Podcasts about pastor vicki

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    

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      

Daily Dose of Hope December 19, 2025   Scripture - Acts 21:1-26   Prayer:  Holy God, We sing your praises today... For to us a child is born,     to us a son is given,     and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called     Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,     Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace     there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne     and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it     with justice and righteousness     from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty     will accomplish this.  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 getting close to finishing this reading plan after going through the Gospels and now the book of Acts.  Today, we walk through the first portion of Acts 21.   I have to admit, I've always struggled with this passage. Paul is being warned repeatedly by believers, those who have the gift of prophecy, that he should not go on to Jerusalem because it is dangerous for him. Paul has experienced persecution and danger, but what is waiting for him in Jerusalem could certainly be the worst yet. And yet, he insists upon going. Was he ignoring warnings from the Holy Spirit or simply determined to courageously carry out what God called him to do?   Now, most of us will never, ever encounter the kind of resistance and persecution that Paul is experiencing. But how often have we felt the strong call of God in a particular area and then felt dissuaded by our Christians brothers and sisters to carry it out? So often, I think people react to our plans more out of fear for us and/or how our lives might be disrupted than from clear guidance from God. (There are certainly exceptions but I wonder how people's reactions might be different if we asked them to go home and pray about it specifically and diligently for a week.) Paul clearly felt God had called him to return to Jerusalem, minister to the Jews and Gentiles there, and face the authorities, so that God's Word could be preached to the powers that be no matter the consequences. The part of the chapter about Paul purifying himself with the four other men was kind of interesting and worth mentioning.  Why did he do this?  He wanted to show the other Jewish believers that, while the law was not necessary for salvation, he still wanted to honor Jewish traditions. Though these Jews had become Christians, they had not come to the realization that salvation through Jesus made the law of Moses inoperative as a redemptive system. Accordingly, these new Christians still circumcised their children (as a covenant sign), and they observed many of the "customs" of Mosaic law.   There were plenty of Jews who were disparaging Paul, saying he didn't want anything to do with the Jewish law.  Paul is still Jewish.  He has never preached or taught that.  Think about how Paul circumcised Timothy to show respect for the Jewish Christians in the churches for which they were working.  But rumors happen and they can be hard to break.    There were four Hebrew men who had placed themselves under a vow, probably a Nazarite vow. It was about time for their ritual to be concluded by a purification ceremony in the temple. It was suggested that Paul identify with them, paying their temple fees, and, "purifying" himself along with them. This would be done so that the Jews might see that Paul was being obedient to the law. We know that Gentiles, of course, were under no such constraints.  Paul isn't required to do this but he is trying to calm tempers.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope December 18, 2025   Scripture – Acts 20   Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, We are so grateful that your mercies are new every single morning.  No matter what our week has been like, we can come to you today afresh and anew.  Lord, forgive us for our many failings.  We want to do better.  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 Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are getting close to finishing this reading plan after going through the Gospels and now the book of Acts.  Today, we walk through Acts 20.   We start with more of Paul's travels.  He stops by a number of the churches to encourage them but also has to take a number of circuitous routes to avoid those who wished him harm.  Paul relies so much on the Spirit here.  He knows where to go and when to go, based on where God is leading him.    At his stop in Troas, Paul spends a lot of time preaching.  I mean, he basically preaches all day and night.  One young man, Eutychus, nods off and then falls out of the third floor window and dies.  Paul sees this happen and rushes outside, grabs him, and through the power of Jesus, brings him back from the dead.  Then, Paul keeps on preaching.  Does not miss a beat.  Anyone who ever thinks I preach too long needs to read this passage.   Towards the end of the chapter, Paul is leaving the elders at the church of Ephesus, people he has worked and preached alongside for quite some time. These are people he has grown to love and who love him dearly. They are brothers and sisters in Christ. They are family. And they know they will never see one another again in this earthly life.   When I was traveling in Germany with my Doctorate cohort in 2018, I met a pretty extraordinary South African couple who dedicated their lives to witnessing to Syrian refugees in some of the most dangerous places on earth. Our little group shared, prayed, laughed, and cried with them. My own life journey is forever changed because of the one day I spent with them. I say all of that to make this point. As we left each other's company that day, we were sad because we knew that chances were we would never see each other again this side of heaven. But, we also rejoiced because we knew that we knew that we would spend eternity together.   I think about this as I read about Paul leaving his dear friends. They know that life circumstances will never allow them to be together again in this world. But friends, we aren't simply citizens of earth, we are citizens of heaven! Our time apart is short compared to the eternity we will spend together in heaven. I try to remember this when I officiate a funeral of a loved brother or sister in Christ. Yes, it is very painful to say good-bye. We miss them. But if we know Jesus, then it isn't really good-bye. It's simply "See ya later! Until we meet again!" The pain and sadness are real. We must acknowledge that. But we can trust that God will turn our mourning into dancing. Thank you, Jesus.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope December 17, 2025   Scripture – Acts 19   Prayer:  Lord, We come to you today with humble hearts.  As we venture towards Christmas, 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 daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We have been on a great journey of reading the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are covering Acts 19.   Paul's extended time in Ephesus has obviously made a huge impact on the region.  Many people are coming to know Jesus, miracles are happening, and people are no longer participating in the local idol worship.  They aren't buying the trinkets!    Interestingly, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus was considered, in its final form, to be one of the seven wonders of the world.  It was extraordinary feat of how human beings can create beautiful idols to try to replace the one true God.  If the worship of Artemis had been fulfilling and life-giving, then the Ephesian businessmen would have had nothing to worry about.  But the worship of idols, two thousand years ago and today, always leaves one feeling empty and wanting.   Paul preached the Word of God, taught about the salvation and abundant life that comes from walking with Jesus, and created a community of people who loved God and each other.  That was attractive to people who were desperate for something more.  I can't help but relate this same scenario to our society today.  What/Who are our modern Temples of Artemis?  Which idols have we sought after, leaving us feeling empty and wanting more from life?    Just a reminder: Jesus is still in the business of transforming hearts and lives!  Who in your life needs to know the abundant life that only comes from a living relationship with Jesus?  Who needs to experience a community of Christians who will love and accept them as they are?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope December 16, 2025   Scripture – Acts 18   Prayer:  Dear Holy God, Your love is amazing.  Thank you for the way you care for us.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us focus on you...Lord Jesus, help us set aside every distraction and take this time to lean on you.  We want to hear your voice.  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 the book of Acts and today, we dive into Acts 18.   Here, we read more about Paul's missionary journey.  He heads to Corinth, where he almost throws in the towel when it came to preaching to the Jews.  But God encourages him and we continue to see his pattern of heading to the synagogue first, debating with the Jews, and then bringing the message to the Gentiles.  While I'm sure it was frustrating for Paul, he did see a lot of fruit.  Jews and Gentiles alike from all walks of life are beginning to believe the Good News.    Priscilla and Aquilla appear on the scene and they are a huge support to Paul, as Apollos will be as well.  What I admire so much about Paul is how he traveled around frequently, built networks of believers (which become churches), and he seems almost fearless.  He doesn't get too attached to any place, although he stays some places longer than others.  And yet, he builds deep relationships.  There had to be a lot of hard good-byes.    Another thing I noticed in today's reading is Paul's ability to disciple people in the faith.  He disciples Priscilla and Aquilla.  He stops by all the different churches where he has built relationships, discipling them and encouraging them.  His various pastoral letters, while they addressed specific problems, were definitely letters intended to disciple and mentor those working under him in the name of Jesus.  He doesn't lead someone to Christ and then just leave them in that infancy stage.  He truly does everything he can to build people up in the faith and help them grow.   Discipling others is hugely important and I think it's something we don't do very well in the Western church.  For so long, our emphasis was getting people to say yes to Jesus.  While that is not a bad thing, Jesus teaches us in the Great Commission to go make disciples.  Remember, a disciple is an apprentice, someone who is truly working to be like Jesus.  This doesn't mean someone who has intellectual belief in Jesus but someone who is doing all they can to be like Jesus in thoughts and actions.  What are some ways that we could do a better job discipling other Christians at New Hope?   The bottom line was that Paul was totally and completely sold out for Jesus and he was willing to make any sacrifice to advance God's Kingdom.  How many of us can say that?  Wow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope December 15, 2025   Scripture - Acts 17   Prayer:  Holy God, Almighty Father, the Great I AM, throughout all time, you are good.  Your ways are perfect.  Teach us your ways, Lord.  Help us to know you better, to know you more.  Lord, on our own, we are powerless.  We are desperate for your wisdom, love, and mercy.  More of you and less of me, Jesus.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  We have now walked through the Gospels and we are in the second half of the book of Acts.  Today, we will discuss Acts 17.   In this chapter, Paul preaches in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens.  At each place, he tailors his message to his audience but it's still clearly the Gospel.  The reception he receives at each location is different too.  In Thessalonica and Berea, he starts at the synagogue, which has been his pattern.  He preaches the Gospel to the Jews first.  Some Jews believe in Jesus, as did a number of prominent Greek men and women.  But things turn south pretty quickly.  A number of Jews in Thessalonica are jealous at Paul's success and they raise up a mob to stop him.  They actually go to home in which they are staying and drag out Jason and other believers, arresting them and forcing them to post bond.  Paul and Silas were being helped by other believers, who were aiding their travel to Berea.   In Berea, they were accepted warming at first.  People believe.  But the troublemakers from Thessalonica find out that Paul and Silas are there and they try to get hold of them there.  But Paul and Silas are helped once again by believers who help them get to the coast.   In Athens, things are different still.  The philosophers are interested in what Paul has to say and he shares the Gospel and there are varied reactions – belief, sneering, and wanting more information.  But they aren't beaten up or thrown in jail, so that is quite a relief.   In each city, as different as they are, there are some people who take to the Gospel message right away and others who have more questions.  I think this is such a great model for us.  We share as God leads us and we tailor the message to those who are listening.  If we are telling the Jesus story to Jews, then we will focus on the Old Testament and the various prophecies about Jesus.  If we are telling the Jesus story to Gentiles, then the story will be spoken in a way that makes sense to them.  Paul appealed to what they knew – think about his use of the altar to an unknown God in Athens.    In our world, I present the Gospel to someone who grew up in the church differently than I do to someone who has never heard of Jesus.  I guess the theme here is know your audience and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Mary's song wasn't soft—it was strong. Pastor Vicki invites us to choose joy, like Mary did, and boldly glorify God this Advent.

Daily Dose of Hope December 12, 2025   Scripture:  Acts 16   Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you this morning with humility.  You, Lord of all Creation, Almighty God, came down to earth to become one of us.  You didn't come because you needed to, but because we needed you to.  Thank you, Lord Jesus, for the gift of incarnation.  As we continue through this Advent season, help us prepare our hearts for your coming.  Help us remember who and whose we are.  In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We have been walking through the Gospels and now we are mid-way through Acts.  Today, we are in Acts 16. There are two parts of this passage I want us to discuss.  The first is when Paul meets Timothy and decides to bring him on his missionary journey, he circumcises him.  Wait?  Didn't Paul just argue at the Council of Jerusalem that circumcision and the law were an unnecessary burden for Gentiles?  Yes, he did.  Now he circumcises Timothy.  Is he contradicting himself?  I don't believe so, but there are some layers to unpack.    Timothy's mother was Jewish and his father was Greek so he would not have been circumcised.  Now, Timothy and Paul are going to be visiting many young churches, some filled with Jewish believers.  While circumcision wouldn't be required, it probably gave Timothy a bit more authority in the eyes of those new Jewish converts.  It was probably also a debate they just didn't want to have.  They wanted the focus to be on salvation through Jesus Christ and they wanted to avoid anything that would be a distraction.  Of course, I'm thinking – was there a circumcision check at the door?  How would they even know?  But I digress.    The other part of the passage that is fascinating to me is how the Spirit of God discourages Paul and crew from going one way so that they would end up in Macedonia.  I mean, they had a route already planned out and they were prevented from taking that route.  And then Paul has a dream about a man calling to them and begging for them to come to Macedonia.  So they head in that direction.  When they go into Macedonia, it opens up a whole new area to the Gospel.  They head to Philippi, where they meet a woman named Lydia and she accepts Jesus.  She welcomes them into her home, which later becomes a house church.  This is only the beginning!  By listening to the Spirit and not insisting on their own way, the Gospel was advanced.    How often do we want to force our own way with God?  Yet, the Spirit is always trying to guide us, if we let him.   I can't finish today's devotional without at least addressing the prison story.  Paul and Silas are arrested after a debacle of sorts with a servant girl.  She had a spirit in her that told the future.  Keep in mind, this spirit would not have been of God, so most likely the power was demonic.  She followed the men around and was really wearing on Paul's nerves so he cast out that spirit.  But she was quite a money-maker for her owners.  When they find out the future-telling spirit is gone, they are livid.  They drag Paul and Silas into the public square and have them beaten.  Then, they are put in prison.  It feels a lot like a local mob gone crazy.   But God is always up to something.  An earthquake basically opens up the prison so the men could have theoretically walked out.  But they didn't.  I don't know why they didn't leave.  Maybe the Holy Spirit impressed upon them to stay, we don't have that information.  But because they stayed, the jailer is saved and so is his family!  One door opens another.    God is always opening at doors, always at work, but we have to be paying attention.  How have you seen God working behind the scenes in your life this week?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope December 11, 2025   Scripture – Acts 15   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 goes along with the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Today, we are working through Acts 15.   This is a pretty crucial moment for the young church.  Some people from Judea have gone to the churches and said that to follow Jesus, you must first be a Jew first and follow the law of Moses.  That means being circumcised and the whole bit.  Well, Paul and Barnabas are appalled and they debate fiercely with these men.  Thus, they are invited to go to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders to discuss the matter.  This is a pivotal moment.  Will the council in Jerusalem put the burden of the Law on these new Gentile believers?  Because the Law is a heavy burden. Even the Jews can't handle it.   Amazingly, it seems that the discussion at the council meeting is both civil and Spirit-filled.  Don't we wish all church meetings could be this way?  Paul and Barnabas give testimony to what they have witnessed with Gentile believers receiving the Holy Spirit.  James stands up and quotes Scripture from the prophets which points to Gentiles accepting the Lord.  Thus, they come up with a compromise to not make the burden too heavy for the new believers.  They are to avoid sexual immorality, not eat meat dedicated to idols or meat from strangled animals or blood.  All three of these were very pagan behaviors associated with idol worship.  This is where they decide to draw the line and it makes sense.  We know this won't be the end of the story but it is a great place to start.   As the chapter progresses, there is a sharp dispute between Paul and Barnabas.  They are ready for another missionary journey and Barnabas wants to bring John Mark.  Paul does not.  Apparently, John Mark abandoned them on the last journey.  It must have been a pretty heated argument in which neither party backed down.  So, they went their separate ways.  Barnabas took John Mark and they went one way.  Paul took Silas and they went another way.  While some of us might be surprised that believers had such an intense dispute, they are still human beings.  It appears they weren't ugly about it and they came up with a solution.    This is the truth.  We will not always agree.  Even as Christians.  We aren't always going to agree but we don't have to be disagreeable.  We can show respect, we can be kind, and we can do our best to find a compromise.  In the end, the Gospel won out because now there were two different missionary journeys occurring at the same time.  More people get to hear about Jesus!   This would be a good time to talk about conflict.  Are you in one?  How are you dealing with it?    Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope December 10, 2025   Scripture – Acts 14   Prayer: Almighty God, We come before you today, in the middle of our week, with both humility and gratefulness.  You are so powerful, so holy, and so wise.  We need you.  We seek you.  We are desperate to hear a word from you today, Lord.  We also know that we have failed over and over again.  Lord, forgive us for our sins, for the ways we fall short.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...Jesus, help us stay focused on you and your Word today.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Today, we are working through Acts 14.   Today, we read more about Paul and Barnabas' missionary journeys.  Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe are all in what is now south-central Turkey, just to provide some geographical context.  In Lystra, they were preaching and noticed a man who was disabled since birth, in that he could not walk.  The Scripture says that they could tell he had faith to be healed so they healed him.  And then basically all heck breaks loose!  The locals believe they are gods and want to make sacrifices to them.  Talk about getting the wrong idea.    Think about it.  In these towns, they worshiped the Greek and/or Roman gods.  Their everyday lives were very much intertwined with this kind of god worship.  Want a better crop?  Pray to this god and give him a few sacrifices.  Want to be more fertile?  Pray to this god and offer some sacrifices here and there.  That was their world.  And so it makes sense that when Paul and Barnabas healed, that must mean they are gods.  Of course, Paul and Barnabas were appalled at all of this but it won't be the last time something like this occurs.  The Gospel was freeing, refreshing, but also a totally new concept for many of these people groups.  It takes them time to understand what it means to follow the one true God.   As the chapter closes, we learn that they appoint elders everywhere they go.  The church needs leaders.  They visit the places they have been before and basically check on them.  They commit the leaders to the Lord.  It's amazing to me that God raised up leaders so quickly in these young churches.  These were baby Christians but God knew exactly what they needed.  A church needs structure.  A church needs guidance.  Without it, it would be easy to have total anarchy.  Everyone has a role and a job.  That's how the body of Christ is most effective and fruitful.  Paul is setting up a model that he knows works well.    What attributes make for a solid, fruitful, effective Christian leader?  Who do you know that leads well in the church and who do you know who doesn't lead well.  I often say we learn just as much from those who lead poorly as those who lead well.  What have you learned from the Christian leaders you have served under?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope December 9, 2025   Scripture – Acts 13   Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, I come before you today with humility.  You are holy, you are perfect, and I am painfully flawed.  Forgive me, Lord, for the way I fall short over and over again.  Forgive me for not being loving, patient, and kind.  Jesus, I want to follow your example.  I want to have a clean and pure heart.  How I need you.  Create in me a pure heart, Lord, and renew a right spirit within me.  I love you.  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 walking through the Gospels over the last few months and now we are mid-way through the book of Acts.  Today, we are walking through Acts 13.   In today's passage, we read about the first missionary journeys.  The believers feel the Holy Spirit calling them to go, so they go.  Paul and Barnabas, especially, feel called to be missionaries and go to new places with the Gospel message.    In Cyprus, the disciples encounter a Jewish sorcerer (seems like an oxymoron) and false prophet who was getting in the way of the proconsul, or governor, coming to belief in Jesus.  Maybe the sorcerer sees Paul as a threat to his own power, we really can't tell.  But Paul doesn't stand for it.  Filled with the Holy Spirit, he speaks boldly and tells the sorcerer that he is a child of the devil.  The man actually becomes blind.  Seeing the power of God at work, the proconsul accepts Christ.    This particular incident is worth mentioning because it doesn't take long for Paul and Barnabas to encounter opposition.  They know they are sent by the Holy Spirit, they are sharing the Gospel, and there are forces that aren't happy about it!  But Paul and Barnabas are undeterred.  They take care of the sorcerer and keep on going.  I think too often when we encounter resistance, we consider giving up.  We think, "Maybe God isn't calling me to do this ministry or maybe God isn't calling me to share my story with this group."  It's possible, at times, that resistance can mean we are doing the wrong thing IF that resistance comes from godly people.  However, more often, I think resistance means we're pushing against powers that need to be brought down.  Keep going and DO NOT COMPROMISE.  Stay the course.   Back to our passage - notice that wherever Paul and Barnabas go, they stop in the synagogue first and preach to the Jews.  Some follow and believe which simply angers the Jewish leaders and they cause trouble.  It's then that Paul basically says, "Look, we tried to offer you salvation in Jesus.  You reject us so we are moving on to the Gentiles!"  The Gentiles are very pleased.  And the word spreads and many people believed.  This is a pattern we will see repeated again and again.   I think sometimes we keep trying to do something, over and over and over again, without a lot of success because we feel like God has called us to do so.  Sometimes, as in this passage, that is simply a door we need to close so that we can open up a more productive one.  It's okay to say no to good to do what's great for God's Kingdom.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope December 5, 2025   Scripture – Acts 11   Prayer:  Almighty God, We come to you today with humble hearts.  We are broken and we need you.  Help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you this morning.  Help us set aside distractions so we might hear your voice.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us just focus on Jesus...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope once again.  This is the podcast and devotional that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading.  We are working through the book of Acts and today we are talking about Acts 11.   What a great chapter!  It starts with Peter explaining why he entered the house of a Gentile and how the new believers received the Holy Spirit.  Isn't it interesting that the church leaders in Jerusalem don't start by asking Peter about the Gentiles' conversion?  No, they are more worried about Peter being a good Jew.  They are more worried about the superficial.  They are fixated on Peter entering a Gentile's home and eating with him.  Man looks on the outside but God looks on the heart.  God is less worried about the food that's eaten and more concerned about the souls of people.    At the same time, I get it.  These Jewish church leaders had been taught the law from the time they were wee ones.  Yes, Jesus had opened up new doors and broken down barriers, but the law is the law.  This struggle with whether/how to follow the Mosaic Law as a follower of Jesus will be a major theme throughout the rest of the New Testament.  We are quite removed from it as Gentile believers 2000 years later, but this was a big, big deal.  It was very complex deciding what to keep and not keep, what to follow and not follow.  There was also such a huge disparity in background between the Gentile believers and the Jewish believers.  This will come in to play in the next few chapters.   Let's talk a little bit about the church at Antioch.  This is the first place the Jesus followers are called Christians and we have the scattered Jews and the local Greeks worshiping together.  Large numbers of Gentiles come to believe in Jesus, showing God's divine favor in this new direction of the Gospel.  Antioch became a model for a diverse church, but it also became a hub of sorts for Paul and Barnabas' missionary journeys.  This was a church that was driven by a mission to save the lost and they kept expanding past the walls of their own church and community.   What might we learn from Antioch?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki          

Daily Dose of Hope December 8, 2025   Scripture – Acts 12   Prayer:  Lord Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We give you all the glory and praise.  Thank you for being a God who provides.  Thank you for being a God who heals.  Thank you for being a God who sees past our brokenness and invites us into relationship with you.  Help us, Lord, to grow more deeply in love with you every day.  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 getting to the end of our reading plan after months of walking through the Gospels and Acts.  I would love to hear what you have learned.  What have been your big takeaways?    Today, we walk through Acts 12.  Things are getting rough for Peter and the Christians.  Persecution is increasing.  Herod is getting especially agitated and throws Peter in prison.  I want to talk about the miracle of Peter being released but first let's discuss the Herod dynasty because I think that's important.  The Herodians were given power of the region of Judea by the Romans.  While they were brutal and power-hungry, they did consider themselves to be Jews.  This Herod from Acts 12 is Herod Agrippa I.  His grandfather was Herod the Great; he was the Herod who called for the killing of the Jewish baby boys after Jesus' birth.  He was the nephew of Herod Antipas, who ordered the beheading of John the Baptist and to whom Jesus was brought.    All of these Herodian kings were insecure and felt easily threatened by those who criticized them or their way of life.  Thus, this Herod was persecuting Christians and had already executed James, the brother of John.    Peter is arrested and thrown in prison with many, many layers of security.  But no soldiers or shackles can stop God!  He sends an angel who frees Peter and leads him out of the prison to a home where many believers were meeting.  The believers had been praying fervently for Peter's release and then they were shocked when he shows up at the door of the home where they had gathered.  Talk about answered prayer!  This is just the beginning of the miracles God is going to do.   Do you believe in answered prayers?  Do you pray bold prayers like these believers?  The boldness of our prayers speak volumes about how we feel about God.  It's clear that the early church believed that God was all-powerful, that God was a God of miracles, a God of provision, and a God who would take care of their every need.  The big question is – do we?   Finally, let's talk about Herod's death.  After securing some kind of peace deal, King Herod stands before the people and gives his royal address.  The people go wild!  They begin to say this is the voice of a god, not a man.  And insecure Herod just soaks it up.  But God is having none of it, and he strikes him down dead.  Y'all, arrogance does not pay.  God calls his people to be humble.  All glory and honor belong to God.  Yes, there are times in which we can be appropriately proud but we have to be very, very careful.  The way of Christ is always humility.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

The prophets didn't just warn—they worshiped. In this Advent message, Pastor Vicki invites us into the ancient song of Isaiah, revealing how God's plan for Jesus was set in motion long before Bethlehem. Watch the full sermon or listen to the audio player.

Daily Dose of Hope December 4, 2025   Scripture - Acts 10   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, friends, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently walking through the book of Acts and today we taking a look at Acts chapter 10.   Things are changing.  I love this text, as it shows that God is always up to something new to lead more people to the Gospel.  Cornelius, an Italian centurion, is a God-fearer.  This means he is a Gentile who believes in God but does not follow the law to the tee.  He is respected among Jews and gives to the causes of God.  God sends an angel to tell Cornelius that he needs to send for Peter.    At about the same time, Peter falls into a trance in which God presents him with all kinds of food, much of it unclean according to the law.  Its clear God is doing something different here.  He tells Peter to get up and eat.  When Peter protests, God tells him that nothing that God makes is unclean.  It's at that same time that Cornelius sends for him.   Peter then goes to Cornelius' home.  Keep in mind, this would have really been a no-no according to Jewish law.  Jews did not associate with Gentiles; they especially did not walk into their homes.  It would have rendered them unclean.  But Peter knows that God has called him to do so.  He speaks to Cornelius, his family, and friends about Jesus and they believe and receive the Holy Spirit.  This is new territory, everyone!  These are the first Gentiles that become believers.  We stand on their shoulders.  More tomorrow…   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope December 3, 2025   Scripture - Acts 9:32-43   Prayer: Father God, hear our prayer this morning.  We are awed by your power and strength.  We are amazed by your love.  Thank you, Lord, for the many ways you show in our lives to teach us and care for us.  Help us gather our scattered thoughts right now and focus on you.  In these next few moments of silence, help us (help me) be still and know that you are God...Come Holy Spirit, and help us walk through this Scripture in a way that honors you.  Show up and help us discover whatever it is you want us to learn.  This is your Word and we want to hear from you.  In Your powerful name, Amen.   Welcome back, friends, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently walking through the book of Acts and today we finish up Acts 9.   We learn that after Saul's conversion, there is a period of peace for the disciples of Jesus.  This allows them to move freely, share the Gospel, and do the works of healing and teaching.  In today's passage, we see the Holy Spirit working through Peter to heal a bedridden man and then resurrect a dead woman.   I would like to focus on Tabitha, also called Dorcas, a disciple in Joppa (a town that is now part of modern-day Tel Aviv).  Dorcas took care of most of the widows in that area.  Really, she had created a community of widows who had become her family. Remember, widows are some of the most vulnerable people in that society.  Without a husband or son to care for them, they have no way to care for themselves.  If it weren't for God's people, they would be doomed to a life of poverty and/or prostitution.  Dorcas cared for these women and they loved her dearly.  This is a woman whose life had significant impact on a group of women that would otherwise have been overlooked in their culture.  When Peter sees the situation, he is moved with compassion.  He prays and Dorcas is restored to life.    We serve a God of resurrection.  How do you need to see resurrection in your life today?  Let's reframe that a bit.  In the hustle and bustle of Christmas, where can you see new life and resurrection?  Where can you be a Tabitha?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope December 2, 2025   Scripture - Acts 9:1-31   Prayer: Heavenly Father, Help us start this devotional today with a time of silence, a time to pause before you...Lord, hear our prayers.  Speak to us.  We want to hear from 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 currently walking through the book of Acts.  Today, we start Acts 9.   This is a great passage - Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  It's amazing how God took the biggest persecutor of believers and very intentionally chooses him to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles.  His conversion story is dramatic, and it really needs to be.  He doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would take hints from God.  He needs something that cannot be disputed, like the living Christ meeting him on his Damascus journey and speaking directly to him.  Then, he loses his sight, only to regain it when Ananias prays for him.  It's quite extraordinary.   Most of us are pretty familiar with Saul's conversion story but today, I'd like to focus on Ananias of Damascus.  He is the man in the shadows.  Keep in mind, there are several men named Ananias in the New Testament; we are focusing on the man in Damascus who prayed over Saul who became Paul.  What we read in Acts 9 is that God appears to Ananias in a vision and tells him to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street where he will meet Saul of Tarsus.  Ananias knew of Saul's reputation and he knew that Saul was in Damascus to arrest believers of Jesus so he protested a bit.  God tells him to go to the house anyway.   Despite being fearful, Ananias obeys.  I'm going to say that again.  Despite knowing that Saul could potentially arrest him, Ananias obeys God.  He goes to the house and prays over Saul.  Almost immediately, something like scales fall from Saul's eyes and he can see again.   We don't know much about what happens to faithful Ananias of Damascus after this incident.  The author of Acts doesn't give us a lot of information – does he go on to preach the Gospel in his community and beyond?  Does he found churches?  Does he end up getting arrested for preaching Jesus? Really, we have no idea.  What we do know is that Ananias of Damascus obeyed God's command to go pray over Saul so that Saul could go do all of those things.  Without Ananias' prayer, Saul might have spent the rest of his life as a blind man wandering around, not knowing what his life might have been.   Not everyone can be Saul/Paul, but we can all be Ananias.  We can all be obedient.  We can all pray for those who have harmed the church and those who have been harmed by the church.  We can do what God is asking us.  We don't have to found world-altering movements but we do need to do what Jesus asks us to do right now, right here. What is Jesus asking you to do?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope December 1, 2025   Scripture - Acts 8:26-40   Prayer: Holy and Merciful God, Thank you for a new day and a new week  and thank you that your mercies are new every morning.  As we enter into this first week of Advent, help us be aware of your presence in a new way, Lord.  And right now, help us gather our scattered thoughts and focus on you and your Word.  In these next few moments of silence, help us be still and know that you are God...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 walking through the book of Acts.  Today, we finish up Acts 8.   Today's reading finds us with Philip.  The Holy Spirit tells him to head down the road to Gaza and when he does, he encounters an Ethiopian eunuch reading the book of Isaiah.  Philip knows this is his purpose and this is a beautiful opening that God has provided.  He does not hesitate.  Philip asks the Ethiopian if he understands what he is reading; the man responds, "How can I unless someone explains it to me?"  Okay, perfect opening.  Philip takes the opportunity to explain how the prophecy points to Jesus.  He shares the Gospel and the man believes and is baptized.    I want to reiterate a point here.  Philip does not hesitate.  He sees an opening and he takes it.  Again, we need to think of our own circumstances.  How often do we have an opening or we feel the nudge to share about Jesus and we chicken out?  How often do we hesitate?  What are we afraid of?   Upon reflection, there are quite a few things we can learn from Philip's experience:       ---There are times in which we may appear to be traveling on a desert road but God can still give you opening to share your faith with someone else.  Please hear me.  Even when we go through challenges and grief, God still gives us opportunities to witness to his goodness.  How have you experienced this? ·      ----Start with a question.  Philip just asked a question.  He didn't give the Ethiopian man a long theological dissertation.  He didn't wow the man with all his religious knowledge.  No, not at all.  Philip asked a question, which led to an opening to share about Scripture. ·      ----Use Scripture.  Point to the Gospel message in the Bible.  Scripture speaks for itself. ·      ----Stick to the Good News.  Stay away from politics.  Stay away from the side conversations.  Just focus on Jesus and what his death and resurrection mean for us. ·      -----Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to when there is an opportunity and then to guide your words and actions.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope November 28, 2025   Scripture: Acts 8:1-26   Prayer: Almighty God and Risen Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We come before you today with praise and a sense of awe. Even though you are incredibly mighty and take care of us in such fundamental ways, we struggle to stay focused on our faith.  Help us gather our scattered and distracted thoughts.  Help us take a moment of silence and remember who you are...Holy Spirit, speak to us today.  We want to hear your voice.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan for New Hope Church on Brandon, Florida.  We are currently walking through the book of Acts.  Today, we are talking at the first half of Acts 8.   After Stephen's killing, the new Christians are forced to scatter around the area.  Saul (who will become Paul) is going door to door to question people and throw Christians into prison.  This is serious stuff.  I want you to just imagine what that would be like.  We live in a place where we can worship freely but what those new Christians experience isn't too different from many parts of the world today.  Just keep that in mind.    What's interesting to me is that wherever they go, the believers spread the Gospel.  They aren't deterred by their experience in Jerusalem.  Rather, the opposite seems to be true.  They are bold and tell the story of Jesus wherever they go.  Think of your own life.  How do you share the story of Jesus?  Do you?   One more interesting part of the passage is the bit about Simon the sorcerer in Samaria.  Sorcery is absolutely forbidden by God because it relies on powers that are not of God.  When I speak of sorcery, I'm referring to black magic, the occult, witchcraft, etc.  Sometimes, there is no power attached to these things and other times, they definitely have power and it comes from the evil one.  So, friends, this is not something you want to mess with at all.  Just stay away from it.   Sorry, I digress.  Simon had become a believer after hearing Philip preach but the Holy Spirit had not yet come to the church in Samaria.  When the apostles (Peter and John) come to Samaria and lay hands on the believers, the Holy Spirit comes to them and they receive the power that comes with that.  Simon witnesses all of this and he wants it.  He offers Peter and John money to receive this power.  Of course, they are appalled.  They tell him he is wicked and needs to repent.  His heart is not right before God.  Simon appears to be repentant and we don't hear any more about him.    The apostles continue to visit Samaritan villages to spread the Gospel.   We will chat some more on Monday.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope November 27, 2025   Scripture - Acts 7   Prayer:  Amazing God, thank you for giving us life in Christ Jesus. This Thanksgiving, we ask you to continue to strengthen us in Jesus Christ, driving roots deep into the soil of who he is, your Son. In the days following this celebration of your awesome provision, may the Holy Spirit well up thankfulness in our hearts to overflowing every day. Thanks be to God through Christ Jesus. Amen Happy Thanksgiving!  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 walking through the book of Acts.  Today, we working through all of chapter 7.  This chapter covers the stoning of Stephen, which seems a strange thing to talk about on Thanksgiving.  Or, maybe it's not.  We'll get to that.  If you remember, yesterday, the Jewish leaders were trying to get people to slander Stephen.  They were threatened by his wisdom.  So, they have him dragged in front of the Sanhedrin.  It's there that Stephen gives a long, eloquent history of how God worked through his people, leading up to Jesus.  Stephen doesn't mince words.  He is pretty clear that the Jewish leadership has persecuted all the prophets who have come before and then persecuted the Messiah to the point of execution.  Not surprisingly, the Jewish leaders are offended by his directness and they get really worked up when he looks up at heaven and declares that he sees Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father.  Keep in mind, this would have been blasphemy to the strict Jews who sat on the council.  There was no real trial, no real discussion.  They simply drag Stephen out and start throwing stones. Stephen was the first Christian martyr.  This was, of course, a sign of what was to come.  But Stephen also offers all Christians a beautiful model of how to live and die, trusting fully and completely in Jesus Christ.  This seems pretty foreign to us and for that, we should be thankful.  But this is truth:  Christians around the world deal with this kind of persecution every single day.    We don't think about it much but over 360 million Christians around the world suffer persecution or discrimination for their faith in Jesus Christ. Roughly 5,600 Christians were murdered in 2022, more than 6,000 were detained or imprisoned, and another 4,000-plus were kidnapped. In addition, more than 5,000 churches and other religious facilities were destroyed.  Most of us have seen the horrors that Christians in Nigeria are currently experiencing.  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. Last year 11 nations were guilty of "extreme persecution." Afghanistan took the top spot this year. It is impossible to live openly as a Christian in Afghanistan. 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.  North Korea is next, as Kim Jung-un wages a war against any foreign influences.  Then, we have countries like Somalia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Nigeria.  On this Thanksgiving Day, let's give thanks for our ability to worship freely without fear of persecution.  But let' also give thanks for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who are staying faithful no matter what.  We pray for their safety, but also their perseverance, resilience, and faithfulness.  May we have even but a small amount of their courage and strength. Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.  Please know, I am grateful for everyone of you and count you all among my blessings. Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 26, 2025   Scripture - Acts 6   Prayer:  Almighty God, As we move into our Wednesday, we pray that today will be a day that we see glimpses of your glory.  We need you, we yearn for you.  Lord, help us set aside our distractions and settle our scattered thoughts so we can focus on you and you alone.  In the next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers... In Your Name, 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 walking through the book of Acts.  Today, we working through all of chapter 6.   In Acts 6, we see the choosing of the first deacons to serve the widows from both the Greek and Jewish communities.  The apostles felt strongly they needed to keep preaching and teaching but they knew someone needed to be in charge of serving those in need.  There was a conflict that had to be dealt with – the Greek Jews felt that their widows weren't being cared for in the same way as the Hebrew Jews when it came to food distribution.  It wasn't insurmountable issue at all, but it could certainly create battle lines if not addressed promptly.  Stephen is chosen to lead the group who would ensure all of the early believers are fed fairly.  This is such a great model for solving a problem in the church.  They had an issue, they came together and discussed it civilly, and a solution is chosen.  No drama.   I should also note this is the first time we see a differentiation in the roles in the church.  Deacons are caring for the physical needs of the people.  The apostles, serving more like elders, are preaching and teaching.  There are many people in one body with many different gifts.  It takes all of us for Jesus' church to be effective and fruitful.  This will get clearer as the church develops.    Later in the chapter, things take a turn for the worse.  Stephen is being targeted by the Sanhedrin.  They don't like how the Gospel is spreading.  I wonder if the Jewish leaders are beginning to feel like things are getting out of control.  They see the church growing and they don't have a way to stop it.  Stephen is exhibiting extraordinary wisdom.  How do you fight against that?  Well, you cheat and lie.  And that's exactly what they did.  They have people say that he is speaking blasphemy against Moses.  They are willing to do whatever they need to do to slander Stephen.  They are abandoning Torah in favor of keeping political control.    More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 25, 2025   Scripture - Acts 5:17-42   Prayer:  Holy and Merciful God, Thank you for a new day during this Thanksgiving week.   We are so very grateful that your mercies are new every morning.  We are thankful for your mercy, grace, and patience with us.  Help us, Lord, gather our scattered thoughts and focus on you and your Word.  In these next few moments of silence, help us be still and know that you are God...In Your Name, 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 walking through the book of Acts.  Today, we are finishing Acts 5.   The apostles are witnessing and people are coming to faith in Jesus.  They are seeing signs and wonders.  Even Peter's shadow falling on people is leading to healing.  The Holy Spirit is working in powerful ways to demonstrate God's glory and grow the young church.  Healing and deliverance are the norm, not the exception.    This really makes the Jewish leaders jealous and worried.  Afterall, they want to control their perceived grip on religious power.  The apostles are thrown in jail but freed by an angel.  They go right back to the Temple courts and witness to the Gospel.  When the Jewish leaders question and threaten the apostles, the believers are clear that they are going to follow God over man.  Their boldness is amazing.  It's clear the Spirit is in them in a powerful way.  But what I am always alarmed by is their joy at being suffering disgrace for the Gospel.  I mean they are flogged!  That's extremely painful.  And they praise God for this.    This leads to some pretty difficult questions for us.  First, when have you suffered disgrace for the Gospel?  Second, when have we experienced discomfort for the Gospel?  Seriously, what is the worst we have experienced for the Gospel? And finally, if you have experienced disgrace or discomfort, were you filled with joy?   I think we tend to go to great lengths to avoid disgrace and discomfort.  Why?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 24, 2025   Scripture - Acts 5:1-16   Prayer: Almighty God, As we move into a new week, we pray that today will be a day that we see glimpses of your glory.  We need you, we yearn for you.  Lord, help us set aside our distractions and settle our scattered thoughts so we can focus on you and you alone.  In the next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers... In Your Name, 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 walking through the book of Acts.  Today, we are staring Acts 5, specifically the first sixteen verses.   The story of Ananias and Sapphira is kind of disturbing.  But keep in mind that this is happening within the context of the new church community.  This is a community in which people are selling all their possessions and living in unity, of the same mind and spirit.  Then, Ananias and Sapphira, in contrast, tell everyone they are selling a piece of land and giving all the profit to the church.  But they secretly keep a big chunk for themselves.  This is the thing – if they had been honest and said they were splitting the proceeds and keeping some for themselves, it would not have been a big deal.  Afterall, it was their property and their money.  They could decide how to use it.  The issue was in the deception.  Rather than being filled with the Holy Spirit (as we see in the rest of the community), they were filled with a spirit of evil.    Here is an interesting question – were Ananias and Sapphira true believers?  They probably were.  Their story is told in the context of the actions of "all the believers" in Acts 4.  They knew the Holy Spirit.  It's possible that Ananias may have earlier promised to give the whole amount of the sale of the property to the church and then they changed their mind and decided to be deceptive rather than truthful.  Maybe the best evidence that they were believers is that they were disciplined for their actions.  They wanted attention and accolades but they lied to get it.  They were even given a chance to fess up but they stuck to their lies.  As a result, they died.    It shows us that believers can be led into bold, obvious sin.  And really, don't we see this often in the church?  A respected church leader falls from grace – the inappropriate relationship, embezzled funds, something is just not right.  Satan is active and at work in our lives and we have to be on guard, prepared with the full armor of God.  You guys, spiritual warfare is real.    If this story seems harsh, it is.  You are totally right.  I've thought about this.  The church was young.  They were really setting boundaries.  The apostles were establishing their own leadership.  This was a warning to the church as a whole.  Deception and evil will not be tolerated.  We are not to look like the culture at large.  We belong to Jesus.  We reflect Jesus.    Does New Hope reflect Jesus?  What can we do better?  What can you do better?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope November 21, 2025   Scripture - Acts 4:23-37   Prayer: Almighty Father, You always know what is best for us.  Thank you for that.  We are sorry for the ways that we resist.  Help us to want what you want for us.  Help us to want to be patient, to want to be kind, to want to be obedient.  Conform our will, Lord, In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, a devotional and podcast that goes along with the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Happy Friday!  We are so glad you have joined us today.  We have been doing an intense deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  We have made it to the book of Acts and today, we are finishing up Acts 4.    The Jewish leaders had threatened Peter and John not to preach and teach Jesus.  Peter and John knew that was not going to be possible.  So what do they do?  They immediately gather with other believers for a time of prayer.  They pour their concerns out before the Lord.  They proclaim the majesty of God's greatness and power and they ask him to give them more boldness.    I want you to adequately grasp this.  They don't hide.  They don't cower.  They don't pray for protection.  They pray for boldness.  They never had any intention of backing down, but they do know that they will need Spirit-filled courage.    Think about the situation in your life right now that is causing the most stress and anxiety.  How can you reframe it like these disciples?  It's not about backing down.  It's about God giving you the strength, courage, stamina, and wisdom to face it head-on.  Please use good sense here and proceed with prayer.  But don't let fear make you make down.  Were Peter and John scared?  Probably.  They were human beings.  But they surrounded themselves with believers to pray over them and build them up with the strength of the Spirit.  What a great model! I want to jump down to the end of the chapter.  The believers are together and share all they have.  They are of one mind.  They sell their possessions and lay them at the apostles' feet.  They are filled with grace in a powerful way.  This is the way the church began.  Do you think maybe we have gotten off course a bit?  The reality is that a lot of history has occurred between the church of Acts and today.  But what do you take from this passage?  What elements of the church might we need to bring back to right now to be more in line with the teachings of Jesus? Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 20, 2025   Scripture - Acts 4:1-22   Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth. Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation. We ask this through Christ our 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 have been doing a pretty intense walk through the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin Acts 4. Peter and John have been brought before the Sanhedrin.  Why?  Because they were preaching Jesus crucified and risen.  Peter has spoken as one filled with the Holy Spirit and it is powerful!  Many were coming to belief in Jesus.  These Jewish officials felt threatened.  And yet, they couldn't deny that the man had been healed.  The officials ask Peter and John by what authority they are preaching and teaching.  What do they say? They state clearly that they are preaching by the authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  What was kind of fascinating and also kind of sad as I was doing research for this Scripture was the number of academics who struggled with this passage.  They struggled with the exclusivity of Peter and John preaching Jesus and only Jesus.  Peter is clear – it is by Jesus this man was healed and it is only by Jesus that we are saved.  And here we are 2000 years later and all kinds of academics can parse words and want to make the speech different.  Yet, Peter was clear.  He says this in verse 12,  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.  My favorite line from the chapter is, When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.  This is always such a humbling verse for me.  Do others look at us and know we've been with Jesus?  It didn't matter that Peter and John hadn't had proper schooling, whatever that is.  They might not have even been literate.  But here they are, filled with the Spirit of the Living God, and it is obvious.  Everything about what they spoke, how they looked, and how they behaved, made it so evident that they belonged to Jesus.  And that begs the question --- could people say the same for us? Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope November 19, 2025   Scripture - Acts 3   Prayer: Almighty God, We come to you today with humble hearts.  We are broken and we need you.  Help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you this morning.  Help us set aside distractions so we might hear your voice.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us just focus on Jesus...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.  This week, we have just started the book of Acts, after walking through all the Gospels.  What a great spiritual journey this has been and I'm so glad you have joined us!  Today, we walk through Acts 3. The chapter starts with Peter and John heading into the temple in the afternoon.  There is a disabled man there, who could not walk, and was brought into the temple every day to beg for money.  This passage always makes me smile.  Peter says something like, "Look, we don't have any money but we have something better."  And he heals him.  The man wasn't expecting it at all.  He was expecting more of the same – begging, barely making it, having no dignity, simply existing.  And what Peter and John offered him, through the power of the Holy Spirit, was so much better.  The man jumps and leaps throughout the temple courts and praises God.  People are standing there, jaws dropped, shocked.  They recognize him as the same man who used to beg at the temple gate, and now they are filled with wonder and amazement. And then the two men use this as an opportunity to preach about Jesus.  Peter says, "Why does this surprise you?"  He talks about Jesus.  He makes sure the people don't think this is a magic trick or something that happened by Peter's own power.  This is totally, completely, a result of the power of Jesus Christ.  What I find interesting is that Peter tailors his witnessing to the people around him.  These are Jewish people.  Thus, he goes way back to the Jewish fathers, explaining how Jesus was always part of God's plan.  Yet, he was killed and then resurrected.  Peter continues by telling them that Jesus is the one God sent, Jesus is the one that the prophets were speaking of, Jesus is the one you should have recognized!  It's really fascinating to me that Peter, throughout Acts, does such a great job, balancing human culpability for the death of Jesus with the inevitability of Jesus' death as part of God's plan.  This death was necessary and God knew it had to happen.  Prophecy said it would happen.  But, at the same time, it only occurred because human beings sinned and ensured that it would happen.  God didn't force anyone's hand.  He didn't make anyone do anything. One aspect of Peter's message that is critical is repentance.  I don't think we talk about repentance enough.  Let's look at verse 19, Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord...  Peter tells the Jews who are listening that, regardless of what has come before, regardless of the mistakes of the past, it is time to repent.  Now is the time to turn to God and allow him to cleanse your sins so that you can be refreshed and be made white as snow.  Life is different with Jesus.  Allow him in and experience new life.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 18, 2025   Scripture – Acts 2   Prayer: 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 Church daily Bible reading plan.  We have just started the book of Acts, after walking through all the Gospels.  What a great spiritual journey this has been and I'm so glad you have joined us!  Today, we walk through Acts 2.   I'm going to start by reading the first three verses, On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.  Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.  Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.    You guys, this is incredible.  First, let's talk about the roaring windstorm.  Throughout Scripture, wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.  In ancient Hebrew, we have the word, ruach, which means breath/wind/spirit and we see this word quite a bit in the Old Testament.  Wind represents the life-giving work of the Spirit.  Think about it.  In Genesis 2, God breathed life (ruach) into Adam.  In Ezekial 37, we are in the valley of dry bones and God has Ezekiel prophesy to the bones, saying "I will put my Spirit (ruach) in you and you will live."  In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is typically referred to in the Greek as pneuma.  The Holy Spirit comes upon Mary to form life in her womb.  In John 3:5, Jesus tells Nicodemus that the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.    I can't help thinking, how many people need to experience the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit right now?  How many people are really struggling, barely holding on, languishing in doubt, pain, anger, cynicism?  Or maybe, you simply feel nothing?  There is NO true living without the presence of the Spirit, only existing.    Next, we have the tongues of fire.  Let's sit here for a second.  Fire is often descriptive of God in the Old Testament and it speaks to the purifying and refining work of the Holy Spirit.  In this sense, the Spirit causes things that are impure to become pure...lives, hearts. Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist says "I baptize you with water for repentance.  But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."  Peter speaks of the new Gentile believers as experiencing the Holy Spirit and having their hearts purified.    If something is pure, it is only one thing–pure gold, pure oxygen.  It isn't filled with contaminants or additives. It is totally and completely that one thing. I picture the Holy Spirit coming upon that group of believers on the day of Pentecost and purifying or refining their hearts so they would be totally and completely dedicated to the things of God, not half filled with the stuff of the world and half filled with the things of God.  I wonder that about our own hearts.  What contaminants have we allowed to seep in?  What do we need to purify? Come like a fire, Holy Spirit, and burn in us so that we can be pure and totally devoted to the things of Jesus.   Let's read some more Scripture, beginning with verse 4 (this is truly a paraphrase), All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.  This made a racket and a crowd forms...When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken...Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?  Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."  And then Peter gets up and says, we aren't drunk, it's only 9 in the morning.  Let me tell you what his means...and he shares with them the Gospel, he speaks of how the Old Testament scriptures point to Jesus as the Messiah, he speaks of Jesus' ministry, his death, his resurrection and it says this,  Peter's words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?"  Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."   And what happened? 3000 believed and were baptized.  The Holy Spirit came, the people were given power to act, and they did it!  They trusted God and they responded.  This was essentially the beginning of the church.  At the end of chapter 2, we see how the people begin to gather to worship Jesus, to pray, to learn, to take care of one another, to celebrate the Lord's Supper.  They sold all they had and gave it to the poor among them.    We talked about how the Holy Spirit is life-giving and purifying but it also has power.  The Holy Spirit empowers believers to do really hard things.  If you have said yes to Jesus, then the Holy Spirit has made a home within you. The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead LIVES within you.  And God didn't give us that power simply for our own use.  It's for the mission of sharing the love and grace of Jesus Christ with others.    Why do you think we struggle so much with that?  What part of the mission causes you to hide in fear?  Friends, we have POWER within us and it is given to us for the purpose of making disciples of Jesus Christ.  Let's just let that sit and settle.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 17, 2025   Scripture – Acts 1   Prayer: Holy God, Almighty Father, the Great I AM, Throughout all time, You are good.  Your ways are perfect.  Teach us your ways, Lord.  Help us to know you better, to know you more.  Lord, on our own, we are powerless.  We are desperate for your wisdom, love, and mercy.  More of you and less of me, Jesus.  Amen.   Welcome 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 deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.   Today, we are starting the book of Acts, one of my favorite books of the Bible.  This is the second volume of the two-part work of Luke-Acts, written by Luke, a co-worker of Paul.  The original title of the book was The Acts of the Apostles.  Certainly, different apostles appear throughout the stories, but the only single character who unifies the book is Jesus, appearing in the beginning of the book in human form and then acting through the Holy Spirit throughout the book.    As we work our way through the text, it's going to be incredible to see how the Holy Spirit transforms, leads, directs, and shapes the new Christians and the young church.  Chapter 1 opens with Jesus ready to ascend into heaven.  Even though this is post-resurrection, the disciples still didn't understand everything.  We find them asking Jesus when he is going to restore the kingdom to Israel.  Their understanding of God's Kingdom is still a bit misguided, but Jesus redirects them.  He says only God knows the time and place for that.    But there is something even better ahead.  And Jesus tells them that the Holy Spirit is coming.  The Spirit of the living God is coming and when it does, they will receive a power like no other.  This is the same truth for us:  When God's Spirit comes upon us, we have the ability to  witness, to bear testimony, to all the things of Jesus.  It really isn't about us but about God's Spirit in us!   And then, Jesus ascends into heaven.  They don't quite get it yet, but now it's a waiting game.  The Holy Spirit is coming and they have no idea what they are in for.  Tomorrow, we get to talk about Pentecost and the birthday of the church.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope November 14, 2025   Scripture – John 21   Prayer: Holy and Merciful God, Thank you for a new day and thank you that your mercies are new every morning.  Help us, Lord, gather our scattered thoughts and focus on you and your Word.  In these next few moments of silence, help us be still and know that you are God...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.  Happy Friday! As most of you know, we have been walking through the Gospels and will soon walk through Acts.  Today, we walk through John 21 and conclude the Gospel of John.    In today's passage, the resurrected Lord appears to the disciples who are out fishing.  At first they don't know it's Jesus, but when they recognize him, they rush to the shore.  Peter jumps in and swims to get there faster.  It's a happy reunion.  After another miracle of abundance (an amazing catch of fish and no net ripping), the disciples find Jesus on the shore ready to cook some breakfast.  One note here - Jesus' resurrection was a spiritual and physical resurrection.  If you recall, he could enter locked rooms without going through the door but he also ate food and needed nourishment.  Jesus did not appear to them as a ghost but as a real human being.    This is the narrative in which Jesus and Peter reconcile.  It's my guess that Jesus has already forgiven Peter for his denial but we can assume Peter has all kinds of pain and mixed feelings associated with his betrayal.  It's time to address these inward feelings of shame and brokenness.  Jesus has big plans for Peter so this healing needs to happen now.  And it does, but in a way that only Jesus can do it. In a series of three questions, possibly correlating to Peter's three denials, Jesus arranges a miracle in the heart in Peter.  Three times, Jesus asks Peter, "Do you love me?"  Peter then has to say out loud, "You know I do, Lord."  With each cycle of questioning, we can begin to see Peter's shame lift.  Jesus didn't doubt Peter's love but maybe Peter did after his failure before the crucifixion.  An unspoken forgiveness takes place and Jesus reinstates Peter to do what Jesus has called him to do – shepherd the people of God.  But at the same time, Jesus is still calling Peter to do something very, very hard.  In verse 18, Jesus makes it clear that continuing Jesus' mission and leading his people will eventually lead Peter to his own death.  In verse 19, Jesus refers to how Peter will lay down his life.  Jesus knows this won't be easy for Peter and he says that Peter will have to go where he doesn't wish to go.  Jesus is reinstating Peter here but he is also vouching for his integrity.  He is telling the others that Peter does, in fact, have what it takes to lead the flock.   This final chapter in John brought to mind several questions for me: -Is there someone with whom you need to reconcile?  Pray about how to handle that situation. -Is there someone in your life that needs forgiving? -Is Jesus calling you to do something hard?  Are you avoiding it?  Why? -What has been your biggest takeaway from the Gospel of John?  How has it been different for you from the other Gospels?   Have a great weekend!   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 13, 2025   Scripture – John 20   Prayer: Almighty God and Risen Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We come before you today with praise and a sense of awe. Even though you are incredibly mighty and take care of us in such fundamental ways, we struggle to stay focused on our faith.  Help us gather our scattered and distracted thoughts.  Help us take a moment of silence and remember who you are...Holy Spirit, speak to us today.  We want to hear your voice.  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.  As most of you know, we have been walking through the Gospels and will soon walk through Acts.  Today, we walk through John 20.  Let me start by saying this.  The resurrection of Jesus is the most critical event in our faith; we could argue it was the most critical event of all time.  Jesus wasn't simply resuscitated.  He wasn't just alive in a spiritual way. It wasn't his ghost that showed up in that room with the disciples.  Jesus was dead with no pulse, no heartbeat, wrapped in grave clothes and laid in a tomb, AND then he became alive again in a totally real, physical sense.  Death to life.  That is huge and that is what today's passage discusses with lots of great detail. It starts with an empty tomb.  Mary Magdalene heads over to the tomb on Sunday morning. We know from other Gospel accounts that she wanted to properly prepare Jesus' body for burial, as the Friday tomb situation had been rushed. It's then she saw that the stone had been removed. She goes to get Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved (most likely John, the author). They rushed to the tomb. Jesus' body was no longer there but the strips of cloth used to wrap his dead body were still present.    John went inside. He saw and believed. Think about those words. He had been walking with Jesus for three years. John saw miracle after miracle, healing after healing, feeding after feeding. But none of it made sense. It now makes sense. What Jesus said would happen has happened. The cross did not have the final word. Jesus Christ defeated death and darkness. He overcame the world.   Jesus then appears to Mary Magdalene, to the disciples, and then specifically to Thomas, who said he needed to see the scars himself to truly believe.  Jesus knew that his dear friends would be feeling thoroughly defeated and they needed his presence.  The Holy Spirit was not yet here and they needed to see his physical body to have the peace that only Jesus can bring.  He also wants to encourage them to continue his mission.  Nothing is done.  One of my favorite verses is John 20:21, Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And then he breathes on them so they receive the Spirit.  They won't fully receive the Spirit until Pentecost but I think they got a taste of God's Spirit right here, enough to empower them and encourage them to keep on keeping on.    The transforming power of God was at work then and is still at work today! The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives within us as believers. There is power in that, friends! We are resurrection people. We believe that what was dead can be brought to life. We believe that we are new people in Jesus Christ. We believe that we are raised with Christ. We believe that there is so much more to this world than meets the eye. How have you seen resurrection power at work in your life? Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 12, 2025   Scripture – John 19   Prayer: Holy God, You are a God of order and a God of purpose.  The world may seem chaotic, but you are not.  You have ordered your world with perfection.  Help us trust you.  Lord, fill us with your perfect peace.  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.  As most of you know, we have been walking through the Gospels and will soon walk through Acts.  Today, we begin John 19.    Our passage begins with Jesus before Pilate.  Even Pilate, the Roman official, recognizes that Jesus has done nothing wrong. Pontius Pilate is an interesting guy.  He knows that Jesus hasn't done anything wrong, certainly nothing worthy of execution, and he truly wants to free Jesus.  The text indicates that Pilate is somewhat scared of Jesus. He tries to placate the Jewish leaders.  He has Jesus flogged.  He offers to release Barrabas, a noted insurrectionist, thinking for sure they would rather have Jesus set free rather than a murderer.  But that isn't what happened. And Pilate isn't willing to stand up for what he knows is right.  His own role in Jesus' death lands him a mention in the Apostle's Creed, the most famous and oldest Christian Creed.  Think about it, for two thousand years, Christians around the globe have been declaring that Jesus died under Pontius Pilate.    Bottom line:  The Jewish officials are desperate to get rid of Jesus. They are blinded by fear, jealousy, and contempt. In an attempt to get Pilate to cooperate with their plans, they threaten to report him to Caesar. After all, Jesus claimed to be king and anyone who made such a claim would be considered a threat to the emperor. The great irony here is that the Jews are essentially presenting themselves as better Roman citizens than Pilate, the Roman official. When it's convenient for them, they are happy to use the pagan Roman government to get their way. They will sacrifice their own ethics to ensure that Jesus is killed.   The thing about sacrificing our ethics is that it's a slippery slope, is it not? These Jewish officials were probably very pious men. They thought they were doing the right thing. Afterall, Jesus was saying blasphemous things and he didn't follow their rules. They needed to step in and take care of it. But gradually their dislike of Jesus became hate. They so badly wanted him gone that they were willing to do anything, break their own laws, disobey Torah, simply to get rid of him. They were willing to do anything, no matter how shady it was or low they had to go.   Has your hatred of another person ever made you compromise your own values? We think we are so much better than these Jewish officials but I think sometimes we are just like these Jewish officials. Dig deep today, friends. Examine your own heart. The remainder of the chapter is pretty powerful.  Jesus carries his own cross to the place of his execution.  The soldiers cast lots for his clothing.  He breathes his last breath without any of his bones being broken by the soldiers.  They pierced his side with a spear.  Lots of prophecy being fulfilled here.   Finally, two faithful Jewish men, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, take Jesus' body and place it in a tomb.  Not a lot can be done to prepare the body for burial because it's Friday afternoon and the Sabbath is upon them.  Things will have to wait.  But things may look a lot different on Sunday morning.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope November 11, 2025   Scripture - John 18:19-40   Prayer: Lord, Let us start by thanking you for a new day.  You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the one who was, and is, and is to come.  You are all powerful and all knowing.  We give thanks for your love and wisdom.  We give thanks for your presence.  Help us, Lord, gather our scattered thoughts.  Help us set aside distractions and listen to what you have for us today.  In these next few moments of silence, hear our prayers...Jesus, we love you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that goes along with the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We have been doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are finishing up John 18.   Jesus has been before the Jewish high priest and the Jewish ruling council.  They can't stand him.  They not only feel threatened by him, but they are appalled about how he speaks of forgiving sins and being like the Father.  They physically assault him.  They want him to die but they don't have the power to execute him under Roman law.  They have to take him to the Roman governor, who happens to be Pontius Pilate.  As you will see, Pilate does not find Jesus to have done anything worthy of death at all but he is scared of the Jewish leaders.  We could go in a lot of different directions with this.  But I want to focus on a portion of verses 37-38, ...Jesus responded, "You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true." "What is truth?" Pilate asked... Jesus came to testify to the truth.  Pilate questions if there can be truth.  The Greek word for "truth" is aletheia, and it means something like "divine revelation."  It literally means "what can't be hidden."  The Hebrew word for "truth" is emeth, which means firmness and immovability. This is such an important discussion because we live in a world in which people are still searching for truth and meaning.  There is an idea that it's okay for you to have your truth and me to have mine.  But yet, that only works up until a point, until our disagreements become really fundamental.  Here is some truth for you: Truth is not relative, nor does it change from person to person.  Truth can be offensive to some because they simply don't like how it makes them feel.  The reality is that many things can have some truth but there is only one TRUTH.  For believers, TRUTH is Jesus Christ.  John 14:6 reads, Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  When Jesus says, "I am the way," he doesn't say "I am a way." How the Greek sentence is constructed makes it absolutely clear and irrefutable that Jesus is making an exclusive claim here.   He is basically saying, don't go looking to anyone else to point you in those directions, because I am the only one who can!"  Jesus is the map that leads us to all truth.  If we really believe this, this fundamentally changes how we think about the world.  If Jesus is truth, then everything he said throughout the Gospels is true.  It means he came back from the dead and will return to judge all people.  It means he is God.  Do you believe this?  Do you?  I'm pressing this point a bit, I know.  And it's for a reason.  Because if we really, really believe Jesus is truth, then this one fact will inform every other piece of our life.  It will affect how we treat others. It will affect how we worship. It will certain affect our priorities. It will change how we spend our money. It affects what we think about during the day. It will change how we talk to people. We will think about sharing Jesus a lot more. We will think about Jesus a lot more in general.  We will pray more.  We will read the Bible more.  We will become more deeply devoted to God because he is Truth and nothing else in the world is. Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 10, 2025   Scripture - John 18:1-18   Prayer: Holy God, We come before you today in humility and awe.  You are a good God.  You, who put the stars and planets in motion, also created us.  You care about the most minute details of our lives.  You have numbered the hairs on our head.  Thank you for loving us.  Thank you for caring so much.  Help us be put even a small reflection of your love toward those around us.  More of you and less of me, Jesus.  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 in the book of John, as we walk through the whole of the Gospels and the book of Acts.  Today, we start John 18.   We start in the Garden.  Unlike Mark's Gospel, Jesus does not plead that the cup be taken from him.  Rather, he steps forward and boldly declares that he is Jesus of Nazareth, the one they are looking for.  The Garden of Gethsemane is a common place.  He is not hiding and he is not apprehensive.  He offers himself in place of his disciples who are there with him.  He affirms the anti-violent path given to him by God and rebukes Peter when he cuts the high priest's slave's ear off.  Jesus will not allow anyone, including Peter, to deprive him of his role in God's victory.  Jesus knows he is innocent, he knows this is unjust, but he also knows it is necessary so he will do what must be done, not for his sake but for ours.   I always wonder what Judas is thinking in this moment.  Does he have a sense of satisfaction?  Or, is there part of him that has regret?  Does he see Jesus' innocence and begin to see what he has done?  I don't think we will ever know but I can't help but wonder.  Judas was a complicated character and if we are honest, we've all been Judas at one time or another.  We have all betrayed Jesus.   Speaking of betrayal, we also get to read about Peter's first denial of Jesus to the servant girl in the high priest's courtyard.  The first of three, of course.  What was going on in Peter's head?  We know he had to be scared to death.  Was he praying?  Had he forgotten everything Jesus taught him?  Was he trying to figure out how to just get out of the situation alive?  I mean, he was Jesus' very best friend.   More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 7, 2025   Scripture - John 17   Prayer:  Dear Holy God, Your love is amazing.  Thank you for the way you care for us.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us focus on you...Lord Jesus, help us set aside every distraction and take this time to lean on you.  We want to hear your voice.  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 in the book of John as we walk through the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are deep diving into John 17.    In our passage, John 17, Jesus is praying, out loud, with the disciples around him.  There is a lot of substance here.  You probably noticed that there are three sections to Jesus' prayer, the prayer that God will glorify Jesus, a prayer for the disciples, and a prayer for all believers. Unlike the Lord's Prayer which offers a model for prayer, this prayer is more instructive to the disciples about who they are and who Jesus is to them.  What might it have been like for the disciples to be seated around a table with Jesus as he prayed out loud for them?  Think about what it's like when someone prays out loud for you.  It changes your experience of the prayer.  It makes it very, very personal.    One interesting aspect of this prayer is that Jesus starts by giving a clear definition of eternal life and it isn't the typical one.  He says, ...this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. That seems rather simple - eternal life is to know God and Jesus. How does Jesus' definition here change what we imagine in this life?   Really, the whole prayer paints a picture about what it looks like to be in relationship with God.  What does it look like for the disciples to be in relationship with God?  What does it look like for us, as the believers who have come after them?  We are to be in unity with God but also in unity with one another.  In fact, the way the world will know that Jesus was sent by God is because of the love and unity of his followers.  Considering the disunity of the body of Christ now and in the past, this just makes me cry!   I was at a conference this past week in which the opening speaker mentioned this specific prayer by Jesus regarding Christian unity.  He said it had been his study and prayer focus for several months now.  He confessed that it used to really bother him because Christians have failed so miserably at being unified.  But after this time of prayer and study, he came to the conclusion that Jesus would not pray something that wasn't possible.  And that makes sense.  It's not in Jesus' character to set us up for failure.  Just because something is difficult does not mean it's impossible.  But it is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us as God's people.  It's going to take a lot of humility and repentance too!!!   What are your thoughts?  Is Christian unity possible?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 6, 2025   Scripture – John 16   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 goes along with the New Hope daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are going through the book of John currently as part of our deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are taking a look at John 16.   Jesus starts by telling the disciples that he is teaching them all of this because things are going to get hard.  He wants them to know just how hard.  Not only will Jesus be arrested and killed, but the disciples themselves will experience persecution.  I'm not sure that this has crossed their minds.  Remember, they are still thinking that Jesus will establish an earthly Kingdom that will overthrow the Romans.    Jesus reiterates that he will be going away, there will be grief, but then there will be joy.  He uses the analogy of a woman having a baby.  There is lots of pain during childbirth but when the child comes, it's all worth it.  There is so much joy in holding that new baby.  So Jesus says that the disciples will have tremendous grief but then they will have tremendous joy.  They question him, of course, because they really don't understand.  This is still very confusing to them.  This doesn't fit their idea of what it supposed to happen.    But the final verse of this chapter is one of my favorites and definitely worth memorizing.  "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."   Jesus knows that they don't get it and that the next few days are going to be excruciating.  Really, the next few years will be hard.  But we live in a broken world.  He didn't come to take away pain and suffering.  In fact, he says that in this world, we will have trouble.  Expect it.  But because of Jesus, we can actually have peace in the midst of trouble. We can have the kind of peace the world does not offer, a peace that only makes sense connected to Jesus.  Jesus is the one who conquered death, he overcame evil, he won victory over Satan.  Because of his victory, we also can experience victory.  Because of his resurrection, we also can experience resurrection.  All the troubles of this world won't go away for us, but we can get through them.  Jesus can make a way when their seems to be absolutely no way.  He can bring peace to our chaos.  He is the one who overcame the world.  And that, my friends, is such great news.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope November 5, 2025   Scripture – John 15   Prayer:  Almighty Father, You always know what is best for us.  Thank you for that.  We are sorry for the ways that we resist.  Help us to want what you want for us.  Help us to want to be patient, to want to be kind, to want to be obedient.  Conform our will, Lord,  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.  As most of you know, we are right in the middle of a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are deep diving into John 15.   The Scripture that we read from John 15 is incredibly powerful.  Jesus says, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me."   Jesus is talking to his followers about how to walk closely with him, essentially what it means to be a disciple.  What is a disciple? A good working definition, for our purposes, is  an apprentice, someone who wants to learn all they can from another person so they will do what they do and become like them.  To be a disciple of Jesus, that means we have to actively learn about Jesus, know him, become like him.   And this Scripture gives us a really important clue as to what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.  A disciple remains in Jesus. Older translations use the term abide. To remain or abide in Jesus means not simply to have said yes to Jesus, but to have a connection with Jesus, we are in union with him, we stay with him, we rest in him. Let's think about this. The presence of Jesus is always with us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is always there, but we tend to move away from him. Jesus is saying here, remain in me. Stay close to me, stay connected to me, stay in conversation with me. How do we do this?  Well, through prayer, reading Scripture, worship, and other spiritual disciplines. If we don't pray, if we don't read the Bible, if we don't worship, we will not feel connected to Jesus. We are not remaining in him and the result will be evident. We will feel dry, parched, alone, we will start to gradually make choices that don't represent who we are in Jesus, the world will begin to seep in, gradually, so gradually sometimes that we don't even notice.   I've used the teacup example before.  If you drink tea (and use teabags), then you are either a dipper or a steeper.  If you dip that teabag in the water, you go up and down and up and down and the tea never gets that strong.  A lot of people are like that with faith.  They are dippers.  They dip into prayer and dip out of prayer.  They dip into Bible study and dip out of Bible study.  They dip into church and dip out of church.  But Jesus wants us to be steepers.  He wants us to steep in prayer, Bible study, and worship.  He wants us to soak in his presence so we are like really strong tea.   Now, part of abiding is to acknowledge that we need Jesus and are totally dependent on Jesus. Think about this---the branch is totally dependent on the vine. Without the vine, the branch is useless, lifeless, powerless. Sap flows from the vine to the branch, supplying it with water, minerals, and nutrients that make it grow. And believers receive the "sap" of Christ's grace through our life-giving connection to him. Intentionally remaining in Jesus is recognizing that we can't do this life alone. We need Jesus. I need daily, sometimes hourly, times of prayer to abide with Jesus.  How are you doing abiding in Jesus?  (Use a scale of 1 to 10 right now to assess how well you abide in Christ, 1 being not at all and 10 being totally soaking him in all the time).   Let's take a look at the next part of the Scripture, John 15:5-8, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples."   So we can see the other characteristic of a true disciple is producing fruit.  When we abide or remain in Jesus, then fruit should be the natural result.  Resting in Jesus makes us changed people – our attitudes are different, our behavior is different, it's noticeable.  We are more patient, more kind, more loving, more generous, more gentle; basically, we look more like Christ.  We bear fruit not by squeezing it out of ourselves but because we are extensions of the vine, pruned by the gardener.   Think about a grapevine.  I've never been very successful growing grapes in Florida but most of us have seen a grapevine at some point.  They are typically grown on a trellis.  They have to be pruned and trimmed by the gardener in order to produce new healthy branches that bear fruit.  If you don't prune, then you are going to have a lot of leafy green but it won't produce new branches that bear fruit.  It will look good but it won't produce anything.  And the point is of course, not simply to look pretty on the trellis, but to actually produce some fruit.   Of course, our purpose is not simply to look good, to look Godly or righteous, but to ACTUALLY produce fruit.  So, God may need to prune us to ensure that happens.  I used to be afraid of God's pruning, but I've found in my own life that God prunes me because he loves me. He wants to remove those things in my life that are hindering my spiritual growth.  This could mean bad habits, bad relationships, things that are toxic, generally anything that is getting in the way of me becoming the person God wants me to be. Sometimes God removes things directly (like he simply removes something from our life like a relationship or a job or you name it – think of something God removed and in retrospect, needed to remove from your life).  Other times, God convicts us so that we will make the move to remove whatever it is that is creating a wedge in our relationship with him.    Think about your relationship with God right now.   What has hindered you from bearing more fruit or bearing fruit at all?  Fears and insecurities from your past?  Selfishness? An unhealthy attachment to stuff? Unhealthy friendships, unhealthy behavior patterns?  Complacency, being too comfortable, laziness, fatigue, lack of passion? Whatever it is, acknowledge it now.  God wants better for you.  He wants to walk closely with you.  In fact, God wants HIS best for you.  He wants you to live a fruitful, abundant life.  Do you want that?  Really, do you?    Let's spend some extended time in prayer, asking God to reveal himself to us right now.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 4, 2025   Scripture - John 14:15-31   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, a devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive of the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish John 14.   We have just read about how Jesus has washed his disciples' feet, shared a Passover meal with them, and even predicted their denial.  Now, he has moved into this long extended time of teaching.  He wants them to understand what is coming.  Jesus is saying, there are confusing, hard days ahead. In fact, over the next few chapters, he warns them of this several times–things are going to get really tough. Jesus knows that in a few short hours, he will be arrested in the garden, his trial will soon begin, and cross is looming large. He is preparing them for what's to come...He won't be with you them body anymore—but will send the Holy Spirit (he calls the Spirit the Advocate, which comes from the Greek word Paraclete meaning the helper, the one who comes alongside).   Jesus basically says this is what I promise that Spirit will do in your life: The Spirit will constantly be with you and constantly be guiding you, leading you, teaching you, reminding you of all the truths I have taught you. In fact, you can think of the Holy Spirit as a gift.  You can think of the Spirit as my presence with you always.  And if my presence is with you always, then even in the midst of confusion and trouble, you can have peace. It's the Holy Spirit that will allow you to experience a special kind of peace that is only possible connected to Jesus; it's a peace the world absolutely does not offer.  How incredible.    Jesus then tells them he has to go away.  Remember, they really don't understand any of this.  It's going to take time, reflection, and perspective, and the Holy Spirit, for this all to really come together for them.    But it's worth mentioning that 50 days later, in Jerusalem, in another room, the believers are gathered together, hiding and waiting, not really sure what's going to happen...when the Holy Spirit shows up and fills the believers.  This changes absolutely everything.    While we will talk more about Pentecost when we cover Acts 2, I do want to talk a bit about the Holy Spirit today.  What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives?   Assures believers that they belong to God. I can't tell you how many I've counseled that worry that they haven't really been accepted by God. They have asked for forgiveness and said yes to Jesus Christ, been born again, but there is something within themselves that still makes them think they aren't deserving or that God doesn't want them or love them. The Holy Spirit, working within us, has the power to assure each of us that yes, God has accepted us and adopted us as his own.   Romans 8:14-16, For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 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.   Galatians 4:6, "And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father."   Helps us become more Christ-like, more holy. It is the Holy Spirit's job to produce Christ-like character in you. When we talk about the Holy Spirit changing us from the inside out, this is what we are talking about. This process of changing us to be more like Jesus is called sanctification. You can't reproduce the character of Jesus on your own or by your own strength. New Year's resolutions, willpower, and best intentions are not enough. They will only get us so far. It is the Holy Spirit that has the power to make the changes God wants to make in our lives.   Philippians 2:13, God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.   When we hear the phrase, "the power of the Holy Spirit," many people think of miracles and intense emotions. But most of the time, the Holy Spirit's power is released in our lives in quiet, unassuming ways that you aren't even aware of or feel. The Holy Spirit convicts us when we have done something wrong, The Holy Spirit often nudges us, sometimes with "a gentle whisper" and other times with a not so gentle whack to the head.   Strengthens Our Faith.  It is through the power of the Holy Spirit within us that our faith grows stronger and stronger, even in the midst of hard circumstances.   Ephesians 3:16-18, I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.   I love this imagery of roots going down deep into God's love to keep us strong. How deep are your roots? Are they shallow?   When we are weak, when we don't know the words to say, the Holy Spirit prays for us on our behalf, kind of holds us up if you will.   Romans 8:26-28, And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. 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.   Do you need deeper roots? Is your faith wavering? Spend some time asking the Holy Spirit to help.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope November 3, 2025   Scripture - John 14:1-14   Prayer:  Almighty Father, Thank you for a new day and thank you that your mercies are new every single morning.  How grateful we are that we can start afresh and anew each day.  Forgive us for the many times we fell short, for when we weren't loving, for when we were easily angered, for when our patience wore thin. Today, help us represent you well.  In all things, may we be reminded who and whose we are.  We are yours.  In Your Name, Amen.   This is the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin John 14.    This is a phenomenal passage.  I know I say that a lot but it truly is.  It's a text we often hear read at funerals because it provides a tremendous amount of comfort that God has truly prepared a place for us in heaven.    In this text, there is a great interaction between Jesus and Thomas.  The disciples are experiencing a lot of anxiety.  Jesus has just told them he's going away but he is trying to reassure them.  Jesus is like, I'm on my way to get your room ready.  I'll be coming back to get you, trust me.  But anyway, you already know the way.  And Thomas is like, "Umm…actually, I don't know the way, is there a map or something?"  And that's when Jesus says, "You do know the way because I am the way.  The only way to get to my Father is through me."  And he reiterated what he has been teaching them, "to know me is to know the Father.  If you have seen me, then you have seen the Father."  Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.  As the passage progresses, Philip is included in the conversation.  Again, there is this focus on, "If you know me, then you know the Father."  When Jesus says, "I am the way," he doesn't say "I am a way." How the Greek sentence is constructed makes it absolutely clear and irrefutable that Jesus is making an exclusive claim here.   He is basically saying, don't go looking to anyone else to point you in those directions, because I am the only one who can!"  Well, that feels pretty exclusive, doesn't it?  Yes, it is.  And exclusivity makes a lot of us feel uncomfortable.  So much so, that many people, including Christians, pastors, and scholars, try to find a loophole here.   People want to discount the validity of the Gospel of John, they want to find a problem in the Greek, you name it.  Yes, John was written later than the other Gospels but scholars believe that it is still accurate and authoritative.  John was written for the purpose of demonstrating that Jesus is the son of God and that is what he does.  Thus, he makes this very exclusive claim that Jesus is the only way to the Father.  But the Scripture I just read isn't the only one.   What other Scriptures point to the exclusivity of Jesus?   1.     John 3:16-18 (Jesus speaking to Nicodemus),  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.  2.     John 3:36 (later in the conversation)- Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them. 3.     Acts 4:12 (Peter, speaking before the Jewish ruling council) –  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." 4.     Rom. 10:9 – If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 5.     I John 5:12 - Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.   And there are many others but I'm going to stop there for now.  I do believe in looking at the full narrative of Scripture – if we look at all of the Bible – it points to Jesus as the way to heaven.  I've searched to see if the Bible allows for other options, possible openings, that might allow for another way and I haven't found any.  There are some things in the Bible in which there is tension – it says this but it also says this – and we have to really dig and pray and interpret.  But there isn't tension here at all --- Scripture clearly points to Jesus as the Son of God, the fulfillment of God's promise from Genesis to Revelation, and the only way to the Father, the only way to receive salvation, the only way to heaven.    And that makes logical sense to me.  Why would Jesus have voluntarily died on a Roman cross for us if he was just one option among many to provide a way to be saved?  If there were other ways to receive salvation and get to God, then why would Jesus even need to do all that?  Why would Christians throughout the ages have needed to stand their ground and lose their lives?  Why would Christians around the world today be risking their lives to follow Christ?  Some may say they are disillusioned but I personally don't believe so.  If we believe that Jesus rose from the dead, proving his divinity, proving he is Lord of all – then that means we have to also believe everything he said.  We can't pick and choose.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Are You Leading Like Jesus? Have you ever hesitated to take a leadership role—at work, at home, or even in church—because it felt intimidating or messy? In week two of our Dear Corinth series, Pastor Vicki Harrison dives into 1 Corinthians 4 with a powerful reminder: leadership in the Kingdom of God looks nothing like leadership in the world. Watch the full service video below or listen to the sermon audio player. Leadership, God's Way In Paul's letter to the Corinthian church, he confronts a community obsessed with popularity, platform, and power. Sound familiar? Pastor Vicki reminds us that while the world promotes self-glorifying leaders, God calls leaders to be servants and stewards. 1. A Leader Is a Servant (1 Corinthians 4:1) True Christian leadership starts at the bottom. Paul says church leaders should be seen as servants of Christ. Jesus models this when He kneels to wash His disciples' feet (John 13). A Christian leader isn't above any task. Strength is found in humility, not control. Our identity is rooted in Christ—not our title or role. 2. A Leader Is a Steward (1 Corinthians 4:1–2) Paul says leaders are "entrusted with the mysteries of God"—that is, the Gospel. A steward doesn't own the message but manages it faithfully. Stewarding the Gospel means living it out, not just preaching it. God's leaders don't cater to comfort—they deliver truth, even when it's hard. We're accountable first to God, not human applause. Living Leadership Daily Pastor Vicki challenges us to examine our lives—because we are all leaders in some way. Whether you're parenting, teaching, managing, or mentoring, the call is the same: serve others in Jesus' name. Ask yourself: Do I put others' success above my own? Do I genuinely listen and respect others, regardless of their role? Do I serve, even when no one's watching? Am I faithfully stewarding the Gospel in my words and actions? Leadership isn't about climbing up—it's about bowing down, like Jesus did.

Daily Dose of Hope October 31, 2025 Scripture – John 13:18-38 Prayer: Abba Father, We come to you today, grateful for your love and care in our lives. Thank you for your presence and your peace. Help us to gather our scattered thoughts and set aside distractions so we can focus on what you have for us today. In the next few moments of silence, Lord, help me be still and know that you are God...We give you all the glory, Lord Almighty. Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan. As most of you know, we have been going through the Gospels and Acts. Today, we finish up John 13. In John's Gospel, there is an extended text about Jesus predicting Judas' betrayal. When asked who will be the one to betray him, Jesus says the one he dips the bread and offers it to. Jesus then dips the bread and gives it to Judas. He tells Judas to do what he is going to do and do it quickly. I often wondered why the disciples didn't notice this interaction more. They seem someone oblivious and lost in their own thoughts. Maybe they each wondered if they could be the one to betray their Master? John writes of a point in which Judas allows Satan to enter him. He had previously been influenced by Satan but now he has allowed the devil to have his way with him. At first, he opened the door a little. Then, he just opened the door wide. The devil had been feeding him lies, and Judas started believing them, totally and completely. The devil tempted him with money, and Judas found 30 pieces of silver more valuable than the God. Jesus told Judas that joy was to be found in sacrificially serving others, but Judas believed that Satan's way of putting self first was better. We recently went to a clergy training on deliverance, led by Pete Bellini, a professor at United Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. It was absolutely incredible and I would highly recommend Dr. Bellini's books. But one of the things that Dr. Bellini said was that we as Christ-followers cannot be possessed by Satan. We belong to Jesus so we can never totally belong to Satan. But we can become oppressed. We can open the door to the demonic through various means, i.e. porn use, messing with occult-related activities, and when we do so, demons can attach themselves to us. Satan can oppress certain parts of us. We may not even be aware of it. That is when deliverance is necessary. So, was Judas possessed or oppressed? Did he know Jesus? Did he believe? I don't know if we will ever know this side of heaven. Most of the scholars I read said they thought he was totally possessed by Satan at the end. Who knows? I would love your thoughts. Let's move on in our passage. Verses 34 and 35 are really incredible, A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." It's as if, in two sentences, Jesus has summarized all his teachings to his disciples. And they aren't easy because they center on how we love one another. If we were to take these verses and look at church history, we would wonder if we were looking at the same faith. Christian history has done horrific things in Jesus' name. I think he must weep and mourn at this. Everything Jesus did was about teaching others to love and serve each other. And somehow, this got terribly corrupted. As we keep reading, Peter makes a very bold, ambitious claim that even if everyone else fell away and disappeared, he would not. Jesus doesn't mince words. He tells Peter that he will betray Jesus three times by that night (or as the text says, by the time the rooster crows two times). But Peter, and all the others, insist that they will follow Jesus even until death. I've thought about this a lot. At this time, the disciples still don't understand Jesus' ministry or purpose. They think they will follow him no matter what but we know what happens. They all scatter once Jesus is arrested. Peter does deny him three times in just a few short hours, consumed with fear for his own safety. When push came to shove, they weren't quite as invested in Jesus' mission as they thought. But then things changed. After the resurrection, the disciples were changed in fundamental ways. Peter, who was initially impulsive and fearful, becomes strong and bold, a superb leader in the early church. After experiencing both the risen Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit, their whole outlook on life is transformed. And all of them, except for John, are martyred for the Gospel. They do end up following Jesus to their own earthly death, just not in the timing they expected. I've asked this question before but it's worth repeating - would you follow Jesus to the point of giving up your life? If you were being tortured and persecuted for your faith, would you stay faithful to Jesus or would you give in to the pressure and deny Christ? It is not outside the realm of possibility that such a situation could exist for us. Afterall, it does exist for Christians all over the world. Reflect on this and spend some time in prayer. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 30, 2025 Scripture - John 13:1-17 Prayer: Almighty God, we start by pausing before you. Help us set aside the distractions of the morning or the day and focus on you. In these next few moments of silence, help us gather our scattered thoughts and think only of you...Help us be still and know you are God. God, we rejoice that we can freely read your Word and we are grateful that you speak to us through it. It's truly a miracle. Holy Spirit, we also invite you to join us as we seek to grow deeper in relationship with you. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back, friends, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently working our way through the Gospels and Acts. Can you believe we have already done a deep dive through Mark, Matthew, Luke, and we are half way through John? I would love to hear about your big takeaways thus far from the Gospels? What is Jesus teaching you? Today, we begin John 13. This is familiar and beautiful Scripture. The time for the Passover meal has come, the disciples are sitting and reclining at the table, and Jesus himself gets up to wash their feet. This might not sound that odd to us but foot-washing was a lowly task in 1st century Palestine. Think about it: their feet were very dirty; the men wore sandals, they walked everywhere, and the roads were filthy with dirt, dust, and animal droppings. Thus, this was the job usually saved for the lowliest of servants. Peers did not wash each others' feet. In Luke's Gospel, the disciples actually start arguing about is the greatest among them; their attitudes certainly indicated that they weren't going to stoop so low as to wash each others' feet. In today's Scripture, when Jesus gets up to wash the disciples' feet, the disciples are shocked. How could he? Of course, Jesus always has something deeper in mind. Jesus is a perfect example of humility and selflessness, which will ultimately be demonstrated in its most extreme form on the cross. This Sunday at New Hope, we will be talking about Christian leadership. This passage is such a powerful picture of the way God intends Christian leadership to be: Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (v.3-5) Jesus knew who he was. He understood his relationship with God, so he was free to serve others without worrying about what people thought of him. And, you know, that goes for us too. As Christian leaders, we can do the most lowly task or the most amazing task. Nothing is too high and nothing is beneath us when we are serving other people. I know you have probably met Christian leaders and pastors who have been arrogant jerks and I'm apologizing for them right now. That wasn't the way God intended this job to be. We are chief servants. All of us as Christian leaders, in the church, at our job, at our hobbies, in our homes, we are all to be chief servants, doing our best to imitate the servant leadership style of Jesus. We serve others --- we serve our spouses, we serve our friends, we serve our employees, we serve our neighbors. That doesn't show weakness, it shows strength. Our identity is found in our relationship with Jesus Christ, not in our role or our job. And when we start to get that mixed up, that's when we will get in real trouble. More tomorrow. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 29, 2025 Scripture – John 12:20-50 Prayer: Almighty Father, Thank you for a new day and thank you that your mercies are new every single morning. How grateful we are that we can start afresh and anew each day. Forgive us for the many times we fell short, for when we weren't loving, for when we were easily angered, for when our patience wore thin. Today, help us represent you well. In all things, may we be reminded who and whose we are. We are yours. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast which goes along with the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we finish John 12. In the beginning of today's reading, the Greeks ask to see Jesus. Something I discovered in researching today's devotional is that first-century synagogues welcomed Gentiles. I had no idea; I assumed they were the domain of Jews alone. We know that Gentiles were actually drawn to Jesus. They were outsiders and there was something about Jesus that outsiders flocked to. We are seeing that in this passage. Jesus speaks of his coming exaltation. The hour is coming in which the Son of Man might be glorified. In fact, the Son of Man is the seed who will fall, die, and produce much fruit. He is one who will willingly give up his life for the benefit of others in obedience of the Father's will. Jesus knows his mission. He understands his mission. He doesn't need reassurance here, but a voice from heaven comes to help the divided crowd gathered around him. So, let's go back to the beginning of this passage. The Greeks want to see Jesus. But will they be able to actually see him? How well do we see him? I do want to briefly touch on the rest of the passage. There is a lot of substance here. Jesus says that if someone believes in him, they also believe in the one who sent him. So, if you believe in Jesus, you believe in the Father. Jesus is saying that he is a light that points to the Father. He is, essentially, the image of the invisible God. We can't separate God and Jesus. God is Jesus and Jesus is God. Let's talk a little bit about verse 47, which is often misunderstood. "If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world." The purpose of Jesus' first coming was not to judge the world, but to save the world. Jesus' first coming was all about showing us a different way of doing life, dying on a cross for our sins, and offering us salvation. But let's be clear, that doesn't mean there won't be a judgment. Jesus' second coming will be about judgement. Every single one of us will be judged. God will look at the card catalogue of my life and yours and we will see all the appalling things we did. But we will also either be marked guilty or not guilty based on if we know Jesus or not. Where do you land? Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 28, 2025 Scripture – John 12:1-19 Prayer: Holy God, We rejoice in your name today. You are almighty and wise, the Alpha and the Omega. You are the one who was, and is, and is to come. We give you all the glory and praise. Help us now, Lord, gather our scattered thoughts and focus on you. In these next few moments of silence, hear our prayers... 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 doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we begin John 12. There is a lot going on this chapter. It begins with Mary anointing Jesus with an expensive perfume, much to Judas' dismay. The other Gospels don't name the woman who anoints Jesus' feet, but John says that it's Mary, sister of Lazarus and Martha. By doing so, Mary is pointing to Jesus' identity as Messiah King, but also as Servant King. She wipes Jesus' feet with her hair, a lowly position, but one that foreshadows Jesus' own actions at the Last Supper when he washes his disciples' feet and demonstrates love through sacrificial, humble service. Judas was all about the money. Remember, he wasn't complaining about the "waste" because he truly wanted to help the poor but because he was skimming from the money bag. He wanted more money for himself. One more quick comment about this. I once had someone tell me that there was no real need to give to the poor because Jesus himself said the poor you will always have with you. I think most of you know that context is everything. Jesus took care of the poor all the time! He was not telling us not to care for the poor in any way, shape, or form. Rather, in this specific instance, he was responding to Judas' superficial complaint. He knew that Judas didn't care about the poor but about his own pockets. In that moment, Mary was caring for Jesus. There would be plenty of time for her to care for the poor in her community and I'm sure she did because she followed Jesus' example. But there is a time and a place for everything. There is a brief discussion, before the Palm Sunday passage, about the need to kill Lazarus. The Pharisees are getting desperate. It isn't enough to simply target Jesus, they also plan to target Lazarus because he is also getting attention for being raised from the dead. These are men of God whose hearts have grown hard. Fear has a tendency to do that. With that, let's move on to Palm Sunday. As a little girl going to Sunday School, I can remember making palm branches and waving them. Jesus' triumphal entry was described kind of like a parade. Think about parades with their marching bands, large balloons, and dancers. They are often about celebration and national pride. But Jesus' entry into Jerusalem this wasn't that kind of parade, especially as the book of John describes it. Basically, we see Jesus being given a royal welcoming. The other Gospels go into even more detail. The people are laying palm branches down for him. They are running ahead in the streets to give him this royal kind of treatment. This is the kind of welcome that the emperor or a high official of the Roman government would have received. Think of it kind of like the red carpet being rolled out---a sign that a very important leader, the new king, has arrived. While the disciples appear to be confused, some of the Jews in the crowd would have known that this a fulfillment of prophecy. John quotes Zechariah 9:9,Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. All the signs point to the fact that this Jesus is the king. By making this announcement, Jesus knows what this means. His death will be soon. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 27, 2025 Scripture – John 11:45-57 Prayer: Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We give you all the glory and praise. Thank you for being a God who provides. Thank you for being a God who heals and cares. God, we pray protection over Jamaica and the other Caribbean islands which are in the way of Hurricane Melissa. Be with the people in the path of the storm. Help them find safety. And we pray that the storm will turn in the name of Jesus. May there be as little destruction as possible. 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 are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we are finishing up John 11. After Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, many believed. In fact, he was getting to be quite popular. As a result, the Jewish leaders were scared of Jesus. That is the bottom line. They were scared that too many people would believe in him and they would lose the limited power they had under the Romans. They think seriously about wanting him dead. The high priest, Caiphas, even says that wouldn't it be better for one man to lose his life rather than a whole nation to be wiped out. Caiphas' words actually have a bit of a double meaning, of which he wasn't aware of at the time. However, John picks up on it. Let's reread verses 51-52, He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. While the Jewish leaders decide it would be better for Jesus to die, they had no idea the enormous truth that they set out to accomplish. They didn't understand Jesus' mission at all. Not only would Jesus' death be better for them, but it would open up salvation to all people, everywhere. The Jewish leaders' vision was much smaller than Jesus' vision of his mission, but it was large enough to allow Jesus to do what he needed to do and accomplish what he needed to accomplish. But what their plans did mean was that Jesus could no longer walk around publicly. He had to be very careful. He knew his time would come but he didn't to rush it. There was still work to be done. Tomorrow, we begin Passion Week. Get ready. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 24, 2025 Scripture - John 11:1-44 Prayer: Almighty God and Risen Lord, King of Kings, We come before you today with praise and a sense of awe. Forgive us, for we struggle to keep a focus on you. Help us gather our scattered and distracted thoughts. Help us remember who and whose we are. Holy Spirit, speak to us today. We want to hear your voice. 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 working our way through the Gospels and Acts. Today, we begin John 11. In today's text, we again meet Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. This is a family that Jesus loves dearly. Mary and Martha definitely know that Jesus had the ability to heal Lazarus. They request his presence when Lazarus becomes ill. After he dies, they still want Jesus to come. Afterall, when we are grieving, we desperately need those in our inner circle who will offer comfort and give us a shoulder to cry on. The sisters knew that Jesus loved them and their brother, and that alone would have been enough reason for Jesus to come. But it's precisely because he loves this family that we wonder why Jesus didn't rush to their side earlier. We all know, based on his miracle-working skills, that Jesus could have healed Lazarus with the first sniffle. But Jesus stayed. He didn't go anywhere. It was like he intentionally waited before heading out to go see the siblings. But we soon learn that it is precisely because Jesus loves them so much that he waits. He knows that his glory will be revealed in a tremendous way, and it will be one more sign that Jesus is Lord. It isn't surprising that Martha does not hide her disappointment from Jesus. She goes out to meet him an tell him that if he had only been there, then Lazarus would not have died. At the same time, we can see in Martha a faith that is quite strong. Even though her brother is dead, she knows Jesus can still do something. But will he do it? The short answer is yes. Jesus has something much bigger planned. But I do love that we see Jesus' humanity here in a very real way. When an anguished Mary finally leaves the house to meet Jesus, along with all the mourners, Jesus himself is moved to tears. Think about it. Jesus knows that he will raise Lazarus from the dead. That was his whole reason for delaying his visit. But when he sees Mary's grief and the tears of the people around him, he is moved to weep as well. When we see grief around us, when people are sobbing, and you can just feel their pain and anguish, it isn't unusual to begin to cry as well. We can feel the pain of others. It's called empathy. Jesus loved Lazarus, he loves Martha, and he loves Mary. He feels their pain. He is pained that they are having to go through this. And he weeps. But there is also great dialogue here and I don't want us to miss it. Lazarus has been in the tomb four days. There was no refrigeration, no embalming. The body would have deteriorated in that climate. So, Jesus asks the sisters to remove the stone from the tomb where Lazarus was laid. Martha protests that the smell is going to be really bad. But that's when Jesus says this in verse 40, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?" Don't we all want to see the glory of God? Don't we want to see the beauty of God's Spirit? Don't we want to see his goodness and his power? It's here that Jesus says if we believe, we will, in fact, see the glory of God. With that, Jesus prays to the Father and then invites Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Lazarus did come out. He was still bound up with grave clothes. Before the body was placed in the tomb, it was wrapped with linen clothes and treated with various spices. And Jesus says to unbind him. Lazarus was alive. How often do we live bound up in grave clothes? We continue to be tied to old, destructive habits and attitudes. Even though we may know Jesus, we still are bound by old patterns of behavior. It's only Jesus that can remove those from us so we can experience new life in him. Lazarus was alive but he still needed to remove the remnants of death. He needed to be loosed. Do you need to be loosed? What aspects of your old life do you continue to hold onto? Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 23, 2025 Scripture - John 10:22-42 Prayer: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. Psalm 23 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 working our way through the Gospels and Acts. Today, we finish John 10. In the second half of chapter 10, we find Jesus walking in the Temple. It is the Festival of Dedication, otherwise known as Hanukkah, which celebrates the rededication of the Temple in 164 BC. You may recall that in the 2nd century BC, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes tried to force the Jews to give up their faith. A group of Jewish rebels, led by Judas Maccabeus, fought back and ultimately reclaimed the Temple. It's no accident that John speaks of Jesus walking through the Temple at this particular time. He is pointing to an underlying theme that Jesus, like the heroes of Hanukkah, is coming to redeem Israel and relieve them all from their oppression. But there are other themes in this short passage. John is clear to continue the theme of Jesus' identity, pointing to divine images for Jesus. He is a shepherd, and he is someone who is with the Father. The shepherd imagery here is intended to remind the listeners of the Good Shepherd in the Psalms. Remember, throughout the Psalms, God is seen as the shepherd of Israel and Israel as sheep. Think of Psalm 23, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want..." The Jewish leaders are again livid that Jesus keeps using this divine language and saying that he has come from God and God is his Father. They actually pick up rocks to stone him. But Jesus challenges them. He basically says, "For what good work from God are you stoning me?" They tell him that it wasn't good works that led to this but blasphemy. Jesus uses the Jewish Scriptures to speak out against that. But they are blinded to truth. Jesus slips out of their grasp, for there is still more Kingdom work to do before his time comes. How often are we blinded to the work of Jesus right in front of us? Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 22, 2025 Scripture - John 10:1-21 Prayer: Almighty God, We come before you on this Wednesday, in the middle of our week, with both humility and gratefulness. You are so powerful, so holy, and so wise. We need you. We seek you. We are desperate to hear a word from you today, Lord. We also know that we have failed over and over again. Lord, forgive us for our sins, for the ways we fall short. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...Jesus, help us stay focused on you and your Word today. 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. As most of you know, we are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we begin John 10. Today, we have come to our third and fourth I AM statements from Jesus, "I am the door of the sheep" and "I am the good shepherd." Let's go deeper here. Jesus begins the chapter with an analogy about sheep. Most of us aren't going to get the deeper meaning because we generally don't know a lot about sheep. From what I understand, a shepherd has a distinctive call for his sheep. His sheep know his voice and his call. They aren't going to respond to a stranger, they know the voice of their own shepherd. It's the shepherd that enters the sheep pen by the front gate. He doesn't need to sneak in by climbing the fence. He safely leads the sheep out to pasture. He is the one that the sheep can trust. Then, why does Jesus say he is the gate? Afterall, we expect him to say he is shepherd, he has literally just given us this shepherd language that makes a fair amount of sense. Why a gate? This took some research. In the middle east at the time, the sheep slept in a pen without a gate; there was just an opening. The shepherd was literally the gate for the pen. He would lay his body across the opening. No sheep would step over him and a wolf couldn't get in without getting past the shepherd first. He was literally the gate. If this is the case, we can see how Jesus could easily be both the gate and the shepherd at the same time. Other scholars say that Jesus is speaking of a literal gate and they cite his use of the word doorkeeper as evidence. Regardless of a literal gate or a shepherd using his body as the gate, I think the meaning is the same. Jesus is protecting the sheep. The thieves and robbers come to wound and destroy. Jesus, as the gate, protects life at nighttime and offers life during the day by taking the sheep out to pasture. It's all about living the life abundant. If you haven't figured it out by now, we are the sheep and Jesus is our shepherd. He is the voice we need to seek, he is the one who provides and protects, and he is one who offers abundant and full life. And Jesus is a very good shepherd. He laid down his life for his sheep, for us. He wasn't coerced into this, but rather he voluntarily died for our sins. There will be other religious leaders, hired hands as Jesus calls them, who will abandon their followers at the first sign of trouble. But Jesus, on the other hand, is our eternal protector. He is always with us and will always be with us. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 21, 2025 Scripture - John 9 Prayer: Dear God, We come to you in repentance. We are sinful and broken people. We fall short over and over again. Lord, how we need you. Help us to grow closer to you. 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 Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. As most of you know, we are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we start John 9. When we started the Gospel of John, we talked about how the author calls the miracles in his book "signs." Each sign points to a deeper meaning about the identity of Jesus. Turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana demonstrated that Jesus is the abundantly generous host of the messianic banquet. The feeding of the 5,000 demonstrated that Jesus is a gracious provider who gives manna but also his own body and blood. The sign in John 9, the healing of the man born blind, shows that Jesus is the giver of sight and revealer of truth. Jesus restores the man's physical sight, and he also states that he is the light of the world in verse 5. There is the literal sign and then deeper themes beneath each one. Let's talk about the sign a little more. We become quickly aware of an assumption that for a person to be born blind, someone must have sinned. After seeing the man born blind, the disciples ask the blunt question – who is to blame? Jesus makes the statement that neither he nor his parents sinned; he was born this way so that God's power could be revealed in him. There is definitely a bit of debate about whether the words "born blind" were in the original Greek. I don't think it's relevant. The bottom line is that the Jews at the time believed that someone who was blind (born blind or not) must have some connection with deep sin. Yet, this man expresses belief in Jesus. He confesses faith. He calls Jesus, "Lord." On the other hand, the Pharisees who think they are morally superior are actually the ones who are sinful. They may have physical vision but they are spiritually blind. Things are not always as they seem. What does it mean to be spiritually blind and live in darkness OR it's opposite, to live in the light of Jesus? Depending on where you stand, it drastically affects your perspective. Symptoms of spiritual blindness could include a hardened heart, trouble understanding the bigger picture of faith, being controlled by emotions rather than truth, or the feeling of being disconnected from God. Other symptoms could be doubt, hopelessness, and a strong focus on rules (legalism) which can lead to judgement and self-righteousness. When we live in darkness, we are also easily deceived when it comes to spiritual truth. We can see this in the Pharisees. The more important question is to we see this in ourselves? When we walk in the light of Jesus with spiritual eyes open, we are changed people. We seek to know Jesus more deeply. We seek truth and we have clarity about those things that are not pleasing to God in our own lives. We are filled with the fruit of the Spirit. Living in the light also makes our identity very clear. We are children of God. We belong to Jesus and we are created to bring glory to God in everything we do. One more thing from this chapter and the book of John: There are seven "I AM" statements in this book. Keep in mind, that throughout the Old Testament, it was only God, Yahweh, who used the words I AM to describe himself. Jesus is now using these statements to further emphasize who he is and where he is from. We already encountered "I am the bread of life" in chapter six. This chapter has the second "I AM" statement, "I am the light of the world." Jesus says he is the light and then he proves it with the sign of healing the blind man. Tomorrow, we will talk about "I am the door" in chapter ten. Each of these statements tells us more about the identity of Jesus and his purpose. More tomorrow. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope October 20, 2025 Scripture - John 8:12-59 Prayer: Holy God, We pause before you. We become still, recognizing that you are God. You are Creator, you are Provider, you are Sustainer. Thank you, Lord. We repent for how we have failed you. We repent for our pride, our anger, our bitterness, our flawed view of others. We repent for not putting you first. Forgive us, Lord. We are broken and sinful people. Lord, use us anyway. We pray that you can lead us to a place of healing and peace so that we can then be useful to your Kingdom. Help us be your servants, open to your leading and direction. We are yours. We belong to you. In Your Name, Amen. Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. As most of you know, we are currently doing a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we finish up John 8. This chapter is an interesting and complex set of narratives about Jesus' identity. In verses 12-30, Jesus attempts, unsuccessfully, to explain that he does not need the two witnesses required by the Law in any testimony because he already has them: his own and the Father's. To the Jews, this would have been impossible. No one could testify on their own behalf. Afterall, the Law, to ensure fairness and objectivity, required at least two witnesses. But let us not forget that the gospel is not necessarily historical but theological. We are reading the account of an early Jewish-Christian community engaged in heavy theological debate with the synagogue, a sort of family feud if you consider that everyone here is Jewish. Beginning in verse 31, John states Jesus is speaking to Jews who had believed in him. I think the tense is important here. These were once followers of Jesus but now they are not. Jesus tells them that if they hold to his teachings, they are his disciples. And Jesus continues to say that it is then that they will know the truth and the truth will set them free. But this gets them all confused. But why in the world would they need to be set free? They are Abraham's descendants and they have never been enslaved. Jesus explains that they are, in fact, slaves to sin. Keep in mind, that this is a group who thinks they will go to heaven simply because of their blood line. They are Jews, they are God's chosen people. How they think and behave is far less important than to whom they are related. And yet, Jesus pushes up against this. As the text continues, in verses 37-59, Jesus and the Pharisees and other Jewish authorities throw accusations at each other. Jesus says they are being children of the devil; they accuse him of being demon-possessed and a Samaritan. One can hardly think of a worse situation. No one was listening to one another. But John is making a point. He is leading up to Jesus saying in v. 58, Before Abraham was, I am. Of course, he is speaking of himself using the Biblical way of referring to God. He is saying that he is God. This escalates things. The Jews begin to pick up stones to begin to throw at him but he slips away. Jesus is God. Blessings, Pastor Vicki