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