Recent Blog Entries

  • 6 hours ago
    Posted by Dion Todd
    Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you." The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not yo...
  • Thu at 3:01 AM
    Posted by Dion Todd
    Yahweh said to Joshua, "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face like that?" Joshua 7:10 WEB.Joshua lay prostrate before the ark of the Lord all that evening. Yesterday, he had been a mighty warrior. Now Israel had lost the battle at Ai, all because one of the men with him had become greedy and brok...
  • Wed at 3:01 AM
    Posted by Dion Todd
    Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, "Don't fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel." When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel!" Therefore they turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshap...
View All
  • March 25, 2022 - led by Lynn Brown
    This 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!
View All

The Crazy Ones

  • The Crazy Ones from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

    Today I want to talk about the crazy ones, the saints of old who followed God through thick and thin while the rest of the people in the world thought they were, crazy. As you grow closer to God, He will begin to change you, and tweak your wants and desires. You begin to think differently. Expect a time to come when you no longer fit in as well as you used to. When the crude jokes in the break room no longer make you laugh.

    It happened to me, and it has happened to thousands of thousands of others who were here before us. God’s kingdom is almost opposite of the world and the more that you walk in His kingdom, the more crazy that you are going to appear to the kingdom of this world and its inhabitants. They will not understand you and you are going to become different than those around you. Let’s look at a few:

    * Noah built the ark when it had never rained (Genesis 2:6).

    * Abraham heard a voice and prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22:3).

    * Picture Moses, the long bearded shepherd telling Pharaoh “Let my people go!” (Exodus 5:1).

    * In front of everyone, Joshua told the sun to stand still, and it did (Joshua 10:12).

    * The teenage boy David volunteered to fight a giant philistine champion, Goliath (1 Samuel 17:32).

    * Shadrach chose to be thrown into a furnace rather than simply bow to an idol (Daniel 3:18).

    * Jeremiah prophesied the opposite of all the other prophets in the land (Jeremiah 27:9).

    * Isaiah heard a voice and walked around naked for the next three years ( Isaiah 20:2).

    * Elijah told a poor widow “Make me something to eat. Don’t worry, the flour in that jar is not going to run out” (1 Kings 17:13).

    * Jesus’ own family were saying: “He has lost His senses” (Mark 3:21).

    * Peter decided to get out of the fishing boat one night and walked on the water (Matthew 14:29).

    * Festus thought that the Apostle Paul’s great learning was driving him insane (Acts 26:24).

    The list goes on and on throughout history. Choosing to follow God will make you look crazy to the world. Our word for “Church” comes the greek word “ekklesia” meaning “The called out ones.” That is us, called out of the world’s way of thinking. We change our mind by taking on the mind of Christ, meaning that we begin to think more like Jesus. We choose to believe the word of God and we hold onto His promises.

    What are some of the ways this would affect us today? Here are a few to think on: The world teaches us to look out for number one and to claw our way to the top. Yet God tells us to humble ourself and we will be exalted (James 4:10). To treat others like we would like to be treated (Luke 6:31).

    The world likes to call attention to its charitable actions, but God teaches us to do them in secret.

    “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:3–4 NASB).

    The world loves feasting, but God teaches us fasting in order to sharpen our spirit. The world teaches us to hoard all that we can gather for ourself, but Jesus said give and then it will be multiplied and given to you (Luke 6:38).

    The Crazy Ones believed God and took a stand on His word. They demonstrated their faith in God by their actions. Growing as a child of God requires thinking differently. We have to let go of the “woe is me” mentality, the poverty mindset, the “what if this happens” questions, the “I don’t understand why” and begin to trust God to take care of us day by day. He’s the Boss, let Him worry about the details. Consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:25:

     “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.”

    “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25–34 NASB).

    Will you be different? Will you take a stand for God? Here’s to the Crazy Ones who dare to challenge the world’s way of thinking, who put others needs before their own, who let others go before them in line, who gives up their seat so someone else can sit down, who treat others like they would like to be treated. Here’s to you.

    You can pray this with me if you like:

    Prayer: Heavenly Father, please cleanse and refine me from the inside out. Change my heart and change my mind to be more like You. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and be my guide today. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and with You by my side, I know that I can face whatever is coming my way. I choose to believe in You, that You love me, and that You are listening to my prayer today. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.


Tip: You must be logged into the website to leave comments.

 

Social Sharing

24 comments
  • 1
Brad Schmitt
Brad Schmitt Luv luv luv this message!!
June 2, 2019
  • 0
Debi Burton
Debi Burton I really enjoyed your messages today, Thank you Pastor Dion for this message this morning!
June 3, 2019
  • 1
Marisa Jackson
Marisa Jackson

Amen!! What a powerful message and a way to start off the weeK!!

June 2, 2019
  • 1
Jenny Majors
Jenny Majors

Amen!!!  Thank you for the beautiful message!!!  A great reminder that God is in control always!!!

 

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Barbara Jackson
Barbara Jackson

Thank you Pastor. To GOD, be the GLORY. 

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Ed Frye
Ed Frye

Amen Lord

June 3, 2019
  • 1
David and Dianna Wyles
David and Dianna Wyles

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please cleanse and refine me from the inside out. Change my heart and change my mind to be more like You. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and be my guide today. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and with You by my side, I know that I can face whatever is coming my way. I choose to believe in You, that You love me, and that You are listening to my prayer today. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen. Thank you

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Yvette York
Yvette York

Amen

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Jim Jarrell
Jim Jarrell

Amen! As I said yesterday, this message was exactly what I needed to hear. Thank You Lord for Your Calling!

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Kay Collinsworth
Kay Collinsworth

Amen

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Perry Robertson
Perry Robertson

Amen! I needed this yesterday when we had church online, and one of my favorites that gives me comfort Matthew 6:25–34

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Lynn Brown
Lynn Brown

This is such a great message!! And I loved hearing it again today! Thank you Pastor Dion :)))

June 3, 2019
  • 1
David  Earlywine
David Earlywine

Thank you Pastor Dion for the message.God Bless. Amen 

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Linda Clark
Linda Clark

Amen

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Wanda Pennington
Wanda Pennington

Amen and Amen!!

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Jose Simo
Jose Simo

Heavenly Father I know that You are there for me, cleanse and refine me to follow Your word. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit,be my guide for all I do today, in the name of the Lord Jesus I pray. Amen. 

Thank you Pastor, great message. God bless you. 

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Sherry McCosh
Sherry McCosh

Thank you for this message today. It is true that when we choose God's ways over the world's ways we do look crazy to the world. We know the truth and the truth has set us free. God is our father, provider, redeemer and friend. When we learn to trust him with out lives our life begins to change and our attitudes change. Thank you father God for all that you have done for me and are continually doing for me. Speak to me daily and show me your will for my life, in the name of Jesus I pray.

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Mari Kaufmann
Mari Kaufmann

Find favor with me dear God. Praise God amen. 

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Liesel  aka  Lisa Wardle
Liesel aka Lisa Wardleedited: June 3, 2019

Amen!

I choose you today, oh Lord, tomorrow and forever, it's only through You and with You that I can face today and tomorrow!

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Pranoti  Kumar
Pranoti Kumar

Yes

 

June 4, 2019
  • 1
Wesley Paulus
Wesley Paulus

Amen!

June 3, 2019
  • 1
Pranoti  Kumar
Pranoti Kumar

Amen and Amen

June 4, 2019
  • 1
Gail Sellu
Gail Sellu

Amen. 

June 5, 2019
  • 1
Kerryann Ivey
Kerryann Ivey

Amen & Amen

June 9, 2019