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"Don't be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you." Isaiah 43:1'2 WEB... -
The Day of Small Things from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. As with many of my messages, this was a word for me, but I will share it with you as I found it encouraging. I have been building a new social media website for Refreshing Hope behind the scenes for months. It is a massive undertak...
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Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place where he was about to come. Then he said to them, "The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send ou...
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- led by Lynn BrownThis 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!
The Master Carpenter
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See how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to live together in unity! Psalms 133:1 WEB
Wood, I grew up around it. Often I was carrying it, sawing it, nailing it or pulling the splinters from my hands. My dad was a carpenter for fifty-five years, so I grew up with woodworking and I have always enjoyed building things. I find that is a valuable skill in our everyday life and am thankful for those years that I spent working with him.
He always started the project by picking the right lumber. Dad would go through the whole pile to find one piece that was straight. Then he would take that piece and cut it to the perfect size, fit it into place, nail it down and then smooth the rough edges out with sandpaper. The end result would be beautiful.
The Lord Jesus uses a lot of these same skills that He learned on us. His dad Joseph was a carpenter as well. God will search through thousands of people until He finds the right one. Then He will draw you to Himself (John 6:44), cut away your past baggage (2 Cor. 5:17), fit you into your place in the body (Col. 3:15), nail you to your own cross (Gal. 5:24), and then He breaks out the sandpaper. The first part of being drawn to Him is pleasant, much of the rest is not, especially the cutting, nailing and the sanding.
To accomplish this, He will often place people into our lives that we need to help shape and smooth us. We hate those irritating people and would like to avoid the friction and scraping, but we also cannot see our own rough edges on our own. It is natural to want to separate from the friction but if you do you will retain the roughness that God is trying to smooth out, and He will bring coarser sandpaper next time. You can and will get through this, and when He is done you are going to be one smooth work of art, hand crafted by the Master Carpenter.
Prayer: Father I pray that You give me the grace to endure the things that I face. Help me love those around me and be nice. Set a guard over my mouth and help me reflect You in a positive light, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.
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Amen
Prayer: Father I pray that You give me the grace to endure the things that I face. Help me love those around me and be nice. Set a guard over my mouth and help me reflect You in a positive light, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen! Yes Lord please put a guard over my mouth! Help me be a reflection of you <3 Thank you for holding us through this refining season in our lives and thank you for your favor in every way you have shown us. Thank you for your provsions and sending your people into our lives to grace and bless us each day. Your love in action has been so astounding as of late and we are in so much awe of your love and grace! Thank you Pastor! Wonderful message <3
I'm so thankful that Lord Jesus drew me to Himself when I was a child,about 4 yrs old, in Sunday school. I strayed away for some years later as a teen into young adult years but the Lord used a simple song of Jesus loves me,to draw me back to Him at one of the darkest times of my life when I contemplated suicide. Thank you Lord Jesus for never letting go of me even through my unfaithfulness.
amen
Amen.
I realize this!! My sturbborness-rebellion -sliding away-My way is noticed!!All the tools of Life I learned too use so well, do Me no good laying in the bag! My hope and Prayer has been to be used by Him mightaly! I'm certainly learning the feeling of being lost, some what alone!! I need to say no regrets, as I've noticed so many times experience is the best Teacher!!!
Amen
Amen, Pastor Dion! Sand paper people refine us. We need to be careful that we are treating them as the Lord would have us do. If not we will be tried even harder until we pass the test. We must not only love the sand paper people in our lives, but we must love our enemies and pray for them. This can be so difficult, but when we feel anger toward our enemy and we feel unable to love, we must pray for them all the harder. We must pray also that God will enable us to love our enemy.
Love is the universal language that OUR LORD GOD teaches us and to be practiced eeryday. Love the sandpaper people in our lives for they refine us and teaches us how to forgive and love them more.
Amen Deng!
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Amen
I have experienced the rougher sandpaper that the Lord brings. I want to be obedient and not run
thankyou for word at this time since mother came live here who dose not read bible hope influnce of me and joel about God sometimes seem not so easy get along wiht adjustment I realized for both of us.
Thank you Lord for your timely word...in Jesus name Amen ♡
Amen
Amen
Thank you again Pastor Todd.
Amen. Praise God! Thanks Pastor Todd! Father I pray that You give me the grace to endure the things that I face. Help me love those around me and be nice. Set a guard over my mouth and help me reflect You in a positive light, in the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen
Thank you dear Pastor, for the beautiful message!
Amen.Thank you Pastor Todd, such encouraging words,and so beautiful put..Thank you Heavenly Father for your grace and mercy.Help me to be understanding patient,and your grace to endure what I am going through at the moment.In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. I thank you for being with me in all situations,and knowing I am not alone.