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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...

Positive and Negative from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. We live in uncertain and troublesome times. Fear is on the rise, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring. The news seems only bad, and each day, something new stokes the fire, replacing what we thought was the worst with something worse. The ingenious Homer Simpson, when his son...

I love those who love Me. Those who seek me diligently will find Me. Proverbs 8:17 WEB. I came out of my prayer room that morning feeling like I was walking on a cloud with tears of joy in my eyes. If you had told me that the world was getting ready to explode, I would have said, "Let 'er blow!" I truly did not have a care in the world. An hour earlier, I felt like the weight of the world was on my...

When they had gone over, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be on me." 2 Kings 2:9 WEB. While walking down the road together, Elisha was just a humble servant to the mighty prophet Elijah. This prophet was renowned for calling fire down from heaven multiple times. His words brought a drought on...

Sow to yourselves in righteousness, Reap according to kindness. Break up your fallow ground; For it is time to seek Yahweh, Until He comes and rains righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12 WEB. I grew up on a farm, and over the long cold winter, the ground of the fields would become so hard that water would just run off of it like a rock. The rain would not penetrate the crust but just run through its cracks....

Therefore Mary took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Jesus's feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. John 12:2–3 WEB. While Jesus reclined at the table, Mary anointed His feet with twelve ounces of expensive perfume made of pure Spikenard oil. The plants that this oil is extracted from grow in Nepal, China, and...

For it is precept on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little. Isaiah 28:10 WEB. We had scattered pieces all over the table while we worked on assembling a jigsaw puzzle. It was a total mess. This one was mysteriously difficult, for someone had mistakenly or intentionally mixed a couple of other puzzles in the same box. Now some pieces didn't belong there...

God is my rock in whom I take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My savior, you save me from violence. 2 Samuel 22:3 WEB. David sang this the day the Lord delivered him from all his enemies. Where others saw nothing, David could see the work of the Lord through the eyes of faith. When those around him didn't believe, David would tell them: "I call upon...

Overcoming Fear in a Turbulent World from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt when he was about 80. However, upon reaching the Promised Land, the people discovered there were giants living there, which made them feel like grasshoppers (Numbers 13:33). Consequently, they decided to stone Moses, appoint...

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...

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. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand. John 10:27–29 WEB. The hero of the show we were watching took some really bad knocks, and it looked like he was going down for the...

When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. When they had finished the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy each other. 2 Chronicles 20:22–23 WEB. "God...

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you. Luke 6:38 WEB. We once had a prophet come to our church who was scheduled to preach elsewhere but was canceled at the last minute. He rode into town on a bus, then became stranded and needed money to get back...

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...

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...

The Woman at the Well from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. When Jesus was traveling from Judea to Galilee, He stopped in a town called Sychar. While resting at the well and waiting for His disciples to return from grocery shopping, He had a conversation with a Samaritan woman who came to the well during the heat of the day. (John 4:3–6 NASB)...

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...

Elijah said to her, Don't be afraid; go and do as you have said; but make me of it a little cake first, and bring it forth to me, and afterward make for you and for your son. For thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, The jar of meal shall not empty, neither shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on the earth. She went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he,...

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...

The Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why don't your disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands?" 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. But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For you set aside...

When the Philistine arose, and walked and came near to meet David, David hurried and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. David put his hand in his bag, took a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. 1 Samuel 17:48-49 WEB. My computers were often like Dr. Frankenstein's monster and built from parts...

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure; Isaiah 46:9–10 WEB. During a sci-fi night at our house, we watched some heroes frantically trying to disarm a bomb that was quickly counting...

Rivers of Living Water from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. When someone is speaking, it is helpful to know the context and their environment to fully grasp what they mean. Consider the words of Jesus in John chapter 7: (John 7:37 NKJV) On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let...

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, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you. John 14:24–26 WEB. As I look at my piano, twelve keys are repeated across the keyboard's length. There are only seven ivory keys and five ebonies, yet a talented pianist can make unlimited...

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...

Pharaoh's daughter came down to bathe at the river. Her maidens walked along by the riverside. She saw the basket among the reeds, and sent her handmaid to get it. She opened it, and saw the child, and, behold, the baby cried. She had compassion on him, and said, "This is one of the Hebrews' children." Then his sister said to Pharaoh's daughter, "Should I go and call a nurse for you from the Hebrew...

Joseph came in to them in the morning, and saw them, and saw that they were sad. He asked Pharaoh's officers who were with him in custody in his master's house, saying, "Why do you look so sad today?" They said to him, "We have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it." Joseph said to them, "Don't interpretations belong to God? Please tell it to me." The chief cupbearer told his dream...

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...

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They don't toil, neither do they spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his glory was not dressed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today exists, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, won't he much more clothe you, you of little faith? Therefore don't be anxious, saying, 'What will we eat?', 'What will we drink?'...

Good Neighbors from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. We need to be good neighbors, and in turn, make the world a better place. Ever since Adam and Eve had children and one killed the other, learning to live in peace has been an ongoing thing. Most of the Ten Commandments are about how we treat each other. The word neighbor occurs about 153 times...