New Hope Church

In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. —II Samuel 14:25 And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.” —II Samuel 15:4 Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” —II Samuel 15:10 A messenger came and told…

In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.  Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.   II Samuel 13:1-2 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister.” …

He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” —II Samuel 12:22-23 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” —John 16:33              Jesus made it very clear that “In this world you will have trouble.”  These troubles (trials and sorrows) take many…

One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. —II Samuel 11:2-4 How could I go to my house to eat and drink and make love to my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!… At David’s invitation, he ate and drank with…

“How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.” —II Samuel 7:22 “If you love me, keep my commands.” —John 14:15 “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” —John 14:21 “Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.” —John 14:24 “Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.” —Psalm 119:33 “I will walk about in freedom,…

And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him. —II Samuel 5:10 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.  And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. —I John 14:12-14              Just as the Lord God Almighty was with David, so He is with us.  Jesus said, “And surely I am with you always,…

Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” —John 13:20              Jesus said… Yes, truly, Jesus said, “As You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world” (John 17:18).  So, brothers and sisters, fellow followers/disciples of Jesus, we have been sent into the world to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).  Jesus was sent into the world to bring us the Good News— Himself.  Now we are to take Him to others.  If they accept the Jesus message we bring, then they accept Jesus. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord…

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. —John 12:23-26 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it…

The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?  The Lord is with me; he is my helper.  I look in triumph on my enemies.  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.  It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. —Psalm 118:6-9              Can you say this? — “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?”  Do you have this confidence in our Lord?  Are you trusting Him like this?  Do you really believe that “The Lord is with me; he is my helper?”  God’s Word…

As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. —I Samuel 26:10-11              There are those who may want to or have harmed us in some way.  It may be our first inclination to retaliate somehow.  But remember, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).  If there truly needs to be action taken against the one who has harmed…