Recent Blog Entries

  • 5 hours ago
    Posted by Dion Todd
    Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? Haven't you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth your hand now, and touch all t...
  • Fri at 3:01 AM
    Posted by Dion Todd
    You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith. In the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works, in that she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead. James...
  • Thu at 3:01 AM
    Posted by Dion Todd
    However you are just in all that is come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly; neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you did testify against them. For they have not ser...
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  • 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!
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A Wonderful Life

  • Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2 WEB

    My Dad was born during the great depression in the early 1930s. They had no electricity or running water in the rural areas where he grew up. There was no refrigeration, so they had to carry blocks of ice from the ice house in order to keep things cool in a cellar. Money was scarce. No one in the area had a telephone, and the family shared an outhouse. They had none of what most of us take for granted...but they were happy.

    It was a hard life, but there was an incredible generation of people that came out of that era. When times became hard, the people adapted and became tough. The other side of the coin is that like a child, when life becomes too easy, we tend to become spoiled, unthankful, and unhappy. Bored.

    We often think that if we had such and such, then we would be happy. The reality is that seventy percent of the people that win the lottery, end badly. Many commit suicide, and their divorce rate is four times that of the national average. That doesn't sound that happy.

    Many people are having it tough today and are going through so much just to live, but these trials will only make you better. You will become a wiser, stronger, better person when you come out the other side, and eventually you will. We need to learn to be content wherever we are like Paul wrote about in Philippians 4:12.

    We watched a documentary recently on happiness and after a careful study, they found that your circumstances only account for ten percent of your total happiness level. After your basic needs were met like food, water, and shelter, adding more belongings made little difference. Possessions have diminishing returns. Their studies showed that people who lived in poverty in third world countries, were often happier than people living in a mansion in America.

    It turns out that pursuing happiness directly, only made it more elusive. While things like helping others, resulted in a huge happiness boost. It is better to give than to receive. When people focused less on themselves and on their own needs, it actually caused them to be happier in life.

    I felt that it went right along with scripture. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Give, and it will be given unto you. Pray for others, and your own circumstances will change. So seek the happiness of others, and your own happiness will improve.

    When your faith is stretched, it will come back stronger. Just like you have to stress a muscle to make it grow, so does your faith. Don't get too stressed out in the hard times. Pace yourself. When you burn a candle at both ends, it will not last very long. Learn to be content where you are, for you already have a wonderful life.

    Prayer: Heavenly Father I thank You today for the wonderful life that You have given me. I appreciate all that You have blessed me with. Please help me see through Your eyes and impress on me what really matters. Make what is important to You, important to me. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray.

    Note: Our weekly RHM Live church service will be happening this morning at 10am EST. Join us for a time of worship, interactive prayer, and fellowship, and to hear what has been happening recently in our lives. To participate in the chatroom you need to have a site account, but if not, you can still watch the video of the study. Service starts at 10am EST, but all are encouraged to show up 15 minutes early for fellowship, and to make sure the stream is working for you before we start. Love you all! Here is the link to join: RHM Live


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15 comments
  • 2
Mari Kaufmann
Mari Kaufmann

Thank you my loving God for all you do for us. Grow my faith and build my trust. Praise God. Amen. 

July 21, 2019
  • 1
Kay Collinsworth
Kay Collinsworth

Amen Father I Thank You 

July 21, 2019
  • 1
Jim Jarrell
Jim Jarrell

Amen! Thank You Lord!

July 21, 2019
  • 1
David  Earlywine
David Earlywine

Amen,thanks Pastor Todd and Sylvia.God Bless you all.

July 21, 2019
  • 2
Linda Clark
Linda Clark

This is so very true!  praise God in jesus  name amen 

July 21, 2019
  • 2
Wanda Pennington
Wanda Pennington

Thank you Lord for all you have blessed me with. Help me to see things like you see. I really want what you want for me and my family. Amen

July 21, 2019
  • 1
Kevin J. Eck
Kevin J. Eck

Amen,

July 21, 2019
  • 1
Ed Frye
Ed Frye

Amen!

July 21, 2019
  • 2
Cathy Webb
Cathy Webb

Perfect words of praise and prayer for this morning, Pastor Dion! Heavenly Father I thank You today for the wonderful life that You have given me. I appreciate all that You have blessed me with. Please help me see through Your eyes and impress on me what really matters. Make what is important to You, important to me. AMEN!

July 21, 2019
  • 1
Jose Simo
Jose Simo

Heavenly Father I thank You for all the blessings that You have provided to me and my family. Help us to be as You wants us to be, that Your grace descent upon us to follow Your designs. Place us in the right direction to see as You do, we trust and love You with all our hearts. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. Praise the Lord Almighty. 

Thank you Pastor for this excellent devotional, God bless you. 

July 21, 2019
  • 1
Joseph Adams, Jr.
Joseph Adams, Jr.

Amen

July 21, 2019
  • 1
Marisa Jackson
Marisa Jackson

Amen!!

July 21, 2019
  • 1
Wesley Paulus
Wesley Paulus

Amen!

July 21, 2019
  • 1
Perry Robertson
Perry Robertson

Amen!

July 22, 2019
  • 1
Pranoti  Kumar
Pranoti Kumar

Amen

July 31, 2019