Reformation Hope Church

Our Christian Faith is a practical Faith. The fact is over half of the signers of our Constitution attended a seminary as part of their education. Evidence of this can be seen as one examines the writings of our founding fathers and finds the liberal application of biblical text and precepts throughout. The effect was the Prophetic Word of God unified our Nation. The purpose of the Prophets was foundational in unifying the churches and peoples. If the church is a mess so will the world be. Bad or false prophets make men vain when approaching the Word of God. By this, sin is given a place to enter. Sin scatters, divides, and tears apart churches, families, society, and nations. One of the favorite tools of sin is its demand for neutrality. The Prophetic Word of God clearly shows us that we cannot serve two masters; therefore, a choice must be made. The prophetic Word of God causes the heart to bow; it brings out the secrets of men. The Word of God in Prophecy is powerful and true, it is a light from

We better stop mis-teaching Romans 13. We better become a multitude that seeks the honor of a King because the King is honorable. If not he should be impeached judicially.

Can a Civil Magistrate sin? Saul did. His foolish decree ended up causing his people to sin and his son Jonathan to be condemned to death. As a result of Saul’s actions God turned a deaf ear to his prayer. The people had to make a choice, step back and let Jonathan die (escapism) or rise up on behalf of Jonathan (faithful intervention). Come and hear the choice Saul’s people made and discover how this applies to our lives today.

There is grace in mourning in that God uses it to change hearts. See how this plays out in the public and private lives of our founding fathers. Romans 13:1-5, 2 Chronicles 22:10-23:21) Have you given much thought to the history of July 4th? Beyond parades, picnics, and fireworks? Perhaps you've thought of our forefathers: Patrick Henry, George Washington, Ben Franklin, or others? Have you studied the forefathers' lives to see what made them sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4th in 1776? How did God prepare our forefathers to take that sober--and dangerous--stand so many years ago? This July 4th take a moment to consider our forefathers and something they had in common. Many of our forefathers--Patrick Henry, George Washington, Ben Franklin, and others--all experienced deep mourning in their personal lives. Patrick Henry mourned the lost of his beloved wife's mind. George Washington mourned the passing of his dear daughter. Ben Franklin

What todays Church needs is the filling, leading and gifting of God's people by His Spirit. To strengthen and embolden us to deliver the Gospel so that by His Spirit God may move the disobedient towards Justice and Wisdom. That by that same Wisdom we might be taught how to be Just,Merciful and Longsuffering.,

"Quickening" Romans 12:1-3, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Luke 17:1-10 Is it your prayer that God would quicken you? would make you alive? Not only in the sense of salvation, but in the sense of bringing the dry bones of your heart alive to serving Him well on a daily basis? Psalm 119 records the psalmist's prayer--"quicken me"-- several times just in that psalm alone. It should be our prayer too; a quickening of His people according to His word (Psalm 119:25). Ezekiel 37 records the quickening of the dry bones through God commanding Ezekiel to prophesy His word.This pictures God's quickening of the captive Jews in Babylon. The Jews are able to return because God's quickening of their spirits revive them--brings them alive again for the task at hand. Is that our prayer? That there would be a quickening of God's people in America and around the world? Is it our pray

Powerful Changes and the promises of Scripture.

Be Not Conformed...Be Transformed (First Example) Romans 12:1-3, Psalm 67, Numbers 9:6-10 Have you ever considered what dead bodies have to do with God's command--"be not conformed to this world" (Romans12:2)? What do dead bodies have to do with Psalm 67, where the psalmist is pleading with God to be merciful, "that thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations"? Don't all people die? How can a person "be not conformed" in his death? How can ones death make God's "saving health" (Psalm 67:2) be known among all nations? This first example-- of death and burial--shows how deeply we must renew our minds that we "be not conformed to this world" (Romans 12:2). If we truly want God's way to "be known upon earth" (Psalm 67:2), then we must seek His mercy and blessing (Psalm 67:1) in the studying--and living--of His word. How Christians handle death (and all its aspects) can show God's "saving health among all na

Pulpits aflame with Righteousness. The Black Regiment

Be not Conformed...Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind" (Proverbs 1, Romans 12:1-9) In Romans 12 and Proverbs 1 the Word of God calls us to live lives of virtue. Virtue? A word not used much in our day. A fitting definition for our purposes would be 'the practice of moral excellence and duties from a sincere love to God and His laws.' Proverbs 1 encourages us to seek God's wisdom, the basis of the virtues listed by Paul in Romans 12. Romans 12:1 calls us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. We show God our thankfulness by actively serving Him; by actively living lives of virtue. If we adhere to His wisdom (Proverbs 1:23), we renew our minds (Romans 12:2),and our lives are transformed into ones of virtuous service. Proverbs 1 warns us against disdaining wisdom, while Romans 12 reminds us of our "reasonable service" to our graciou

In Memorium: Our Sermon today is taken from Romans 12. We learn that the Church today is a torment to herself, a grief to to her friends and scorn to her enemies. The Black Regiment called for a weighing of one's own sin and a call to repentance of an entire generation. Grief brings a searching of the mind and faith a resolve of soul. Are we a people clothed in holiness? Are our hearts prepared to handle the holiness of God? Does our virtue set us apart wholly devoted to be a living sacrifice? Our American heritage would teach us so.

Romans 11:29 states, "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance." What does this mean? Does it have meaning beyond Romans 11? Beyond the unrepentant call of God to the Jews as He used the severe cutting of this natural branch (Romans 11:21) and the unnatural ingrafting of the Gentiles to provoke the Jews to jealousy? Was Romans 11:29 a warning only for that time--a warning that God will do whatever is necessary to have the Jews obey His call? Romans 11:29 can be applied throughout all time. Years before the time of Romans 11, the callings of God to Moses, Samson, and David were not repented of even though each of these men resisted the calling of God. Instead, God did whatever was necessary until each man fulfilled his particular calling of God in spite of their sin and disobedience. Were these times pleasant for the men? NO! We Christians today need to heed Romans 11:29. God promises to gift us for our callings, but warns us in this verse that the calling of God is

Are you a thrill seeker? Lover of the sensational? Into UFO's and aliens? Do we, like people of old, seek signs and wonders instead of God's prophetic Word? Do we turn away in unbelief (Romans 11:20), so distracted by the "miracles" of our day that we don't recognize the Christ--the Prophetic Word in human form? Do we give our attention to announcements like "the world will end May 26th!" rather than listen to the steady call of the prophetic Word (I Thess.5:1-8; Romans 11:21-22)? God--through His prophetic Word--calls us, giving us hope as He has "not appointed us to wrath" (I Thess.5:9). The prophetic Word gives us understanding (Romans 11: 11-14) and warnings (Romans 11: 20-21) so we may remember that God is not a plaything (Romans 11:22). God's prophetic Word is designed to call the church; calling us to be sober and watchful (I Thess.5:6). It calls us to not be afraid, but to be prepared. Are you grounded in the prophetic Word, or will Satan distract you, using the

(I Corinthians 2, II Cor. 10:1-11, Hebrews 11:1-10) Christians are called to understand the invisible hand of God; His ruling power in the midst of persecution or reformation. God's invisible hand moved the Roman Emperor Constantine to stop the horrible persecution of Christians in the fourth century. Constantine spurred reformation when he issued the famous Edit of Milan in 313 A.D., ending the persecution of Christians. Constantine, by making the freedom to worship a legal right, was used by God to encourage reformation of the Roman Empire by Christianity. Do we see God's invisible hand in today's persecution? Is reformation in the wings? Will He use a "Constantine" of today to stop persecution in North Korea, China, or Indonesia? Will He use an American "Constantine" to encourage reformation here? Whether we live under persecution or have a "Constantine" and are on the brink of reformation, we must remember that th

(Romans 11:1-11, I Kings 19:1-21) Do you ever feel all alone as a Christian? Or that there are just a few people that truly love God and live for Him? In Romans 11 Paul reminds us that God always reserves a remnant. Paul uses Elijah as an example. Elijah believes he is all alone and in danger (Romans 11:3). But God answers Elijah, and Paul reminds the Christians at Rome, that "there is a remnant according to the election of grace" (Romans 11:4-5). Why did Elijah doubt God back in I Kings 19? Because of his circumstances. As God showed Elijah (I Kings 19:15-18), so Paul reminded the brethren in Rome--God uses the circumstances to call forth the remnant. In Paul's case it was the Gentiles (Romans 11:12). Romans 11 reminds us today that God alone gives grace to the remnant. He alone opens eyes and ears. He culls--winnows out--those of the remnant, often using hard circumstances to do so. May we not doubt as E

Judgement Begins in the House of God (Romans 10:13-21, I Cor. 1:14-31, I Peter 4:7-19) Peter warns us that "the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God" (I Peter 4:17). Through the preaching of the Word (usually done in the house of God) the Holy Spirit will "reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:7-11). True preaching brings a merciful judgment--we are made to see our sin, and we meet our Saviour. Of course, if our pulpits are ashamed to preach His Word, then can we trust that that God is present? Romans 10:15 reminds us that preachers must be sent if the gospel is to be preached; the house of God must be built (Haggai 1). When the Word is preached in the house of God, our core beliefs are judged. The judgment of our souls will, hopefully, then take us out of the house of God--out of our churches--and into society, bringing God's love and righteous judgment to society. This can only happen

What would you rather have: Gold or Sound Admonition from your pulpit? Study well for your neighbor. Learn soundness of words, a soundness of speech that cannot be defeated and that is a well of understanding with which to guide others. Be a steward of great truths, and use them as our Lord did to bring answers that cannot be condemned.

Do you know how to suture? Not the medical stitching of skin, but the art of healing wounds caused by sin? Barnabas and the Apostle Paul's great faith resulted in much "suturing". When many Christians were not trusting the Apostle Paul--the newly converted Saul who had severely persecuted many Christians--Barnabas, by faith, spent time with the Apostle Paul; getting to know Paul at the risk to his own life. Barnabas had to be sure of the Apostle Paul's faith so that he could confidently present Paul to the apostles without endangering them (Acts 9:27). Thus Barnabas began "suturing" many wounds caused by Saul. And the Apostle Paul, with a deep love embedded in his heart by faith (Romans 10:8-10), began "suturing" the Jews, uniting them to Christ. Do you have the faith of the Apostle Paul and Barnabas? By faith Barnabas gave much (Acts 4:33-37). By faith the Apostle Paul suffered beatings and perils, but still reached out to Jewish persecutors with the same love that save him. The Ap

"What the Pulpits Aren't Addressing" (Romans 1:15-25, Romans 10, Romans 16:25-27) "For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge" (Romans 10:2). Have you analyzed the preaching you hear, Sunday after Sunday? Is it enough for preaching to cover the gospel, to call us to prayer, to encourage charity? Romans 10:2 warns that preaching must go beyond stirring zeal in the hearts. Godly preaching must teach of God's righteousness and how man is to submit to it (Romans10:2-3). Romans 10:10, "For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." Preaching should not be ashamed of Christ and His Kingship but seek to hold today's issues to the standard of His righteousness and encourage man to submit to it (Romans 10:7). Do our pulpits preach about attacks on civil liberties, about our courts,about the chaos in our capitols? Does preaching call us to have the c

Is there power in the preaching of God's Word? Romans 10 would contend that there is power-- supernatural power--attendant to such preaching. Faith and salvation, the power that changes lives.