Hope Christian Fellowship

Time has a way of destroying things we hold dear. Pictures fade. Favorite songs are left un-played and unheard. Our first car is long gone. Even our bodies – after a certain age – start to deteriorate. One of the most precious gifts we ever hold is someone we love. Relationships are not immune to the damage of time and the reality of human fallibility. We make mistakes and those mistakes hurt the...

It seems like night driving has become increasingly difficult because, ironically, the trend of intensely bright headlights makes it harder for drivers to see. While the debate rages on about whether the authorities should or will do anything about this, there is no argument over whether or not it matters.  Seeing the road is vitally important – literally a matter of life and death. While it is ob...

If you had siblings growing up, you probably know the meaning of the word “provoked.” It often carries a very negative feeling of irritating someone into doing something they shouldn’t do. However, the Bible tells us that Christians should naturally be provoking one another – but not in a bad way. We’re going to look at this passage in Hebrews and see part of the reason we should faithfully be in...

First responders are known for many things, but what is always amazing is that when crisis hits, they run TOWARDS the trouble.  Most of us hear an explosion or gunshot or whatever and we protect ourselves.  It is what comes naturally.  But these heroes are lauded for their willingness to do the exact opposite. Could it be that we are so deeply moved by this because it reflects Almighty God? He mov...

How tired are you? The real answer to that question may have more to do with the pace of your life than your sleep patterns. Most people live exhausted because they are doing all they can to carry all that they can, believing there is no other way. But what if our lives need a power beyond our own?  What if this power is available to anyone? We’re going to look at a story of the early church today...

What do you do often enough that it defines your life? Perhaps you go to some location most days or you have a daily exercise regimen. Anything that you do on that kind of a regular basis will have deep echoes into your life. The question is whether or not we notice what is becoming life-forming habits. If we want to be like Jesus and live as vibrant Christians, what kind of patterns should we int...

The holiday season is a special time of reflection for Christians. Leading up to Thanksgiving we set aside time to meditate on the things we are grateful for and give thanks to God, and then as Christmas rolls around we contemplate the greatest gift God has ever given in the birth of Jesus. Yet every one of us has experienced dark times when it feels difficult to see what good things God has for u...

We use titles today regularly without knowing where they came from or what they mean. For example, we often use the title “Mister” or “Mr.” in front of a man’s name without knowing that it originated as a title for men of higher social status. While it is frequently used, the meaning of the word has shifted to a simple use as a formal title for any man. Titles were also used in Biblical times. For...

Waiting for someone to keep their promise can be a frustrating experience. Depending on how well you know the person, you may have trouble waiting for a long time without doubting whether or not they are going to stay true to their word.  God made a promise to humanity back in the Garden of Eden – pretty much right after mankind rebelled and broke everything. That promise waited thousands of years...

Parents generally take naming their baby very seriously. While there are different reasons for everyone, most people put a lot of weight on ‘liking’ the name. Some options are eliminated because a person with ‘that name’ has a painful or bad history with one or both of the parents. Other options are eliminated because of personal taste (i.e. not liking how the name sounds or fits with the family n...

In our culture, it is understandable to say whatever you need to in order to get the results you want. Sometimes it means leaving out certain information to make sure that someone sees your point of view. Other times, it means actually being less than honest to protect yourself. From this mindset, the truth is less important than the results you desire.  Christians can find themselves following al...

In a world that loves attention, we should know who is worth ours. We have a limited amount of time, attention, and energy to give. Are we making choices about where to spend these precious resources like the world does? Those without Jesus tend to turn towards those with fame or money or personality. Christians – even in churches – can often do the same. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts...

To Seek and Save the Lost

When we’re kids, we think it will be great when we grow up and can be ‘the one in charge.’ Of course, when we arrive as adults, we find out that we’re not nearly as free to do what we want as we thought we’d be. It is normal to think that the person who has the power to decide is the one to be envied. Jealousies in jobs or churches or families often come from this mindset surrounding leadership an...

If you ever played a never-ending game of Monopoly as a kid, you know the emptiness of playing a game without a winner. It’s fun for a little while, but the norm is to play a game for competition. We all take that instinct with us into life. We want to keep score. Winners are those with the most. These ideas find traction in how people deal with money. The more you have, the more you’re a winner....

The holiday season is a special time of reflection for Christians. Leading up to Thanksgiving we set aside time to meditate on the things we are grateful for and give thanks to God, and then as Christmas rolls around we contemplate the greatest gift God has ever given in the birth of Jesus. Yet every one of us has experienced dark times when it feels difficult to see what good things God has for u...

Do you have any reason to worry? Of course you do! Human beings are not able to control the world around us, nor are we able to direct everything in our own lives. There are dangers aplenty – many of which we do not see. So we have no choice but to worry and fear, right? Wrong! As believers, we live with a different view of security and life itself. There are many passages in Scripture that teach...

Our kids are such a huge part of our church.  And when Christmas rolls around, one of our greatest blessings is the annual kids Christmas program.  This Sunday we get to enjoy this holiday tradition.  It reminds us of how blessed we are as a church and as families to have these amazing kids.  Plus, it brings joy that is beyond description to have them as a part of our Christmas celebration.  We we...

"Don’t get mad…. Get even.” It’s such a simple saying that gives focus and direction when you’ve been hurt. The betrayal or pain makes you feel powerless, and the thought of revenge reverses that. Instead, your pain makes you strong. That all makes sense in human terms and it is the way many of us want life to work.  But for those who follow Jesus, there is a very different way. We are called...

The world we live in has firmly adopted the idea that each of us get to decide fundamental truths about our lives. This has been seen most prominently in the discussions of gender and sexual orientation. It is understandable that people who do not worship the Lord will chase whatever they define as a path to happiness and satisfaction. But how do Christians face these issues? Again, we are in this...

Do you know someone who has control issues? It is human nature to want to shape our lives according to our desires. But as we fight for what we want or need, are we following the example of the lost world around us? We’re going to look at how Christians fight differently in the battles we face. First and foremost, we have to learn what it means to let the Lord fight our battles. From the story of...

On a typical day, how many times do you see images of people and their lives that invite you to compare your life with theirs? This has always been ‘a thing’ but today’s technology world certainly magnifies the opportunity for each of us. Our culture is grounded in comparison as a way to measure our worth, our accomplishments, and our attractiveness to others. But Christians live differently. We d...

Those who follow Jesus actually don’t belong to this world. Jesus says exactly that in John 15. Peter says we’re citizens of heaven. Both Peter and Paul say we’ve become a part of the family of God. But we still live in this world and we have to deal with decisions, tasks, pressures, and ideas while we’re here. So in John 17:14-18 when Jesus says that He has sent us into the world, but that we are...

When we set out on a mission of authentically representing the God we call Father and a Savior who died for our sakes, it can feel a little like mission impossible. We look to others for leaders that we can follow, we read books to find habits that we can adopt, but the nitty-gritty of our calling as children of God often lies in introspection. Being an ambassador for Christ is not a selfish calli...

How do we best prepare for the road ahead? Life is so full of twists and turns, ups and downs, highs and lows, it’s hard not to allow circumstances get us off track. As we gather together, let us look together to best prepare to walk in the road where God has called us.