Discovering HOPE

Discovering HOPE

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Discovering HOPE episodes

  • Episode 339: I Pray for those who don’t know Jesus . . . Yet

    Welcome to HOPE Church Podcast. We are so glad to serve you in this way.

    We would love to connect with you! You can fill out a connect card in the HOPE Church app or here:

    https://www.gfhope.org/connect​

    Giving is a way that we worship God with our tithes and offerings.

    To give online, visit: www.gfhope.org/give
    To give via text: text ‘GFHOPE’ to 77977
    You can also give via the HOPE Church app.
    Or, you can mail a check to: HOPE Church 1601 17th Ave. S Grand Forks, ND 58201

    Want to take notes along with service? Sermon notes are available in the HOPE church app, or at:

    https://www.gfhope.org/sermon-notes​

    If you would like prayer today you can submit your prayer requests here:

    https://www.gfhope.org/prayer​

    Support Discovering HOPE

    35 min
  • Episode 338: I Pray for my Family and Friends

    Welcome to HOPE Church Podcast. We are so glad to serve you in this way.

    We would love to connect with you! You can fill out a connect card in the HOPE Church app or here:

    https://www.gfhope.org/connect​

    Giving is a way that we worship God with our tithes and offerings.

    To give online, visit: www.gfhope.org/give
    To give via text: text ‘GFHOPE’ to 77977
    You can also give via the HOPE Church app.
    Or, you can mail a check to: HOPE Church 1601 17th Ave. S Grand Forks, ND 58201

    Want to take notes along with service? Sermon notes are available in the HOPE church app, or at:

    https://www.gfhope.org/sermon-notes​

    If you would like prayer today you can submit your prayer requests here:

    https://www.gfhope.org/prayer​

    Support Discovering HOPE

    31 min
  • Episode 337: Learning to Pray “Lord, Teach Us…”

    Welcome to HOPE Church Podcast. We are so glad to serve you in this way.

    We would love to connect with you! You can fill out a connect card in the HOPE Church app or here:

    https://www.gfhope.org/connect​

    Giving is a way that we worship God with our tithes and offerings.

    To give online, visit: www.gfhope.org/give
    To give via text: text ‘GFHOPE’ to 77977
    You can also give via the HOPE Church app.
    Or, you can mail a check to: HOPE Church 1601 17th Ave. S Grand Forks, ND 58201

    Want to take notes along with service? Sermon notes are available in the HOPE church app, or at:

    https://www.gfhope.org/sermon-notes​

    If you would like prayer today you can submit your prayer requests here:

    https://www.gfhope.org/prayer​

    Support Discovering HOPE

    43 min
  • Episode 335: Is God a Jerk?
    Is God a Jerk
    September 22, 2024
    Pastor: Mason Peters


    This week Pastor Mason continues the series on deconstructing faith by asking, is God a jerk?


    1) FOUNDATION (PERSPECTIVE)

    Scriptures referenced: Psalm 73,

    • Truth
    • Humilty
    • Perspective

    • 2) WALLS (UNDERSTANDING)
      • Result of Sin (Gen 3:14-20; Rom 3:23; 6:23)

      • Natural Outcome (Deut 28:1-2,15)

      • Protection and Purity (Deut 20:16-18)

      • Justice and Mercy (Exod 34:6-7; Psa 145:8-9)


      • 3) ROOF (PERMISSION TO DOUBT)

        Scriptures referenced: Matt 11:2-6; Mark 4:35-41; Rev 6:9-11








        HOPE Church
        gfhope.org

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        34 min
      • Episode 334: The Human Problem
        The Human Problem
        September 15, 2024
        Pastor: Mason Peters


        We are loved and have value, we have proud and rebellious hearts, are humans special or sinful?


        1) WE ARE loved AND HAVE value

        Scriptures referenced: Genesis ; 2:7; 5:1-2; Psalm 139:13-14; Psalm 8; Luke 12:6

        Genesis 1:26-28 (NIV)

        Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

        God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”


        Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)

        For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.


        Psalm 8 (NIV)

        Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens.Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

        You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!


        Luke 12:6 (NIV)

        Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.


        2) WE ARE Proud AND rebellious

        Scriptures referenced: Genesis 3:1-13; Psalm 10:4; Matthew 19:16-22,

        Genesis 3:1-13 (VER)

        Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

        “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

        Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

        The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”


        Psalm 10:4 (NIV)

        In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.


        Matthew 19:16-22 (NIV)

        Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”

        “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”

        “Which ones?” he inquired.

        Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[a] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”

        “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

        Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

        When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.


        3) WE ARE OFFERED A LIFE OF sacrifice AND reward

        Scriptures referenced: Matthew 7:13-14

        Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

        Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.








        HOPE Church
        gfhope.org

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        32 min
      • Episode 333: Reconstructing Faith: Unmasking Your Doubts – Introduction
        Reconstructing Faith: Unmasking Your Doubts – Introduction
        September 08, 2024
        Pastor: Mason Peters


        This week Pastor Mason Peters begins the series of "Reconstructing Faith: Unmasking Your Doubts". Pastor Mason will walk us through a systematic overview of faith, what it means, how to answer tough questions, and how to built faith that lasts.

        Main Scripture Reference(s): Jude 20-23

        Jude 20-23 (VER)

        But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

        Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.


        1) BE Honest

        Scriptures referenced: Jeremiah 17:9,

        Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV)

        The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?


        2) ** BE Diligent**

        Scriptures referenced: Jude 20-21,

        Jude 20-21 (NIV)

        But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.


        Build

        Acts 17:11-12 (NIV)

        Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.


        Pray

        Ephesians 6:18-19 (NIV)

        And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,


        Walk


        3) BE Merciful

        Scriptures referenced: Jude 22-23, Ephesians 6:12

        Jude 22-23 (VER)

        Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.


        Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

        12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.








        HOPE Church
        gfhope.org

        Support Discovering HOPE

        35 min
      • Episode 330: Contend for the Faith

        Jude 1

        1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,

        To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:

        2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

        3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4 For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

        5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

        8 In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them.

        11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.

        12 These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

        14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

        17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

        20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

        22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

        24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen

        • RECOGNIZE FALSE TEACHERS (Jude 1:18)
        • RESILIENT FAITH (Jude 1:3; 1:20-21)
        • REACH and RESCUE (Jude 1:22-23)
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          37 min
        • Episode 329: A Hospitable Life

          This week Paul walks us through being an open door for those around us.

          3 John

          The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.13 I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.15 Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.

          Three Church Guys

          1. Gaius

          2. Diotrephes

          3. Demetrius:

          4. Acts 19:25-27

            He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. 26 And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. 27 There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

            1. Practice Unreasonable Hospitality
            2. ·Gaius

              3 John 1:1-8 NIV

              To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.2 Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 5 Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth.

              Romans 16:23 NIV

              Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.

              1 Peter 4:8, 9 NIV

              Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

              “We need to meet people where they are, not where we are.

              The gap between those two areas is where judgement (and bias) come from. You can eliminate that judgement and close that gap when you meet people where they are.”

              a Roman Catholic Sister

              1. Ruthlessly Shut the Door on Divisiveness
              2. · Diotrephes

                3 John 1:9-11 NIV

                I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. 10 So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.

                Romans 1:28-32 NIV

                Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips,30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

                Titus 3:10, 11 NIV

                Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. 11 You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.

                1. Live So Others Speak Well of You.
                2. · Demetrius

                  3 John 1:11, 12 NIV

                  Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.12 Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.

                  Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

                  “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

                  1 Peter 2:11-15 NIV

                  Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

                  13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

                  1 Peter 4:8 NIV

                  Above all, love each other deeply . . .

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                  37 min

                About Discovering HOPE

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                Our mission is to encourage people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ, who let God love them, love him in return, and who love others in Jesus' name. Our vision is to touch with the…