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. But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith,...

Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Paddan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian, to be his wife. Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. Genesis 25:20-21 WEB.Rebekah was barren. She could not have children. But after her husband Isaac prayed for her, she became pregnant...

Whitewash from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. The Lord Jesus Christ had an astounding way of seeing right through lies and deception. This trait was both wonderful and alarming to those around Him. The religious elite of the day, the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees, grew more and more envious of Jesus. God had raised Him up outside their circle and without their approval. Jesus bypassed...

No one puts new wine into old wine skins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wine skins, and both are preserved. Luke 5:37-38 WEB (Paralleled in: Matthew 9:17, Mark 2:22).The most radical change recorded in the Bible was the change from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. John the Baptist was the...

Will You Believe from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. The word "Believe" occurs 309 times in the Bible (NKJV), and one-third of those are in the book of John. While writing his Gospel, John wrote "believe" 101 times. Apparently, he believed it to be a very important word. John was one of Christ's earliest Apostles and very close to Him. Peter, James, and John were often with Jesus when He...

You were running well! Who interfered with you that you should not obey the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. Galatians 5:7'8 WEB.The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Galatians who had been turned away from grace by some legalistic brothers. Though the Galatians were gentiles (non-Jewish believers), they were taught that they had to obey the 613 commandments of the law as if...

The Son Rises from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. The Lord Jesus Christ took Peter, James, and John up to a high mountain to pray, leaving nine other Apostles down in the valley with the multitudes of people. Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to pray, and this time, He took three of His Apostles with Him. The Apostles grew "heavy with sleep," as they often did while Jesus prayed (Luke 9:32,...

For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm to the end, while it is said, "Today if you will hear his voice, don't harden your hearts, as in the rebellion." For who, when they heard, rebelled? Wasn't it all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? Hebrews 3:15'16 WEB.When Joshua and Caleb returned to the Israelite camp after spying on the promised land,...

Aren't five sparrows sold for two assaria coins? Not one of them is forgotten by God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore don't be afraid. You are of more value than many sparrows. Luke 12:6'7 WEB.We live near the coast of South Carolina in the countryside and have a large oak tree in our yard that overshadows our porch. Sometimes we sit outside and read when the weather is...

Hidden Talent from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. One of the last public sermons Jesus gave was on the Mount of Olives and called "The Olivet Discourse." It was right before His crucifixion. Jesus and His disciples were at the temple in Jerusalem, and when they were leaving, the disciples were in awe of the colossal structure. Maybe they had wandered around sightseeing, for they began pointing...

When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Mark 2:17 WEB.Jesus walked up to a tax collector's booth in the fishing village of Capernaum, and to the shock of His disciples, He told the tax man sitting there to "Follow Me!" Then Matthew, the tax collector, immediately...

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot would say, "Because I'm not the hand, I'm not part of the body," it is not therefore not part of the body. If the ear would say, "Because I'm not the eye, I'm not part of the body," it's not therefore not part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the smelling be? 1 Corinthians...

Inspiration from Desperation from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!" David wrote these words after the Lord rescued him from the Philistines. David was anointed, overjoyed, and an amazing songwriter. Yet strangely, his life was in shambles when he wrote these inspiring words. David worked hard as a soldier in Israel and rose...

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spoke and said to Daniel, Your God whom you serve continually, he will deliver you. A stone was brought, and laid on the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Daniel 6:16'17 WEB.After serving God...

He came into a house. The multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him: for they said, "He is insane." The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul" Mark 3:19'22 WEB.When I first gave my heart to Jesus, I lost every friend I had but quickly gained new ones in my church family. I was born an American...

For his anger is but for a moment; His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, But joy comes in the morning. Psalms 30:5 WEB.I tossed and turned on the bed, unable to sleep. The pressure of what was going on in our life was tormenting, and even though we were exhausted, we could not sleep because we knew what we had to face the next day. When the morning finally arrived, all the worry...

Seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he would have passed by them, but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he immediately spoke with them, and said to them, "Cheer up! It is I! Don't be afraid."...

Believe from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. When the Lord brought the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt, they crossed the desert and came to Kadesh-Barnea. It was an oasis with at least four springs of water. After traveling through the desert, I am sure they were happy to see it. Remember, anytime you see the word "wilderness" in the Bible, it typically means desert. The whole exodus for...

Resurrection Power from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. While praying about this message, I had a vision of a man completely immersed in a pond of dark mud. The mud was thick like gumbo clay, and it clung to him. It seemed alive, and each time he tried to escape from it, it pulled him back down like a suction cup. It was a helpless situation, for there was no possible way for him to get free....

If you will not believe, surely you shall not be established. Isaiah 7:9 WEB.Ephraim and Aram allied and prepared to invade Judah, which terrified the people living there. When the people of Judah learned of the coming invasion, 'The hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind' (Isaiah 7:2).The Lord sent them the prophet Isaiah, who told them not to...

Seek the Lord from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. The book of Jeremiah gives us a vivid description of the Lord's backslidden people. They chased every god under the sun except the right One while claiming they followed Him. They had become more corrupt than the people the Lord had driven out before them. There were male and female cult prostitutes, and their new religion involved a lot of...

Of the angels he says, "Who makes his angels winds, And his servants a flame of fire." Hebrews 1:7 WEB.When the preacher walked past our row of seats, you could feel the heat coming off of him. When he looked at you, it was as if he looked straight into your heart and saw how black it really was. You felt as if he could see everything that you had ever done wrong in your life. It was uncomfortable,...

Breakthrough from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. When two armies meet in battle, it can sometimes lead to a standoff. Perhaps one side is dug into defensive positions and hard to dislodge. Eventually, one side may perform a powerful offensive thrust that penetrates their enemy's line and carries them far beyond. This is called a breakthrough. After the breakthrough, instead of being locked...

Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth. David said to Saul, Your servant was keeping his father's sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after him, and struck him, and delivered it out of his mouth; and when he arose against me, I caught him...

Therefore, I tell you, don't be anxious for your life: what you will eat, or what you will drink; nor yet for your body, what you will wear. Isn't life more than food, and the body more than clothing? See the birds of the sky, that they don't sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns. Your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you of much more value than they? Matthew 6:25'26 WEB.Painstakingly...

The April Challenge from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Well, it's that time of year again! For over ten years, Sylvia and I have fasted for the months of April and August and witnessed life-changing events. In fact, RHM was born from fasting. We went into a fast one month, became unemployed halfway through it, and on the last day, the Lord pushed us into starting Refreshing Hope Ministries....

Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this people, to the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread on, to you have I given it, as I spoke to Moses. Joshua 1:2'3 WEB.The Israelites gathered together on the bank of the Jordan River. God had miraculously provided for their every need for...

He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9'10 WEB.So many times in life,...

It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth. She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:6'7 WEB.The greatest gift God ever gave mankind spent His first hours laying in a feeding trough for animals. Mary wrapped the baby Jesus in strips of...

The Unseen Realm from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. I often find abandoned ruins intriguing. Some structure that people poured so much time, labor, and money into creating. Then it's just left to return to nature, time moves on, and it is forgotten. Everything in life that you see around you is temporary and will return to the ground it was taken from. Yet, there is another realm unseen to...