Archive for Christ

Jan
27

New Hope Digital Art Forum: Life in the Light

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by David Dinkins

Title: Life in the Light

 

Artist’s description: I tried to illustrate ideas and activities that portray light and life. I feel like we can find true joy when we recognize that God blesses us with each day. We should take advantage of them with our family and friends.

Question: Are you daily living in the light of Christ’s grace?

Contact: Email David Dinkins at stanlee314@gmail.com or friend him on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1041782715).

Thoughtful comments, ideas, and questions regarding the art are welcome in the comments section below. Discussion is encouraged.

Editor’s note: You may be interested in 2 of our featured books this month. How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change a Person? by Rhonda Rhea explores many of the almost 300 references to light in the Bible. In God, Grace, and Girlfriends by Mary R. Snyder you’ll learn the importance of friendships; discover tips on building healthy friendships; and find dozens of possible trips, events, and adventures for you and your girlfriends to explore.

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Jan
6

From America to Moldova and Back: Does My Light Shine for Christ?

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by Kathy Howard

Everywhere we went they could tell.

We didn’t even have to open our mouths. The stares and the whispers made it obvious: they knew we were Americans. But, we weren’t in Africa or Asia where two Caucasian women would easily stand out. We were in Europe.

In October 2011, I spent 2 weeks in Kishinev, Moldova, teaching a class at the Moldova Bible Seminary. I taught 4 hours each morning and spent most of the afternoon grading work and preparing for the next class. My friend Lisa, who traveled with me, stayed busy during the day ministering in various ways with the local church. We both got to interact with many Moldovans and hear about their lives.

Communism’s Lingering Effects

Moldova—part of the former Soviet block—is sandwiched between the Ukraine and Romania. Even 2 decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union the effects of Communist oppression still linger. Many Moldovans remember the overwhelming dominance of the USSR and the rest have heard the stories from the older ones who experienced it.

For instance, Alina, one of our young Moldovan companions and translators, told us about her great-grandparents. Their home was considered especially nice in the small village where they lived because it had 2 rooms—one for the family and one for the animals in cold weather. The Communist Party decided the house would be a great place to hold their local meetings.

Immediately the family was snatched up with only the clothes on their back and dumped in the snowy forests of Siberia to fend for themselves. Lisa asked Alina how they survived. “They wanted to live” was her matter-of-fact answer.

Someone else told us that children were taken from their parents. Others told us of the need to whisper, even at home, because of the very real possibility of being turned in for “crimes” against the government. Constant need. Constant fear. And the dark cloud of despondency that rose during the Soviet years still lingers.

So how did they know we were Americans? Lisa and I thought it must be the way we dressed. Perhaps our style of shoes tipped them off. But, according to Alina, it’s because our faces are “open and ready to smile.”

The darkness of Communism still shadows the Moldovan’s demeanor and overall view of life. By contrast, Lisa and I have lived in freedom all our lives and it shows.

Do I Stand Out?

This experience raised some questions in my mind. Shouldn’t the effects of my spiritual freedom be more evident than those of my political freedom? Yet, no one stares at me on the street because the presence of Christ shines through me.

Why don’t I stand out among my American neighbors like I did on the streets of Moldova?  Instead I tend to blend in.

Here’s my prayer: Lord, make me different from the world. Conform me to the image of Christ so those around me can tell that I belong to You. 

I welcome the stares.

Kathy Howard, www.kathyhoward.org, has authored 3 Bible studies, Before His Throne, God’s Truth Revealed, and Unshakeable Faith. She and her husband live in Houston, Texas.

You may be interested in her articles, “Shaky Times Need an Unshakeable Faith” and “Embrace the ‘Crazy’ Wisdom of God.” Listen to a podcast with Kathy here.

0 Categories : Articles
Jan
3

Download the First 2 Chapters of Rhonda Rhea’s Enlightening New Book

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Download the introduction and first 2 chapters of  Rhonda Rhea’s new book, How Many Lightbulbs Does It Take to Change a Person? Read chapters “God Is Light” and “Jesus, the Light of the World” today.

Fruitful, joy-filled, victorious living happens only as we are spiritually enlightened through the truth of the Word of God and by the inner working of the Spirit of God. With humor and stories, Rhonda Rhea explores many of the almost 300 references to light in the Bible. Her goal is to draw us back to the only light that can produce real change in our lives and in the lives of those we know and love, Christ Himself.

Rhonda Rhea is a humor columnist, radio personality, and author of multiple books. You may enjoy her article for New Hope Digital: “Skittles: The Secret Measure of a Person’s Love.” (Watch for more content from Rhonda this month.)

She lives in the St. Louis area but enjoys travelings to every corner of the nation speaking at all kinds of conferences and events. Rhonda says her favorite and most adventurous roles are as wife to Richie Rhea, senior pastor of Troy First Baptist Church, and as mom to her 5 nearly grown children.

1 Categories : downloads
Nov
16

5 Friendship Lessons from the Trenches

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by Mary R. Snyder

My closest friendships have developed when I least it expected it.

While I was busy working, serving, parenting, and just doing life, God placed some amazing people in my path. Some became lifelong friends, others were only around for a season. But each one had a purpose—some made me laugh at myself, others pushed me to go beyond my small dreams, a few were never supposed to be friends, and some were meant to travel with me for a time. These bonds didn’t happen by mistake—they were God sent.

I’m learning to embrace friendships for the season God intends—and I’m learning to let go when the time is right or the relationship is wrong. It’s a lesson learned in the trenches, through much heartache and tears.

Truths I’ve learned:

Some friends are only for a season. I remember dear friends from my early parenting years. We traveled from bottles and diapers to homework and softball. We share some sweet memories, but our lives have gone in different directions.

Not every friend will become a close friend. And that’s OK. It’s not possible to be great friends with everyone in your circle—you’ll wear yourself out trying. We can see a foundation or model for our own relationships in the relationships Jesus had while on earth. He had varying degrees of closeness with different people. For instance, He was closer to Peter, James, and John than the other disciples.

Sandpaper people have a purpose. The person who just rubs you wrong is in your life for a reason. We often see in Scripture that God uses people to show us His message. Look closer, what is God trying to teach you through this relationship?

Friendships require boundaries and balance. Both are needed to keep your relationships healthy. Friends have a precious place in my life, but they do not take the place of my Savior or my spouse. When you make time for friends, but not for Jesus or your husband, it’s time to reevaluate.

Friendships require an investment. Any healthy relationship requires work, and friendships are no different. I have to be willing and able to invest time. If I don’t have the time, then maybe it’s just not the right time for the friendship.

It’s only by the risen Christ that we find the wisdom to walk through the blessings and the messiness of friendships. I want to honor God in my friendships. I want to laugh, share, encourage, and challenge my friends to be all they can be in Christ. And I need friends who want to do the same for me.

Mary Snyder’s busy blog is one of multiple ways crowds of women connect with this leader’s message of hope, joy, and adventure in Jesus Christ. As Premier Christian Cruises Girl’s Get-A-Way group coordinator, contest director, and girlfriend leader, Mary has a following that’s near, far, and across cultures. When she’s not cruising, she can be found at home with family near Birmingham, Alabama. Her upcoming New Hope Publishers release is God, Grace, and Girlfriends.

5 Categories : Articles, Columns, Mary Snyder
Nov
2

Thirst No More: Choosing Contentment in Christ

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by Dillon Burroughs

“Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.”—Jesus (John 4:14 NIV)

We live in an era that values speed, production, and efficiency. Deadlines and due dates drive much of our daily routine. Enough is never enough.

But is this the life God intends for us to live? Did the One who came to give us life abundantly desire us to experience burnout, depression, or frustrations over unmet obligations and incomplete tasks?

Jesus offers a different view of the world. In a word, it’s contentment.

Many strive because they are unsatisfied. Dissatisfaction with career, relationships, the past, the future—the reasons could fill volumes. That’s why Jesus offered words of comfort—“Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.”

Notice the words in this verse. Each one matters greatly. “Whoever” makes clear that no restrictions apply. Jesus offers each of us true satisfaction, real contentment.

Next, notice the action—“drinks.” There is one thing we must do; we are required to turn to Jesus in complete dependence. Just as the human body cannot continue for long without water, the human soul cannot endure for long without quenching its thirst.

“The water I give them” refers to what Jesus offers. We drink, but He is the One who provides. Without His water, our thirsting will go unsatisfied. Our lives will trek from one alternative to the next, lacking purpose and meaning.

The final phrase—“will never thirst”—shows Jesus is the lasting answer to the enduring problem of discontentment. Without the joy of God in our lives, we will continue to long for other passions that fail to please beyond the moment. The promise of Jesus provides for our needs now and extends into all eternity.

As humans in a fallen world, we still wear down, but, as followers of Christ, we are never without our Source of strength. He is with us, He provides, and He will continue to quench our thirst for all eternity.

Dillon Burroughs is author of the new one-year devotional Thirst No More and coauthor of Not in My Town with Charles Powell. Find out more at DillonBurroughs.org.

Scripture marked (NIV) is from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

0 Categories : Articles, Columns, Dillon Burroughs
Oct
20

No More “Just a Minute”: Make Time to Connect with Christ and Family

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by Mary R. Snyder

“Just a minute.” Three simple words I often spoke to my family. 

  • I was just a minute from watching my little girl twirl and dance to her favorite song.
  • I was just a minute away from looking at her finger painted masterpiece.
  • I was just a minute from listening to my husband’s fishing story.

    It was always just a minute—and somehow those minutes turned into years. 

I missed so much in just a minute. I disconnected from the people I loved most on this earth and it all seemed to happen in just a minute, but truthfully it took years.

My out-of-balance life was filled with minutes dedicated to other people and sadly lacking minutes dedicated to Christ. My life with Christ and my family became an afterthought to my busy schedule. I filled my days with busyness—work projects, church committees, and friend relationships.

The Lord used a messy friendship that I placed over my time with family and with Christ to show me how disconnected I had become. I then began the work of reconnecting to Him and the people I love with all my heart—my family. 

I learned a few things on my journey:

• Keep Jesus first. I keep my eyes and heart on Him. When I stopped making family a priority, it was a season when Christ wasn’t a priority. I was desperately trying to distract myself from what was lacking in my life—time with Christ.  I filled my time with busyness and the wrong people.

I’m in a new season and now do my best to make Him and His Word the center of my day. Now, please don’t think I walk around with my head bowed all the day—I don’t.   I do try to start each day with this prayer: Lord, let me see the people You place in front of me and make them my priority. Above all else, let me glorify You.   

It’s amazing how much that simple prayer is changing my life. The people the Lord places in front of me the most are those I love and live with—my family. 

• Value family. I gave lip service to valuing family, but my lack of attention spoke volumes. I’m learning to see the people in my life, not just look at them with a cursory glance.

I listen when my husband talks. I look at him; I pay attention with my mind and my heart. I do the same with my daughters. Do I always succeed? Of course not. I still get distracted and overwhelmed at times, but they are a priority in my life—not an afterthought.

I slipped into a disconnected life when I placed people, projects, and titles before Christ in my life. It happened slowly . . . putting off prayer and quiet time because I had a deadline or a meeting. Reconnecting took time and energy, but it was well worth the work.

Take just a minute today and connect to those who are closest to you—Christ first and then your family. You’ll be blessed by those minutes.

Mary Snyder’s busy blog is one of multiple ways crowds of women connect with this leader’s message of hope, joy, and adventure in Jesus Christ. As Premier Christian Cruises Girl’s Get-A-Way group coordinator, contest director, and girlfriend leader, Mary has a following that’s near, far, and across cultures. When she’s not cruising, she can be found at home with family near Birmingham, Alabama. Her upcoming New Hope Publishers release is God, Grace, and Girlfriends.

0 Categories : Articles, Columns, Mary Snyder
Sep
16

New Hope Digital Art Forum

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by David Dinkins

Title: Master Key

 Caption: Christ is the key that breaks any bond.

Artist’s description: “I wanted to capture the idea of finding Christ in situations where one is in bondage. He is the key that grants spiritual freedom. When you’re spiritually free then you can truly begin to live.”

Contact: Email David Dinkins at stanlee314@gmail.com or friend him on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1041782715).

Thoughtful comments, ideas, and questions regarding the art are welcome in the comments section below. Discussion is encouraged.

Editor’s note: You may be interested in our two featured  books on human trafficking, Not in My Town and Deliver Me From Evil (a novel).

5 Categories : Articles
Aug
29

Embrace the “Crazy” Wisdom of God

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by Kathy Howard

Crazy talk, right? Surely these statements came from someone without a firm grip on reality— someone who doesn’t understand the way life works.

Actually, these statements, while not quotes, directly reflect teachings of Jesus (check out the hyperlinks). And yes, they are crazy by the world’s standards. Worldly wisdom says things like:

  • Protect yourself at all costs.
  • Grab all the success and notoriety possible.
  • You are number one. Put yourself first.
  • Do what’s best for you. If you don’t take care of yourself no one else will.

Whether we admit it or not, this kind of “wisdom” influences all of us. These messages have flooded our minds since childhood, shaping our worldview and forming our thought patterns. Much of it sounds right, even to sanctified ears.

Human wisdom hasn’t changed much over 2,000 years. The Apostle Peter also suffered from a bad case of carnal logic. His response to Jesus’ declared mission—to go to be killed in Jerusalem—is the most blatant evidence of his affliction.

The event, which marks the commencement of the Lord’s final journey to Jerusalem, ironically comes on the heels of Peter’s great messianic confession (Matthew 16:13–20). Unfortunately, knowing Jesus is Lord does not necessarily equate with humbly submitting to His authority.

“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (Matthew 16:21, NIV).

What?! At the height of His popularity and influence Jesus intended to suffer and die? Jesus’ use of the words “must go” reveal that this plan was not up for debate. The Father had revealed His will—the very plan of salvation—and Jesus was determined to submit to that will obediently and completely.

And He let Peter and the other disciples in on it. Incredible! But instead of responding with awe and wonder, the disciples responded with shock.

The wisdom of the world won the battle in Peter’s mind. Taking Jesus aside he rebuked Him, found in Matthew 16:22. “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!”  

Peter thought he was protecting Jesus. To Peter, the wisdom of God seemed illogical and irrational. How could Jesus’ suffering and death be anything but bad? Peter reacted from his own wisdom and did not grasp the upside-down values of the kingdom. By death there is life.

Today we shake our heads at Peter’s nearsightedness. Yet we often do the same thing. Rather than submitting to God’s divine wisdom and omniscience we rely on our own limited knowledge and act in ways that seem wise in the world’s eyes.

For instance, we may avoid suffering even if it means acting against God’s direction or we ignore parts of God’s Word that are inconvenient or seem outdated.

We do not have to think like the world. Peter grew in his obedience to God’s wise authority and so can we. Peter learned that God’s superior plan often collides with the ways of this world because God has eternity in mind.

Let’s ask God to help us see the world’s “wisdom” for what it is: flimsy and fleeting. Then we can submit to His true wisdom and embrace His perfect plan for us.

Kathy Howard is the author of Unshakeable Faith: 8 Traits for Rock-Solid Living. This 8-session Bible study explores the life and teachings of Peter to help readers experience a faith that will weather every storm of life.

All Scripture quotations from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

 

 

1 Categories : Articles
Jun
15

What Is a Christian Book?

by newhope

This week Jason Dukes, author of Live Sent, led a workshop based on one of my favorite verses, 2 Corinthians 3:3. As a publisher, my favorite version of this verse is found in The Message. “Christ himself wrote it—not with ink, but with God’s living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives—and we publish it.”

The Apostle Paul wrote these words in defense of his ministry. Christ was transforming those to whom Paul had been preaching. Paul was a great missionary, but he knew that only God could make Himself visible in the lives of these believers. God’s mark on their lives was divine, a permanent mark, a life changing mark, a deep and abiding mark, so visible that Paul wrote, “You yourselves are all the endorsement we need. Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you” (2 Corinthians 3:2 MSG).

So what was God carving into the lives of these believers? Most certainly, it was a new moral order with new desires, new relationships, and a new worldview. Most certainly, it was peace, love, and joy etched into their hearts, and as a result they exuded fairness, generosity, acceptance, forgiveness, compassion, honesty, humility, and work ethic like nothing seen before in their communities. Whatever was taking place, these believers were an open book for the world to read and their lives were so unique, so set apart in attitude and behavior, that the only explanation possible was the living Spirit of God carving God’s character into the depth of their souls.

This brings me to publishing. Books that have spiritual value are written by authors being transformed by God. When I look at a New Hope book, my mind doesn’t leap to the message of the book, but rather to the author who penned the book. If we have published someone’s book, it is because we saw evidence of the Christ-life in the author, and God’s living Spirit in the message the author was speaking and writing.

We publish what God is doing in and through His people. This is the value of a New Hope book. And I believe the only value of any book that claims to be “Christian” is found in what God has already done. Believers are who they are because of Christ. And Christian authors write books worth reading because God’s living Spirit has already written God’s message in their hearts.

0 Categories : Blog
May
3

Remember the Prisoners as If Chained with Them

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By Kathi Macias

Revolution in Tunisia. Rioting in the streets of Egypt. A 9.0 earthquake, the resulting tsunami, and ensuing devastation in Japan. Unrest spreading across the already volatile Middle East. Now the fighting and chaos in Libya. Staying abreast of these dramatic current events should be important to any Christian, but I am concerned that the 24/7 visual reports from popular media that bombard all of us may anesthetize believers to a more subtle but deeply troubling issue that tends not to grab headlines.

In researching my most recent novel, People of the Book, set in Saudi Arabia, I discovered that throughout the Middle East Christians daily face varying levels of suffering and persecution, a fact that seldom makes the news in light of the region’s more obvious problems. In some cases, Christians are discriminated against as they seek to obtain jobs, housing, or education. In other cases, the persecution can turn deadly, as in the case of the assassination of the only Christian member of Pakistan’s government, Shahbaz Bhatti, this year. Bhatti spoke out against a blasphemy law that makes it a crime to insult the prophet Muhammad, the Koran, or Islam. The law is obviously aimed at intimidating Christians (as well as others) and those considering conversion from Islam. Bhatti’s high-profile murder did garner some national and international attention, but many other killings do not.

Christians face serious threats from neighbors, even non-Christian relatives, in many areas of North Africa and the Middle East. The term “honor killings” is a misnomer. There is nothing honorable about this horrific crime, but it is a very real threat, not only to girls and women who violate (or are suspected/accused of violating) Muslim law, but also to anyone who converts from Islam to another religion, particularly Christianity.

My friend Dolly Dahdal shares a chilling example. Dolly was born in Lebanon but moved to Saudi Arabia with her family when she was still a young child. Dolly’s family members were all Christians, and together they attended an underground church during the 18 years they lived in the Saudi kingdom. Dolly’s friend, whom I will call Nura, was also a Christian, but her family did not share her faith. When her conversion to Christianity was discovered, her Muslim family was horrified. Determined to restore honor to their family, they beat Nura and demanded that she deny Jesus (Isa) and proclaim her faith in Allah. When she refused, they cut out her tongue and set her on fire. Nura joined the ranks of martyrs who gave their lives rather than deny their Lord.

Sadly, as both my research and my friend Dolly have confirmed, Nura’s murder at the hands of her family members is not an isolated incident. It happens far too often. Our brothers and sisters who love Isa and stand firm in their allegiance to Him live under constant threat of imprisonment, torture, rape, and murder.

What can we as believers do about it? What should we do about it?

Hebrews 13:3 outlines our responsibilities this way: “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also” (NKJV). What would we want others to do if we were physically chained to those who even now suffer for their faith—languishing in prison, being beaten and tortured, or condemned to death?

  1. First, of course, we would want others to pray—passionately and fervently and faithfully. More than an occasional, perfunctory prayer: “Help those who are persecuted. Amen.”
  2. We would also want them to do anything they could to help in a practical manner, such as writing letters on our behalf, petitioning governments, and supporting ministries that help in such situations. (Voice of the Martyrs is one of several such groups.)
  3. We would also want others to raise awareness with their friends and congregation. When people know what’s going they are more likely to pray and act.

It is urgent that supporting our brothers and sisters who suffer for their faith become a priority to the church, “as if chained with them.” Why? Because, as the Scripture points out, we are all members of the same body— the body of Christ.

Shahbaz Bhatti, Dolly’s friend, and countless others continue to pay a terrible price for their faith. May we rise up and stand with them as our Lord has called us to do, regardless of the cost!

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Kathi Macias (www.kathimacias.com, www.theTitus2Women.com, http://kathieasywritermacias.blogspot.com ) is an award-winning author of more than 30 books, including her newest release, People of the Book. A former newspaper columnist and string reporter, Kathi lives in Southern California with her husband, Al.

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