Recent Blog Entries
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A Living Sacrifice from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Various sacrifices were required under the old covenant. Some of the sacrifices helped feed the priests and those who worked at the temple, but a burnt offering was placed on the altar and completely consumed by fire. You can read about... -
Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38 WEB.We once had a prophet come to our church who was scheduled to preach elsewhere but was canceled...
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My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27 WEB.Jesus said His sheep would hear His voice, and they would follow Him, "and a stranger, they would not follow" (John 10:5). God ...
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- led by Lynn BrownThis is a group for RHM sponsored events like corporate fasts. Everyone is welcome to join and participate in things currently going on in the ministry. We love you and thank you for being a part of Refreshing Hope!
Damaged Goods
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Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, 'This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.' Jesus answered him, 'Simon, I have something to tell you.' He said, 'Teacher, say on.' 'A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they couldn't pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?' Simon answered, 'He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.' He said to him, 'You have judged correctly.' Luke 7:39 WEB
The woman wept at the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair, while the highly religious Pharisee looked on in pure disdain. He was shocked that Jesus would allow such a person to touch even His feet. "Touch me not" was a big thing to religious people at the time. Those that were sinners, unclean, or diseased, were put out of the social circle. Yet Jesus touched them, and He allowed them to touch Him.
While the Pharisee pondered these things silently in his mind, Jesus told him the parable about two people that owed a certain money lender, one five hundred and the other fifty. Neither could pay it, so he forgave them both their debt. Then Jesus asked: 'Which of them would love him more?' The one who had the greater debt forgiven was the answer.
Then Jesus went on to tell the religious man that this lost person that had strayed from the path of virtue, loved God more than he ever did. Wow! That is a stark comparison of the warm heart of God towards the lost sinner, and the coldness of a religious actor towards the same person.
We often go by His name, but we do not carry His loving nature. God loves sinners and He welcomes them with open arms. Do not let organized, institutionalized religion turn you away from getting to know Him yourself. Also, do not let the things that you have been through make you feel unworthy of His love.
God can handle damaged goods. He was there when the damage took place, and you will never know how much He loves you until you surrender your heart to Him and let Him heal it. He can put your life back together again, where the others have only broken it.
Prayer: Heavenly Father please bring healing to my life. Heal my emotions, balance my mood swings, make me stable in You. Repair the damage Lord, I look to You for help. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray.
Note: Good morning! The Creation Photographers fun theme for the week is "All the Colors of March", based on Gen 9:13! As always, you are free to post anything else that inspires you, too! ALSO, the latest Bible Study covering part one of Luke Chapter Twenty-Four is now available! The quiz for the entire chapter will be available next week. For links to these areas and more, please see the Announcements at the top of our home page here: Announcements> You can subscribe to our daily devotional here <
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Amen, Jesus told a parable of a dinner given by a master in Luke 14:10-24. He tells a slave to go into the highways and the hedges to bring in the broken.
Amen, Thank you Father for your forgiveness
Amen.
Love today's devotion! Amen
Thank you Father in Heaven for a forgiving heart and the compassion and love that shines on me everyday! In Jesus name I pray, AMEN!!!
Amen Lord
What a great Devotional Thank you !!
Amen!
please heal all my hurts and give me a clear hope for the future- put a hedge of protection around your true church and save our loved ones and
those who are perishing in ignorance and rebellion in Jesus name
Thanks for today's devotional. Amen
Thank you!
Our God is so good! Amen.
Amen. We often think we have been healed from our past, yet something will happen that brings all those feelings and emotions back into play. As they surface we may feel that we are lacking in faith and that we are sinful for letting these emotions arise. The truth is these emotions that we have stuffed away, need to be brought out into the light so we can acknowledge them and come to Abba Father for a true healing. They are raw emotions that can throw us off balance for awhile yet if we accept the reality that we have never been truly, completely healed and ask for the healing to come, He is faithful to do just that. It may take time, depending upon the damage that was suffered, but every time the emotions return they will be weaker and fainter, until the time comes when they never arise again. We must always realize that we are damaged vessels when we come to Jesus, and we need a lot of work to be made whole, yet He is faithful to continue this work in us. Thank you Jesus! for the gift of the Holy Spirit which works in us always, to bring us into a better more complete image of You!
Amen, sister <3!
Amen praise our king in heaven
Oh Lord, help me be as You want me to be. I'm a sinner and always in need of Your word. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Dang P.Dion ... you really hit the spot on this one ... it’s as if you were reading my feelings , mind ..... my emotions have been all over the place and need them to chill out ! Amen .. thanks again for your word !
Wow...talk about an answer to prayer. I'm so broken right now, each day is a challenge.
Lord, I lift up Mary Pat and pray that you bring her a renewed spirit, increased strength, Your grace, and Your provision to restore her life, and move forward in Your plans for her, in the name of Jesus, amen!
Amen!
Amen! May this be my prayer as well, oh Lord my God, I ask and pray in Jesus name!
Amen. Praise God! Thanks Pastor Todd! Heavenly Father please bring healing to my life. Heal my emotions, balance my mood swings, make me stable in You. Repair the damage Lord, I look to You for help. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.