So then the Lord, after he had spoken to them, was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. They went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen. Mark 16:19-20 WEB. One night, I was playing music at a party with our band. When the Lord suddenly presented me with an opportunity to tell them about Him. We went...

Treasure Chests from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Treasure chests are special boxes crafted to hold something precious. Just as a treasure chest, we, too, can be vessels for something incredibly valuable: the Holy Spirit. Think about the Ark of the Covenant, which Moses constructed according to God's precise blueprint: (Exodus 25:10–11...

Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" So they were offended at him. Mark 6:3 WEB. Wood, I grew up around it. My Dad was a carpenter for fifty-five years. I helped him at times, so there was a lot of carrying, sawing, nailing, and pulling splinters from my hands. Since then, I've always enjoyed building things. I find...

Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many. Now the centurion and those...

Yahweh, your Redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb says: "I am Yahweh, who makes all things; who alone stretches out the heavens; who spreads out the earth by myself; Isaiah 44:24 WEB. When someone was in trouble, danger, or in dire need during biblical times, a male relative could step in and "redeem" them. This relative was called a "kinsmen redeemer." They could step in and pay off their...

For this cause, I remind you that you should stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:6-7 WEB. Have you ever felt a sense of dread come over you? Have you been afraid of that monster in the closet or under the bed? My older brother, who had a driver's license, was a serious...

Sing to Yahweh a new song! Sing to Yahweh, all the earth. Sing to Yahweh! Bless his name! Proclaim his salvation from day to day! Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. For Yahweh is great, and greatly to be praised! He is to be feared above all gods. Psalms 96:1-4 WEB. I was so nervous when I took the microphone that evening. At our church, the lead singers...

When I am afraid, I will put my trust in you. In God, I praise his word. In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? Psalms 56:3-4 WEB. Tired and needing a rest, David was on the run from his father-in-law King Saul and his men, who sought to kill David in a jealous rage. David had to leave town in a hurry in the middle of the night. Everything he owned was left behind when...

The Door from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Over the years, I have sometimes asked the Lord what I am supposed to be doing now. That door closed, and that job ended. What now? What is Your perfect will for me? Sometimes, this became stressful because I couldn't hear anything when I thought I really needed to. Yet, most of the time, it was...

Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor of Yahweh. Proverbs 18:22 WEB. One morning, I was lying on the floor in my room praying. My mind was aimlessly drifting from one thing to another as I prayed when I saw an image of my wife and me walking on a beach together. Then it occurred to me that her birthday was coming up soon. Then a thought came to me, "You should take her away for...

Consider the lilies, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which today exists and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith? "Don't seek what you will eat or what you will drink; neither be anxious. For...

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood Revelation 1:5 WEB. "Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong." Many of us learned these words when we were kids. They are so simple, but yet today, so...

You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Deuteronomy 8:2 WEB. It was summertime. An elder at our church had a leaky spot on his roof, and I was helping him repair it. My dad was a lifelong carpenter, and I got to work with...

The Lord said, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan asked to have all of you, that he might sift you as wheat, but I prayed for you, that your faith wouldn't fail. You, when once you have turned again, establish your brothers." He said to him, "Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!" He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster will by no means crow today until you deny that you know me three...

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...

I Will Not Fear from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. When God calls you to do something, fear is usually the first guardian you will encounter if you manage to overcome laziness and procrastination. It is so important to press on even though we are afraid of what may happen. In 1 Samuel, young David had a calling on his life to become the...

By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, a thorn in the flesh was given to me: a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively. Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me. He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly...

Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don't go away, the Counselor won't come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment; John 16:8 WEB. When I first started attending church, I often stood with my head down, too ashamed to look around me. Every fiber of my...

Now on one of those days, he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, "Let's go over to the other side of the lake." So they launched out. But as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water. They came to him and awoke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are dying!" He awoke and rebuked the wind and the...

Let's hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful. Let's consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25 WEB. My home state of South Carolina carries this inscription on the state...

By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went. By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. Hebrews 11:8-9 WEB. In Genesis 12:1, the Lord told Abram to leave his father's house,...

Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. He came up, and told his father and his mother, saying, "I have seen a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines. Now therefore get her for me as my wife." Then his father and his mother said to him, "Isn't there a woman among your brothers' daughters, or among all my people, that you go to take a...

Jesus said there was one way to show everyone we are truly His disciples: by loving one another. Love is not a choice, an option, a recommendation, or a suggestion; it is a commandment. Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you." If we do not love each other, we are disobedient. (John 13:34–35 NKJV) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as...

For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor yet from the south, comes exaltation. But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another. Psalm 75:6-7 WEB. During a personal time of revival in my life, I began to fast and pray hard for the Lord to remove anything holding me back from being closer to Him. I was thinking spiritually, but it turns out that the Lord is a bit more practical...

So Yahweh blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters. Job 42:12–13 WEB. Job was a very wealthy man who went through a terrible trial. He lost everything he had. Yet, when it was over, and Job prayed for his friends, all he had lost...

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? Luke 15:1-4 WEB. Jesus Christ...

For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits for him. You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned. We have been in sin for a long time. Shall we be saved? For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like...

Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men." They immediately left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18–20 WEB. As Jesus walked down by the seashore, He saw Peter and his brother Andrew. He told them to follow...

Then Jonathan said, "Behold, we will pass over to the men, and we will reveal ourselves to them. If they say this to us, 'Wait until we come to you!' then we will stand still in our place and will not go up to them. But if they say this, 'Come up to us!' then we will go up, for Yahweh has delivered them into our hand. This shall be the sign to us." 1 Samuel 14:8-10 WEB. Vastly outnumbered, Saul and...

Teachings inspired by the Holy Spirit are refreshing, but teachings from men are like throwing a wet blanket on the fire: they quench the Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings freedom, but legalism and men's doctrines bring bondage. Consider these two verses: (2 Corinthians 3:17 NKJV) Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (Luke 11:46...