God is real! My epiphany By David Wyles
by David and Dianna Wyles March 17th, 2016
God is Real! My epiphany
By David Wyles
One morning I was lying in bed, thinking about God and groaning inside myself over the burden of sin (Romans 8:23). This had been going on for about 6 months, the moaning inside how it was unfair that we were born into sin and had no choice. The only one ever to have a choice was Eve, and it was not her fault. It was Satan’s!
Then it happened. ...
Wilderness
by Jeffrey Smith March 16th, 2016
Philippians 4:8: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He...
Plumb line
by Jeffrey Smith March 15th, 2016
Amos 7:8-9: And the Lord asked me, What do you see, Amos? A plumb line, I replied. Then the Lord said, Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.
Galatians 1: 6-7: I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting...
Healing in the shadow
by Jeffrey Smith March 14th, 2016
Acts 5:15-16: As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed.
Psalm 91:1: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in...
Facing Failure
by Dion Todd March 14th, 2016
He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, 'Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.' Simon answered him, 'Master, we worked all night, and took nothing; but at your word I will let down the net.' When they had done this,...
God of the Universe
by Dion Todd March 13th, 2016
John answered them, 'I baptize in water, but among you stands one whom you don't know. He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I'm not worthy to loosen.' These things were done in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!' John 1:26 WEBAdam...
Bad to the Bone
by Dion Todd March 12th, 2016
Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they didn't listen. Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him; and he was entreated by him, and heard his...
RHM March 2016 Newsletter
by Dion Todd March 10th, 2016
“He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, To love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 WEB
March Newsletter - 2016
Hello there,
Thank you for reading our devotional and being a part of Refreshing Hope Ministries. This is our monthly update on what has been happening here during the last month and I thank you for taking...
Seek Him
by Jeffrey Smith March 10th, 2016
Amos 5:4-5: This is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: Seek me and live; do not seek Bethel, do not go to Gilgal, do not journey to Beersheba. For Gilgal will surely go into exile, and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.
Seek the Lord in all things. You would think that would be all that it took for Amos to say to us through the Holy Spirit. Why did the Spirit speak to Amos about...
Gateway of life
by Jeffrey Smith March 8th, 2016
1 Chronicles 22:2-4: So David gave orders to assemble the aliens living in Israel, and from among them he appointed stonecutters to prepare dressed stone for building the house of God. he provided a large amount of iron to make nails for the doors of the gateways and for the fittings, and more bronze than could be weighed. He also provided more cedar logs than could be counted, for the Sidonians and...
Get Up And Go
by Dion Todd March 7th, 2016
Yahweh said to Joshua, Get you up; why are you thus fallen on your face? Joshua 7:10 WEBJoshua lay on his face before the Lord while praying. Israel had sinned and as a result, they had lost the battle at the small town of Ai. The first town that they had come to in the promised land was Jericho. The walls fell down after marching around it seven times, and it was not a difficult battle.They were supposed...
On forgiveness...
by David and Dianna Wyles March 6th, 2016
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24 NIV
I have a confession to make... I once didn't talk to my mom for five long years! The same Mom who hugged me when I...
Praise and Thanks
by Jeffrey Smith March 3rd, 2016
1 Chronicles 25: 3- As for Jeduthun, from his sons: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah and Mattithiah, six in all, under the supervision of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied, using the harp in thanking and praising the Lord.
Prophesying is about speaking into life that which the Lord speaks to you directly. It is about the future, and to affect the lives of others. There are many...
A Time for Everything
by Linda Darlene Gibson March 3rd, 2016
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace...
HE has your back!
by Linda Darlene Gibson March 2nd, 2016
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3: 5-8
According to Merriam-Webster, Trust is defined as the ‘belief...
Water source
by Jeffrey Smith March 2nd, 2016
Isaiah 30:25:On every lofty mountain and on every high hill there will be streams running with water on the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
The day of the great slaughter is the day Jesus was crucified. He brought down the towers that held the law of the pharisees. The law was meant to condemn, and the blood of Jesus flows to forgive. Through Jesus, we have the source of life,...
Carving Out The Masterpiece
by Dion Todd March 1st, 2016
If therefore your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly full of light, as when the lamp with its bright shining gives you light. Luke 11:36 WEBAfter viewing the marble statue of David, someone asked Michelangelo, 'How did you know what to cut away?' The sculptor answered, 'It's simple, I just remove everything that doesn't look like David.' He knew what the statue should...
Accounting
by Jeffrey Smith February 29th, 2016
1 Chronicles 21: 1-3: Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are. But Joab replied, May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord's subjects? Why...
Connecting the Dots
by Dion Todd February 29th, 2016
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness Luke 4:1 WEBI would not be here, if I had not been there. So many times in our life we can look back and say those words. Where we were when we met our spouse, and how narrow a time frame that it was. Taking a job that we did not really like, only to find that it was a stepping stone for something...
The Sin Problem
by Dion Todd February 28th, 2016
The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!' John 1:29 WEBDo you ever feel guilt or shame over something in your past? Is there something haunting you and saying, 'God is mad at you because'' or 'You are not worthy to do this?' That is the enemy trying to immobilize you and keep you from doing God's will. That is what he does, he...
Hope
by Jeffrey Smith February 26th, 2016
Romans 8:24: For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?
Romans 4:18: Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
Hoping in what is yet to come is what we must do continually. When we hope for something that we already...
Two Kingdoms
by Dion Todd February 26th, 2016
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn't believe has been judged already John 3:16 WEBWhat an amazing piece of scripture. God sent His Son Jesus...
The Surgeon
by Jeffrey Smith February 25th, 2016
Colossians 1:16: For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
There are no conferences, no award ceremonies, no star studded events for the scalpel. A scalpel is one of the most important instruments a surgeon has to perform his work. When someone...
Dare to Love
by David and Dianna Wyles February 25th, 2016
About your heart...
There are many Bible verses discussing the heart because God’s word is clear that the condition of your heart is critical in your walk with the Lord. [Proverbs 4:23] "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." [Proverbs 3:5] "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;" [Mathew 6:21] "for where your...
Crouching At The Door
by Dion Todd February 25th, 2016
Yahweh said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen? If you do well, won't it be lifted up? If you don't do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.' Genesis 4:6 WEBCain got angry because the Lord had no regard for the offering that he had brought, but did to Abel's offering. After Cain became very angry, the Lord told him that...
Go! Trust Him
by Jeffrey Smith February 24th, 2016
Exodus 4:12: Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.
I tell people this all the time, but it is the truth. I have blessed more people on accident then on purpose. I could go out one day with the idea that I am going to pray healing prayers over everyone I see. I can get so pumped up and put bibles in my backpack, and some provisions for the homeless, as well as a mouthful of...
Carrying The Cross
by Dion Todd February 24th, 2016
He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, 'Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.' Mark 8:34 WEBIf you will just keep following Jesus one day at a time, no power on earth can stop you because the Father is mightier than all. He created the universe, the earth, the stars, as well as us. He is not called 'The Almighty'...
Which is Easier to Believe?
by Jeffrey Smith February 23rd, 2016
Romans 5:15-16: But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin. The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses, and brought...
The Other Side
by Jeffrey Smith February 22nd, 2016
Jonah 4:4: But the Lord replied, Have you any right to be angry?
Luke 15:31-32: My son, the father said, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.
Ever feel like the older brother in the parable of the prodigal son? or Jonah after the Father has compassion on the...
The Promise Keeper
by Dion Todd February 21st, 2016
For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29 WEBI know a dad that once bought his son a car because he had taken a turn for the better. Not very long after this, his son got a DUI with the car and the dad took it back and sold it. I don't blame the dad and may have done the same, but often our gifts are more of a bonus or a reward than an actual gift.Many times when we give gifts...