10.03. 25 An Encouraging Word from New Hope

Oct. 3, 2025


Dear Beloved in Christ,


Reviewing what we have learned through the week enables us to be active listeners that meditate on God’s Word so that we might be doers of His Word, not just hearers only, deceiving ourselves. James 1:22


There is so much reward in receiving God’s Word with an open heart!


Hebrews 11:6 KJV
[6] But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.


https://bible.com/bible/1/heb.11.6.KJV


So God rewards those who diligently seek Him! There is no millionaire or king that can give rewards that even minutely come close to what God gives!


So as we hear God’s Word each Sunday from the pastor, we should be grateful and excited to receive it and by God’s Spirit, live it! We can be excited each week to see where God will lead us.💞


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Thinking Through the Sermon


This past Sunday, 09.28.25, Pastor Mike Hiller taught on “Our Unchanging God” from Psalm 102:18-28.


If you missed the sermon, fell asleep😳😉 or need to review it, you can find it here:

https://youtu.be/8VF_e8ilF0g?si=xr_t92wbOoYmPD9t


Pastor Hiller’s sermon had a number of key points that were really helpful. He started by summarizing Psalm 102, recognizing the author is in despair and agony, today would be diagnosed with depression. He was pondering his death and probably battling illness, but he did not turn to many different things for his help, but to God, to His Word, to His promise and applied it to His life.

The author sees there is an unchanging God.

[25] Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

[26] They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,

[27] but you are the same, and your years have no end.



We read from Psalm 102:18-28,

Psalm 102:18-28 ESV
[18] Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord:

[19] that he looked down from his holy height; from heaven the Lord looked at the earth,

[20] to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die,

[21] that they may declare in Zion the name of the Lord, and in Jerusalem his praise,

[22] when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the Lord.

[23] He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened my days.

[24] “O my God,” I say, “take me not away in the midst of my days— you whose years endure throughout all generations!”

[25] Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

[26] They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,

[27] but you are the same, and your years have no end.

[28] The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.102.18-28.ESV

Pastor taught that there must be more than just knowing God is unchanging.  “We need to know that the eternal, unchanging God loves us.”

God sees the eternal.

Pastor used symbolism to describe the disruption that we often feel in our lives when we suffer pain or agony, financial or other loss, yet God desires that we are drawing into him through those hard times. And sometimes it seems our lives are being Shook Up, but it is only because God desires for us not to put our trust in temporary things of this world but rather that we put our trust in Christ Jesus. That our living faith, which has obedience and which works by love, is firmly founded on the rock that is Christ.


Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV
[8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

https://bible.com/bible/59/eph.2.8-10.ESV


Romans 1:5 ESV
[5] through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

https://bible.com/bible/59/rom.1.5.ESV


Galatians 5:4-6, 13-14 ESV
[4] You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. [5] For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. [6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

[13] For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. [14] For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

https://bible.com/bible/59/gal.5.4-14.ESV


(The notes below refer to Strong’s Concordance and the Greek translation of the various words.)

Matthew 16:15-18 ESV
[15] He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

[16] Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

[17] And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

[18] And I tell you, you are Peter (Petros: piece of rock G4074), and on this rock (petra: mass of rock G4073) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.16.15-18.ESV

1 Corinthians 10:4 ESV
[4] and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock (petra: mass of rock G4073) that followed them, and the Rock (petra: mass of rock G4073) was Christ.

https://bible.com/bible/59/1co.10.4.ESV



May we continue through our week, rooted and grounded in God’s love, unafraid of the things happening now or things to come, because we know💞 this 💞unchanging God💞 who deeply loves us, holds the future and has prepared for us our eternal home.

Heavenly eternal Father,

May our hearts be fully Yours and our trust, faith and hope, Lord God, in You alone, so that when things around us fall and this temporary world fades away our lives remain steadfast on the Rock which is Christ and  in Your unchanging love.


In Jesus name, Amen.


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Got Trouble?😯

Join us this Sunday for a time of prayer and worship as we sing hymns, singing through the Gospel story of Christ’s love from Advent to the Resurrection and forward to the heavenly hope we have in Christ!

9 am til 10 am this Sunday, Oct. 5th.

Acts 16:25-26 ESV
[25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, [26] and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.

https://bible.com/bible/59/act.16.25-26.ESV

Come on down Sunday and worship the Creator of the Universe, the Redeemer of our souls and our beloved Comforter this Sunday!😊


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Have a blessed rest of your week and we hope to see you on Sunday!


And always remember, you are so treasured and dearly loved.💞✝️🥰


God’s Peace.



Christ crucified. Hope for this life – and eternity.

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” ‭1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV

In Christ’s Love, Christa for New Hope