Colossians 2:6-7
"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."

This morning is a big day. We have just been praying for 39 days, seeking the will of God, trying to discern his voice, and trying to understand what he wants us to do. What he wants us to give? I am sure God has spoken in wonderful, mysterious and surprising ways. I am sure for many it has also been challenging, maybe even uncomfortable ways. And to be honest, that’s exactly how it should feel when the God of Heaven and Earth speaks to us.

When God speaks, he often calls us out of ourselves, out of the expectations and possibilities that we have, and into the expectations and possibilities that he has. Sometimes that feels overwhelming, or even impossible to imagine. But, if we, as Col. 2:6 says, have receive Christ Jesus the Lord, then that means we have chosen not to be the one who puts the ceiling on our possibilities.

The Jesus that we have chosen to follow is Lord of Heaven and Earth, “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:18). If that is true, then you need not be afraid to “walk in him” and “walk with him.” For as Jesus himself said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

So do not fear obedience, fear only disobedience, and trust that whatever Jesus calls you to equals life to the full. So be a cheerful giver and a cheerful obey-er, for what God has for you is far better then what you can imagine for yourself.

"Lord, thank you for saving us. Thank you for including us. And thank you for calling us to something higher than we could ever imagine or expect for ourselves. Give us the strength to trust you, and to lay down our fears and discomfort. And in their place help us to walk in you with fully expectant hearts, that you will do more then we could ever think or imagine. To the glory of your name. Amen."

Written by Pastor Jay

Luke 1:1-4
"Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught."

Acts 1:1-2
"In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen."

Who’s this Theophilus? Have you ever heard of him? He’s probably a governmental official; when he’s called “most excellent Theophilus,”  that is a state title, so he’s wealthy, educated, and part of the Roman government, not a Jewish believer.

Theophilus has a lot to lose in publicly declaring himself to be a Christian. Because in that day, Caesar was lord. And as a Christian, Theophilus would have to declare, “No, Jesus is Lord.”

And so here is this man wrestling, as some of us are, with his faith: “Is this really true? Did these things that I’ve heard really happen? Am I ready to follow this Jesus of Nazareth and turn my whole life upside-down for him?

And so, he contracts out, hires, funds, supports Luke. He says, “Luke, I need you to go find the truth. Go get the facts, travel, investigate, interview. Go find out exactly what happened around this man Jesus and give me a full report. And that was very expensive. This is a classic ancient model. The artist-patron arrangement, where the rich aristocrat funds the work and expenses of the artist.

Theophilus paid for two books of the Bible to get written. Two thousand years later, had it not been for Theophilus’ generosity, we would be lacking the largest contribution to the entire New Testament. More pages were written by Theophilus-funded-Luke than Paul! Theophilus was a man who gave generously for Luke to do his ministry.

Without Theophilus’ generosity and heart for passing on the truth we would still have the other Gospel accounts, but we’d be missing out on so many amazing things. It’s staggering to think how many people might not even have come to Christ without Luke’s gospel, without its historical veracity and logical layout. Without Theophilus’ gift we wouldn’t have so many things:

• Huge portions of the Christmas story wouldn’t have been recorded. We wouldn’t know about the angels singing to the shepherds!
• We wouldn’t know the parable of the good Samaritan.
• We wouldn’t have The ENTIRE book of Acts! The only biblical history of the very early church we have, which has set the model of churches for 2000 years!
• The prodigal son…if Theophilus hadn’t listened to God and obeyed, we wouldn’t know the parable of the prodigal son. How many millions of people have come to understand Jesus, the Father and salvation because of that story?
• While we’d know that Jesus was crucified between two thieves, only Luke records their conversation. Without it we wouldn’t know that one of those thieves entered paradise with Jesus. How many millions of people has that picture of grace given hope to?

Do you think Theophilus had any idea of the Return-on-Investment he would reap for his money, the Kingdom Legacy it would have? His heart was probably to fund this for himself, his household, maybe a local body of believers. But do you think he had any idea that thousands, millions would step from eternal death into life as a result of his gift?

"Father, I want to pass on your truth. How are you calling me to do that? Help me hear and obey you. Please use whatever I give, whatever my New Hope brothers and sisters give to leave a Kingdom Legacy even greater than we can ask or imagine to bring many sons and daughters to glory! Amen."

Written by Sarah Braun

1 Timothy 6:11-12
“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

Paul, the author of 1 Timothy, has sent an entire letter imparting wisdom and instruction for Timothy, a young man beginning his ministry. Yet at the tail end of this first letter, after all the explanation, instruction and advice, Paul shifts gears and chooses to bestow to Timothy a rallying charge.

In many ways, it’s no different than great speeches from movies like Remember the Titans or Gladiator. Designed to encourage, challenge and bring into laser focus the most important things to remember. For Timothy, and by extension us as Christ-followers, it’s all about that word pursue.

The word pursue denotes an urgency, an intentional engagement with the object of that focus. For Timmy and for us, there is a charge to pursue Christ with intentional engagement and urgency.

 Following Christ is not a spectator sport; it’s not a country club where we all get comfy chairs and premium parking. It’s about a life of actively and intentionally getting to know, learning to love and practically serving Jesus. It’s an incredible journey, but one that requires intentional participation.
 
So what is your next step in pursuing Jesus? Maybe it’s about getting connected with your pastor and a life group. Perhaps its time to test drive a ministry. Or perhaps its time to evaluate the many ministries you serve in and see if its time to move out of some so you can focus more energy on one or two.

Whatever your next step is, I encourage you to take it! God is ready and waiting on you, so really what’s stopping you!

“Dear Father, thank you that you have made a way for us to have a relationship with you. Help us not to become comfortable or complacent but too instead take that next step in pursuing you.”

Written by Matt Keith

Colossians 1:13
“For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He loves.”

One of our problems today is that we trivialize sin, Satan, salvation, and the Savior. We have reduced sin to what we call minor complexes and simple problems.

Satan is a myth, a joke, a cartoon character. In reality, he is the very real god of this world, the chief of an innumerable company of demons, the father of all unbelievers, the ruling monarch of darkness. Salvation has been reduced to a mere intellectual decision rather than a transformation of life. Our Savior has been trivialized to simply another religious leader.

In the New Testament, Jesus never asks for compliments or tribute from those who reject His claims as Messiah. He stands alone as the “begotten of the Father.” He made the claims that “He and the Father are one.” He claims to be the only way to heaven. We may trivialize these things, but in light of eternity, it is not a trivial pursuit.

The very word salvation stands for all God the Father has done to rescue us from our fallen condition. The New Testament presents our salvation, not as a mere decision, but a miraculous, supernatural deliverance! Colossians stands as a book that is a wake‑up call to the powerful truths about our salvation. Never trivialize what it took to save you.

"Pray that God’s people at New Hope will continue to strive to deepen their relationship with God on a daily basis and that generous giving on Commitment Sunday will result because of their increased faith. Ask God to help you never to trivialize His love."

Written by Russ Olmon

Matthew 7:24-27
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

In the parable above, one of the cultural concepts that doesn’t always get conveyed is what the process of building the house on a rock actually involved. It wasn’t simply an issue of finding a good looking rock and setting up shop. Israel is marked by vast desert areas; even the coast is primarily long stretches of sand. So in order to build a house on a rock, people would often time spend huge amounts of effort digging down deep until they found a solid foundation. It required intentional effort on the part of the builder.

As we transition into this next season at New Hope, this passage is an excellent reminder and encouragement to dig down deep. We have this incredible opportunity to be intentional about building up our foundation in Christ. The reality is that God is at work building his Church and He is inviting us to be a part of it.

How are we being intentional about building up our own relationship with Christ? Is it getting into the word more? Maybe it’s being more intentional in regards to serving others? Perhaps it’s taking those first steps of getting into a life group. Whatever it is, let’s be intentional about digging down deep and building on a firm foundation.

“Dear Lord, Thank you so much for the incredible opportunity to be a part of building Your Church. In this next season, give us the courage to take that next step in building our foundation in you.”

Written by Matt Keith

Nehemiah 8:9-12
"Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”
Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them."

Do not mourn. Do not weep. Do not grieve. Instead celebrate with great joy.

“The Joy of the Lord is your strength”(Nehemiah 8:10 ). The people here were acutely aware of their sin and this caused them to mourn. However, they are being told that they can walk in joy because of the great work God is doing. You see our emotions are not beyond our control. We can do God’s will even when we don’t feel like it.

Secondly, they went and celebrated (with joy) because they understood a bit more of God. It is so easy to replay the lies in our heads of who we are, our shame, our short falls or sins. That, however, is not our God. We can have hope and strength because we know Him. We know His grace and His mercy.

We can have strength because our strength is from the Lord and what He is doing. So, take heart New Hope. Get ready and be strong as we move forward today and in the years to come.

Written by Nathan Braun

John 14:27
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

A few years ago, my husband took up knife throwing and practiced in our basement. He stood at one end of the room and sent a variety of knives flying to the far wall. Friends, if you needed a reason to be afraid to go down there this was it.

Some of my children long before the knife throwing were afraid of the basement. The staircase had no risers so they would imagine as they ran upward that someone could grab their ankle at any moment. I’m telling you they ran like Olympic sprinters to avoid the touch of the monster that did not exist.

I’ve been afraid in the basement too. One night I was reading a Frank Peretti novel (stories that reveal what is happening in the spiritual world) and suddenly realized the late hour after being completely engrossed in my book. I was so on edge I walked up the stairs with my back pressed against the wall all the way up the stairs.

In recent years we have seen how fear can change our lives and our relationship with God. Maybe you are afraid of health issues, or have money concerns. Maybe you’re afraid of what others think of you or the unknown future.

God Himself has promised to never leave or forsake us. Life will throw us curve balls and circumstances might look dire at times, perhaps even today. But the truth remains that you can rest in the solid truth that the great God of the universe, who made you, who cherishes you, who pursues you, died for you and prays for you says I love you.

Psalm 27:1
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of who shall I be afraid?”

"Heavenly Father, help me to remember that nothing can separate me from your love, that I can trust you and not be afraid."
 
Written by Sheila Ely

1 John 3:1
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

According to the Internet to lavish means to ‘bestow something in generous or extravagant quantities on.’ It is an intentional choice performed with unbridled passion. This is the way that John chooses to describe the way God demonstrates love to us. God lavishes His love on us without restraint or restriction.

We all have rough days. In fact, sometimes it can feel like all of the days are rough. We can feel alone, lost and discarded. Yet, despite the circumstances of our life this just is simply not the case. You see God’s word is designed to speak into our circumstances, not always to change the situation, but to change our perspective in the midst of those circumstances.

So in the midst of your current circumstances be encouraged. The same God that created the complexities of the universe is also lavishing His unconditional love on you. No restraint or restriction. God loves you so much that He has invited you into his family. He has chosen to make you a son or daughter. He welcomes you in with open arms. That is an incredible truth that is as true today as it was when God said, “let there be light!” (Genesis 1:3)

The challenge is whether you will allow this truth to change you in the midst of your circumstance? Take the next month and do one thing every morning. When you get up, read 1 John 3:1 to yourself. That’s it, that’s the challenge.

"Dear Father,
Thank You so much for Your incredible love that You have so freely lavished on us. Help us today to accept that truth; to allow your word to sink in deeper than the lies that bombard us. Thank you that your love for us is not dependent on us but on your unwavering character. "   

Written by Matt Keith

1 Chronicles 29:11-13
"God presides over every event, great or small, and He is in control of our lives. He rules all creation with all knowledge and power."

The Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper once wrote, “there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’”

In saying, “mine,” the King in heaven looks down at every broken piece of creation, every lost or renegade human being, with a heart of reconciliation. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:19, “In Christ God was reconciling the whole world to himself.”

And Christ, the sovereign one, actually dares to include us in this work. As Paul says, "He gave the church “the ministry of reconciliation… entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:19 -20).

Knowing this, that the sovereign Lord of the universe is with us, and including us in his plan to reconcile all things, means that we can get busy doing the work of mission. And we can do so, knowing that we have a powerful God of love behind us supporting us and giving us the strength to carry out this great work of the Kingdom.

How can you join in on this Kingdom Legacy? Find a place to uses your gifts and talents for God’s glory. Invest your resources, time and energy in what God is doing in the local church.

"Thank you God that you allow us to participate with you. Give us eyes to see how we can partake in and partner with you and your Kingdom Legacy."

Written by Jason Werner

Luke 6:43-45
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

As a farmer, understanding soil is a crucial step in planting a crop. Farmers have to be strategic when choosing the best place to plant seeds. The wrong soil can spell disaster for a crop and it’s up to the farmer to choose the best soil.

These verses are an incredible reminder of the importance of filling our hearts with the truth of God’s word. As much as crops depend on good, healthy soil to carry life to the roots of the plant so we too are wholly dependent on God to bring life and truth to our lives.
 
It is so easy to simply root our lives in the things that are familiar and easy. Often though these things are not life-giving. Instead, we should turn our focus to the things of Jesus and allow Him to bring life and truth to our hearts.

We have been called to live lives reflective of the work of Christ in us. We cannot expect Jesus to come out in our lives if we aren’t intentionally rooting ourselves in him. In the same way, a farmer would never expect a crop to grow in the desert.

With all this said the question is simple, “What kind of soil are we filling our lives with?”

"Thank you so much for bringing life to us. Help us to see the areas of our lives that we need to root in you. Thank you for calling us to this incredible life in you.  "

Written by Matt Keith

Have you ever felt completely exhausted? Not just physically but emotionally and even spiritually? Have you ever felt like your emotions are so high that you keep swallowing them down? That one little spill, stubbed toe, angry look could cause you to fall to your knees and weep? No? Okay, well maybe it’s just me but I know that feeling.

Where I have pushed as far and hard as I think I can and I wonder, how do I go on? Where do I go from here? If you have or will feel this way you are in good company?

Luke 22:41–44
"He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed,  “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.  And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground."

Jesus was sweating drops of blood. He was asking God to take the burden off of His shoulders. I know that I have prayed often that the burden be taken from me. Yet, like the rest of this story, it sits heavy on my shoulders. Maybe you too have experienced this. Again, James addresses this:

James 1: 2-4
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

When we feel like we can’t go on. Lean on the one who did and who said He will never leave or forsake you. A long obedience in the same direction. His mercies are new every morning; great is His faithfulness.

Written by Nathan Braun

Psalm 133
“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life forevermore.”  

Remember the television show M*A*S*H? It was based on an American emergency medical unit in the Korean War. This group of people was composed of some very different personalities. There was Hawkeye Pierce, B.J., and Father Mulcahy. There was Colonel Potter, Radar, and Hotlips Houlihan. They were always playing jokes on one another and arguing over different political views and the war.

But there was always one thing that brought these characters together. It did not matter what particular argument was going on or what particular practical joke was being pulled, when they heard the sound of the choppers bringing in wounded, they always were united in the O.R.

In our day of hurting and wounded people, we cannot afford to be one more church that spends all of its time arguing over things that will not matter in the light of eternity. We must bring our differences together and allow the Lord to merge them in unity of the Spirit.

Just as Aaron, the high priest, was anointed on his head and the oil ran down his body, so the Holy Spirit descends from our great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Anointing always brings harmony.

"Pray that, throughout the fulfilling of this dream that the Lord has given our church, we will experience genuine harmony resulting from the Holy Spirit’s presence among us. Ask God to show you specific ways that you can contribute toward the unity of believers at our church."

Written by Russ Olmon

Psalm 139:12
“Even the darkness is not dark to You. And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.”

Not too many people have a dark room in their house but I know a couple who did. Complete darkness was critical for successful development of their film. Just like the negatives we can find ourselves in the “dark room” of life being developed into the image of God.

Sometimes we would like to rush this process, to hurry our time in the dark because let’s face it, who wants to be alone in the darkness? With hindsight though we realize that God was using this time to do His mysterious work in us when we could not see it ourselves.

One thing that happens when we find ourselves in the dark is that we learn to live by faith. We realize we don’t have control, of course we never did but now it’s abundantly clear how dependent on God we actually are. We learn to trust that God see’s us and knows exactly where we are, that darkness does not hinder Him at all.

Second, we’re forced to slow down. It’s hard to move quickly and navigate in the dark without banging into something! It is a time for sitting tight, increased prayer and soul searching.

Finally, in the dark ironically things begin to become clear. We see life differently now, distractions have been removed and we know now what matters most, what we need to let go of and where we need to grab on.

Friends, if you are in the dark room right now, hang on. Trust that God is doing His work in you. Slow down and surrender to Him. Darkness and light are the same to Him and He is there to guide and protect you.

2 Samuel 22:29
“You are my lamp O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light.”

"Heavenly Father, thank you that the darkness does not hinder you, that you see everything and above all You never lose sight of me."

Written by Sheila Ely

 James 2:26
“As the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

How do you know that your life has been changed by the power of God? Well, how do you know that a high voltage electrical line has touched you? When a person comes into a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, it is very obvious to the one who has received this new life and to the people close to Him. When God comes into your soul, you will know it!

However, the question can be asked: “Does the Bible teach about the evidence of a changed life?” This Scripture in James is the heart of this epistle, and it gives a clear understanding of a biblical working faith that is evident of a union with Jesus Christ.

Paul speaks of this in Romans, using Abraham as an illustration. Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of the Jewish nation. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith? Was it because of his good deeds that God accepted him? If so, he would have had something to boast about. But from God’s point of view, Abraham had no basis at all for pride. For the Scriptures tell us,

Romans 4: 3-5
“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. . When people work, their wages are not a gift. Workers earn what they receive. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.”

There is no contradiction between these verses in James and Romans. Paul stresses the root of faith, while James stresses the fruit of faith. Paul looks at our salvation from the Divine perspective, and James looks at it from the human perspective. Paul sees the fire, and James sees the smoke coming out of the chimney. The two go hand in hand.

Is your faith evident to those around you? Does your faith penetrate your character and actions? Can others tell that you love the Lord?

"Lord, increase the faith of every member of our church so that it is obviously visible to the outside world. Pray “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.”(Matthew 5:16)"

Written by Russ Olmon

Revelation 21:4
“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

The world can feel kind of crazy at times. With all that is happening, from politics to protests to pandemics it’s fair to wonder where God is in the midst of it.

God is where He always is, on His throne and in our hearts, working to bring His kingdom to Earth. God isn’t deterred by the schemes of mankind, waylaid by the politics of the day or distracted by pandemics and protests. Our God is focused on seeing His Kingdom established here as it is in Heaven.

This is encouraging in its own right. God is faithful and bringing His plans to completion. According to Revelations 21:4, that plan will usher in a new era without sorrow, pain or tears.

This is great but the question remains, how do we, a people who don’t have the all-encompassing perspective of God Almighty navigate this mess? It’s not easy to be fair. There is so much noise. Yet I’m reminded of the early church. Despite real persecution, they continued to move forward; continued to usher in God’s kingdom.

Their strategy was simple, take care of those around them, preach the word and hold fast to the hope they have in Jesus. Holding on to the hope they have in Jesus is key. One day all of our present trouble will be given proper perspective in the context of an eternity with Jesus. As a result, all of that pain and suffering will pass away.

These days, when things seem crazy and out of hand, we have to be reminded of the hope we have in Christ. We need to continue to meet together, to serve together and to walk together. As with the early church, it is in this context that we will be able to encourage and remind each other of that hope in Christ.

"Help us to hold fast to the hope we have in Christ, to not be distracted by the world around us and to be an encouragement to one another."
 
Written by Matt Keith

John 15:12-17
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another."

Although we do not have “green thumbs,” we attempted to grow a garden last year. We carefully planted four Snow Pea plants in the sun near a pole so that they could grow to produce a tasty harvest in the summertime. Three weeks into the growing season the plants were doing well.

Then rats happened! They dug up and scattered all four plants. We salvaged two plants. They were doing well, they grew to six inches then stopped growing. Although they were watered at their appointed intervals and had warm rich soil – they never reached their potential. It was a complete disappointment and waste of time and effort not to have any home-grown peas.

This example of the peas can sometimes be like seasons that we go through. Despite God providing us with all the resources we need. We too can be dwarfed and not provide him with the fruit he asks us for.

In John 15 he tells us the following: he insists that we love one another, he calls us friends; he insists that we bear fruit… fruit that lasts. He tells us we must do these things so that we will love one another. Isn’t it great that God wants to partner through us to provide him with fruit.

He chose us, He Is our friend, He loves us. As we partner with Jesus – we also partner with God’s family (the church). As we produce fruit together it builds a great partnership. The gift that results is a love for each other, and ultimately a greater love for Him. What could be better!

"Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to love one another, serve and work together with our church family.  Please pray for our Kingdom Legacy initiative."

Written by Thom & Cynthia Letkeman
 

There are so many movies where some criminal tries to steal the Crown and the crown Jewels.  Johnny English is one of my favourite examples. Till this day though we hardly ever see anybody wear the crown, yet it is still one of the most valuable possessions to the royal family.  

Why is it so valuable? Is it because of the amount of Gold and rare gems that it’s made of, maybe… But I’m pretty sure the royal family could afford to replace it again and again and again if it was just about the sheer money value of it. No, the reason the Crown is irreplaceable is because of it’s legacy, all the kings and queens that wore it before and the impact they made on a next generation. The crown speaks of a legacy handed down.

Proverbs 17:6 says
“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.”

If we want to see our Children and their children become our crowns, we need to start treating them like it. They need to know that they are of great importance and are our crowns we wear with pride.

What legacy are you leaving your Children, that they will also leave their children? Legacies can’t be purchased and doesn’t get created overnight. They take hard work and commitment to form, but it is never to late to start.

"God forgive me for not realizing the incredible responsibility of leaving a legacy and teaching my children that they are my crown. Help me to model what it looks like to leave a legacy behind.  When I think about my children and their children I would want nothing more, but to see Proverbs 17:6 come into fruition in their."

Written by Tovi Delport

Proverbs 3:5-9
“Trust in the Lord…Fear the Lord…Honor the Lord”

In order to receive the blessing of God, we must trust Him. Trusting God is not some mere token confession you make from time to time. Trusting God must be complete, total, daily reliance upon the promises of God. Every day you will face the choice of relying upon your own understanding or trusting Him.

You and I must choose to trust God. When you come to those places in life where the line is drawn and the question is “Can I trust God?” your answer determines whether you grow beautifully or shrivel spiritually.

The issue is, “Which am I going to choose?” When God told Noah to build the ark, it had never rained. Noah chose to trust God. Abraham left everything behind because he chose to trust God. Joshua was faced with a decision, and he said, “Choose today whom you will serve…but as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”(Joshua 24:2,15) Do you have this kind of trust in the Lord?

You can prove your trust in Him. Trusting Him is real when you acknowledge Him, when you depart from evil, and when you honor the Lord with your time, talent, and treasures.

Claim the following Scripture today and personalize it for our church and for yourself:

Hebrews 10:35-39
“Do not let this happy trust in the Lord die away, no matter what happens. Remember your reward! You need to keep on patiently doing God’s will if you want Him to do for you all that He has promised. His coming will not be delayed much longer. And those whose faith has made them good in God’s sight must live by faith, trusting Him in everything. Otherwise, if they shrink back, God will have no pleasure in them. But we have never turned our backs on God and sealed our fate. No, our faith in Him assures our soul’s salvation.”

Written by Russ Olmon

Luke 22:45-46
“When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. ‘Why are you sleeping?’ he asked them. ‘Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.’”

Right after these verses, Peter goes on to cut off a servant’s ear, denies Jesus three times and then cries bitterly. Not a very good night for Peter.

Jesus had asked the disciples to pray but they just couldn’t keep their eyes open. Maybe they didn’t think it was crucial; maybe they were too worn down and tired; maybe they didn’t think it would do any good. But when I read the verses that follow, I can’t help but ask, “What if?”

What if Peter had obeyed and prayed? Perhaps he would have left his sword in its sheath instead of injuring someone because he was afraid. What if Peter had obeyed and prayed? Perhaps he wouldn’t have let Jesus down, a man who he actually loved deeply, but didn’t pray to love faithfully. What if Peter had obeyed and prayed? Perhaps he wouldn’t have run away, isolating himself in shame and guilt.

How are we all doing with praying these days? We can all be like the disciples, questioning the power of prayer, doubting its capabilities. We can be so worn down from exhaustion and sorrow that we don’t think we have any energy left to pray. The struggles of life have made us lay on our side instead of fall on our knees.

We can simply doubt that God will do anything, believing there is no point because “God’s gonna do what God’s gonna do.”

But I don’t want to be just like Peter was that day. So what if we prayed?

Perhaps we wouldn’t injure others because we are afraid. Perhaps we wouldn’t let Jesus down because we were giving our all to be faithful to him. Perhaps we wouldn’t try to run and isolate, hiding with our shame and guilt.

Peter’s way that day is not the way I want to follow. I’d rather be the Peter that jumped out of his boat because he was so passionate about his Saviour. This is hard but let’s try to pray. Even just two words. We just need to start. If we do, who knows? We may become so passionate that we jump to follow him…just like Peter.

"God, thank you for dying and rising again so that we can pray to you at any time. What a privilege actually. Help us not to be like Peter, sleeping on the job. The job you’ve given us. Help us to pray our brains out like you did. And then, when you call on us, help us to jump out of our proverbial boats because of our love for you. Amen"

Written by Nancy Neufeld

1 Peter 3:15
“But in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

The guest room is an interesting spot, an invaluable space when needed yet not always fully prepared.  It can sit unused and untouched until you hear someone is on the way and then it becomes a place of avid attention. Open the window, buy fresh flowers, check the corners for cobwebs! Maybe some random things have found their way here and now it’s time to move your sewing machine, wrapping paper and photo albums.

Perhaps you are like a friend of mine who when I was a guest at her cottage, prepared a gift bag full of wonderful goodies to make me feel special. She had thought ahead and was beautifully ready for my arrival.

In our scripture today we are told to always be prepared to say what we believe and why. In the book ‘Becoming a Contagious Christian” the writers focus on equipping believers to effectively share their faith. One of the things that really stuck with me was their suggestion to pre-prepare a one-minute testimony (also referred to as an elevator testimony).

The idea was that you could share who you were before you met Christ, how you met Christ, and the difference He’s made in your life all in about one minute. let’s be ready by thinking ahead, keeping it simple and practicing it so often it is second nature to us.

2 Timothy 2:15 says,
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

Timothy is being called to teach and preach the gospel message as a whole, and we are called to this too!

"Heavenly Father, please help me to be ready to explain to anyone at moments notice why I love and follow You."

Written by Sheila Ely

Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

God expects His people to trust Him, and He is a trustworthy God! We were created to live our lives in dependence upon Him. Our knowledge is incomplete, our wisdom is inadequate, our power is ineffective; thus, we need our Creator. Sin in its very essence is failing to trust God. These verses in Proverbs tell us how we are to trust Him.

We are to trust Him entirely (verse 5). God wants us to trust Him “ with all of our heart.” That means everything from our salvation to physical, mental, and social needs. That includes trusting Him with our families, marriages, jobs, relationships, finances, abilities, weaknesses, health, accomplishments, and failures.

We are to trust him exclusively (verse 5). God commands us not to depend on our own understanding. Why? Because it is fundamentally flawed with an infection of sin. God is truly omniscient. He knows it all from beginning to end. He even knows the number of hairs on your head. So follow His leading from His Word, prayer, and Godly counsel. He is on your side, so trust Him!

We are to trust Him uniformly (verse 6). In all we do, in every decision we make, we are to trust His wisdom, not just with big things, but also with the little things.

"Pray that our church will be fully convinced of His trustworthiness. Take time to praise Him today for who He is and what He does. Take time to thank Him today for His direction of your church’s path. Thank Him for His direction of your path."

Written by Russ Olmon

Philippians 2:5-8
"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!"

The Bible says that "God humbles or opposes the proud" (James 4:6). Have you ever been humbled? I hope you said yes to that. Can you think of the time that you had your pride stripped away?

Maybe it was a failed business, a dream that never panned out, a mistake you made or a sin that you struggle with. Whatever it is we all get humbled in this life. We all have moments when we realize that we are not the smartest person in the room. We realize that we don’t know the future and can’t read minds. We slowly start to realize that the control that we thought we had or wish we had was all but a fantasy.

It is in those moments that we begin to lose hope. When we hold on to what we can control and try to ‘will’ ourselves to get better we slowly begin to spiral out of control. We find ourselves failing over and over again or we push harder into the pit of self-reliance that always returns void.

You see hope and humility go hand in hand. We have hope because we realize that we are NOT God. We have hope as our confidence begins to transfer from our abilities to the one who ALWAYS shows up. Our future plans and dreams become an adventure lived with a good Father. Hope is now rooted in Christ and in His promises for us.

When we live in humility we have hope. This hope causes us to rejoice and share with others. Enjoy the adventure with your good Father.

Written By Nathan Braun

Colossians 2:7
"…continue to live your lives in Christ, ROOTED and built up in him…”
Matthew 9:36
"When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."

Churches are closing. Church attendance is down. So people don’t want Jesus anymore? Jesus said the problem is not with the harvest. In other words there are plenty of people who are ready to come to Jesus. So what’s stopping them? Harvest labourers. The church is stopping them. We are stopping them. The Heavenly Father’s own sons and daughters are holding back the harvest. Yikes! I don’t like the sound of that.

So why are lost sons and daughters, why are our Fav 5’s coming to Jesus, getting baptized, coming home to the Father here at New Hope? You are engaged in the harvest work. You are harvest labourers.

Imagine if everyone at New Hope engaged in growing, maturing, developing their gifts and focusing on the ministry God has called them to? Imagine if we were all equipped and fully engaged in harvest labour. So that when our Fav’s come they will be embraced by solid mature leaders who can help them know and follow Jesus as Lord.

"Lord may I put down my roots deeper into you this year. May I mature in Christ. Build in me a solid foundation."

Ask - what the Father would have you focus on in your growth and maturity. Listen and share this with your life group.
 
Obey  - take the next steps in your growth this week.

Written by Thom Braun

Proverbs 3:5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”  

There are two ways people live their lives as they pass through this world – either remembering God or forgetting Him. They either acknowledge His presence and live their lives in dependence on Him, or they pay no attention to His claims on them and live a life on the basis of their own understanding and abilities.

The worst tragedy and cruelest deception is the man who says feebly with his lips, “I trust God,” but an examination of his calendar and cheque book shows no difference between him and the man who does not even make that claim. The question we must ask ourselves today is, “Do we trust God?”

The very nature of this question produces two possible meanings:

• First – “Can you ‘trust’ God?” That is, is He trustworthy? Can He handle the decisions and the problems in your life? 
• Secondly – “Can ‘you’ trust God?” That is, do you have the ability to trust Him?

These verses reveal some important things about trusting God:

• The matter of trust is an all or nothing thing. Notice how many times the word “all” is used.
• The command to trust precedes the promise. 
• Blessing comes after trust is expressed.
• The promise is conditional. Unlike many of the unconditional promises in the Bible, this promise of direction is given only to those who exercise trust in God.

"Pray that our congregation’s faith and trust in God will grow. Pray that we will allow God to be in control and that we will utterly depend on Him and desire that His will be done. Pray that the fruits of our deepened trust in Him will result in guidance from Him. Ask God to identify an area of your life where you need to yield to Him. Give it to Him and then look for His direction."

Written by Russ Olmon

If you’ve ever been around a bunch of kids for more than 30 minutes, the chances are pretty good that you been caught in the middle of this intense and meaningful argument:

“My dad’s truck is the best”
 “oh yeah,? My dad’s truck, will load your dad’s truck on its back and then drive through the mud”

Or the girls will go:

“My mom is definitely the most beautiful lady in the world”
“Oh Yeah, my Mom is the most beautiful lady in the universe and she also makes the best cookies and stuffs”

Lindi and I try to teach our daughter Karmin not to brag and to always be humble, but there is something so beautiful when a child has got this unrealistic pride and adoration for their parents trucks or cooking or whatever it might be. How amazing would it be to hear them argue and be prideful about things that actually matter… Like:

“My mom and dad tell me about Jesus every day”
“Oh yeah, My mom and dad read me the whole bible…. Every night (Mic drop face)”

Proverbs 17:6 says:
“Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.”

Striving to be the pride of your children is a good biblical principle.  Johnny was bragging about his Dad’s truck, most probably because his dad makes a big deal out of his truck. He will spend a lot of time cleaning it and telling Johnny about the Horsepower and what else.

I often ask myself these questions “Am I being a good enough parent, will my child be proud of me for what actually matters, am I teaching her about Jesus and His word enough? In this day and age, we need to step up and keep up our parenting game.

"God forgive me for not always being the best parent I know I can be. I humble myself before you. I want to make You and you're teaching the main priority in my house. May my child/children grow up to be proud of me and brag on the way I taught them how to love, serve, worship and follow Jesus with their whole lives. In Jesus Name I pray."

Written by Tovi Delport