“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me … and I too will love them and show myself to them.”John 14:21 In the first-century Jewish world, a disciple wasn’t simply someone who believed a rabbi’s teachings—they followed them. Obedience wasn’t viewed as earning the teacher’s acceptance but as evidence of...
“When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of...
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV The word encourage means to come alongside someone; to help, strengthen or comfort them. That’s exactly what Jesus has done for you and me, right? By His Spirit in us, He never stops pursuing and...
"You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. 'For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.' And God will generously provide all you need. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous." (2 Corinthians 9:7-8 NLT)
"So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him,...
Thank You, God, for our freedom in Christ and in our country! Do you agree that despite all challenges and problems we are facing in our world and nation, we are still blessed to be living in our culture and times? We have the blessing from God to be living with the freedoms we have!...
WOWZAH! I can’t believe we are closing out June 2026 already. Time is flying by so quickly and I pray that you are piloting your schedule and life well. This reminds me of two discouraged disciples who were walking away from Jerusalem, confused and disappointed by Jesus’ death. What they didn’t realize was that Jesus...
May our great and awesome Godhead favor you with His refreshing peace, grace, love and joy! After being a little impatient with my wife this week, I found myself looking at a plaque hanging in our kitchen where we were. The words from Galatians 5:22–23: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience,...
Have you ever experienced God’s unexpected and amazing grace? When I try to visualize and place myself at the scene where Jesus was being tortured towards His execution on the cross. He prayed: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Luke later writes of a surprising encounter. One...
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20-21 NIV What does it mean that “the kingdom of...
Pastor Rod has been in ministry for more than 38 years. He has shepherded and overseen a variety of ministries, including children’s, youth, college, community/missions, discipleships/small groups, worship and the arts, as well as assisting and consulting with several church planters. Since moving back to Honolulu from Kansas City in 2000, Rod has served on Pastor Wayne Cordeiro’s executive team at New Hope O‘ahu. He has pastored the New Hope Mānoa ‘ohana since January 2015.
