Recent Blog Entries
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Here I Am from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Here I Am. In a time when so many have begun to focus only on the negative, when so many people wonder, "Where is the Lord?", He answers, "Here I Am." When Moses met with the Lord at the burning bush in the wilderness, He asked Moses to r... -
Amaziah also said to Amos, 'You seer, go, flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there, but don't prophesy again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house!' Then Amos answered Amaziah, 'I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son, bu...
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I sought for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. Ezekiel 22:30 WEB.The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah grew more and more wicked. Their scales finally tipped, and their judgment day came. Abraham stoo...
The Heart of Stone
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I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26 NIV
I had a different childhood growing up. My Mom divorced nine times, and my Dad three. Everyone in my life was temporary. At one point I was the youngest of thirteen children, ten of which were step siblings that despised us being there. It was not uncommon to see them fist fighting in the yard, sometimes in the house with us.
I had my head beat against the wall more than once. You learned to stay out of the way and to keep a low profile. I was the least of them all, and an outsider anyway. This began when I was one year old, so I grew up thinking that this was normal family behavior. It wasn't.
By the time that I was an adult, I had developed a heart of stone. There were about three people on earth total that I cared anything about, and I had enough ex-family members to populate a small city. When some of them died, I felt joy. I developed a shell where no one could hurt me and I really had no feelings left for anyone. I learned that when you can no longer feel the pain, you can no longer feel love.
After I came to know the Lord, He started melting this stony shell little by little. I actually started to care for people and it seemed strange at first. Finally at about thirty-five, I actually fell head over heels in love, got married and have lived happily ever since. I cry at the movies. God gave me a new heart.
There is healing for a heart of stone. God can give you a new one, and you can feel love just like you were meant to. Keep pursuing God. The more time you spend with Jesus, the softer your heart will become.
Prayer: Father, soften my heart and show me Your love. Remove the heart of stone and give me a new one. Give me a fresh start, in the name of Jesus.
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Give me a fresh start, in the name of Jesus.
Amen!
Good morning everybody, blessings from our Lord.
Yes pastor, before knowing Christ the natural defense against agression is the developing of a hard cover. It happen to our feet when we walk a lot. But with our heart it's not natural to our purpose in life to become a person without the feeling of love that is the door to happiness. Thanks our father God, that He comes to rescue us. We all need a new heart to walk in God's will, so the "thinking" of our heart pleases Him. Bless you for your testimony pastor, there is HOPE for a new life in Christ experiencing His love and joy.
It just goes to show that no matter where you came from or what your life was earlier, there is always redemption and the opportunity to change and live your life differently. God loves us where we are and is always there to help us overcome our old life and start over.
Thank you Pastor Todd I love this message. I have to learn to let people in instead of pushing them away getting too close to me
Beautiful message. Lord, help me to love more and also speak more love with my words. Amen.
Amen!
God please instill goals in my Grandchildren’s lives. Open their hearts and minds. Amen.
Thank you for a great message, Pastor.
We are all products from our childhood experiences. I pray for my husband and all who are living with the “hurt, inner child” to hand it over to you
Amen,thank you Pastor Dion for the daily devotional.
I, too, had a horrible childhood. Only I wished my parents would divorce. My dad beat me almost daily and I never saw my two sisters get it. He tried to strangle me a couple of times. I must say, I did do things to get attention, but it did make me tough. I never thought I would live to see 30, let alone 66. I have been married and divorced 4 times. I just don't live well with others. I love children, I had 8. I also have 29 grandchildren and 3 greats. I am a Foster Grandparent in elementary school and I mentor kids in reading and math. I love my job. I love people in general, but I don't trust men. Thanks dad! So God Bless you pastor Dion and Sylvia. You are a blessing in my life. God saved me from my abuse to bring me to this wonderful time in my life.I am truly living proof. I wanted to be a wife, mother and grandmother and God brought that to me. I am truly blessed.
That is so awful about your early life, Gaylee ;( (((HUGS))) So glad that He brought you out of that and into His plans for you <3!
Amen God bless you
Dear Gaylee, it breaks my heart to hear what you had to go through!!! But that wasn't the end of your story, praise the Lord most high, for the Lord God most high, the Heavenly Father gave you your hearts desire to be a wife, mother and grandmother, and you have a family here at the RHM who loves you! Love, hugs and prayers <3 (L)
Thank you so much. I do know how blessed I am. I always wondered as I got older how I survived the abuse, but realized God had been there the whole time.
Amen!
Beautiful message Pastor,
I am happy you found love in your life. You have inspired me more than words can say.
God Bless
Praise God for his love happy Sunday morning!!
Praise the LORD for he is good; his mercy endures forever more! Amen! God bless you!
Heavenly Father thank You for Your love and care You have given us and extend it to those whom are lacking of it. Praise the Lord, in Jesus name I pray. Amen.
Beautiful message Pastor, God bless you. Blessed Sunday everyone.
My upbringing was much like yours. I know the pain, confusion and wanting to run. God does make a difference, my heart is melting and I often feel His presence. He has given me peace and the desire to love Him, know Him and please Him. Thank you pastor for a goodl devotional.
GLORY ...EARLY THIS MORNING I CRIED WONDERING WHY THE PEOPLE I CARE FOR DONT SHOW THEY CARE FOR ME IN THE SAME MATTER AND THEN I LOGIN AND READ THIS THANK YOU FOR THIS DEVOTIONAL
Love is s powerful gift! God’s love is even more powerful!!
Amen!
Amen, and thank you so much for your message and testimony!!!
Yes Lord Jesus, amen
Thank you for this devotion today! Thank you Lord for Refreshing Hope Ministries!!