Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:5 WEBA friend of mine stopped by my house one day and asked me to ride to town with him. We...

He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke to them openly. Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, 'Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things...

Hearing God Speak - Part 2 Hearing God Speak, Part 2 from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.   Transcript:Today we are going to be continuing our series on “Hearing God Speak” and in this message I want to focus on some of the ways that He speaks to us. I am going to be sharing some very personal things from my life that are true stories. If you missed the first message, then...

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...

But I will sacrifice to you with the voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation belongs to Yahweh. Then Yahweh spoke to the fish, and it vomited out Jonah on the dry land. Yahweh's word came to Jonah the second time, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I give you.' So Jonah arose, and went to Nineveh, according to Yahweh's word....

But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:11 WEBGod is never impressed with the things that we have accomplished. It is by His grace and mercy that we are breathing at all. God is not impressed with how many people attend your church. He placed them there. God is not impressed with your giving....

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 WEBJoash had struggled with Syria for years and...

Hearing God Speak - Part 1 Hearing God Speak - Part 1 from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Transcript: Today we are going to be starting a new series on: “Hearing God Speak” and some questions that I want to answer are these:- Is it even possible for an average person to hear God speaking?- Is it still for today, or was it only for Biblical times?- In what ways does He speak...

Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized. He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus. Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God. Acts 9:18 WEBSaul was a hardcore Christian hunter. He had been there when Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:58)....

He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up, saying, 'There was a judge in a certain city who didn't fear God, and didn't respect man. A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, 'Defend me from my adversary!' He wouldn't for a while, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I...

You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the children of disobedience. We also all once lived among them in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest....

The Way Up Is Down The Way Up Is Down from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Transcript: Today I am going to be talking about something that Jesus taught His disciples: “The way up, is down.” We are going to be reading from the gospel of John chapter 13. On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He and His disciples ate supper in an upper room of someones house. We call it “The...

The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, 'God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?' Acts 23:2 WEBPaul did not appreciate being slapped in the face. Where Jesus had even faced crucifixion without complaining, Paul had a different attitude....

And when David and his men came to the city, they found it burned with fire, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep. 1 Samuel 30:2 ESVDavid stood amidst the burned ashes of his city with tears running down his face. Though he was anointed as king years ago, he had been running...

When The Music Plays When the Music Plays from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Transcript: Today I am going to be talking about something that the Lord taught me that is dear to my own heart called: “When the music plays.” As usual, I am speaking to myself as much as anyone else and I am going to be talking about the struggles that a Christian faces while we live here on the...

But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other; and from him who takes away your cloak, don't withhold your coat also. Give to everyone who asks you, and don't ask him who takes away your goods to give them back again. As you would like people to do to...

And the LORD said to Gideon, 'With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.' So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. And he sent all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. Judges 7:7 ESVGideon had begun his journey with over 32,000 men. Now he stood with only...

The Desires of Your Heart The Desires of the Heart from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Transcript: Today I am going to be talking about: “The Desires of Your Heart” and how to live them. I am going to be focusing on Psalm 37, so if you want to follow along in your Bible, you can go ahead and turn there. This is something that has been proven over and over in my life and...

Simon Peter said to them, 'I'm going fishing.' They told him, 'We are also coming with you.' They immediately went out, and entered into the boat. That night, they caught nothing. John 21:3 WEBEarlier that evening, Peter told Jesus: 'If I must die with you, I will not deny You' (Mark 14:31). Then that night, Peter cursed, swore and denied even knowing Jesus three times (Mark 14:71). Peter had failed...

January Newsletter - 2017 Thank you for being a part of Refreshing Hope Ministries. This is an update on what has been happening here during the last month and I thank you for taking time to read it. Welcome to the year of 2017. The cold war was going to incinerate us all, but it didn’t. Y2K was going to start the apocalypse, but it didn’t. Jesus was going to return at least four times...

Let it Rain Let It Rain from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.   Transcript:  Today I am going to be talking about the life of Noah, and the title of this message is called: “Let it Rain” - Though it may be a little different than what you are expecting. As I was praying about what to speak on this week, I began to sense “Nothing is happening, why is it taking so...

Let no man say when he is tempted, 'I am tempted by God,' for God can't be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.' James 1:13 WEBI had spent a quiet morning in my boat on the Waccamaw river, fishing and listening...

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. Don't quench the Spirit. Don't despise prophesies. Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 WEBWhile traveling through Milwaukee Wisconsin, we stopped at an old smokehouse restaurant and ordered some wood-smoked baby...

Abiding In The Vine Abiding in the Vine from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Transcript: Today I want to talk about grape vines, specifically about “A Grape Vine named Jesus.” I am going to be reading from John chapter 15 beginning in verse 1, if you want to take your bible and follow along, go ahead and turn there. This week while praying about what to speak about, I kept...

Then Mordecai asked them to return this answer to Esther: 'Don't think to yourself that you will escape in the king's house any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent now, then relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Who knows if you haven't come to the kingdom for such a time as this?' Esther 4:13 WEBEsther was not ready...

What Time is it? Part 7: The Restoration of The Church What Time is it? Part 7: The Restoration of the Church from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. Transcript: Today I want to talk about the restoration of the church. Jesus has built His church for battle, and He intends to win. His Bride will make herself ready. His church is not made of bricks and boards, it is made up of God’s...

Surely I have stilled and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with his mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalms 131:2 WEBBabies tend to cry a lot. Anytime they want something, they begin to cry. During this time, the parents are usually quick to look after them, partly out of love and the rest to stop the noise. I have seen them cry when you bring them food, and then cry when you take...

The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none who does good. Yahweh looked down from heaven on the children of men, To see if there were any who did understand, Who did seek after God. Psalms 14:1 WEBAs the cashier counted out my change, I noticed that it was a good bit more than I had given her to begin with. This was decades ago...

What Time Is It? Part 6: The Dark Ages   What Time is it? Parts 6 & 7: The End from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.     Transcript: This week I continue our series on end time events called “What time is it?” This is going to be part 6. This teaching brings us to a crossroads of what almost everyone seems to be teaching today, and what the Lord has shown me....