Recent Blog Entries

  • 16 hours ago
    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...
  • Tue at 3:01 AM
    Posted by Dion Todd
    But Naaman was angry, and went away and said, "Behold, I thought, 'He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper' " 2 Kings 5:11 WEB.Naaman stared at his new skin with amazement when he came up from the muddy wa...
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 Greatest Dad

  • He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire." Mark 14:35-36 WEB.

    After growing up in the bible-belt, my image of God was as a complete disciplinarian. An angry, white-haired, lightning-bolt throwing, super being who was stalking me. I thought He was called "The Lion of Judah" because He was always watching, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting soul that broke one of those commandments. But we weren't sure which ones, for there was a whole lot of those in the Bible, and no one here seemed to know for sure which ones we should keep. So in the country, each family kind of pick and chose which fit them best.

    I mean, animal sacrifice was out in the traditional sense, but we happily ate pork chops and catfish. Looking back, I'm pretty sure that "love your neighbor" wasn't on our list either, as I never heard that mentioned. Also, it seemed that God didn't notice all of the bad things happening in the world. Yet, if you were to go dancing, to an R-rated movie, or spend a night on the town with friends, you would surely burn in hell.

    It was rare for me to go to church when I was little, and never as a family. Once my older brother Randy, who had moved out and married, invited us all to a revival at his church. My stepmom made Dad choose between taking her or his kids. He took us.

    I remember visiting the local church with a friend one night, and they were showing a movie called: "The Burning Hell." It was full of people like me but on fire and screaming. It made God seem sadistic. He sure had put an awful lot of work into developing methods to bring the maximum amount of pain and torture to sinners. There were horrific pictures of Jesus nailed to a cross, wearing a crown of thorns, and bleeding, that only seemed to enforce the idea. Oh, dear.

    In stark contrast, my Dad here on earth was the greatest. In fact, that's what we had engraved on his tombstone: "The World's Greatest Dad." My mom left when I was one, and Dad struggled to raise his three boys on his own and work full time. He made huge sacrifices to keep us together when social services tried to adopt us out, but that's too long to share here. Suffice it to say that he would have given his life for his children.

    In Aramaic, "Abba" is the English word that we use today for "Daddy." Jesus called His Heavenly Father "Daddy." This is an intimate, personal connection. Jesus could have used a dozen other names, but He chose this one the night that He needed His Father the most. So I had a great Dad, but from my distorted childhood viewpoint, it seemed like Jesus had an awful one. My Dad was loving and forgiving, where His Dad seemed to be living for the day of the great white throne judgment.

    Somehow, at least in my upbringing, the church had managed to reverse the roles of God and satan. As I grew older, I began to build a relationship with our Heavenly Father. Instead of just hearing what others had said about Him, I learned that He was even better to me than my own Dad. He loves me, and I love Him. As I began to intentionally invite Him to be a part of my life, we grew closer, and He began to move in my life. He is the world's greatest Dad and is full of surprises. When I mess up, He helps me get back on my feet instead of destroying me in a fiery explosion of "righteous anger."

    God is tender-hearted, and He has feelings. He is loving, caring, forgiving, merciful, faithful, patient, kind, and peaceful. The Lord keeps His promises. He really does love you, and He has the best plan for your life. He will remove your past and wash you as white as snow. The Lord will leave the ninety-nine sheep to seek the one who wandered off. So invite Jesus Christ to be a part of your life. Read the gospels, and learn about what He was like. It turns out that He has more in store for us here than punishment. There is hope and a future.

    Prayer: Heavenly Father, please reveal Yourself to me in a special way as only You can. Draw me into a deeper relationship with You, and speak to me in a way that I understand. Help me to see the real You. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

    Note: The FAAD group members (Fight Against Anxiety & Depression) today is"Feel Good Friday!". This event is about lifting up each other up! We all have times when we are weak, but together, we can get through it! We invite you to share anything that may have prompted a good feeling in your heart today. Even if you're having a bad day, perhaps look to encouraging scriptures, prayers or thoughts, and testimonies of God's work. Whether you are suffering from anxiety or depression or just want to help, all are welcome to join!: FAAD Group:


    > You can subscribe to our daily devotional here <



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

 

Social Sharing

7 comments
  • 3
Schalk  de Beer
Schalk de Beer

Yes, amen Lord. 

May 12, 2023
  • 3
Kay Collinsworth
Kay Collinsworth

Amen 

May 12, 2023
  • 3
Celeste Strenn
Celeste Strenn

Amen❣️

May 12, 2023
  • 2
Candy Laventure
Candy Laventure

Amen!

May 12, 2023
  • 1
Richard Mondello
Richard Mondello

 In Lord Yeshua's name we pray, Amen. 

May 12, 2023
  • 1
Scott Riegelmann
Scott Riegelmann

Amen thank you Father for being the best friend Savior and Father I could have ever dreamed of 

May 12, 2023
  • 1
Cathy Webb
Cathy Webb

There is hope and a future with God! Amen!

May 12, 2023