New Hope Church

LIFE IS MEANINGLESS…WITHOUT GOD! “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless!  Everything is meaningless.”  What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?  Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. —Ecclesiastes 1:2-4 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. —Ecclesiastes 1:14 Then I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will overtake me also.  What then do I gain by being wise?”  I said to myself, “This too is meaningless.” —Ecclesiastes 2:15 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find…

KNOWING GOD Evildoers do not understand what is right, but those who seek the Lord understand it fully. —Proverbs 28:5 Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. —Proverbs 28:26 Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.  Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. —Proverbs 30:5-6             We know this about God— Evildoers do not understand what is right Those who seek Him understand what is right Those who trust themselves and not Him are fools Those who walk in His wisdom are kept safe…

LIFE REFLECTS THE HEART Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips. —Proverbs 27:2 As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. — Proverbs 27:19             What do others say about you?  Someone can easily praise themselves, but what do people actually see in a person’s life?  The life of someone will reflect what is really going on inside just “as water reflects the face.”  Look into the water, especially still, glass-like water and you will see a pretty accurate reflection.  So one’s life will reveal a pretty accurate reflection of a person’s life… unless they are attempting…

BEWARE!  RUIN AWAITS THE PRIDEFUL A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord. —Proverbs 19:3 Haughty eyes and a proud heart— the unplowed field of the wicked—produce sin. —Proverbs 21:4 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. —Proverbs 21:30             The foolishness or folly of a person leads to their own ruin.  How utterly so when a person thinks or says in his heart, “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1).  Many times these people’s “heart rages against the Lord.”  Even though it is their own actions that bring about their ruin, they are angry at Him for what…

NEVER ALONE IN OUR DIFFICULTIES The Lord works out everything to its proper end even the wicked for a day of disaster. —-Proverbs 16:4 The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear? —Proverbs 18:14             Here is a basic truth that we need to understand or we could be discouraged… or worse… — “The Lord works out everything to its proper end.”  Do we understand that?  Do we believe that?  He works out EVERYTHING to its proper end… EVERYTHING!  He says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”…

TAKE ADVICE! Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. —Proverbs 13:10 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people. —Proverbs 14:34 Mockers resent correction, so they avoid the wise. —Proverbs 15:12 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, “Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”  The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. —Psalm 2:2-4             Those who are prideful or arrogant think they know it all and will bring conflict to a conversation.  On the other hand, the wise will be open…

THE MOUTH The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. —Proverbs 10:11 The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense. —Proverbs 10:21             The mouth… a well of good or evil… Jesus said, “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person…”  (Matthew15:18-20).  James adds, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in…

THE WISDOM OF GOD Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.  Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.  Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.  For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord.  But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death.” —Proverbs 8:32-36              God’s wisdom… Is to be listen to Ways are to be kept instructs makes one wise is not to be disregarded blesses is to be watched for daily is to be waited for gives life…

THE FEAR OF THE LORD The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. —Proverbs 1:7 They hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord. —Proverbs 1:29 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. —Proverbs 2:1-5 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear…

THE “BLESSED ONE” Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. —Psalm 1:1-3             The blessed one— Does not walk in step with the wicked Does not stand in the way that sinners take Does not sit in the company of mockers Delights in the…