Heart Like A Sponge
by Dion Todd June 5th, 2015
For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. James 3:16 ESVJust as a sponge filled with liquid is our heart within us. It absorbs all the hurts and pains in our life. Usually when we come to the Lord, it is filled with...
RHM June 2015 Newsletter
by Dion Todd June 4th, 2015
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. (Jeremiah 29:11–12 NIV)
June Newsletter - 2015
Thank you for reading our devotional and being a part of Refreshing Hope Ministries. This is our monthly update on what has...
The Worlds Greatest Dad
by Dion Todd June 4th, 2015
He said, Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Mark 14:36 WEBGrowing up in the Bible Belt as a child, my image of God was an angry, white-haired, lightning bolt wielding, disciplinarian that just waited on me to mess up. It was rare for me to go to church at all, but when I did visit the local baptist church, they showed movies like The Burning Hell with people like me on fire. God seemed sadistic...
The Invoice
by Dion Todd June 2nd, 2015
Then his master called him and said to him, You contemptible and wicked attendant! I forgave and cancelled all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me to. And should you not have had pity and mercy on your fellow attendant, as I had pity and mercy on you? And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (the jailers), till he should pay all that he owed. So also My heavenly Father...
Luke Chapter 8
by Dion Todd June 1st, 2015
Luke Chapter 8
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Luke 8 Outline:8:1-3 Women contribute to the ministry of Jesus.8:4-15 The parable of the Sower.8:16-18 The parable of the lamp and the cover.8:19-21 The mother and brothers of Jesus seek Him out.8:22-25 The calming of the storm.8:26-39 The Gerasene demoniac.8:40-41...
Why Did You Doubt?
by Dion Todd June 1st, 2015
But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, It is a ghost! and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid. Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. He said, Come. So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. Matthew 14:26 ESVThe wind...
The Dentist Chair
by Dion Todd May 31st, 2015
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 ESVAs I writhed in pain in the chair, the dentist wrestled on with the split tooth. It was very painful and I did not want him to touch it, let alone pull on it, but the toothache would not go away until all of it was removed. Like Esau, I began to comfort myself...
The Rooster Crows
by Dion Todd May 29th, 2015
And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. And he broke down and wept. Mark 14:72 ESVAfter walking closely with the Lord Jesus for over three years, Peter had denied that he even knew Jesus three times in one night. Earlier that evening, Jesus had even told Peter this would happen, but...
RHM Data Center Rebuild
by Dion Todd May 27th, 2015
For most of this year I have meant to rework our data center. We host everything ourselves in house because we send about 3 million emails a month through 10 virtual servers and our website gets about 300,000 visitors a month itself. Also with the equipment in hands reach, I can write scripts and configure it to do anything that I want immediately without having to call someone. For us, third party...
Luke Chapter 7
by Dion Todd May 25th, 2015
Luke Chapter 7
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Luke 7 Outline:
7:1-10 Jesus heals a Centurion’s servant.
7:11-17 Jesus raises a widow’s son from the dead.
7:18-23 John’s disciples question Jesus
7:24-35 Jesus commends John the Baptist
7:36-39 Penitent woman anoints Jesus
7:40-43 Parable of the forgiven debtors
7:44-50 Jesus forgives the...
Faithfully
by Dion Todd May 25th, 2015
He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them He remains faithful forever. Psalms 146:6 NIVLooking back over my life, I now see things that the Lord told me twenty-five years ago coming to pass. Things that I had put on the shelf, thinking that perhaps I had missed Him in some way, I am now living. There were a few times that I was convinced that I had ruined His plans for me....
The One Who Makes Dreams Come True
by Dion Todd May 24th, 2015
May He grant you your hearts desire and fulfill all your plans! Psalms 20:4 ESVIt was so hot in the field that day that people were getting sick to their stomachs and the rest of us had to crop their row. As a young boy about twelve working in the tobacco field, my world was very small. My family was the least of the least and I was in my twenties before I even knew what college was, and we could never...
The One Who Sees Me
by Dion Todd May 20th, 2015
They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you. Jeremiah 1:19 ESVThings were finally going well in our computer business. We had one particular 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. We had our own keys...
Luke Chapter 6
by Dion Todd May 18th, 2015
Luke Chapter 6
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Luke 6 Outline:
6:1-5 The disciples pick grain on the Sabbath.
6:6-11 Jesus heals a man’s hand on the Sabbath.
6:12 Jesus prays all night on a mountain.
6:13-16 Jesus names 12 apostles.
6:17-19 Jesus heals multitudes.
6:20-23 Four...
When the Grace is Gone
by Dion Todd May 17th, 2015
And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him with favor as before. Then the LORD said to Jacob, Return to the land of your fathers and to your kindred, and I will be with you. Genesis 31:2 ESVThings were beginning to be difficult for Jacob where he worked. The Lord had certainly put him there, prospered him greatly and he had become wealthy. Up until then, his father-in-law had always treated him with...
Emotion In Motion
by Dion Todd May 14th, 2015
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. John 15:11 ESVPeter and the apostles were beaten by the religious leaders and told not mention Jesus anymore, yet they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for His name (Acts 5:41). When Paul and Silas were imprisoned, they...
Hidden in Plain Sight
by Dion Todd May 13th, 2015
Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? Isaiah 43:18 ESVWhile sitting in church one morning listening to the speaker drone on, I yawned, searched for the time and wondered how long was left before we could go home. Having served the Lord a couple decades, graduated seminary and been ordained twice,...
The Long Road
by Dion Todd May 12th, 2015
And the LORD 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 at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. 2 Samuel 5:2 ESVDavid was just a young boy when God had Samuel anoint him as king over Israel. David was probably between ten to...
Luke Chapter 5
by Dion Todd May 11th, 2015
Luke Chapter 5 >> Click Here For Audio Version <<
Take the Quiz on Luke Chapter 5 when done
Luke 5 Outline:
5:1-5 Jesus preaches from a boat on lake Gennesaret.
5:6-7 The miraculous catch of fish.
5:8-11 The fishermen forsake all to follow Jesus.
5:12-13 Jesus heals a man with leprosy.
5:14 Jesus tells the man to tell no-one...
Love Is A Battlefield
by Dion Todd May 11th, 2015
And Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. And he answered, Say it, Teacher. A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more? Luke 7:39 ESVAs Jesus reclined on a low couch at the table, with His head near the table and His feet away from...
An Original Sin
by Dion Todd May 9th, 2015
Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth." Jeremiah 1:4 ESVJeremiah tried to reason with the Lord and make excuses about why he was not the one for this job, but the Lord would...
The Word of The Lord Came
by Dion Todd May 8th, 2015
Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came to me: Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours. Then Hanamel my cousin came to me Jeremiah 32:68 ESVThe word of the Lord came to Jeremiah and instructed him to buy his uncles field. Before long, his uncle came to him and offered to sell it to him....
RHM May 2015 Newsletter
by Dion Todd May 7th, 2015
Bible Fact: Peter and Andrew were brothers. James and John were brothers. They were all fishing partners. (Luke 5:10)
May Newsletter - 2015
Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments. They came,...
The Gardener
by Dion Todd May 7th, 2015
Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? Supposing Him to be the gardener, she 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 in Aramaic, Rabboni! (which means Teacher). John 20:15 ESVMary Magdalene came to the tomb of Jesus to grieve but found it empty. As she...
Sisters
by Dion Todd May 5th, 2015
Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are neededor indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her. Luke 10:4142 NIVMartha and Mary were sisters but very different people. Martha invited Jesus to their home, but then became busy and distracted with all the work. The visitation of Jesus soon became a chore...
Luke Chapter 4
by Dion Todd May 4th, 2015
Luke Chapter 4 >> Click Here For Audio Version <<
Take the Quiz on Luke chapter 4 when you are done
Luke 4 Outline:
4:1-13 Satan tests Jesus in the wilderness.4:14-15 Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee.4:16-30 Jesus preaches in His hometown of Nazareth and they try to kill Him.4:31-32 Jesus settles in Capernaum.4:33-37...
Let God Sort Them Out
by Dion Todd May 2nd, 2015
And Agrippa said to Paul, In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian? Acts 26:28 ESVI was in awe of power of the Holy Spirit as I saw this hardened drug dealer begin to weep. He was a friend whose life had gone the other way. One day I was going to town and he wanted to come, so I brought him along. As we drove down the highway, I began to tell him about some scripture that I had been...
Alone In The Crowd
by Dion Todd May 1st, 2015
And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. 1 Samuel 30:6 ESVDavid was distressed. He and his men had wept until they no longer had the strength to weep. When they returned to their town, they had found it burned to the ground and all of their...
Luke Chapter 2-3
by Dion Todd April 27th, 2015
Luke Chapters 2 & 3
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Take the Quiz on Luke chapters 2 & 3 when done
Luke 2 Outline:2:1-7 The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.2:1-3 The census decreed by Caesar Augustus.2:4-5 Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem.2:6-7 Mary gives birth to Jesus.2:8-14 The Angels appear to the shepherds by night.2:15-20...
Introduction to Luke and Chapter 1
by Dion Todd April 27th, 2015
The Gospel According to Luke
This week we will be discussing Luke chapter 1. Here are some thoughts and questions for this weeks segment to think over while you are listening / reading. We will get feedback as we move forward and try and improve each week as we learn together. Feel free to post your comment below!
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Take...