New Hope Church

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.  Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”  Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”  Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and…

Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. —I Samuel 2:30 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him… “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” —II Samuel 3:7 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground… The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. —II Samuel 3:19              How do we come to know the Lord?  Here we are told that “Samuel did not yet know the…

Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard… So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” —I Samuel 1:13, 20              There is no specific way to pray… to talk to God.  You can do so while sitting, kneeling, walking, hands lifted up, hands by your side, laying prostrate face down, with a loud voice, with a soft voice, while laying on your bed, driving your vehicle, riding a bike, while swimming or as Hannan did, “in her heart, and her lips were moving but…

To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. —John 3:27 “He must become greater; I must become less.” —John 3:30 All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. —Proverbs 14:23-24              John the Baptist was given a particular work from heaven to accomplish.  His work did not end as he expected, I’m sure.  His execution ended the work he was to do.  Jesus also was given a specific work to complete from heaven.  I am sure many on earth at that time did not think His work on earth would end the way it did.  He was also…

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”  “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”  Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ —John 3:5-6 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted…

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. —Psalm 103:11-12 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. —II Corinthians 5:21              How great is God’s love for us?  It is “as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him.”  Just think how far that is!  That is how much He loves those who have…

The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.  One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. —John 1:1-3  He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. —John 1:10 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We…

One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”  “What things? “He asked.  “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early…

But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” —Judges 8:23              This was Gideon’s desire for the Israelites that “The Lord will rule over you.”  And, brothers and sisters, fellow followers of Jesus, is this not what we desire for people as well?  We desire people to know our Lord Jesus and to be obedient to Him!              I recently heard a story about a pastor who was acting like a dictator, ruling it over the people or as just told his disciples—-  “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority…