Daily Dose of Hope

November 28, 2024

Day 5 of Week 35

28Scripture: 2 Chronicles 28; 2 Kings 17; Psalm 66; 1 Corinthians 7

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Let me share some of my favorite Scripture in Philippians 4:4-7, Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

In 2 Chronicles 28 and 2 Kings 17, the kings of Judah and Israel have run amok. The kings are once again leading the people astray. In the north and the south, they are worshiping other gods, committing child sacrifice, and they have set up altars in the high places. Both nations are depending on the protection of the pagan nations around them. They are paying tribute to some and not others, and the political consequences are bad. God allows Aram and Israel to conquer Judah, and the casualties are significant, although God doesn’t allow them to be totally decimated.

But decimation does occur in Israel. We read about this in 2 Kings 17. All the disobedience, the years of pushing God away, the horrific kings over generations, and the constant warnings that were not heeded, it has all come to a head. The Assyrians have taken over. While there is priest allowed to stay to teach the people about their God, it’s a warped Judaism mixed with pagan influences. This is the end of the Northern Kingdom.

Our New Testament passage is 1 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-Rwanda, Bosnia, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Israel.

I do wish you many blessings today. No matter our circumstances, we have much to be thankful for as followers of Jesus. And please know, I am thankful for all of you.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

November 27, 2024

Day 4 of Week 35

Scripture: Isaiah 33-35; 1 Corinthians 6

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan. Just a reminder, there is no Recharge tonight.

Our Old Testament passage for today is Isaiah 33-35. Not unlike yesterday’s chapters, today’s readings continue on the themes of judgement and redemption. While there will be destruction, God will also offer future righteousness for those who believe. That we know will come through Jesus Christ. There is also emphasis on God’s sovereignty. He is bigger and more powerful than any earthly nation. Woe to other natures for God will prevail. His people will experience the consequences of their sin, but redemption is always possible.

The New Testament Scripture is 1 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.

I read this and it feels like Paul is in parent-mode. He is telling the Corinthians to remember who and whose they are! 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! Do our neighbors and coworkers even know that there is something different about us? Let's just leave it there and let it soak in a bit.

I'll close with some more words from the apostle Paul in Romans 12:1-2 (the Message), So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

November 26, 2024

Day 3 of Week 35

Scripture: Isaiah 30-32; 1 Corinthians 5

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan.

Our Old Testament passage for today is from Isaiah. Chapters 30 and 31 discuss how Israel is disobedient for not trusting in the Lord. Rather, they trust in the nations around them, including Egypt. God, through Isaiah, calls the Jews to repentance. God is willing to show mercy and compassion if they are willing to come back to him.

By chapter 32, Isaiah is back to prophesying both long-term application and short-term application. The first few verses speak to a Messiah who will rule with righteousness and justice. He will provide protection and refreshment. But then as the chapter progresses, there is prophecy about upcoming judgment because they have walked far away from God.

Our New Testament passage is 1 Corinthians 5. 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. It is in this context that 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, 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. Paul seems to be less concerned about the specific act and more concerned about the attitude of the Corinthian church. Why does this not bother them? It is their arrogance and general complacency that really put Paul over the edge.

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 complacency? Certainly something to think about.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

November 25, 2024

Day 2 of Week 35

Scripture: Isaiah 26-29; Psalm 65; 1 Corinthians 4

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan. Happy Monday!

Our Old Testament Scripture is Isaiah 26-29. You may have noticed that Isaiah’s prophecy moves from the future to present day (Isaiah’s present day) and back again. In Isaiah 26-27, Isaiah is continuing the prophecy about the future after God’s final judgment has been carried out. The great feast celebrating God as king is described. There is a song for Judah to sing. It’s a time of beauty.

But in Isaiah 28, Isaiah goes back to the current day. Now, there is prophecy against Ephraim and Jerusalem, especially to the leaders. They are described as drunk with complacency. Chapter 29 continues to speak of judgment but also tells of God’s mercy and compassion. In not too long, the fields will be fertile, the deaf will hear, and the blind will see.

Our New Testament text for today is 1 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.

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

November 24, 2024

Day 1 of Week 35

Scripture: Isaiah 23-25; 1 Corinthians 3

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan. Today, we are starting week 35 – woohoo! You guys have been incredible sticking with your reading.

Our Old Testament reading is Isaiah 23-25. After the prophecies about judgement on the various nations, today’s reading details the Lord’s judgement at the end of times. This is God’s final judgement on the entire earth as a result of humanity’s sinfulness in the last days. As you read through chapter 24, you’ll notice that some kind of catastrophic event occurs that creates a deformed earth. No one is able to avoid this – all classes of people from all around the globe. When Isaiah speaks of “the city,” keep in mind this isn’t a particular city but a metaphor for the inhabited parts of the earth.

In chapter 25, the tone changes drastically. Now that judgement is over, God’s people are celebrating and praising the name of the Lord. God has carried out his plans for the earth. Those who stood against God have been destroyed. Isaiah is visioning a banquet celebrating that the Lord is exalted king over all the world. The banquet is on Mt. Zion in Jerusalem. Most importantly, God will take on the curse that has infected all people since Adam and original sin. Jesus will swallow up all death and pain. And the people rejoice. I just love the image of death being swallowed up forever. No more tears. Just sit and let that sink in for a bit.

Let’s move on to our New Testament reading in 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. 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. I struggle with this but I know it’s the goal. Jesus is of course our ultimate example. 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

November 21, 2024

Day 5 of Week 34

Scripture: Isaiah 20-22; I Corinthians 2

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. Today is Thursday so you will have the next two days off. This can be Sabbath or you can take this time to catch up or get ahead.

Our Old Testament reading today is Isaiah 20-22. Again, we find prophecies against Egypt, Cush, Babylon, Edom, and Arabia. As we mentioned yesterday, the Israelites had been putting their hope and trust in other nations’ protection, rather than God. God is basically saying he will bring these other nations down. Interestingly, God had Isaiah strip off his clothing and walk around naked as a way to demonstrate the shame and disgrace of God’s people for trusting in others rather than God. That definitely makes a point and even borders on crazy.

That leads to this question – is God calling you to do something crazy? I don’t think God is calling you to strip down to bring shame to Israel BUT if he can ask Isaiah to do that, what might he be asking you to do? Nothing is too out of the box.

Isaiah 22 moves to Jerusalem. It is speaking of a time in which the people have moved up to their rooftops. They are celebrating when they should really be repenting. The exact event being described is unclear. It could have been a siege by the Assyrians (around the year 700BC) or it could be the future destruction by Babylon in 586BC. It may even be speaking of both. While the rulers have taken some strategic defensive actions, the Lord is upset that the people have not sought out his help.

Our New Testament reading is I Corinthians 2. To put it mildly, Paul is 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

November 20, 2024

Day 4 of Week 34

Scripture: Isaiah 17-19; Psalm 62; 1 Corinthians 1

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope. This is the devotional and podcast that goes along with our Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. Tonight is Recharge at 6:30pm in the Garage. This is a time of worship, fellowship, prayer, and small community. I hope to see you there!

Our first passage today is Isaiah, chapters 17-19. Chapter 17 includes an oracle against the city of Damascus because of its disobedience and idolatry. It details the city’s destruction. Interestingly, Damascus was demolished by the Assyrians at the same time Assyria conquered Israel in 732B.C. What's interesting is if you look up the history of each of these nations described in the oracles, they all prove to be true!

In chapter 18, the oracle is not against a nation. Rather, it is a reassurance that God is paying attention to his world and he will eventually end the threat that the Assyrians pose. Isaiah begins by talking about Cush, most likely the ancient land of Ethiopia in the southern part of Egypt. Apparently, the kings of Ethiopia were wanting to unite all of Egypt to fight against the threat of the Assyrians. Isaiah points forward to the time of the Messiah's kingdom on earth.

Chapter 19 includes the main oracle against Egypt but also some judgements against other nations. The point here is that Isaiah is warning Judah not to put their trust in these nations. These nations are going to fall. They must focus solely and completely on the Lord. It’s only the Lord that can protect them. Of course, we know they failed to heed this advice. How often do we fail to heed it as well?

We are starting I Corinthians today! This will be a wonderful blessing and challenge. 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

November 19, 2024

Day 3 of Week 34

Scripture: Isaiah 14-16; Matthew 28

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.

Today, we started our reading in Isaiah. In chapter 14, we continue an oracle against Babylon (which actually started in chapter 13). This is a prophecy about what will happen to the Israelites in the future. Yes, they will be conquered by Babylon and go into exile. But after the exile, they will be redeemed. God will once again choose them. Babylon, on the other hand, will experience God’s judgment. Chapters 15 and 16 include an oracle against Moab, a nation that had been enemy to Israel for years. This is an especially gruesome and heart-breaking prophecy. Even though we know that the Moabites were evil, it’s still hard to read.

Our New Testament reading is chapter 28 in Matthew, its final chapter. This includes both the resurrection and the Great Commission. I know there is always more to say about the resurrection, but we have (and will continue) to discuss resurrection as we read through the Gospels and the New Testament. Thus, I thought we would briefly chat about the Great Commission, which we find in Matthew 28:16-20. If you don’t recall, this is when Jesus tells his follows, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

There is a fair amount to unpack here but what I want to focus on is making disciples. Keep in mind that Jesus wasn’t merely suggesting we make disciples. It feels much more like a command here. As his followers, we are to make disciples of all nations, baptize them, and teach them the ways of Jesus. We don’t do this alone, but we rest in the promise that Jesus is with us all the time, guiding and leading us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

But here is the big question: What does it mean to be a disciple?

It’s fairly simple. A disciple is an apprentice of Jesus. It is someone who actively is working/training to become more like Jesus (to do what Jesus does). A disciple is not someone who has simply said yes to Jesus, a disciple is someone who is actively training in the ways of Jesus and training others in the ways of Jesus.

Discipleship is not simply some acts of personal devotion in the morning, some bible study, prayer, and meditation. That may be a component of discipleship but there is so much more to it! Being a disciple is not something we do at church and then set it aside as we go back into the real world. Being a disciple is about devoting our whole life to being like Christ. Our whole life. It effects every area of our life. How can it not?

Let’s think about Jesus. In every area of his life, he taught about God. He taught about God’s Kingdom, he showed people this new way of being human. There was never a time where he said, “No, now this part of my life, faith doesn’t affect this. Leave me alone and let me do my own thing.” Discipleship is intricately connected to Lordship. There is no part of our life that does not fall under God’s reign. There is no part of our life that we don’t submit to God.

But how do we make disciples? Well, first, we have to become disciples ourselves. We have to be training to be more like Jesus. There is intentionality in this. How are you training to be like Jesus? What is your plan for spiritual growth? Once you have reflected on this, then think about how you will teach and train others. This is a privilege and responsibility that every single Christ-follower has. Every one of us.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki