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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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The Poppin John
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For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. Hebrews 6:7 ESV
Each spring when we got ready to plant the garden, Dad would break out the old 1940s John Deere tractor we owned. We called it the Poppin' John because of the way that it sputtered and backfired. Even then it was about 35 years old. He would plow the field and the kids would walk behind and pull out the roots, rocks and anything else that did not belong there. After the field was prepared, we were able to plant and we always had a great garden. We worked together and it took actual work to make it happen.
God is after fruit in your life. He digs deep and brings things to the surface that we like to keep hidden in secret. At that point, we have to deal with it and He will then give you the grace to do so. The weeds and rocks have to be removed from your life or they will choke out what He is trying to grow. The anger, the bitterness and oh so much more that we will not mention in public.
Don't go on a witch hunt and try and find areas that He has not revealed yet. If you get in front of the tractor you may get run over. Just work with Him and as He reveals things, repent and deal with them one at a time. The work is not easy and most will not do it. This process repeats just like planting the garden year after year. He reveals things, you agree and work with Him without trying to hide it. It is then removed from your life. God will bring forth the fruit of the spirit in your life as you walk with Him, one day at a time.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, reveal the things in my life that need to be dealt with and give me the grace to handle it. Prepare me Lord and take away the weeds, in the name of Jesus I pray.
Note: "I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer" (Psalm 17:6) If you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network> You can subscribe to our daily devotional here <
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Amen!!
Amen!
Amen
Amen
Amen Lord Jesus amen
Amen!
Amen
Thank you, Amen.
Amen! Father, allow your will to be done in our live today and allow your kingdom to come!
Good morning! Poppin John really blessed me.I wanted to just share with you what rocks/wood/impurities the Lord is showing me. I struggle with sexual addiction. Jesus is teaching me that nothing compares to Him and that He is the true source of pleasure and fulfillment and the flesh profits nothing. It’s a daily battle but I am not alone - Jesus is right there with me to cheer me on and help me just as He promises. The spiritual gift of self control is available and I pray for this great blessing from God. Have a great day all!
Amen praise God for he is my sunshine
Amen
Amen.
Amen!
Jesus ,allow us to live our lives for you.We love and worship you.You are awesome. Amen
AMEN!
Help me Father to remove what You don't want me to have. I want to be the person You intend for me to be. Amen.
Dear Father, I trust in You that You will take away what doesn't belong in me. That Your will be done in me, in Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Great message and associated analogy, Pastor Dion! As for many of your writings, today's message is very close to home.
Growing up in northern rural Illinois farm country, I am very familiar with your described Poppin' John. I am also familiar with and in battling many a stubborn weed, both in my garden and, in my Christian life.
Sweat and toil is necessary in creating, maintaining a successful and fruitful garden, however, no effort whatsoever is required in the seemingly endless infiltration of abundant and out of nowhere appearance of weeds, weeds attempting to take over and dominate.
Weeds will succeed and prevail if we as Christians are not vigilant, as we must continue to weed our garden(s), running the race of which Paul speaks, all while wearing God's full armor. We are not promised an easy and weed free life. We must continue to maintain the soil of our hearts, labor and promote fruit in God's harvest.
Your prayer for today, Pastor Dion, is much the same as I often pray regarding my own life. I am in constant need of weeding my gardens, literally and very much so in my Christian journey, my daily walk with our Creator.
Thank you for what you do for the many believers you reach. Have a blessed day, you and Sylvia!!!
Chris
Thank You Lord for taking care of me and helping me grow. Please take away anything that doesn't belong in my life. Please help heal my body and my heart Lord, help me to enjoy life again. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Please continue to help me follow You and your ways,words and teachings Father Yahweh. Please give me the grace and strength to deal with any sinful way in me that you reveal.Please help me with patience while waiting on you but help me to have faith in action also and step out as you direct me to do whatever I need to do on my part. Father Yahweh please help me to not overthink things either. For my life has been a combination of overthinking and acting to slowly or indecsiveness or spontaneous not thinking at all and just doing whatever.Please Father help me to sort things out in my head,heart and life. I need you Father,Son and Holy Spirit now more than ever.Thank you Father for the opportunity you have given me for a new and fresh start. Please help me make the most of it with your help. In Yeshua's name,so be it.
Amen!
Lord, please help me clean out all the weeds and stones in my life as I follow you. Father, they will be done. I surrender all the rest of my life to your Tender care. Amen.
Amen! Thank you Pastor Dion! Oh Lord, dear Heavenly Father, please gently prune away all the things that hinder me and keep me from bearing fruit, in Jesus name I ask and pray, Amen!
Pastor Dion, you just brought back so many memories of our early 50's model John Deere and my dad doing the same thing...with us walking behind and picking up rocks, roots, and kicking clods. You are so right that there was a lot of work that needed to be done, including weeding after the crops started popping up through the ground, until the harvesting process. Much work. Similarly, there is a lot of work trying to do the work the Lord has laid out for us to do. Some times the lift seems unmanageable, but God knows what we can handle, and if necessary, He lends a hand in making the load easier. Praise God for His Love!! May I always look to Him in times of trial, but also in good times.
Amen!
Amen. Praise God! Thanks Pastor Todd! Heavenly Father, reveal the things in my life that need to be dealt with and give me the grace to handle it. Prepare me Lord and take away the weeds, in the Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
Amen