Daily Dose of Hope

December 3, 2025

Scripture - Acts 9:32-43

Prayer: Father God, hear our prayer this morning. We are awed by your power and strength. We are amazed by your love. Thank you, Lord, for the many ways you show in our lives to teach us and care for us. Help us gather our scattered thoughts right now and focus on you. In these next few moments of silence, help us (help me) be still and know that you are God...Come Holy Spirit, and help us walk through this Scripture in a way that honors you. Show up and help us discover whatever it is you want us to learn. This is your Word and we want to hear from you. In Your powerful name, Amen.

Welcome back, friends, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We are currently walking through the book of Acts and today we finish up Acts 9.

We learn that after Saul's conversion, there is a period of peace for the disciples of Jesus. This allows them to move freely, share the Gospel, and do the works of healing and teaching. In today's passage, we see the Holy Spirit working through Peter to heal a bedridden man and then resurrect a dead woman.

I would like to focus on Tabitha, also called Dorcas, a disciple in Joppa (a town that is now part of modern-day Tel Aviv). Dorcas took care of most of the widows in that area. Really, she had created a community of widows who had become her family. Remember, widows are some of the most vulnerable people in that society. Without a husband or son to care for them, they have no way to care for themselves. If it weren't for God's people, they would be doomed to a life of poverty and/or prostitution. Dorcas cared for these women and they loved her dearly. This is a woman whose life had significant impact on a group of women that would otherwise have been overlooked in their culture. When Peter sees the situation, he is moved with compassion. He prays and Dorcas is restored to life.

We serve a God of resurrection. How do you need to see resurrection in your life today?

Let's reframe that a bit. In the hustle and bustle of Christmas, where can you see new life and resurrection? Where can you be a Tabitha?

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

December 2, 2025

Scripture - Acts 9:1-31

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Help us start this devotional today with a time of silence, a time to pause before you...Lord, hear our prayers. Speak to us. We want to hear from you. In Your Name, Amen.

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are currently walking through the book of Acts. Today, we start Acts 9.

This is a great passage - Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus. It's amazing how God took the biggest persecutor of believers and very intentionally chooses him to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles. His conversion story is dramatic, and it really needs to be. He doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would take hints from God. He needs something that cannot be disputed, like the living Christ meeting him on his Damascus journey and speaking directly to him. Then, he loses his sight, only to regain it when Ananias prays for him. It's quite extraordinary.

Most of us are pretty familiar with Saul's conversion story but today, I'd like to focus on Ananias of Damascus. He is the man in the shadows. Keep in mind, there are several men named Ananias in the New Testament; we are focusing on the man in Damascus who prayed over Saul who became Paul. What we read in Acts 9 is that God appears to Ananias in a vision and tells him to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street where he will meet Saul of Tarsus. Ananias knew of Saul's reputation and he knew that Saul was in Damascus to arrest believers of Jesus so he protested a bit. God tells him to go to the house anyway.

Despite being fearful, Ananias obeys. I'm going to say that again. Despite knowing that Saul could potentially arrest him, Ananias obeys God. He goes to the house and prays over Saul. Almost immediately, something like scales fall from Saul's eyes and he can see again.

We don't know much about what happens to faithful Ananias of Damascus after this incident. The author of Acts doesn't give us a lot of information – does he go on to preach the Gospel in his community and beyond? Does he found churches? Does he end up getting arrested for preaching Jesus? Really, we have no idea. What we do know is that Ananias of Damascus obeyed God's command to go pray over Saul so that Saul could go do all of those things. Without Ananias' prayer, Saul might have spent the rest of his life as a blind man wandering around, not knowing what his life might have been.

Not everyone can be Saul/Paul, but we can all be Ananias. We can all be obedient. We can all pray for those who have harmed the church and those who have been harmed by the church. We can do what God is asking us. We don't have to found world-altering movements but we do need to do what Jesus asks us to do right now, right here.

What is Jesus asking you to do?

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

December 1, 2025

Scripture - Acts 8:26-40

Prayer: Holy and Merciful God, Thank you for a new day and a new week and thank you that your mercies are new every morning. As we enter into this first week of Advent, help us be aware of your presence in a new way, Lord. And right now, help us gather our scattered thoughts and focus on you and your Word. In these next few moments of silence, help us be still and know that you are God...In Your Name, Amen.

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are currently walking through the book of Acts. Today, we finish up Acts 8.

Today's reading finds us with Philip. The Holy Spirit tells him to head down the road to Gaza and when he does, he encounters an Ethiopian eunuch reading the book of Isaiah. Philip knows this is his purpose and this is a beautiful opening that God has provided. He does not hesitate. Philip asks the Ethiopian if he understands what he is reading; the man responds, "How can I unless someone explains it to me?" Okay, perfect opening. Philip takes the opportunity to explain how the prophecy points to Jesus. He shares the Gospel and the man believes and is baptized.

I want to reiterate a point here. Philip does not hesitate. He sees an opening and he takes it. Again, we need to think of our own circumstances. How often do we have an opening or we feel the nudge to share about Jesus and we chicken out? How often do we hesitate? What are we afraid of?

Upon reflection, there are quite a few things we can learn from Philip's experience:

---There are times in which we may appear to be traveling on a desert road but God can still give you opening to share your faith with someone else. Please hear me. Even when we go through challenges and grief, God still gives us opportunities to witness to his goodness. How have you experienced this?

· ----Start with a question. Philip just asked a question. He didn't give the Ethiopian man a long theological dissertation. He didn't wow the man with all his religious knowledge. No, not at all. Philip asked a question, which led to an opening to share about Scripture.

· ----Use Scripture. Point to the Gospel message in the Bible. Scripture speaks for itself.

· ----Stick to the Good News. Stay away from politics. Stay away from the side conversations. Just focus on Jesus and what his death and resurrection mean for us.

· -----Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to when there is an opportunity and then to guide your words and actions.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki