King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe." Agrippa said to Paul, "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?" Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me today, might become such as I am, except for these bonds." Acts 26:27-29 WEB. When a fishing net is pulled out of the water, it may contain...

The Dark Night of the Soul from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. As Pastors, we receive many prayer requests about hearing the Lord, or more specifically, not hearing Him. When people are in a difficult situation, it becomes difficult to hear Him, and too often, they begin to feel like failures. They blame themselves and feel as if there must be...

Therefore all those who devour you will be devoured. All your adversaries, everyone of them, will go into captivity. Those who plunder you will be plunder. I will make all who prey on you become prey. For I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds, says Yahweh, "because they have called you an outcast, saying, 'It is Zion, whom no man seeks after.' " Jeremiah 30:16-17 WEB. It...

The Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded. He went out to meet Asa, and said to him, "Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin! Yahweh is with you while you are with him; and if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law. But when in their distress they turned...

When they had come, he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely Yahweh's anointed is before him." But Yahweh said to Samuel, "Don't look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don't see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:6-7 WEB. When Saul was chosen to be the first king of Israel, he was handsome and...

David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Yahweh loved him; and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, for Yahweh's sake. 2 Samuel 12:24-25 WEB. King David and Bathsheba would have been on the front page of the news. They'd had an affair while Bathsheba's husband Uriah was away serving in...

They were all astonished at the majesty of God. But while all were marveling at all the things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, "Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men." But they didn't understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it. Luke 9:43–45 WEB. Jesus told His disciples, "Let these words...

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever will lose his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits his own self? For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory, and the glory of the Father, and of the holy angels. Luke 9:24-26 WEB. The break...

Giants and Grasshoppers from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. There are unseen forces all around us that we don't notice and may even take for granted. Consider gravity, without which we would drift off into space. You can't see it, though you interact with it all day. It holds your couch to the floor and your house to the ground. Although you...

A Look Back at 2024 from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Dear wonderful Refreshing Hope Family, As we close out another year and look back on 2024, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for being an integral part of our journey here at Refreshing Hope Ministries. Whether you've joined us through reading our devotionals, watching...

In those days Hezekiah was terminally ill, and he prayed to Yahweh; and he spoke to him, and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah didn't reciprocate appropriate to the benefit done for him, because his heart was lifted up. Therefore there was wrath on him, Judah, and Jerusalem. However, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that Yahweh's wrath didn't...

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don't make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time!" When he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But...

But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior; that being justified by his grace, we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life....

When I kept silence, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me. My strength was sapped in the heat of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin to you. I didn't hide my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Psalms 32:3-5 WEB. David had gotten a married woman pregnant, then had...

Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 WEB. I am a morning person. I like to get the most important work of the day done as early as possible. Then in the afternoon, I enjoy playing music, writing...

The man said, "They have left here, for I heard them say, 'Let's go to Dothan.' " Joseph went after his brothers, and found them in Dothan. They saw him afar off, and before he came near to them, they conspired against him to kill him. They said to one another, "Behold, this dreamer comes. Come now therefore, and let's kill him, and cast him into one of the pits, and we will say, 'An evil animal has...

The Night Before Christmas from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Imagine what it must have been like to be in Bethlehem, a cozy little town surrounded by green rolling hills, on the very first Christmas Eve over 2,000 years ago. Think about a time before we had electricity, twinkling Christmas lights and the happy holiday songs we sing today....

Brothers, I don't regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do: forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 WEB. I was in a very dark place in my life. The doctor had placed me on anti-depressants, yet I remained a recluse with suicidal...

Dear Refreshing Hope Family, I hope this message finds you warm, safe, and happy wherever you are. Thank you so much for being a part of Refreshing Hope Ministries. We wouldn't be here without you. May the beauty of the Lord's presence shine on you this holiday season and brighten your life and that of your loved ones, bringing a wonderful celebration of Christmas and a New Year filled with happiness,...

For you don't delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it. You have no pleasure in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. O God, you will not despise a broken and contrite heart. Psalms 51:16–17 WEB. When I first came to the Lord, I was so zealous that I wanted to make up for everything I'd ever done wrong. I fasted for weeks, gave all that I had, tried to memorize the Bible,...

As you would like people to do to you, do exactly so to them. Luke 6:31 WEB. We had to park way out in the parking lot that day, and it was hot when we came out of the grocery store. There were no cart returns nearby, and I didn't really feel like taking the buggy all the way back to the building. I saw a few other shopping carts nearby that people had left out in the parking lot. As I contemplated...

Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men." Immediately they left their nets, and followed him. Mark 1:16-18 WEB. When I was young, I spent a lot of time navigating the waters near my home in South Carolina. The black water of the...

As an eagle that stirs up her nest, that flutters over her young, he spread abroad his wings, he took them, he bore them on his feathers. Deuteronomy 32:11 WEB. When eagles have their young, they line the inside of the nest with feathers, fur, and other soft materials. The parents try to make the little ones comfortable in the nest. They hunt and bring food to feed them. They pamper the little ones...

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...