SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:27-37 OBSERVATION: Keeping one’s word is essential in the world as God designed it. Broken promises undermine the stability and welfare of society. Jesus’ kingdom ethic is clear on the need for maintaining fidelity within marriage. Stay true to your promise, says Jesus. The only exception is when the other partner severs the relationship…
Author: Norm
Tree Huggers Rule!
How is this for a controversial statement? Am I aligning myself with Greenpeace and other perhaps more radical environmental groups? This Sunday I will be reflecting on our role as caretakers of God’s garden (Genesis 2:15) Check out this link for more Bible verses that speak to creation care. Feedback…
Pledge Sunday (2008)
Hey everyone, please pray for our Pledge Sunday this coming weekend as we once again give the people at Hope the opportunity to pledge their support to the mission and ministry of our Church. We are moving towards the long term goal of basing our Ministry Investment Plan (MIP, formerly ‘budget’) completely on the pledges…
Jan 23 — Matthew 5:21-26
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:21-26 OBSERVATION: The “rules” speak against murder, but the way of Jesus digs deeper to anger and its results (the words that anger produce, like fool). Anger that burns within lashes out with words that burn. Jesus is not saying that someone who says “fool” will go to hell, but that those who vent…
$4000 Surplus!
We are excited to announce that this past year we have experienced a $4000 surplus over what we budgeted for 2007, something we have NEVER experienced here at Hope. That number could increase, depending on how much we spent in 2007 (still to be determined, stay tuned!!) We are thankfully seeing this as a confirmation…
Jan 22 — Matthew 5:13-20
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:13-20 OBSERVATION: The implication of living counter-culturally, living the way of Jesus in this world, is that we will season this world like salt, and we will shine in an otherwise dark and dreary world. This is how God’s kingdom (the world as God intends it to be) is revealed. But its more than…
Jan 21 — Matthew 5:1-12
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 5:1-12 OBSERVATION: The crowds seem to lead Jesus to challenge His disciples with the real message, perhaps to scare off the uncommitted. The essential message is that if you want to experience God’s blessing in God’s way, you need to live counter-culturally. The way of God’s world (His Kingdom) seems contrary to “normal” living….
Jan 20 — Joshua 8:30-35
Feel free to leave your comments. My comments are coming soon! SCRIPTURE: Joshua 8:30-35 OBSERVATION: APPLICATION: PRAYER:
Jan 19 — Joshua 8:18-29
SCRIPTURE: Joshua 8:18-29 OBSERVATION: This scene sounds like it would make a great action movie. But it does not fit with the new covenant stage of God’s plan. God worked within the culture and context of the old covenant (Joshua would likely have been hung by a tree, the people burned by the Canaanites as well,…
Jan 18 — Joshua 8:1-17
SCRIPTURE: Joshua 8:1-17 OBSERVATION: Interesting that while Jericho was defeated without battle, here a very shrewd military tactic is used to defeat Ai. In daily relationships this would be considered deceptive, but in battle it is considered clever. Not sure if there is a lesson in this. I do note that the armies of Ai were…