Peace of Mind
by Dion Todd October 4th, 2022
In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6'7 WEB.In the past, many saints and martyrs have faced terrible trials and death with peace in their hearts that no one could explain. Some sang hymns...
The Mustard Seed
by Dion Todd October 2nd, 2022
The Mustard Seed from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
Jesus told His disciples a parable about the kingdom of God using a tiny mustard seed. Though mustard was the smallest seed a Palestinian farmer would plant in his field, it would grow into the largest plant in his garden.
(Matthew 13:31–32 NKJV) Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like...
The Desires of your Heart
by Dion Todd September 27th, 2022
Also delight yourself in Yahweh, And he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalms 37:4 WEB.Many years ago, I bought a new graphics card for my computer. It had the newly released Digital Visual Interface port. DVI had just come out, and it was now possible to connect a computer to a high-definition television. So you could use a tv like a giant monitor. I have always been intrigued by electronics...
A Shoestring and a Prayer
by Dion Todd September 25th, 2022
A Shoestring and a Prayer from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
Elijah was a prophet of the Lord who lived during a troubled time in Israel. King Ahab was evil, and his wife Jezebel was a baal-worshipper who set out to kill all the Lord's prophets and promote pagan worship throughout their kingdom. Ahab and Jezebel were not restrained by normal reasoning or rules. When Ahab wanted a vineyard...
The Lost Sheep
by Dion Todd September 23rd, 2022
He told them this parable: "Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn't leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? When he has found it, he carries it on his shoulders, rejoicing. When he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which...
Day by Day
by Dion Todd September 18th, 2022
Day by Day from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
All through Scripture, there is a pattern of the Lord taking a little and making it do a lot. He does it with people, like when young David faced the giant warrior Goliath. He does it with resources, like when a small jar of oil never runs out.
The worldview is often to hoard it and build bigger barns, but this is not how the Lord does...
The Lamp
by Dion Todd September 17th, 2022
Your word is a lamp to my feet, And a light for my path. Psalms 119:105 WEB.The ancient oil lamps they used in biblical times had a small light radius. They would light the path just a few feet ahead of you. You couldn't see very far down the road. When traveling by night, you could see just enough to take the next step. When you took that step, the circle of light moved with you, and you could see...
The Social Club
by Dion Todd September 14th, 2022
Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming close to him to hear him. The Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them." He told them this parable: "Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, wouldn't leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost, until he found it? When he has found it, he carries...
The Long War
by Dion Todd September 11th, 2022
The Long War from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
After King Saul rebelled and turned away, the Lord chose a new king, but it wouldn't be a microwaved instant king this time. He would begin preparing him early on. So the prophet Samuel was given a new order: to go and anoint a new godly king for Israel from the sons of Jesse in Bethlehem.
(1 Samuel 16:1 NKJV) Now the LORD said...
Never Too Late
by Dion Todd September 10th, 2022
One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, "If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!" But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Don't you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." He said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." Jesus said...
The Accuser
by Dion Todd September 6th, 2022
I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. Revelation 12:10 WEB.Do you ever feel shame over something in your past? Is there something saying: "God is mad at you because'" That is the enemy trying to immobilize...
The Man Who Lost His Edge
by Dion Todd September 4th, 2022
The Man Who Lost His Edge from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
There is an interesting story in the book of Exodus where an eighty-year young shepherd named Moses converses with God through a burning bush. When he was a child, Moses was raised in Egypt by Pharaoh's daughter and was well educated.
(Acts 7:20–22 NKJV) At this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and...
Feel Like a Number
by Dion Todd September 4th, 2022
Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee; John, the brother of James, and he surnamed them Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder; Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. Mark 3:16'19 WEB.Jesus and the disciples had to have been tired after traveling all day when they finally...
Reboot
by Dion Todd August 30th, 2022
He answered them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' For you set aside the commandment of God, and hold tightly to the tradition of men'the washing of pitchers and cups, and you do many other such things." He said to them, "Full...
Sledgehammer
by Dion Todd August 28th, 2022
Sledgehammer from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
While working in construction, I have had the pleasure of breaking up concrete with a sledgehammer. You can swing and smash, but nothing seems to happen for a while. You can get exhausted without making much of a dent if it is reinforced. Then finally, you swing, and it crumbles. You managed to break through because all those previous swings...
Crouching at the Door
by Dion Todd August 28th, 2022
Yahweh said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen? If you do well, won't it be lifted up? If you don't do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it." Cain said to Abel, his brother, "Let's go into the field." While they were in the field, Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him. Genesis 4:6'7 WEB.Cain became very...
The Burning Heart
by Dion Todd August 24th, 2022
When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave it to them. Their eyes were opened and they recognized him; then he vanished out of their sight. They said to one another, "Weren't our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?" Luke 24:30-32 WEB.The amplifier buzzed as I unplugged my bass...
Expedited
by Dion Todd August 21st, 2022
Expedited from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
Do you know that story about the footprints in the sand? Where two were walking together and leaving two sets of prints, but when there was only one set, the Lord was carrying them? That is what I want to talk about this morning, the Lord taking care of things we can’t handle.
(Galatians 6:9 NKJV) And let us not grow weary while doing...
Facing Goliath
by Dion Todd August 20th, 2022
Your servant struck both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God." David said, "Yahweh, who delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." 1 Samuel 17:36'37 WEB.Goliath must have been a fearful sight to behold when he walked out onto the...
The Counselor
by Dion Todd August 18th, 2022
I have said these things to you while still living with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, I give to you. Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. John 14:25-27 WEB.Soon after Jesus completed...
Super Apostles
by Dion Todd August 14th, 2022
Super Apostles from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
The Apostle Paul made three long mission trips preaching the Gospel from city to city (click on map to enlarge). His home base was Antioch, and he traveled to Berea and back. It was rough work. Paul was beaten repeatedly, stoned, left for dead, shipwrecked, and under constant threat, but he was a man on a mission.
The Apostle Paul would...
Word Mastery
by Dion Todd August 14th, 2022
Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips. Psalms 141:3 WEB.David prayed that the Lord would set a guard over his mouth to keep him from saying things that he should not. James said, "If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well" (James 3:3). If you can control your tongue, then you can control the rest of your body. Then James...
A Prophet Eating Fish
by Dion Todd August 11th, 2022
Now Yahweh's word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.' But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. Jonah...
Sitting At Your Feet
by Dion Todd August 7th, 2022
Sitting At Your Feet from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
About a half hour's walk from Jerusalem there, is a small hamlet on the eastern side of the Mount of Olives called Bethany (click on image to enlarge).
When Jesus was passing through, He was invited to stay at the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. Afterward, when visiting Jerusalem, Jesus always stopped by their house. Bethany...
The Gift of Today
by Dion Todd August 7th, 2022
They traveled from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. The soul of the people was very discouraged because of the journey. The people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, there is no water, and our soul loathes this disgusting food!" Numbers 21:4'5 WEB.The Israelites slowly marched...
Little Boxes
by Dion Todd August 3rd, 2022
The donkey saw Yahweh's angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam's anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff. 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...
The Weight
by Dion Todd July 31st, 2022
The Weight from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
The Apostle Paul wrote that the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men (1 Corinthians 1:25 NKJV). One day Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and a large crowd of people pressed in to hear Him.
Jesus saw two boats on the shore, and the fishermen were washing their nets. So...
Grasshopper
by Dion Todd July 24th, 2022
Grasshopper from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.
The Israelites who marched out of Egypt had witnessed major miracles. They had seen the plagues swarming over the Egyptians while the Israelite houses were unaffected. When they came to the Red Sea, the water parted before them, and they walked across on the dry ground. When they were hungry, manna, literally bread from heaven, appeared around...
The Box of Computer Parts
by Dion Todd July 24th, 2022
The heavens are Yahweh's heavens, but he has given the earth to the children of men. Psalms 115:16 WEB.I watched my son wrestle with connecting the wiring harness to the motherboard of the computer he was building. I could have done it for him, but he was now six years old and needed to learn to do this himself and that the plug only fits one way. He wanted a gaming computer for Christmas. So being...
Finishing the Job
by Dion Todd July 21st, 2022
being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 WEBIt was late Saturday night, and we were both exhausted. We were working on a networked accounting system that was bloated and slow. A simple upgrade job that should have taken a couple of hours on Friday had now taken a couple of days. Still, we chose to honor...