Mission Impossible from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Once upon a time, a shepherd named Moses was watching his father-in-law's sheep near Mount Horeb when the Lord appeared to him in a burning bush. It was not unusual for a dry bush to catch fire in the desert under the blazing sun, but this one didn't burn up. It just kept burning. So eventually,...

Love and Hate from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. (John 11:35) Jesus wept. It is the shortest verse in the Bible, yet it offers a deep glimpse into the compassion Jesus Christ has for people. Today, I want to talk about love, hate, racism, and where the Lord Jesus Christ stands on these issues. I feel that things have become clouded, and...

Seeing the Invisible from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Like the wind, which is invisible yet can move buildings, there is an entire invisible spirit realm that surrounds us. Angels come and go, spirits pass by, poke our defenses, and see if we have any vacancies. "Is there room at the inn for me tonight?" We need to live in light of eternity....

Find Hope in Jesus from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. When I was about 10 years old, I worked in the fields driving a tractor for a nearby farmer. He had a late 1970s Allis-Chalmers, orange in color, and I loved the sound that the diesel engine made. It was the first diesel tractor I had driven; the old 1940s John Deere we had at home ran...

Anointing and Gifts from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. When a talented singer comes to a church who can bring down the house with a five-octave range, people leave amazed and say, "Wow, they are so anointed!" Maybe, maybe not... There is a massive misunderstanding between being gifted and being anointed. The gifts and the calling of God are...

The Dreamer from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. In the book of Genesis, Jacob had twelve sons, but his favorite was Joseph. He made Joseph a robe of many colors that set him apart from his brothers. It was not the garment of a working man, but that of a prince. Joseph's brothers grew envious of him. Then, when Joseph was seventeen, God gave...

Surrendering in Advance from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Many times when we are faced with something intimidating, we just don't want to face it, and we surrender in advance. A weak man can overcome an army if they cower in fear in front of him, even though he would be squashed like a bug if they decided to stand their ground and challenge...

Bacon and Catfish from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. I received a question last week from members who were doing a Bible study and came to Matthew 5:17-20. As I began to draft a response, it grew larger and eventually became a message. So I thought I would share it with you. Let's read the entire passage, then break it down verse by verse: (Matthew...

The Return of the King from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Have you ever run out of time to finish something? Like when a teacher sets a deadline for a report, but you get too busy with everything else, and the time slips away. You knew the day was coming. You knew it had to be done, but you still found yourself focusing on something else. It...

Clear and Present Danger from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:16-17 NKJV). God loves...

Who Was Luke? from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. What do we know about the writer of the Gospel of Luke? Who was he? Both Matthew and John were among the twelve apostles of Jesus. John “Mark” was a disciple who was probably with Jesus the night He was arrested, and he was also a companion of Peter and Paul. Luke was not an apostle. He...

The Road to Repentance from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. The Rabbis around the time of Jesus taught that you should forgive someone up to three times, but not four, based on verses in Amos chapters one and two (Amos 1:3). Jesus Christ had a different view: (Luke 17:3-4 NKJV) Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke...

The Rich Man Who Caught Fire from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. We are all stewards of what the Lord has given us and will one day have to give an account to Him of how we used our time, talents, money, and influence while we lived here. It's greasy grace to believe that simply reciting the sinner's prayer frees us to live however we wish without...

Getting Back on Track from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Solomon wrote: "For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, But the wicked stumble in time of calamity." (Proverbs 24:16 NASB). The righteous may fall, but they always recover. They get back up, for it is vital to get your life back on track after making a mistake. Failure...

The Golden Calf from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. In Exodus, Moses went up Mount Sinai for a meeting with the Lord that lasted about six weeks, 40 days and nights (Exodus 24:18). By then, the people were beginning to feel abandoned, so a group of them went to see Moses' older brother, Aaron. (Exodus 32:1 NKJV) Now when the people saw that...

Relics or Repentance from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Humans have always sought relics like the Holy Grail or the Shroud of Turin, and there are crosses and crucifixes everywhere. We like things we can touch. We handle them, rub them, and kiss them, but things like this are powerless. God is not dead, or an inanimate object, and He doesn't...

This Old House from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. God has always had a special place to meet with His people. When the Israelites left Egypt, Moses met with God in a tent called "The Tent of Meeting" (Exodus 33:7). When Moses went inside, the pillar of cloud would descend on it, and the Lord would talk with Moses. Then the Lord gave Moses...

Farther Along from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today, I want to talk about dealing with things we don't understand. For there will be times in life when the path gets dark, and we have to walk by faith. I want to start with Psalm 119.Psalm 119:105 NKJV Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. The lamp in this Psalm is an...

Who Was Mark from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. The Gospel of Mark is both the shortest and the oldest of the four Gospels, yet it is filled with action and urgency, as if it were written under pressure and with a deadline, while covering the most important points. There is a raw quality to it, presenting a condensed and more roughly written...

The Northeaster from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Looking back, I can recall many times when I felt I must have missed God's direction, only to discover that I was exactly where I needed to be. Even if that place was a dark hole-in-the-wall, it was often through those very circumstances that I was led toward my destiny. The storms in our lives...

The God Who Sees Me from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Hagar was Sarah's Egyptian maidservant, and when Sarah struggled to conceive, she offered Hagar to her husband Abram as a wife, hoping to have children through her. However, once Hagar became pregnant, the family dynamics changed. Sarah began to treat her "harshly", leading Hagar to flee....

Bent Tuning Forks from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. In a music group, everyone tunes their instruments to the same note, and then they can play in tune with each other. Years ago, you might have used an A-440 tuning fork and tuned by ear, but electronics have largely replaced this method today, especially in noisy environments. The Lord...

Thank You from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today, I want to highlight the power of being thankful. Jesus, our perfect example, modeled a life filled with gratitude and praise. No matter the challenges you've faced, there's always something to be thankful for—starting with the simple blessing of waking up today. For many, yesterday was...

Resting While the Storm Rages from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Stress is something we all face. Whether it's worries about our jobs, our families, our health, or just the busyness of life, stress can feel like a raging storm that won't quit. We try hard to keep it all together, but inside, we're often tired, overwhelmed, or even afraid. That's...

The Battle of Jericho from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. After Moses passed away, Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land, and the first city they came to was Jericho. It was a formidable city known for its massive walls. The Lord instructed them to march around the city for six days, and on the seventh...

Sunshine and Roses from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Something that puzzled me when I first decided to take my relationship with Jesus seriously was that my life suddenly became more challenging. I mean, what's going on with that? "I'm a child of the King! He fights my battles." Uh-huh... For me, it felt like the more I dedicated myself to...

One Day at a Time from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. First, I want to say there's absolutely nothing wrong with being ignorant. It simply means there's a lack of knowledge or awareness about something, or perhaps being a bit uneducated or unsophisticated. The Lord knows all, and He understands our limitations. After all, He created our minds,...

Shipwrecked Faith from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. You must develop a direct relationship with Jesus Christ that is not dependent on anyone else. Far too many people have their faith shipwrecked when they get spiritually hurt by someone in the church, especially if it comes from the church leadership they look up to. We have seen members...

The Fleece from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. In Judges chapter six, there is a young man named Gideon who is the least of the least. For seven years, raiders from the land of Midian invaded Israel at harvest time, set up camps, and systematically stole their crops and livestock, destroying and pillaging anything of value. The raiders came...

Secret Service from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today, I would like to discuss God's timing. Too many of us read the Scriptures and feel that God is outdated or out of touch with modern times when nothing could be further from the truth. He invented time. He created the Sun that the Earth orbits. Sometimes, we can feel that He is distant...