Daily Dose of Hope from New Hope

The Daily Dose of Hope is a devotional intended to provide context and reflection to the New Hope Church Bible Reading Plan. It’s our goal to read the Bible in a year together as a family of faith. Five days a week we read. Two days a week we either rest or catch up. Reading the Bible is the number one way to grow in our walk with Jesus. We have to know God’s Word to live God’s Word. Now for our Daily Dose of Hope.

February 4, 2026; I Corinthians 9 02/04/2026

February 4, 2026; I Corinthians 9 Daily Dose of Hope February 4, 2026 Scripture: I Corinthians 9 Prayer: Holy God, We come before you today rejoicing in your powerful name. Thank you for who you are and all you do. Thank you for loving us. Help us gather our scattered thoughts, help us set aside distractions, and truly focus on you right now. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, we want to hear your voice...In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We have been journeying through Paul’s letters. Today, we are in I Corinthians. Our reading for today was I Corinthians 9. In this chapter, Paul continues his discussion on freedom in Christ. There were obviously those in the Corinthian church who were challenging Paul. We’ve talked about this in previous chapters-their view of Christian leadership was skewed. The Corinthians viewed strong church leaders as those who made known their authority by lording it over others. It was about power, reputation, and popularity. Paul is the exact opposite. He is saying that yes, he has freedoms and rights, but he doesn't abuse or misuse them. Paul lists three rights/freedoms he has decided not to claim. The first was the right to food and drink, the second was the right to be accompanied by a wife, and the third was to be paid for his work as an apostle. He was a totally free man with rights but he intentionally chose not to use those rights. Paul did not want to be swayed by personal whims or desires. Rather, he wanted to be fully and totally focused on the Gospel. Indulging in these freedoms, while they are not bad things, might divert him from the purpose. Everything is about the mission for Paul and he didn't want to risk doing anything that could challenge his integrity and compromise the mission. Paul is really committed to the cause. I’m not sure many of us would give up what he has freely chosen to give up. I’m struggling with this. I like good food, I’m married, and I get paid for my work as a pastor. Let’s be clear, God does not require us to give these things up. But, we may decide there are certain things that get in the way of our service to the Lord. Only we can know what those things are. One point that Paul makes is that by making these sacrifices, he is actually a stronger leader, not a lesser one. What is your view of Christian leadership? Are sacrifices essential to achieving the mission? What sacrifices have you made to share the Gospel of Jesus with others? How do you reconcile all of this? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39987930

February 3, 2026; I Corinthians 8 02/03/2026

February 3, 2026; I Corinthians 8 Daily Dose of Hope February 3, 2026 Scripture: I Corinthians 8 Prayer: Almighty God, you are so good. Thank you for your love, your mercy, and your forgiveness. How amazing it is that you care so much for me. You are my everything. Help me take my scattered thoughts this morning and focus on you and you alone. In these next few moments of silence, help me center myself on you...Holy Spirit, come and speak to me through your Word. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. Right now, we are working our way through Paul’s pastoral letters. We are currently in I Corinthians. Today, our reading was I Corinthians 8. The Christians in the church at Corinth would have experienced a significant life change when they came to know Jesus. And this would have led to lots of questions. I want us to talk about the whole issue of meat sacrificed to idols and why this would have generated confusion in the church. Meat wasn’t typically consumed by the average person. They were vegetarians by necessity. Meat was just too expensive. But Corinth had many cults (dedicated to the Greek/Roman gods), which included animal sacrifices, and meetings at these cults would have been some of the only times that the average person would eat meat. These cult-like organizations were common experiences for many Corinthians, a part of their social and civic circle if you will. Even Christians, who only believed in the one true God and rejected the Greek/Roman gods, might participate in these organizations and consumed meat there. What Paul is saying is that the meat being consumed at these events is kind of irrelevant. The meat is neither holy nor unholy – it’s just meat. But being part of these cults is an issue. While those who are strong in their faith (possess knowledge is the phrase that Paul uses) may be able to attend these cult meals and not be affected by them, others who are weaker may very well be affected by them. Thus, Paul encourages those with stronger consciences to not participate simply so as not to confuse or negatively influence a weaker brother or sister. This was not about doctrine but really more of a pastoral argument. We love our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and we should refrain from this, not because it’s inherently wrong, but because we love them and don’t want them to stumble. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39967700

February 2, 2026; I Corinthians 7 02/02/2026

February 2, 2026; I Corinthians 7 Daily Dose of Hope February 2, 2026 Scripture: I Corinthians 7 Prayer: Dear Lord, After a hurried weekend, sometimes we rush into the week. Help us slow down and focus on you. Help us set aside our scattered thoughts and distractions. Help us have laser focus on you and your Word. Lord, in these next few moments of silence, we yearn to hear your still small voice...Come Holy Spirit and guide our reading, our interpretation, and our thoughts. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are currently working our way through Paul’s pastoral letters. We are currently in I Corinthians. Today, our reading was I Corinthians 7. This whole discussion on marriage is interesting. Paul is not opposed to marriage but there is a certain tension in this chapter. He is genuinely concerned about those who marry and have families. There is the whole issue of not being totally and completely dedicated to God (because they are also dedicated to their spouse and children) but there is also a present distress that exists and may get worse. At that time in Corinth, there was definite pressure being put on the Jews and increasing pressure on the new Christians. We know from reading history that intense persecution is on the horizon. Living in stable societies, rarely do we think much about the effect of persecution, warfare, and oppression on families. Paul was very right; those who were married with children would in fact suffer more. They would worry more about the safety and welfare of their children and it would be more difficult for them to pick up their lives and flee. It was only fifteen years after Paul wrote this letter that Jerusalem was destroyed. What did the families do in such circumstances? I can't help but think about the fate of families in more recent conflicts-Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Nigeria, and Sudan. Spend some time in prayer for families across the globe who are dealing with warfare and persecution. But there is another element in this chapter I want to try to address. Paul writes in v. 29-31, What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. There is definitely a sense that something is about to come to pass. Is Paul speaking about Jesus’ second coming? So, I did a little digging. It does appear that the event Paul is referring to is the coming of Christ. Bringing this up would have been incredible encouragement to the Corinthians. Because when Jesus comes the present form of this world will pass away and there will be a resurrection of believers. Think about it...if we thought that Jesus would return this week, and we knew that everything would change, that the Kingdom of God would become real and palpable and that all things would be made new, that would definitely change our perspective. The ordinary and familiar of Monday would feel totally different because we knew it was temporary. Paul is asking the Corinthians to think this way. Of course, two thousand years later, we know that Jesus hasn’t come and the world has not changed. But what would it be like for us to live with that perspective that Paul encourages? Maybe we don’t worry so much about our present burdens and the everyday habits of life. Maybe we see everything through the lens of the coming Kingdom of God. What if we saw values, politics, relationships, and justice through the lens of the Kingdom? How would that change things for us? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39957040

January 30, 2026; I Corinthians 6 01/30/2026

January 30, 2026; I Corinthians 6 Daily Dose of Hope January 30, 2026 Scripture: I Corinthians 6 Prayer: Lord Jesus, We come before you this morning, thanking you for a new day. Lord, you are good and we rejoice in your holy and powerful name. As we begin our day, Lord, help us focus on you. Help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on your Word and what you want us to learn today. We get so distracted and self-consumed. Forgive us for that, Lord. In these next few moments of silence, help us have laser focus on your voice... In Your Powerful Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We have been journeying through Paul’s letters. Today, we are continuing through our fourth pastoral letter, I Corinthians. Today’s reading is I Corinthians 6. Paul continues to press this issue: Jesus-followers should look different than the culture around them. Why were they allowing secular courts to decide issues that should have been worked out in the church? Why were they getting pulled into disputes that distracted them from the mission in the first place? And then Paul presents a list of wrongdoings which have no place in the church. He is imploring them, "You know better!" You've been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. You are different now, new creations, so behave like it. The second half of the chapter is the discussion about sexual misconduct in the church. Some of the Christians in Corinth were saying they had been freed from the law and now could do whatever they wanted. Remember, this was a very sexualized society. People from the church were still having sex with prostitutes and they were saying it was no big deal. Afterall, they weren’t living under the law. Paul says that you were freed from the Law to love God and love others. But the issue went deeper. The Corinthians were kind of like, “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we may die.” They thought that their bodies were temporary and eventually God would be doing away with them, so who cares if they have some casual sex? It’s just biology, just our bodies, right? Not our souls. So, what’s the big deal? Well, Paul tells them what the big deal is. The Corinthians believed in the immortality of the soul. But Christians believe in the resurrection of the body. Because the resurrection of the body is a core doctrine of the Christian faith, we take a very high view of the human body. Paul reminds them of this. The human body is sacred. God created you, God values you. We firmly believe that our soul and physical body are interconnected, we can’t just separate the two so easily. This is what Paul is saying: You can’t have sex with someone and not become one flesh with them. You can’t separate body and soul. Sex is not just biology; there’s something deeply spiritual about it. Souls are connecting with one another. I read this and it feels like Paul is in parent-mode. He is telling the Corinthians to remember who and whose they are! He even tells them he is ashamed of them. Two thousand years is a long time and yet people are still people. We aren't any better today; I do hope everyone realizes that. Yes, we think we are quite sophisticated. We think we are quite knowledgeable. But, just like the Corinthians, we still forget what it means to belong to Jesus. We still allow the values and temptations of the world to seep into our lives. How often we blend so neatly into the world around us. How often have you believed the same lies that the Corinthians believed? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39925890

January 29, 2026; I Corinthians 5 01/29/2026

January 29, 2026; I Corinthians 5 Daily Dose of Hope January 29, 2026 Scripture: I Corinthians 5 Prayer: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are currently journeying through Paul’s letters. Right now, we are working our way through I Corinthians. A significant problem in the church of Corinth was both sexual immorality and sexual deviancy, which simply underscored their shallow discipleship. Corinth was a port town that was home to the Temple of Aphrodite, a pagan temple with many, many prostitutes. Sexual immorality was rampant and almost a way of life in the city. To say that Corinth was a very sexualized society would be a massive understatement. It’s estimated that one in every thirty people were prostitutes. You really see this when you visit there. It touches every area of their culture. So, it isn’t surprising that the church was dealing with it. What the culture deals with seeps into the church and the church is tasked with figuring out how to deal with it based on God’s truth. The apostle Paul was trying to develop a holy church, based on commitment to Jesus rather than the pagan gods and ways of being. We see the struggles over these first few chapters. In chapter five, today’s reading, Paul addresses a case of incest in the church, specifically a man sleeping with his father’s wife (presumably his stepmother). While this might have been acceptable in Corinthian society, it is absolutely deplorable among God's people. This kind of behavior was forbidden in the Torah and that translated into the church. The people of Jesus were also supposed to seek holiness and sexual morality was part of that. They are the body of Christ. The issue isn’t just the incest – yes, that is really bad – but it’s that there are no boundaries whatsoever for sexual behavior. And they are bringing those values, or lack thereof, into the church. God’s people have to call sin what it is and recognize it as a problem. So, there was that. Paul is appalled - why does this not bother them? Their arrogance is hard to take. Let's be real. This is just as much as issue in today's church as it was 2000 years ago in Corinth. Why don't we behave like the body of Christ, holy and blameless? We tolerate all kinds of stuff! Do we demonstrate the same kind of arrogance and complacence? Certainly something to think about. I do want to at least touch on what Paul says at the very end of the chapter, verses 12-13, What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.” Basically, Christians are not called to judge those outside the church. If someone is not a Christ-follower, then we can’t hold them to the same standards. They don’t know any better really. But, those inside the church have to be held accountable. Paul is holding the Corinthians responsible for not dealing with the man having sex with his stepmother. That kind of sinfulness has no place in Jesus’ church. Now, if someone committed a sin and then was repentant, that would be a different story. Afterall, Jesus gives us all second chances and third chances and fourth chances. If someone is serious about forgiveness and wants to change, then the church welcomes them. If they are arrogant and refusing to change, that’s when church accountability has to occur. We struggle with this. Accountability in general is something we struggle with in our culture. What if this same situation were to happen at New Hope? It would be uncomfortable and awkward but I couldn’t, as the pastor, allow this man to sit in the pew with his arm draped around his stepmom for all to see. What other situations might also require a response? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39915860

January 28, 2026; I Corinthians 4 01/28/2026

January 28, 2026; I Corinthians 4 Daily Dose of Hope January 28, 2026 Scripture: I Corinthians 4 Prayer: Almighty Father, Thank you that your mercies are new every morning. Thank you, that no matter what this week has held, we can come to you and start over. We are grateful for your forgiveness. We are so very grateful for your care and your love. Help us, Lord, to set aside our distractions, to set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you right now. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers... In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are currently journeying through Paul’s letters. Right now, we are working our way through I Corinthians. Today’s reading was I Corinthians 4. You have to love the apostle Paul's sarcasm! He has really had it with the Corinthian church’s arrogance. You see, they think they are mature, healthy, and effective. They think they have arrived. But Paul is making it quite clear: No, you have not! Why? Because they are worldly in their thinking, they are full of themselves, they have no desire to make sacrifices or suffer. They are comfortable, concerned more about status, popularity, and reputation than about serving Jesus. This passage is always convicting for me. How mature are we? What would Paul think of us? Are we willing to make sacrifices for our faith or are we more concerned with comfort? Paul makes this interesting argument that a servant is not greater than his master. The Corinthians clearly think they are better. Jesus said in Matthew 16:25,"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Part of the Christian experience is giving up one's life, one's wants, one’s desires, and even one's comfort, basically the things of this world, in exchange for the things of Jesus. What things of this world might you still be holding onto? If you were to be brutally honest with yourself, can you relate to the Corinthians? Spend some time in prayer about this today. How might God be speaking to you through this chapter? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39903865

January 27, 2026; I Corinthians 3 01/27/2026

January 27, 2026; I Corinthians 3 Daily Dose of Hope January 27, 2026 Scripture: I Corinthians 3 Prayer: Almighty God, Search our hearts today. Show us those places that we need to change. Show us where we aren’t fully devoted to you and your Kingdom. Lord, we need your wisdom and guidance. On our own, we falter and drift. Lord, we want to know you more. We want to be a living example of your love and holiness. Help us, Jesus. Amen. Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are currently journeying through Paul’s pastoral letters, chronologically. Thus far, we have read through Galatians, I Thessalonians, and II Thessalonians. We are currently in I Corinthians. Today’s reading was I Corinthians 3. Paul continues to have harsh words for the Christ-followers at Corinth. They think they live by the Spirit, but Paul tells them they actually are still living by worldly standards. He had to teach them like babies in the faith; they lack maturity. They are drinking milk rather than being able to eat solid food. One example of this is their view of Christian leadership. They see leadership as focusing on an individual, that person having a following, pitting one person again another. In a sense, they view Christian leadership as a popularity contest. Paul makes the case that there are no individual superstars in Christian leadership. Different people have different tasks at different times. Some people plant, some people water, and others harvest. One task is not better or more important than another. They are all necessary for expanding God's Kingdom. My own experience is that Christian leadership has to be rooted in humility. The way our churches are structured doesn’t always lend itself to this so we have to be very, very intentional. I know I have to very, very intentional. Ministry isn’t about me as a pastor, it’s always about Jesus and what he desires for his church. Jesus is of course our ultimate example of leadership. As a servant leader, he washed dirty feet, touched lepers, and ultimately gave up his life for those he led. No superstardom there, just a lot of rolling up sleeves, getting dirty, and experiencing sacrifice. We find a beautiful example of Christian leadership in Philippians 2:5-8: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39887875

January 26, 2026; I Corinthians 2 01/26/2026

January 26, 2026; I Corinthians 2 Daily Dose of Hope January 26, 2026 Scripture: I Corinthians 2 Prayer: Holy God, We come to you today with expectancy. We need to hear your voice. We need to feel your presence. Lord Jesus, we know that we are weak. Our lives are incomplete and empty without you. Our world is nothing without you. Help us go through this day remembering that we belong to you. With your Spirit in us, we have power. With your Spirit in us, we can be bold and courageous. We give you our day, Lord. Amen. Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We are currently working our way through Paul’s pastoral letters. We are currently in I Corinthians. Today we read I Corinthians 2. Paul begins the chapter by reminding the Corinthians about how he preached and taught when he was with them. He wasn’t arrogant, using language they didn’t understand. He very intentionally approached them with humility. His message was, “Jesus Christ crucified” and he delivered it plain and simple. He didn’t need to adorn the message and make it fancy, he kept it straightforward so that it would be the power of the Spirit that they heard. Paul said this so that the Corinthians could not base their faith on some kind of skillful teaching or human wisdom, but only on the Holy Spirit. Paul then rebukes the Corinthians who seek the wisdom of the world. Faith involves a great deal of wisdom, but it’s the wisdom of God. They don’t understand it because they are still immature in the faith. You can probably sense it from the reading, but Paul is highly frustrated with the church at Corinth. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they have access to the mind of Christ. Paul is saying that even though they are believers who have received the Spirit, they are beginning to behave like unbelievers. Just for some background, Corinth was very much a troubled church. They were dealing with sexuality immorality, tremendous conflict (they were suing each other in civil courts), and abuse of spiritual gifts. As we get further into the book, we will talk more about their abuse of the Eucharist, or communion. Those who were wealthy would eat and drink first, having communion together, getting full and getting drunk. When the poor came to the table, there would be nothing left. Not surprisingly, Paul found this reprehensible. How easy it is for Christians to say yes to Jesus but then sit back and not grow. There is also the temptation to slip into comfortable, easy Christianity (an oxymoron if ever there was one). The reality is in our culture and society, a person can profess faith in Jesus, go to church, go through the motions, but never know the mind of Christ. How critical it is to unite with other believers who will encourage us to grow and challenge us to live in the Spirit. Do you have the mind of Christ? Do we have the mind of Christ as a body of believers? What will it take for us to get there? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39872545

January 23, 2026; I Corinthians 1 01/23/2026

January 23, 2026; I Corinthians 1 Daily Dose of Hope January 23, 2026 Scripture: I Corinthians 1 Prayer: Abba Father, You are the potter, we are the clay, and the work of Your hands. Mold us and fashion us into the image of Jesus, your Son. Father, may we be one in You as He is in You, and You are in Him. Glory and praise to you, forever and ever. Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We have been journeying through Paul’s letters. Today, we are starting our fourth pastoral letter, I Corinthians. Let’s start by talking a little bit about Corinth. It was a Greek city, about forty-five miles from Athens. It was highly prosperous but also known for its immorality. We read about Paul’s time in Corinth in Acts 18 during his second missionary journey. It’s in Corinth that Paul meets Priscilla and Aquila, fellow tentmakers and believers. He started his time there by preaching in the synagogues but the Jews were generally not responsive. That led Paul to begin to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles in the area. And he was very successful. Thus, the church in Corinth included both Jews and Gentiles. Paul stayed with the Corinthians for roughly a year and a half. During that time, there were some Jews who brought charges against Paul for his teachings. The discord continued after he left. Thus, the Corinthians church was dealing with these outside pressures, as well as serious internal discord and immorality. Paul stayed in touch with them through letters. We have two of these letters (there were probably others) in the New Testament. In this first chapter of I Corinthians, we immediately notice this is a letter. Paul starts by identifying himself as the author and makes it clear that the recipients are those in the church at Corinth. After a brief expression of thanksgiving, Paul wastes no time at getting to a most pressing point. There is disunity in the church. Factions have emerged over who to follow. Some say they follow Paul, others say Apollos or Cephas, and some say Christ. We don't know the details of the disagreements, or how the factions came about. Really, I don't think the fine points are that relevant. What's more interesting to me is how Paul handles the situation. He reminds them who and whose they are. He reinforces the mission. We get so distracted by our own egos and allegiances; the mission is what suffers. The mission is sharing the Gospel, spreading the Good News of Jesus. Let's fast forward 2000 years. How often have we as individual Christ-followers and as a church gotten off track because of disagreements with other Christians? Think about people you have personally known who have left a church because they got mad about something. Conflicts over individual personalities, music styles, bruised egos, miscommunication, or even the color of the new carpet, can totally derail a church from the true mission! What if we just had laser focus on Jesus? What if the mission trumped everything else? How might that change things? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39838020

January 22, 2026; 2 Thessalonians 3 01/22/2026

January 22, 2026; 2 Thessalonians 3 Daily Dose of Hope January 22, 2026 Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 3 Prayer: Lord Jesus, We rejoice in you. We praise your name. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the one who was, and is, and is to come. We cannot possibly express our gratitude in words. You have offered us mercy but you have also given us freedom. Thank you for that. Help us live like free people. Help us demonstrate your love and grace to others who cross our path. Help us see people through your eyes. We love you, Lord. Amen. Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We have been working our way through the apostle Paul’s letters to his churches. Today, we are finishing up with our third pastoral letter, 2 Thessalonians. Our reading today was 2 Thessalonians chapter 3. In this chapter, Paul admonishes a group in the church who are causing disruption by refusing to work. We don't know the details of the circumstances. It's possible that this group believed Jesus' second coming was imminent, so there was no need to work and earn a living. It could also be that this group found menial labor beneath them and wanted nothing to do with it. Finally, it could be a group of individuals who had grown accustomed, possibly even entitled, to the church's generosity and did not want to have to work in return. But Paul is clear: he worked and they would work too. Whatever their motivations, this group was disruptive and creating problems within the church. They would not be allowed to take advantage of the church's generosity. As Christ-followers, we have clear commands from Jesus to care for the least of these. Jesus fed the hungry and cared for those who had little. The early church was obviously following the example of Christ and offering food to those who asked for it. But at some point, giving can lead to entitlement. Paul was certainly alluding to that. Many of you know my background involves extensive work with homeless families and people in crisis. I've struggled with these issues for years, but this is basically where I've landed; we are called to care for the needy but we never want to harm others by destroying initiative or creating dependency. Historically, church outreach programs have engaged in one-directional giving, things like food giveaways, clothes closets, and soup kitchens. While there is a place for such ministry, it must be limited and targeted. Relief must be limited to times of crisis. But after the crisis is over, the kind of help needs to change. To see meaningful change, we must address root causes, building real relationships and working with ministries that empower people to make hard but necessary long-term transformation. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39821245

January 21, 2026; 2 Thessalonians 2 01/21/2026

January 21, 2026; 2 Thessalonians 2 Daily Dose of Hope January 21, 2026 Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2 Prayer: Lord, our Lord, How majestic is your name in all the earth! We magnify your precious and powerful name. How often we forget how mighty you are. You created all. You created us. Thank you, Lord, for who you are. Most of all, thank you for loving us with all our flaws and brokenness. In all we do, in who we are, help us to be more like you. We pray for humility, mercy, and compassion. Help us see others through your eyes. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We have been journeying through Paul’s letters chronologically and have now completed Galatians and I Thessalonians. We are now in 2 Thessalonians. Today, we read 2 Thessalonians 2. In chapter one, Paul addresses the issue of persecution. In this chapter, he addresses false teaching. The Thessalonian church was highly concerned by teachers stating that Jesus had already come. It’s possible other things had happened too to make them think this way. Maybe there was a natural disaster, a meteor shower, or bad omens. But it makes sense that human foul play was the main culprit. To make matters worse, these false teachers were claiming to have Paul's authority in the teaching. Paul tells them not to be "easily unsettled or alarmed," because none of it is true. Yes, judgement day will come but it hasn’t come yet. Jesus will not return until certain things have occurred, a certain event must occur (the rebellion) and a certain man must appear (the man of lawlessness, possibly the antichrist). The point of this chapter is not to make specific claims about the end of times but rather to prove to the Thessalonians that the day of the Lord, Jesus' second coming, had not yet arrived. It's obvious that Paul wants them to stand firm in the faith and not be so easily deceived. In verse 5, Paul asks them, Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? He is imploring them to remember the truth they were taught and live like mature believers, putting deep roots into truth. Basically, Thank God for his generous salvation, and don’t worry about things above your security clearance. We aren’t meant to know all the details and even if we did, this is something totally out of our control. This isn’t a passive way to live, but one that clearly remembers who God is and that we belong to Him. I often tell my kids to "remember who and whose they are." In some ways, I feel this is what Paul is telling the Thessalonians. Remember what I have taught you. Remember who you belong to. Don't allow the distractions and untruths of the world to get you off track or lead you astray. Friends, how often do we forget who and whose we are? Think of a situation recently that shook your faith a bit or made you question something that you know deeply. How did you deal with that? What specific things do you do to remember who and whose you are? What do YOU do to ensure you stay rooted in the truth of your faith? More tomorrow. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39803725

January 20, 2026; 2 Thessalonians 1 01/20/2026

January 20, 2026; 2 Thessalonians 1 Daily Dose of Hope January 20, 2026 Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1 Prayer: Holy God, We come before you today distracted and with scattered thoughts. Help us focus, Lord, on you and your Word. Help us, in the next few moments, to be silent, still, and remember that you are God...Thank you, Lord, for your care and concern for our lives. Thank you for how you show up in amazing and unexpected ways! We give you glory, Lord Jesus. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We have been journeying through Paul’s letters, and have now completed Galatians and I Thessalonians. Today, we start 2 Thessalonians. Similar to 1 Thessalonians, this letter is also written by Paul, Timothy, and Silas, but scholars consider Paul to be the primary author. The letter opens in a similar manner as I Thessalonians, with Paul giving thanks for the Thessalonian church. He is especially grateful for how their faith and love for one another has grown despite persecution. He even says that he boasts about how they have persevered in the midst of such difficulty. He doesn't give specifics about the persecution, but we can guess it was hostility directed at Christians by both gentile nonbelievers and Jews. Chapter 1 helps us begin to understand Paul's theology on the suffering of believers. First, he alludes to the fact that faithful endurance, perseverance in the face of struggle, makes them very worthy of the Kingdom of God. Certainly, endurance of hardship and persecution was seen as a virtue in early Christianity. What a change a couple thousand years make! At least in Western Christianity, we tend to balk at any kind of discomfort and certainly try to avoid suffering at all costs. But their suffering does NOT mean that God isn't with them. Paul states that God's judgment is right. Temporary suffering doesn't indicate God's rejection; it may be character building or redeemed in some other way. God won't waste their experience but use it to grow them and the Kingdom. After all, that's what it's all about. The second element in today's chapter is the concept of God's justice. God is all about just outcomes. He doesn't operate in a willy-nilly fashion but is fair and consistent. According to Paul, God considers it just to punish those who persecute the Thessalonians. This might be surprising to some, as we always focus on God's love. Yes, God is loving but God is also fair. Throughout Scripture, we read about God's righteous judgment. Knowing that God will judge others fairly frees us to simply extend love and grace and not feel the need to distribute our own judgment upon others. I'll close with Paul's words in Romans 12:19-21, Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39793305

January 19, 2026; I Thessalonians 5 01/19/2026

January 19, 2026; I Thessalonians 5 Daily Dose of Hope January 19, 2026 Scripture: I Thessalonians 5 Prayer: A prayer from Martin Luther King, Jr... Thou Eternal God, out of whose absolute power and infinite intelligence the whole universe has come into being, we humbly confess that we have not loved thee with our hearts, souls and minds, and we have not loved our neighbors as Christ loved us. We have all too often lived by our own selfish impulses rather than by the life of sacrificial love as revealed by Christ. We often give in order to receive. We love our friends and hate our enemies. We go the first mile but dare not travel the second. We forgive but dare not forget. And so as we look within ourselves, we are confronted with the appalling fact that the history of our lives is the history of an eternal revolt against you. But thou, O God, have mercy upon us. Forgive us for what we could have been but failed to be. Give us the intelligence to know your will. Give us the courage to do your will. Give us the devotion to love your will. In the name and spirit of Jesus, we pray. Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently journeying through Paul’s letters. Right now, we are walking through I Thessalonians. Today, we read I Thessalonians 5. Paul is focusing on the end times not to scare people or bully people into accepting Jesus. Rather, these words were intended to provide comfort to his congregations. He is reiterating some of Jesus’ teaching here – how the Lord’s return will come like a thief in the night. Paul doesn’t quote the Gospels directly but we can see here in this letter, that Jesus’ teaching was part of Paul’s teaching. Paul tells them to be alert and sober. This would have been in contrast to many in the area. Dionysus, the god of wine, was worshiped in Thessalonica, and his late night parties were known for being wild and crazy events. The Thessalonians, then, needed to reject those false gods to serve the living God. In doing so, they will be children of the light/day, awake, alert, watchful. Jesus’ return and their identity as people of the light/day are intended to be words of encouragement to them. They have nothing to fear when the Lord comes but will actually excel even more. There is much to be excited for and they are to encourage one another with this hope. This is fascinating to me. We don’t typically encourage each other by remembering that Jesus will return. Unfortunately, popular media and Hollywood have made people, even Christians, afraid of Jesus’ return. And we have nothing to be scared of! For the Thessalonians, this was the ultimate hope. It was a reminder that this world, and the persecutions and hardships they faced, were temporary. But they would eventually be with Jesus forever. Does this give you hope? Why or why not? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39786355

January 16, 2026; I Thessalonians 4 01/16/2026

January 16, 2026; I Thessalonians 4 Daily Dose of Hope January 16, 2026 Scripture: I Thessalonians 4 Prayer: Almighty Father, Thank you for loving us despite our many faults. Thank you for showing us a different way of doing life. Help us seek holiness in all we do. Help us become the people you desire us to be. As we work through today’s Scripture and devotional, I pray that you speak to our hearts. Help us see things differently. We want to hear from you. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently journeying through Paul’s letters. Right now, we are walking through I Thessalonians. Today, we read I Thessalonians 4. Possibly because they were experiencing so much persecution, the Thessalonians were very interested in knowing when Jesus' second coming would occur. Paul tells them two things they needed to hear: their persecutors will be judged and in the meantime, living in faith, hope, and love, is the best way to prepare for the next step of their Christian journey. Jesus will come suddenly, like a thief in the night. But they have nothing to fear as God's children. Those who reject the Gospel will face God's wrath but the believers will be protected and get to live with Jesus for eternity. He reiterates what it means to live a Godly life. He says to reject sexual immorality, and to seek holiness. The idea of seeking holiness is deeply rooted in Scripture, including the command to be holy as God is holy (Lev. 19:2), Jesus’ teachings to be perfect as our Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48), and the Great Commandment (Matt. 22:34-40). John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, writes that holiness is not perfection or flawlessness but more a maturity of character and increasing love for God and others. The Thessalonians were coming from a pagan culture that valued self over others. Living holy lives would have truly set them apart from the culture around them. People would notice. The last part of the chapter is kind of interesting, regarding those who have already died. Just like his talk of the second coming, this is purely pastoral encouragement for them. Believers who have died in the Lord will be resurrected when Jesus returns. They can trust in that. Now, Jesus was pretty clear-no one knows the time he will come back, only the Father. In Matthew 24:36, Jesus says, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows." Despite this, people have tried making predictions for thousands of years. I hear people today say, "Well, these must be end times because of this or that." My personal opinion is that isn't for us to know or say. Our responsibility is to take Paul's advice to the Thessalonians and live in faith, hope, and love, pointing others to Jesus and living like people with Good News. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39750705

January 15, 2026; I Thessalonians 3 01/15/2026

January 15, 2026; I Thessalonians 3 Daily Dose of Hope January 15, 2026 Scripture: I Thessalonians 3 Prayer: King Jesus, We come to you today with praise and lifting your name high. You are a Lord of love, mercy, and forgiveness. Thank you so much for allowing us to experience those things in you. Also, Lord, thank you for showing us a new way of doing life. The ways of this world are empty and temporal but your ways are eternal and fulfilling. Help us be bold in our faith, staying strong in the midst of whatever challenges we face. Help us live like the people you have called us to be. We love you. Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently journeying through Paul’s letters. Right now, we are walking through I Thessalonians. Today, we read I Thessalonians 3. Paul and Silas very much wanted to visit the Thessalonian church and encourage them in their persecution. But over and over again, it didn't work out. They were frustrated and concerned about the welfare of the new believers. While they had previously warned the Thessalonian church that persecution was unavoidable, they still feared for their well-being. Eventually, they send Timothy to visit them and instruct them in the faith as needed. Timothy brought back good news, as the Thessalonian church was becoming more mature in their faith. Despite their challenges, the new believers were remaining strong in faith and continuing to demonstrate love toward those inside and outside the church. This pleased Paul and Silas very much. They experienced joy knowing that the faith of the Thessalonians remained strong and vibrant. They thanked God for their perseverance and endurance. The early church had such a different perspective than we do regarding persecution. They saw persecution as inevitable; it was simply something that believers had to endure. It doesn't appear they feared being persecuted either. They knew that as followers of Jesus, their message would be met with opposition. In the Western church of today, we tend to fear persecution and rejection. We hesitate to share the Gospel message because we might offend someone, someone might say something mean to us, or we might get rejected. These seem incredibly minor compared to the persecutions of the Thessalonians or other believers around the world today who risk everything to share the Gospel with others. Here’s a question for us: If I were being tortured and persecuted for my faith, would I stay faithful to Jesus or would I give in to the pressure and deny Christ? It is so important for us to rest in the uneasiness of this question. If push came to shove, how faithful are we, New Hope? This is truth: Christians around the world deal with this every single day. We don’t think about it much but over 388 million Christians around the world suffer persecution or discrimination for their faith in Jesus Christ. That means they experience some kind of hostility as a result of proclaiming the name of Jesus or living out their faith. Almost 5,000 Christians were killed for their faith in 2025, many were kidnapped, imprisoned, or forced from their homes. In addition, more than 3,600 churches and other religious facilities were destroyed. For other Christians, it means being denied economic opportunities or simply living under the threat of violence. American Christians talk of persecution, but that is what real persecution looks like. It’s not being made fun of or worrying about offending someone, it’s risking all for Jesus. Every year Open Doors USA releases its World Watch report of the 50 states most likely to punish Christians for their faith. North Korea, Somalia, and Yemen, took the top spots this year. It is almost impossible to live openly as a Christian in all three of these places. In extremist Moslem countries, leaving Islam is considered shameful, and Christian converts face dire consequences if their new faith is discovered. Either they have to flee the country or they will be killed. Other nations that are particularly dangerous for Christians are Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Iran. I recently read this statement and it stopped me in my tracks: “If we have not prepared ourselves and our twenty-first century churches to die for Christ’s name if necessary, we have not completed our responsibility of preparing disciples.” If this makes us uncomfortable, it should. Because Jesus has called us to a faithfulness that involves more than what we typically think of when we call ourselves Christ-followers. We can see it in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians. We see it throughout the book of Acts. What does it mean to be a disciple? Jesus makes it quite clear, Mark 8:34-35, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39731175

January 14, 2026; I Thessalonians 2 01/14/2026

January 14, 2026; I Thessalonians 2 Daily Dose of Hope January 14, 2026 Scripture: I Thessalonians 2 Prayer: Lord, We come to you today with humble hearts. Help us think less of ourselves and more about others. Help us focus more on you, and less on our own wants. It is our inclination to complain and whine. Forgive us, Lord. We need you. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently on a journey through the letters of Paul, working through them in chronological order. We are currently on Paul’s second pastoral letter, I Thessalonians. Today, we read I Thessalonians 2. The authors start out the chapter by discussing their motives for preaching the Gospel message. They have pure motives and have no desire to trick people into becoming converts, which must have been an issue in the day. Gaining converts at any cost suggests manipulation and the desire to look successful before others. But their main concern was pleasing God, not people. That does not mean that the Gospel message isn't pleasing to people, because it certainly is, but that wasn't their main reason for sharing it. God had called them to this and they were being obedient. Unfortunately, throughout the course of history, Christians haven't always had such pure motives in sharing the Gospel. Evangelism has often occurred with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other. I think Paul, Timothy, and Silas, would be appalled at how far people representing the Christian faith have gone to simply gain converts, without concern for the hearts of people. As twenty-first century believers, we get to stand on the shoulders of those who witnessed well and those who made a terrible mess of it. And yet, we are still called to share the Gospel with others with pure motives. Guided by the Holy Spirit rather than our own prideful motivations, we are called to share the source of our hope. Just as Paul and friends write in this chapter, our core motivation must be to please God. It's great if other people are pleased as well with the message, but that isn't our primary purpose. It's simply all about Jesus. Paul isn’t shy. He tells the Thessalonians that he serves an a model for faithfulness. In all fairness, he says the Thessalonians are also to be emulated as models of faithfulness. I want to talk about this a bit. Paul isn’t bragging. He is making a statement about how the Gospel of Jesus is not a set of ideas to believe but rather a way of life. The Gospel might be seen as a set of lived commitments. Paul is saying that believers model the Word of God in their context, they live it out, even when it is hard. And it was very hard for the Thessalonians but they did it anyway. Paul wants them to know he sees their sacrifice and loves them; he is willing to sacrifice alongside them as well. Do you live out your faith in the way Paul is describing? Is your faith a set a beliefs or is it a total and complete lifestyle with Jesus at the center? What would it take for you to move toward a lifestyle in which your faith in Jesus is all-consuming? Who do you know who models this kind of faith? Paul certainly alludes to attributes that suggest someone is living this way: humility, honesty, sincerity, willingness to work hard on tasks that seem lowly, willingness to be vulnerable, courage to take risks for the Gospel, and a true trust in Jesus. Take some time and pray about this. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39721420

January 13, 2026; I Thessalonians 1 01/13/2026

January 13, 2026; I Thessalonians 1 Daily Dose of Hope January 13, 2026 Scripture: I Thessalonians 1 Prayer: Heavenly Father, We come before you today with a sense of gratefulness. You are a God who loves us despite all our faults. You provide for us despite our selfishness. You answer our prayers despite our impatience. Lord, we are so thankful and rejoice in your Holy and perfect name. Forgive us for the times in which we fall short and we know they are many. Lord Jesus, how we want to do better. Help us see others through your eyes. We so need you. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently on a journey through the letters of Paul, working through them in chronological order. We just completed Paul’s letter to the Galatians yesterday and today, we begin I Thessalonians. Let’s talk a little bit about Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica. There are some scholars who actually think this letter may have predated Galatians, but the general consensus is that Galatians was written in 49-50 and I Thessalonians was written around 50-51. They were certainly close together, but the letters are very different. While Galatians is critical in nature (in response to false teachers who were trying to corrupt the Gospel), I Thessalonians is an encouraging letter in which Paul teaches about living Godly lives during difficult persecution. I Thessalonians was also written during Paul’s second missionary journey. We get the backstory of this letter in Acts 17. Paul and Silas have gone to Thessalonica, preach the Gospel, and pretty quickly there is a strong Christian community there. But the Christians there are accused of defying the emperor by saying they believe in another king, Jesus (refer to Acts 17:7). Paul and Silas end up leaving the city because of the ruckus. In this first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul is trying to reconnect. He’s heard from Timothy that the Thessalonian church is doing well, despite the continued persecution. The letter is actually from Paul, Silas, and Timothy, as they are together in Corinth and have this urge to keep the Thessalonians encouraged. Let’s look at the letter itself in chapter 1. It was normal in an ancient letter to include some kind of prayer for the recipient after the greeting. The authors state that they continually thank God for all the people in the church, and that they remember them before God because of their work produced through faith and love and their endurance inspired by hope in Jesus. I am most intrigued by the line "endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Endurance is the ability to keep going, to persevere, in the face of difficulty and suffering. We don’t know exactly what kind of persecution the Thessalonian Christians were facing but it must have been pretty bad. And Paul was worried about them. They were new believers-how would they withstand these hardships? Would their faith crumble or strengthen? Apparently, they remained strong and steadfast, despite their limited experience in the faith. This idea of endurance through hardship becomes a virtue in the early church. Here is the important part: their endurance was not a result of some kind of internal emotional strength or resolve but was a result of their hope in Jesus. Their hope was rooted in the second coming of Jesus, which will become a theme throughout this letter. Think about your own life. How would you rate your endurance in the face of hardship? While we don't face the same kind of persecution as the Thessalonian church, we still deal with other challenges. How is your faith grounded in the hope of Christ? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39704820

January 12, 2026; Galatians 6 01/12/2026

January 12, 2026; Galatians 6 Daily Dose of Hope January 12, 2026 Scripture: Galatians 6 Prayer: Dear Lord, I feel the need to just start with silence this morning. Help us sit and reflect on you and your presence...Jesus, we need you. We go through our days distracted and in a hurry, sometimes even forgetting to pray or acknowledge you. Help us to be aware of your presence, knowing that you walk with us every step of the way, guiding us and leading us in all our words, actions, and decisions. This is your day, Lord. Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently doing a journey through the letters of Paul. Today’s reading is Galatians 6. We have reached the final chapter of Paul's letter to the Galatians. Keep in mind, as we read this and many of Paul’s letters, we are privy to only one side of the conversation. It would be really helpful to know how the Galatians responded to Paul! What were their initial concerns and fears that made their way to Paul in the first place? Paul is about to close out this conversation with the Galatians and it’s impossible for us to get the whole picture. That being said, we get the gist. In this final chapter, Paul certainly emphasizes the main point of the letter, that salvation is found in the cross of Jesus and not in the law. But it’s here that Paul is also addressing “so what does this mean for our everyday lives?” Faith is what is absolutely critical for Galatian believers but works demonstrate that belief. While the specific works of the law are no longer relevant, how a believer behaves is still very much relevant! One scholar said that Paul is saying that faith in Jesus and actions are inseparable, like breathing in and breathing out. You can’t say you believe in Jesus and then not change your actions. That’s why Paul is encouraging the Galatians to bear one another’s burdens and fulfill the law of Christ in verse 2, why each person must bear their own load in verse 5, and why each person will reap what they sow in verse 7. He encourages them to not lose heart in doing good, don’t grow weary in the assurance that they will reap what they’ve planted in verse 9. The next part is actually kind of humorous. In verse 11, Paul is actually taking the pen from the scribe (letters at that time were usually dictated to a professional scribe) and writing his own conclusion. He is clear that he is writing this part on his own with large letters. It’s especially critical to him and he wants to emphasize it one more time. He is going back, one last time, to his main point. He has preached to him the true Gospel – salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus alone. Works of the law have nothing to do with salvation. The false teachers who came after him have preached a false Gospel, saying that to be in right relationship with God, the Galatians have to be circumcised (and follow the whole law as well). Then, he closes by saying that neither circumcision or uncircumsion matter. What matters is the new creation. What does this mean? The best way to describe it might be a radical transformation that occurs because of our belief in Jesus. The old ways are gone and we are new people. It means spiritual rebirth, characterized by a new identity and life purpose. The new creation means we are no longer defined by our old identity and divisions but by our union with Jesus. How have you experienced this new creation in your life? How would you describe you before and after identity in Jesus? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39690620

January 9, 2026; Galatians 5 01/09/2026

January 9, 2026; Galatians 5 Daily Dose of Hope January 9, 2026 Scripture: Galatians 5 Today, we will start with the Holy Spirit prayer by Saint Augustine, who lived in the fourth century. I find it incredibly powerful and I hope you do as well: Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, That my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, That my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, That I love but what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, To defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, That I always may be holy. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are almost done with the first week of our new reading plan, Journey into the Letters of Paul, during which we will walk through Paul’s letters chronologically. With a few exceptions, many of these letters are kind of short, with 5-6 chapters. What you will find is that we will go through these fairly quickly and it’s possible they might run together for you. I would suggest you keep some notes. What are you learning from each letter? What are the main themes and what are your big takeaways from the reading? Since we are just in Galatians, Paul’s first letter, this is a good time to think about this. Okay, so today we read Galatians 5. Here we see the theme of freedom from the law once again. Paul is emphasizing that in Christ, we have freedom. Under the law, we live in bondage. He is imploring the Galatians to live as free people, true heirs of God, experiencing the fullness of life that comes knowing you belong to Jesus Christ. There is a lot of focus on circumcision here. That may seem odd to us, as circumcision just isn’t that big a deal in our world. Individual parents make a decision based on a lot of different factors whether to circumcise their boys. Paul has some harsh words for the Galatians about circumcision, and it almost seems like he is condemning it. Verses 2-3 are harsh, Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. Let’s dig a little deeper. Jesus himself was circumcised. Paul had Timothy circumcised before taking him on a missionary journey to make it easier to witness to the Jews. So what is up with this? I’m thinking motive and intention is the answer. Let me explain. Before Jesus, circumcision was the sign of the covenant that the Jewish people had with God. It functioned sort of like a key that granted entry into the household of God. But after Jesus came, the house of God is entered through Jesus Christ himself. Those who follow him no longer need the old key. The Jews may still hold onto the key physically, but it is no longer the means of entry. The sign of the new covenant is baptism. But even baptism isn’t a requirement for salvation, only belief in Jesus. Some of us may have chosen to circumcise our children. But what was our motive or intention? When I had my boys circumcised as babies, it had nothing to do with their salvation. I wasn’t thinking about following Jewish law. Rather, I was thinking more about health issues or going with the recommendation of my pediatrician. But if I had done it because I thought it would make my child or myself more acceptable to God or somehow make me more righteous, then that would be a terribly wrong motive. Furthermore, if I thought that my boys could only associate with other circumcised boys because they are more acceptable in God’s eyes, then I would really be wrong. I think you get the point and I believe that is what Paul is saying too. Christ has freed us from these laws that separate us from others. It’s our heart that God cares about and as we move further into Paul’s letters, we will find he begins to speak of a circumcision of the heart. That’s what we need! Paul speaks to how easy it is to slip back into a life of bondage. Others use their freedom to engage in sin. Paul is stating that neither is acceptable. True Christian freedom manifests itself in obedience, self-control, and love. Just as Christ sets us free, Paul says that it is the continuing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives that sanctifies us, allows us to better reflect Jesus. When the Holy Spirit comes and makes a home within us, it begins to transform us from the inside out. We cannot stay the same people once the Spirit of the Living God is within us. There should be fruit that demonstrates our new nature. That fruit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Reflect on the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. How well do you exemplify these attributes in your own life? Are some easier than others for you? Something I find interesting about these is that they are "fruit" of the Spirit, not "fruits." God intends for us to live out each of these, not just some of them. If we are very kind people but we lack self-control, then we need to spend time in prayer and ask God to help us with our self-control and then be intentional about working on that trait. If we struggle with patience, then we do the same thing. Friends, we have the Spirit of God living within us and that is powerful and transformative. Spend some time today praying about the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in your life. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39666975

January 8, 2026; Galatians 4 01/08/2026

January 8, 2026; Galatians 4 Daily Dose of Hope January 8, 2026 Scripture: Galatians 4 Prayer: Lord, How we need you. Thank you for your presence, thank you for the way you continue to pursue us. Lord, in these next few moments of silence, help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you...In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are in our first week of our new reading plan, Journey into the Letters of Paul, during which we will walk through Paul’s letters chronologically. We are currently in Galatians, Paul’s first letter. Our chapter for today is Galatians 4. Boy, is Paul frustrated with the Galatians or what? He doesn’t mince words. But he continues to make his point. Paul contrasts humanity's condition under the law versus in Christ. Under the law, people were heirs to a promise that God made with Abraham, but really they were no better than slaves, for they were still in bondage to the law. Under Christ, however, there is true freedom. People aren't merely heirs to a promise. They are children of the one true God. Paul talks about the Galatians before the false teachers entered the picture. They were open to Paul’s teaching. Paul alludes to an illness he had when he was with them initially. They cared for him as if he was Christ. Their hospitality and love was extravagant. He was blessed by them immensely. But now, Paul appears to be personally wounded by their rejection of him. How quickly things changed. They moved from reliance on grace to reliance on the law. Paul is heartbroken. Our salvation has nothing to do with the law. Rather, our salvation rests in the work of Christ. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. When we are saved, God puts his Holy Spirit within us. There is an intimacy there. Now, we call out "Abba, Father" which effectively means "Daddy." We aren't slave children. We are truly God's children whom he loves. We can rest in the love of our father. We don't have to be fearful or timid. We can spend time with our Father God, sit in his lap, and soak up the love he has for us. I'll close today with Romans 8:15-16, So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. Do you consider God your daddy? Do you clearly understand your relationship as a child of the one true King? If you still have questions about this, or doubts, spend some time today and write them down. Pray about them. Let’s see if over the course of this reading plan, God begins to speak to you regarding your list. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39655255

January 7, 2026; Galatians 3 01/07/2026

January 7, 2026; Galatians 3 Daily Dose of Hope January 7, 2026 Scripture: Galatians 3 Prayer: Lord Jesus, We belong to you! How often we forget that. We become selfish and consumed with the things of this world. We don’t spend enough time with you and so we drift. Lord, please forgive us. Help us not to be self-consumed and disobedient. We want to know you more. In fact, we yearn for your presence in our lives. How we need you! Jesus, as we enter into our devotional time, we ask for you to speak to us in a new way today. We yearn to hear your voice. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast the goes along with the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We have started on a journey through the letters of Paul. We are starting with what scholars believe is Paul’s very first pastoral letter to his churches – Galatians. Today, we are walking through Galatians 3. We’ve talked about how Paul is expressing disappointment that the Galatians have so quickly believed the false teaching that one must become a Jew before they become a Christ-follower. The Galatians, swayed by Jewish Christians, have begun to drift away from the Gospel that Paul preached to them. Paul was clear – we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Adding elements of the law, such as circumcision, is simply wrong. The Gospel of Jesus needs nothing added to it or subtracted from it. To do so is to corrupt the Gospel. In today’s passage, Paul speaks of the law being our guardian until Jesus arrived. The promise was given to Abraham but the people needed more boundaries so God gave them the law through Moses. But with Jesus, we can be justified by faith. Paul is pointing out that we no longer live "under the law" but are "in Christ" despite our inability to keep the law. We are no longer condemned by God because of our sin. Rather, because we now live in Christ, God is our father. Because of the forgiveness and salvation that we have in Christ, we don't have to approach God with fear of punishment, but rather we know that God loves us. We are his sons and daughters and we have the privileges that children have with their father. This isn't because of anything we've done but because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. In verse 27, Paul writes that those who have been baptized into Christ are now clothed in Jesus. What does that mean? Well, baptism is a visible sign of the union we have with Jesus. Our salvation is NOT dependent on baptism (remember Paul is making a point that salvation is by faith alone and nothing else). But baptism is an outward and visible sign of what Christ has done within us. Through the inward faith in Christ, we are now sons and daughters of God. Belief in Jesus is the great equalizer. As sons and daughters of God, we not only belong to God but we also belong to one another. Thus, we are brothers and sisters and there is no distinction of race, rank, or sex. Paul says that whether we are Greek, Jew, male, female, slave, or free, we are all one in Jesus. You could add any variable to this list. We are equal in the eyes of Jesus and thus, we should be equal in the eyes of one another. Over thousands of years, this is a doctrine that has been twisted and or ignored. Forgive us, Lord. We are all equal and we belong to one another. Period. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39634335

January 6, 2026; Galatians 2 01/06/2026

January 6, 2026; Galatians 2 Daily Dose of Hope January 6, 2026 Scripture – Galatians 2 Prayer: Almighty God, I come before you today with a sense of gratefulness. You are Lord of all and yet you care for me. Thank you, Lord. Help me walk through this day with humility and your wisdom; help me represent you well. Lord, in these next few moments of silence, help me gather my scattered thoughts, I want to hear your voice...Come Holy Spirit, and guide this time. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We are now doing a journey through the letters of Paul. It’s a privilege to have you with us today. The first letter of Paul, chronologically, is Galatians, and we started diving into it yesterday. Paul was appalled at how quickly the Galatians were swayed by false teachers who corrupted the true gospel. Paul was pretty clear – salvation is in Jesus alone. The false teachers wanted to say that new believers needed to become Jews before they became Christians, which meant getting circumcised (for males) and following the law of Moses. Paul insisted that adding anything to the Gospel beyond simply belief in Jesus was a true corruption of the Gospel message itself. A core doctrine of our faith is that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. We talked about the importance of getting a good understanding of what we believe about salvation --- do we believe that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone? Or, have we added or subtracted from this doctrine? This is a main theme of the book of Galatians. Today’s reading provides an interesting discussion about how, early on, the apostles accepted Paul's ministry to the Gentiles and even blessed it. There was a clear understanding, in Paul's view anyway, that Gentile Christians didn't have to follow Jewish law but needed to simply believe in Jesus Christ. But the power of criticism is strong. People within the church were highly upset about this and the apostles started to cave. They began to profess the need to follow Jewish law again and even stopped eating with Gentiles. Paul was forced to confront Peter, who ministered primarily to Jewish Christians, about his hypocrisy which seemed to be spreading among the apostles. Let's think about the definition of hypocrisy: to state specific beliefs and values to which one's actions clearly defy. The church has often been accused of being hypocritical, professing one thing and doing another. Individual Christians have often been accused of being hypocritical, saying one thing and then doing another. Hypocrisy has been incredibly damaging to the Kingdom. Paul is calling it out in today's Scripture, as he recognizes how dangerous it is for the new Gentile believers. It has the potential to not only confuse them, but lead them away from the Gospel message. The same can be said today. When we live by the mantra "do as I say but not as I do" then people are turned off. I've had a number of friends and family members leave the church permanently because they couldn't stand the way those who gathered on Sunday and professed one thing behaved poorly the rest of the week. Friends-our behavior, attitudes, and words matter to an unbelieving world! It's in this chapter that Paul makes this very famous statement, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. What does he mean by this? My best way of explaining it is to say that as Christians, we have died to sin and our old way of life. It’s now Jesus living in us. What Paul is saying is that because I’ve been united to Christ in his crucifixion and his resurrection, his life is now part of mine. I’m not forced to work harder to live out the gospel’s demands by myself. I’m no longer under the demands of the law. Rather, there’s a new power source supplying me with all I need, and that source is Christ living in me. As we continue our week, ask God to give you a hyper awareness of the kinds of things you say and do. Are you representing Jesus well in everything you do, even in social media? Are we representing Jesus well as a church? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39621215

January 5, 2026; Galatians 1 01/05/2026

January 5, 2026; Galatians 1 Daily Dose of Hope January 5, 2026 Scripture: Galatians 1 Prayer: Heavenly Father, We come before you at the beginning of a new year, a new week, and even a new reading plan, and we thank you for all you’ve done for us. You are such a good God. You are a God who provides, protects, cares, loves, saves, sustains, guides, and directs our paths. As we head into all these “new” things, Lord, we pray that you will lead us also into a new sense of understanding about who you are. Help us grow, learn, and be open to thinking about our walk with you in new ways. Challenge us, Lord. Stretch us. Get us out of our comfort zone. All for your glory. We want to be stronger disciples. We want to know you better and be bold in our witness. It’s in your name we pray, Amen. Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading. Today, we are starting our new reading plan, a journey through the letters of Paul. We will walk through all thirteen of Paul’s letters, going in chronological order. My prayer is that this new reading plan will be a blessing to you and you will learn and grow in your walk with Jesus. According to the book of Acts, Paul went on three missionary journeys. (Some scholars think he may have taken a fourth to Spain but we don’t have a lot of evidence for that.) What we do know from Scripture is that during those three extensive journeys, Paul established churches in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), in Macedonia, and Greece. We also know from the end of Acts that Paul went to Rome to stand before Caesar, and there was a church already established there when he arrived. Apparently, believers from other other places had already established a Christian community. But all of these churches were young and had their struggles. Paul sent pastoral letters to many of the churches in response to specific needs or concerns. He often gave encouragement but he also gave strong criticism and warning as needed. Some of Paul’s letters helped these congregations work through doctrinal issues, while others address more practical concerns. These letters were hand-delivered to the churches and read aloud to the congregation. So, as we read these, keep in mind they were intended to be read to a group of believers. Sometimes individuals are mentioned but the group as a whole is the audience. The letter would then be passed along to other churches in the region. The first letter Paul wrote was to the churches in Galatia, what we call the book of Galatians. The region of Galatia was in central Asia Minor and included several cities to which Paul evangelized during his first missionary journey, including Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. Most scholars believer that Paul penned this letter around AD 48 or 49. What was going on with the Galatians? Why was the letter necessary? Since Paul had established the various congregations in Galatia, the churches had been plagued by false teachers. These false teachers were Jewish Christians who fiercely rejected the Gospel that Paul preached, that people are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. Rather, these Jewish Christians were saying that to be saved, people must also be circumcised and follow the whole law of Moses. Besides rejecting the Gospel, they also attacked Paul's credibility. Throughout the letter, we will see Paul continually going back to these two themes-his credibility and apostleship AND the gift of grace offered by the Good News of Jesus. In this first chapter, Paul is clear that anything less than the true Gospel is not the Gospel at all. Those who teach that something other than faith is needed for salvation are twisting the Good News and Paul expresses shock that the Galatians would be so quick to believe this false teaching. He tells them that the Gospel he teaches is not from humans but from the risen Lord himself. He provides support to this by sharing his own conversion story from strict Judaism to belief in Jesus Christ and what God had affirmed to him through this miracle. Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone is the core teaching of our faith. Are there times in which we try to twist this doctrine? Do we add or subtract from it? How often have we been around “good churchgoing people” who think that salvation comes from simply being a good person? Or, people think that in order to receive salvation, they need Jesus and good works? It can be subtle. We have to really dig deep here. What do you believe about salvation? Do you, deep down, believe that you are saved by Jesus Christ ALONE – by his saving work on the cross and nothing else? Or, have you tried to add or subtract from this? Take some time today and really pray on this. It’s crucial, my friends. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39607525

December 31, 2025; Acts 28 12/31/2025

December 31, 2025; Acts 28 Daily Dose of Hope December 31, 2025 Scripture – Acts 28 Prayer: For our last prayer of this reading plan, let’s end with a prayer of peace from St. Francis of Assisi... Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading. We have been on an incredible journey of reading through the Gospels and Acts. Today, we are walking through the last chapter of Acts, Acts 28. After a few months on the island of Malta, during which Paul was bitten by a viper (with no bad repercussions) and healed many people, they finally are able to secure a new ship and continue the journey to Rome. When they arrive, Paul is met by a group of believers. I love this. I picture a group waiting by the dock for the ship to come in, anxious to take care of Paul with warm hugs and casseroles! But Paul doesn't waste much time, after just three days he begins to preach, teach, and discuss his views with the Jewish leaders in Rome. It appears they are more open to Paul's teachings than the Jews in other locations. For two years, Paul stays in Rome, in his own rented house, and welcomed all who came to see him. He taught about God's Kingdom and preached Jesus with boldness and without any obstacles. It's possible he resumed his tent-making in order to support himself but his main focus was conversion. Paul's intention was always to go to Rome. But just like in our own lives, stuff happened. Riots, jail time, and shipwrecks, all thwarted the best of intentions. Eventually, Paul did end up in Rome and had two years there to share the Gospel. Our life journeys, though probably not as eventful as Paul's, never go in a straight line. There are ups and downs, steps backward, pauses, and spins. But God can and will use each of those experiences to grow us and to help us speak into the lives of others. It's always about the journey, not the destination. But what happened to Paul after this? We have some evidence based on his other letters. Certain letters, which Paul wrote while imprisoned in Rome, are especially helpful. These include Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians, written between AD 60-62. Titus, as well as 1 and 2 Timothy, were written after Acts and during Paul’s travels, AD 66 and 68. We can estimate that Paul lived for about 5-6 more years after the book of Acts ends. We can also estimate that Paul stood before Caesar (Emperor Nero) around AD 62. Tradition tells us that he was eventually released from his imprisonment in Rome. There is some consensus that Paul may have actually gone to Spain after his release, carrying the Gospel even further. But he did eventually end up back in Rome and tradition says that Paul was actually beheaded there in AD 68. Paul is considered the most effective Christian missionary who has ever lived. He took the Gospel to places far and wide, at least as far as the known world at the time. And he did so at great risk to himself. He wasn’t afraid of physical pain or discomfort. He didn’t care if everything was removed from him. He had surrendered his life, fully and completely, to Jesus and sharing his message with the world. As a result, he started many churches and the Gospel spread. Today is the last Daily Dose of Hope for 2025. I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback. What did you learn? How has God stretched you? I do hope you will join us on our Journey through the Letters of Paul, which we will start on January 5th. It’s been an honor sharing this with you. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39568500

December 30, 2025; Acts 27 12/30/2025

December 30, 2025; Acts 27 Daily Dose of Hope December 30, 2025 Scripture – Acts 27 Prayer: Holy God, We come before you today rejoicing in your powerful name. Thank you for who you are and all you do. Thank you for loving us. Help us gather our scattered thoughts, help us set aside distractions, and truly focus on you right now. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, we want to hear your voice...In Your Name, Amen. Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading. We have been on an incredible journey of reading through the Gospels and Acts. Today, we are walking through Acts 27. Paul's journey continues. This time, he is on his way to Rome. They hit very severe weather, which threatens to kill all those on board. It must have been quite dire, as they throw their cargo overboard to lighten up the ship. It sounds like weeks and weeks of hunger and misery. They finally see land. By this point, there isn't much left of the ship. The soldiers want to kill the prisoners but the centurion stops them, as he wanted to ensure that Paul was spared. It seems that the situation was a bit of a free for all; those who could swim, swam to shore. Others grabbed pieces of floating debris and yet all managed to get to shore safely. This is such an interesting passage to me. The Scripture says there were 276 men on board that ship. They must have all been praying in whatever way they were accustomed to do so. I can't help but think that Paul was praying boldly and witnessing to all the men on board. In such a situation, it seems highly likely people would be very open to hearing about the eternal life offered through faith in Jesus. I wonder if that is why the centurion was so intent on saving Paul's life. Had he become a follower of Jesus? Throughout the book of Acts, we see people boldly witnessing for Jesus. First, Peter and John and then Paul. Their focus on Jesus is so central to all they do that nothing else matters. What about you? While we live in a different time and place, we still have lots of people around us who need to hear about Jesus. How bold are you? Is Jesus central to everything you do? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39564580

December 26, 2025; Acts 25 12/26/2025

December 26, 2025; Acts 25 Daily Dose of Hope December 26, 2025 Scripture – Acts 25 Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are almighty and all-powerful. You are God of all and yet you care for us. Thank you, Lord. Help us settle our scattered thoughts and be silent before you...Thank you, Jesus. Please guide us as we reflect on your Word today. Meet us in the midst of our reading and this devotional. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. I hope you had a great Christmas day yesterday! We have been on a wonderful journey of reading and reflecting on Scripture over the last eight months, specifically the four Gospels and the book of Acts. After today, we only have three more days in Acts. We will take a brief break and then we will begin again on January 5, 2026, to walk through the letters of Paul in chronological order. I hope you will join us for that as well. Today, we are working through Acts 25. Paul’s on-going custody and trial continues in this chapter. Felix was recalled to Rome to handle some other events. The man who followed him died after just two years and now we find ourselves introduced to the new governor, Festus. So this means that Paul has been in custody for over two years! Festus quickly demonstrates that, while he will listen to the Jewish leaders’ accusations against Paul, he will not be bullied by them. He appears to want to give Paul a fair hearing once again. Now, the Jews were accusing Paul of both religious and civil offenses. Even if he were not innocent, this raises red flags among the Roman authorities. So Paul uses last card, an appeal to Caesar himself, which was his right to do as a Roman citizen. This also means the Gospel message will now move further up the government ladder. God is at work here. Think of all the people along this journey that are being exposed to the Gospel message – people at every level of government and society. I do want to point out Paul’s faith here. He is unwavering. He knows what going back to Jerusalem would mean and he stands firmly against it. While we don’t have specific Scripture to demonstrate this, we can assume that Paul feels God leading him to go to Caesar. Paul didn’t do anything without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We can safely assume that he is praying, listening, and obeying. AND trusting! What do you learn from Paul’s example here? If you were being accused of an injustice, how would you handle the situation? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39535080

December 25, 2025; Acts 24 12/25/2025

December 25, 2025; Acts 24 Daily Dose of Hope December 25, 2025 Scripture – Acts 24 Prayer: A Christmas prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson, Loving Father, help us to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from the evil by the blessing which Christ brings and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to by Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. Amen. Merry Christmas! Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading. We have been on a journey, reading through the Gospels and the book of Acts. Today, we walk through Acts 24. The case against Paul was presented by an attorney named Tertullus before the governor Felix. When he finished accusing Paul of stirring up trouble and desecrating the temple, Paul boldly defends himself. Up until this point, Paul has been found guilty of nothing. It’s seems obvious that Felix can find no fault as well, but he is hesitant to release Paul. He goes and visits him with his wife to learn more. When Paul begins to speak of righteousness (some translations say justice), self-control, and the judgement to come, Felix becomes afraid and stops the conversation. That’s because these were things with which Felix struggled. He was known for his human rights abuses and injustices, he was known for his lust and lack of self-control, and he had every right to be afraid of the judgment to come. Sometimes, people are curious about the Gospel and may even feel convicted, but when it comes down to it, they aren’t willing to turn to Jesus. We have no evidence that Felix ever became a believer in Jesus but I like to think that his meetings with Paul were acts of prevenient grace, God at work in the life of Felix before he ever knew it. I try to remind myself of that when I speak to people about faith. They may not make a commitment to Christ right now, but seeds have been planted. God will keep seeking them, wooing them toward him. God’s not done with anyone yet. Merry Christmas to all of you. Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39528690

December 24, 2025; Acts 23 12/24/2025

December 24, 2025; Acts 23 Daily Dose of Hope December 24, 2025 Scripture – Acts 23 Prayer: Loving God, As we come before you on this Christmas Eve, we thank you for the love that binds us together. Bless each member of our church family and fill our homes with warmth and joy. For those who are alone, please give them peace and comfort that only you can give. For those who are dealing with struggle and difficulty, Lord, give them peace. Remind them that you are there to guide, lead, and provide strength. And continue to speak to us, Lord Jesus, as we make our way through your Word. We need to hear from you, Emmanuel – God with us. More of you and less of me. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading. We have been on a journey, reading through the Gospels and the book of Acts. Today, we walk through Acts 23. Early on in this chapter, we find Paul speaking before the high council and things aren't going well. He gets slapped by the high priest and there is violent disagreement on the council how to deal with him. The discord is so bad that Paul actually has to leave the location. Paul's fate seems uncertain at best. And then, when all seems lost, God speaks clearly to Paul, telling him to be encouraged, for this would not be the end; he would carry the message of the Gospel all the way to Rome! I read this chapter and it immediately brought to mind what Paul himself writes to the Romans in 8:28, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Paul has been through so much at this point, including fear, extreme discomfort, and physical pain. He probably thought Jerusalem was going to be the end for him and he was at peace with that. But God had something else in mind. God wanted to use Paul's bold witness to bring the Gospel further, to higher levels of government, so that more could believe. What seems like desperate times to humans, God can redeem for his own purposes. What has God redeemed in your life? I know that in the midst of dire circumstances, it is often difficult to see God at work. But later, when we have perspective, we can see how God took what was dark and ugly and brought something good from it. I should say that bringing something good out of a painful situation doesn't mean fixing it for us but rather demonstrating his glory. This is sometimes hard for us to wrap our human brains around. I think it takes lots of prayer and lots of trust. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39510825

December 23, 2025; Acts 22 12/23/2025

December 23, 2025; Acts 22 Daily Dose of Hope December 23, 2025 Scripture – Acts 22 Prayer: Almighty God, We come before you this morning with awe and humility. Help us remember all you have done for us. We are nothing without you. We need you desperately, Lord. Help us gather our scattered thoughts today as we focus on you. In these next few moments of silence, help us remember that we belong to you. Help us lay our worries and cares on the throne of your grace...We pray this in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading. We have been on a journey, reading through the Gospels and the book of Acts. Today, we walk through Acts 22. The chapter starts with Paul speaking to the crowd in Aramaic. His knowledge of their language demonstrates that he is one of them. All the lies are just that, lies. He shares his background as an educated Jew and then tells his conversion story. Remember, no one can ever argue with your conversion story. It’s your story! Paul uses this time to talk about how Jesus led him to share the Gospel with the Gentiles. But when he gets to this part --- mentioning the Gentiles --- things get heated again. They demand that he be killed for his blasphemy. It’s now that the Roman commander demands that he be arrested and flogged. But just as this is about to take place, Paul mentions that he is a Roman citizen by birth. This changes things. The scholars have mixed opinions on how being a Roman citizen in that day and time determined one's treatment by governing authorities. Certainly, in Paul's case, it kept him from being flogged and lynched. In fact, the commander seems frightened when he finds out that the man he is about to whip is a Roman citizen by birth. (I would have hated to see what they did to the non-citizens. It was a brutal world.) But one thing Paul could not get out of was being sent before the Jewish high council. I'm sure the Roman commander would be relieved to give Paul to the Jewish leaders. Let them be the ones faced with the repercussions of dealing with such a controversial figure. What will it mean for Paul to go before the high council? The council, also referred to as the Sanhedrin, was led by the high priest and consisted of Pharisees and Sadducees. This group had broad authority, overseeing criminal, civil, and religious cases. This was a group that would not be sympathetic to Paul. Part of their role was to discern when the Messiah returned and they clearly did not think Jesus was it. Hearing Paul preaching Jesus as Lord would be deemed blasphemous. Will their distain keep Paul silent or make him soften his message? I think we can all guess that the answer is no! Paul is resolute in what God has called him to do. No amount of persecution, oppression, or intimidation will keep him from teaching about Jesus. So our question for the day-what keeps us from speaking boldly about Jesus? Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39510745

December 22, 2025; Acts 21:27-40 12/22/2025

December 22, 2025; Acts 21:27-40 Daily Dose of Hope December 22, 2025 Scripture - Acts 21:27-40 Prayer: Dear God, We come to you today with sorrow. We know that we are sinful and broken. We know that we have fallen short. We have been disobedient as individuals and as a church. Lord, please forgive us and show us your better way. How we need you. We are lost without you and our behavior so often speaks to that. Help us seek holiness. Help us love others the way you love them. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, please help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you... In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading. We have been on a journey, reading through the Gospels and the book of Acts. Today, we finish with Acts 21. It doesn’t take long before people see Paul and get worked up. Some Asian Jews, who saw Paul at the Temple, accuse him of bringing a Greek in the Temple (not true) and teaching people to not follow the law (again not true). Who were these Asian Jews? They were most likely from the province of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and quite possibly from Ephesus. They could very well have remembered Paul from his extended stay in Ephesus and the various conflicts that arose. It doesn’t take long for a few rabble rousers to work up a riot. Paul finds himself in the middle of it, being beaten by a mob. When the Roman soldiers hear about the riot, they rush to figure out what’s going on. What’s interesting is that they also make assumptions about Paul and have been bound, to be thrown in the barracks. It seems no one really cares much for finding the truth. The main charge brought against Paul was that he brought a Gentile into the Temple. This would be a serious offense. The Jews did not allow women or Gentiles into the central courts of the Temple, believing them to be unclean. Although the Law did not specifically forbid Gentiles from going into the Temple courts, by the first century, Herod the Great had expanded the Temple courts so that there was a large area where everyone was welcome, the Court of the Gentiles. Despite the fact that the charge is false, no one comes to Paul’s defense. None of the Jewish believers, who must have seen the whole thing, say a word. While this was out of fear, for sure, it is still surprising. Silence, as we know, always empowers wrongdoers. Let’s talk about silence for a moment. There is good silence, like being silent before the Lord, and then there is bad silence, like not standing up for what is right. Bullies exist because the majority stays silent. Martin Luther King, Jr., famously said, "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends," emphasizing that friends' lack of support is deeply painful and is what enables injustice. Unfortunately, we have seen this over centuries in the church. We saw it with Jesus and the disciples. We see it in the early church. We saw it during the persecutions of the first several centuries and through many wars. How many Christians stood in fear and watched the Nazis murder millions of helpless Jews? How many Christians have been silent in the face of slavery, racism, and gross injustice across our own nation? What are the main forces of injustice in our world right now? Where has the church stood up and done the right thing and where have we been silent? What about you? More tomorrow. Blessings, Pastor Vicki /episode/index/show/nhsoap/id/39488625

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