
Hosted by New Hope Church Hilo Hawaii · EN

There’s something about worship that resonates so deeply within each and every one of us. It’s more than a thing we do or an activity we participate in. Worship is meant to be our response of who God is. It is our identity. It’s our purpose. It’s what we are wired for.

When the world's values don't match our beliefs, but God calls us to love people and lead them to Jesus, what do we do?

Jesus didn't save us so we could keep identifying with our wounds. He redeemed us so we could live from His victory not from trash.

Around the world, people openly express what they believe in. But faith isn't just what you say you believe—it's what you trust enough to act on. So today, let's ask ourselves: Where's your faith?

When God created the earth, He didn’t keep it for Himself. He created man and woman with the intent on having a relationship with them. From the beginning, we were wired for relationships with the Lord and with each other.

We all start our journey with Jesus at the same place. Our intentions are pure, and we have our sights and bearings fixed on God. However, almost immediately afterwards we encounter the “high winds”, and “rough waters” that push us off course just a degree or two. This small deviation may seem rather insignificant, but over the course of a month, a year, or in my case 10 years, that one degree results in us being waaaaay off course! But do not despair my friends! The God of grace will always make a way to re-orient ourselves back to our true north, back to Jesus.

Every person has scars, physical, emotional, or spiritual. The question is not whether we have them, but who is telling us what they mean. Through the story of the twelve spies, we discover that the stories we believe shape our identity, our faith, and our future. While fear rewrites our story through doubt and insecurity, God’s Word speaks a better story. A story of faith, identity, and redemption. Ultimately, Jesus’ scars remind us that God doesn’t always erase our wounds; He redeems them for His glory.

Life has its moments. Some are good, some are bad, and some are ugly. We’ve all experienced these moments. Some of us may find ourselves in one of those moments right now. Maybe life is good. Maybe life isn’t the greatest right now. And maybe for some, life is just ugly. But whether we find ourselves in the good, the bad, or even the ugly, we can take heart because Jesus meets us where we are.

Today we're going to learn that God's mercy gives us time—not to stay the same, but to repent, make things right, and help others find Jesus too.

Repentance is more than feeling sorry for sin—it’s changing how we think by trusting Christ above our feelings. True repentance leads us to Jesus, bringing lasting peace, while repentance from dead works leaves us exhausted, anxious, and unchanged.