New Hope Church

DESIRE’S FOCUS How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. —Psalm 84:1-2 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! —Psalm 84:10-12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNLHdnzFqNI             Oh what better place…

FEAR… Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. —I Samuel 18:12 But when Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually. —I Samuel 18:28-29             Isn’t it interesting that it was because the Lord was with David that Saul feared David? It was because of the fear of David that Saul tried several times to kill him. Fear can cause people to act in a violent way in reaction to the fear they have.             Think about it— when you fear…

GOD SEES YOUR HEART’S MOTIVES! Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. —I Samuel 15:23 Man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” —I Samuel 16:7             The Lord Jesus did not entrust Himself to any man, nor did He need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person” (John 2:25). Man has the tendency to look on the outward appearance in making choices. This is seen easily with what man approves. Look at the wicked things he approves by outward appearances: movie stars, pornography, music stars, leadership at all levels, religious leaders, political personalities……

DISOBEDIENCE LEADS TO DARKNESS But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels. —Psalm 81:11-12             To not listen to what our Lord says or submit to Him will not end well. If and when He gives a people over to their stubborn hearts then they end up following their own counsels. Now really, is it better to follow the counsel of the Lord or man’s counsel? “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”—I Samuel 15:23             Look what happens when our Lord gives a people over…

WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU TRUSTING But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us.’ —I Samuel 10:19 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”   But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as…

MY CHILDREN AND YOU… FOLLOW HIM! When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. —I Samuel 8:1-3             One of the greatest joys a parent who follows Jesus can have is to see their own children commit their lives to following Jesus themselves. On the other hand it is a great heartache for a parent who follows Jesus to see their children follow the ways of this world.  …

NONE LIKE OUR LORD…NONE! There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. —I Samuel 2:2-3             There is none like our Lord… none! He is holy and pure.   All His motives are perfect. He never does anything wrong. He can be fully trusted. Man is very proud and speaks arrogantly. You do not have to look too far to see that on our planet or in our life’s sphere of movement.             Jesus…

REMEMBER! I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples. —Psalm 77:11-14             We need to ponder and remember when things are going well and when things are difficult. Remember how our Lord has worked in your life in the past. Remember how the Lord has worked in history, near and far.   Consider His Word and remember how He has worked thousands of years ago.…

LOVE AND LIVE FOR GOD! Make your vows to the LORD your God and perform them; let all around him bring gifts to him who is to be feared, who cuts off the spirit of princes, who is to be feared by the kings of the earth. —Psalm 76:11-12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qL7rMNfB1Lg             How many rulers of the earth truly fear God?   Where are they in authority whose concern it to be faithful to our Lord as first priority? Is there any such a one who truly understands that their life is in His hands? Of all the nations of the earth do any in authority exist that fear Him? If so,…

SELFISHNESS WILL BE SHAKEN! In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. —Judges 17:6             Try to imagine what it would be like when “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”   Actually we do not have to imagine too much. Look around at our nation today. There are many who are doing what is right in their own eyes. People are rioting, people are killing, people are manipulating.   We have fake news, fake reality (Hollywood), fake leaders (tell us one thing and do another) and a fake sense of security (trusting in ourselves).             There is…