New Life In Christ
One of my favorite TV shows is "Extreme Makeover-Home Edition." It's a reality show with a team of contractors, designers and workers that go around the country remodeling homes that are run down, all torn up and in need of improvement and change. Each episode features a project that would usually take at least four months, but the entire house is totally and completely rebuilt in seven days. This show believes in the old becoming new. The lives of the families chosen for the project are radically changed forever from being a part of this experience! Having a new home is a gift from the show.
It was revealed to me in the Word that this is what God has done for each of us in Christ Jesus – a makeover. Notice I didn't say He put "make-up" on us. We all know what "make-up" is; it's a substance that makes you look better and after a while it wears off or you have to take it off. No, God did a "re-make" on us – permanent and completely brand new! We've been "rebuilt, remodeled, renovated, renewed, restored and improved" and we've been radically changed! Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. (Ephesians 2:1, NLT). But God showed His love toward us when we were in that condition. The makeover by the Father that takes place in those who believe and receive His Son begins with new life. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so very much, that even while we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's special favor that you have been saved!) (Ephesians 2:4-5, NLT).
We can't take any credit for the makeover; it was a gift from God. God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. (Ephesians 2:8-9, NLT). We were messed up, torn up, with all kinds of "dirt, decay, mold, cracks, holes, leaks, broken pieces and parts" just like those homes on that show. We were in need of a makeover, and the only way it could happen extremely was through CHRIST!
What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old is gone. A new life has begun! All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19, NLT). So Encourage and remind yourself, and also remember to share it with someone else, "I'm not what I used to be and I don't look like I used to. I've had an extreme makeover!"
Scripture Of The Day: "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." - Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
Monday, January 9, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
I’ve Got Next
A New Beginning
That is the statement one makes when he intends to be the next one to play in a pick-up basketball game. Today it is not used to reference intentions for a game rather it is for the next level of victory in life. At the beginning of every year there is always great anticipation and expectation that the New Year will bring greater manifestations of blessings than the previous year.
If you want to experience new levels of blessings it requires new levels of commitment, dedication, and willingness on your part. Isaiah 1:19-20 states “if you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.”
These verses give two very different options going forward.
1.To be willing and obedient or
2.To refuse and rebel.
Both options produce results. To be willing and obedient causes one to eat the good of the land. To refuse and rebel causes one to be devoured with the sword of the enemy. If your life seems to have been devoured by the sword of the enemy for too long then this is your year to eat the good of the land.
It’s time to call your “next” by going to new levels of faith. It is clear that the level that you are on right now will only allow you to experience whatever is on that level. Just think, at one time it was your faith for another level that got you where you are today, but now it is just faith to maintain. This is not the time to maintain but to gain ground.
It’s your year to call next in increasing your potential for partaking of what God promised and planned for your life. May I suggest that you agree with Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for it is He who is faithful that promised”.
This year call next to see your dreams manifest, next to see your vision come to fruition, next to experience the healing in your body, next to walk into that new opportunity, and next to find the fulfillment of your purpose and destiny. Refuse to be subject to another year without eating the good of the land. It is God’s promise to you.
The reason that you can eat the good of the land does not depend upon your ability, but on your willingness and obedience to hold fast to the profession of your faith, because the victory comes as a result of the faithfulness of our heavenly Father. Whatever you missed in your past, declare that this year, whatever the land is producing, the good part belongs to you. I’ve Got Next!
Scripture Of The Day: "If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land, but if refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken." - Isaiah 1:19-20 (NIV)
That is the statement one makes when he intends to be the next one to play in a pick-up basketball game. Today it is not used to reference intentions for a game rather it is for the next level of victory in life. At the beginning of every year there is always great anticipation and expectation that the New Year will bring greater manifestations of blessings than the previous year.
If you want to experience new levels of blessings it requires new levels of commitment, dedication, and willingness on your part. Isaiah 1:19-20 states “if you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.”
These verses give two very different options going forward.
1.To be willing and obedient or
2.To refuse and rebel.
Both options produce results. To be willing and obedient causes one to eat the good of the land. To refuse and rebel causes one to be devoured with the sword of the enemy. If your life seems to have been devoured by the sword of the enemy for too long then this is your year to eat the good of the land.
It’s time to call your “next” by going to new levels of faith. It is clear that the level that you are on right now will only allow you to experience whatever is on that level. Just think, at one time it was your faith for another level that got you where you are today, but now it is just faith to maintain. This is not the time to maintain but to gain ground.
It’s your year to call next in increasing your potential for partaking of what God promised and planned for your life. May I suggest that you agree with Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering for it is He who is faithful that promised”.
This year call next to see your dreams manifest, next to see your vision come to fruition, next to experience the healing in your body, next to walk into that new opportunity, and next to find the fulfillment of your purpose and destiny. Refuse to be subject to another year without eating the good of the land. It is God’s promise to you.
The reason that you can eat the good of the land does not depend upon your ability, but on your willingness and obedience to hold fast to the profession of your faith, because the victory comes as a result of the faithfulness of our heavenly Father. Whatever you missed in your past, declare that this year, whatever the land is producing, the good part belongs to you. I’ve Got Next!
Scripture Of The Day: "If you be willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land, but if refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken." - Isaiah 1:19-20 (NIV)
Monday, January 2, 2012
A Sleeping Angel on New Year's Eve
Happy New Year from the New Hope family. New Year's saw the New Hope family gathered in the sanctuary, reflecting on the past year.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Giving Thanks
Power Tool
We have so much to thank Jesus for. We thank Him for dying for us, healing us, filling us with His Holy Spirit, changing us, giving us a roof over our heads, food to eat, shoes and clothes to wear, a sound mind and body, and the list goes on. And yet, there is another side to Thanksgiving that I only started realizing here lately.
Thanksgiving is a power tool to the children of God! We see this so clearly in His word that says, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:57). In this scripture, we see that if we will begin to give God thanks for the things in our lives that we need victory for, we shall receive victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Our victory begins with giving God thanks for it first. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory . . .” We give thanks to God, then victory follows!
If your spouse needs to be born again, begin giving thanks to God for it now and victory will follow. If you’re in need of a healing in your body, give thanks now for your healing has come. If there is a bill that needs to be paid, give God thanks that He has paid it in full now in Jesus Name. And don’t stop giving thanks. Keep giving thanks until your victory has manifested. When God hears you thanking Him over and over, His promise to you and I is VICTORY. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Your thanksgiving in the midst of your need will usher in the victory. Tap into the power tool of thanksgiving every day of the year. There truly is victory in your thanksgiving.
Scripture Of The Day: “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57 (KJV)
We have so much to thank Jesus for. We thank Him for dying for us, healing us, filling us with His Holy Spirit, changing us, giving us a roof over our heads, food to eat, shoes and clothes to wear, a sound mind and body, and the list goes on. And yet, there is another side to Thanksgiving that I only started realizing here lately.
Thanksgiving is a power tool to the children of God! We see this so clearly in His word that says, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Corinthians 15:57). In this scripture, we see that if we will begin to give God thanks for the things in our lives that we need victory for, we shall receive victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Our victory begins with giving God thanks for it first. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory . . .” We give thanks to God, then victory follows!
If your spouse needs to be born again, begin giving thanks to God for it now and victory will follow. If you’re in need of a healing in your body, give thanks now for your healing has come. If there is a bill that needs to be paid, give God thanks that He has paid it in full now in Jesus Name. And don’t stop giving thanks. Keep giving thanks until your victory has manifested. When God hears you thanking Him over and over, His promise to you and I is VICTORY. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Your thanksgiving in the midst of your need will usher in the victory. Tap into the power tool of thanksgiving every day of the year. There truly is victory in your thanksgiving.
Scripture Of The Day: “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57 (KJV)
Monday, December 19, 2011
Hope for Tomorrow
Hope for Tomorrow
In many places around the world, there are people who have been in the Christmas mood for a number of days and in some cases, weeks. Gifts, dinners, shopping, sports and a number of other things seem to signal this annual holiday season. But have you ever really stopped to think about what Christmas is really all about? Beyond just saying, “Oh, it’s about Jesus’ birth.” What is that really about?
I believe the real meaning of Christmas is about hope. Hope is the expectation of a promise being fulfilled. It is the anticipation that a specific circumstance will be met with a different outcome than what currently exists. Bad relationships without hope lead to divorce, separation, and irreconcilable differences. Unemployment without hope leads to stress attacks and headaches. An unfavorable medical diagnosis without hope could lead to suicide or depression. And as we inspect our own lives, we can see the truth of Proverbs 13:12, “hope deferred makes the heart sick…” Moments and seasons where our hope was weaning, we all can confirm that we were headed for a destination that we really did not desire. We had to find a way to fight to restore the hope that lay deep within us.
The birth of Christ, his reason for coming and the lasting legacy that Jesus has established, is all about us living lives of hope. Without Christ being born or willingly leaving a legacy, which includes His Word and the Holy Spirit, we would not be able to have any sense of hope about our faith, finances, families, friends or future.
But with His birth, everything stands the chance to be defeated as it attempts to stand between us and the realization of God’s promises. With Jesus leaving His legacy, we have the opportunity to keep a lifted head in any circumstance.
1 Peter 1: 3-4 (NIV) tell us, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” The Message Translation of this same verse helps us understand clearly why we have hope through Jesus Christ. It says, “What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!”
The truth of your future starts right now. In most Christmas traditions, you have to wait until Christmas day to open your gifts and presents. The good news is that you don’t have to wait for hope, you have it right now. The gift has been presented to you and ready for you to receive it. Your future, faith, family and finances all have just been injected with hope. Today, hope is alive!
Scripture Of The Day: "Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!" - 1 Peter 1:3-4 (MSG)
In many places around the world, there are people who have been in the Christmas mood for a number of days and in some cases, weeks. Gifts, dinners, shopping, sports and a number of other things seem to signal this annual holiday season. But have you ever really stopped to think about what Christmas is really all about? Beyond just saying, “Oh, it’s about Jesus’ birth.” What is that really about?
I believe the real meaning of Christmas is about hope. Hope is the expectation of a promise being fulfilled. It is the anticipation that a specific circumstance will be met with a different outcome than what currently exists. Bad relationships without hope lead to divorce, separation, and irreconcilable differences. Unemployment without hope leads to stress attacks and headaches. An unfavorable medical diagnosis without hope could lead to suicide or depression. And as we inspect our own lives, we can see the truth of Proverbs 13:12, “hope deferred makes the heart sick…” Moments and seasons where our hope was weaning, we all can confirm that we were headed for a destination that we really did not desire. We had to find a way to fight to restore the hope that lay deep within us.
The birth of Christ, his reason for coming and the lasting legacy that Jesus has established, is all about us living lives of hope. Without Christ being born or willingly leaving a legacy, which includes His Word and the Holy Spirit, we would not be able to have any sense of hope about our faith, finances, families, friends or future.
But with His birth, everything stands the chance to be defeated as it attempts to stand between us and the realization of God’s promises. With Jesus leaving His legacy, we have the opportunity to keep a lifted head in any circumstance.
1 Peter 1: 3-4 (NIV) tell us, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” The Message Translation of this same verse helps us understand clearly why we have hope through Jesus Christ. It says, “What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!”
The truth of your future starts right now. In most Christmas traditions, you have to wait until Christmas day to open your gifts and presents. The good news is that you don’t have to wait for hope, you have it right now. The gift has been presented to you and ready for you to receive it. Your future, faith, family and finances all have just been injected with hope. Today, hope is alive!
Scripture Of The Day: "Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!" - 1 Peter 1:3-4 (MSG)
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Go Tell It On The Mountain
The youth of the New Hope Baptist Church gave a wonderful version of the Gospel song,"Go Tell It On The Mountain"
Monday, December 5, 2011
The Youth of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
After a wonderful service, yesterday the youth gathered for this group photo.
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