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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....

His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him, and couldn't speak peaceably to him. Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him all the more. Genesis 37:4 WEBThe Lord gave Joseph a dream when he was just a young boy and showed him that one day, he would be promoted above his brothers. He was so excited that he told them about...

But when they deliver you up, don't be anxious how or what you will say, for it will be given you in that hour what you will say. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Matthew 10:19 WEBA truly great coach is almost transparent. They are always behind the team, pressing them on to improve their game. They are proud of their team's accomplishments, but at the same...

As it was in the days of Noah, even so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man. They ate, they drank, they married, and they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Luke 17:26 WEBAs Noah labored on the ark day after day, life went on around him. People were eating, drinking, attending weddings, and carrying on with their...

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards to the throne will I be greater than you. Genesis 41:39'40 ESVJoseph had to pinch himself to be sure that he was awake. A few hours ago, he was a slave in prison serving time for a false...

Christmas Message 2016: Jesus   Christmas Message 2016: Jesus from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.   Today is Christmas, and I want to talk about Jesus. Who exactly is Jesus, and why is He important to us today. Over time things can become distorted and forgotten when passed down by word of mouth, so I want to refresh our minds on what the birth of Jesus means for us in a simple,...

But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4 ESVAfter months out of work, the days counted down until we were about to move out of our home. Meanwhile on the other side of town, someone else came into work each morning with a nagging feeling that they should have a pastor on staff, but put it off a little longer.Having...

Christmas Newsletter - 2016 Thank you for reading our devotional and being a part of Refreshing Hope Ministries. This is an update on what has been happening here during the last couple of months and I thank you for taking time to read it. Last month, Sylvia and I flew out to Arizona for an interview during the Guideposts National Cabinet Meeting and then went on to visit her family in California...

What Time is it? Part 5: The Beasts 2   What Time is it? Part Five: The Beasts 2 from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. This is part 5 of our series on end time beliefs. In this section, I want to continue on with the prophetic beasts of Daniel and Revelation. Last week we covered the first two beasts, the head of gold being Babylon, and the chest and arms of silver being Medo-Persia. For...

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 Jonah 2:10 WEBJonah landed on the beach and stood up, covered in fish vomit. He probably thought of going back to the water to rinse off, but knowing that...

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of Yahweh in the land of the living. Psalms 27:13 WEBDavid was now a wanted man and on the run for his life. Once a hero in the eyes of the people, the ones that he had trusted now sought to kill him. He was on the run when he wrote Psalm 27, either from Saul when Doeg the Edomite reported him, or from his own son Absalom who attempted to overthrow...

it happened, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking Yahweh; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised Yahweh, saying, For he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever; that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of Yahweh, so that the priests could not stand...

What Time is it? Part 4: The Beasts   What Time is it? Part Four: The Beasts from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. This is part 4 of our series on end time beliefs. In this section, I want to cover the prophetic beasts of Daniel and Revelation. I grew up on a farm as the youngest of thirteen children, and I was a step-child. The step-family side of the relationship was very poor and I didn’t...

He said, 'Go out, and stand on the mountain before Yahweh.' Behold, Yahweh passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before Yahweh; but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake; but Yahweh was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire passed; but Yahweh was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a still small voice....