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Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 WEB. "God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food. By His hands we all are fed, give us Lord our daily bread, Amen." We used to pray this at school every morning when I was in the first grade. Still, somehow it is...

Hezekiah prospered in all his works. However, concerning the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him to test him, that he might know all that was in his heart. 2 Chronicles 32:30–31 WEB. Hezekiah was a great king in Judah who followed the Lord closely. At his prayer, God sent an angel and wiped out 185,000 Assyrians...

Now the Philistines had taken God's ark, and they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. The Philistines took God's ark, and brought it into the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. When the people of Ashdod arose early on the next day, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before Yahweh's ark. They took Dagon and set him in his place again. 1 Samuel 5:1–3 WEB. After the Philistines captured...

The Fleece from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. In Judges chapter six, there is a young man named Gideon who is the least of the least. For seven years, raiders from the land of Midian invaded Israel at harvest time, set up camps, and systematically stole their crops and livestock, destroying and pillaging anything of value. The raiders came...

Don't seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. For the nations of the world seek after all of these things, but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek God's Kingdom, and all these things will be added to you. Luke 12:29-31 WEB. The Lord once doubled some of our computer equipment here at the office. At the time, we ran a small computer service company on a...

Then Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land. Yahweh's word came to Jonah the second time, saying, "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you." So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh Jonah 2:10–3:3 WEB. Jonah plopped on the sand and shakily stood up. He was probably covered in fish vomit, for the giant fish had puked him up onto the...

A man of many companions may be ruined, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 WEB. When the world has turned its back on you, Jesus Christ is there. When your best friend has let you down, Jesus is there. When all of your companions have left you behind, you are not alone because Jesus is still there. When you are disappointed, He will sit right there with you. He...

Jesus said therefore to the twelve, "You don't also want to go away, do you?" Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God." John 6:67–69 WEB. The Apostle Peter had come to know Jesus as the source of all knowledge, grace, power, eternal life, and much more. For Jesus...

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread." But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God's mouth.' " Matthew 4:1-4 WEB. After...

Don't be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap. For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. Let us not be weary in doing good, for we will reap in due season, if we don't give up. Galatians 6:6–9 WEB. We were constructing a three-story office building and setting...

Secret Service from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today, I would like to discuss God's timing. Too many of us read the Scriptures and feel that God is outdated or out of touch with modern times when nothing could be further from the truth. He invented time. He created the Sun that the Earth orbits. Sometimes, we can feel that He is distant...

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living. Psalms 27:13 WEB. David was now a wanted man and on the run for his life. He was once a hero in the eyes of the people. Now the ones who David had trusted sought to kill him. David was on the run when he wrote Psalm 27. Either from his father-in-law Saul, when Doeg the Edomite reported him. Or from his own son...

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me." John 14:6 WEB. Years ago, when people around me started praying for someone, I would shy away or stand quietly by. If they really had their eyes closed and were praying the way they should have, they shouldn't have noticed me anyway. I always felt inside like, "If they really knew me, they wouldn't...

When the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahweh; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Yahweh, saying, "For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever!" then the house was filled with a cloud, even Yahweh's house, so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason...

For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn't return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so is my word that goes out of my mouth: it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish that which I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do. Isaiah 55:10–11 WEB. After the long, cold winter, our...

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Matthew 23:27–28 WEB. When we got ready to plant the garden in the spring, Dad would break out the old 1940s John...

It happened in these days, that he went out to the mountain to pray, and he continued all night in prayer to God. When it was day, he called his disciples, and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles Luke 6:12–13 WEB. My mind was in chaos after a morning filled with phone calls, texts, and many emails. The inside of my head felt like I was standing in a busy intersection. It was...

The Church of Acts from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. What God designs and establishes is always perfect and never needs to be improved on or replaced. He always gets it right the first time. For example, look at Noah's ark which is a pattern of the Church, both designed by God, built by carpenters, and those inside are saved. Now, the Church...

David said to Saul, Your servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and struck him, and killed him. 1 Samuel 17:34–35 WEB. As a young shepherd caring for his father's sheep, David got to know each of...

He said, "Go out, and stand on the mountain before Yahweh." Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire passed; but Yahweh was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a still small voice....

Watch therefore, for you don't know when the lord of the house is coming—whether at evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning; lest, coming suddenly, he might find you sleeping. What I tell you, I tell all: Watch! Mark 13:35-37 WEB. We went through a season where the Holy Spirit strongly urged me to pray every day, from one to three hours, starting at 3 PM. The presence...

God spoke all these words, saying, "I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for...

Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?" Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Because God has shown you all of this, there is no one so discreet and wise as you. You shall be over my house. All my people will be ruled according to your word. Only in the throne I will be greater than you." Genesis 41:38–40 WEB. While serving a prison sentence in Egypt...

Moses said to Yahweh, "Behold, you tell me, 'Bring up this people:' and you haven't let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.' Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people." He...

Pentecost from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. We have recently covered the events of Holy Week and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. What happened next? After Jesus was crucified, laid to rest in a tomb, and resurrected early Sunday morning, He remained on Earth for another forty days and appeared to many (Acts 1:3). Here is a brief summary: *...

But you, when you pray, enter into your inner chamber, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. In praying, don't use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. Matthew 6:6–7 WEB. As the speaker walked up to the pulpit, I could feel the hair on the back of...

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree," that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:13–14 WEB. In the Roman Empire, slaves were sold on an auction block with a spear held over their heads. The...

See the birds of the sky, that they don't sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you of much more value than they? Which of you, by being anxious, can add one cubit to the measure of his life? Why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon...

Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, "Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, so that...

For the thing which I fear comes on me, That which I am afraid of comes to me. Job 3:25 WEB. As we worked to get the fish hook free of my eyelid, an actual calmness came over me. I grew up on the rivers of South Carolina fishing, and I always got nervous when people began swinging their fishing lines around. I dreaded the thought of them snagging me with their fish hook, especially in the eye. One...