New Hope Community Church
10351 No. 1 Rd. V7E1S1 Richmond, BC, Canada

Happy Father's Day to the fathers of New Hope!

Do Our Prayers Matter? by Max Lucado If you can do anything for him, please have pity on us and help us. This prayer in Mark 9:22 doesn’t sound courageous or confident. It was the prayer of a desperate parent with a demon-possessed son in need of a miracle.... Most of our prayer lives could use a tune-up. Some prayer lives lack consistency. Others need sincerity. And some honestly wonder if prayer makes a difference. We are tempted to wait to pray until we know how to pray. Notice that Jesus responded to the man’s prayer. God is more moved by our hurt than our eloquence. Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the one who hears it and not the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.

Trust in God, and Trust in Me by Max Lucado I’ve often thought it curious how few people Jesus raised from the dead.... He healed hundreds and fed thousands, but as far as we know he only raised three: the daughter of Jairus, the boy near Nain, and Lazarus. Why so few? Could it be because he knew he’d be doing them no favors? Could it be because he couldn’t get any volunteers? Could it be that once someone is there, the last place they want to return to is here? We must trust God. We must trust not only that he does what is best but that he knows what is ahead. Ponder these words of Isaiah 57:12: The good men perish; the godly die before their time and no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to realize that God is taking them away from the evil days ahead. For the godly who die shall rest in peace (TLB).

One Decision Away from Joy by Max Lucado In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus promises joy nine times! But this joy is not cheap. Observe the sequence. First, we recognize we are in need we are poor in spirit. Next, we repent of our self-sufficiency we mourn. We quit calling the shots and surrender control to God we are meek. Grateful for his presence, we yearn for more of him we hunger and thirst. As we grow closer to him, we become more like him. We forgive others we are m...erciful. We change our outlook we are pure in heart. We love others we are peacemakers. We endure injustice we are persecuted. (Matthew 5:3-12). The more radical the change, the greater the joy. His is a joy that consequences cannot quench. His is a peace that circumstances cannot steal. And it is within your reach. You are one decision away from joy.

Happy Mother's Day to New Hope's Mommies!