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The multitude rose up together against them, and the magistrates tore their clothes off of them, and commanded them to be beaten with rods. When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely, who, having received such a charge, threw them into the inner prison, and secured their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying...

In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things...

A Living Sacrifice from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Various sacrifices were required under the old covenant. Some of the sacrifices helped feed the priests and those who worked at the temple, but a burnt offering was placed on the altar and completely consumed by fire. You can read about these in the book of Leviticus.  Under the new covenant, the perfect sacrifice of the Lord Jesus...

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. John 10:27 WEB.Jesus said His sheep would hear His voice, and they would follow Him, "and a stranger, they would not follow" (John 10:5). God speaks to His people individually and collectively. Some are so concerned about being deceived that they...

Pilate therefore said to him, "Aren't you speaking to me? Don't you know that I have power to release you, and have power to crucify you?" Jesus answered, "You would have no power at all against me, unless it were given to you from above. Therefore he who delivered me to you has greater sin." John 19:10'11 WEB.Beaten and bloody, wearing a purple robe and a crown made of thorns, Jesus quietly listened...

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;' and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; Revelation 3:15'17 WEB.I hate needles. I remember when I was ready...

In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It's a ghost!" and they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying "Cheer up! I AM! Don't be afraid." Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters." He said, "Come!" Peter stepped down...

Anchor of the Soul from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. When people lose hope, they lie down and die. They lose the will to live and fight any longer. Hopelessness is utter despair, the belief that nothing good will happen. When you begin to think like this, it will bring a desire to die. A spirit of suicide will try and convince you that death is the only way out, but it's a lie. David wrote: (Psalm...

But Rahab the prostitute, her father's household, and all that she had, Joshua saved alive. She lives in the middle of Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. Joshua 6:25 WEB.Rahab was always looked down on by the married women of the city. She was a prostitute, the least of the least, covered in shame with no hope and no future. She exchanged sex for...

A Whiter Shade of Pale from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Revival is the presence of God coming down to live among His people for a season. Jesus Christ was a walking revival. Crowds thronged around Him. Sinners came to hear Him. Miracles happened. Evil spirits came screaming out of the people. The blind could see. The deaf could hear. The crippled could walk. Sickness and disease were cured....

God said to Noah, "I will bring an end to all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them and the earth. Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch. Genesis 6:13'14 WEB.Noah had something to do. It was a driving passion that no one else understood. He could see beyond the curve, and it made...

"He said to another, "Follow me!" But he said, "Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce the Kingdom of God." Another also said, "I want to follow you, Lord, but first allow me to bid farewell to those who are at my house." But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back,...

The Sound of Silence from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. It's great when we are on top of the mountain with the Lord, like Moses getting fresh direction, but it gets lonely down in the valley where they worship that golden calf. We are excited when we get a fresh vision from the Lord, a new direction. "Oh, now we know what to do!" But there is often a span of time between the revelation and...

God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. The heavens, the earth, and all their vast array were finished. On the seventh day God finished his work which he had done; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because he rested in it from all his work...

He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire." Mark 14:35-36 WEB.After growing up in the bible-belt, my image of God was as a complete disciplinarian. An angry, white-haired, lightning-bolt...

When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It's a ghost!" and they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Cheer up! It is I! Don't be afraid." Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters." He said, "Come!" Peter stepped down from the boat, and walked on the waters to come to Jesus. Matthew 14:26'29...

The Grapevine from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Some people have the gift of writing a thousand words without conveying anything meaningful. Have you ever tried to research something and read page after page of documentation and still can't even find what it does?  For instance, try and compare different versions of Microsoft Office, and you will find lengthy pages of writing like:...

At the same time my understanding returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and brightness returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are truth, and his ways justice; and those who walk in pride he is able...

Facing the Storm from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. We live on the coast of South Carolina near Myrtle Beach, less than ten miles from the Atlantic Ocean, as a bird would fly. I was born here. For us, from late August through November, it's hurricane season. Technically, it runs from June 1st to November 30th, but the storms I remember most land in September.  Hurricane Hugo came...

The Door to Eternity from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. People who try to live right when the world has gone wrong have always gotten God's attention. We would not even be here today unless some of those people had swum against their current culture. Consider the story of Noah: (Genesis 6:9–10 NKJV)  This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations....

Ever Increasing Faith from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Small victories in your life will lead to bigger ones. When I started with the Lord, I was so hungry I wanted to do exploits for God immediately. I wanted to do the end from the beginning, but the Lord does not work that way. Like track and field, He sets obstacles before us that we can overcome, then He raises the bar a little higher....

Jeremiah said, Yahweh's word came to me, saying, Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, "Buy my field that is in Anathoth; for the right of redemption is yours to buy it." So Hanamel my uncle's son came to me in the court of the guard according to Yahweh's word, and said to me, 'Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for the right...

The Lamb from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We know Jesus was crucified during the Passover feast, so the timing is not far off. In fact, the week of Passover overlaps with Easter this year and begins at sundown on Wednesday, April 5, 2023. At the same time, Easter is on Sunday, April 9th, right in the middle of Passover week.  The...

God looks down from heaven on the children of men, to see if there are any who understood, who seek after God. Psalms 53:2 WEB.When the Lord began speaking to me with His gentle promptings, I was amazed at how well He knew me. I was a computer technician and dealt with a lot of spyware and viruses at the time. The Lord often spoke to me in technical terms and dialect that others wouldn't understand....

Intentional Spiritual Growth from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. t's time to align with the divine! To clear our ears and get in tune with what the Lord is doing today. It is planting season once again and a time for intentional spiritual growth. You won't complete a marathon if you haven't disciplined yourself to run for hours. That ability is not given to you. It is earned.  Olympic...

Mirror Mirror from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. I look in the mirror, and what do I see? Who is that looking back at me? Is it someone faithful and true, or someone wishing they could start new? Today is the day to square up with the one in the mirror. David wrote this song about the Lord after he was delivered from Saul: (2 Samuel 22:26–29 ESV)  "With the merciful you show yourself...

You Get What You Need from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Sometimes disappointment comes from unrealistic expectations, like a fish that wants to fly. Fish simply aren't built for graceful air travel, but they can swim like no one else. Likewise, the Lord has given each of us a gift set and areas of expertise to build up the body of Christ, but too often, we want to be someone else, somewhere...

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...

Rest in Me from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. This is a word for me, but I'll share it with you. I've had a rough week. Our main mail server here at Refreshing Hope has grown so slow it was becoming unusable and began randomly corrupting email accounts. Millions of emails pass through that machine, and it is mission-critical for us. It is also a temperamental, hateful beast with hundreds...

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...