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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...

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 16:24–25 WEB. I once stood at a crossroads in my life and wondered which path to take. I could continue pursuing a career as a nocturnal musician who played...

The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:52 WEB. While at the beach one day, I watched some kids playing with a beach ball. They would hit the ball, and it would soar high into the air but then gradually drift back down to Earth. Without some form of lift, the ball always falls to the ground. Yet, if you fill a ball or balloon with helium, then it will begin to float...

"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,...

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...

For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. James 3:16–17 WEB. Just as a sponge filled with liquid, so is our heart within us. It absorbs all the hurts and pains in our life. When we come to the Lord,...

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...

The Carpenter from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Jesus left His hometown of Nazareth around the age of thirty, where He had grown up and worked as a carpenter. Later, He returned as a rabbi with a group of disciples following Him, and the locals were astonished. (Mark 6:1–3 NKJV) Then He went out from there and came to His own country,...

Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?' His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your...

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...

Wherever he entered—into villages, or into cities, or into the country—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched him were made well. Mark 6:56 WEB. My friend had mixed emotions of fear, conviction, and uncertainty as we knelt down to pray together. At that moment, He questioned whether Jesus was even real....

After a little while again those who stood by said to Peter, "You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it." But he began to curse, and to swear, "I don't know this man of whom you speak!" The rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the word, how that Jesus said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." When he thought about that,...

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...

They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you, says Yahweh, to rescue you. Jeremiah 1:19 WEB. Things were finally going well in our computer business. We had one particularly large client with multiple locations that took up all the time that we could give them. For the first time in forever, we could work all that we wanted, and they loved us. They gave us...

Cranking It to Eleven from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. This is not the message I sat down to write. Partway through, the Holy Spirit hijacked it and made it something else. I don't want to upset you, but like Paul, I also don't want you to be ignorant (1 Corinthians 12:1). This is a rather long message, but it would be an injustice not...

We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 WEB. As I writhed in pain in the chair, the dentist wrestled on with the split tooth. It was very painful, and I didn't want him to touch it, let alone tug on it like he was doing. Yet, my toothache wouldn't go away until all of it was removed. Like Esau, I began to...

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4 WEB. It was dusk dark, and I was alone in the middle of a large swamp called the Beaver Dam. I had ridden my dirt bike over to my cousin's house earlier that day. He stayed about four miles from us through dense woodland and swamp, but we had...

My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids. Although there is no violence in my hands, and my prayer is pure. Job 16:16 WEB. Bills piled up steadily at our house with no income to pay them. I'd just spent a couple of months intensely seeking the Lord, praying with my face to the carpet for two hours a day, and soaking in His presence like a warm blanket. Then suddenly, our business...

God said, "Let's make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27 WEB. I love cars, always have. When I was...

Jacob saw the expression on Laban's face, and, behold, it was not toward him as before. Yahweh said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your fathers, and to your relatives, and I will be with you." Genesis 31:2–3 WEB. Things were beginning to be difficult for Jacob at his workplace. The Lord had certainly put him there in the beginning, and Jacob had prospered and became wealthy. At the start, his...

Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner." Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you." He said, "Teacher, say on." "A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they couldn't pay,...

Prayer Warrior from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. I have heard people teach that one should pray once "in faith" and never mention it again. The idea is that God has heard you and will bring it to pass when He is ready. There may be a time for that, but that is not how Elijah, Elisha, Daniel, Paul, or Jesus Christ prayed. Now, I totally...

Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying, "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love. Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness. Jeremiah 31:3 WEB. "Just as I am without one plea, but that thy blood was shed for me..." I remember standing in a Baptist church, a kid about six years old, as they sang this hymn. When they did an altar call, several people went forward, and I went along with...

I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full. "This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you." John 15:11–12 WEB. Peter and the other Apostles were preaching at the temple when they were arrested by the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They tried to put them in prison, but an angel let them out during the night....

Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he stuck the spear into the wall. David fled, and escaped that night. 1 Samuel 19:10 WEB. King Saul became jealous of his son-in-law David who had become very popular with the people. Completely consumed by rage, he attempted to murder David with a spear, but David evaded him and left the city. King...

I will seek that which was lost, and will bring back that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick; Ezekiel 34:16 WEB. As the tears flowed down my face, I knew they weren't mine. I had a rough upbringing. I could count the people I trusted on one of my hands and still have a couple of fingers left. Yet, as I laid my hands on this hopelessly...