Hope Chapel

     Mililani

By Special Guest Speaker:

Joel Dasalla, Cru Missionary

May 19th, 2013

Luke 10:38-42

May 12, 2013

By Pastor Tim Greseth

Happy Mothers Day!!!

“But just one is needed. Mary has chosen the right thing, and it will not be taken away from her.”    Luke10:42 GNT

The Heart of the Matter

With all that is expected of them, many women try to cut corners. The problem with this is that one aspect that often gets cut or overlooked in women’s (and men’s) lives is that of the spiritual. If we focus only on the material, and neglect the spiritual, we will not find the fulfillment and happiness we are so desperately seeking. The choice is ours.  Our future depends on us choosing the right thing!

The Differences Between Mary and Martha:

1.          They Had a Different Focus on Their Priorities.

“Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing.”   Vs. 39-40a

“Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures toeternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” John 6:27

2.           They Had Different Fellowships With Christ.

“She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”  Vs. 40b

 “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”   1 Corinthians 1:9

3.          They had Different Feelings About Their Priorities.

“But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, youare worried and upset over all these details!’”  Vs. 41

Warning signs of Martha-itis:

1. Distracted.

2. Disgruntled.

3. Demanding. (Telling God what to do).

4. Dissatisfied.

 “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixedon you!”  Isaiah 26:3

Desired traits of Mary-itis:

1. Sitting.

2. Listening.

3. Focused on Jesus.

4. Peaceful.

Questions of the Week

1.             Wha tare the your compulsions and tendencies that keep you from Jesus’ feet?

2.            What are the consequences of these distractions in your life?

3.            Have you humbly repented of allowing these things to keep you from fellowship with Christ?

4.            Share how you will prayerfully rearrange your priorities?

5.            Commit to your group that you will sit and listen to Jesus on a more regular basis so you know how best to serve Him.

By Pastor Tim Greseth

Revelation 21, 22

May 5, 2013

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”  1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT

The Heart of the Matter

There are many things we don’t know about heaven, because it’s beyond our ability to comprehend. But we can be sure that it will be greater than anything we could imagine or dream, it will be a place where love and joy will reign unspoiled. And God is busy preparing it for us.

1.           Heaven Will Be a Real Place.

“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”  Rev. 21: 1,2

2.           Heaven Will Be a Righteous Place.

“‘Hewill wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’”

Rev. 21: 4, 5a

“Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”  Rev.21:27

3.      Heaven Will Be a Rewarding Place.

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.”  Rev. 22:12

4.      Heaven Will Be Relational Place.

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’” 

Rev. 21: 3

Questions of the Week

1.            Have you experienced anythingin this life that resembles how Revelation depicts heaven?

2.            In Revelation 21:4 what do you think it means for God to “wipe every tear from their eyes”?

3.            Does Revelation vision of eternity seem unrealistic to you?  Why or why not?

4.            How should ourview of eternity influence how we live?

The “Starting Point“ Series

Isaiah 65:17-25

April 28, 2013

By Pastor Tim Greseth

“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”  Isaiah 65:17

The Heart of the Matter

The previous age has passed away and the glories of a new millennia has dawned. It will be a time when God Himself will minister through His people.  

The glories of this renewed age will mean that the past is completely forgotten and left behind. All things will be made new!

1.          The Millenium Will Bring New Joy.  

“But be glad and rejoice forever in whatI will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.”   Vv. 18, 19

2.          The Millenium Will Bring New Life.  

“Nolonger will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults diebefore they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old atone hundred! Only the cursed will die that young!”   Vs. 20

3.         The Millenium Will Bring New Comforts.   

“In those days people will live in the houses they build and eat the fruit of their own vineyards. Unlike the past, invaders will not take their houses and confiscate their vineyards. For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains.” Vs.21, 22

4.           The Millenium Will Bring a New Generation.     

“They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune.  For they are people blessed by the Lord, and their children, too, will be blessed.”  Vs. 23

5.           The Millenium Will Bring a New Relationship With God.     

“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” Vs. 24

6.           The Millenium Will Bring New Relationships Among Mankind  

“The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow.  But the snakes will eat dust. In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain. I, the Lord, have spoken!”   Vs. 25

  Questions of the Week

1.    Does talk of the Rapture bring you excitement or fear?  If you answered fear, it could it be that you are unsure of your commitment to God.  It also could be that you fear for loved ones who don’t know Christ.  Either way, now is the time to setthings straight!

2.    When you are experiencing a time of blessing how does it affect your relationship with God? Does it draw you closer to him or further away?

3.    Decide on a plan on how to draw closer to God even in the times of blessings.

The “Starting Point“ Series

Galatians 5:16-25

April 21, 2013

By Pastor Tim Greseth

“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading

 in every part of our lives.”  Galatians 5:25

The Heart of the Matter

The secret to living a victorious Christian lifeis to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance and receive His empowering. This surrendering leads to a transformed life free from the bondage of the Law.  The Apostle Paul said, “To live in victory is to walk by the Spirit.”  It’s our responsibility to partner with God in living Spirit-controlled lives.

1.           The Victorious Life Requires Our Spiritual Surrender.

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”   Vs. 16

2.           The Victorious Life Involves a Spiritual Struggle.

“The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.”  Vs. 17

3.         The Victorious Life Results in Spiritual Freedom. 

“But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the Law of Moses.”   Vs. 18

  Questions of the Week:

1.            In what ways do you nurture the Holy Spirit’s expression of power in your

          life?  (i.e. prayer, mediation, studying the Word, fellowship, etc.)

2.            What are your areas of inner struggle? Have you surrendered these areas

           to God?  Have you employed the power of the Holy Spirit?

3.        Choose today to incorporate spiritual breathing into your daily life.

The “Starting Point“ Series

Isaiah 53

By Pastor Tim Greseth

April 14, 2013

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, begin made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death --- even death on a cross!”  Philippians 2:5-8

The Heart of the Matter

Jesus came the first time as the Suffering Servant, but he will return as the Conquering King. We need to remember that if we join Him in His suffering, we will also join in His great reward.

1.            Christ’s Humble Beginnings.   

“He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground, He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.”  Vs. 2

2.            Christ’s Humiliating Suffering.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our  iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”   Vs. 5

3.         Christ’s Heroic Resurrection.  

“Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors.”  Vs. 12

  Questions of the Week

1.  What are the most important attributes or characteristics of a servant of God?  Which do you possess?

2.   How have you suffered for Christ?  How much further are you willing to go?

3.   How does the knowledge of the rewards that wait for a faithful servant affect your willingness to serve Christ?

4.  Is humility a personality trait or a problem in your life?  If it’s a problem, what is the solution to your problem?

The “Starting Point“ Series

Jeremiah 2: 1-13

April 7, 2013

By Pastor Tim Greseth

“My people have committed two sins:  They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”  Vs. 13

The Heart of the Matter

We are all rebels.  We have all sinned.  What causes us to rebel?  Most often it’s our sinful nature’s objection to rules.  Violating God’s rules always leads to pain and destruction.  Relationships are damaged.  Fortunes are ruined. Lives are destroyed.  But even worse, our rebellious nature causes separation from God.

Our Sins:

1.           “You Have Lost Your Love for Me.”.

“I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce.  But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.” Vs. 7

2.           “You Have Changed Your Gods.”

           “Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.)
 But

            my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.”

            Vs.11

How Should Christians Respond to the Thirsts of Life?

1)  Recognize that they are God-given thirsts.

2)  Understand that God provides a righteous plan to meet our needs.

3) Realize that your needs can never be fully satisfied because we live in

     an imperfect world.

Questions of the Week

1.     Read Jeremiah 17:13. Why did Jeremiah usethis imagery to describe God?

        What was he trying to say?

2.     In Revelation 21:6, and other places, God seems to want us to be thirsty.

        Why is this?

3.     How do Christians handle the problem of life thirsts?  How do people

        without a relationship with God handle these things differently?

4.     What are some ways you see people trying to fill the void in their lives?

5.     What are the costs of completely surrendering to God? What are the costs

        of not surrendering to him?

By Pastor Tim Greseth

Easter Sunday

March 31, 2013

What Does the Death and Resurrection of Christ Change?

1.           Through Christ:  We Are Forgiven!

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus… For what the law was powerless to do, in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his Son in the likeness ofsinful man to be a sin offering.” Romans 8: 1, 3

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph.2:8-9

2.           Through Christ:  We Are Being Transformed!


“Do not conform to the pattern ofthis world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”   Romans 12:2

3.             Through Christand Christians: God Is Restoring All Things!

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his very appeal through us.”    I Cor. 5: 20

The “Starting Point“ Series

Luke 15

March 24, 2013

By Pastor Tim Greseth

“Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”   Luke 15: 23, 24

The Heart of the Matter

Your Heavenly Father loves you with a passion!  How do we know that? When you were lost to him he pursued you with a passion!  There is nothing he won’t do to make you his own.  He is just as passionate about all the lost sheep wandering around in our lives.

How Passionately Does God Pursue the Lost?

1.           God is Persistent in Finding the Lost.

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?“   Vs. 4

2.           God is Painstaking in Finding the Lost.

“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?” Vs.8

3.           God is Patient in Finding the Lost.

“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a longway off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”   Vs. 20

4.      God Parties When He Finds the Lost!

“Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’”  Vs. 6

“And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’”  Vs. 9

“Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found…..’” Vv. 23, 24

Questions of the Week

1.            How has God proven his persistence in your life?

2.            How has God shown his pain staking efforts in your life?

3.            How has God shown his patience in your life?

4.            Can he do the same for the lost in your life?

           Pray for them.  You may be the only who is.

The “Starting Point“ Series

Romans 7: 9 - 25

March 17, 2013

By Pastor Tim Greseth

“I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is

at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave tothe sin that is still within me.”    Romans 7:22, 23

The Heart of the Matter

God created a perfect world for his beloved children to live in, but we destroyed that paradise though rebellion andsin.  Before Christ came into ourlives we were defeated by sin. With Christ in our lives we possess the power to fight sin. Complete victory over sin and a restoration of paradise will not be experienced in thislife.  We battle, in this present life, for our reward in the next.

1.           In the Past: With the Law We Were Defeated.

“At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, andI died.” “Vs. 9, 10

2.      In the Present:With the Spirit We Fight.

“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.  But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.”  Vv. 15, 16

3.         In the Future: With the Lord We Will Be Victorious!

“Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Vv. 24, 25

Questions of the Week

1.            In your won words, how would you define sin?

2.            How should we measure the seriousness of our sin?

3.            Ho do you respond to the statement that, like Adam and Eve, our sin has broken our relationship with God?

4.            What practical steps can you take, this week, to fortify the Spirit within you and starve out the enemy?