Higher Purpose Ministries

Fresh Starts are not only nice they're necessary.  Jesus is in the Fresh Start Business.  In Matthew chapter 9 we read about a day in the life of Jesus.  He went about healing the blind and freeing those who were bound.  He taught a message that brought life.  We get a quick glimpse into Jesus actual motivation for all that He did.  I think you will be inspired. 

By the way, if you are a Jesus Follower, He expects us to have the same ministry as we follow Him.  He Gives Purpose in Life.

Matthew 9:27-38

Dr. Kelly Carr, Pastor, New Hope Community Church, 3849 FM 1827, McKinney, TX 75071,

God Loves You Very Much!

Fresh Starts, #FreshStart,

Fresh Starts are extremely appealing. So many times on the playground you hear the children yell, "Do over." Even on the golf course the players call for a "Mulligan."

 

In Have you ever wished for a "do over," or a "Mulligan?" Have you ever needed a clean slate, a clean bill of health, or for your debts to be erased? Everyone has.

 

How many soldiers have come back from battle scarred for life? No only with the physical scars, or missing limbs, but sometimes the more difficult emotional scars of what they have seen, heard, and experienced.

 

Everyday Christians also experienced the debilitating wounds of life, whether from abuse, unemployment, hopeless situations, sickness, cancer, unloving relationships, and more.

 

I recently heard how much alcoholism and drug abuse has increased since we were first hit by the pandemic last year. And, of course, all of the things that go with it, such as physical abuse, suicide attempts, and more. In fact, suicide attempts and treatment for psychological problems, and anxiety related problems has skyrocketed among our children and adolescents.

 

In the midst of this crisis, people must be reminded that we have a loving and powerful God who truly cares and powerfully heals.

 

I hope you will join me Sunday morning when we will discuss a fascinating case of an extremely sick soldier who received a fresh start, free of charge. It is a story that only God could put together. But, because He is God, He does this kind of thing everyday.

 

Do YOU need a Fresh Start?

 

Do YOU KNOW someone who needs a Fresh Start?

 

Naaman the Noble General in 2 Kings chapter 5 received a Fresh Start.

 

Kelly Carr, Pastor, New Hope Community Church, 3849 FM 1827, McKinney, Texas 75071,  www.NewHopeCommChurch.com

 

#FreshStart, #Naaman, #Elisha, #ProphetElisha,

 

God Loves You Very Much!

 

Naaman the Noble General:  Sick with Leprosy

A Godly Girl

A Cowardly King: Joram

The Man of God: Elisha

A Healing God

A New Man: Naaman

Prayer gives ordinary Christians the Power to Change the World.

Prayerful People are Powerful People.  Don't let anyone tell you different.

James was the Pastor of the First Church, Jerusalem.  He was the half-brother of Jesus.  He stood strong for the Lord when most others were driven out by persecution or fled in fear.  He helped to change the world.  He was a man of prayer. 

James's nickname was "old camel knees" because of the callouses on his knees from time spent in prayer.  He certainly has the authority to speak to us on the power of prayer.  When he prayed, God listened, and things happened.

James 5:13-20

"Prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance, it is laying hold of His highest willingness." Archbishop Trent.

"The only footprints on the sand of time, that will really last, are the ones made AFTER knee prints."  C. W. Renwick.

"More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of"  Tennyson.

We just don't pray enough, do we?  Someone has said:

No Prayer = No Power

Little Prayer = Little Power

Much Prayer = Much Power

PRAYER gives any Christian the POWER to CHANGE his or her world, and his or her life.  Ultimately change the world.

Prayer is not a spare tire, only to be used in emergencies.  Too many Christians think of prayer and of God as a spare tire.  He is the energy that makes it go and the navigation system that guides us.  To neglect prayer is to neglect the greatest power given to us.

Prayer Covers Everything.  James 5:13

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.

Pray when you are Afflicted.  When you encounter hardship.

Praise when you are Cheerful.  Praise is also a form of prayer.  It is also lifting our voices in beautiful music to worship Him.  Whether Afflicted or Cheerful we still need to PRAY.

James talks about many aspects of prayer including how to pray for the sick, something so important during these days of COVID.

Prayer Covers Everything. 5:13

God Prescribes Prayer.  James 5:14-16

God Promises an Answer.  James 5:16

Passion Pumps Up the Volume.   James 5:17-18

People Are Priority in Prayer.   James 5:19-20

Pray for your Christian Leaders.  James needed it.  Paul requested it.  Contemporary Leaders are dying for it.

Please take this message to heart.  Nothing can stand before Christian prayer warriors.  God can do more in 5 minutes in response to prayer, than we can do in 5 years of striving.

Kelly Carr, Pastor, New Hope Community Church, 3849 FM 1827, McKinney, Texas 75071, Message August 1, 2021

#James, #BookofJames, #Prayer, #PowerofPrayer, #ChristianLifeCoaching,

God Loves You Very Much!

New Hope Community Church               July 18, 2021          Dr. Kelly Carr

The Silent Killer  [Beware of the Silent Stalker]

James 4:11-17

In 1884 a young man died, and after the funeral his grieving parents decided to establish a memorial to him.  With that in mind they met with Charles Eliot, President of Harvard University.  Eliot received this unpretentious couple into his office and asked what he could do. 

After they expressed their desire to fund a memorial, Eliot impatiently said, “Perhaps you have in mind a scholarship.” 

“We were thinking of something more substantial than that … perhaps a building” the woman replied.   

In a very patronizing tone, Eliot brushed aside the idea as being too expensive and the coupe departed.  The next year, Eliot learned that this very plain and humble couple had gone elsewhere and established a memorial to their son.  It was named Leland Stanford Junior University, better know today simply as Stanford.  They gave $26 Million dollars! Eliot's Pride cost him a lot.

Pride can cost us a lot.  In fact, Pride is a Killer. 

Listen to what Solomon had to say about Pride.

The Silent Killer is Pride.  Proverbs 16:18; 29:23

18  Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 (NIV)

23  A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor. Proverbs 29:23 (NIV)

James talks to us about 2 ways that Pride can kill us in our families, our churches, and our futures, in James 4:11-17

He just finished saying in James 4:6 “God is opposed to the Proud, but gives grace to the humble.” And in James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” 

Now he will warn them against this dangerous and silent killer called “PRIDE.” 

We have PRIDE month.  I cringe when I hear it, because I know the sudden and terrible consequences of this sin of pride. 

Everyone is susceptible to it’s deceptive nature.  The devil used it to try and tempt Jesus.  He was well aware of it since it is the thing that brought satan down.  Pride was found in his heart.

Pride lives in the heart.  That is why it is so dangerous.  It can live there and thrive there and the individual may be vaguely aware of its presence, and others around them may know nothing about it.

Pastor Kelly Carr, New Hope Community Church, 3849 FM 1827, McKinney, Texas 75071, www.NewHopeCommChurch.com

#BookofJames, #PRIDE, #Pride, #SinofPride,

God Desires Spiritual Victory for Every Son and Daughter. James 4:10 God wants to “exalt you.”  Not only is that His desire.  It is every Christian’s desire. 

Victory is Within our Grasp!

James 4:7-10

Last time we examined the Roots and Results of Spiritual Failure, and the Resources Christians have for Spiritual Victory. 

In this message we will learn the 4 Radical Actions we can take for Spiritual Victory.

Illust.  About 68 years ago, Sir Edmund Hillary had the first successful climb up Mount Everest with his guide, Tenzing Norgay.  On the 50th Anniversary of that historic climb, 50 Everest Climbers gathered for a celebration in San Francisco.  50 People who braved the hights, fought their fears, disciplined their bodies, endured the elements, and conquered Everest. 

They Got to the Top! 

Our message today is about getting the top.  Spiritual Victory for Jesus!

Intro: 

OK, Bro. Kelly, I understand the struggle. I know the resources. 

Where do I start? What do I do about it?

James tells his people about 4 Radical Actions for the Victorious Life.

Spiritual Victory Part 2

James 4:7-10

New Hope Community Church     July 11, 2021            Dr. Kelly Carr

7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.

10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.

4 Radical Actions for the Victorious Life    James 4:7-10

(You’ll Never Make It to the Top Without These)

4 Actions:  Literally COMMANDS, (10 in all, but 4 Summary Commands.)

4 Keys to Victory.  They are RADICAL.  It takes Radical Actions to get to the TOP.  EXTREME ACTIONS.  You must be willing to do what others are not willing to do.

People do not accidentally get to the Top of Mount Everest. 

People do not Accidentally get to the Olympics, and Win!

These are both Decisive Actions and Daily Actions.

Decisive – Initial, Extreme Decision.

Daily – Action. 

Illust.  Like Marriage:  Decisive Action.  You had to make a Decision.  You also need to make a Daily Decision.  You still want to be Married.

Each Action Contains a Promise. That’s Good!  We Need the Assurance.

God knows these things are tough, so He sweetens the deal with a Promise.

But, Here’s the Catch.  If you do not take the action, you do not get the promise.

Action #1  Submit to God’s Will  James 4:7

#SpiritualVictory, #BookofJames,

Pastor Kelly Carr, New Hope Community Church, 3849 FM 1827, McKinney, Texas 75071,

God Desires Spiritual Victory for Every Son and Daughter.

James 4:10 He wants to “exalt you.”  Not only is that His desire.  It is every Christian’s desire.

God puts a desire for that same spiritual victory into every heart.  The moment you were saved.  You received a new “nature,” a new “self”

We have a God-given desire to ascend.  To be the Best.  To Know God. 

We are made in God’s image.  But we want to be careful of trying to achieve this the wrong way.

So why do so many of us experience spiritual failure? And how can we begin to experience the victory He desires?

Spiritual Victory Part 1

James 4:1-6

The Roots of Spiritual Failure  4:1-2

The Results of Spiritual Failure  4:2-4

The Resources for Spiritual Victory  4:5-6

We must identify the root causes.  Be honest about the wrong results.  And take hold of our spiritual resources.

Pastor Kelly Carr, New Hope Community Church, 3849 FM 1827, McKinney, Texas 75071, www.NewHopeCommChurch.com

God Loves You Very Much!

#SpiritualVictory, #BookofJames,

James 3:13-18 There are two sources of wisdom, Heavenly Wisdom James 3:17  “from heaven”, and Hellish Wisdom  James 3:15  “of the Devil” Remember:  The Source Determines the Course.  James describes these two sources of wisdom and how to build a life worth living on God's Wisdom. 

The Wise man built his house on the Rock, and the wise person today still builds his or her life on the rock of God's Word. 

Dad's and Mom's need to be doubly sure they are building their family on the right foundation, or it will flounder and fail at the worst possible time, when the terrible tsunamies come.

James 3:13-18, #BookofJames, #James, #ChristianLifeCoach,

Kelly Carr, Pastor, New Hope Community Church, 3849 FM 1827, McKinney, TX 75071,

God Loves You Very Much!

James 3:1-12  Tongue Transplant Needed, Part 2

Perhaps nothing has more potential for good than our tongues.  And nothing we possess has more potential for evil and causing harm than our tongues. 

James talks about the Power of the Tongue in the Book of James chapter 3 verses 1-12.  He gives 6 differerent comparisons or illustrations for the tongue, from a rudder of a ship to a slimy serpent. 

Christian leaders must be very careful to harness our speech so that we use it for good and God's glory and not for harm. Excellent for the Life Coaching.  The Faith Based Life Coach must be able to control his or her tongue and also be able to to coach others in controlling their speech.

Listen and then forward it to a friend.

This message is broken into 2 parts .

Dr. Kelly Carr, Pastor, New Hope Community Church, 3849 FM 1827, McKinney, TX, 75071,

#theTongue, #BookofJames,

Perhaps nothing has more potential for good than our tongues.  And nothing we possess has more potential for evil and causing harm than our tongues. 

James talks about the Power of the Tongue in the Book of James chapter 3 verses 1-12.  He gives 6 differerent comparisons or illustrations for the tongue, from a rudder of a ship to a slimy serpent.  James 3:1-12,

Christian leaders must be very careful to harness our speech so that we use it for good and God's glory and not for harm.  Christian Life Coaching calls for people who can control their tongue, but also can coach others in how to control their speech.

This message is broken into 2 parts .

Dr. Kelly Carr, Pastor, New Hope Community Church, 3849 FM 1827, McKinney, TX, 75071,

#theTongue, #BookofJames,

Joshua 1:1-9  Be Strong and Courageous.

We have never been in need of courageous leadership, leaders with Christian convictions, leaders with the courage to follow through on Christian principles, than today. 

As each of us begins our journey through life, as each of us begins our journey of following Christ, as each of us continues on our journey to follow the Lord, we need continuing courage and growing courage.  The enemies do not get smaller, the trials do not get easier, the dangers of following the Lord do not get safer.  We need courage to follow the Lord fully.

Sometimes God asks us to do something far beyond our means and abilities.  Assume leadership, take on a demanding assignment, project, or job.  It is easy to feel underqualified and overwhelmed.  It requires new courage.

The Christian life is not for cowards.  It is full adventures and dangers.

We need Courage for anything important in our lives.  Every act of obedience requires courage.

It’s all right to be cautious—but even a turtle never gets anywhere until he sticks his head out. 

Be Strong and Courageous.  The Call to Courage

“Be strong and courageous!”  Four Times in this Chapter Joshua is told to “Be Strong and Courageous!”  He needed to hear it.  He will need courage and His people will need His courage.  We need #courage too.

Phrase repeated 1:6, 7, 9, 18

Joshua 1:9

9  "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

But From Where does Courage Arise?

At least 3 Clues in Joshua chapter 1.  Here is the first clue ...

#1 The Call and Commission of God on our Lives.  Joshua 1:1-6

Dr. Kelly Carr, Pastor, New Hope Community Church, 3849 FM 1827, McKinney, TX 75071,

#PrincetonTX, #BookofJoshua, #Joshua, #BeStrongandCourageous,

God Loves YOU Very Much!