Podcasts about pastor vicki

Daily Dose of Hope March 18, 2026   Scripture: Romans 10   Prayer:   Almighty God, We thank you for a new day and we praise your perfect name.  We are grateful that your mercies are new every single morning.  Help us see you in this day.  Help us recognize your voice.  Lord, help us reflect you today in our words.  Help us reflect you in our behavior.  Help us remember who and whose we are.  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 Paul's letters chronologically.  We are now in our sixth pastoral letter, the book of Romans.   Today's reading is Romans 10.  Romans 10 is packed with substance.  There are two things that strike me in this chapter.  First is Paul's discussion about the heart.  He is making an argument that the law is not what makes someone righteous, but their belief in Jesus.  He is speaking of a new circumcision, essentially, a circumcision of the heart.  It isn't about what we do or what is done to us (in the case of a baby boy being circumcised), it is about our heart.  Do we believe in Jesus?  Do we love Jesus?  Have we made a commitment in our heart to Jesus Christ?    Keep in mind this was a total 180 degrees from what the Jews knew and believed.  I think sometimes we are pretty hard on the Jews.  Why don't they just believe?  Well, this was really different from everything they had been taught about being right with God.  Paul seems to get this struggle and it frames his arguments with Hebrew people.  He is anguished that they don't believe.  While it is a huge shift, he knows how much better life is when Christ is at the center.  As we can all imagine, the law (works) is a terrible thing to build your life around because you are never good enough.  On the other hand, with Jesus, he has declared us good enough because of his saving work on the cross, not because of anything we have done or haven't done.  This totally levels the playing field, as Paul expresses in verse 12.  It doesn't matter if one is Jew or Greek for all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.  This is great news, everyone!   The other piece that made an impression on me this morning was Paul's emphasis on sharing the good news.  Starting with verse 14, he writes, How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"  And that is still the case today, isn't it?  How can anyone know if they have never heard?  I think we make the assumption that most people around us, like neighbors, coworkers, golf buddies, and gym friends, know about Jesus.  Often, people have a vague idea about Jesus or even an incorrect view of Jesus.  Yet, they must know and profess Jesus to be saved.  I've also learned that some people, especially younger ones, truly have no idea what it means to believe in Jesus Christ.    Friends, the harvest is tremendous but the workers are few.  How can they believe if they have not heard?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope March 17, 2026   Scripture: Romans 9   Prayer:   King Jesus, We come to you today with praise and lifting your name high.  You are a Lord of love, mercy, and forgiveness.  Thank you so much for allowing us to experience those things in you.  Also, Lord, thank you for showing us a new way of doing life.  The ways of this world are empty and temporal but your ways are eternal and fulfilling.  Help us be bold in our faith, staying strong in the midst of whatever challenges we face.  Help us live like the people you have called us to be.  We love you.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently working our way through Paul's letters chronologically.  We are now in our sixth pastoral letter, the book of Romans.   Today's reading is Romans 9.  One thing that is evident to me in the beginning is Paul's anguish for his people.  He is heart-broken for his Jewish brothers and sisters who have rejected Jesus.  I kind of picture him on his hands and knees praying for softened hearts.  And then I thought about how we should probably all be doing that.  How many people do I know, do you know, who don't have a saving relationship with Jesus?  Why aren't we on our hands and knees praying for their hearts to be softened and more open to the Gospel?  And how many of our brothers and sisters in the church are focusing on the wrong thing – religion instead of Jesus?  This also drives me to prayer.  Just a thought.   One other aspect of this chapter that kind of hit me is Paul's warning.  It appears that he is warning Christians to be careful.  Afterall, the Jews began to think that their connection was God was simply a right.  That they would be accepted because of their Jewish blood.  I can't help but think this is a warning to all of us – don't get too comfortable.  None of us have a right to be here.  We have a relationship with God and we have salvation because of what Jesus Christ has done for us.  We did nothing to earn it and we don't deserve it.  I worry that at times, in the church, we might fall into the same trap that the Jews fell into, thinking we are superior or have some kind of right to be here because we have "been in church" so long.  In doing so, there is the possibility, just maybe, that we might look down our nose at others and not extend grace and mercy like we are called to do.  Paul's warning is real, my friends.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope March 16, 2026   Scripture: Romans 8   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 plan.  We are currently working our way through Paul's letters chronologically.  We are now in our sixth pastoral letter, the book of Romans.   Today's reading is Romans 8.  There is so much substance in this one chapter.  Overall, Paul is telling us to live by the Spirit and he is encouraging us because no matter what, God's love prevails.  I'm going to touch on a few of the main points.    The first part of the chapter details how we need to live according to the Spirit.  Yes, we are human beings, so we have a sinful nature, but that doesn't mean we have to live according to that sinful nature.  Paul says that once we accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit indwells us, meaning the Spirit can guide us, convict us, and direct us.  In fact, we are only living in true freedom if we are allowing the Spirit to guide us.  Being led by the sinful nature is just another form of bondage and that leads to death.  When we live by the Spirit, we know that we are children of God, we have the assurance of salvation and new life in Christ.    In the next part of the chapter, Paul focuses on our present sufferings.  Keep in mind, the church at the time was enduring tremendous persecution.  It wasn't easy following Jesus in the Roman world.  But Paul says these sufferings are nothing compared to the future glory that they will experience.  These present hardships will not last.  Eternity with Jesus, on the other hand, will last forever.  He is encouraging them to stay the course, hold on, because it will get so much better.  In fact, he says something quite extraordinary:  All of these difficulties and challenges will actually be used by God in some way to bring him glory, to extend the purposes of his Kingdom.   That doesn't mean they won't be painful or really, really hard, but God won't let anything go to waste.   One part that I just love is when Paul speaks about all creation groaning for all things to be made right again.  Ever since the fall, God has been putting things in place to make things right, to basically reverse the effects of the fall.  Not only do we as human beings look forward to when death, suffering, and pain, are no longer part of our world, but so does all of creation.  I can't help thinking about that line in the praise song, So Will I, when Hillsong sings, "If the rocks cry out in reverence, so will I."  Y'all, even the rocks are yearning for God to make things right again, once and for all.    Paul also speaks about how the Spirit intercedes for us.  I love this.  When things are really, really bad, when we don't have words or don't have the strength to say the words, we can trust that the Spirit of the living God is interceding for us at the throne of grace with words we can't understand.    Have there been times in your life in which you just didn't have the ability to pray?  Maybe you were incapacitated or so distressed that the words couldn't come out.  I know I've had times in which all I can do is cry out, "Jesus!"  And I know, I trust, that the Holy Spirit understands and is working on my behalf.  How cool is that?  What a mighty God we serve.   But I can't finish this devotional without talking about the last part of the chapter.  Paul gives us this beautiful picture of God's love and how nothing at all can ever separate us from it.  I use this Scripture quite often in funerals, especially when the person has died under difficult circumstances.  I find it so hopeful that if that individual believed in Jesus, that nothing can separate them from God's love.  It very clearly says that death cannot separate from God's love, even difficult, painful deaths like drug overdoses and suicide.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki          

Daily Dose of Hope March 13, 2026   Scripture: Romans 7   Prayer:   Almighty God, We are in awe of you.  You are all-powerful and all-knowing.  You are the one who was, and is, and is to come.  We give you all the glory and praise.  We rejoice that you, the one who created all things, also cares so deeply for us.  We are overwhelmed by your love and grace, which you offer freely even when we mess up.  Thank you so much, Lord.  As we think about our day to come, help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you...Oh Lord, how we need you.  We pray this in your powerful 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 Paul's letters chronologically.  We are now in our sixth pastoral letter, the book of Romans.   Today's reading is Romans 7.  This chapter describes our relationship to the law.  The law demonstrates how sinful we truly are.  We continually fail to follow the law, God's people throughout history have continually failed to follow the law, despite their best attempts.  The law exposes how vulnerable we all are to sin; it is like holding up a mirror.  It shows us our frailties and brokenness.  Paul mentions coveting.  The law tells him not to covet but that just makes him want to covet.    Keep in mind, this does not mean the law is bad.  It just shows how weak we happen to be.  On our own (that is, without Jesus), we will continue to mess up and do those things that we really don't want to do.  But in Jesus, we are new people.  We have the Holy Spirit living within us. That doesn't mean we won't mess up – we are still human.  But (and Paul will address this more in the next chapter) we have the ability to resist temptation and live for Jesus.  Again, none of this is because of us but because of who lives in us.    How often have we done something that we know is wrong even though we didn't want to?  That's our sinful nature.  Paul says that he does what he hates and doesn't do what he knows is right.  This is a problem we all face!  None of us are immune.  But as we grow in our walk with Jesus, I'm hoping we begin to resist that nature and lean into what we know is right.    What has been your experience with this?  How do you struggle with sin?  And how have you seen your thoughts and behavior change as you have grown in your Christian walk?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki          

Daily Dose of Hope March 12, 2026   Scripture: Romans 6   Prayer:   Almighty God and Risen Lord, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, We come before you today with praise and a sense of awe.  You are amazing.  You offer new life.  And yet, we still struggle to keep focus on you.  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.  We are currently working our way through Paul's letters chronologically.  We are now in our sixth pastoral letter, the book of Romans.   Today's reading is Romans 6.  In this chapter, Paul discusses why we should no longer sin once we have become believers of Jesus.  In the previous chapters, he has talked about how we are no longer under the law.  That's true.  We are saved and our sins are forgiven.  That's also true.  But that doesn't mean we should start acting like fools.  Rather, the standard is higher.   Paul also considers sin to be an enslaving power.  I'm not sure we really think about it that way.  I typically think of sin as brokenness or a separation between myself and God.  But Paul sees it as something much deeper – it's a power that is actually fighting for control of all creation.    Humans are enslaved to sin.  And slaves don't typically have any control over their bodies.  They are forced into labor, they are punished at will, and they can be assaulted without any kind of recourse.  To be enslaved is to have every part of you controlled by another.  If humans are enslaved to sin, then the only thing that has mastery over this slavery is Jesus Christ's death and resurrection.    Paul explains that when someone accepts Jesus, they experience a spiritual death to sin.  They then also experience a rebirth.  They become new people in Jesus.  As new people in Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin, as our old selves were crucified.  Sin is no longer our master.  It no longer has the same hold on us.  That being said, we still have a daily choice to make.  We are still human and sin is still tempting.  But we make a choice to live righteously.    Think about your own temptations.  What daily choices do you make because you now live for Jesus?  How have your own daily choices changed as you have grown in your walk with Jesus Christ?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope March 11, 2026   Scripture: Romans 5   Prayer:   Holy God, How amazing it is that we can come before you today.  You are God of all things, Lord of everything, and yet you care about each of us.  We give you glory and praise.  We thank you most of all for Jesus, who made it possible for us to walk hand in hand with a holy God.  Help us see today's Scripture through fresh eyes.  Keep teaching us, Lord.  Continue to reveal yourself to us.  We are open and grateful.  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 Paul's letters chronologically.  We are now in our sixth pastoral letter, the book of Romans.   Today's reading is Romans 5.  In this chapter, Paul explores the origin of sin in a unique way.  He speaks of Adam, through which sin entered the world.  If you are familiar with the study of the spread of disease (called epidemiology), then you have probably heard of patient zero.  Patient zero is the first person who brings a specific disease into an area.  To find this person, the epidemiologists trace the outbreak through all sorts of people, interviewing, contact tracing, digging, and digging some more to find out where the disease began.   Adam was patient zero for sin.  It was through Adam that sin came into play.  After that, all humans were "infected" with sin.  There was no way not to be infected. The world was no longer a lovely, perfect place like the Garden of Eden.  The world was now broken, filled with hardship, disease, and death.    But if Adam brought us sin and death, Jesus brings us life.  Jesus died for us while we were still sinners.  Through Jesus, we can be reconciled to a holy God.  We can do life, walking hand in hand with God–no walls, no barriers, and no shame.  Jesus has removed anything preventing us from accessing God.  You see, when he died on the cross, the blood of Jesus atoned for the sins of all humanity for all time.  He cleansed us from sin and gave us his righteousness.   What is righteousness?  That's a word that Paul uses an awful lot.  Righteousness is the quality of being morally right, virtuous, and just.  Jesus is totally righteous and we aren't!  But through the cross, in the act of cleansing us from sin, Jesus imputed (gave) his righteousness to us.  We are made righteous by Jesus.  Now, God doesn't see our messed up, broken lives–he sees that which Jesus has freely gifted us.  In Jesus, we are saved and made righteous.  And as Jesus continues to work within us, let's hope that the righteousness of Jesus really takes root in a different way.  As we seek to grow closer to Jesus, may the righteousness, the virtuousness, the justice, and the love of Christ grow within us and make us better reflections of him.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki                

Daily Dose of Hope March 10, 2026   Scripture: Romans 4   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.  We are currently working our way through Paul's letters chronologically.  Just for review, we have read Galatians, I and II Thessalonians, I and II Corinthians, and now we are in Romans.    Today's reading is Romans 4.  This is an interesting chapter.  Paul clearly wants his Jewish listeners to know that justification by faith is not a new concept, but there is actually a precedent in the Old Testament.  Likewise, he wants his Gentile listeners to know that they have a rich spiritual heritage when they believe in Jesus, as the Old Testament attests to this salvation.  Paul highlights Abraham and David, two great men of faith, to demonstrate that even under the old covenant, people were saved by faith rather than by works.   Paul discusses Abraham's faith. Abraham believed, against all hope and even though it was a crazy thought, that he would become a father in his old age and even become the father of many nations.  Sarah was something like 100 years old.  This was not a reasonable thing to believe!  Despite some mishaps along the way (think Hagar and Ishmael), Abraham had faith that God would do what God said he would do.  It was Abraham's faith, rather than his adherence to the law (works), that God credited him as righteous.    It is also our faith, specifically our faith in Jesus Christ and belief that he died for our sins and was resurrected, that God credits us as righteous.  To be righteous means to be in right standing with God.  Let's be clear.  We are not righteous at all on our own merit.  Rather, because of Jesus, we are credited as righteous.  We essentially get to hang on Jesus' righteousness coattails, and I am so very glad for it!   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope March 9, 2026   Scripture:  Romans 3   Prayer:  Everlasting Father, We thank you that you are a God of hope.  You are a God who keeps his promises.  You are a God who always has our best interest in mind.  Forgive us for those times that we want things to go the way we want things to go.  Fill us with your wisdom and discernment.  Help us try to think about things from a more eternal perspective.  How difficult that is for us!  Lord, we submit to you our lives, our families, our jobs, our burdens, our physical bodies.  We give them to you and we trust 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.  My prayer for each of you is that as we move through this season of Lent, you will make plenty of time to read, interpret, and pray over the Scripture.  What is God teaching you through Paul's letters?  We have now reached Romans, which I think is fascinating but one of the most difficult of Paul's letters to understand.  I would love to hear your thoughts.  What is God teaching you?  What are you gleaning?   Today's reading is Romans 3.  Paul continues to discuss the sinfulness of human beings.  No one is righteous, no matter one's religious upbringing (Jew vs. non-Jew), occupation, or station in life; every single person is a sinner.  It sounds a bit hopeless but Paul is leading up to something very important.  Yes, all people are sinners and all people fall short of God's standard BUT we can be saved through the gift of grace that comes with believing in Jesus Christ.  It's pretty incredible really.  We are all a broken mess.  We are born inclined to sin and this sinfulness creates a barrier between God and us.  But Jesus' sacrifice on the cross atoned for our sins.    What in the world does that mean?  When Jesus died on the cross, our sins and the sins of all humanity died up there with him.  If you think back to the Old Testament sacrificial system, the priests would sacrifice animals to atone for the sins of the people and the community.  And the people could not sacrifice their sick and lame animals, only the strong, healthy ones.  They needed to feel the sacrifice.  And then, the animal's blood was shed to demonstrate that sin has consequences.  It wasn't pretty at all but it wasn't supposed to be.  Now, Jesus is the final, perfect sacrifice.  It was his blood that was shed to atone for the sins of all people, for all time.    Let's go just a little deeper here.  As God himself, Jesus was holy and totally without sin.  He gave his life to be the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.  His death on the cross created a bridge between God and us.  No more barrier.  If we have said yes to Jesus, then when God looks at us, he doesn't see our sinfulness but rather Jesus' sacrifice.  The blood of Jesus essentially covers us or atones for us.   Now, because of Jesus' sacrifice, we are free to walk hand in hand with a holy God.  And we did nothing to earn this or deserve it.  As Paul writes, it was a gift of grace.  Grace is God's unmerited, amazing love that is freely given to all those who believe.    How have you experienced God's grace?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope March 6, 2026   Scripture:  Romans 2   Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you today rejoicing in your powerful name.  Thank you for who you are and all you do.  Thank you for loving us.  Help us gather our scattered thoughts, help us set aside distractions, and truly focus on you right now.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, we want to hear your voice...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently journeying through Paul's letters.  We are now in our sixth pastoral letter, the book of Romans.   Today's reading is Romans 2.  Through the end of chapter one and most of chapter two, Paul points out the sinfulness of humanity and the righteousness of God.  Whether Jew or Gentile, each person will have a day of reckoning, in which they will stand before God.    But then, Paul's words take a turn as they are directed specifically at Jewish listeners.  He doesn't mince words.  The Jewish audience may think they are better than the Gentiles because of circumcision and the law, but truly actions speak louder than words.  What good is the law if they don't obey it?  Paul accuses the Jews of judging the Gentiles for not doing things "right" but really they should be judging themselves.  Their faith was superficial and all about outward appearances, so they look good in front of other human beings, not God.   What God values is the work of the Spirit in our hearts.  What's going on in your heart right now?  Unfortunately, it is too easy for us to make faith about a list of things that make us look good to others: attending church regularly, serving and volunteering, being part of a small group or Bible study, making moral choices, being a good person, you get the idea.  But if our heart isn't right with God, all those good things are worthless.  What God values is the work of the Spirit in our hearts.  And God knows what's there – he can see through us right to the core.    When God looks at your heart, what does he find?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope March 5, 2026   Scripture:  Romans 1   Prayer:  Almighty God, Thank you for a new day and a new chance to give you glory and praise.  You are an amazing God.  How incredible it is that you, who created everything, know my name.  You know every hair on my head.  While I am so grateful for your love and care, it is sometimes difficult for me to adequately wrap my brain around your expansive love and mercy.  Help me be a better reflection of you, Lord.  Help me see others through your eyes.  Help me be merciful, kind, and good.  Lord, I know I fall short.  So often.  But I want to do better.  In these next few moments of silence, Jesus, hear my prayer...  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 journeying through Paul's letters.  We just finished our fourth letter (2 Corinthians) and today we are beginning Romans. Today's reading is Romans 1.  Romans is probably one of the most impactful books of the Bible.  Much of our Christian doctrine is rooted in this book.  My own experience in Romans is that sometimes I need to read a chapter more than once to understand its meaning.  Don't be discouraged if that is the case for you too.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide your reading and reveal what God wants you to know in each chapter.  Romans is written in the form a letter.  Paul starts by identifying himself: he is a servant of Christ, an apostle, and one who is set apart for the Gospel.  He is writing to a church in Rome that he did not establish and has not yet visited.  He wants to be clear from the beginning who he is and what he believes.  He is clear that the purpose of his writing is Jesus.  Really, it's all about Jesus Christ, and we will see that theme woven throughout the entirety of Romans.  It's certainly a good reminder for us–it is simply all about Jesus. We get quite distracted but Jesus is what matters. In the middle of the chapter, Paul is clear about his purpose - sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Take a look at some of the statements that Paul makes: -I am obligated to both Greeks and non-Greeks, to those who are wise and foolish. -I am eager to preach the Gospel to those in Rome. -I am not ashamed of the Gospel. Paul knows who and whose he is and that defines every other aspect of his life.  He is a person sent to share the Good News to all people, he is looking forward to preaching Jesus to the people of Rome, and he is totally unashamed, unembarrassed, and ready to be a minister of the Gospel.  What are your thoughts about this?  We live in a time and culture in which people are hesitant to share their faith, worried about people's reactions, and content to just leave things be.  Paul was anything but content.  He felt obligated, eager, and totally unashamed!  Spend some time in prayer asking God to speak to you, specifically what God wants you to learn from Paul and our new study of Romans.  Ask God to open your heart and mind to new concepts and challenges. Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope March 4, 2026   Scripture: 2 Corinthians 13   Prayer:  Lord, How we need you.  Thank you for your presence, thank you for the way you continue to pursue us.  Lord, in these next few moments of silence, help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently working our way through the pastoral letters of Paul.  Toay, we are finishing Paul's second letter to the Corinthians.   Our reading is 2 Corinthians 13.  Paul has some strong closing comments for the Corinthian church. The Corinthians want evidence that God is speaking through Paul. Paul turns the argument around and tells them to assess their own faith. According to Paul, they should be examining themselves, not cross-examining him.   Paul wants the Corinthians to look closely at their own behavior and attitudes. Do they point to faith in Jesus? This is the test to which he is referring. It is so much easier to point a finger at others and criticize their behavior, speech, and lifestyle, than it is to examine our own. I can't help but be reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 7:3-5, Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.   Just as the Corinthians wanted to focus on what they perceived as Paul's weaknesses, we also get fixated on what we see are the problems of others. All the while, we feel perfectly comfortable with a massive plank in our own eye. Ask God to reveal to you the times in which you were quick to judge others rather than examine your own life and faith.   One last thing.  You probably noticed that Paul ends his letter by telling the Corinthians to greet one another with a holy kiss.  At that time, a kiss on one or both cheeks was a common greeting.  In fact, in many places around the globe, this is still a very normal greeting.  In Cuba, we double-cheek kiss when we enter the church and again when we leave.  In Mozambique, I believe we did single-cheek kisses.  Early churches considered these kisses to be holy, an expression of the deep bond between believers and a sign of unity in the body of Christ.  Paul is known to have encouraged the practice several different times.   So, what do you think?  Should we bring this to New Hope?       Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope March 3, 2026   Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12   Prayer:  Heavenly Father, Provider, Sustainer, Thank you for being the God who creates, cares, loves, and saves.  All we have is from you.  As we talk about today's text, give us a fresh revelation; help us see your Word in a new way. Lord, thank you most of all for Jesus.  Thank you for his sacrifice.  Thank you for showing us a different way of doing life.  Help us actually live the way you taught us.  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 working our way through the pastoral letters of Paul.  We are nearing the end of 2 Corinthians. Our reading today is 2 Corinthians 12. In this chapter, Paul continues his discussion on boasting but it takes a definite turn.   He tells the Corinthians to be careful not to lift up visions and revelations but instead to have the humility to share how God has showed up in difficult seasons, times of weakness.  Paul had quite a divine encounter on the road to Damascus during which he met Christ and he could boast about it.  It was an impressive story!  Sometimes, he choose to share his experience because it was such a powerful testimony  But he is telling the Corinthians to be careful here.  There are times when that is appropriate and there are times when it isn't.  Use discernment and be careful of motives in sharing divine experiences.  When he finishes with the "foolishness" boasting about his attributes (which you recall he did to make a point to his rivals), he quickly states that he will only boast in his weaknesses. Because in our weaknesses, God demonstrates his power. In our weaknesses and shortcomings, Jesus has room to do his work. We only think our earthly attributes make us strong. It is truly our weaknesses that make us strong because that's where God comes in and demonstrates his miraculous work.  Paul speaks of a thorn in his side.  He calls it a "messenger of Satan" sent to both harass him and keep him humble.  I've read all kinds of things that this thorn could have been.  It might have possibly been a physical illness, such as a chronic illness.  One scholar mentioned an eye issue, although I have no idea how he came up with that.  Other academics have suggested that Paul could have been dealing with a mental health issue, such as depression.  Considering all he had been through, this would certainly make sense.  Still others say that Paul was battling a spiritual attack.  Really, it could be any or all of these.  And we will never know.  Maybe that is better.  Because all of us deal with a thorn in our flesh too. We all have something we struggle with, something that reminds us of our weakness and humbles us.  Paul says in today's chapter that he pleaded to God for help.  You may have also pleaded to God to help you with your thorn.  Paul wants the Corinthians to know, and this is very helpful for us too, that God didn't ignore his pleas.  Rather, God told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Basically, God had given Paul all he needed to come out victorious in this situation.  When Paul was weak, God was strong.  So, stop whining, stand up and use the weapons and power I have provided to you! What are your weaknesses? Rather than lamenting about them, have you ever thought that Christ might use them for his glory? Take a moment and spend some time in prayer, submitting your weaknesses, really your whole life, to Jesus today. Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope February 27 and March 2, 2026   Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 10-11   Prayer:  Holy God, How amazing it is that we can come before you today.  You are God of all things, Lord of everything, and yet you care about each of us.  We give you glory and praise.  We thank you most of all for Jesus, who made it possible for us to walk hand in hand with a holy God.  Help us see today's Scripture through fresh eyes.  Keep teaching us, Lord.  Continue to reveal yourself to us.  We are open and grateful.  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 working our way through Paul's pastoral letters.  I am so sorry, last Friday, my devotional did not post and I did not notice until Saturday.  I decided to just combine Friday and Monday's posts.  Thus, today, we will cover 2 Corinthians 10 and 11.   Let's start with chapter 10.  After a lengthy discussion on the collection for Jerusalem believers, Paul returns to the issue of defending his love for the Corinthians and his authority as an apostle. Paul is concerned with his own reputation but he is more concerned with saving the Corinthian church from these rivals who are promoting a false Gospel.   It's interesting that many people read Paul's epistles and think of him as uncompromising and even harsh at times. But that apparently isn't the Paul that the Corinthian church witnessed. They thought of Paul as weak and timid. In this chapter, Paul is defending himself against such accusations. He is not timid but bold. However, he doesn't wage war in the typical sense. He wages war with God's power. Thus, we can suppose that Paul fights with spiritual weapons such as prayer and divine wisdom.   According to the Scripture, these weapons allow him to demolish strongholds. The Corinthians would have been familiar with strongholds, places with much fortification to help defend against attack. But it would have also been common knowledge that no amount of fortification could defend against a strong, forceful offensive attack. The power of God, Paul's spiritual weapons, were much stronger than anything that his rivals could present. Paul stands ready to attack the "stronghold" erected by those in Corinth who oppose him and slander his name. No amount of verbal attacks on his character, no intellectual arguments, no worldly debate could match the power in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul was on the side of Christ and that was his most effective weapon.   Do you make use of spiritual weapons?  And if you don't, then why not?   Let's move on to chapter 11. Up until this point, Paul has avoiding boasting and self-aggrandizement. Because of this, he has gotten slammed by his rivals. Now, he asks the Corinthians to bear with a little foolishness as he boasts. He seems to think there is no other way to address these charges against his authority as an apostle and Christian leader than to clearly articulate why he is qualified. But unlike his rivals, Paul makes it clear that he knows boasting is nothing but foolishness because it leaves God out of the equation.   Paul begins his foolish boasting to counter the attack of his rivals. From reading this, we can guess that those opposing Paul took pride in their Jewish heritage, in their ministry work, and in their visions and revelations. Paul matches them point for point. But he does so knowing it's all a bit ridiculous. The only thing that really matters is boasting about God.   Paul's original discourse with the Corinthians about boasting is found back in 1 Corinthians1:26-31. Reflect on the difference between this and what Paul is expressing in today's passage, Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the   shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."    More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope February 26, 2026   Scripture:  2 Corinthians 9   Prayer:  Holy God, We rejoice and give praise for the ways you care for us.  We thank you for how you continue to forgive us and give us second and third chances.  Help us seek lives characterized by your holiness.  Help us seek pure hearts.  Lord, in these next few moments of silence, hear our prayers and help us bring together all our scattered thoughts and focus on you...It's in your name we pray, 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 Paul's letters.  We are working our way through our fifth pastoral letter, 2 Corinthians.   Today's reading is 2 Corinthians 9.  In this chapter, Paul is continuing his discussion on giving. Paul is trying to rouse some enthusiasm among the Corinthian believers on the topic of giving, specifically giving to the destitute believers in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Christians were experiencing a famine and possibly loss of their livelihood due to converting the Christianity.  They were initially very interested and enthusiastic but apparently, they haven't followed through on their commitments.   Today's chapter leads to some interesting thoughts. You reap what you sow, not just with material resources but also in other ways. This idea is found throughout Scripture but most notably in Jesus' teaching in Luke 6:38, Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.   But it also suggests that giving is an individual decision of the heart. We don't give for public recognition but to please God and demonstrate his love to others. God doesn't want us to give out of a sense of obligation but truly out of a kind and generous heart. All we have comes from God, we are simply giving a portion back to God's work in this world. Finally, Paul is suggesting that when we give to God's work, we will be blessed. God will ensure that our needs are met. Notice Paul doesn't say that our wants will be fulfilled but rather our needs. We will have what we need to be content.   What does it take for you to be content? Do you give with a cheerful heart?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

Daily Dose of Hope February 25, 2026   Scripture:  2 Corinthians 8   Prayer to the Divine Tutor from St Clement of Alexandria (150–215):   Be kind to Your little children, Lord; that is what we ask of You as their Tutor, You the Father, Israel's guide; Son, yes, but Father as well. Grant that by doing what You told us to do, we may achieve a faithful likeness to the Image and, as far as is possible for us, may find in You a good God and a lenient Judge.   May we all live in the peace that comes from You. May we journey towards Your city, sailing through the waters of sin untouched by the waves, borne tranquilly along by the Holy Spirit, Your Wisdom beyond all telling. Night and day until the last day of all, may our praises give You thanks, our thanksgiving and praise to You: You who alone are both Father and Son, Son and Father, the Son who is our Tutor and our Teacher, together with the Holy Spirit.   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 Paul's letters.  We are working our way through our fifth pastoral letter, 2 Corinthians. Today's reading is 2 Corinthians 8.  There is significant need among the believers in Jerusalem and Paul is imploring the churches in Macedonia and Greece to give, not out of obligation but truly out of love for their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Those in Jerusalem were Jewish believers who the Gentile Corinthians had never met. This offering would not have been part of a tithe, but rather over and beyond their normal giving, in order to help those who needed it. While the Macedonian churches were located in a fairly wealthy and prosperous area, that doesn't mean all the churches were affluent. There were some among them who were wealthy but many more were just working class or poor. And yet, Paul is calling them to give anyway. He has called all the Macedonian churches to give; this includes Corinth but also Philippi and Thessalonica. He is asking the Corinthians church to finish up their previous collection, keeping in mind the extreme need in Jerusalem. This is not a command, by any means, but rather encouragement to do what is right. Giving does not come naturally to human beings. We seem to have this need to keep things for ourselves. We tend toward selfishness over sacrifice. Generosity is something that God nurtures in our hearts. Jesus taught often about being generous. Think about Matthew 6:19-21, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The beauty in the Scripture is that it demonstrates that when we invest in the things of God, our heart will be pulled in that direction as well.  We start by giving sacrificially and God changes our heart. What's been your experience with giving? Do you tithe? If you don't, then what keeps you from giving on that level? Have you ever given above and beyond the tithe, as Paul was encouraging the Corinthians to do? What motivated that giving?  How has God blessed your giving? Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope February 24, 2026   Scripture:  2 Corinthians 7   Prayer:  Holy and Almighty Father, We come to you today with humble hearts.  We know we are broken and need you.  We are weak.  We are vulnerable to temptation.  Lord, fill us with your strength.  Give us your stamina and wisdom.  We can't do this life without you, Lord.  It's in the powerful name of Jesus we pray, 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 Paul's letters.  We are working our way through our fifth pastoral letter, 2 Corinthians. Today's reading is 2 Corinthians 7.  Paul continues to express his love and dedication to the Corinthians. Despite their disobedience and their lack of confidence in him, Paul has confidence and love for them. In fact, Paul says that he would live or die with them. He is making the point that their relationship as brothers and sisters in Christ will not end with physical death. They are united for eternity. This means something! Have you ever considered that you are united with your fellow believers for eternity? This usually brings me great joy. I've met Christians all over the world who I know I won't ever meet again in this earthly life. But yet, we will be together in heaven forever. At the same time, there are believers who I know with whom I've never quite gotten along. Guess what? I also will spend eternity with them. Our bonds as Christian brothers and sisters are strong, friends. Is there a Christian brother or sister with whom you have disagreed, and you need to make amends? Our allegiance to Jesus should always trump our individual disagreements. I'm not saying to be a doormat. However, think about the disagreement, pray about it, and see how God wants you to proceed. There is one more concept in this chapter I wanted to mention.  Paul rejoices that the Corinthians have experienced Godly sorrow and repentance.  2 Corinthians 7:10 distinguishes between godly sorrow, which produces "repentance leading to salvation," and worldly sorrow, which leads to death. Godly sorrow is about remorse for hurting God and others, while worldly sorrow is often just regret over being caught or facing consequences.  Have you experienced Godly sorrow or worldly sorrow?  Can you see the difference? Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope February 23, 2026   Scripture: 2 Corinthians 6   Prayer: Abba Father, We come to you today in awe of your love for us.  Thank you, Lord, for your sacrifice.  Thank you for sitting high and looking low.  We give you all the glory and praise, Lord Jesus.  Help us to be less selfish and more like you.  On our own, we mess it up.  We need you, Jesus.  We need you minute by minute.  Guide our thoughts today, Lord.  Guide our words and guide our actions.  May we look more like you today, Lord, than we did yesterday.  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 journeying through Paul's pastoral letters chronologically.  We are now in the middle of 2 Corinthians.   Today's reading is 2 Corinthians 6.  Paul wants the Corinthians to know that there are boundaries surrounding the behaviors of the covenant community. As we have discussed in previous chapters, most of Corinth consisted of individuals who worshipped multiple gods; idolatry and sexual immorality were a part of the pagan existence. Now, people are coming to know Jesus and entering the Corinthian church.  This requires a huge shift in thinking about what is acceptable. Paul continues to teach that while they have freedom in Christ, that is not an excuse for behavior that displeases God. They are called to holiness.   It is from that place that Paul tells the Corinthian believers not to be yoked with unbelievers. A yoke refers to the wooden crosspiece that was fastened over the necks of two oxen and attached to a plow or cart that they are to pull. When one animal is yoked to another, generally the stronger animal can help make up for the inadequacies of the weaker animal. Think about Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." When we are yoked together with Jesus, he helps lighten our load and provides rest for our souls.   But Paul is saying not to be yoked with those who are not Christ-followers. As in the reference from Matthew, being yoked with someone suggests a close, almost intimate relationship. Do not yoke yourself with someone whose values, attitudes, and behaviors are fundamentally different from your own. Paul is referencing marriage but also other relationships. Do not bind yourself to people who have a worldview that is opposed to your own.   I want to be clear; Paul is not saying that Christians aren't to associate with unbelievers.  Frequently, Paul encourages believers to eat with those who don't yet believe and build relationships with those who need to know the hope of Christ. But having an unbelieving friend or acquaintance is totally different from an unbelieving spouse, business partner, or bestie. Set your boundaries.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope February 20, 2026   Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5   Prayer:  Almighty God, As we move into our Friday, 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 back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We have been journeying through Paul's New Testament letters.  I don't know about you, but its been great to learn more about Paul's relationship with his churches.  There is so much substance here.  Currently, we are in 2 Corinthians.   Today's reading is 2 Corinthians 5.  In the first ten verses of the chapter, Paul is tackling the difficult topic of what happens to us when we die. In Paul's culture (as in ours), there was fascination but also fear regarding the end of physical life. This piece of Scripture discusses the future resurrection and transformation of believers and the certainty of being with Jesus after death. We can be assured of this based on God placing the Spirit within us (Paul calls it a deposit). The Holy Spirit offers us assurance of salvation and that this earthly life is not the end.   Now, let's take a moment and talk about verse 17, one of my favorite verses of Scripture. Paul starts with the statement, "Therefore..." because the previous statement pointed out that Christ is no longer viewed from a human perspective, as he is God. Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior and his life, death, and resurrection form this radical, fundamental breakthrough for all creation. Because of this, things are different. God's Kingdom has been inaugurated and a new way of doing life is here. So, if someone is in Christ, meaning they have accepted Jesus and are united with a life-giving Savior, then this new way of living and being has started. They are no longer the same person. They are being transformed from the inside out by the power of the Spirit of God. The old person, the "pre-Jesus" life, is in the past. They now do life differently - new attitudes, new behaviors, new ways of thinking-focused on the ways of Jesus rather than the ways of the world   I want to add that becoming a new person is a choice. Others call it a process. It's both really. Becoming the person that God created us to be in Jesus Christ is not going to simply happen by accident. We participate in the process. The Holy Spirit works in us and we cooperate with God in the transformation. What has your "becoming a new creation" process looked like? None of us have arrived either. What are the places in your life in which God may be still calling you to change to look more like Jesus?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope February 19, 2026   Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4   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 goes along with the New Hope Bible reading plan.  We have been on a journey through the letters of Paul, working through them chronologically.   We started with Galatians, then we walked through I and 2 Thessalonians.  We recently finished I Corinthians and now we are in 2 Corinthians.  It's been a great journey thus far.   Today's reading is 2 Corinthians 4.  Paul wants the Corinthians to know that his ministry is not about letters of judgment.  Yes, he is sending them a letter of rebuke but that is different from judgment.  He disapproves of their actions, but he loves them.  Paul wants them to know that his is a ministry of the Holy Spirit.  And where the Spirit is, there is freedom that comes from knowing and being transformed by Jesus.   The message of Jesus is an amazing treasure that we have been given, but we keep it in jars of clay, our frail, broken bodies.  Jars of clay would have been a normal sight in Paul's day. They were basic, earthenware vessels, used for everything from cooking utensils to toilets. They were inexpensive but breakable and could easily be knocked over and damaged.   And we, as Christ-followers, get to be the vessels that hold the Good News of Jesus. God chooses to store his greatest treasure in our own weak and flawed human bodies. They aren't too unlike the clay jars, common and fragile. Yet, God chooses us. In all our brokenness, God chooses us. In the mess of the world, God chooses us. In the midst of hardship and oppression, God still chooses us. We get to be the bearers of the greatest news in the history of all humanity. God chooses us.   Just let that sink in a bit.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope February 18, 2026   Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3   Prayer:  Holy God, We are weary.  We are tired.  We need you.  You are great and mighty.  You are merciful and loving.  How we need that right now!  Lord, speak to us today.  We need to hear your voice.  We pray that your voice will be louder and clearer than all the other voices that crowd our thoughts.  Lord, in these next few moments of silence, please speak to us...  God, we give you all the glory.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Happy Ash Wednesday.  If you live in the greater Brandon, Florida, area, I invite you to attend the New Hope Church Ash Wednesday service at 6:30pm in Logan Hall.  There will be meaningful worship, a brief message, and the imposition of ashes.   For our devotional, we are currently journeying through Paul's letters.  We have just started our fifth pastoral letter, 2 Corinthians.  Today, we are taking a look at chapter 3.  In the beginning of the chapter, Paul is explaining why he doesn't need letters of recommendation. Apparently, this was a common practice to provide letters that verified the authenticity of an apostle or leader. Paul mentions providing them in some of his other epistles but does not feel the need to have them for the church at Corinth. After all, he founded the Corinthian church so they should be well aware of his gifts and skills as an apostle. This whole discussion gives us a bigger picture of what Paul is dealing with-people are challenging his credentials and leadership. This must have been very distressing for Paul, who put so much love and self-sacrifice into his churches.   Paul then moves on to a discussion about boldness and spiritual blindness. He can be bold because there is no veil separating him from God. Remember, Moses had to pull a veil over his face when he went to speak with God to protect himself and the Israelites from God's powerful glory. It also reminds me of another veil-the curtain that separated the priest from the holiest of holies in the temple, where God's presence dwelt. Under the Old Covenant, there were many veils which served to protect people from God's power and glory. While it was for their protection, it was also a physical and spiritual separation.   Paul makes the point that even then, while the veil was technically gone, the Jews still behaved as if it was there; they experienced a spiritual blindness of sorts. But in Christ, there is freedom. There doesn't have to be separation from God or blind adherence to the Old Covenant. Christ introduced a new way of doing life, where the veil is gone, and we can now contemplate God's glory. In fact, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can day by day be transformed into his likeness.   Verse 18 really resonates with me today. "...we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory..." This is sanctification. The more we grow in our walk with Jesus, the more we experience his grace and look more and more like him.   A question: do you look more like Jesus today than you did five years ago? Why or why not? What do you want to look like five years from now?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope February 17, 2026   Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2   Prayer: Lord God Almighty, You have given us everything.  Not only did you create the world, but you created us.  Everything we have is a gift from you.  Forgive us for when we begin to think that things are "ours."  Soften our hearts.  Help us become more generous.  Lord, I give you my whole self.  I want to offer myself as a living sacrifice; may I be pleasing in your sight.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are currently journeying through Paul's letters.  We have just started our fifth pastoral letter, 2 Corinthians. Today, we are taking a look at chapter 2.  In this chapter, Paul explains the reason he delayed his return to Corinth from Macedonia. His first visit had ended poorly. An influential man in Corinth had challenged Paul's apostolic authority.  This man said Paul had no credibility from Jesus.  So Paul left. He knew that if he returned as originally scheduled, it would create another difficult visit.  Paul really wanted to protect the church but he also needed to deal with this conflict. He sent a letter instead. This also created discord in the church.  Not only were they upset with the tone of the letter but they were upset that Timothy rather than Paul delivered it.  But Paul stayed away until he saw how things placed out.  Eventually, the church sided with Paul. They decide that the man who opposed Paul committed a grave sin. The church punished him, and he repented.  Some scholars suggest the term used here might be better interpreted as saying the church "reprimanded" the man. Paul urges them to end the punishment, to forgive and comfort the man, and to reaffirm their love for him. Paul insists that forgiveness must happen in each direction in order to keep them from being tricked by Satan.  Let's think about this – how might the enemy use unforgiveness to gain a foothold in our churches? Paul also wants to assure the church of his deep love for them and their dependence on one another. He isn't the kind of leader who lords authority over them. Rather, they belong to each other. He is their coworker in the movement of the Gospel. Are you aware that as the body of Jesus Christ, we all belong to God but we also belong to each other? Our work in the Lord is dependent on one another. We need one another. We are not independent contractors for Jesus out there on our own trying to share the Good News. Rather, we are all in this together, helping and supporting each other, praying for one another, and encouraging each other in our work. Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

Daily Dose of Hope February 16, 2026   Scripture:  2 Corinthians 1   Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, We are so grateful that your mercies are new every single morning.  No matter what our week or weekend 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 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 have been journeying through Paul's letters.  On Friday, we completed our fourth pastoral letter and today we begin our fifth, 2 Corinthians. While 2 Corinthians is the second letter we have that Paul wrote to Corinth, there are hints in the text about other letters (at least one); most likely got lost so we don't have access to them.  Paul established the church at Corinth on his second missionary journey and you can refresh your memory on that in Acts 18.  After he leaves Corinth, it doesn't take long for him to hear rumors that things are going south there.  That's when he writes I Corinthians.  Just to review, in I Corinthians, Paul provides a strong rebuke of the Corinthians about their worldly aspirations, their arrogance, and their shallow view of Christian leadership. This didn't serve to endear Paul to the influencers in the Corinthian church.  In fact, they got really mad.  Many in the church rejected his teachings and his authority.  Thus, Paul visited them personally in what he called his painful visit.  He references it in the very first verse of 2 Corinthians 2 (we will read I tomorrow).  He was addressing head-on the conflict and immorality in the church.  After that, he wrote a second letter, which I mentioned earlier, and Paul references that a few times in chapter 2.   Apparently, after the visit and letter, many of the Corinthians were repentant and felt terrible about what happened to Paul and the way he was treated.  2 Corinthians (likely his third letter) is Paul's response to those feelings.  He wants to reassure the people and restore his relationship with the church while also offering them wise counsel and not back down from previous statements. In today's Scripture, Paul is reminding the Corinthians of God's faithful promises. God has anointed us and put his seal on us. From antiquity to present times, a seal indicates ownership. Our bodies are not our own but belong to God. And God has put his Holy Spirit within our hearts as a deposit, or a guarantee, of what is to come. The promise is that we will be with Jesus at the resurrection and that we will continue to be made into his likeness in the meantime. How do we know that the Holy Spirit is living within us? How do we know that we belong to God? Think back to your own childhood. How did you know that you belonged to your earthly parents? Besides having the same name, there is an awareness and even a confidence that they are your parents and you are their child. This is obviously an imperfect example because while some earthly parents are responsible, protective, and loving, others are not. But we can know that God our Father is faithful, trustworthy, protective, and loving. Do you know that God is your Father?  And, do you know that the Holy Spirit is within you?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

To fall in love with Jesus means going where He goes—across the street and to the ends of the earth. Pastor Vicki challenges us to see our neighborhoods, relationships, and the nations through the heart of Christ. Watch or listen now.

Daily Dose of Hope February 13, 2026   Scripture: I Corinthians 16   Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you on this Friday with humility and gratefulness.  We praise your powerful name.  Thank you, so much, Lord, that you came to earth to dwell among us and show us a different way of being.  Help us to pay attention to your example.  Help us to be more loving and more merciful in all we do.  Help us to be even but a small reflection of you.  You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Thank you, Jesus.  Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan.  We have been journeying through the apostle Paul's pastoral letters in chronological order.  Today, we are finishing our fourth letter – I Corinthians. Our text is I Corinthians 16, the final chapter of this letter.  For the most part, Paul gives practical advice and wisdom. He speaks of taking up a collection for the greater church and of welcoming Christian workers who will be coming to their area soon. It's right after this call to welcome and respect the new leaders that Paul makes this statement, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love." I think we would do well to also heed this advice. This idea of being on guard or being alert seems to suggest that we are in a battle not just with earthly powers but also against the power of evil. There are forces in this world that work against Jesus Christ and as his followers.  The Corinthians (and us for that matter) should be aware, alert, and on guard. How easy it was for the Corinthians to drift and get distracted. Umm...sound familiar? Remember whose and who you are might be another way to say it; stay focused on the things of God! Then, there is a call to be courageous and strong. We know from the previous chapters that the Corinthians were arrogant and complacent. Paul is asking them to have courage and do what God has called them to do. Again, I'm thinking Paul could just as easily be talking to the modern church. We have tradition, we have beautiful worship, we have access to all kinds of knowledge, but we don't have courage. This is starting to get personal. Might I add that this kind of strength has nothing to do with physical stamina and the ability to lift heavy weights. This is an internal strength that comes only from God. Finally, Paul says to do everything in love. Yes, being on guard, standing firm, and having courage and strength are critical but they are all pointless if not done with love. Paul is not calling the Corinthians to use aggression or self-assertion (remember, this is how the Corinthian church viewed Christian leadership). Rather, Paul is saying to exhibit all these qualities while demonstrating the love and grace of Jesus. That means, no bullying people to Jesus, no shaming people to Jesus, no manipulating people to Jesus, but only loving people to Jesus. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope February 12, 2026   Scripture:  I Corinthians 15   Prayer: Abba Father, You are our Creator, Provider, and Sustainer.  Thank you, Lord, for wanting to be in relationship with us. You are a God who sits high and looks low.  You, who are over everything, also care deeply for us.  We are so grateful.  Help us do all we can to glorify you.  We desperately need you, Jesus.  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 Paul's pastoral letters.  We've been through Galatians, I and II Thessalonians, and we are now in I Corinthians. Today's reading is I Corinthians 15.  Paul is asserting in this chapter that the resurrection of Jesus is central to the Gospel. Apparently, there were Christians at Corinth who were espousing the view that Jesus was not raised and that the resurrection was not true. It's possible that they were reverting to their old Greek view of immortality of the soul and not the body. It's also possible that they were simply skeptics who were trying to poke holes in the resurrection story. But Paul is stating here that if resurrection did not occur, our faith is totally useless. That would mean that Jesus did not defeat death, it would mean that we are misrepresenting God, and it would mean we are still dead in our sins. Some thoughts: The resurrection is SIGNIFICANT. All that Jesus did, his whole life was vindicated with the resurrection. The resurrection proved that Jesus was who he said he was, God is who he said he was, and affirmed Jesus' divinity. Think about Paul's words in Romans 1:4"and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord." The resurrection is so important in that it provides assurance and hope that our physical death is not the end. It not only points to life after death but also the future resurrection of believers. Let's visit Romans again, 8:11 says, "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." Jesus' resurrection promises victory over death. But the resurrection is also TRANSFORMATIVE. It is transformative for us as individuals and forus as the body, for the church. I think the most important aspect of believing in the resurrection is that Jesus' resurrection is what provides the power to change us now. It provides the power for complete transformation, to bring what was essentially dead to something that is alive and vibrant and productive. When someone says yes to Jesus Christ, a spiritually dead person becomes united with a life-giving Savior. When that happens, his resurrection produces a resurrection in us. The word resurrection actually comes from the same root as resurgence or rising again. We become connected to a life-giving power, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. This resurrection power has the ability to revive us, restore us, renew us, transform us. The apostle Paul states inI Corinthians 5:17, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" There are certainly no shortage of books that detail the evidence for Jesus' resurrection. One good one that is short and easy to digest is Lee Strobel's The Case for Easter. What are your thoughts on the resurrection? Spend some time in prayer about this today. Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope February 11, 2026   Scripture:  I Corinthians 14   Prayer:   Almighty God, Thank you for a new day and a new chance to give you glory and praise.  You are an amazing God.  How incredible it is that you, who created everything, know my name.  You know every hair on my head.  While I am so grateful for your love and care, it is sometimes difficult for me to adequately wrap my brain around your expansive love and mercy.  Help me be a better reflection of you, Lord.  Help me see others through your eyes.  Help me be merciful, kind, and good.  Lord, I know I fall short.  So often.  But I want to do better.  In these next few moments of silence, Jesus, hear my prayer...  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 journeying through Paul's letter in the New Testament.  We are currently on our fourth pastoral letter, I Corinthians.   Our reading for today was I Corinthians 14.  This chapter is all about order in worship.  A lot of the text has to do with the speaking of tongues. I want to be clear that Paul is not against speaking in tongues.  However, he is clear that tongues benefit the speaker more than the listener. Prophecy, on the other hand, benefits the listeners. This is a passage often taken out of context. Yes, tongues are a gift of the Spirit and for many people, tongues provide an intimate way to communicate with God. But within the context of worship, tongues (spoken publicly) are appropriate only if there is an interpreter. According to Paul, the question to always ask is "Does this build up the body of Christ?"   Speaking of taking passages out of context, the second half of this chapter about good order in worship has been misused by many. Is Paul saying that women need to always be silent in church? No, he isn't, as he is supportive of women's participation in worship in other passages. Just a few chapters before this, in I Corinthians 11:5, Paul mentioned women praying and prophesying aloud in worship.   What does he mean in today's text? Keep in mind, this is a pastoral letter that is addressing a specific situation in a specific place. Corinth was a wild, out of control place. These women have grown up being influenced by this environment. Don't get me wrong, the Greek and Roman world was still highly patriarchal and women had little if any rights or privileges. But in the church, women were valued and had a certain degree of freedom. They could learn, speak, pray, and work alongside the men in many ways. Most likely, in this situation, there was confusion and disorder in the church worship and Paul needed to address it. The Greek word used in the text for speak actually is better translated "chattering." Most likely, these women were interrupting worship with their constant chattering. Maybe they were asking questions. Maybe they were talking amongst themselves. We really don't know.   This leads to an important point. We cannot pick certain Scripture verses and pull them out of their contexts, trying to force an application today. What's important is to look at what the whole Biblical narrative says about a certain topic. Does the whole Biblical narrative insist women be silent in worship OR do we see women lifted up by Jesus, involved in the ministry of the early church, and working as effective prophets, leaders, and teachers (often praised by Paul)? When one or two verses seem out of place, contradicting the rest of the Biblical narrative, then there is probably a deeper meaning behind them. The key is go deeper, study, learn the context and background, and try to discern the author's original intention.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

Daily Dose of Hope February 10, 2026   Scripture:  I Corinthians 13   Prayer:  Today, let's pray from Scripture.  Dear God,  Your Word says that, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  This is certainly who you are, Lord.  Help us live this kind of love out in ways that make a difference in the lives of those around us.  More of you, less of me.  We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.    Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are journeying through Paul's pastoral letters.  Currently, we are in I Corinthians.   Today's passage is I Corinthians 13.  This is going to be a pretty familiar chapter for many of you.  It's often called the "love" chapter and it is read at weddings and funerals.  It's absolutely beautiful prose but we often get Paul's intention wrong when we read it.   Remember, the Corinthian church was a total mess. They were arrogant, there were strong divisions between rich and poor, there were petty arguments and serious factions, and as we learned yesterday, they were holding up certain spiritual gifts as better than others.  Let's just say it wasn't a picture of Christ's love and grace.   It's in the middle of all of this that Paul tells them what it means to really love one another. This isn't romantic love (eros), brotherly love (philia), but rather agape love. What is agape love? It's the love that God demonstrated to us and calls us to demonstrate to others. It is unconditional, sacrificial love. There is no selfishness in agape but only a concern for the what is best for the other. Paul is outlining this love to the Corinthian church to give them a word picture of what it could look like. Agape is not a feeling or emotion but rather a choice. We make a choice to love others this way and it requires commitment, faithfulness, and sacrifice without requiring anything in return.   Paul, at the end of his discussion about spiritual gifts, wants to make a very important point.  Yes, you can have a gift of prophecy or a gift of tongues, but if you are using it without love, then it is totally useless.  And, you have missed the point.  These gifts were gifts of grace from the Holy Spirit to uplift and equip the body of Christ.  The body of Jesus on earth should be a picture of his love.  If it isn't, we have a really big problem.  Jesus is love and we are called to be as well.    One of my seminary professors, when teaching on agape love, encouraged all of us to do what he called the Wal-mart exercise (I've spoken of this in previous sermons). Really, you can go to any place the public gathers. It could be the mall, Target, or Publix. He suggested sitting down on a public bench and just watching people go by for five minutes. For every single person you see, say "Jesus died for this person. He/she is infinitely loved by God. I'm called to love this person as well." For me, this is challenging. I have to be very intentional about not falling into the trap of judging the person because of how they look but truly looking at them, trying to see them as God sees them, and then focusing on how God wants me to love them unconditionally too.   This has changed me. God's agape love for me is real. My love for others should be too. What would it look like if all of us who are part of New Hope started to "agape" each other? How would this change us as people? How would this change our relationships? How would this change us as a body of believers and our witness to the world?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

Daily Dose of Hope February 9, 2026   Scripture: I Corinthians 12   Prayer:  Dear God, You are amazing!  How awesome it is that you who created all things are also so intimately involved in our lives.  We give you glory and praise for who you are.  We are so thankful for your love.  We want to know you more.  We want and need to hear your voice.  Help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you.  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 daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We are journeying through Paul's pastoral letters.  Currently, we are in I Corinthians. Today's passage is I Corinthians 12.  Paul starts by reminding the believers of their former ignorance.  Afterall, there was a time not too long ago that they didn't know about the one true God but worshiped idols.  Now, they know Jesus and have the Holy Spirit within them – the Spirit of the Living God inside their physical body!  One of the many transformations that happens to us when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior is that the Holy Spirit gives us a spiritual gift (sometimes even more than one.)    A spiritual gift could be seen as a God-given capacity that allows each believer to serve and uplift the body of Christ. And how do you get into this body of Christ?  In verses 13-14, Paul writes, For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. The body of Christ is Jesus' church.  The specific word that Paul uses here for gift is charisma, which comes from charis, which is the Greek word for grace.  A spiritual gift is a gift of God's grace.  It's not something we have earned or developed.  But there is a wide diversity of gifts that the Spirit offers, and Paul lists many of these, including the gift of preaching/teaching, prophecy, apostleship, evangelism, and shepherding. There are even more specific gifts under these main headings. But while there is diversity in gifts, there is unity in purpose. The body of Christ requires all these different people with different and unique gifts to be working together to ensure that Jesus' mission continues to be carried out in the world. One gift is not more important than another but they are all essential to have a fully functioning body.   The Corinthians knew about the spiritual gifts.  This would not been new information to them.  But the problem was how they were using the gifts.  Certain gifts were being lifted up as more important than others.  And there appears to be a bit of a free for all in how the gifts are being used.  So, Paul wants them to know a different way.  He wants them to understand that all the gifts work together to bring unity to the church.  In fact, the church needs all of the gifts to be fruitful and effective.  He doesn't want the Corinthians to stop using their spiritual gifts, but he wants them to do so with maturity.  And as we will see in the next chapter, he wants the church to use their gifts with love (rather than arrogance or pride.)   Do you know what spiritual gifts you have been given? If not, I strongly encourage you to pray about that today. There are some really good spiritual gifts assessments that are free online as well. God has given us gifts for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. If you know your gifts, are you currently making use of them at New Hope or in your local church? There are many parts but one body. Your gifts are needed to form a fully functioning, healthy, thriving community of faith!   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope February 6, 2026   Scripture: I Corinthians 11   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, everyone, 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 have been walking through Paul's letters and it has been challenging!  We've made it through Galatians, I and II Thessalonians, and we are now in I Corinthians. Our reading for today is I Corinthians 11.  The first part of the chapter has to do with head coverings. I didn't choose that for our main focus today but I do think it is worth a brief mention. Paul implores the women to cover their heads and the men not to cover their heads. This is confusing to us in a time and place in which head coverings serve an entirely different purpose (typically shade from the sun, warmth, or an accessory). But in ancient Greek and Roman culture, the main difference between a man and woman's attire was that women covered their head with a scarf-like material. The only women who did not do this were high class mistresses, slaves, prostitutes, and pagan prophetesses. Thus, when the women didn't wear their head covering or it fell off in the movement of worship, it was a significant distraction. In a highly patriarchal culture, it definitely sent the wrong signal, one that Paul really didn't want these women to send. Then, there is this whole issue with the Lord's Supper, or Holy Communion.  Remember, they didn't have church buildings and they met in people's homes.  In fact, they met in some of the wealthier members' homes, because they had bigger homes that could accommodate a larger group.  Makes sense.  But the wealthier church members, who probably knew each other fairly well because they all ran in the same circles, were meeting ahead of time for a grand meal, that they would pair with communion, and they were eating and drinking and eating and drinking.  You can see where this is going.   By the time the poorer church members got off work and arrived, the wealthier people had been eating and drinking for quite a while.  All the food was eaten and they were drunk.  There were also no seats in the main room.  So, the poor people were basically sitting in a different area, hungry, without what they needed to receive communion together with the rest of the church.  It was like two separate churches, one for the rich and one for the poor.  And, not surprisingly, resentment was growing.  This is totally patronizing for the poor people.  Paul is appalled.  You can hear it in the letter, "Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? Why are you bringing this mess to church???"  Paul was basically saying that the Corinthians could not call what they were doing the Lord's Supper.    Keep in mind, the Corinthian society was very segregated.  Rich people didn't associate with poor people.  Classes stayed separate.  It isn't surprising that the rich in the church didn't want to hang out with the poor people.  They were dirty and hard to make conversation with.  And the poor people probably were really intimidated by the rich people.  Yet, Jesus had set up his church to be different from culture and that is what Paul is getting at here.  The Gospel turns things upside down.   We can look at Christians throughout the ages – the huge disparity of rich and poor, the way people of color were often turned away at the church door.  We had that in our own denomination.  I just got done reading White Trash (by Nancy Isenberg), which attempts to tell the story of class in America.  And it talks about how the wealthy classes totally discarded the poor.  They called the poor "waste people."  It was like their lives had totally no value to them.  And this is what got me: The wealthy aristocracy, who called the poor whites and blacks around them waste people, they attended church every Sunday.  They believed in God, they professed faith in Jesus.  And Jesus walked closely with the poor.  The Gospel was good news to the poor.  So, what happened?    As a church, I'm not sure we have really wanted the Gospel message.  We like it, as long as it gets us into heaven but we don't like it when it means we have to change our lives and our prejudices and our perspectives.  We like wearing a cross but not carrying one.    In Corinth, they were basically showing that their belief wasn't genuine.  They were demonstrating a value system, it just wasn't Jesus'.  I think through the ages, the church has demonstrated a value system, it just often has not been Jesus' value system.    What about New Hope?  What value system do we demonstrate?    What value system do you demonstrate?  I promise you, the way we live Monday – Saturday is showing the people around us who we are and who we belong to, just like in Corinth.  It's just as true today.  Who do we belong to?  Is it going to be about us or is it going to be about Jesus?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki      

Daily Dose of Hope February 5, 2026   Scripture: I Corinthians 10   Prayer: Lord Jesus, We rejoice in you.  We praise your name.  You are the Alpha and the Omega, the one who was, and is, and is to come.  We cannot possibly express our gratitude in words.  You have offered us mercy but you have also given us freedom.  Thank you for that.  Help us live like free people.  Help us demonstrate your love and grace to others who cross our path.  Help us see people through your eyes.  We love you, Lord.  Amen. Welcome back, everyone, 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 have been walking through Paul's letters and it has been challenging!  We've made it through Galatians, I and II Thessalonians, and we are now in I Corinthians. Our reading for today is I Corinthians 10.  The chapter starts with story-telling from the exodus out of Egypt, mainly because these stories are critical learning experiences for God's people.  What's fascinating is that Paul includes his Gentile audience in these stories.  Look at verse 1, For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.  Paul has stressed that as Christians they are not bound to the law.  Despite that, they are now a part of God's people.  However, and this is critical, they are NOT to fall into the pattern of the Israelites or so many of those in Corinth.  They are not to worship other gods, they are not to intimately involve themselves with those who oppose God's people, and they are not to question the goodness of God.  They need to be careful.  Temptation is there and they could easily fall into sin as their ancestors did. Paul continues to write about freedoms. Yes, we have the right to do everything but that doesn't mean we should do everything. While we may have the right to do something, the biggest question to ask is, "Is this building up the body of Christ?" Paul emphasizes that while legalism isn't good, neither is it good to be overly permissive. There are times when we should curb our freedoms if it might harm a new Christian or hurt the witness of the Gospel The bottom line is we need to think about our words and actions in every situation. I've been in small Christian gatherings in which certain members feel the need to loudly communicate their dislikes about a specific Christian ministry, another Christian church, or even a fellow believer. Now, thinking about Paul's reasoning, they have the freedom to do this but is it beneficial? Is it building up the body of Christ? What if there was someone in the group who was a new believer or on the fence about faith? How would such a discussion affect their faith journey? Just because we can do something doesn't mean we should. Blessings, Pastor Vicki

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When We Pray | Pastor Vicki Shearin by Word of Life LV

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

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

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

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

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