Daily Dose of Hope

April 15, 2026

Scripture: Colossians 4

Prayer: Jesus, Oh, how we need you! We need you to work within us and through us. Change our hearts, O Lord, so that we can bring glory to you. More of you, less of me. Amen.

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are journeying through Paul's letters and now we find ourselves in Paul's ninth letter, when we look at them chronologically.

Our reading today is Colossians 4. This last chapter of Colossians begins with a word to slave owners to treat their slaves in a way that was fair and right. Please note that Paul's mention of slavery is in no way supportive of it. I've said this before but it bears repeating. Slavery was a reality in the Roman Empire. Paul's discussion of loving others as Jesus loved them and his focus on people being equal in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28), suggest his disapproval of the institution. Among those in the early church, slaves were treated as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Paul does offer a last bit of advice on Christian living to the church at Colossae. He reminds the Colossians that three things are crucial: prayer, wisdom, and grace-filled speech/communication. First, their lives were to be devoted to prayer. This isn't too different from his command to the Thessalonians to pray without ceasing. A devoted prayer life includes a lifestyle of prayer, rooted in both gratitude and vigilance. I love how he asks them to pray for open doors to share the Gospel message, specifically that God would provide opportunities for Paul to share the Good News of Jesus wherever his life journey took him.

Then, there is this focus on wisdom. Remember, Paul is encouraging them to stay away from the false teachers and immerse themselves in Godly wisdom. Wisdom provides the right atmosphere for the Christian walk. We must be wise in what we allow ourselves to ingest into our minds and bodies, wise in our talk, and wise in our actions. This is so critical because it's our everyday, walking around lives that are the strongest witness to those outside the church.

Finally, there is an emphasis on grace-filled speech and communication. Oh, how our mouths get us into trouble over and over again. My guess is it wasn't too different 2000 years ago. Paul implores them to speak words of grace which are also "salty," words that make a difference but also words that are well-seasoned, not offensive, effective. Words can build up and words can tear down. Paul is saying to use words that effectively build up the Kingdom of God. Those who follow Jesus need to be intentional and careful in what and how they speak. We could just as easily have this same discussion today. Without even thinking too much about it, Christians are so careless with what they say and do.

Certainly, the foundation of transformation is a devoted prayer life, to which Paul alludes. When we are vigilant about prayer, when we develop a lifestyle of prayer, then we are less careless in the other areas of our lives. We are wiser, we are more grace-filled in speech and actions. It's possible that if every single person at New Hope made an intentional commitment to maintain a devoted, vigilant lifestyle of prayer, then Jesus could surely change the world through us. Certainly, our church would be transformed in pretty incredible ways!

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

April 14, 2026

Scripture: Colossians 3

Prayer: Almighty God, We belong to you. Sometimes, we get distracted and wander. Forgive us, Lord. Help us stay fully focused on you. Help us remember who and whose we are. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us hear a word from you...Jesus, this is your day, we are your people. 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 have been journeying through Paul's letters and we are currently in Colossians.

Today's reading was Colossians 3. In this chapter, Paul begins a discussion on sanctification, encouraging the believers at Colossae to grow in their walk with Christ and reflect Jesus in all they do. He implores them to live differently than those around them; they have a higher calling. The false teachers were concerned with life on earth but Paul is telling the Colossians that there is so much more for which to live.

Paul begins by speaking of the vices that must be set aside as Christ-followers. Then, he begins to speak of virtues. I love this! He speaks of these character traits like clothing; "clothe" yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Because they are new people in Jesus Christ, they put on new clothes that represent that new life. One can accept Christ and receive salvation, but it is a process learning how to live like a believer. It takes practice putting on these new clothes and yet it is so very important. They must also learn to forgive one another and love each other.

We take these concepts for granted in today's church because we talk about love and forgiveness so often. But this would have been new stuff for these early believers. For many, it would have been a drastic shift from their previous life. While we talk a great deal about love and forgiveness in the modern-day church, I think we also still are figuring out how to live out these concepts. If you ask people who left the church why they did so, it often amounts to being mistreated by a church member or being turned off by hypocritical behavior.

It would probably do all of us some good to do an assessment. How much do we reflect compassion in our interactions with others? How often do we reflect kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience? How loving have we been toward others over the past week? How forgiving have we been? Take a moment and think about each virtue. Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10. What areas need work and how might you practice living these out?

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

April 13, 2026

Scripture: Colossians 2

Prayer: Heavenly Father, On this Monday, we come to you today in awe. You are almighty and wise but also filled with love and mercy. And we have the pleasure of experiencing that love and mercy. Despite our brokenness, you care for us and you continue to walk alongside us. Thank you, Lord, for your patience. Help us to focus more on you. Fill us with a consuming desire to know you better. Work in us. Stretch us. Challenge us. Convict us. We love you. Amen.

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope daily Bible reading plan. We are journeying through Paul's letters and now we find ourselves in Paul's ninth letter, when we look at them chronologically.

Today's reading is Colossians 2. Paul was very concerned that the people of the Colossian church would be swayed by fancy and smart-sounding arguments. The arguments of false teachers often sound very convincing. They typically take a small bit of truth and twist it so that it sounds just right enough that people will be convinced. Paul knew this. His goal was for them to grow in their knowledge of Christ, become mature, well-developed disciples, so they would see through the untruths.

If they were rooted in Christ, like a solid tree with deep roots, then they would be less apt to be affected by the winds of false teachings. I love this idea of growing our roots deep into Jesus Christ. If we look at plants, we tend to focus on that which we can see. We see the trunk, the branches, and the leaves, and they maybe very beautiful. But what's most important is what we can't see-the deep roots which are vital to the health and longevity of the tree. If a bad storm comes, the tree will stay put because its roots are deep and strong. Paul wanted the Colossian church to have a deep root system as well, one that was firmly based in Jesus Christ. If they grew into strong, mature believers with strong roots, then they would be much less likely to be swayed by the fancy, sophisticated arguments of false teachers.

Historically, we haven't focused on having deep roots. In fact, our discipleship in most American churches has been quite shallow. We have required little of our members; we've asked them to simply warm a pew. Where has that gotten us? Being rooted in Jesus Christ means so much more than church attendance. It means reading and knowing God's Word and abiding with Jesus through prayer and Scripture reading. It means connecting with others for real accountability and listening to others who tell us hard truths about life and faith. It means serving others with the love of Jesus. It means giving sacrificially. And when the strong winds blow, we are ready. We stay solid and united in Jesus Christ, our roots strong and steady.

Let's convene again tomorrow.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki