The One in the Mirror from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about our biggest problem, the one in the mirror, and the importance of living a disciplined life. Be wary of a watered down religion that costs you nothing, for true freedom always comes with a price. The enemy does not willingly let you go without a fight. James wrote it this way: (James 1:22–27 NASB) ...

Petrified from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about becoming petrified. So scared, so bound up, so terrified inside, that you are unable to think or move. Frozen in place. Unable to make decisions. An example is the guards at Jesus’ tomb on Sunday morning. At the request of the Jewish leaders, Pilate sent a group of Roman soldiers to stand guard over the tomb of...

Bible Study, The Gospel of John, Chapter One from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today we are going to study the good news of John chapter 1 in depth. You can follow along in your own Bible if you like. I will be reading from the World English Bible because it is the only modern English translation that is copyright free, and I can read the entire Bible on video and put it on our website without...

For John the Baptizer came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Luke 7:33 WEBThere was always a gloomy feeling that settled over you when you entered the church sanctuary. Everyone was somber with long faces like they were in...

People Get Ready from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Jesus said “My sheep hear My voice” in John 10:27 and I believe that each of us have pearls of wisdom given to us by the Holy Spirit. Little gems and insights that are beautiful and meant to build up and strengthen the body of Christ. We are each a microcell in His body and are given resources, gifts, and talents to benefit the...

If you died with Christ from the elements of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to ordinances, 'Don't handle, nor taste, nor touch' (all of which perish with use), according to the precepts and doctrines of men? These things indeed appear like wisdom in self-imposed worship, humility, and severity to the body; but aren't of any value against the indulgence of the...

I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different 'good news', but there isn't another 'good news.' Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any 'good news' other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. Galatians 1:6 WEBThere was...

Don't Look Back from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about putting your hand to the plow, and looking back at what you have left behind. In Genesis chapter 19, there were two cities that had become extremely wicked, so bad that God decided the Earth would be better off without them: Sodom and Gomorrah. During this time, there was a man named Abraham who walked so closely...

Then Elijah said to the people, 'I, even I only, am left as a prophet of Yahweh; but Baal's prophets are four hundred fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it. You call on the name of your god, and...

The Lord Is My Helper from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about the importance of realizing that you are not isolated and alone. This is so important today, because it easy to just hear those words, nod and smile, and then go on about your day not actually believing them. Maybe only one in 10,000 will get this, but it was a turning point in my life when I realized that...

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6 ESVLaying in bed and unable to sleep, another night passed by. So concerned about the next day, that I could not seem to end the current one. Yet when the following day arrived, everything took care of itself. Day after day,...

He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love. By this God's love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:8 WEBEach time that I stumble in my Christian walk, the thought comes to me to turn back. I begin...

He said, 'Take the arrows;' and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, 'Strike the ground;' and he struck three times, and stopped. The man of God was angry with him, and said, 'You should have struck five or six times. Then you would have struck Syria until you had consumed it; whereas now you will strike Syria just three times.' 2 Kings 13:18 WEBIsrael had been invaded by Syria for years and...

Follow Me from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about something that was confusing to me when I really got serious about knowing Jesus. My life became difficult. I mean, what’s up with that? “I’m a child of the King! He fights my battles.” Uh huh. It seemed the more effort that I put into knowing Him, the more difficult things became. My little mind...

I Can Do This from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about something very simple, but immeasurably important, and not always easy to do. Let’s begin in a house in the book of Matthew where Jesus healed two blind men: (Matthew 9:27–30 NKJV)  When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy...

Left Behind from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about being left behind. Not particularly about the return of Jesus Christ to Earth, because that will be a simple enough choice. When He appears in the twinkling of an eye, you will be saved, or you will be dead. You won’t have to decide anything, and you won’t have to worry about being left behind. The decisions...

You are of your Father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn't stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44 WEBWhen I would try and pray, crazy thoughts would begin to run through my mind like: 'God has abandoned you. He doesn't...

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?' or, 'With what will we be clothed?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God's...

Dreams and Circumstances from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to examine the birth of Jesus and how God guided Mary and Joseph. It all began when the angel Gabriel appeared to a young woman named Mary and told her that she would soon conceive a child when the Holy Spirit overshadowed her. She was engaged to Joseph, a carpenter, but not yet married, so becoming pregnant now made...

When the season for fruit drew near, He sent His servants to the tenants to get His fruit. Matthew 21:34 ESVFor years I waited, yet every door remained closed. When I was about twenty, the Lord told me through a pastor that He had chosen me for ministry and to begin to prepare myself. I already knew it in my heart. His word was a confirmation of what God had already put inside me. Later while visiting...

You shall seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart. I will be found by you Jeremiah 29:13 WEBIt was a very busy morning and I had so much to do. I was under a lot pressure to fulfill the many commitments that I had made, and I was anxious to get the day underway. I had also told the Lord that I would start the morning with prayer time, but when under pressure, I wrestled with...

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Isaiah 43:1 ESVIt was almost dark and we had to ride our motorcycles through the swamp to get back home. We had done it many times,...

Good From Bad (Your Worst Day Can Become Your Best) from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about how God can bring good things out of the bad. How He can change your worst day, into your best. How He can change bad situations, into incredible opportunities. He has done it all through scripture, He has done it for me, and He will do it for you. (Romans 8:28 NKJV)  And...

God Almighty from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. There is a lot of fear and uncertainty in the world today and I feel that many are losing their focus by spending too much time listening to the news, and too little time listening to the Lord. We must remember that what we feed in our mind will grow, and what we starve will die. Things that we focus on grow bigger and bigger. I believe that...

When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, 'Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.' Jesus stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, 'I want to. Be made clean.' Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. Matthew 8:1 WEBAn outcast waited by the roadside, hoping to see Jesus. He was a leper and had a skin disease that...

Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels. When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, House of Israel, can't I do with you as this potter?' Jeremiah 18:3 WEBWhen I was young, I followed the family tradition...

Pestilence: The White Horse from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about pestilence in scripture. A hot topic on the news today is the Coronavirus that is ravaging countries. While I am writing this, the cases reported have increased thirteen fold in China, and Italy has now shut down all transportation except to medical facilities and grocery stores. It has become a serious...

Thank you for being a part of Refreshing Hope Ministries. Like everyone else, we have been monitoring the Corona Virus (COVID-19) outbreak and praying about it. As of today, many church services and public gatherings are being canceled around the world. It is a difficult time for many, and fear is on the rise on a global scale. While it is important to take reasonable precautions, both for ourselves...

The House of God from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about The House of God, the place where we go to meet God. 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 instructions to build...

Overwhelmed from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Today I want to talk about feeling overwhelmed by the things that you are facing. Sometimes life hands us things that seem too weighty, too much to deal with. Let’s begin by looking at a little Bible history. Jeremiah, the Old Testament prophet, prophesied for around forty years, warning backslidden Israel that disaster was coming. As...