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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...

Don't remember the former things, and don't consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. It springs out now. Don't you know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19 WEB. One morning, I was sitting in church listening to the guest speaker's monotone message. When to put it frankly, I became bored. I yawned, searched for the time, and wondered...

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven't sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10 WEB. So there I sat in my prayer room, feeling washed up and wondering why I was there at all that day....

The Underdogs from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. In today's world, people too often chase superficial and fleeting beauty. Supermodels are everywhere in advertising. Even the computer geeks we see on TV now have six-pack abs - if only that were true! We're bombarded with images of glamour models flaunting their wealth, fancy yachts, perfect...

Now Yahweh's word came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I sanctified you. I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." Then I said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don't know how to speak; for I am a child." Jeremiah 1:4-6 WEB. Jeremiah tried to explain to the Lord why he wasn't the one for this new prophet's job, but He wouldn't take no for an answer....

Now Yahweh said to Abram, "Leave your country, and your relatives, and your father's house, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing. Genesis 12:1–2 WEB. Abram came to a crossroads in his life where he had to make a radical choice: to follow God's path or to continue where he was. Following God meant...

In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel out and in. Yahweh said to you, You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh: and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he...

Yahweh's angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur. He said, "Hagar, Sarai's servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai." Genesis 16:7 WEB. Hagar wandered alone in the desert. She had always done what she was told, but now it had become too much. Hagar had run away from the painful...

Jeremiah said, Yahweh's word came to me, saying, Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, "Buy my field that is in Anathoth; for the right of redemption is yours to buy it." So Hanamel my uncle's son came to me in the court of the guard according to Yahweh's word, and said to me, 'Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for the right...

Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?" She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him, "Rabboni!" which is to say, "Teacher!" John 20:15-16 WEB. Mary Magdalene came to the tomb of Jesus early in the morning to...

Go in the Strength You Have from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo. The Lord will intentionally place you in hopeless situations and separate you from those who might have helped you in order to teach you to trust in Him. He has done this throughout scripture, just as He instructed Abraham to leave his father's house and homeland to travel to a...

As they went on their way, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she came up to him, and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister left me to serve alone? Ask her therefore to help me." Jesus answered her, "Martha,...

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 Kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore don't be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for...

Now after the death of Moses the servant of Yahweh, Yahweh spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' servant, saying, "Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go across this Jordan, you and all these people, to the land which I am giving to them, even to the children of Israel. Joshua 1:1–2 WEB. Moses, the servant of the Lord, died at 120 years old, and the Lord buried him (Deuteronomy 34:6)....