Advertise on podcast: Daily Dose of Hope from New Hope

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  

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

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    

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  

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

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  

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

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

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  

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  

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    

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

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  

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    

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[b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki