New Hope Church

OUR EVER-PRESENT REFUGE AND STRENGTH!  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. —Psalm 46:1-3              Trusting in your own strength? It will fail. Why not trust in a Refuge who is always present? Why not trust the One who gives us strength and is our strength? Why not trust Him who is “an ever-present help in trouble?” When God is our refuge, when He is our strength then we know we have “an…

DISCIPLE!  For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. —Ezra 7:10              Ezra “set his heart” to do three things: To study the Law of the Lord To do what the Law of the Lord said To teach the Law of the Lord This is discipleship. We learn what our Lord is saying to us through His Word. Then we make application to our own lives. Then we hand this down to others so they will do the same. Just as our Lord desires us to learn, know, obey and pass it…

BE AWARE! If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked. —Proverbs 29:12 This is an amazing statement made about 3000 years ago and yet it is as relevant today as it was then. Now if a ruler listens to lies, if he is receiving information that he knows is false and passing it on as truth, then this is bad news for those he rulers over. Not only that but because he is willingly listening to lies and passing it on that means those “officials” of his become wicked. How can this not be the case? Now we are to pray for those in authority, but that…

OUR LORD’S SOVEREIGN RULE!  In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to…

PERSPECTIVE AND PRAISE!  Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation. —Psalm 42:5  Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. —Psalm 42:11             Are you downcast, discouraged or despairing today?   Are you in turmoil, restless or disturbed? If we get off focused, lose perspective then this can happen to us. There is so much happening in our world today that is negative, heartbreaking and tragic but let…

BLESSED BY CONSIDERING/REMEMBERING AND MINISTERING TO THE POOR!  Blessed is the one who considers the poor! —Psalm 41:1  All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. —Galatians 2:10              Really there should be no needs unmet in a local assembly of believers— “They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” (Acts 2:45). “Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:36-37).   The early church was all about making…

BLESSED!   Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie —Psalm 40:4              Are you blessed? You are only if our Lord is being trusted by you. Are you blessed? You are only if you do not turn after the proud. Are you blessed? You are only if you do not go after those who go astray after a lie.             We live in the world, but as followers of Jesus we are not of the world and we are to keep ourselves unspotted by the world (John 17:14; James 1:27). Trust our…

BE FAITHFUL WITH YOUR FLEETING LIFE!  And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it; for with lustful talk in their mouths they act; their heart is set on their gain…for they hear what you say, but they will not do it. —Ezekiel 33:31-32  O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah  Surely…

BE EXPECTANTLY WAITING AND FAITHFUL NOW  But for you, O LORD, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. —Psalm 38:15  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsQmsEE_2-s             Are you waiting on the Lord for your answer or are you running ahead? Wait for Him to answer because He will… in His time. In the meantime be faithful in being and doing what you know He desires of you now. He will answer.             We can get distracted by all kinds of things— even good things. Be careful about that because when we get sidetracked by even good things we can miss the best things He has for us. So…

VERY SERIOUS TIMES…  I will destroy you. Then you will know that I am the LORD. —Ezekiel 25:7  The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives. —Psalm 37:21              Powerful city states and nations have been judged by our Lord and are no more. We in the United States had better understand that we too cannot withstand the judgment of God. Look at what America was and is and is becoming. Is God’s judgment upon us? Is He— “letting us go?”             When we just look at the finances of the U.S. it is astounding how much debt we are in and now…