers. Amen
Lord, I lift up Mari to you and pray that you please bring her Your comfort, peace, wisdom and strength to do what is right in Your eyes for herself, her daughter and her grandkids. Please guide her clearly and bring people into her life who can help her in this journey, in the name of Jesus, amen <3!
Thank you. It's heartening to know someone is praying for us. Amen
It's hard at times but I try my best to wait patiently on the Lord for answered prayers and dreams fulfilled. Amen
Such a good devotion!
Amen Lord, I am waiting and I trust Your timing.
Amen, He works patience in us as we wait for Him to bring our visions and dreams to realities. I believe that only He knows when we are truly ready to fit into His plans. Though we may be eager, we are not ready. Then when He deems us ready He brings about opportunities to walk out His plan for our lives.
Amen, Carol <3!
Amen. "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life."
Amen, God in your time only, I am ready.
Good Morning! Whoa quite a ordeal!! Amazing what endurance can do! Sticktoavness, yep!! Funny I've got a issue, hum still laying.. So many years later! Now and than I wonder!! His the Master, we are the Children!!
I know you have certainly been through it, Mike! Praying His continued grace and strength, especially during times when you may feel down <3!
Amen, Amen. Praise be to God Almighty.
Praise the Lord!! Thank you for the encouragement!!
Praise the Lord! Thank you for this encouraging story. I don't think I really have a dream. The only thing I ever dreamed of was having a family & living in the country. Well God led me to my husband back in 1975 and we have two beautiful daughters (and now I have 2 beautiful grand-daughters). I have never been able to live in the country though. I am stuck here in Buffalo NY. I still dream about living in the country but, as I am 64 years old, I feel my dreams are only dreams for me. A good friend who died in 2015 kept telling me "God isn't finished with you yet" and I pray that is true. I don't know what the Lord wants me to do. I pray He will show me what He wants me to do and give me the wisdom to do it to His glory!
Amen♡
Amen!!
Thank you, Pastor Todd, for this encouraging message. This message gives me hope not to give up on my dream or give up on God.
Amen! Pastors prayer, Heavenly Father, help me see the big picture. Speak to me in a simple way that I understand. Open my mind to understand your word and light a fire in my heart to seek your face like never before, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray Amen!!
"Dreams and wishes" they are prayers for me. Waiting patiently O LORD GOD ALMIGHTY for all of them will come to pass in your own time and will. I am soon to be 65 years old but my dreams and wishes are still there. Waiting patiently for LORD GOD says HE is not finish with me yet. Praise and give thanks to our LORD GOD for great is HIS love towards us.
Looking back on events in my life I can definately see Gods hand in it all, but at the time I wasn't certain if He was there with me. Grief colours how you see things and numbed my feelings for a long time. Its so good to have people praying for you. It certainly is powerful and works. When you can't pray, they can stand in the gap for you and get you through. Thank you Lord for answered prayer.Amen.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me see the big picture. Speak to me in a simple way that I understand. Open my mind to understand Your word and light a fire in my heart to seek Your face like never before, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Pastor Dion, thank you for you devotion today. :-)
Amen
AMEN♡