New Hope Church - Podcast

This one commandment covers a multitude of things: relationships, sexuality, and both physical and emotional sin. When God commands us to not commit adultery, He is protecting our bodies, hearts, and souls.

We talk a lot about representing Jesus well. That’s why we work hard as a church to make a difference in the lives of people locally and around the world. This week, we are happy to welcome Tom Eggum to New Hope. Tom is an example for all of us of what it really means to be ‘boots on the ground’, serving in some of the poorest regions of the world. You will be hard-pressed to find someone with suc...

It’s plain and simple – we are not to take anything that belongs to another person. Property seems the most obvious application here, but it also covers things like stealing another person’s reputation, trust, and dignity.

When we lie, we are not reflecting God’s character, which is love and truth. Furthermore, we can cause great damage to the credibility and reputation of others. Lying is self-destructive and dishonors God and the new life we’ve been given.

Human life is precious. All people are made in God’s image and deserve respect. Yes, we are broken, but this command makes the welfare of others a responsibility of us all.

We are born with a tendency to test boundaries and break rules. God calls us to show respect and obey our parents and other authorities in our lives. When done correctly, they should be a source of comfort, provision, and safety for us.

In the story of Creation, God rested on the seventh day. Why is that important to us today? Sabbath isn’t something we’re bound to; it’s a promise we’re invited to enjoy.

Carrying God’s name is a privilege that has great responsibility. Those who know Him need to show God’s nature and character in all we say and do.

The word ‘idols’ can bring to mind figurines or other types of totems. But an idol is anything we give priority to over God. Things like money, power, relationships, possessions, and popularity can become idols.

Jesus referred to this as the greatest commandment. We are told to worship Him with all our heart, soul, and mind. This is the starting place.

Many people find meaning in the symbol of the semicolon. It represents not the end but a new beginning. The end of the Easter story is beyond what we want. God gave us what we need through His Son and saved us for all eternity.

Jesus came as our rescue and Savior. How could it be that He would die on that cross? Our hopes and dreams were crushed as God’s plan transpired in the most heartbreaking way.

God developed a plan to save us from ourselves, and it would come at a tremendous price. Jesus revealed this plan to His trusted circle, but no one got it.

Short-sightedness is a trait most of us can claim to some degree. We cry out to God in prayer when things aren’t going our way but soon forget our need for Him when things are better.

In December, we looked at how God did something radically unexpected and new by sending His Son to rescue us. All hope seemed lost when Jesus died on the cross…or was it?

God doesn’t keep score, and He doesn’t have a tally sheet. He loves us all, regardless of our story, and He is extravagant in offering grace.

The Bible is clear that all we have is ultimately from God. How we use our time, talent, treasure, and influence, therefore, should be as managers and not owners.

Jesus made it clear He came to earth on a mission of the utmost importance. It wasn’t to start a new religion. He came to rescue those who were lost and far from God.

When we make the decision to follow Jesus, we begin to adopt a new mindset. Our new identity calls us to rely on Jesus and His plan and to put others first.

Jesus offered forgiveness to all of us without condition when he died on the cross. Our instructions are to love each other and offer the same grace we’ve been given. Forgiveness is a true mark of a follower.

The church is a group of broken people trying to learn more about God and grow into who He wants us to be. We won’t perfect that until we join Him in heaven. Why there isn’t a perfect church? It’s because there are no perfect people.

We will all face a variety of challenges throughout our lives, and we have to choose how we handle them. Jesus shows us God is really good and trustworthy.

Jesus told two great stories about finding valuable treasure. We’ll see two ways to discover God, and one way to experience Him.

We often hear life referred to as a journey. The idea is we will have to navigate a lot of different terrain during our time on earth. The roads can be bumpy, smooth, full of potholes, and sometimes one-way. The weather changes, our travel companions change, and sometimes even who we follow is unclear. At times, we’re so far off road we need a map to get back on track. Our faith is no different. W...