New Hope Community Church: Recent Episodes

New Hope Community Church | Robbie Lankford | Queensbury, NY | Glens Falls, NY

Clear and relevant Bible teaching for everyday life from New Hope Community Church in Queensbury, NY. Pastor Robbie Lankford. Visit us at www.Sharingnewhope.org

Keep Going!

New Hope Weekend Worship - June 7th, 2020

Join us Sunday Morning at 10am for worship as we hear from God's Word together in 1 John 2. Pastor Jeff will be sharing a special message called "Keep Going!"

This weekend, New Hope celebrates our 19 year birthday! 19 Years ago, God started New Hope with 37 people meeting at the Ramada Inn, and He's been growing us ever since. This weekend isn't just about celebrating God's work in the past, it's about looking forward to what He has for us in the future.

We all have questions, and the Bible has answers. Join us as we explore what God's Word has to say about our questions.

We all have questions, and the Bible has answers. Join us as we explore what God's Word has to say about our questions.

We all have questions, and the Bible has answers. Join us as we explore what God's Word has to say about our questions.

We all have questions, and the Bible has answers. Join us as we explore what God's Word has to say about our questions.

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

Forgiveness is an integral part of our relationship with the Lord. This weekend we will take a look at how true forgiveness can set us free.

The Spirit of God is so important to our relationship with God and our walk with Him. And yet, this is one of the most misunderstood and neglected teachings in the Bible. This series is all about the ministry of God's Holy Spirit in our lives!

Now that Jesus has risen from the dead, in a sense every day is Resurrection Day, but on Easter weekend, people all over the world celebrate in a special way the fact that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay for our sins and offer us new life! If you are a believer, join with us today as we celebrate these truths. If you have not trusted in Him, maybe today will be the day that you give your life to Him.

Is it time for you to get serious about your relationship with God, but you don't know how to do that? Or do you just need something to help you get started? We are talking about some of the primary ways God works in our lives to help us grow the most - spiritual disciplines.

Is it time for you to get serious about your relationship with God, but you don't know how to do that? Or do you just need something to help you get started? We are talking about some of the primary ways God works in our lives to help us grow the most - spiritual disciplines.

Is it time for you to get serious about your relationship with God, but you don't know how to do that? Or do you just need something to help you get started? We are talking about some of the primary ways God works in our lives to help us grow the most - spiritual disciplines.

Is it time for you to get serious about your relationship with God, but you don't know how to do that? Or do you just need something to help you get started? We are talking about some of the primary ways God works in our lives to help us grow the most - spiritual disciplines.

Is it time for you to get serious about your relationship with God, but you don't know how to do that? Or do you just need something to help you get started? We are talking about some of the primary ways God works in our lives to help us grow the most - spiritual disciplines.

Is it time for you to get serious about your relationship with God, but you don't know how to do that? Or do you just need something to help you get started? We are talking about some of the primary ways God works in our lives to help us grow the most - spiritual disciplines.

Is it time for you to get serious about your relationship with God, but you don't know how to do that? Or do you just need something to help you get started? We are talking about some of the primary ways God works in our lives to help us grow the most - spiritual disciplines.

Is it time for you to get serious about your relationship with God, but you don't know how to do that? Or do you just need something to help you get started? We are talking about some of the primary ways God works in our lives to help us grow the most - spiritual disciplines.

Is it time for you to get serious about your relationship with God, but you don't know how to do that? Or do you just need something to help you get started? We are talking about some of the primary ways God works in our lives to help us grow the most - spiritual disciplines.

There are so many challenges in our world. How can we raise our kids to love and honor God? We're going to find out what God's Word says about raising our kids in a way that will greatly increase the likelihood that they give their lives to God and follow His path for their lives!

There are so many challenges in our world. How can we raise our kids to love and honor God? We're going to find out what God's Word says about raising our kids in a way that will greatly increase the likelihood that they give their lives to God and follow His path for their lives!

There are so many challenges in our world. How can we raise our kids to love and honor God? We're going to find out what God's Word says about raising our kids in a way that will greatly increase the likelihood that they give their lives to God and follow His path for their lives!

There are so many challenges in our world. How can we raise our kids to love and honor God? We're going to find out what God's Word says about raising our kids in a way that will greatly increase the likelihood that they give their lives to God and follow His path for their lives!

There are so many challenges in our world. How can we raise our kids to love and honor God? We're going to find out what God's Word says about raising our kids in a way that will greatly increase the likelihood that they give their lives to God and follow His path for their lives!

Following Jesus on our spiritual Journey can bring seasons of life, joy and relief. However, no matter how far along we are, there are also seasons of struggle against sin. These can be so intense that we can be tempted to lose hope that freedom from those struggles are possible. Today, we are going to look at what the Bible says about what it means when a Christian struggles against sin and the hope we have as we face those moments.

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

2 Corinthians 1:8-10

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

Most people are familiar with The Ten Commandments. They are some of the most recognizable and important verses in the Bible, but have you ever really studied them and considered what they mean for your life?

What does it look like to have a relationship with God and to grow in that relationship with Him? This weekend, we are beginning a new series of messages called "The Journey". We're going to learn about the path that we have developed here at New Hope so that you can grow in your relationship with God!

What does it look like to have a relationship with God and to grow in that relationship with Him? This weekend, we are beginning a new series of messages called "The Journey". We're going to learn about the path that we have developed here at New Hope so that you can grow in your relationship with God!

Easter is such an important holiday for many reasons. One of the main themes of Easter is change. Easter is a story of change, and many people's own stories have been changed because of the message of Easter. Today, we are going to look to the Bible, God's Word, and talk about "Changed: The Stories of Easter".

This world can be so hard. Doesn't it seem like we were made for something better? The Bible says that we were! We were made to be with God in a place that is almost too wonderful to imagine. The Bible calls that Heaven, and we are going to be learning more about Heaven throughout the series.

This world can be so hard. Doesn't it seem like we were made for something better? The Bible says that we were! We were made to be with God in a place that is almost too wonderful to imagine. The Bible calls that Heaven, and we are going to be learning more about Heaven throughout the series.

This world can be so hard. Doesn't it seem like we were made for something better? The Bible says that we were! We were made to be with God in a place that is almost too wonderful to imagine. The Bible calls that Heaven, and we are going to be learning more about Heaven throughout the series.

Join us as Don Lough, the Executive Director of Word of Life Fellowship, shares God's word with us from the book of Proverbs!

This world can be so hard. Doesn't it seem like we were made for something better? The Bible says that we were! We were made to be with God in a place that is almost too wonderful to imagine. The Bible calls that Heaven, and we are going to be learning more about Heaven throughout the series.

This world can be so hard. Doesn't it seem like we were made for something better? The Bible says that we were! We were made to be with God in a place that is almost too wonderful to imagine. The Bible calls that Heaven, and we are going to be learning more about Heaven throughout the series.

This world can be so hard. Doesn't it seem like we were made for something better? The Bible says that we were! We were made to be with God in a place that is almost too wonderful to imagine. The Bible calls that Heaven, and we are going to be learning more about Heaven throughout the series.

This world can be so hard. Doesn't it seem like we were made for something better? The Bible says that we were! We were made to be with God in a place that is almost too wonderful to imagine. The Bible calls that Heaven, and we are going to be learning more about Heaven throughout the series.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

Family. That seems to be a complicated word in our world today. This weekend, we're going to start a series called "It's Complicated." In the midst of a difficult and confusing world, we're going to get help from God's Word on how He designed for family to work.

"The Lord's prayer" is one of the most famous, if not THE most famous prayer in the bible. There is so much truth to be found in it. Join us as we dive into this great portion of Scripture over the next several weeks!

"The Lord's prayer" is one of the most famous, if not THE most famous prayer in the bible. There is so much truth to be found in it. Join us as we dive into this great portion of Scripture over the next several weeks!

"The Lord's prayer" is one of the most famous, if not THE most famous prayer in the bible. There is so much truth to be found in it. Join us as we dive into this great portion of Scripture over the next several weeks!

"The Lord's prayer" is one of the most famous, if not THE most famous prayer in the bible. There is so much truth to be found in it. Join us as we dive into this great portion of Scripture over the next several weeks!

God wrote a book, and the words found in it are incredibly powerful for our lives today. What would happen if we didn't just read these words, but allowed them to saturate into our hearts? What if we even committed them to memory? We'll look today at that often-misunderstood spiritual discipline and see the joy that God wants to bring to us through it.

"The Lord's prayer" is one of the most famous, if not THE most famous prayer in the bible. There is so much truth to be found in it. Join us as we dive into this great portion of Scripture over the next several weeks!

"The Lord's prayer" is one of the most famous, if not THE most famous prayer in the bible. There is so much truth to be found in it. Join us as we dive into this great portion of Scripture over the next several weeks!

"The Lord's prayer" is one of the most famous, if not THE most famous prayer in the bible. There is so much truth to be found in it. Join us as we dive into this great portion of Scripture over the next several weeks!

"The Lord's prayer" is one of the most famous, if not THE most famous prayer in the bible. There is so much truth to be found in it. Join us as we dive into this great portion of Scripture over the next several weeks!

Emotions are such an important part of our lives and impact us every day. So often, though, they are hard for us to control on our own. Join us as we talk about "Real Emojis" and how God can help us with some of the strongest emotions to get a better handle on our lives!

This Father's day weekend, we're looking at God's heart for the fatherless. He has a deep concern for this in this position, and it reveals so much about how he cares for all of us.

As we come off of Missions Conference weekend, God isn't done speaking to us about missions. What does it mean to be a partner with God in His work? The Bible is clear that the Harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. God is ready to work, are we ready to join Him?

What is Church Planting? Why do it? How do I get involved? Who can be involved? These questions will be answered as we focus in on a huge aspect of God's heart for the local church.

Emotions are such an important part of our lives and impact us every day. So often, though, they are hard for us to control on our own. Join us as we talk about "Real Emojis" and how God can help us with some of the strongest emotions to get a better handle on our lives!

Emotions are such an important part of our lives and impact us every day. So often, though, they are hard for us to control on our own. Join us as we talk about "Real Emojis" and how God can help us with some of the strongest emotions to get a better handle on our lives!

Emotions are such an important part of our lives and impact us every day. So often, though, they are hard for us to control on our own. Join us as we talk about "Real Emojis" and how God can help us with some of the strongest emotions to get a better handle on our lives!

God is at work in our midst. And He calls us to come together as His servants to do His work in partnership with Him and with one another. This series will help us better understand how to work "Together" to do His work!

God is at work in our midst. And He calls us to come together as His servants to do His work in partnership with Him and with one another. This series will help us better understand how to work "Together" to do His work!

God is at work in our midst. And He calls us to come together as His servants to do His work in partnership with Him and with one another. This series will help us better understand how to work "Together" to do His work!

God is at work in our midst. And He calls us to come together as His servants to do His work in partnership with Him and with one another. This series will help us better understand how to work "Together" to do His work!

God is at work in our midst. And He calls us to come together as His servants to do His work in partnership with Him and with one another. This series will help us better understand how to work "Together" to do His work!

There are a few words in the Bible that God gives special attention to, and they are words that we should pay attention to. Why are they so important, and what do I do with them? How do I live out what is most important to God? Find out in our series: Strong Words.

In various seasons of life, we get the opportunity to experience unique attributes of God that are highlighted for us so that we can have those truths saturated into our heart. In the womb, we see some amazing things about God that should cause us to step back and say WOW! What does God intend to say to us about Himself through the season of the womb/birth. Take a listen and let God encourage you!

There are a few words in the Bible that God gives special attention to, and they are words that we should pay attention to. Why are they so important, and what do I do with them? How do I live out what is most important to God? Find out in our new series: Strong Words

There are a few words in the Bible that God gives special attention to, and they are words that we should pay attention to. Why are they so important, and what do I do with them? How do I live out what is most important to God? Find out in our new series: Strong Words

What does it really mean to live a blessed life? We're going to take a look at what God has to say about it as we step into the new year.

Pastor Robbie answers this week's questions in the series "You Asked for It" about -- Cremation, Afterlife, Heaven, Hell, Unpardonable Sin, Eternal Security, Women in Ministry, Unequally Yoked, Guilt

Join us as we worship, grow, and serve together as a church family in Queensbury, NY! Worship Services: Saturday 6pm | Sunday 9:30am | Sunday 11:15am). You can find out more information about New Hope by visiting our website: www.sharingnewhope.org.

Join us as we worship, grow, and serve together as a church family in Queensbury, NY! Worship Services: Saturday 6pm | Sunday 9:30am | Sunday 11:15am). You can find out more information about New Hope by visiting our website: www.sharingnewhope.org.

Join us as we worship, grow, and serve together as a church family in Queensbury, NY! Worship Services: Saturday 6pm | Sunday 9:30am | Sunday 11:15am). You can find out more information about New Hope by visiting our website: www.sharingnewhope.org.

Join us as we worship, grow, and serve together as a church family in Queensbury, NY! Worship Services: Saturday 6pm | Sunday 9:30am | Sunday 11:15am). You can find out more information about New Hope by visiting our website: www.sharingnewhope.org.

Have you ever had those important conversations with someone that changed everything? That’s what happens when we come face to face with Jesus – He changes our whole life! Join us as Adam Curtis shares from God’s Word this weekend.

Our nation is talking about some very important topics over the past few months. With many different voices and perspectives, we need to understand what God says about these things. Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to look to God’s Word so we can know how to approach some of the biggest challenges of our day.

Our nation is talking about some very important topics over the past few months. With many different voices and perspectives, we need to understand what God says about these things. Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to look to God’s Word so we can know how to approach some of the biggest challenges of our day.

This is Hard: Facing Extreme Trials This. Is. Hard. Is that how you feel right now? Most of us are in a trial, headed towards one, or coming out of one. And some trials are extremely hard. How do we face those as Christians? Join us as we study James 1 and learn how to face our biggest challenges.

When you are facing difficulty, it is easy to forget why you are here and what you are supposed to be doing.

This is Hard: “Keep Your Focus in Your Trial” James 1: 27

1. Help others, especially the hurting

James 1: 27a Matthew 25: 40 BHAG #4 Become the servants of Queensbury BHAG #10 Partnerships with 5 other regions of the world

2. Stay close to God

James 1: 27b To the extent that you choose to obey God, you can find & fulfill more fully the purpose that He has for your life.

This is Hard: Facing Extreme Trials This. Is. Hard. Is that how you feel right now? Most of us are in a trial, headed towards one, or coming out of one. And some trials are extremely hard. How do we face those as Christians? Join us as we study James 1 and learn how to face our biggest challenges.

This is Hard: “Watch Your Response in a Trial” James 1: 19-26

1. Watch your anger

James 1: 19 We often do not listen to understand. We listen to reply. Common responses to problems: - Worry - Depression - Avoidance - Fear - Rash decisions - Anger Mark 11: 15-18 James 1: 21 When going through a tough time: - Listen often - Speak less - Be careful with anger - Check sin in your life - Stay humble and teachable - Stay in God’s Word

2. Watch your actions

James 1: 22-25 God gives us: - A Challenge - An Opportunity How many of us would like to live a blessed life?

3. Watch your mouth

James 1: 26 God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth. We ought to listen twice as much as we speak. Job 2: 10

This is Hard: Facing Extreme Trials This. Is. Hard. Is that how you feel right now? Most of us are in a trial, headed towards one, or coming out of one. And some trials are extremely hard. How do we face those as Christians? Join us as we study James 1 and learn how to face our biggest challenges.

This is Hard: What to Expect from Your Trial James 1: 12-18

1. Reward from God

James 1: 12 4 positive results that can come for your negative situation: - blessing - endurance (the ability to make it) - confirmation Matthew 13: 20-21 - receiving the crown of life 5 crown passages in the New Testament: I Corinthians 9: 24 I Thessalonians 2: 19-20 James 1: 12 II Timothy 4: 8 I Peter 5: 1-4

2. Reassurance from God

James 1: 13-18 Know for certain that: - God would not hurt you James 1: 13 Jeremiah 29: 11 God allows trials to strengthen us. The enemy brings temptations to hurt us. - Temptation can be minimized James 1: 14-15 Our 3 biggest enemies: The world - the world system, not the people of the world The flesh – our sinful nature & desires The devil – our enemy who hates God & hates everything God loves, including us Ask God to change my want tos and that will minimize my problems The less you give the enemy to work with, the less you will give in to temptation and sin! - God is all good, all the time James 1: 16-18 God is good - all the time. All the time - God is good. Your life might be hard, but God is still good.

James 1: 5-8

1. Ask God for wisdom

James 1: 5 Wisdom = Knowing what to do & knowing how to do it II Timothy 3: 16-17 God’s Word gives us: - What is right - What is wrong - Getting right - Staying Right If you want to grow in knowing what is right, you need to get more serious about knowing God’s Word, the Bible. Do you have situations in your life where you do not know WHAT to do or HOW to do it? God can only help those who admit they can’t help themselves.

2. Believe God will give you the answer

I Corinthians 10: 13 Do you believe that God hears and will answer your prayers? Our struggles: - Is this that important to God? - Am I that important to God? - Does God really work like that? - Is God really real? - Is this too big even for God? James 1: 6 God speaks to us through: - His Word, the Bible - Other people - The Holy Spirit - Circumstances If we will just trust the rescuer, we will be saved. James 1: 7 James 1: 8 Trusting God should be more and more the direction of your life.

This is Hard: Facing Extreme Trials This. Is. Hard. Is that how you feel right now? Most of us are in a trial, headed towards one, or coming out of one. And some trials are extremely hard. How do we face those as Christians? Join us as we study James 1 and learn how to face our biggest challenges.

How to Feel About Your Trial James 1: 1-4

1. Embrace your trial

James 1: 2 James 1: 9-11 II Corinthians 12: 8-10

2. Have confidence in your trial

James 1: 3-4 If you have put your faith in Jesus Christ, you will never, ever be God-forsaken. 3 Bible promises about trials: - You have hope for the future Romans 8: 37 Revelation 21: 4 - You have hope for the present Hebrews 13: 5b Psalm 23: 4 Psalm 27: 13 - God’s best for you includes some trials I Peter 5: 10 Romans 8: 28 II Corinthians 4: 17 Romans 5: 3-4

Luke 17: 1-5

What is Biblical Forgiveness? Forgiveness is canceling a debt. Forgiveness is a decisive promise. Forgiveness is part of the total reconciliation process. Forgiveness is two-sided. (1) Get forgiveness (2) Give forgiveness Forgiveness is conciliatory. Forgiveness is costly.

What Forgiveness is not: A Feeling An Apology Forgetting Forgiving God Forgiving Self

Why Should We Forgive? God has forgiven us! We are called to a ministry of reconciliation. God has commanded us to forgive.

Why Do We Struggle to Forgive? We may not believe we need forgiveness. We don’t believe we are forgivable. The joy of knowing God’s forgiveness has faded.

How to Ask for Forgiveness What I did was wrong. It was ____. I should have______. I have asked God to forgive me, will you? With God’s help I am going to change.

Have you begun exploring what it means to follow Christ, but are sensing that there is more? Maybe you've been a Christian a while but have moved away from your closeness with Christ. In this series, we talk about some key elements to growing and getting stronger as a follower of Christ.

Joshua 24: 1-15

1. Learn from the past

“Those who ignore the past are destined to repeat it.” Sometimes, God brings us to special places where He can speak to us in a special way. 2 things God wants us to learn from our past: - Our mistakes - His goodness to us What are some things from your past that God might want to use to help your home be stronger in the future? -in our nation -in your extended family (family of origin) -in your own life -in your marriage -with your kids

2. Make your decision

Joshua 24: 14-15 Sometimes, it is time to make your decision. II Corinthians 6: 2b Hebrews 3: 7-8 Philippians 3: 13b-14 Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is not promised. What will you do today? How to dedicate your home to God: - Make it your aim to glorify God I Corinthians 10: 31 - Give the relationships to God 2 of the best decisions you can make for your home: pray for each one by name every day pray with your family every day - Promote a Godly atmosphere You will not stumble upon Godliness. I Timothy 4: 7b - Be dead to self. If you want your home to be all that it needs to be, you must stop being focused on self!

He shows us what a great dad looks like Matthew 7: 7-11 He is Present Deuteronomy 31: 6 He is Love Psalm 103: 13 I John 4: 16 John 15: 13 Matthew 4: 43-48 He is a Protector (Deuteronomy 1: 29-31) He brings Correction (Proverbs 3: 11-12) He is a Provider (2 Peter 1: 3 / 1 Timothy 5: 8) He loves His Bride (Ephesians 5: 25-33 / 1 Corinthians 13) He is Consistent (1 John 1: 9) He is Patient (2 Peter 3: 9 / James 1: 20) He is Gentle (Matthew 11: 29) He is a Promise Keeper (Numbers 23: 19)
He opens a whole new way to be a great dad. Preparing Yourself Proverbs 14: 26 Providing the Foundations Deuteronomy 6: 6-9 Showing them how Galatians 5: 22-23 Equipping your Kids Ephesians 6: 11-18

Have you begun exploring what it means to follow Christ, but are sensing that there is more? Maybe you've been a Christian a while but have moved away from your closeness with Christ. In this series, we talk about some key elements to growing and getting stronger as a follower of Christ.

I Timothy 6: 7-11 We have an enemy who is evil, and he is always looking for a weak spot into our lives.

1. See money for what it is worth

I Timothy 6: 7 We need to keep it in perspective: - One day it will be worthless - We cannot take it with us You never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul. He who dies with the most toys...just dies.

2. Use it for its basic purposes

I Timothy 6: 8 When I go to work, what am I working for? 1. Give it 2. Spend it 3. Grow it - Give it worship, faith, & obedience Deuteronomy 8: 18 Proverbs 3: 9-10 Malachi 3: 8 - Spend it God provides what we need – The Basics God gives us even more – The Blessings www.crown.org - Grow it God grows things, and if we are following Him...we will grow things, too. We tend to focus more on The Blessings than The Basics.

3. Don’t become enslaved to it

I Timothy 6: 9-11 What kind of problems can money cause? - more temptations in our lives - traps that will catch and hurt us - foolish and harmful desires - drown us in pain and destruction - be a starting point for all sorts of other problems - move us away from God Luke 16: 9 Matthew 6: 19-20

Have you begun exploring what it means to follow Christ, but are sensing that there is more? Maybe you've been a Christian a while but have moved away from your closeness with Christ. In this series, we talk about some key elements to growing and getting stronger as a follower of Christ.

Colossians 3: 22-25

If we live to be 70, the avg. person spends... 24 years sleeping 6 years of total time eating 5 years in transit 4 years in conversation 5 years in school, studying, or reading 4 years in misc. pursuits (incl. serving God) 8 years in recreation (TV, sports, hobbies) 14 years at work The Bigger Picture: - There is a reason that work is hard - Work is not all bad - Work is not a curse. The curse just made work difficult. - Your work is very important to God

1. Do your job

Colossians 3: 22 A lack of submission to God-given authority is a lack of submission to God.

2. Do your best, seeing God as your boss

Colossians 3: 22b-25 If we live like God tells us to live, Christians would be known as the best workers. Proverbs 15: 3

3. Use your job for God's glory

Colossians 3: 23 How could my job bring glory to God? You produce a product or service You produce income 3 primary reasons for income: - to provide for our needs - to provide for our family - to provide for God’s work You impact lives through your job

Have you begun exploring what it means to follow Christ, but are sensing that there is more? Maybe you've been a Christian a while but have moved away from your closeness with Christ. In this series, we talk about some key elements to growing and getting stronger as a follower of Christ.

Growing Deeper, Getting Stronger: Watching Your Mouth James 3: 1-12

1. What you say matters

You will account to God for what you say James 3: 1
Your words reveal what is in your heart Matthew 12: 34b-37 Junk coming out of your mouth, means there is some junk inside of you.
Your mouth shows how strong you are James 3: 2

2. Your tongue is small but very powerful

James 3: 3-8 - a horse’s bit - a ship’s rudder - a forest fire - a wild animal - poison Have you ever considered how small but powerful your tongue is? Hebrews 4: 12 Proverbs 10: 19, 21a Proverbs 13: 3; 12: 25

3. So be careful how you use it

James 3: 9-12 Hurtful ways to use your mouth: - Cursing: cursing reveals rebellion, disgust, or control issues. - Lying - Insults - Gossip Remember: - Best interest Is this in the best interest of the person I am talking about and all involved? - Need to know Does this person really need to know this information? Is this critical communication that I must share? - Manipulation - Backhanded compliments - Christian jokes & sayings Ephesians 4: 29 Positive ways to use your mouth: - Building up others I Thessalonians 5: 11 - God-honoring, daily conversations Colossians 3: 17 Psalm 19: 14 - Worshiping God Psalm 28: 2 Psalm 109: 30 - Confessing sin Romans 10: 10 - Sharing God’s Word with others Psalm 119: 13 Romans 10: 14

Hebrews 13: 4 79% of men 18-30 yrs. old view pornography monthly 64% of all men view pornography monthly 86% of men would look at pornography if they knew wouldn’t get caught 90% of boys & 70% of girls have been exposed to pornography online 56% of divorces are attributed to at least 1 spouse’s continued use of inappropriate websites If we want to stop getting what everyone else is getting, we will have to stop doing what everyone else is doing.

1. God designed intimacy to be a blessing

Hebrews 13: 4a Matthew 19: 3-6 Genesis 2: 22-25 An incubator = A controlled environment for small babies to become more developed: that sounds like marriage!

2. We have distorted God's design

Hebrews 13: 4b 3 major ways we have distorted God’s design: - pornography - homosexuality Only 2.3% in the U.S. over age 18 identify themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. - adultery I Thessalonians 4: 3-8 ‘transgress’ = to go way over a boundary ‘defraud’ = to take advantage of someone or take more than your proper share of something

“They bound themselves by an oath not for any criminal end but to avoid theft or robbery or adultery, never to break their word or repudiate a deposit when called upon to refund it.” -Pliny, the governor of Bithynia, reporting to Trajan, the Roman Emperor (Quoted in Barclay Daily Bible Study Series)

“In the early days, the Christians presented such a purity to the world that not even their critics and their enemies could find a fault in it.” -Quoted from Barclay Daily Bible Study Series

Have you begun exploring what it means to follow Christ, but are sensing that there is more? Maybe you've been a Christian a while but have moved away from your closeness with Christ. In this series, we talk about some key elements to growing and getting stronger as a follower of Christ.

Psalm 15: 1-5

1. Understanding integrity

Integrity is... - Your desire to be the same person in every aspect of your life. - A desire to honor God in every area of your life. Psalm 15: 2-5b He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, - A person of integrity seeks to do what is right And speaks truth in his heart. - A person of integrity speaks truth from a sincere heart 3 He does not slander with his tongue, - A person of integrity does not speak badly about other people Nor does evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; - A person of integrity does not do anything to harm other people 4 In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, - A person of integrity is bothered when wrong is done But who honors those who fear the LORD; - A person of integrity loves to see people follow God’s will He swears to his own hurt and does not change; - A person of integrity keeps their word even when it is hard 5 He does not put out his money at interest, - A person of integrity does not take advantage of other people Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. - A person of integrity will not sacrifice others for their own interests

2. The importance of integrity

Psalm 15: 1, 5c 2 reasons to live a life of integrity: - to be close to God - to live a solid life What is it costing me to not follow God?

3. The path to integrity

Psalm 15: 2-5b How to become a person of integrity: - be saved John 3: 3 Proverbs 15: 3 - deliberately choose a life of integrity Daniel 1: 8a - surrender your life to God each day - consider the impact Ephesians 4: 14 - have support from others Proverbs 13: 20 - when your defenses are down, rely on God’s past instructions

Luke 15: 25-32

1. Some will refuse to celebrate

Luke 15: 25-28

2. Some will focus on themselves

Luke 15: 29-30

3. Some will ignore God’s heart

Luke 15: 31-32 It is possible to do some God-honoring things, but not have the heart of God Isaiah 29: 13

2 things Jesus is teaching us here: - Don’t be so concerned about yourself The great blessing is not what we get FROM God The great blessing is simply being WITH God - If you turn to God, you can have a party, too Some see themselves as close to God, but when they are in God’s presence, they do not even know it.

Have you ever felt that you have wandered far from God? Do you wonder how God feels about your life because of that? In this sermon series called “Coming Home” we see that there is no place that we can get to in our lives that is too far for us to be able to come back to God!

“Would God Really Take Me Back?” Luke 15: 17-24

Are you far from God because you have: - never become a child of God? - moved away from the Lord?

1. There comes a time when we wake up

Luke 15: 17-20a Isaiah 53: 6a Proverbs 9: 10 Romans 6: 16 We are going to be someone’s servant. Better to serve God than to serve sin. We show that we want God’s help by: - humility - confession - repentance - wanting to make things right II Corinthians 7: 11 Penance = paying for your sins Repentance = being sorry for your sins and wanting to change Isaiah 55: 3, 6-7 You cannot help someone when you care more about their problems than they do.

2. God is eagerly awaiting our return

The most common accusation brought against Jesus was that He was a friend of sinners. Luke 15: 20b-24 Instead of the SON being far away, now only his SINS were far away. Psalm 103: 12 Proverbs 13: 24

Have you ever felt that you have wandered far from God? Do you wonder how God feels about your life because of that? In this sermon series called “Coming Home” we see that there is no place that we can get to in our lives that is too far for us to be able to come back to God!

Coming Home: How Did I Get So Far Away? Luke 15: 11-16

Things that get us off of God’s path... - Slip ups – letting our guard down for a moment - Selfishness – focusing on ourselves - Secret sins – our heart longing for something not good - Silly-ness – taking dangerous things too lightly - Wrong focus – living for something other than God’s purpose - Anger – letting bad feelings stay around too long

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid When you give yourself away People never crumble in a day It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade (“Slow Fade” by Casting Crowns)

1. We begin to distance ourselves from God

Luke 15: 11-12

2. We take clear steps away from God

Luke 15: 13 The only time to leave is when you know that God is sending you. Prodigal means...“Wasteful or reckless”.

3. We get our lives into a complete mess

Luke 15: 14-16 How much do the people helping to make your mess really care about you?

“The 24 Hour Rule” If possible, holding off on making a decision or taking some action for at least 24 hours when it involves...

1. Something way outside your norm

2. Something those close to you may not support

3. Something that involves high risks

4. Something that might be very expensive

The idea is that if something is a good idea today, it will be a good idea tomorrow/later. (adapted from The Bipolar Workbook: Tools for Controlling Your Mood Swings)

Sin will take you farther than you wanted to go, will keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and will cost you more than you wanted to pay.

Have you ever felt that you have wandered far from God? Do you wonder how God feels about your life because of that? In this sermon series called “Coming Home” we see that there is no place that we can get to in our lives that is too far for us to be able to come back to God!

Luke 15: 1-10

Why we think God doesn’t care: - I’m not that important - I’m too far gone - I’m not the kind of person He wants

1. People do care about God

Luke 15: 1-2 If Christians never spend time with people who don’t know God, how will more people come to know the Lord? One day, we will account to God for the people the church has turned away from Him.

2. God does care about people

Luke 15: 3-10 Not everybody would worry about 1 sheep lost out of 100. But God does. Anyone would be upset about losing a valuable coin. That is how God sees us.

God’s love is extravagant. It is over the top for us.

Luke 24: 13-35

For many people, Easter is a time to get together with family, be off from school, and go to church. However, God wants us to know that He gave us Easter for much more than that. If you have faced some serious challenges in your life, Easter brings hope!

It only takes a few moments for our lives to be changed completely.

1. We all face major hurts and disappointments

I Peter 5: 6-7

2. Jesus wants to meet us there

He is patient with us
He speaks to us Could it be that the thing you are missing most in your life...is clearly hearing from God on a regular basis? Why would we not recognize Jesus?

1. Our pain is too deep to see God with us

2. We aren’t expecting to see Him

3. He comes differently than we expected

I have not left you. I am still here. Will you listen to my voice? - God

3. There is hope for the future

This problem will not define me. In Christ, I will be victorious over it. Proverbs 3: 5-6 Luke 24: 33-35

When you have met the Risen Lord, you will never be the same. Because He lives (in me), I can face the future. I don't know what the future holds, but I know One who holds the future.

Have you begun exploring what it means to follow Christ, but are sensing that there is more? Maybe you've been a Christian a while but have moved away from your closeness with Christ. In this series, we talk about some key elements to growing and getting stronger as a follower of Christ.

1. The gift that God has given to us

II Corinthians 5: 17-19 I become a new person I receive this freely from God I am reconciled to God I am forgiven for all my sins Psalm 103: 12

2. The ministry that God has given to us

Sharing Christ is not an afterthought. It is the main thing. Sharing Christ is a key part of every ministry. Ten seconds after you die, what will your main concerns be? II Corinthians 5: 20 Matthew 28: 18-20 Acts 1: 8 II Corinthians 5: 10-11

1. We need other people in our lives

Life is dangerous. I Peter 5: 8
We were designed to need each other. I Corinthians 12: 14 Ephesians 4: 16

2. God gave us the church

ek-klesia = “The ones called out” What is a church? A church is a local gathering of people in a particular area who are saved and baptized and agree to partner together to seek God, help one another walk in God’s ways, and do God’s work in this world. Not a building Not an organization Not a denomination or large ministry love = an unconditional commitment for the good of another The church is not a building. The church is the people. God’s people. My people. Why do we need a church family? - God promised to bless the church. Matthew 16: 18 - If we love God, we will love and relate closely with His people. I John 3: 14 - God tells us to be actively involved in the church. Hebrews 10: 24-25 - We need partners in life & the Lord’s work. Philippians 1: 3-5 - Jesus died for the church. Ephesians 5:25 You take care of things that matter to the people you love.

3. Baptism is an important starting point

Acts 2:41 You don’t have to be baptized to be saved. You have to be baptized to be obedient. You should be baptized. Before you are baptized, someone should talk with you. Before you are baptized, you should know who is baptizing you. When you are baptized, you usually become a part of that church.

Have you begun exploring what it means to follow Christ, but are sensing that there is more? Maybe you've been a Christian a while but have moved away from your closeness with Christ. In this series, we talk about some key elements to growing and getting stronger as a follower of Christ.

What if I offered you a choice that would make your life better one year from today? Would you take it?

1. We need to know the Word

Matthew 7: 24-27 Only 15% of Americans read the Bible every day. Almost 50% never read the Bible or read it 1-2x per year. (source: http://www.americanbible.org/uploads/content/state-of-the-bible-data-analysis-american-bible-society-2014.pdf) Matthew 4: 4 II Timothy 3: 16 God’s Word tells us... - what is right - what is wrong - how to get right - how to stay right Acts 17: 11 Is the extent of your Bible exposure just what you get at church? Is that enough? Do you treat the Word like filling up with gas or eating food? Are you depending too much on what you have learned in the past?

2. We need to live out the Word.

Hosea 6: 3a Being grounded in the Word does not mean I am an expert in what the Bible says. It means I am consistently seeking to live it out in my life. Ezra 7: 10 Luke 11: 28 James 1: 22-25 How often do I come to church, listen to a message, and just leave? Don’t treat God’s Word like an irrelevant, college subject you have to study. Treat it like an owner’s manual you must consult for things to work right.

Have you begun exploring what it means to follow Christ, but are sensing that there is more? Maybe you've been a Christian a while but have moved away from your closeness with Christ. In this series, we talk about some key elements to growing and getting stronger as a follower of Christ.

Genesis 5: 21-24 Hebrews 11: 5 II Kings 2 Jude 1: 14-15

1. A tender heart towards God

Micah 6: 8 Hebrews 3: 15 Proverbs 29: 1

2. A desperate need to be with God

Psalm 42: 1 Psalm 84: 2

3. A vibrant, meaningful relationship, not religious activity

Isaiah 1: 12

Have you begun exploring what it means to follow Christ, but are sensing that there is more? Maybe you've been a Christian a while but have moved away from your closeness with Christ. In this series, we talk about some key elements to growing and getting stronger as a follower of Christ.

Growing Deeper, Getting Stronger: What Can Make Us Stronger? I Timothy 4: 7b-10

1. God calls us to a disciplined life

I Timothy 4: 7b II Peter 3: 18 Hebrews 12: 1

2. The stakes are very high

I Timothy 4: 8 What area of life do you give a lot of focus? I Corinthians 9: 25-27

3. Our ultimate goal in life

I Timothy 4: 9-10

Jesus told us, His followers, to love one another. In fact, He said it’s how the world would know that we are His! Over the next few messages, we’re going to learn more about what some have called “The 11th Commandment”.

1. What does it mean for us to inspire one another?

Hebrews 10: 24 A good paraphrase of Hebrews 10: 24 would be...“Let us be thinking of how we can inspire & motivate one another to love like God does and do good things with our lives.”

2. Why do we need to inspire one another?

the pull of sin II Thessalonians 3: 7-13
the cares of life
the hurts we face
being comfortable or lazy

3. How can we inspire one another to live for God?

our actions
our affirmation (our words) Proverbs 25: 11
our commitment to God’s family Hebrews 10: 23-25
our daily walk with God
our response to trials 1 Peter 1: 6-7 1 Peter 2: 12

Ephesians 4: 2

1. We are all sinners

Ephesians 4: 1-6 - I am a sinner and am not as right as I think I am I Timothy 1: 15 - I should expect that others will sometimes do wrong things - I should treat their sins as God treats mine Romans 5: 8 John 13: 34

2. We are all made differently

Ephesians 4: 7-16 - Jesus is the focus - I am a small reflection of His glory - Others reveal different parts of who God is I Corinthians 12: 7

3. We might not understand what is going on

Ephesians 4: 17-23 It has nothing to do with me.

Who is it that annoys me the most? What is it that bothers me about that person so much? What might God want to show me through him / her?

A good definition of love... What can I do to make your life better?

Jesus told us, His followers, to love one another. In fact, He said it’s how the world would know that we are His! Over the next few messages, we’re going to learn more about what some have called “The 11th Commandment”.

The "one anothers" in the Bible: honor one another -give preference to one another -regard one another as more important -submit to one another -be humble towards one another

don’t hurt one another -do not be arrogant towards one another -do not provoke one another -be kind to one another -do not lie to one another -do not speak against/slander -do not grumble against one another

serve one another -wait for one another -wash the feet of one another -care for one another -bear the burdens of one another -comfort one another -weep with one another -rejoice with one another -offer hospitality to one another -use your gifts for one another

accept one another -be patient with one another -forgive one another -do not judge one another -live in peace with one another

build up one another -speak to one another in songs -greet one another -admonish one another -encourage one another -instruct one another -motivate one another -pray for one another

depend upon one another -partners with one another -be on the same page with one another -live in harmony with one another -be devoted to one another -confess your sins to one another -fellowship with one another

I Thessalonians 4: 18

1. We need a lot of comfort

we face many, difficult challenges in life John 16: 33b
the problems seem to be growing II Timothy 3: 1
they are too much for us to carry by ourselves Matthew 5: 4 Luke 2: 25 II Thessalonians 2: 16 Isaiah 40: 1-2a

2. God calls us to comfort one another

II Corinthians 1: 3-8 II Corinthians 4: 7-10 How can we comfort one another? - Each one take the comfort we’ve been given and share it. How might God want to use some of the struggles you have faced to help others find healing? - Grow our comfort/care ministry at New Hope Are you already a part of the comfort/care ministry of New Hope? Are you willing to get involved now? In what ways? I already am or would be interested in being... ___ involved in a Growth Group ___ a group host home ___ a group leader / teacher ___ a group prayer leader ___ a group care leader ___ a group share leader ___ a flock leader ___ a hospital minister

Jesus told us, His followers, to love one another. In fact, He said it’s how the world would know that we are His! Over the next few messages, we’re going to learn more about what some have called “The 11th Commandment”.

John 15: 12, 17 Romans 12: 10 Romans 13: 8 I Thessalonians 4: 9 I John 3: 22b-23 I John 4: 7 I Thessalonians 3: 12 I Peter 4: 8a

1. God is love

I John 4: 8 I John 4: 19

2. Love is the highest and greatest commandment

Matthew 22: 37-40 Romans 13: 10 I Corinthians 13: 1-3 I Corinthians 13: 13 I Corinthians 13: 4-8a

3. Love is the thing that sets us apart

John 13: 35

Genesis 12: 10-20

When we respond in fear, we... 1. Jeopardize the blessings of God During his time of crisis, Abraham left the boundaries where God had promised to bless.

When we respond in fear, we... 2. May miss the miracles of God God loves to provide abundantly when there is nothing! 2 Kings 4 - Elisha provides oil for the widow when there was none. 2 Kings 7: 1 - In a famine, God miraculously disperses the Syrian army to provide food John 6 - Feeding of the 5,000

When we respond in fear, we... 3. Tarnish our testimony as believers

The Faith Response: Wait for God’s leading before acting. Believe God will intervene, even when it seems there is no hope. Place God’s glory above personal security.

Many people feel that "something is missing" in their relationship with God. Let's look to God's Word to find out what it is that causes us to feel that way and how God wants to make our walk with Him so much more meaningful than many of us are experiencing.

John 15: 1-5

Abiding in Christ means...

1. Consecration to God

John 10: 27-30 I John 5: 13 John 15: 1-2

Abiding in Christ means...

2. Getting to know God better

John 15: 3 John 17: 3

Abiding in Christ means...

3. Completely trusting in God

John 15: 4-5

Matthew 5: 3-4 Romans 7: 18-20

Be Honest with Yourself and God Matthew 5: 3 Stuck Spots – I’m a good person My good outweighs my bad Comparing myself to others (Luke 18: 10-14) It’s someone else’s fault
Give Your Guilt to God Matthew 5: 4 Luke 7: 36-38 Mourning includes Intense Sorrow Luke 22: 62 James 4: 9 Godly Sorrow leads to Repentance 2 Corinthians 7: 9-10 Stuck Spots – Worldly sorrow Repentance Leads to Joy 1 John 1: 9 Luke 7: 44-47

During this time of year, we celebrate Advent. The King is Coming! That's what Advent means. We celebrate His coming into this world. In this series, we look into God's Word to see how we can clear the path in our hearts so that we can get the most out of His coming into this world and into our lives!

The King is Coming: “Looking for His Return” II Peter 3: 3-18

1. Jesus is coming back again

II Peter 3: 3-9 John 14: 2-3 Acts 1: 9-11 I Thessalonians 4: 16-17 Jesus’ 2nd coming is mentioned more than any other subject in the Bible (except salvation).

There are about 300 prophecies of Jesus’ 1st Coming. There are about 1800 prophecies of His 2nd Coming.

23 of 27 NT books mention the 2nd Coming In the 4 books that don’t… - 1 implies it. - The other 3 are short, 1 chapter letters. All of the NT writers mention the 2nd Coming somewhere in their writings.

There are 216 chapters in the N.T., and they contain 318 references to the 2nd Coming. Every 25-30 verses in the Bible has a reference to the 2nd Coming.

2. He tells us some things to watch for

He challenges us to watch Matthew 24: 4, 23-25, 33, 42, 44 Matthew 25: 13 Mark 13: 33-37 II Peter 3: 10

3. How we’re to live as we watch

II Peter 3: 11-18 - be saved - be sharing & serving (Matthew 24: 45-46) - be sensitive to sin (Titus 2: 11-13) - be scanning

During this time of year, we celebrate Advent. The King is Coming! That's what Advent means. We celebrate His coming into this world. In this series, we look into God's Word to see how we can clear the path in our hearts so that we can get the most out of His coming into this world and into our lives!

The King is Coming: "Being in His Presence" Matthew 3: 1-13

1. Have a strong desire to change

Matthew 3: 1-6 Isaiah 40: 3 Matthew 4: 17 II Corinthians 7: 9-11 Your response to that challenge leads us to the next thing...

2. Be willing to face some brutal realities

Matthew 3: 7-10 John 3: 20-21

3. Develop a humble attitude

Matthew 3: 11-12 “baptism” means immersion or total saturation John 1: 8 John 1: 30 John 3: 30 Matthew 6: 33

SO, John’s whole point was… Jesus is the one who does the real work AND I AM JUST HIS SERVANT.

During this time of year, we celebrate Advent. The King is Coming! That's what Advent means. We celebrate His coming into this world. In this series, we look into God's Word to see how we can clear the path in our hearts so that we can get the most out of His coming into this world and into our lives!

Luke 1: 5-25

1. Be living for God

Luke 1: 6 I Timothy 4: 7b Are you living a very intentional life? Is there anything you could be accused of by others? Is there any clear sin in your life right now?

2. Be faithful with what He’s given you

Luke 1: 8-10 Luke 16: 10 What roles has God given you? Are you doing them to the best of your ability?

3. Don’t be surprised when God does move

Ephesians 3: 20 If God spoke to you/came to you today, how would you receive it?

All of us wonder at times in our lives, what am I supposed to do with my life? What is my purpose for being here? During this series, we’re going to discover that God created us for a reason. He has a plan for each of our lives, and we’re going to talk about how you can find out His plan for your life!

Matthew 14: 28-33 Problems in the church not Bible-believing: liberalism, hypocrisy Bible-believing: knowledge only focus

1. Look for God’s direction

Matthew 14: 28-29a

2. Step out in faith

Matthew 14: 29b

3. Keep your eyes on God

Matthew 14: 30-33

All of us wonder at times in our lives, what am I supposed to do with my life? What is my purpose for being here? During this series, we’re going to discover that God created us for a reason. He has a plan for each of our lives, and we’re going to talk about how you can find out His plan for your life!

Discover Your Purpose: Tracing the Path of Your Life Exodus 3: 1-10

1. The experiences you have had

Exodus 3: 1a Important experiences for Moses... - the name he was given - adversity in his life - experience in leading people

What are the 7 most significant events in your life? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

2. The people you have known

Exodus 3: 1b The people who impacted Moses’ life… - a Godly father-in-law Exodus 2: 18 Exodus 18: 13-27 - Godly parents Exodus 2: 1-9 Hebrews 11: 23 - he grew up in Pharaoh’s court Exodus 2: 10

3. The places you have been

God led Moses to... - a quiet place - a special place What are some of the special places you have been/lived? What impact have those places had on your life? Are there any places that God has spoken to you in a special way?

4. The ways God has spoken to you

Matthew 4: 4 Ways the Lord spoke to Moses... (Exodus 3: 2-10) - God sent a messenger (v. 2a) - God got his attention (v. 2b-3) - God spoke to him personally (v. 4) - God overwhelmed him with His greatness (v. 5-6) - God gave Him a calling (v. 7-10)

When are some times in your life when God has clearly spoken to you?

All of us wonder at times in our lives, what am I supposed to do with my life? What is my purpose for being here? During this series, we’re going to discover that God created us for a reason. He has a plan for each of our lives, and we’re going to talk about how you can find out His plan for your life!

1. How has God made you?

Psalm 119: 73 Isaiah 44: 24 Job 10: 8a Psalm 139: 13-16 v. 13 "You formed the deepest parts of who I am." v. 14 "I am like no other, one-of-a-kind." v. 15-16 "You saw me when I was forming and planned out the days of my life even before I was born."

Parts of who you are that impact the purpose of your life... - your personality - your passions/interests - your God-given talents

2. What has God given you?

Mark 14: 8 She couldn’t do what she couldn’t do. She could do what she could do. Mark 12: 44 John 6: 9 Exodus 4: 2 What has God given to you? - money - resources/equipment - spiritual gifts (Romans 12, I Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, I Peter 4) administration – ability to organize pioneering/apostolic – ability to lead out in new efforts discernment – ability to understand truth/error evangelism – ability to share Christ with others encouraging – ability to build up others faith – ability to trust God in big ways giving – ability to give sacrificially hospitality – ability to welcome others knowledge – ability to understand God’s Word leadership – ability to lead others in ministry mercy – ability to care for others prophecy – ability to speak God’s Word boldly pastor/shepherd – ability to guide God’s people serving others – ability to serve others teaching – ability to share God’s Word meaningfully wisdom – ability to apply God’s Word to real life

Matthew 6: 33

We live in a world of almost constant changes - many of them not good. We serve a God, though, Who wants to prepare us to be His servants to bring positive change to a world that so desperately needs Him!

Romans 1: 16-32 John 3: 16 Hebrews 1: 9

1. The world demands change

changing institutions (v. 23) Genesis 1: 27-28a Matthew 16: 18 Romans 13: 1
changing definitions (v. 25) Genesis 2: 24-25 Isaiah 5: 20 Daniel 7: 25
changing restrictions (v. 26) Amos 3: 3

2. God commands change

changing hearts (v. 18-25) John 3: 3 Luke 13: 3
changing lives (v.26-27) I Corinthians 6: 9-11 Proverbs 14: 12
changing minds (v. 28-32) Isaiah 26: 3 Romans 12: 1-2 1 Timothy 4:1-3 2 Peter 3:9

All of us wonder at times in our lives, what am I supposed to do with my life? What is my purpose for being here? During this series, we’re going to discover that God created us for a reason. He has a plan for each of our lives, and we’re going to talk about how you can find out His plan for your life!

We were made...

1. To walk with God daily

Genesis 3: 8 Genesis 5: 24 Galatians 5: 16, 25

a few important parts of walking with God... - 1. seeking His face "I want to be in His presence" - 2. seeking His heart "I want to be like Him" - 3. seeking His hand "I want Him to direct my life"

We were made...

2. To live a life of service

Galatians 5: 13 Who do we serve? - we serve God I Samuel 12: 24 - we serve other believers Hebrews 6: 10 - we serve the world Matthew 5: 16 John 3: 16

Another way to say it...

1. We were made to walk with God

2. We were made to work for God

All of us wonder at times in our lives, what am I supposed to do with my life? What is my purpose for being here? During this series, we’re going to discover that God created us for a reason. He has a plan for each of our lives, and we’re going to talk about how you can find out His plan for your life!

1. To bring glory to God

why I am here on this earth? - bring glory to God - do ministry/church work - impact others/relationships - do the work I do/make contribution to world - have/raise my kids Isaiah 43: 7 I Corinthians 6: 20 I Corinthians 10: 31

2. To be saved and reconciled with God

Romans 14: 12 Job 31: 14 II Corinthians 5: 20 Colossians 3: 2

3. To spread the Good News

Luke 15: 1-7 Acts 1: 8

1. New Hope is a place to ... WORSHIP

Ecclesiastes 3: 11

2. New Hope is a place to ... GROW

II Peter 3: 18

3. New Hope is a place to ... SERVE

Philippians 2: 4-11

1. God cares about your health challenges

II Kings 20: 1-6 God knows Psalm 139: 14 Hebrews 4: 15 God cares Psalm 34: 18

2. Health challenges are not totally negative

show us how fragile we are
remind us of what is important
make us depend on God more
cause us to grow James 1: 2-4
direct our attention to heaven Romans 8: 18 II Corinthians 4: 16-18
make us examples for others to see II Corinthians 4: 8-12 II Corinthians 12: 9

3. God’s wisdom for dealing with your health challenge

call upon the Lord James 4: 2c
call upon others Galatians 6: 2
control your mind Proverbs 18: 14
check your mouth Job 2: 10c
count your blessings I Thessalonians 5: 18
continue your work Ephesians 2: 10
cling to the promises Psalm 119: 11
consider your future
confess your limits
choose to please God, not others Galatians 1: 10

Luke 14: 21b-23 Matthew 22: 1-10

1. What the party is for - v. 1-2

2. Who is not coming to the party - v. 3-7

Psalm 92: 12-14

3. Who is coming to the party - v. 8-10

II Peter 3: 9

Thoughts to consider today…

1. God is at work in this world.

2. Have you been around God’s work for a while?

3. Are you staying sensitive to the Lord, continuing to grow in Him?

4. God wants to reach as many as possible, and He wants to use us to bring them to Himself.

5. Are you one of those He is trying to reach?

Issue #1: This is too big for me (ever felt that with what God is telling you to do?) Exodus 3: 11-12

Issue #2: I don’t know what to say or do Exodus 3: 13 Mark 13: 11

Issue #3: No one will believe me Exodus 4: 1

Issue #4: I am not very gifted Exodus 4: 10-12 II Corinthians 2: 16 II Corinthians 3: 5

Issue #5: I just don’t want to do it Exodus 4: 13

Questions to consider: - what is it that God is calling you to do? - what excuses are you giving Him? - do they sound a lot like Moses? - would you recognize that and repent and begin moving towards God’s call?

1. Remember who they are

made in God’s image Genesis 1: 27
worth Jesus’ sacrifice John 3: 16
a brother/sister in Christ I John 4: 20

2. Recognize who your real enemy is

Ephesians 6: 12

3. Respond to them God’s way

put yourself in their shoes Matthew 7: 12
try to work things out Romans 12: 18 Matthew 18: 15-17
go to the person (if at all possible)
take others with you
bring it to a larger group
focus on winning to Jesus
keep your door open Matthew 5: 9
pray for them Matthew 5: 44
do good to them when you can Luke 6: 27-28 Romans 12: 19-21
make sure you continue walking in God’s ways Proverbs 16: 7

"Sanctification” means “to set apart."

KNOW Romans 6: 1-10 The word "baptism" literally means "to immerse."

Three things to know: - I am identified with Christ. - I am dead to sin. - I am alive in Christ.

EVALUATE Romans 6: 11-12 Are you putting the truth - that the old self is powerless and that you are identified with the resurrection power of Christ - to practice in your life?
YIELD Romans 6: 13.

Four steps to follow daily: 1. DENY – To refrain from satisfying one's desires or needs 2. DIE – Be willing to place yourself under the authority of Christ – daily 3. DECIDE – I will by faith, believe Him (be a companion, hang out, follow after) 4. DISCIPLINE - Apply the principles of God’s Word to your life

Nothing's Impossible: "Your Hopeless Situation" Exodus 14: 10-20

1. Facing a hopeless situation

Exodus 14: 10

2. Our normal response to major trouble

Exodus 14: 11-12

3. God’s help for our hopeless situation

Exodus 14: 13-20 When facing a hopeless situation... - 1. do not be afraid - v. 13a - 2. be still & let God work -v. 13b - 3. have a victory mindset - v. 13c-14 - 4. move forward in faith, not feelings - v. 15 - 5. listen for & follow God’s instructions - v. 16 - 6. look for God to be glorified through it - v. 17—18 the most important question to ask..."God, how are you wanting to glorify yourself through this?" - 7. know that you are protected by God - v. 19-20

Questions to consider… - What is your hopeless situation? - How are you responding to it? - Are you looking to the Lord for help?

Genesis 22: 9-10

1. Whose dream was it?

Genesis 12: 1-3 Is this something you sense God promised you? Is it something you came up with yourself?

2. How have you tried to accomplish it?

Genesis 15: 5-6 Genesis 16: 1-4a Do you want another Middle East in your life? I don’t want to be ahead of God or behind Him. I want to be right in step with His Spirit. Galatians 5: 25

3. Will you trust God, even if the dream dies?

Genesis 22: 9-10 We have defining moments in life that can either crush us or shape us. Genesis 22: 5 Hebrews 11: 17-19

Questions to consider - Whose dream was it? - How have you tried to accomplish it? - Even if it is dead, do you believe that God can resurrect dead things? - Have you given your life to God?

Jesus’ missionary instructions (Luke 10: 1-16) go with a team (v. 1) go all over the world (v. 1) pray (v. 2) be ready for challenges (v. 3) go with urgency (v. 4) find a “person of peace” (v. 5-7) stay focused (v. 8) help others/share the Good News (v. 9) trust rejection to God (v.10-15) it’s all about God, not you (v. 16)

1. Going on a mission trip brings joy

Luke 10: 17

2. Going on a mission trip impacts eternity

Luke 10: 18-20

3. Going on a mission trip blesses God

Luke 10: 21-22

4. Going on a mission trip blesses you

Luke 10: 23-24 Jeremiah 31: 33 Hebrews 11: 13 John 14: 12 John 16: 7

Questions to consider… - Is it time for you to go on a mission trip? - Do you need to take a step of action today? pray with someone get a passport join the Acts 1:8 team - Is it time to go “on mission” every day? - Is some sin holding you back? - Do you need to give your life to God?

What’s the “Big Idea” today? Deciding to be on mission for God and to go on a mission trip is a decision that could change your life.

1. Tithing is a big deal to God

Malachi 3: 7-10a Malachi 1: 6-9 Acts 4-5 I Corinthians 16: 1-3

2. Tithing brings great blessings

Malachi 3: 10b-12 What blessings does tithing bring? - Puts food in God’s house - Is an opportunity to stretch our faith - Brings blessings to your own life - Brings blessings to the lives of others and glory to God

What’s the “Big Idea” today? One of the biggest steps of faith we can take is to obey God’s call to tithe.

Matthew 13: 3-9

Hard Ground - My truth or God's Truth Matthew 13: 18-19 Is There Hope? Acts 8: 3 Acts 9: 3-5 Matthew 13: 19 Is This Me? Psalm 14: 2-3
Shallow Ground - Fear or Faith Matthew 13: 20-21 Fear reveals the condition of the heart Matthew 14: 25-30 Faith Deepens the soil of the heart Matthew 14: 31-33
Contaminated Ground - My Purpose or His Purpose Matthew 13: 22 Is This Me? 1 John 1: 9 James 5: 16
Good Ground - Some Fruit or Abundant Fruit Matthew 13: 23 Is This Me? John 15: 5

Many times we wonder, "What's next for my relationship with God?" or even "What's missing in my relationship with Him?" In this message series, we explore some of the most important steps you can take in your walk with God.

Your Next Steps: "Serving"

Romans 12: 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

1. We are called by God to serve.

John 13: 12-17 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

2. We are equipped for service.

II Peter 1: 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. I Corinthians 12: 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. I Peter 4: 10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Romans 12: 6a Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly:

3. Serving keeps us in a good place.

the benefits of serving to your life... - serving brings great blessing and fulfillment John 13: 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. John 12: 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Philippians 2: 9-11 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. III John 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. - serving provides accountability in your life Matthew 18: 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. - serving keeps you physically off the dangerous path Psalm 1: 1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers.

Many times we wonder, "What's next for my relationship with God?" or even "What's missing in my relationship with Him?" In this message series, we explore some of the most important steps you can take in your walk with God.

Your Next Steps: "Accountability"

1. Why I need accountability

Proverbs 27: 17 Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another. - we need other people in our lives - those are not always pleasant experiences

2. What accountability means for my life

we all need some good friends I Corinthians 15: 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” Proverbs 27: 6
we especially need God and His people Hebrews 10: 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
we need CONNECTION on multiple levels
we need COMMITMENT on some level

3. Getting serious about accountability

II Timothy 2: 22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. - the size of my accountability large group small group one-on-one - the frequency of my accountability spontaneous weekly daily emergency

What’s the "Big Idea" today? Accountability to others is critical for any believer who wants to make a difference for God.

Overwhelmed and outnumbered - does it sometimes feel as if those two words describe your life? Let's turn to God's Word to discover what to do when we feel overwhelmed and outnumbered.

Honestly face your enemy when you're outnumbered. 2 Kings 6: 14-15 Colossians 1: 21-22
Get God's perspective when you're outnumbered. 2 Kings 6: 16-17 Matthew 5: 43-48 Ephesians 6: 12
Stand fast in the Lord when you're outnumbered. 2 Kings 6: 18 Exodus 14: 13-14

a. Be on your guard (1 Peter 5: 8). b. Out on your armor (Ephesians 6: 13-20). c. Trust He knows the whole story (1 Kings 19: 18).

Psalm 61

Turning to The Lord makes all the difference when you're overwhelmed. Psalm 61: 1-2a Colossians 3: 3 Matthew 14: 30 Psalm 121: 1-2
Resting in the Lord is essential when you're overwhelmed. Psalm 61: 2b-4 Mark 2 Matthew 14: 31
Depending on the Lord for your future when you're overwhelmed Psalm 61: 5-7 Matthew 6: 31-34 Psalm 61: 8

Many times we wonder, "What's next for my relationship with God?" or even "What's missing in my relationship with Him?" In this message series, we explore some of the most important steps you can take in your walk with God.

Your Next Steps: “A Daily Time with God”

1. We really need to spend time with God

Psalm 27:4 Psalm 23:6 Psalm 16:11

2. Many Christians have a daily time with God

Mark 1:35 Daniel 6:10 I Thessalonians 5:17

Why should we spend time with God daily?

1. God calls us to spend time with Him

Psalm 8:3-4 Psalm 46:10 Mark 6:31 Psalm 27:8

2. We need to spend time with Him

being in God’s presence changes me Numbers 6:24-26 II Corinthians 3:18
Jesus modeled it as a Godly example Mark 1:35
I cannot do life without God, but with Him I can do all things John 15:5 Philippians 4:13
I need protection & provision Ephesians 6:10-18 Matthew 6:33
I am desperate & hungry Psalm 63:1
I need focus & direction Psalm 25:4 *If I do not “come apart” for a while with God, my life will begin to “come apart”.

3. How to spend time with God every day

I Timothy 4:7

the 2 main components of a quiet time with God… - be in the Word Psalm 119:105

what I am looking for in the Bible: an example to follow a sin to avoid a promise to claim a prayer to imitate a command to obey a condition to meet a verse to memorize a wrong direction to note a challenge to face (adapted from Howard Hendricks, Living By the Book, ch. 41)

pray

Your Next Steps: “Baptism”

1. Baptism means...I will obey God

Jeremiah 9: 24 “...but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.

Matthew 28: 19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Acts 2: 40-41 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

Acts 8: 12-13 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. 13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

I Corinthians 1: 10-16

2. Baptism means...I am not the same person

Romans 6: 1-4 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

I Corinthians 10: 1-4 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.

II Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

3. Baptism means...I identify with God

Romans 6: 5-11 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 10: 32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven...”

4. Baptism means...I want to live differently

Romans 6: 12-13 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

Romans 12: 1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

What’s the “Big Idea” today? Baptism is a critical part of following Jesus and is the next step for many believers.

Romans 12

Four priorities: 1. Our relationship to God (vs. 1-2) 2. Our attitude toward our Self (vs. 3) 3. Our responsibility to one another (vs. 4-13) Hebrews 3: 13 4. Handling difficult people (vs. 14-21)

“Christian? What it means to be a follower of Jesus” The word is used by a lot of people, but what does it mean to be a Christian? Join us as we study God’s Word to find the answers to this question.

Christian? - “A Desire to Share”

1. That’s the example of the early church.

Acts 2 – they started where they lived Acts 8 – they went to surrounding areas Acts 13 – they went all around the world Acts 4: 20 "...for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard." "Do I have the can’t heppits?"

2. That's the command we've been given.

Acts 1: 8 "...but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Matthew 28: 18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. John 20: 21b ...as the Father has sent Me, I also send you. Matthew 4: 19 And He said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Jesus last words (paraphrased): "Okay, kids. Take the Good News to everyone. See you when I get back."

3. That's the response of a changed life

John 4: 28-30, 39-42 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, 29 "Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?" 30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. 39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done." 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world."

Ways to share Jesus:

1. seek to live a Godly life in front of others

2. look for doors to open daily (especially offer to pray with people)

3. be more intentional at times

What’s the “Big Idea” today? A big indicator that I am a child of God is having a desire to share Him with others.

“Christian? What it means to be a follower of Jesus” The word is used by a lot of people, but what does it mean to be a Christian? Join us as we study God’s Word to find the answers to this question.

Christian? - “When You Keep Coming Back”

1 Peter 1:3-5 Romans 8:38-39 Philippians 1:6 John 10:27-30 1 John 5:13

1. Some “believers” are short-lived.

Matthew 13:20-21

2. There are many seasons to life.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Psalm 37:25a

3. A true believer keeps coming back.

Hebrews 10:39a Mark 14:71-72

Steps to follow when coming back to God: - rejoice that you keep coming back - figure out how to keep that from happening again - make the times you stray shorter (with God’s help) - get involved in serving others

I John 2:19

What’s the “Big Idea” today? A true Christian continues to be drawn back to God.

Statistics 1.2 billion People live on less than $1 per day. Every day 30,500 children under the age of 5 die from diseases that are preventable in our country. During this decade Africa will lose 1/5 of its adult population to HIV / AIDS Disease Tonight 800 million people will go to bed hungry – most are women and children. 55 countries – almost 1 billion people do not have clean water. At the beginning of this century 1.6 billion still have not heard the gospel. 382 million people live in a culture without 1 church. There are 3,700 unreached people groups and 2,000 of these groups have never heard the name of Jesus one time.

Acts 1: 1-8 Matthew 28: 19-20

God Has a Plan Acts 20: 24 John 14: 16, 26 Ephesians 5: 18
God Has the Power Acts 1: 8 Greek for Power – "Dunamin" means to enable them
God Has a Place Dr. Adrian Rogers says, "The light that shines the furthest around the world shines the brightest at home." Luke 24: 47 Missions Statement at Bellevue: Love God; Love People; Share Jesus; Make Disciples
God Has A Promise Matthew 28: 20 Philippians 4: 19 Acts 20: 24

Galatians 3: 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

1. I sense the Spirit is in me

I Corinthians 3: 16 Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Romans 8: 9b ...But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. I John 4: 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. Romans 8: 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God...

2. I see the Spirit working on me

Galatians 5: 22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control... Romans 5: 1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ... Micah 6: 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

3. The Spirit is leading my life

Romans 8: 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons/children of God. Galatians 5: 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. I John 2: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. John 10: 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me... Jeremiah 29: 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

What’s the “Big Idea” today? If I am a Christian, I should see the Spirit of God working in my life.

“Christian? What it means to be a follower of Jesus” The word is used by a lot of people, but what does it mean to be a Christian? Join us as we study God’s Word to find the answers to this question.

Christian? - “Obedience”

1. Why obedience is important

John 14: 15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I John 2: 4-5 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected/reached its intended result. By this we know that we are in Him. Matthew 7: 21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. James 2: 14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? “Saying I have faith, with no follow-through, is no real faith at all.”

2. What obedience looks like

know what God says John 10: 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
believe what God says John 14: 21a He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me.
do what God says - living it out James 2: 14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?
do what God says - our approach to sin Ephesians 5: 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. (NIV) I Thessalonians 5: 22 abstain from every form of evil. Proverbs 5: 8 Keep your way far from her and do not go near the door of her house... I John 3: 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

3. When obedience gets hard

Matthew 26: 41b the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. times it’s hard to obey... - when you don’t feel like it - when it doesn’t make sense - when it costs - when you are being hit hard - when you’re tempted

“Christian? What it means to be a follower of Jesus” The word is used by a lot of people, but what does it mean to be a Christian? Join us as we study God’s Word to find the answers to this question.

Christian? - "Love for Others"

I John 4: 7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Love is: - commitment without condition - living sacrificially for the good of another

1. A love for God

Mark 12: 30 you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. Matthew 10: 37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

2. A love for fellow believers

John 13: 34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. I John 3: 14a We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. (ESV)

3. A love for the world

I John 2: 15-16 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten/one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Luke 19: 10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. I John 3: 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

1 Samuel 1: 1-28#1. The struggles that a mother faces - v.1-8struggling with why God had allowed this (v.5-6)being provoked by others (v.6-7)dealing with relational problems connected to the hurt (v.8) #2. The response of a Godly mother - v.9-18she was honest with God (v.10a)she cried out to Him (v.10b)she submitted herself to Him (v.11)she opened up to others (v.15-16) #3. The hope God gives to mothers - v.19-28He is paying attention to your life (‘the Lord remembered her’ - v.19)You can trust His timing (v.20)He can help if you surrender (v.21-28)

“Christian? What it means to be a follower of Jesus”The word is used by a lot of people, but what does it mean to be a Christian? Join us as we study God’s Word to find the answers to this question.A Changed and Changing Life...#1. Shows repentanceMark 1: 4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.Matthew 4: 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”Mark 6: 12 They went out and preached that men should repent. II Corinthians 7: 9-11 - it’s not just feeling bad - it’s not earning God’s favor - it’s not trying to be perfect - it’s not giving up a few things just to make God happyA Changed and Changing Life...#2. Has a desire to growEphesians 4: 1515 But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way... (HCSB)15 ...we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ... (NAS)II Peter 3: 18a ...but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.Matthew 13: 33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds of flour until it spread through all of it.”A Changed and Changing Life...#3. Looks different from the worldHebrews 12: 14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. (NKJV)

Romans 10: 13 for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”#1. No one has always been a Christian.Romans 5: 12Psalm 51: 5Isaiah 59: 2aIsaiah 64: 6Romans 3: 10-12 as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; 12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.”#2. At some point we must receive God’s gift.Ephesians 2: 8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.Romans 10: 13John 1: 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.John 3: 3Galatians 2: 20-21#3. If you are a Christian, you should have a testimony.Matthew 7: 22-23 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

“Why We Celebrate Easter”#1. God cares (the cross)- Jesus eats final meal with disciples- struggles in the garden- falsely accused and arrested- appears in court and is spat upon, beaten, slapped, and mocked- abandoned by His closest friends- chosen to be executed instead of a well-known murdererMatthew 27: 26b after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.Romans 5: 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.#2. God is able (the resurrection)II Corinthians 1: 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. (ESV)Matthew 28: 1-8 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.I Corinthians 15: 17-19 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.Romans 6: 8-9 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.Philippians 4: 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.#3. God is calling us (the ascension)Acts 1: 1-11John 20: 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”- am I staying close to my Lord?- am I growing in Christ?- am I impacting the lives of others for Him?

John 12: 12-19, 37Two voices that week: “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” “Crucify Him! We have no king but Caesar.”Jesus says, “It is time for you to decide about Me.”1. Thank God for the time of decision, for it is a gift of His grace.2. There is plenty of evidence for making a clear decision to believe.3. What is it that holds someone back from following Christ?What will you say when Jesus asks, “Will you believe in the Son of God?” (John 9: 35)

Acts 17: 16-34#1. Always be ready – v. 16aActs 17: 16-22a#2. Have a heart like Jesus – v. 16bMatthew 9: 35-38#3. Consider the best approach – v. 17-34Ephesians 4: 29The Good News - God has a plan for our lives - Our sins keep us from experiencing His plan - Unless our sins are forgiven, they will keep us from Him forever - Christ provided the perfect payment and victory for us - If we turn from our way and trust in Him, we will be savedI Corinthians 9: 20-22

“Better Together: How We Partner to do God’s Work”We all enjoy being part of a church family where God is working in mighty ways, but that doesn’t happen by accident. God tells us in His Word how He wants us to do His work together. If we follow His plan, we’ll receive great blessings and be a blessing to the world! Join us as we turn to His Word and learn how God positions us as His people so that we will be “Better Together.”Better Together: “Church family - unleashing the power of all”#1. The reason for the churchMatthew 16: 18Ephesians 2: 17-22Acts 2: 44#2. The way God designed it to work-it’s covenantal, not contractual-it’s relational, not organizational-it’s total, not partial Some one anothers in God’s Word:honor one another- Romans 12: 10be devoted to one another - Romans 12: 10wait for one another - I Corinthians 11: 33serve one another - Galatians 5: 13be kind to one another - Ephesians 4: 32rejoice with one another - I Corinthians 12: 26weep with one another - Romans 12: 15submit to one another - Ephesians 5: 21do not judge one another - Romans 14: 13regard one another as more important than yourself – Philippians 2: 3do not lie to one another - Colossians 3: 9accept one another - Romans 15: 7instruct one another - Romans 15: 14greet one another - I Peter 5: 14forgive one another – Colossians 3: 13care for one another - I Corinthians 12: 25don’t speak against one another - James 4: 11pray for one another - James 5: 16confess your sins to one another- James 5: 16fellowship with one another- I John 1: 7 I Corinthians 12: 12-21Ephesians 4: 11-16#3. How it looks at New HopeProverbs 29: 18Becoming a partnerDiscovery ClassFollow-up visit BaptismMembership commitment Being a partnerWorshipGrow ServeStarting Point:Weekend worship, Growth Group, MinistryNext Level: Daily quiet time, 1 on 1 discipling, Sharing Christ

“Better Together: How We Partner to do God’s Work”We all enjoy being part of a church family where God is working in mighty ways, but that doesn’t happen by accident. God tells us in His Word how He wants us to do His work together. If we follow His plan, we’ll receive great blessings and be a blessing to the world! Join us as we turn to His Word and learn how God positions us as His people so that we will be “Better Together.”Better Together: Ministry leaders - making ministry stronger#1. Why do we need ministry leaders? Exodus 18: 21 ...you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.Acts 6: 1-4 Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”#2. What do ministry leaders do?Is God calling you to get more involved in ministry?#3. What do ministry leaders look like?I Timothy 3: 8-13 Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, 9 but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. 11 Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. 13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.MENhonorableperson of integritynot controlled by alcoholnot controlled by moneywalking with God matureblamelessfaithful husband & good fatherWOMENhonorable not a slanderer of othersattentivefaithful

“Better Together: How We Partner to do God’s Work”We all enjoy being part of a church family where God is working in mighty ways, but that doesn’t happen by accident. God tells us in His Word how He wants us to do His work together. If we follow His plan, we’ll receive great blessings and be a blessing to the world! Join us as we turn to His Word and learn how God positions us as His people so that we will be “Better Together.”Better Together: Pastors - providing direction and protectionreview from last time...- Who is our leader? King Jesus!- What does He want us to do? worship, grow, serve- How does He want us to do His work through the church, in smaller groups#1. Why we need pastorsMatthew 26: 31Ezekiel 34Acts 6: 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.Acts 20: 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.Ephesians 4: 11-12 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;I Timothy 5: 17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.I Peter 5: 1-3 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.names used in the Bible...- elder- shepherd/pastor- overseera summary of the role of pastors in our lives...- to lead- to feed- to protect#2. What a pastor looks likeI Timothy 3: 1-7, Titus 1: 7-9#1. blameless#2. a faithful husband#3. attentive#4. self-controlled#5. his life is not falling apart#6. welcoming#7. good teacher#8. wise about alcohol (Proverbs 20: 1; 23: 29-35)#9. not a bully#10. kind#11. not antagonistic#12. not controlled by money#13. maintains a good home#14. mature in Christ#15. respected by the community#16. makes good choices#17. strong in the Word#18. he’s a man#3. How we interact with our pastors#1. Pray for themI Timothy 2: 1-2 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority...#2. Follow their leadHebrews 13: 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.#3. Support themI Timothy 5: 17-18 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING,” and “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”#4. Encourage themI Thessalonians 5: 12-13 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another.What’s the “Big Idea” today?God has given us pastors to provide direction and protection for our lives and our church family.

“Better Together: How We Partner to do God’s Work”We all enjoy being part of a church family where God is working in mighty ways, but that doesn’t happen by accident. God tells us in His Word how He wants us to do His work together. If we follow His plan, we’ll receive great blessings and be a blessing to the world! Join us as we turn to His Word and learn how God positions us as His people so that we will be “Better Together.”Better Together: King Jesus - following our Leader#1. Jesus is our leaderJoshua 5: 13-15 Colossians 1: 18John 15: 5John 10: 11John 14: 6Ephesians 2: 20Hebrews 1: 1-2Hebrews 9: 11-12Hebrews 12: 2Acts 20: 28#2. The primary goals He has for us- to glorify GodI Corinthians 10: 31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.- to prepare His brideEphesians 5: 25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.- to spread the Good NewsLuke 24: 45-48 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.#3. The way He’s chosen to lead us- God uses the churchJohn 13: 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”Matthew 16: 18b ...I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Acts 20: 28, Ephesians 5: 25 - God puts us in groupsExodus 18: 13-23 Luke 9: 14Acts 2: 46 What’s the “Big Idea” today?Jesus is the leader of this church family. We need to follow His direction and live for His purposes.

Many of us feel like our marriages are on the brink of falling apart, but we don’t know what to do. In this message series, we’re going to talk about some of the biggest issues we face in marriage and the answers God wants to give us for those challenges.Marriage 911: “We’d be better off single”#1. Good reasons not to get marriedGenesis 2: 18I Timothy 4: 1-3 I Corinthians 7: 8 But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I.reasons to stay single...#1. serving God more (v. 25-31)#2. avoiding added troubles (v. 32-35)#3. having more freedom (Matthew 19: 10) #4. relying on God more#2. Good reasons not to stay marriedI Corinthians 7: 10-11 But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife.important marriage principles in I Corinthians 7...#1. married couples should stay together (v. 10-11)Matthew 19: 3-9Genesis 2: 24#2. contentment and trusting God’s plan for you (v. 17-27)#3. urgency (v. 25-31)3 reasons a marriage might end...#1. death of your spouse (I Corinthians 7: 39)#2. unfaithfulness (Matthew 19: 9)#3. desertion (I Corinthians 7: 15)#3. Getting ready if you do marryLuke 14: 28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate/count the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?

Many of us feel like our marriages are on the brink of falling apart, but we don’t know what to do. In this message series, we’re going to talk about some of the biggest issues we face in marriage and the answers God wants to give us for those challenges.Marriage 911: “We've Lost Hope#1. Giving some graceMatthew 18: 21-35Ephesians 4: 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.#2. Focusing on holiness more than happinessI Thessalonians 4: 3a For this is the will of God, your sanctification...Romans 8: 29a For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son...“What if marriage was meant to make you HOLY more than it was to make you HAPPY?”“If you shoot for happy, it will not make you holy. BUT, if you shoot for holy, it will end up making you happy!”#3. Having hope for the future Psalm 27: 13 I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.Jeremiah 29: 11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare (good things) and not for calamity (bad things) to give you a future and a hope.Romans 8: 31-32, 35-3931 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.I Cor. 13: 7-8a (Love) bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails...

Many of us feel like our marriages are on the brink of falling apart, but we don’t know what to do. In this message series, we’re going to talk about some of the biggest issues we face in marriage and the answers God wants to give us for those challenges.Marriage 911: “We don’t like each other”#1. Recognizing the seasons of marriageEcclesiastes 3: 1-81 There is an appointed time/season for everything. And there is a time/season for every event under heaven—2 A time to give birth and a time to die;A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.3 A time to kill and a time to heal;A time to tear down and a time to build up.4 A time to weep and a time to laugh;A time to mourn and a time to dance.5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost;A time to keep and a time to throw away.7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;A time to be silent and a time to speak.8 A time to love and a time to hate;A time for war and a time for peaceGenesis 1: 14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years;Revelation 22: 2 On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.Young Love, Years 1-2, “Getting started”Realistic Love, Years 3-10, “Seeing reality”Comfortable Love, Years 11-25, “Accepting reality”Renewing Love, Years 26-35, “Making it better”Transcendent Love, Years 36-end, “Finishing well”#2. Remembering why you marriedRevelation 2: 4-5 you have left your first love. Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place-unless you repent.Isaiah 55: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.a. remember how it startedb. notice the good things now#3. Keeping the fire aliveSong of Solomon 1: 2 ‘May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!’Song of Solomon 1: 4 ‘Draw me after you and let us run together! The king has brought me into his chambers.’ Song of Solomon 2: 4 ‘He brought me to his banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.’Song of Solomon 4: 9-11a – ‘You have made my heart beat faster, my sister, my bride; You have made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes, with a single strand of your necklace. How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils (perfume) than all kinds of spices! Your lips, my bride, drip honey’Song of Solomon 7: 1, 6 ‘The curves of your hips are like jewels, The work of the hands of an artist... How beautiful and delightful you are’Song of Solomon 7: 11, 13 ‘Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country...There I will give you my love.’Genesis 2: 23The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”Roses are red. Violets are blueI was looking for someoneAND IT WAS YOU!!! (baby)a. Try to do things that please your spouseb. Pay attention to the small thingsc. Make time for your relationshipd. Be interested in what your spouse enjoyse. From time to time, seek to WOW your spouse

Many of us feel like our marriages are on the brink of falling apart, but we don’t know what to do. In this message series, we’re going to talk about some of the biggest issues we face in marriage and the answers God wants to give us for those challenges.Marriage 911: “We Can't Work Together”1. Understanding the needs of a wife.1 Peter 3: 7Ephesians 5: 25-30Genesis 1: 27Galatians 3: 28A wife needs...a. securityb. understandingc. tendernessd. servant leadership2. Understanding the needs of a husband1 Peter 3: 1-6Ephesians 5: 22-24A husband needs...a. respectb. to be needed3. Navigating through disagreementsa. prayb. be dead to selfc. put yourself in his/her shoesd. believe the best in him/her, and not the worste. deal with this issue, not all the previous onesf. watch your languageg. work together for a common resolutionh. if you can't agree right now, come back to it lateri. if you can't work it out later or let it go, get outside help

Many of us feel like our marriages are on the brink of falling apart, but we don’t know what to do. In this message series, we’re going to talk about some of the biggest issues we face in marriage and the answers God wants to give us for those challenges.Marriage 911: “We can’t talk”#1. What is wrong with us? obstacles to communication in marriage…-men & women are differentGenesis 1: 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.-we don’t know what to doJudges 21: 25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.-busyness-spiritual warfare Ephesians 6: 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.-selfJames 4: 1 Do you know where your fights and arguments come from? They come from the selfish desires that war within you. (NCV) #2. Will we ever be able to talk?improving communication with your spouse…-being dead to selfColossians 3: 3Romans 6: 11 ...consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.-separating desires from goals give your desires to God work on your goals-the importance of listeningJames 1: 19 ...be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (NLT)-making it easier to talk agree on some parameters don’t talk around others watch what you sayEphesians 4: 29 Let no unwholesome/corrupt/foul word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification (building up others) according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.Psalm 19: 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. ask good questions-have a broad base of supportGenesis 2: 24Proverbs 11: 14

1. Money is not unspiritual. Matthew 6: 24 You cannot serve God and wealth/money.Luke 16: 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you?Matthew 5: 23-24#2. How money fuels God’s work.II Corinthians 9: 12-15 For the ministry/service of this ministry/service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints/God’s people, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!#1. Money can supply what is needed to do God’s work (v. 12a)#2. Money can bring glory to God (v.12b-13)#3. Money can be a catalyst for prayer (v. 14a) #4. Money can encourage relationships being built (v. 14b)#5. Money can remind us of God’s sacrifice (v. 15)#3. Squeezing the most out of money.Luke 16: 8b-9 for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.Revelation 18Malachi 3: 10

Do you enjoy what God is doing in your life and the lives of others through this church family called New Hope? How does that happen? What is behind it? We’re going to explore some of the main reasons why God is able to do what He is doing in all of our lives. We’re going to talk about the “fuel” that keeps His fire going in our church family and ask Him to burn that fire brighter and brighter!Fuel: Servants#1. Our God cares about people.Matthew 9: 35-36Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Good News/ the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.Exodus 3: 7-9The LORD said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters/slave drivers, for I am aware of their sufferings. So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.John 3: 16For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.#2. God calls us to do that work.Exodus 3: 10Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.”Matthew 9: 37Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.”#3. Being servants should not be strange to us.- it’s the example Jesus set for usPhilippians 2: 5-7Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.- it’s what He told us to doMatthew 20: 25-27But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles/nations lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave/servant.“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all theplaces you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you can.”- it’s the reason He gave us gifts & abilitiesRomans 12: 6Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…I Peter 4: 10As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.- it’s the best life to liveMark 10: 28-31Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”#4. Getting involved in God’s work.- let God change your mindsetChristians need to change from SERVE US to SERVICE- get connected with the Body of Christhow do I start...#1. salvation#2. baptism#3. find a church#4. explore God’s direction#5. find your place and be countedNehemiah 4: 6...the people had a mind to work / worked with all their heart.

Do you enjoy what God is doing in your life and the lives of others through this church family called New Hope? How does that happen? What is behind it? We’re going to explore some of the main reasons why God is able to do what He is doing in all of our lives. We’re going to talk about the “fuel” that keeps His fire going in our church family and ask Him to burn that fire brighter and brighter!Isaiah 40: 3-5 A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; And let the rough ground become a plain, And the rugged terrain a broad valley; Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, And all flesh will see it together; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”Fuel: Prayer & Fasting#1. Our need for brokenness.2 ways we experience brokenness…#1. Broken from hurtPsalm 34: 18 The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.#2. Broken over turning from GodJames 4: 6, 10 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.“God looks for those hungry for Him.”#2. Prayer as fuel for God’s work.The Bible’s emphasis on prayer...Philippians 4: 6-7 – in everything prayRomans 12: 12 – be devoted to prayerI Thessalonians 5: 17 – never stop prayingRomans 1: 9-10 – be unceasing in praying for othersI Timothy 2: 1 – prayer is to be our first priorityThe prayer life of Jesus and early believers...Mark 1: 35 – in the morningLuke 5: 16 – during the dayLuke 6: 12 – at nightHebrews 7: 24-25 – praying right now!Acts 1: 14 – started praying from the beginningDaniel 10: 12 Then he (Michael, the archangel) said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words."Revelation 8: 1-4 When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.___ God is speaking to me about prayer.___ I am going to take a step towards praying more.Describe how (just between you & God)#3. Fasting as fuel for God’s work.#1. What is fasting?Most common definition - A voluntary abstinence from food for some spiritual purpose.Broader definition - Voluntarily denying a normal function for the sake of intense spiritual focus.#2. What’s the purpose?>to strengthen prayer-when seeking God for direction-during a time of extreme circumstances-in support of God’s work-to remind your body who is boss-to show love & worship GodGod’s ultimate goal = Isaiah 58What's the "Big Idea" today?Prayer and fasting are an important part of seeing God work in my life and in our church.

Do you enjoy what God is doing in your life and the lives of others through this church family called New Hope? How does that happen? What is behind it? Over the next few weeks, we're going to explore some of the main reasons why God is able to do what He is doing in all of our lives. We're going to talk about the "fuel" that keeps His fire going in our church family and ask Him to burn that fire brighter and brighter.1. The Mystery of the Holy SpiritGenesis 1: 1-2John 3: 81 Corinthians 2: 102. The Power of the Holy Spirit1 Corinthians 2: 4-5Acts 1: 83. Barriers to the Holy Spirit1 Thessalonians 5: 19 - don't quench the Holy SpiritEphesians 4: 30 - don't grieve the SpiritActs 5: 3 - don't lie to the Spirit1 Thessalonians 4: 8 - don't ignore the SpiritMatthew 12: 31 - don't reject the Spiritcommon barriers to the Holy Spirit working:#1. no relationship#2. you didn't know#3. sin#4. lack of faith#5. weak prayer life#6. comfort#7. laziness#8. pride and self-focus

When we give our lives to God, He adopts us as His own children with full rights and privileges.Galatians 4: 4-7Matthew 1: 18-25Luke 3: 23, Matthew 13: 54-55Galatians 3: 26Galatians 4: 7, Romans 6: 17James 1: 27

Have you ever felt like there was something missing in your life that no amount of money, no career advancement, no relationship or experience could fill? The reason we have Christmas is because God knew that only He could fill that place in our lives. Today, we’re going to turn to Luke 2 and learn about finding the one we’ve all been waiting for our whole lives!“Finding the One You’ve Been Waiting For”Luke 2:21-33#1. Those who want God will find Him.Numbers 24: 17Daniel 9: 24-26Matthew 2: 3Jeremiah 29: 13-14a ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD...#2. When they find Him, they surrender.Luke 18: 18-23Mark 14: 3-5#3. He can still be found today.John 16: 7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.Matthew 12: 39What’s the “Big Idea” today?If you truly want to know God, He will show Himself to you.

The New Hope choir shared a Christmas musical about how Jesus, the Light of the World, can bring light into our darkness.

What are some things that we should think about every day in our walk with God? As we finish out our Every Day series, we’re going to talk about one we might not think of… Every day, we should “Watch for Jesus’ return.”#1. Did you know that Jesus is coming again?I Thessalonians 5: 1-2 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.II Thessalonians 2: 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?“maranatha” = Our Lord, come!Acts 1: 10-11 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.I Thessalonians 4: 16-17 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.-There are about 300 Bible prophecies about Jesus’ 1st Coming.-There are about 1500 Bible prophecies about His 2nd Coming.-23 of 27 NT books mention it.-All of the NT writers mention it somewhere in their writings.-Every 25-30 verses in the Bible is a reference to the 2nd Coming.#2. Do you know what to expect?Matthew 24: 32 (Jesus said…) “Now learn the parable/lesson from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near… “Matthew 24: 33 “So, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”Matthew 24: 1-14some important things to look for…-Israel is important-the world will get worse (II Timothy 3:1ff)-world events & world powers will begin to fall into placeMark 13: 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.#3. What does this mean for your life?2 reasons the Second Coming is so important…#1. I need to be readyRomans 14: 12 … each one of us will give an account of himself to God.-have I given my life to Jesus?-what am I doing with what He gave me?II Peter 3: 11, 14Titus 2: 11-15I John 2: 28, 3: 2-3Matthew 24-25#2. I need to help others get readyII Peter 3: 9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.-helping others give their lives to Jesus-helping others grow in their relationship with HimWhat’s “The Big Idea” today?Are you living each day ready for Jesus to return?If not, what is God wanting to change in your life to make that happen?

This weekend, Pastor Robbie is sharing the second message in our “Every Day” series. There are so many things to think about in our lives, sometimes that can be overwhelming. In this series, we’re learning some of the most critical pieces to our daily walk with God.Every Day: "Look to Serve and Share"#1. I need a new approach to my life.Philippians 2: 3Do nothing from selfishness / jockeying for position / pushing yourself to the front or empty conceit / an overinflated view of self-importance, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;reasons we struggle with thinking of others…-our nature-our American mindset-the church’s mindset-wrapped up in our own problems-don’t realize the hurt other people are facing-don’t remember what is at stake#2. Look to serveMatthew 20: 25-28 25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles / nations / rest of the world lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave / servant; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom / a liberating payment for many.”John 13: 4-54 (He) got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. 5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. John 13: 12-1512 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you."My desire: All day long, I will look to be a blessing in other people’s lives.#3. Look to shareRomans 10: 14How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?things to consider when sharing…#1. truly care#2. be the real deal#3. listen for how God is at work in their lives#4. offer to pray for them#5. when the door opens, share!John 4: 35Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.What’s “The Big Idea” today?I have been left on this earth to be a blessing.Every day, I need to look for opportunities to serve & to share.

This weekend, Pastor Robbie is sharing the second message in our “Every Day” series. There are so many things to think about in our lives, sometimes that can be overwhelming. In this series, we’re learning some of the most critical pieces to our daily walk with God.Every Day: "Deal with Sin"#1. Sin is serious Genesis 4: 7 "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door/stretched out/ready to pounce. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”Numbers 32: 23b "...be sure your sin will find you out."“Sin will take you farther than you wanted to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and cost you more than you wanted to pay.”Romans 6: 23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."I Corinthians 3: 16 "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"a few things to remember about sin… - don’t flirt with it Ephesians 4: 27 I Corinthians 6: 18 - don’t hold onto it Psalm 66: 18 Hebrews 12: 1b #2. Sin should be dealt with daily Colossians 2: 13bhow to deal with sin daily…1. Spend time with GodPsalm 139: 23 "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts/cares!"II Corinthians 3: 18 "We all, with unveiled/unhindered faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit."2. Have a tender heart3. Agree with what God shows you 4. Ask the Lord to cleanse you I John 1: 9 "If we confess our sins, if we say the same thing that God says about them, if we agree with Him about them, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."5. Seek to live differently 6. Be accountable to someone

Sometimes, it’s hard to know where to start in our spiritual walk. This weekend, we begin a new series of messages called “Every Day.” There are many things that make up our spiritual life and journey, but what are some of the things that we want to see God do in our lives every day?Every Day: "Spend Time with God"#1. Why do I need a quiet time?Psalm 63: 1O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,In a dry and weary land where there is no water.Psalm 42: 1-2As the deer pants, longs for the water brooks, so my soulpants, longs for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for theliving God...Mark 1: 35In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up,left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and waspraying there.Psalm 46: 10Be still and know that I am God.Matthew 4: 4...He (Jesus) answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ "#2. How do I have a quiet time?I Timothy 4: 7...train yourself for the purpose of godliness...2 basic components of a quiet time...#1. read God’s Word#2. spend time in prayerother helpful hints...-have a time-have a place-be prepared-read the Wordobservation - what does it say?interpretation - what does it mean?application - what does it mean for my life?-talk to God-listen to God-be accountable to someoneWhat’s “The Big Idea” today?I need to spend time with God every day.When will you start that?What will be your first step?Who are you going to tell about it?

The 2013 Thailand mission team shares what God did on their trip, and Adam Curtis shares his testimony.

1. WORSHIP: I need to look upDeuteronomy 4: 29 Deuteronomy 6: 5 Deuteronomy 10: 12 1 Samuel 12: 24 Proverbs 3: 5 Jeremiah 29: 13 Deuteronomy 30: 11-14Deuteronomy 11: 16Starting Point: Weekend worshipNext Level: Daily time with God#2. GROW: I need to look inRomans 8: 29II Corinthians 4: 10Ephesians 4: 11-16Starting Point: Be in a Growth GroupNext Level: Disciple someone or be discipled by someone#3. SERVE: I need to look outI Peter 4: 10-11Starting Point: Be involved in ministryNext Level: Share your faithTAKEAWAYWhat is God’s next step for me?

Open House CelebrationWhy do we have a GPS in our car or on our phone? Obviously, to help us find our way to where we are going! As we celebrate our 13th birthday, we look ahead at "The Vision of New Hope." We believe that God has an exciting future for us, but what does that future look like? Where are we headed?The 2020 Vision for New HopeA BHAG is a Big Hairy Audacious Goal.1. A place where people find GodActs 2: 40BHAG #1 Each one, reach one, every year.Look at what could happen!5 yrs. 16,000 – all of Queensbury6 yrs. 32,000 – Q’bury/GF7 yrs. 64,000 – whole regionBHAG #2 Add worship service / expand our buildingBHAG #3 Start kids’ soccer leagueBHAG #4 Become “the servants of Queensbury”BHAG #5 Develop Acts 1:8 team2. A place where you find a family.Acts 2: 41-42, 44-46BHAG #6 Every person in a groupBHAG #7 Beginning CareNet3. A place where God is movingActs 2: 43BHAG #8 New Hope becomes a powerhouse for prayerBHAG #9 10 church planters trained/churches startedBHAG #10 Partnership with 5 other regions of the world4. A place where there is great joy.Acts 2: 47BHAG #11 New Hope will be a joy to be a part ofTHE TAKEAWAYIf this is the vision, how would God have me be a part of it?

Many times when we think about our walk with the Lord, we think about how He has brought us out of death and into life. But the Bible also gives us an amazing truth that at first seems contradictory – when Christ comes into our lives we die. Let’s look together at God’s Word to us this weekend in Romans 6.

We are thankful for God’s Word and His servant who is speaking this weekend. Don Lough is the Executive Director of Word of Life Fellowship. He has served with Word of Life for over 21 years as a part of sharing, teaching, and training each generation to reach their generation. Open together to Philippians 1 as we look at His Word."The Things which Happened to Me"Philippians 1: 12-211. Adversity should open your eyes to the reality that God is at work.Romans 8: 28a. work in others' lives1) God was working in the soldiers' lives (13).2) God was working in the saints' lives (14).b. work in my life1) correction Hebrews 12: 112) grow, mature3) more sensitive, caring, compassionate4) making me more content Philippians 4: 112. Adversity should open your heart to what is most important.a. God's peopleb. the Gospelc. God's glory (21)3. Adversity should push you to your knees recognizing your utter need for God.Application:1. Stop allowing your circumstances to dictate your level of joy.2. Stop being negative over the things that are happening.3. Lean upon God instead of people.4. Ask God to reveal what He wants to do in and through your life.

As we finish our series about some of the things our Lord has promised us, we want to look at the source of these promises - His own Word. Isn’t it amazing that He isn’t silent or hiding? He wants us to know who He is and has promised that “He will always tell us the truth!”1. I Give My Word a. Hebrews 1: 1 b. Numbers 23: 19 (1 Samuel 15: 29) c. Romans 3: 4 d. Hebrews 6: 13-152. I Give My Word through Jesus a. Hebrews 1: 2 b. John 1: 1, 14 c. 1 John 1: 1 d. Luke 4: 17-21 e. Isaiah 613. I Give you My Word through witnesses a. Hebrews 2: 3b-4 b. 2 Peter 1: 16 c. John 16: 13 (John 14: 26) d. 2 Timothy 3: 16 (2 Peter 1: 21)

So many products have a money-back guarantee on them now, but it seems like there is always small print, always exceptions, and always limits. In this series, we look at some of God's promises for our lives and how He has guaranteed to always fulfill them.Pastor Chris CollinsJohn 14: 1-31. Peace in the UnknownJohn 14: 1John 16: 33Acts 1: 10Luke 24: 52Romans 10: 112. Create Longing for a HomeJohn 14: 22 Corinthians 5: 2Romans 8: 23; Hebrews 11: 1-16a. I will see Christ face to face1 Corinthians 13: 12Exodus 34: 29ffb. I will be changedPhilippians 3: 20-21c. Everything will be made rightRevelation 21: 43. Live with UrgencyJohn 14: 32 Peter 3: 9, 15aMatthew 28: 18-20; Acts 1: 8

So many products have a money-back guarantee on them now, but it seems like there is always small print, always exceptions, and always limits. In this series, we look at some of God's promises for our lives and how He has guaranteed to always fulfill them.1 John 5: 141. Starting the ConversationIsaiah 59: 1-2Romans 6: 23Romans 5: 82. Reveling in the ConversationDeuteronomy 4: 7Psalm 116: 12 Samuel 22: 7Jeremiah 33: 31 Kings 18Ephesians 2: 18Ephesians 3: 123. Pursuing the Conversationa. He reveals areas that need workJames 4: 3James 4: 8-10b. He increases our trust in HimMatthew 7: 8-11c. He teaches us persistenceLuke 18Psalm 27: 4

1 Timothy 2: 41 Corinthians 1: 26-271. I have a pastPsalm 103: 122. I don’t have the resourcesJames 2: 5Luke 21: 1-43. I don’t have the wordsExodus 3-4Luke 21: 154. I don’t have the strength2 Corinthians 12: 8-10Job5. I don’t have the…a. influence – Estherb. education – disciplesc. maturity – Mary 1 Timothy 4: 122 Corinthians 3: 4-6

Philippians 1:61. We are transformed!Hebrews 10: 9-101 Corinthians 1: 22. We are being transformed! a. What does His sanctification look like in my life? 2 Timothy 2: 20-21 b. What about my struggle with sin? 1 John 1: 8-9 c. What tools does He use to bring this kind of sanctification? i. Holy Spirit (John 16: 13; John 14: 26) ii. His Word (John 17: 17) iii. His Correction (Hebrews 12: 7b-8) iv. Our Trials (James 1; 1 Peter 1: 6)3. We will be transformed! a. Philippians 3: 20-21 b. 1 Thessalonians 5: 23-24 c. 1 Corinthians 15: 54-56

Ephesians 1: 13-14So many products have a money-back guarantee on them now, but it seems like there is always small print, always exceptions, and always limits. In this series, we look at some of God's promises for our lives and how He has guaranteed to always fulfill them.1. Because it's a promise of salvation (1: 13a)John 5: 24John 3: 16, 36; 4: 14; 6: 471 John 2: 251 Corinthians 1: 30-311 John 5: 11, 132. Because the Holy Spirit is our Seal (1: 13b-14)1 Corinthians 3: 16; 6: 19; Romans 8: 9Mathew 27: 66Esther 3: 10-12John 10: 27-29

In the midst of disillusionment, the Israelites in Exodus 14 found that God was all they needed. God wants us to learn the exact same lesson.

Proverbs 24: 3-41. How do I start BUILDING my life on Wisdom? Blueprints for Wisdom are found in GodProverbs 1: 7; 9: 10Psalm 111: 10Proverbs 8: 13Structure for Wisdom is found in trusting ChristColossians 2: 131 Corinthians 1: 20-302. How can Wisdom be ESTABLISHED in my life? Live by Wisdom you’ve already been givenPsalm 1: 2-3Get input from those who demonstrate WisdomProverbs 13: 201 Corinthians 1: 20-30Be open to correction from Wisdom3. How can Wisdom be INVITING to others? Allow God to get the creditProverbs 10: 1; 15: 20Invest in Relationships that are seeking WisdomProverbs 9: 8b-92 Timothy 2: 2

We've been studying the Fruit of the Spirit - what God does when we allow Him to work in our lives. This weekend, we're looking at "Self-Control" - my self under God's control.James 3:7-81. Why is Self-Control so Hard? a. Because we’re vulnerable Proverbs 25:28 b. Because we’re trying to fix it ourselves Colossians 2:20-23 James 3:92. How can Self-Control be a part of my life? a. Know who it is that needs to be in control Galatians 3:2-3 b. Pursue the only one who can fill your needs Galatians 4:9 Galatians 5:1 Galatians 5:16 James 4:8-10 c. Look for the way out that He’s provided I Corinthians 10:13

We've been studying the Fruit of the Spirit - what God does when we allow Him to work in our lives. This weekend, we're looking at "Gentleness" - strength under control.1. Gentle Strength Follows JesusMatthew 21:1-13Philippians 2:5-8Matthew 11:292. Gentle Strength Tells Others1 Peter 3:151 Corinthians 2:23. Gentle Strength Restores Believers2 Timothy 2:24-262 Timothy 3:16-17Galatians 6:1

We've been studying the Fruit of the Spirit - what God does when we allow Him to work in our lives. This weekend, we're looking at "Faithfulness" again How does God want us to display faithfulness in our family, our church and our community?.1 Corinthians 4: 2Matthew 25: 14-301. Show faithfulness to your Family1 Corinthians 7: 14Proverbs 20Be a faithful peacemaker (3)Be a faithful worker (4)Be a faithful planner (5)Be faithful in humility (9)Be faithful in honesty (10, 14)Be faithful in friendships (19)Be faithful in patience (22)Be faithful in decision making (25)2. Show faithfulness to your ChurchHebrews 10: 23-25Philippians 2: 3-4Philippians 2: 12-13Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 123. Show faithfulness to your CommunityMatthew 5: 142 Corinthians 5: 20

We've been studying the Fruit of the Spirit - what God does when we allow Him to work in our lives. This weekend, we're looking at "Faithfulness." Reliable, trustworthy, reputable, consistent - these are words that describe God. Do they describe us?.1. Faith & Faithfulness speak of RelationshipJohn 3: 16Hebrews 11: 6Genesis 121 Corinthians 1: 9Philippians 1: 62. Faith & Faithfulness speak of ExperienceHebrews 11: 1Psalm 89: 1-2Galatians 3: 11, Romans 1: 173. Faith & Faithfulness speak of ActionJames 2: 20Hebrews 11: 7-12Job 40-42

We've been studying the Fruit of the Spirit - what God does when we allow Him to work in our lives. This weekend, we're looking at "Goodness." How good is good? How do you define goodness? What is the standard? Let's see what God has to say about goodness.Fruit of the Spirit: Fruit #6 - "Goodness"Matthew 19: 16-26Pastor Chris CollinsMatthew 7: 17Matthew 13: 4-351. Jesus is the Definition of Goodness (Matthew 19: 16-17a) - Goodness is Defined by who God is Psalm 33: 5 James 1: 17 - Jesus is claiming to be God Mark 10: 18; Luke 18: 19 Matthew 16: 152. Jesus Reveals our Lack of Goodness (Matthew 19: 17b-22) 1 John 1: 8 Romans 3: 23 Romans 5: 12 Jeremiah 17: 5-6 Matthew 9: 123. Jesus Fill us with His Goodness (Matthew 19: 23-26) - He will fill your tree with life Romans 5: 17, 21 - He will fill your tree with fruit John 15: 8 Matthew 5: 16

We've been studying the Fruit of the Spirit - what God does when we allow Him to work in our lives. This weekend, we're looking at "Kindness." How do acts of kindness reflect the heart of our God?1. GOD'S KINDNESS TO USRomans 2: 4Psalm 34: 8Matthew 5: 45Titus 3: 3-5Ephesians 2: 7 2. GOD'S KINDNESS THROUGH USEphesians 4: 32Luke 10: 30-371. God’s Kindness understands the world we live in (30)2. God’s Kindness doesn’t know excuses. (31-32)3. God’s Kindness is a split-second decision. (33)4. God’s Kindness provides immediate comfort. (34a) 5. God’s Kindness understands the greater need. (34b)6. God’s Kindness is a long term responsibility. (35)7. God’s Kindness gives space for a healing work. (35)8. God’s Kindness IMPACTS EVERYONE (37)

We've been studying the Fruit of the Spirit - what God does when we allow Him to work in our lives. This message, we're going to look at the one we usually don't get too excited about, but it might be one of the most critical for our lives - "Patience"!#1. What is patience?most prevalent N.T. concepts for patience…>to dwell, remain up under something (hupo-mone)I Peter 2: 20paraphrase - I AM NOT GOING ANYWYERE >long suffering (macro-thumos)>being gentle, reasonable to work withpatience means…>endurance>perseverance>steadfastness/commitment >to wait patiently upon the Lord to rescue/answer>to put up with something unpleasant and not get angry about it>to be reasonable to work with #2 What does patience do in our lives?a. shows we are a child of God Luke 8: 15 I Peters 1: 7, Revelation 1: 9b. provides hope Romans 5: 3-5, II Corinthians 4: 17I Peter 2: 20Romans 8: 28c. prepares us for Jesus’ returnd. moves us closer to God’s great purpose for usHebrews 6: 11-12e. brings about spiritual maturity James 1: 2-4f. drives us to pray James 1: 5#3. What builds patience in usJames 1: 3Romans 5: 3

So what does it look like when God were at work in your life? What can you and others expect to see! In Galatians 5: 22-23, we are given a description of the kinds of things that we would see if God were at work in our lives. Join us as we look together at "Peace!"#1. What does it mean to have peace?shalomEphesians 2: 14Philippians 4: 7#2. Why is it important to have peace?>peace is what our hearts are longing forRomans 8: 22-23 >peace is part of God’s nature Romans 15: 33>peace is one of the main things He came to bring us Luke 1: 79Luke 2: 14 Ephesians 6: 15 Romans 14: 17 >peace is what He wants us to be known forI Thessalonians 5: 13 Matthew 5: 9 Proverbs 6: 19 Romans 14: 19Romans 12: 18 #3. How can we have peace?>being savedRomans 5: 1Isaiah 57: 21>staying in close fellowship with God Numbers 6: 22-27Psalm 85: 10>prayerPhilippians 4: 6-7>God’s WordJohn 16: 33>trusting God Isaiah 26: 3

Ever wonder what it would look like if God were at work in your life? Well, the Bible tells us! In Galatians 5: 22-23, we are given a description of the kinds of things that we would see if God were at work in our lives. Join us as we look together at "Joy!"1. The Magnitude of God’s JoyJohn 16: 22James 1: 2 How do trials produce joy in our lives >trials make us closer to God/more dependent on Him during the struggle>trials stretch our faith muscles & make them stronger after trial is over>trials cause us to look forward to the future God has for usRomans 8James 11 Thessalonians 5: 16Philippians 4: 4 2. The Sources of God’s JoyGod’s Joy comes from… a. Being right with Him i. Eternal Salvation (Romans 5) ii. Daily Cleansing (Psalm 51) b. Seeing others get right with Him (Luke 15) c. Trials d. His Word (John 15: 11; Matthew 2: 10) e. Answered Prayer (John 16: 24; Ezra 3: 12) f. A strong, healthy, united church family (Philippians 2: 2; Psalm 133: 1) g. Anticipating His return one day (1 Peter 4: 13)3. The Impact of God’s Joy a. Gives us Strength (Nehemiah 8: 10) b. Brings people to Jesus (Psalm 51: 12-13) c. Brings about enthusiastic music (1 Chronicles 15: 16)

World Missions ConferenceThe King’s Business: A Partnership (Check Garner)Matthew 20: 1-16Matthew 19: 30John 3: 16Romans 10: 13Revelation 22: 17#1. The Opportunity Offered – v. 1-7Proverbs 1: 24-33, Matthew 25: 1-46II Corinthians 6: 2>taking the opportunity>using the opportunity>missing the opportunity#2. The Duty Expected – v. 8-9I Corinthians 3: 10-15, I Corinthians 15: 58II Timothy 4: 6-8>working in the field>working together>working until quitting time#3. The Equality Promised – v. 10-16Acts 17: 26-28, Galatians 3: 28-29, Matthew 25: 14-30>viewed equally>paid equally>praised equally

World Missions ConferencePastor Robbie Lankford interviewed Sean Pierce of the Hudson Baptist Association.

World Missions ConferencePastor Robbie Lankford interviews long time pastor and partner with New Hope, Chuck Garner.

World Missions conference

Last message, we kicked off our series about the fruit of God's Spirit working in our lives by learning about the first one ... LOVE! Love is such a critical part of God's work in and through our lives that we are going to spend one more week learning how God wants it to be lived out in our lives. Turn to 1 Corinthians 13 as we study God's Word together.Review of pt. 1LOVE IS…#1. vital/essential#2. patient#3. kind#4. not jealous#5. not boastful#6. not arrogant#7. not inappropriateFruit of the Spirit: Fruit #1 - Love (part 2)Galatians 5:22-231 Corinthians 13#1. Love is not self-seeking – v. 5b#2. Love is not easily angered – v. 5c#3. Love does not keep a record of wrongs – v. 5d #4. Love gets excited about good things, not bad things – v. 6 Romans 1#5. Love conquers all – v. 7-13>protects all things>believes all things>hopes all things>endures all things>never fails

Ever wonder what it would look like if God were at work in your life? Well, the Bible tells us! In Galatians 5:22-23, we are given a description of the kinds of things that we would see if God were at work in our lives. Whether you are someone investigating what it means to be a Christian and want to know what that would look like, or whether you are already a follower of Jesus and want to see if your life is showing evidence of His work, this new series will be for you!Fruit of the Spirit: Love (part 1)Romans 12: 2Greek words for love:1. eros – physical, romantic love2. storge – family member love3. phileo – best friend love4. agape – God’s kind of love, unconditional, action-oriented#1. Love is vital - 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3#2. Love is patient - 1 Corinthians 13: 4a#3. Love is kind - 1 Corinthians 13: 4b#4. Love is not jealous - 1 Corinthians 13: 4c#5. Love is not boastful - 1 Corinthians 13: 4d#6. Love is not arrogant - 1 Corinthians 13: 4eIsaiah 14, Ezekiel 28#7. Love is not inappropriate - 1 Corinthians 13: 5a

We've been talking about barriers to God's work in our lives, and no doubt, one of the biggest challenges to us experiencing God's purpose is TIME.What Would You Do If…“Your Time Was Short”Psalm 39: 4-6Psalm 90: 10James 4: 14I Peter 1: 24Psalm 103: 13-16#1. You’d get right with God – Romans 14: 12Hebrews 9: 272 main things you’ll account for to God…#1. your soul - did you ever give your life to God?#2. your stewardship - what did you do with what He gave you?#2. You would highly value every relationship – Romans 12: 18Ephesians 4: 26Matthew 5: 23-26#3. You’d live more intentionally – Ephesians 5: 15-17I Thessalonians 5: 6Romans 13: 11

"What Would You Do If? Overcoming the Limits to an Extravagant, Faith-filled Life”How much of our lives are lived in fear of failure? We're afraid to try something because we might fail. This is especially true in our relationship with God. He calls us to step out and trust Him to do great things through our lives, but we are paralyzed by the prospect that we'll crash and burn. What if you knew that you could not fail, though?"What Would You Do If ... Failure Was Not Possible”Genesis 22: 1-19#1. You would ... trust God no matter what – v. 1-3#2. You would ... expect God to make a way – v. 4-8I Corinthians 10: 13Jeremiah 29: 11Hebrews 11: 17-19a few questions from these verses… #1. how could someone trust God like Abraham did? Abraham had 2 things… >God’s promises/Word>God’s nature (Leviticus 20: 1-5) #2. what was God doing in Abraham’s life?James 1: 13 #3. does this mean my situation will always go the way I want it?with God…#1. my current situation COULD work out#2. my long-term situation WILL work out#3. You would ... see God do great things – v. 9-19for Abraham ... #1. shown to trust God #2. blessed by God’s provision #3. God’s special purpose reaffirmed in his lifethe bigger picture ... #1. Jesus portrayed in the Old Testament #2. special place in God’s plan establishedII Chronicles 3: 1Romans 8: 28Romans 10: 11

"What Would You Do If? Overcoming the Limits to an Extravagant, Faith-filled Life”"What would you do if... Money were no object? Wow, think about that question! As you do, you begin to realize how much our lives are affected by money and maybe our lack of it. Today, we’re going to consider that further, though, and ask... Could God have more for our lives, but we are limiting what He is doing by focusing on what we have or don’t have financially?"What Would You Do If … Money Was No Object”#1. I would worry less – Matthew 6: 25-34#2. I would give more freely – Mark 12: 41-44#3. I would attempt more for God – Zechariah 4: 6Matthew 14: 19 I Samuel 14: 6Judges 7I Thessalonians 5: 24Psalms 20: 7

"What Would You Do If? Overcoming the Limits to an Extravagant, Faith-filled Life”How often does fear keep us from doing what God has for our lives? Our current series of message is called “What Would You Do If?”, and we’re learning about the barriers that get in the way of us experiencing all that God has for us. Fear is one of the most common that we struggle with, so we’re going to turn to God’s Word today to see how we can have victory over one of the biggest challenges in our lives!What Would You Do What If … Fear Was Not a FactorI Samuel 17: 1-53#1. What kinds of things do we fear? – v. 1-7David & Goliath map10 of our biggest fears…#1. giants#2. failure#3. rejection#4. disappointment#5. physical danger#6. the future/the unknown#7. finances#8. loss#9. change#10. trusting God“Courage is not the absence of fear. It’s choosing to act in spite of your fear.”#2. What does our fear do to us? – v. 8-11I Samuel 9: 2fear…#1. puts us in bondage#2. makes us cowards#3. hurts our testimony for God#4. causes us to miss out#5. increases the pain in our livesfear causes us to live shadows of the lives we were supposed to live#3. What happens when we give our fears to God? - v. 12-53#1. our expectations are not hindered by our circumstances#2. we begin to minimize limitations#3. we do things people normally don’t do“Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God”. – William Carey#4. we overcome many of our old fears#5. we accomplish God’s purposes2 big thoughts to help with your fears…#1. all you really need to know>do I know the Lord?>am I doing what He wants me to do?#2. the blessing of challenges

"What Would You Do If? Overcoming the Limits to an Extravagant, Faith-filled Life”In this new series, we’re going to look at some of the biggest obstacles that get in the way of us experiencing the abundant life God wants to give to us. In fact, this weekend, we’re going to look at the #1 barrier to an extravagant, faith-filled life.What Would You Do If…“Self Was Not Your Focus”definition of sin = doing what I want to do, instead of what GOD wants to do#1. The case against self – Mark 8: 34-37what does SELF do to us?a. keeps us from following Jesus – Mark 8: 34Galatians 5: 17, Philippians 2: 21Philippians 2: 3Galatians 5: 19-23b. causes us to miss out on REAL LIFE – Mark 8: 35-37c. leaves us forever alone and empty - John 12: 24-25#2. The case for selflessness – Philippians 2: 3-11more selfless living would mean…a. there would be much less sin in my life – Philippians 2: 3, 5Romans 6: 6Luke 9: 23-25I Corinthians 15: 31Galatians 5: 19-21b. I would be free to serve in any situation - Philippians 2: 4, 6-8c. I would experience a more powerful life - Philippians 2: 9-11

There are so many things in our lives that hold us back from what God has created us to experience. In this series, we’re going to be challenged to start looking beyond those limits, trusting God, and seeing His incredible purpose for our lives!What Would You Do If…Mistakes Could Be Erased#1. What if…what I’ve done wrong could be forgiven – Romans 5: 1-2Philippians 3: 9II Corinthians 5: 21Colossians 1: 22#2. What if… I could have victory in my daily life – I John 1: 8-92 encouragements for our daily struggle with sin…a. we can receive daily cleansingb. we can’t be sin-less, but as we grow, we can sin less#3. What if… my pattern of sin could be broken – I John 3: 93 reasons you might struggle with ongoing sina. you are just getting startedb. you are not a child of Godc. you are a carnal ChristianI Corinthians 3: 1-3

The New Hope Celebration Choir presented the encouraging musical "God For Us," with narration by Jeff Butler, and testimonies by Kathy LaPan and Bill Maynard.

Over the last several weeks, we’ve been learning the things that the Lord has called us to partner together and do as a church family. Thisweekend, we’re going to finish out this important series by talking about the most important assignment that God has given us to accomplish inour lifetime.Summary of messages in series:I’m In: You Can Count on Me…#1. I PRAY#2. I CARE#3. I SERVE#4. I GIVEI'm In: “I Share”#1. The reasons we share – II Corinthians 5: 17-19a. we have been changed – v. 17Matthew 4: 19 b. we have been called – v. 18c. people need the Lord – v. 19John 3: 17-18#2. How God calls us to share - Matthew 28:18-202 ways to understand this verse:a. as you are goingb. go (command)#3. How we do this together at New Hope – Acts 16: 14-15ways we partner together at New Hope to share Jesus:a. each of us being led by God’s Spirit dailyb. encouraging those God brings to our worship servicesc. church-wide eventsd. doing ministry in the community togethere. letting God use our personal resources for ministryf. being a part of “Prime Time”g. being sensitive to those who need Jesus as we do ministry25% of North America lives within 250 miles of Albany, NY

God designed the church to be a family who has partnered together with Him and with one another to do His work in this world. Today, we're continuing a series that talks about the importance of that partnership and give you an opportunity to say, "I'm In: You can count on me. I see the partnership God has called us to have together, and I want to be a part of that with the New Hope family!"You can count on me...I’m In: "I GIVE"Pastor Robbie Lankford#1. Giving is more spiritual than practical – II Corinthians 8: 7why is money one of the most important aspects of our relationship with God?a. reveals where our heart really isMatthew 6: 19-21Luke 18: 18-25b. demonstrates whether we walk by faith or by sightHabakkuk 2: 4Romans 14: 23#2. It’s all God’s anyway – Psalm 50: 10-12I Chronicles 29: 11 I Corinthians 6: 20Luke 16#3. How God teaches us to give – Malachi 3: 10-12Biblical principles for giving to God’s worka. give the tithe (10%)b. give God the first and bestProverbs 3: 9 I Corinthians 16: 2 c. give each time you increaseGenesis 28: 22 d. give to the storehousee. give faithfullyf. give generouslya basic pattern for “how to give”…#1. start tithing to your church family#2. tithe completely & consistently (every week as you receive increase) #3. above your tithe, give to other church family offerings/commitments (ex: Hope/Love Offerings) #4. be sensitive to other ways to support God’s work (here or around world)

I’m In: "I CARE" Pastor Robbie Lankford #1. The importance of needs to God – Matthew 9: 35-38 I Peter 5: 7 Matthew 11: 28-30 Psalm 3: 4 I John 3: 16-19 #2. Caring is a challenge – Proverbs 14: 4 #3. How God wants to meet needs through His family – Acts 4: 32-34 Acts 2: 45 our plan for care ministry to happen at New Hope… a. Growth Groups are the key to care at New Hope 2 ways this happens… #1. while you are in a group, some structure is there to encourage care ministry #2. after the group is finished, relationships continue that provide care ministry b. How we structure Growth Groups for care Exodus 18: 13-23 Acts 6: 1-7 Ephesians 4: 11-16

1. Following Jesus means serving others rather than self Philippians 2: 3-5#2. All of us have gifts and should use themI Peter 4: 10I Corinthians 12: 7#3. It’s not the same without your part I Corinthians 12: 7

Many times, when we begin our relationship with God, the focus is on what He is doing in our own personal lives - how He is changing me, growing me, blessing me. If we are following Jesus, though, pretty soon we will realize that a big part of His plan for our lives is that He calls us to partner with other believers to do some things together for Him. That's the focus of this new series. Is your relationship with Jesus only about you, or can other believers count on you as a partner to do his work together? I'm In: "I Pray" Pastor Robbie Lankford #1. The importance of prayer – Mark 11: 17 I Timothy 2: 1 I Timothy 3: 14 Acts 2: 40-47 #2. Opportunities for prayer at New Hope – Colossians 4: 2 I’m In: You can count on me to pray >one page of the directory per week >decision team at the end of the service >Wednesday night growth group >missionary prayer partner >outreach prayer team (booth at fair, phone book, etc.) >praying for weekly prayer sheet >praying for online requests >being a prayer leader in your growth group >24 hour prayer line #3. Our personal prayer lives – Mark 1: 35 -39 2 primary aspects of our personal prayer life #1. never stop praying (I Thessalonians 5: 17) Galatians 5: 16 #2. spend devoted time with God daily (Mark 1: 35-39) some suggested resources Word of Life Quiet Time journal Our Daily Bread devotional In Touch magazine/devotional by Charles Stanley McArthur Study Bible The Woman’s Study Bible

Matthew 13:19-23#1. Do you have a HARD HEART? – v. 19Luke 8: 15 (parallel passage)Mark 5: 20 (parallel passage)#2. Do you have a SHALLOW HEART? – v. 20-21#3. Do you have a CLUTTERED HEART? – v. 22Luke 12: 16-21 #4. Do you have a READY HEART? – v. 23Mark 4: 20 Luke 8: 15

Has the Lord ever given you a second chance but then you blew it again? That’s something we all struggle with and that’s what we’re going to explore in Jonah 4 as we talk about “Here I Go Again!”#1. Taking a step back – v. 1-3Psalm 145: 8 (John 3: 16 of Old Testament)if you are taking steps back, consider these thoughts… a. don’t forget what happened before b. focus on this decision, not the past ones (good or bad) c. don’t treat grace lightly#2. Having God speak to us (again) – v. 4-11Matthew 6: 26Proverbs 12: 10#3. Deciding where you go from here – v. 12

1. Second chances start with God – v. 1-4Matthew 9: 37Psalm 14: 2-3John 6: 44#2. We must decide what we will do – v. 5-9 Luke 11: 31-32#3. What God is willing to do for us – v. 10II Peter 3: 9Psalm 145: 8

When we run from God or don’t follow His leading in our lives, it can quickly get us in a world of trouble. Many people, though, are so ashamed that they’ve allowed their lives to get in the mess that they don’t think they should call out to God to help them get out of it. Today, in our series “Running from God”, we’re going to turn to Jonah 2 and find out that turning to God in our time of trouble is exactly what the Lord wants us to do. “Running from God: When You Hit Rock Bottom” Jonah 2: 1-10 Pastor Robbie Lankford #1. Don’t be ashamed to call out to God we have an enemy who enjoys… a. drawing us into messes b. keeping us in messes Luke 15: 11-32 #2. Admit what you have done Hebrews 12: 5-11 Romans 10: 9 I John 1: 9 #3. Trust that God will save you Psalm 40: 2

Most of us have run from God at some point in our lives. Many of us may even be doing that right now. We need to understand, though, that running from the Lord is not without consequences. That decision can have a huge impact on our lives, as well as the lives of others around us. Turn to Jonah 1:4-17 as we talk about “Running from God: How’s that Going for You?”“Running from God: How’s That Going for You?”Jonah 1: 4-17 Pastor Robbie Lankford#1. The impact on others>repetition>intensity>unexpected contrasts/opposites >intentional structure>parallelismsAmos 9: 2-3Psalm 139: 7-10>word orderProverbs 16:33#2. The impact on youRunning from God…a. brings a lot of frustration to your lifeb. means you are missing God’s best for youc. causes you to experience many things God never intended for you Romans 6: 23d. costs you a lote. makes you unaware of serious dangers around you I Thessalonians 5: 6f. could cut short your lifeg. may be an indicator that you don’t know GodJeremiah 29: 11

Has God Ever Spoken to You?

Psalm 51

Over the last few weeks, we’ve learned a lot from God’s Word about forgiveness. As great as it all sounds, though, sometimes it’s hard to live out in real life. That’s what we are going to focus on today as we finish out this powerful series of messages by looking at how to live out forgiveness in a messy, complicated world of relationships.“Forgiveness: How Do I Live It Out?”#1. Overlook as much as you can – I Peter 4: 8 Proverbs 10: 12Proverbs 19: 11#2. Deal with what you can’t let go – Matthew 18: 15-18a. go to the other person directly (v. 15)Matthew 5: 23-24 b. bring in others if necessary(v. 16-18)Exodus 18: 21-22Acts 6: 1-7#3. Be at peace with what you can’t control – Romans 12: 18Proverbs 6: 16-19John 17: 17-23Ephesians 4: 1-3 Psalm 133 What to do with unresolved conflict you can’t control…a. I have done my bestb. I will keep the door openJohn 17: 23

Forgiveness. We learned in our last message in this series that forgiveness is not only something that we can receive from God – it’s also something we should extend to others. What if we don’t want to, though? What if we make the choice not to forgive? What kind of impact does that have in our lives? That is what we are going to explore together today in God’s Word as we continue our series on forgiveness.“Forgiveness: What If I Don’t Give It to Others?”Hebrews 12: 15#1. Not granting forgiveness…affects youEphesians 4: 26-27Matthew 5: 21-26#2. Not granting forgiveness…hurts othersProverbs 24: 29Romans 12: 19-21#3. Not granting forgiveness…brings up bigger questionsMatthew 6: 14-15Matthew 18: 35Ephesians 4: 32Colossians 3: 13Matthew 18: 21-35Proverbs 27: 7b

Amidst a sea of chaos and uncertainty in this world, Jesus is our source of true and lasting hope, joy, and peace. Come enjoy songs of hope and celebration for the season. Songs include: "The First Noel"; "Gloria"; "I Believe in Christmas"; "Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus"; "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"; "This Same God"; "O Holy Night!"; "Hope of the Nations"; and "All Is Well."

So far in our series, we’ve focused on the critical need that we all have for forgiveness in our relationship with God. This weekend, though,we’re going to begin talking about how forgiveness works in our relationships with others. All of us have been hurt by other people. As followers of Jesus, how do we deal with that in our lives?“Forgiveness: Should I Share It?”Matthew 18: 21-351. A question that needs to be asked – v. 212. The teaching our Lord gives to us – v. 22-34I Corinthians 13: 5 10,000 talents>a talent = 15 yrs. of wages>10,000 talents = 150,000 yrs. of work>avg. household today = $7,500,000,00010,000 = highest number in Greek = ‘innumerable amount’100 denarii > 100 days wages = ~3 months’ pay.)#3. The implications for our lives – v. 35a. God is a forgiving GodMicah 7: 18, Jonah 4: 2b. we owe Him a debt that is unpayable by uswould have taken the servant 2,000 lifetimes of 75 yrs. to pay off debtc. when we come to God in humility, He is willing to forgive our debtd. His willingness to forgive me compels me to forgive others“...the key to forgiveness is to stop focusing on what others have done to us and focus instead on what Jesus has done for us.” e. Not being willing to forgive is not good

In part 1 of our series, we learned about our need for forgiveness. The big question, though, is can we have it? With all the wrong that we have done in our lives, is there any way possible that God would ever forgive us for our sins?(Stay tuned: There IS Good News!)“Forgiveness: Can I Have It?”#1. What about my past sins? Psalm 103: 10-14 Isaiah 59: 1 Psalm 130: 3-4a #2. What about my present sins?what you need to know about “eternity security”…a. your salvation is guaranteed by God Hebrews 6: 13-20 I John 5: 13 John 10: 28 Ephesians 1: 13-14, II Cor. 5: 5 I Peter 1: 4 b. the work of salvation is fully completed Hebrews 1: 3 John 19: 30 Hebrews 7: 24 Hebrews 9: 12 Colossians 2: 14-15 Philippians 1: 6)c. your salvation was all God’s work, not yours Colossians 2: 13a Ephesians 2: 8-9 Titus 3: 4-5d. your salvation covers every situation John 5: 24 Romans 8: 31-39 e. your salvation covers every sin Colossians 2: 13b f. God gives you confirmation that you have it Romans 10: 13 Romans 8: 16 I John Galatians 5: 22-23 #3. What about my future sins?“the unpardonable sin” – Matthew 12: 31-32

Suspense has been used as an effective tool in literature, movie and television industries to keep us coming back; but when it comes to real life, we’d rather just do without the drama. This weekend, we’re looking at 2 Chronicles 18 and learning about living life with a predictable God. Predictable: Taking the Suspense out of Life2 Chronicles 18Pastor Chris Collins 1. Listening to the right peopleLook Beyond Your BaggageAlliances v1Flattery v2Peace v3Position v29Be Adamant about Right Influence2 Chronicles 18: 4-6Let God Speak 2 Chronicles 18: 7-8, 12-132 Timothy 4: 3Proverbs 2: 4-92. Believing the result without knowing the detailsDwell in Confidence2 Chronicles 18: 23-24Deuteronomy 18: 222 Chronicles 18: 25-27Romans 10: 11Peace in spite of DifficultyRomans 8: 28John 16: 32-33

We all have done so much wrong in our lives. Don’t you sometimes wish you could take a big washcloth and clean it all off of your life? There’s Good News! God says in His Word that He offers to us the opportunity to experience complete forgiveness. The next few weeks, we’re going to explore what God’s Word has to say about forgiveness.Forgiveness: Do I Need It?1. What is sin? the main definitions for sin in the Bible:a. missing the mark (Romans 3: 23)b. iniquity (Genesis 3: 1-3)c. lawlessness, transgression (Ten Commandments)d. abomination (Leviticus 18: 22)#2. How bad is sin?two challenges to understanding sin:a. we’ve been comparing with wrong person (James 2: 10-11)b. sin is more dangerous than we realized- affects all of us (I Timothy 1: 15)- affects every part of who we are(Ephesians 2: 3 – sinners by nature, Psalm 51: 4 – sinners by choice)- can hide out inside of us (Matthew 5: 27-28)- one is enough to keep us from God (James 2: 10-11)#3. What does sin do?two big concerns we should have about the impact of sin:a. eternal separation (Hebrews 9: 27)b. daily fellowship (I John 1: 9)

People all over the world have given up their lives trying to attain the privilege of voting about the direction of their nation. We must nevertake that privilege lightly. Let's open God's Word to look at some of the important moral issues in this election as we seek the Lord in the choices we make."Preparing for an Election"1. Why are we talking about this?Amos 3: 7-81 Thessalonians 5: 6Luke 12: 54-562. What should we be concerned about?a. the sanctity of human lifeJeremiah 1: 5 Psalm 139 b. the importance of marriage Genesis 2: 24 c. financial responsibility Proverbs 22: 7b Psalm 37: 21a d. our relationship with Israel Genesis 12: 1-3 e. our attitude f. our expectations Colossians 3: 23. What should we expect?a. God will honor our part1 Samuel 2: 30bb. our country's choice does matterPsalm 33: 121 Samuel 8: 7c. eventually, it's going to get worse2 Timothy 3: 1Matthew 5: 13-16d. whatever happens, God is in control and will take care of those who trust in Him

This message from Pastor Robbie reminds our church family about who God has called us to be and to help our guests learn more about New Hope.“The Vision of New Hope”Acts 2: 40-47#1. The vision is...TO WORSHIP - v.40Deuteronomy 6: 5Matthew 22: 37#2. The vision is...TO GROW – v. 41-43John 1: 12Ephesians 4: 12-16II Peter 3: 18#3. The vision is...TO SERVE – v. 44-46Luke 19: 10 Matthew 20: 25-28

As human beings, we struggle to surrender our lives to God, but there are some things that seem to be especially difficult for us to give to Him. This weekend, we are finishing up a series called “The Hardest Things to Give to God” by talking about money. For some reason, one of the hardest things to give to the Lord is “My Money”. If that is true for you, ask the Lord to open up your heart to the teaching and direction He wants to give to you today.The Hardest Things to Give to God: My Money#1. Why is this such a struggle for us? – Matthew 6: 19-24In this passage, Jesus raises 4 questions…a. what are you going to invest in? (v. 19-20)b. what are you going to give your heart to? (v. 21)c. what is going to most influence your life? (v. 22-23)d. who is going to call the shots in your life? (v. 24)#2. Whose stuff is it anyway? – Psalm 24: 1-2James 1: 17a, I Corinthians 4: 7I Chronicles 29: 14-16 #3. Will God provide if I tithe? – Malachi 3: 8-12II Corinthians 9: 6-11

Last weekend, Pastor Robbie began a new series called “The Hardest Things to Give to God”. One of the most challenging areas of our lives to turn over to the Lord are RELATIONSHIPS. That is what we are going to focus on together in God’s Word this weekend. Even though it’s hard sometimes, we’re going to ask the Lord to help us learn how to give our relationships to Him.The Hardest Things to Give to God: My Relationships1. When I don’t have onea. Let God comfort youJohn 16:33b1 Peter 4:121 Peter 5:7John 11:35b. Let God be your sufficiencya word to those who...are single 1 Corinthians 7:8Psalm 37:4Have lost a loved oneWith God’s help, you can experience healingRemember the promise of heavenCherish the memoriesTrust in a big GodPsalm 37:4, Romans 8:282. When I can’t change oneA SpouseEphesians 5:25-33, 1 Peter 3:1-8Love unconditionallyShow respect to your spouseSeek to be dead to selfInfluence more by your life than your wordsWork hard to put yourself in their shoesA ChildYou are seeing a little of what God experiences with youSee yourself as a trainerEphesians 6:4Proverbs 22:6A ParentShow honorEstablish boundariesGenesis 2:24A Boss/Co-workerWhen I’m in the wrong oneIf you are not in the wrong one yet, don’t start one2 Corinthians 6:14Amos 3:3If you are in one, get out of itIf you can’t get out of it, trust God1 Corinthians 7:15

In a way, we all struggle with turning over our lives to God, but there seems to be some areas that are more difficult than others. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to look at some of those as we talk about “The Hardest Things to Give to God.” This weekend, we’ll start that series by talking about “secret sins.” Some of the most challenging things to give over to the Lord are things that no one else knows is a part of our lives, but God wants to give you victory in that part of your life. Ask Him to speak to your heart as we study His Word today. The Hardest Things to Give to God: My Secret Sins1. We all have them2. What they do to usExcuses we make about themNobody is perfect 1 John 1: 8, Romans 6: 23Everyone else is doing itMy choice isn’t hurting anyone else1 Thessalonians 4: 3-8Proverbs 15: 3Numbers 32: 233. How to have victory over themProverbs 29: 1Steps to victory over secret sins1. Acknowledge what you are doing2. Determine to live for God’s glory Proverbs 15: 3Colossians 3: 17, 23-241 Corinthians 10: 313. Accept that your actions impact others4. Bring it out to the light of day5. Rely upon God’s graceEphesians 5: 11-13Numbers 32: 23

“What Kind of Place Has God Built?”II Chronicles 6-7#1. A place for God to work – II Chronicles 6: 12-21 #2. A place for lives to change – II Chronicles 6: 22-39 #3. A place that fulfills its purpose – II Chronicles 7: 12-22If Jesus waits to return, what will New Hope be like in 200 years?

Our nation is at an important time in its history in many ways. The upcoming election is certainly a reminder of that to us. Instead of complaining about the challenges we face, Christians should be offering hope and encouraging others to look to the Lord. The first thing we need to do, though, is pray. Today, we’re going to turn to Nehemiah 1 in the Old Testament and learn from the example of a man who saw the condition of his people, deeply cared about what they were going through, and turned to the Lord to help them! “A Nation that Needs God”Nehemiah 1: 1-11issues important to this election…>valuing life >money, responsibility, & a good work ethic >the importance of the family #1. Do we understand the situation? - v.1-2helps for understanding where our country is…a. stay informed b. be discerningc. know the Word Matthew 24: 33#2. Do we care about our people? - v. 3-4aIsaiah 6: 14#3. What are we supposed to do? - v. 4b-11starting points for what we can do…a. cry out to God b. tell God how great He isc. humilityd. persistencee. including my self in the problemf. look to God’s promisesg. make myself available to God

Philippians 4: 15-23#1. Partnership encourages God’s servants – v. 15-16#2. Partnership is recognized by God – v. 17-19How much partnership matters to Goda. it opens up His ability to bless us (v. 17) Proverbs 11: 24-25, Proverbs 22: 29, Luke 6: 38, 2 Corinthians 9: 6b. it helps His servants accomplish His purposes (v. 18a)c. it is a pleasing offering from us to Him (v. 18b)d. it gives us the promise of His provision (v. 19)#3. Partnership brings glory to God – v. 20Romans 11: 36

“Joy in Every Situation, part 2”Philippians 4: 10-14#1. Joy in every situation… doesn’t come naturally to usII Corinthians 11: 23-33Romans 7: 14-25 I Timothy 1: 15 I Thessalonians 5: 16James 1: 2-4#2. Joy in every situation… is for the good times & the bad#3. Joy in every situation… comes only through God’s powerJohn 15: 5

Exodus 1-121. Courage in the Face of Fear2. Relationship over Religion3. Freedom for your Family4. Freedom in your Finances5. Freedom in the Lamb

“Joy in Every Situation” (part 1)Philippians 4: 1-9#1. Do what you can do – v. 1-5Romans 12: 18#2. Give the rest to the Lord – v. 6-7Matthew 6: 25-34#3. Focus on the good things – v. 8-9

There are many things that we choose to pursue with our lives, but what is the greatest thing that a person could give his/her life to pursuing? While we all were created to live different lives, there is one thing that all of us were created to chase after, and if we want to experience true joy and fulfillment in our lives, we must find out what that is. Turn with us to Phil. 3 today as we continue our series in the book of Philippians, called “Finding True Joy”.“Joy in Life’s Greatest Pursuit”Philippians 3:7-21#1. What is life’s greatest pursuit? – v. 7-11Matthew 7:23John 17:3#2. How important is this pursuit? – v. 12-16#3. Will you make it your pursuit? – v. 17-21How would I grow in knowing Christ better?a. worship corporate worship (weekend worship service) private worship (prayer)b. grow spending time in the Word (personal quiet time, Growth Group) seeking to live it out dailyc. serve live out God’s mission to spread the Good News seek to minister to others

Many people believe that we have to “work our way to God”. Even many churches and religions teach this. As a result, many people are confused and frustrated when it comes to God. However, this is not what the Bible says. The Bible says that it is only by receiving God’s grace that we can know Him, and when we begin to realize what God’s amazing grace is all about, it brings great joy to our lives! Turn with us as we study Philippians 3 and learn about finding joy in God’s amazing grace."Joy in Being Accepted by God"Philippians 3: 1-61. We all need someone to teach us about grace (1) Ephesians 2: 8-92. Watch out for those who would rob us of grace (2-3) Acts 15:5 Judaizers Effects of grace robbers:a. Take away from Jesus' workb. Keep people from assurancec. Steal the joy of our salvation John 10: 10 overflowing life 1 John 5: 3 Matthew 11: 30d. Block people from God3. Everyone of us is in need of God's grace (4-7)

We’re studying the New Testament book of Philippians and learning what the Lord says about “Finding True Joy.” Today, we’re going to turn to Philippians 2 and find out that one of the ways that God brings joy into our lives is by giving us Godly examples that we can look to as we learn how to follow Him!“Joy in Learning from Others”Philippians 2:19-30Hebrews 10:23-25#1. Godly examples have the right CONCERNPhilippians 2:5-11#2. Godly examples have the right FOCUS#3. Godly examples have the right IMPACTI Corinthians 11:1

For so many, finding joy that lasts seems to be an unreachable goal. But, we’ve been learning that those who are looking to the Lord can indeed have that kind of joy. In our series in Philippians, “Finding True Joy,” Paul has shared with us how that joy has been a part of his life. Ask the Lord to speak to you as we look to His Word.“Joy in Serving”Philippians 2: 1-18#1. The challenge to think like a servant – v. 1-4how do we think like servants? (v. 2b-4)>what we SHOULD do#1. be united (v. 2b) (Psalm 133, Ephesians 4: 3, John 17: 22-23)#2. think about others more than self (v. 3b)#3. be actively looking for ways you can help others (v. 4b)>what we SHOULD NOT do#1. don’t be focused on making yourself look better (esp. by making others look bad)#2. don’t think you are in a better place than you are“humility is not thinking less of yourself - it’s thinking of yourself less”#2. The example of the greatest servant of all – v. 5-8Some “Jesus is God” passages - John, 1, Philippians 2, Colossians 1-2, Hebrews 1-2 “How strange does our reluctance to serve look from heaven’s perspective?”#3. The rewards for being a servant – v. 9-11

How blessed we are to have Tony Lomenzo sharing God’s Word with us! Tony is serving as a pastoral intern at New Hope, preparing to be a pastor/church planter and is helping us explore the possibility of starting a new church in Stony Creek. Ask the Lord to prepare your heart as God’s servant shares His Word with us from 2 Chronicles 20."How to Find Victory in Times of Trouble" 2 Chronicles 20Tony LomenzoWe are not alone in our battlesThe Lord is waiting for us to come to Him for victoryI. It starts with knowing our limitations. 1. We need to recognize that there is a problem. 2. How do we respond to warnings of potential problems in our lives.II. Seek God when trouble hits. 1. Jehoshaphat seeks the Lord first. 2. They fasted and prayed in an effort to put away all other distractions. 3. It was a purposeful time of hearing from God. 4. They begin to gain confidence through prayer. Jehoshaphat's prayer- a. vs. 6 remembering how powerful God is. b. vs. 7 he reflects on how God has worked in the past c. vs. 9 trusting in God in whatever circumstance we are in d. vs. 12 watch God work e. vs. 13 whole families praying togetherIII. We must trust in the Lord for the outcome! 1. God's first response is "do not fear" 2. God shares that the battle is His 3. God may call you to fight. 4. Salvation is God's battleIV. We can have confidence that is found in the Lord. 1. We see what was once a scared king and group of people praising the Lord before the battle begins 2. They gave thanks to God for what He was going to do 3. They thanked God with singing 4. Can you thank God ahead of time?Conclusion: You may not be as far away from true confidence as you think.

For most of us, our joy and contentment in life is highly dependent on our circumstances. Philippians 1, however, talks about having joy from God that goes beyond our circumstances.“Joy in Spite of My Circumstances”Philippians 1: 19-30#1. Put your confidence in the Lord – v. 19-20Job 13: 16Romans 10: 11Romans 9: 33I Peter 2: 6Isaiah 28: 16Habakkuk 3: 17-19#2. Remember: you cannot help but win – v. 21-26Hebrews 9: 27Philippians 1: 27 – possibly the theme of the letter“Standing strong in unity through humility for the sake of the Good News getting out - with joy all the way.”

What is your mission in life? All of us have something that we are working hard to accomplish, something that means everything to us. It’s only when we find God’s mission for our lives, though, that we find the lasting joy that we so desperately desire.“Joy in the Mission”Philippians 1:12-18Prison epistles – Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, PhilemonActs 21-28Acts 28:30-31Think about these questions…“WHAT is the driving force of my life?”“WHAT do I get up every morning focused on accomplishing?”“WHERE is that taking me?”“If I accomplish what I am focused on doing, where is that going to get me?”Isaiah 53:6aProverbs 14:12#2. What is God’s mission for your life? – v. 18aWe all have the same main mission“every member of God’s family is a minister of the Good News”Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:45-48, John 20:21, Acts 1:8We all have a specific mission from GodHow can I uniquely influence others for God in ways others cannot?#3. Are you okay where the mission takes you? – v. 18bII Corinthians 1:3-5“When you have your focus & joy on the mission, you begin to see your circumstances, good or bad, as an opportunity to further the Gospel, and you rejoice at what God is doing and going to do, instead of complaining about what God did not do.” (Warren Wiersbe, paraphrased)

This is the beginning of a new series of messages for the summer from the New Testament book of Philippians entitled “Finding True Joy”.All of us have a hunger in our hearts to find peace, contentment, and fulfillment in our lives. During this study, we’ll learn some of the things that God says in His Word that will bring us true joy in our lives. Today, we’re going to look at Philippians 1 and learn about finding “Joy in Relationships”.“Joy in Relationships”Philippians 1: 1-11Acts 16:12Key verse in PhilippiansOnly conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. (1:27)Theme of Philippians"Standing strong in unity through humility for the sake of the gospel with joy all the way"#1. Praying for others – v. 3-4intercessory prayer planMon. – missions, Tues. – tasks, Wed. – workers, Thurs. – thanksgiving,Fri. – family (extended) & friends, Sat. – sinners, Sun. - saints#2. Telling others how you feel about them – v. 5-8#3. Desiring the best for others – v. 9-11Galatians 4:19, Ephesians 4:12-15, III John 4consider these questions…>do I have a desire to think of others more often?>do I have time in my life to be actively involved with others?

We’ve been studying Joshua 1-6 and learning that God is at work in our lives and wants to move us and our church family forward with the purposes that He has for us. Today, though, we’re going to turn to Joshua 7 and see that there are things that can get in the way of what God has for us. We need to be aware of those pitfalls so we can keep our eyes on the Lord and experience all that He has in store for our lives.“Only One Thing Can Stop Us”Joshua 7#1. How disobedience happens – v. 21a. I saw itb. I wanted itc. I took itd. I hid itJames 1:14-15 some keys to not disobeying God…Watch what you look at Job 31:1 Change what you likeDon’t go through with itDon’t hide it when it happens#2. What disobedience brings – v. 13-16Romans 6:23#3. What to do with disobedience – v. 22-26Psalm 145:8 Acts 5:1-11Genesis 18:25 Deuteronomy 24:16

The Path to Victory

God is always at work, but there are times that he works in our lives in an especially significant way. Here we turn to Joshua 3-4 as we learn about “Spiritual Markers” that God puts in our lives.

Joshua 3: 6-17As our church is getting ready to move to our new facility, the Lord is leading us through a series of message called “Moving Forward” from Joshua 1-6.When God is leading us forward in our lives, we’ve learned that there are many things He does to prepare us for that, but there does come a point when it’s time to make a move and step out in faith.

New Hope is moving! We're not just moving, though. We're moving forward. When God is calling us to move forward in our lives there are usually some things He wants to do to prepare us for that. Turn to Joshua 3 in your Bible and follow along.

As New Hope prepares to move into a new building, there are many aspects to our move – both practical and spiritual. This is the first of a series of messages from Joshua 1-6 about God’s steps for each of us moving forward.

In the worship services at New Hope, we have been looking at the big three questions that every one of us grapples with in our lives. So far, we have asked, "Who am I?" and "What is my purpose?" Now that we know who we are and why we are alive, we ask the follow-up, "How do I fulfill my purpose?"

Do you ever wonder what your purpose is in this world? Most of the times, life gets the best of us, and we don't have time to think about the bigger picture like that. This series, "Your Three Big Questions," helps us think about some of the biggest questions we all face. The first questions was, "Who Am I?" This message answers the question, "What is My Purpose?" WHY DID God put me in this world?"

Each of us share the biggest questions in life. We can’t get around them; we can’t ignore them. We spend our lives seeking to find their answers. In this message series called “Your 3 Big Questions”, we will address them head on – finding our answers only in God’s Word. This message, we will look at how the Bible answers our first question, “Who Am I?”

Easter is the most significant holiday that we celebrate because we remember that Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead. Have you ever thought about this, though... What if there were no Easter? What if Jesus had not done what He did for us? Thinking about it in that way might help us to understand better just how much God has done for us. Turn to God’s Word and think about “What If There Were No Easter?”

Lent is a season of spiritual preparation leading up to Easter, and historically, one of the biggest emphases during that time has been serving others. What better time of year to think about sacrificially serving others than when we remember the price that Jesus paid for all of us when he carried our sins and died on the cross? In this message, we’re going to think about what Jesus did for us and how that calls us as His followers to pour out our lives serving others.

As the Lord prepares our hearts for this time of celebration and victory in the resurrection of Jesus, we continue to look to His Word for direction and focus. In this message in the series “Recapturing Lent,” we will discover what the Bible has to say about fasting and how it can bring focus to our time of preparation.

Every Sunday is Resurrection Day. Really, every day is! Still, Christians have set aside Easter weekend each year to put a special focus on the most important weekend in history. Because of that, many believers all over the world begin preparing their hearts for that for weeks in advance. We hope the Lord is going to use this series of messages to get our hearts ready to get the most we possibly can out of Easter this year.

Every Sunday is Resurrection Day. Really, every day is! Still, Christians have set aside Easter weekend each year to put a special focus on the most important weekend in history. Because of that, many believers all over the world begin preparing their hearts for that for weeks in advance. We hope the Lord is going to use this series of messages to get our hearts ready to get the most we possibly can out of Easter this year.

Romans 12: 1-2

Acts 16: 31-34

God wants His Good News of rescuing sinners and giving us a relationship with Him to go to everyone in the world. Amazingly, He has called us to be the ones to get that message out, but many times, we feel so weak and inadequate to do that. Well, it’s true. We can’t do that in our own strength, but He wants to provide us with amazing power to do His work in the lives of others. As we finish up our series “Let the Nations Be Glad: Discovering God’s Heart for All the Peoples of the World”, we’re going to learn about “The Power Behind Us”.

Isaiah 45: 22This is part of a series of messages called “Let the Nations Be Glad”. So far, we’ve talked about how God blesses us so we can be a blessing to others, how God is an amazing God who is worth knowing, and how the Lord intends to get His message of salvation and hope out to the world. Here, we’re going to focus on the goal that God has in all of this. He wants His awesome glory to fill the earth so that every man, woman, girl, and boy from every tribe, every language, and every nation can know and serve the One who created them!

Acts 1: 8, Matthew 28: 18-20God has a plan for getting his amazing message out to all the people of the world. Do you know what that plan is? Are you allowing God to work through your life to accomplish His plan?

Isaiah 40: 12-31Many of us are growing in our relationship with God and understanding more and more about who He is and the plan that He has for our lives. The more that we grow in our understanding of Him, the more we realize what a great God He is! In this series “Let the Nations Be Glad”, we talk about God’s heart for all the peoples of the world to know Him. We turn to Isaiah 40 and learn together that “Our God is Worth Knowing”.

Psalm 67Did you know that our God has a heart for all the peoples of the world? He loved us so much that He sent Jesus so that every man, woman, boy, and girl could know God if we put our trust in Jesus. This is the first message in the series, “Let the Nations Be Glad: Grabbing Hold of God’s Heart for All the Peoples of the World.” We learn that, if you are a follower of Jesus, you are going to have a heart for others all over the world who need Him.

January 15, 2012Pastor Chris Collins interviews missionary to Russia, Amanda Swanson

Exodus 14: 10-14Wouldn't it be nice to have a life GPS to help us make the right decisions and show us the way?

Are you finished yet, or is God still working on you? Those who have found life in Jesus Christ have been set free from the bondage of sin and legalism so that we may serve one another in love and peace.

New Year’s. In some ways, it’s just another date on the calendar. In other ways, though, it marks a beginning point. The Bible says that there are seasons, stages, phases of life. As we welcome in a new year, we’re going to turn to God’s Word in Job 42 and talk about “Starting Over”. That’s the place many of us are in our lives. Some things have happened; some water is under the bridge. Now, it’s time to start over again, but what does that look like?

Christmas is supposed to be one of the greatest times of the year; but for many, it falls well short of that. Maybe it’s the commercialism or the stressful get-togethers or hurtful memories of the past. Though many things have threatened to ruin it for us, we’re going to turn to God’s Word to look at the “Origins of Christmas” and trust God to help us recapture the true meaning of this special time of year.

Christmas. Just the mention of the word causes some people to roll their eyes or sigh in disgust. It’s become so commercial and put so much pressure on our relationships and our finances. In the middle of that, though, God wants to remind us of why we even have Christmas in the first place.

In the Bible's Old Testament, there is a story of a mother who had to trust God and let go of her son. In the end, God was able to take a difficult situation and turn it around to great blessing. What is God asking you to let go of?

This is the final message in a series called “The Giving Challenge”. As followers of Jesus, God wants us to be a part of His work in this world, even financially. Have you begun praying about what God is saying to you about this area of your walk with Him? Ask Him to continue to speak to your heart as we study II Corinthians 8-9 together.

There are many aspects of our spiritual life, but one that we struggle with the most is money – and for a lot of different reasons. However, the Bible says that we should not run from the subject because, surprisingly, it can be on of the most important parts of our walk with God. In this message, we see how the Lord calls us to get involved in His work in this world by giving financially that others’ lives might be changed.

Giving. It's a topic that many people dread discussing. Why is that? For many, they want to give to God's work, but they feel like they can't afford it. So they feel guilty. Others think that money taints things and should not be a part of our spiritual life. Still others want God to work in their lives, but they are not ready for Him to have their finances. No matter where we are, the Bible says that giving financially to God and His work is a critical part of our relationship with God; so that is where we are going to look together in God's Word for the next few weeks. Ask God to speak to you and teach you. Jesus said that understanding His ways will not bring bondage, but will actually bring freedom to our lives! (John 8: 31-32)

On the 11th birthday of New Hope Community Church, Pastor Robbie shared how the story of New Hope is a story of faith, hope and love.

What does it take to have a relationship with God? Many people are not sure. Maybe they’ve never read the Bible. Or, they read it but didn’t understand it, and no one has sat down with them and explained it to them. Or, maybe they went to a church that did not teach what is in the Bible. Let's open up God’s Word and hopefully clear up some of the confusion, because knowing that we are right with God and have a relationship with Him is the most important question of our lives!

We welcomed Pastor Chuck Garner as he shared this message with our church family, a message from God's Word that needs to be heard in every part of our nation.

Communion, the Lord's Supper, the Eucharist - these are various names that churches call it , but what is it? Is it just some religious ceremony or ritual? What is the reason that Jesus told us to remember Him in this way? Open up your Bible and follow along as we learn why God commands us to regularly observe this special time in our church family.

This message finishes up the series in I Peter called “Hope in the Midst of Hardship”. As Peter wraps up the message that the Lord gave to him for us, he shares some final words of encouragement to all of us who struggle. If you are hurting today, will you open up your heart and listen to the message that the Lord has for you? 1 Peter 5: 5-14

During difficult times, part of the protection that God gives us for our lives is giving us spiritual leaders - servants God has called to lead, feed, guide, and protect us. Let's study 1st Peter 5:1-4 so we can better understand who these servant-leaders are and the role they have in our lives.

No one likes problems and difficulties in our lives. In fact, sometimes we begin to resent the fact that we have them. In this message in the series, "Hope in the Midst of Hardship," we learn that we should stop fighting the fact that we have trials, and trust that God has a good plan and is at work in and through the challenges we face. 1 Peter 4:12-19

On this tenth anniversary, something terrible happened to our nation with the attacks of 9-11. We have all relived those moments time and time again through all the images and news reports because of the anniversary. It is good for us to pause and remember what happened as well as to honor those who gave their lives in service to others. During this time of remembrance, we especially need to look to God and let Him speak to us.

How many times do we try to find fulfillment in this life and come up short? Whether it's in a job or money or a relationship, we keep trying to find that thing that will give completion to our lives. In this message from The Conversation Room, Jesus speaks to us about being and living "Finally Filled" in Him. Let's turn together in our Bibles to John 4.

We come to Jesus with our own system of beliefs about how life works and how we get to God. In this two message series, we’ll listen to Jesus challenge those systems in the lives of two very different people. In this first message, we’ll focus on Jesus’ appeal to “Empty Yourself” in John 3.

In the middle of hard times in our lives, it's hard not to focus on our circumstances and get down. Sometimes, we can get so thrown off track that we begin to give up and stop walking as closely with the Lord. In this message, we're going to study 1st Peter 4:1-11 and see that God calls us to live our lives with His perspective. One day, this life will be over, and we will be with the Lord. Until the, we need to continue living for Him even when times are tough.

When life gets hard, it can really get us down sometimes. Turning to God's Word, the Bible, we find encouragement, though. In the midst of hard times, God has called us to seek to be a blessing to others, and in the process, our lives are blessed by God, too! This message, we turn to 1st Peter 3:8-22 and learn about "Living a Life of Blessing."

Living for God at home is one of the biggest challenges in our walk with God. In the previous message, we learned about God's instructions for wives. This time, we to turn to 1st Peter 3:7 and see what the Lord wants to teach husbands as we talk about "Making the Most of Your Marriage."

One of the most challenging areas of our lives can sometimes be our marriage relationship. God created marriage, though, to be a blessing, and He gives us instructions on how to be the best spouse that we can be, even when our spouse is being difficult. Turn with us to 1st Peter 3:1-6 as we talk about "Making the Most of Marriage." In this message, we focus on God's instruction to wives, and in the next, we'll look at His Word for the husbands.

Have you ever been mistreated? As Christians, how do we respond to others who do not treat us rightly or fairly? in this message, we turn to I Peter 2 and learn how Jesus responded when others said and did things to Him that He did not deserve. We’re also going to see the difference it makes when we respond to that like He did.

Living out our Christian faith in the different places that our life takes us can be challenging at times. One of the most challenging for many people is the workplace. God gives us instructions, though, on how to live for Him at work. Turn with us to 1st Peter 1:18-20 as we study that together.

New Hope broke ground on our first worship center by building on the promises of God: each family put a promise in the promise box that will be buried in the foundation.

May 15, 2011Pastor Robbie Lankford1 Peter 1:1-2We all face challenges and difficulty in our lives. Sometimes, it can almost be overwhelming. Is there any hope? This series out of the book of 1 Peter is called "Hope in the Midst of Hardship". If you are going through some tough times in your life right now, you don't want to miss this series! We need some direction and encouragement from God's Word.

Throughout history, followers of Jesus have lived in situations where there have been governments that did not honor God or were even actively opposed to His work. How does God want us to respond to that? In this message, we turn to 1st Peter 2:13-17 and see how God calls us to respond to the role of government in our lives, even when it is many times not supportive of or is hostile to His work.

When we go through difficulties in life, many times it is easy to miss the purpose that God has for our lives. In this message we talk about "Discovering Your Purpose" as we study 1 Peter 2:9-10 and are challenged to stay focused on that purpose, even when we go through struggles.

Nobody wants to go through hard things in our lives, but the truth is - sometimes, they can be opportunities for us to grow. This message, in our series "Hope in the Midst of Hardship", we talk about "Growing Through Hard Times". If you are going through some difficulty in your life right now, ask the Lord to show you how that might be an opportunity for you to grow in Him!

Sometimes tough times in our lives can help us refocus and become more serious about our relationship with God. Is that what is happening in your life right now? This message, in our series on “Hope in the Midst of Hardship”, we look at I Peter 1:13-22 and talk about “Living Like You Mean It”.

May 29, 2011Pastor Robbie Lankford1 Peter 1:6-9We all face challenges and difficulty in our lives. Sometimes, it can almost be overwhelming. Is there any hope? This series out of the book of 1 Peter is called "Hope in the Midst of Hardship". If you are going through some tough times in your life right now, you don't want to miss this series! We need some direction and encouragement from God's Word.

May 23, 2011Pastor Robbie Lankford1 Peter 1:3-12We all face challenges and difficulty in our lives. Sometimes, it can almost be overwhelming. Is there any hope? Pastor Robbie is beginning a new series this week out of the book of 1 Peter called "Hope in the Midst of Hardship". If you are going through some tough times in your life right now, you don't want to miss this series! Also, be sure to invite others that you know who might be going through some hard things and need some direction and encouragement from God's Word.

Did you know that the Bible teaches that God has a special purpose for each one of us to fulfill in this world? In this series, "Who Am I?", we learn about how being a follower of Jesus impacts our lives and our identity as a person. This message is "I Am Called". Each one of us is called by God to fulfill some purpose that He has for our lives.

Most of us did not grow up learning a lot about God, so we are not aware of the amazing impact a relationship with God can have on our lives! Pastor Robbie shares a series of messages called “Who Am I?” where we learn how our identity as a person can be fulfilled to the fullest through a relationship with Jesus. Turn to the New Testament book of Acts and learn that when I am connected to Jesus Christ “I Am Changed.”

This is the second message in Pastor Robbie's series called “Who Am I?” We all spend so much of our lives trying to find out what our meaning and purpose is. In this series, we learn that our true identity and fulfillment is found only in a relationship with God. Last time, we learned that “I Am Loved”. This message, we’re going to see that, in Christ, “I Am Forgiven”. Turn in the New Testament to Luke 15 as we study God’s Word together!

This is the beginning of Pastor Robbie's series of messages called “Who Am I?” All of us are looking for meaning and fulfillment in life. We’re going to see what the Bible says about finding that through having a personal relationship with God. This first message is “I Am Loved”. Open up God’s Word to Psalm 139:1-16 and follow along as the Lord speaks to us about how much we are loved by Him!

Join us as Pastor Robbie continues to help us focus on the prayers that Paul prayed to the Lord on behalf of others. We are asking the Lord to use Paul’s prayers to teach us more about our own walk with Jesus!

As we walk through life, who is it that we are depending on for the strength we need? Who is it we are relying on when times are tough? An honest answer to these questions is essential as we face life together. Open your Bible to Jeremiah 17:5-8 as we explore the incredible benefits of trusting God.

The apostle Paul was one of the strongest Christians who ever lived. God’s Word records some of the prayers that he prayed for other people. In this message in the series “The Prayers of Paul”, we turn to one of those prayers in Philippians 1:3-11 to learn more about prayer so that we can grow in our relationship with God, especially in the area of prayer.

Prayer is absolutely essential to our relationship with God, but so many of us are unsure how to pray. Turn to Ephesians 3:14-21 as God teaches us through His servant, Paul, how we can grow in our experience of prayer.

Do you ever wonder what to pray about when you talk to God? Thankfully, the Bible gives us examples of prayers - not so we can memorize and copy them, but they are examples to us of the kinds of things we want to be thinking of when we come to the Lord in prayer. Turn in your Bible to Ephesians 1:15-23, as Pastor Robbie shares the 2nd message in the series, "The Prayers of Paul." Ask the Lord to use the Bible passage and message to help you grow spiritually.

Continuing with the theme of prayer, Pastor Robbie begins a new series of messages about “The Prayers of Paul.” After Jesus came into his life, the apostle Paul was one of the most godly and influential men who has ever lived. Many of his prayers to the Lord on behalf of others are recorded in God’s Word. In this series we look at how Paul prayed for others and ask the Lord to use Paul’s prayers to teach us more about our own walk with Jesus!

This is the last message in the series on “The Lord’s Prayer”. What has the Lord been saying to you about your personal prayer life? Has He been speaking to you about becoming more involved in the Prayer Ministry here at New Hope?Ask Him to speak to your heart as we finish out this series in Matthew 6 together.

PRAYER is absolutely essential to our walk with God. This message, we’re turning back to Matthew 6 to continue our study on “The Lord’s Prayer”. Ask the Lord to grow you in your understanding of how to communicate with Him on a daily basis through prayer.

New Hope wants to be known as a house of prayer. Pastor Robbie shares the 2nd message in the series “The Lord’s Prayer”. We want Jesus to teach us how to pray so that we can grow more and more into people and a church who communicate with the Lord on a regular basis!

New Hope wants to be known as a house of prayerfor God to lead us in the right direction for His will to be done here. In this message, Pastor Robbie shares in depth “The Lord’s Prayer” with us. Have your heart open to what the Lord might want to say to you today about the importance of personal and corporate prayer in your own life.

Pastor Robbie shares a special New Year’s challenge. The new year is a great time to start fresh in our walk with God. Have your heart open to what the Lord might want to say to you about the need to have a new start.

Throughout this Christmas season, we’ve been asking the Lord to help us not begrudge the holidays but to enjoy them through our series “Bah Humbug: How NOT to Dread the Holidays”. We hope that the Lord uses these messages to make this one of the most meaningful Christmas times ever for you. This is the last message in the series.

From the beginning, Christmas was meant to be about giving, not receiving, but somewhere along the way, the focus has turned from others to ourselves. This message in the series “Bah Humbug: How NOT to Dread the Holidays”, we see how the holidays can become a much more enjoyable time when we learn to focus on others, not ourselves.

The holidays can be one of the most difficult times of the year for many people. Sometimes, they can remind us of some of our biggest hurts in life, or they cause us to be around people that we have had struggles with in the past. This message in the series “Bah Humbug: How NOT to Dread the Holidays”, we talk about the need to let God help us “Deal with Past Hurts” in order to enjoy Christmas and celebrate the Savior’s birth and not let it get hijacked by the pain of the past!

Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season . These holidays are supposed to be about celebrating some very important aspects of our lives – being thankful to God for all He has done for us and rejoicing in Him coming to this world to be our Savior. For many of us, though, unfortunately they have become a very negative time of year. You might have even heard someone say already, “I’m dreading the holidays.” Pastor Robbie leads us in a series called, “Bah Humbug: How NOT to Dread the Holidays”. Let’s don’t let the challenges that the season may bring keep us from celebrating this special time of year!

Thanksgiving… What does it mean to you? For many, it brings positive memories of time spent with family. For some, those memories are not so great. For others, it’s just a day off or an afternoon to watch more football. Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving, though? If you look at the name, it’s a time to “give thanks”, but instead of grateful hearts, many times we struggle with complaining. In this message, we turn to God’s Word and ask Him to help us leave behind complaining and grow into being more thankful in our lives!

We all are investing in something. What are you investing in? God calls us to be “Investing in Eternity”. That is what we are going to think about together as we study God’s Word in Matthew 6:19-21.

For the last couple of years, we’ve heard much said about the economy and people’s loss of investments or life savings. We need to pray for those in our church family and community who have lost jobs or been affected by what has happened in our country. In the midst of these difficult circumstances, though, maybe a blessing could come. Maybe we could realize more than ever that we cannot depend upon the things of this world and that we should be “Investing in Eternity”. That is the focus of Pastor Robbie’s message.

The weekend of this message, New Hope was celebrating 10 years of worship as a church family! In light of that milestone, Pastor Robbie shared a special message called “The Story of New Hope”. God started this church 10 years ago. Why? What kind of church did God have in mind for us to be? We need to think about that today so we can stay focused on His will for our church as we look to the future!

New Hope was celebrating 10 years of worship as a church family! In light of that milestone, Pastor Robbie will be shared a special message called “The Story of New Hope” as we think about all that God has done for us and look ahead to what He has in store for our future!

Shawn Buice, from the Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary opens God’s Word. Ask the Lord to make your heart sensitive to His leading as Shawn shares with us.

Mike Calhoun, a missionary from Word of Life, shares God’s Word. Ask the Lord to make your heart open and sensitive to His leading.

This is the fourth and final message in the series “The Real Me”. We’re looking at real struggles that real people face and finding God’s answers for our lives.

We face so many struggles in life, but many times we don’t know where to turn for help. Shouldn’t church be a place you could go to be honest and find the path to victory? This is the third message in the series called “The Real Me” where we are looking at some of the most common struggles we face and turning to God for help.

Many people today are struggling, but we don’t feel like we have anywhere we can go to really open up, be honest, and find the help that we need for the real problems that we face. This is the second message in the series called “The Real Me” where we are looking at some of the real battles that people face, and we’re asking the Lord to help us deal with them and bring victory in our lives!

All of us have things we struggle with, but many times we are ashamed to admit it. This weekend, Pastor Robbie is going to begin a series where we’re going to look to the Lord for the victory over the places in our lives we struggle with the most.

God wants EACH ONE OF US to be involved in what He is doing in this world. This is the fourth and final message in the series “Loving on Purpose” challenging us all to consider what role the Lord has for us in His work in this world. The conclusion of this message involved each person placing their puzzle piece in a large jigsaw puzzle.

This is the third message in the series called “Loving on Purpose”. If we want to be a church that loves God and loves others, how do we do that? Have your Bible ready as we turn to God’s Word for the answers.

The Lord wants churches to be places where people can love Him and love others. Unfortunately, that is not what many people have experienced when they participate in church. How can we make sure that New Hope is a place where people experience the love of Christ? This is the second message in a series of messages called “Loving on Purpose”. We need to learn what directions the Lord has given us to be the church family He has called us to be!

This is the first message in a series called “Loving on Purpose” which is a follow up to an earlier series called “The 11th Commandment” where we learned that,as we move forward as a church family, we need to continue learning how to “love one another”.How will it happen, though? How will we make sure that New Hope is a place where people experience the love of Christ? In this message series, we learn that, if youlove people, you plan for it. You make it a priority. If we are going to be the Body of Christ, expressing love to one another and our community, we need to plan for it and make it a priority.

Pastor Chris shares a message from God's Word.

This message is the third and final one in this series on the top three questions that people at New Hope say they would like to ask the Lord.

We all have questions that sometimes are hard to answer. In this series, we’re looking at the Top 3 questions people in our church family would ask God. In this second message in the series, we’re going to look at one that many people struggle with: “How Can I Know God’s Will for My Life?”

We surveyed our church family to share the Top 3 things that we would most like to ask God. Beginning with this first message in the series, we’re going to see what those questions are and turn to the Lord to find the answers He has for us!

Do you ever wonder why God seems to be silent in your life? The good news is that He is always wanting to speak into our lives. The problem is that we are usually not listening or we don’t know how to listen. Is God trying to say something to you, but you are missing what He is saying?

Do you ever wonder why God seems to be silent in your life? The good news is that He is always wanting to speak into our lives. The problem is that we are usually not listening or we don’t know how to listen. Is God trying to say something to you, but you are missing what He is saying?

We are blessed to have Sean Pierce to share God’s Word with us. Sean helps co-ordinate the efforts of our association of churches to share Christ. Ask the Lord to make your heart open and sensitive to His leading from His Word.

We are honored to have Dr. Shawn Buice, the Director of Mid-America Seminary in Schenectady, sharing God’s Word with us. Please pray that the Lord will speak to you through Dr. Buice.

Life can be so hard and challenging, and there are many reasons for that. As Christians, though, we need to realize that much of the struggle is related to something called “spiritual warfare”. There are forces at work in this world that seek to tear apart what God is trying to do in and through our lives. Pastor Robbie speaks on “The Unseen Challenge”. We’re going to turn to Ephesians 6: 10-18 so we can better understand what this is about and how to face it victoriously in our lives.

This message is the last in the series “The 11th Commandment” where Jesus challenges us to love one another the way He loves us. In order to understand that better, we’ve been studying what some have called the “one anothers” of Scripture. In this message, we learn that God teaches us to “Submit to One Another” if we truly want to show love to one another.

Words can bless, and words can hurt. The Bible says that, if we are truly going to show love to others, we need to be careful that we do not use our mouth to hurt them. Is that something you struggle with? To some extent, we all do. Let the Lord speak to your heart about making sure that the words that come out of your mouth do not harm other people.

We’ve all heard it said that “Confession is good for the soul.” Is that true? Is that what the Bible teaches? If so, what does that mean? Do we have to sit down in a confessional and tell everyone our deepest, darkest secrets. In our study called the 11th Commandment, we’re learning how to love one another the way God loves us. In this message, we learn that Jesus teaches us to “confess your sins to one another” and what that means for our lives and our walk with God.

All of us face challenges in our lives, and sometimes, we need someone to help us get through them. The main source we look to is the Lord, but many times, He works through others to help us. In this message, we learn that the Bible says that one of the ways we can show love to others is by “bearing one another’s burdens”. Is there someone today whom you can lighten his load and be a blessing to his life?

Jesus told us we should love one another, but what does that look like? How do we live that out in real life? That is what we are trying to learn in this series based on the “one another” passages in Scripture. In this message, we see that a key part of loving others is learning how to “forgive one another”.

Jesus tell us in John 13: 34-35 that, if we are His followers, we will love one another. Many have called these words of His the 11th Commandment. Sometimes, it almost seems impossible to do that. At the least, we just don’t know how. Don’t worry, though. In this message series, God gives us some direction on how to do that as we study His Word together!

Jesus tell us in John 13: 34-35 that, if we are His followers, we will love one another. Many have called these words of His the 11th Commandment. Sometimes, it almost seems impossible to do that. At the least, we just don’t know how. Don’t worry, though. In this message series, God gives us some direction on how to do that as we study His Word together!

The weekend of this message, Christians all over the world celebrate “Palm Sunday”. We remember the day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey with the crowds cheering. By the end of that week, though, those same crowds were cursing Him and watching Him hang on a Roman cross. Today, though we’re separated by thousands of years in between, we’re going to ask God to help us get to the foot of that cross, too. Instead of mocking and spitting upon Him like most of them did, let’s recognize what He did for us and give Him the worship He deserves!

Will the Easter season sneak up on you or pass you by this year, or will your heart be ready for what God wants to say to you? In this message, Pastor Robbie continues a special series that will help you turn your attention more and more towards the meaning of Easter and hopefully prepare your heart to make this year’s celebration your best ever!

We usually make a big deal about Christmas, building up for weeks until the day that we actually celebrate Christ’s birth. Many times, though, we do not spend a lot of time preparing for Easter. In this message, Pastor Robbie begins a special series that will help you turn your attention more and more towards the meaning of Easter and hopefully prepare your heart to make this year’s celebration your best ever!

Pastor Chris Collins shares a message from God's word.

The Lord has used this series of messages in II Peter 1: 5-7 to bring about many decisions and much growth in our lives. Here we’ll end that series by talking about what the Bible says may be the most important topic of all – LOVE! Not some warm and fuzzy feeling or fleeting fancy that we might have, though. We’re going to talk about love the way God sees it. Ask the Lord to prepare your heart today to learn to receive and to give God’s kind of love.

Friends & Family… Those words sound great, but many of us have never really experienced what it’s like to have the care and support of close friends and our own family. When we give our life to Jesus, though, He gives us those kinds of relationships with others. Turn to 2 Peter 1: 5-7 as we learn more about this from God’s Word.

Have you ever put your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior? If you have, congratulations! You are a child of God, and the Lord wants you to grow in Him so that more and more your life will reflect Him to others. Turn to 2 Peter 1: 5-7 to learn more about growing in godliness.

Do you ever feel like giving up? All of us do from time to time, but when God is working in our lives, we’re going to experience more and more the ability to see things through even in the midst of difficulty. Turn 2 Peter 1: 5-7 as we talk about “Help Me… Not Give Up”.

All of us need to grow in some way in our relationship with God. Turn to 2 Peter 1: 5-7 as we continue looking at some of the areas that God wants to help us grow.

None of us has “arrived” in life, have we? We all have areas of our life that we need to grow. Turn to 2 Peter 1: 5-7 as we continue looking at some of the areas that God wants to help us grow.

The Bible says that God has given us everything that we need for our lives. We just need to learn what He has for us and use it! In this message series, we learn some of the things that God has provided for us and learn how to put them to use in our lives so that we can grow into the person that God created for us to be. Turn to 2 Peter 1: 5-7 and follow along.

This is the first message in the series called “Lord, Help Me to Grow” based on II Peter 1: 5-7, to help us grow in our relationship with God.

New Year’s is a great time to stop and think about our lives, especially to consider the plans that God has for us. Ask the Lord to open up your heart and mind to what He wants to say to you as you look ahead to the coming year!

We hope that you have had a wonderful Christmas season this year! Sometimes, though, the holidays can be a strain on relationships that we have with others. Today, we’re going to close out our special Christmas series called “The Purpose of Christmas” and learn that “Christmas is a Time for Reconciliation”.

Unfortunately, many times, the real meaning of Christmas is lost amongst all the other details we have to think about during this time of year. This year, though, we’re seeking to keep our focus on the one whose birthday we celebrate, Jesus! Him coming into this world had a purpose.

These days, it seems like Christmas items are out in the stores by the end of the summer! To be a holiday that is so recognized in our culture, we don’t always think about its true purpose. In this series, we learn about “The Purpose of Christmas”. Our hope is that this will be one of the most meaningful Christmas seasons you’ve ever experienced!

We wrap up this powerful series by hearing some stories of what God has done in people’s lives through learning “The Treasure Principle”. Would you open up your heart and let God challenge you in this important area of our relationship with Him?

This message is from a powerful series about material wealth. Since we learned previously that God has entrusted some things to us, we are going to consider how God wants us to use the things that He has given to us.

God has entrusted many things to us that He wants us to use to build His work in this world and to make a difference for eternity. In this message, we get a clearer picture of “What We Have Been Given” so we can be better prepared to put it to work for God’s purposes.

Throughout our lives, each one of us attempts to find what it is that will fill the hunger that we have in our hearts. Open up God’s Word, the Bible, to learn about the one thing that will meet the deepest needs in our hearts, by “Finding the Greatest Treasure of All”.

Every one of us, whether we acknowledge it or not, is searching, searching for something that will fill our hearts and lives. Unfortunately, most of us spend the majority of our lives trying to meet that need with the things of this world. We were created for more than that, though, and that is what this series, The Treasure Principle, is all about.

As we celebrated our 9th anniversary of worshiping together as a church family, Pastor Robbie shared a message about why New Hope is here, helping the New Hope family keep our focus on why God started this church and helping our guests learn more about who we are.

Looking for help in your relationships? God has the answers in His Word. This is the final message in the series, “Gridlock: Resolving Conflict in Relationships”.

Some of our biggest challenges in life come from our relationships. If you are stuck and don’t know what to do, pay attention to this sermon as Pastor Robbie shares the second message in this series on resolving conflict in relationships.

This is the beginning of a series of messages about resolving conflict in relationships. If you find yourself at an impasse in a relationship in your life, ask the Lord to give you His direction as we talk about one of the keys to relationships – listening!

Everything around us seems to be in so much turmoil, but God’s Word says He has a plan for the future of our world. Do you know what His plan is? This is the final message in a series on future events from Daniel 7-12.

Everything around us seems to be in so much turmoil, but God’s Word says He has a plan for the future of our world. Do you know what His plan is? Turn to Daniel 12 as we study together, “What We Can Expect to Happen” and look at an outline for “What’s This World Coming To?”

Everything around us seems to be in so much turmoil, but God’s Word says He has a plan for the future of our world. Do you know what His plan is? Turn to the book of Daniel as we study together.

Colossians 3: 1-4

It’s easy to get caught up in our day-to-day activities and forget there is a bigger picture in life. That bigger picture involves spiritual battles that go on behind the scenes every day. The Bible says that we have an enemy who wants to destroy our lives and oppose the plan of God in this world. In this message, we learn a little more of what the Bible teaches about that so we can be better prepared to stand the challenges of life.

Does your life or the world around you ever seem out-of-control? This message continues the study in Daniel, “What’s The World Coming To?”, and we see that God has been working out a plan in this world from the beginning of history. Turn with us to Daniel 9 as we discover that no matter how crazy our world may seem to be, God is in control, and we can trust Him!

Do you ever find yourself turning off the news & saying, “I don’t want to hear any more of it. It’s too depressing.” or “It just gets me so stressed and upset.” Our world and our nation sometimes seem to be spinning out of control, and we wonder where it is all headed. Is it going to be okay for us and especially for our children? Turn in your Bible to Daniel 9 in the Old Testament. We’ll see that God’s Word has solid answers for us in these unsettling times in which we live.

When we look at all that is happening in our country and world today, it can be very unsettling. In this series, though, we’re learning that God has a plan, and He wants us to not be afraid. One day, this world is going to draw to a close. We can be prepared if we know God’s Word. Turn with us to Daniel 8 in the Old Testament as we learn about “The Beginning of the End”.

There are a lot of scary things happening in our world today. From terrorist attacks, to strange weather patterns, to shootings in schools, sometimes it seems that our world is falling apart! God’s Word tells us, though, that none of this is catching Him by surprise. He wants us to understand what is going on, so He gives us the answers in His Word. Join us as we begin a study of the book of Daniel, chapters 7-12. You will be amazed at how God predicted what was going to happen over 2500 years ago!

This is the final message in the series “Against the Flow: Alternative Views for Today’s Hot Topics”. Although you don’t hear it expressed as directly as some of the other topics we have studied, there is an underlying question in our world today about whether there is such a thing as truth. That is what we are going to think about as we seek the Lord together.

There are 3-4 topics that seem to continually come up in the media, in politics, in education, etc. Christians need to know what God has to say about those things. Join us as we continue our series “Against the Flow: Alternative Views for Today’s Hot Topics” as we think about the topic of “Evolution”.

What does God's Word have to say about the hot topic of homosexuality and "gay marriage"?

If you turn on the news today, there are several topics that seem to come up continually. Usually, there is only one perspective that is given about those topics. We’re going to talk about “Against the Flow: Alternative Views for Today’s Hot Topics” and see that the Bible has some different and effective answers for the toughest questions today.

Daniel 6Integrity is not very prevalent today, but if you want to have a life that lasts, it’s absolutely critical. Turn with us to Daniel 6 today as we study “Living with Integrity”.

Daniel 4-5Do you struggle with pride or a strong sense of self-sufficiency? This weekend, Pastor Robbie will continue our current series in Daniel 1-6. We’re going to learn that, if you want to build a life that lasts, one of the building blocks is “Choosing Humility Over Pride”.

Daniel 3Where can we turn when the world seems so out of control today? Turn with us to Daniel 1-6 as we learn how to build our lives on a strong foundation that will stand the tests of time. We’re going to see how we need to “Worship God Alone” if we want to make it in life.

How can we have strength and stability in such an uncertain world? Turn with us to Daniel 1-6 as we learn how to build our lives on a strong foundation. in this message, we see how we need to “Turn to God for Help” when we’re faced with challenges.

Daniel 1In a world where nothing seems to be for sure anymore, how can we know that we can make it? This begins a new series in the book of Daniel 1-6, called “Building a Life That Lasts”. If you want to be standing through all the challenges that life throws at you, this study will be just what you need to get on the right path!

Sometimes, it’s hard to know when to take action or when to wait. In the first message of this series, we talked about knowing when to act. This time, we turn to God’s Word and see that, while we should be people of action, sometimes we need to wait.

Sometimes, it’s hard to know when to take action or when to wait. In this first message of this series, we turn to God’s Word and talk about knowing when to act.

Many people have had bad experiences with church. Surely, that is not what God intended for church to be like! In this message, we’re going to turn to His Word to find out what He looks for in a church. If things were happening GOD’S WAY instead of man’s, what would that look like? As the Lord speaks to us, let’s determine to be the church that God wants us to be!

Many people have had bad experiences with church. Surely, that is not what God intended for church to be like! In this message, we’re going to turn to His Word to find out what He looks for in a church. If things were happening GOD’S WAY instead of man’s, what would that look like? As the Lord speaks to us, let’s determine to be the church that God wants us to be!

This is the final message in the series on “Renewal”. We’re going to see that, if God has been working IN your life to bring renewal, He’s also going to begin working THROUGH your life. Ask the Lord to open up your heart and mind to what He has to say to you in His Word.

God desires to work in our lives, but many times there things that get in the way. There are some things that typically block God’s work in our lives. This message is part 2 of “Common Barriers to Spiritual Renewal”.

In the previous message in this series, we learned that in order for us to experience renewal in our lives, we need to allow Christ to “search our hearts” to see if there is anything that would get in the way of His work in our lives. Here, we’re going to look at some of the things that commonly interfere with God working mightily in our lives.

This is an exciting time in the life of our church family. There’s a sense that God is about to move in a mighty way. This is a special message called “Preparing for God to Move”. What needs to be happening in our hearts to prepare us for what God has in store for us?

This is the second message in the "Renewal" series about experiencing a fresh movement of God in your life. Turn to Isaiah 6 in the Old Testament as we learn about the important step of “Searching Your Heart” in your walk with God.

Psalm 11: 3

God is at work in this world, but so many times, our lives have gotten far from Him. In this series, we’re going to think about some of the things that the Lord may want to do in our lives to bring renewal in our relationship with Him.

This is the final message in the series on the 10 Commandments (Exodus 20) called “God’s Top Ten”. What a great time to study the “10th Commandment: You Shall Not Covet” after we’ve just celebrated a holiday that many times can be focused more on materialistic desires than a hunger for God. Maybe God wants to challenge us to keep our focus on Him as we begin a new year.

Most Americans admit that they tell at least 2-3 lies per day. Lying has just become a way of life for us! We’re going to see that God’s ways are different than our ways as we study the 9th Commandment where God says, “You shall not lie.” Turn to Exodus 20: 16 and follow along as we study God’s Word together.

Words of encouragement from God's Word during a time of depression.

Continuing the series on the Ten Commandments, called “God’s Top Ten,” we study the 8th Commandment and learn that God says, “You shall not steal.”

Money trouble is something we can all appreciate. What does God's Word have to say about this very practical issue?

What does God expect of us in the political arena? Does following Jesus affect the way we vote?

This message was shared on the 8th anniversary of the first worship service at New Hope.

Immorality is so common in our culture today that it almost seems like a “normal” part of life. God’s Word, though, tells us that God has designed intimacy between a man and a woman to be experienced only in a lifelong, marriage commitment. Turn with us to Exodus 20: 14 as we study the 7th of the 10 Commandments, “You shall not commit adultery.”

When asked about their relationship with God, many people say, “I try to live by the 10 Commandments.” One of the most common that people cite is the 6th Commandment as people say, “I’ve never killed anyone.” Today, we want to look at this commandment, see how important it is to God, and see how good a job we’ve done at honoring it.

Even though relationships can be one of the biggest challenges in our lives, they can also bring about some of the greatest blessings when we approach them God’s way. The Lord wants to teach us how to have healthy relationships with others. That will be our focus for the rest of our study on the Ten Commandments. In this message, we study the 5th of the 10 Commandments that deals with our parents and family relationships.

This is the 4th of the 10 Commandments. This one might be the one that is least understood and lived out in our lives. Turn to Exodus 20 as we study about God’s command to “Remember the Sabbath.”

This is the third in a series of messages based on The Ten Commandments. These teachings are respected all over the world and seem to have an important place in God’s heart. Turn with us to Exodus 20 as we study the 3rd commandment of God’s Top Ten.

This series of messages is based on The Ten Commandments. These teachings are respected all over the world and seem to have an important place in God’s heart. Turn with us to Exodus 20 as we study the 2nd of God’s Top Ten.

This begins a new series of messages called “God’s Top Ten” based on The Ten Commandments. Many people are intrigued by these important teachings in God’s Word. Share this series with others as we learn more about God’s plan for our lives!

Special guest speaker Jack King shared about how he experienced forgiveness in his life.