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

Daily Dose of Hope

November 18, 2024

Day 2 of Week 34

Scripture: Isaiah 11-13; Psalm 118; Matthew 27

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan. Happy Monday! My prayer for you today is that you know and experience the presence of God in your life, wherever you happen to be.

Our Scripture for today begins in the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 11 begins with the assertion that new life will come forth from an injured stump: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” It’s hard to say what historical reference the “stump” is referring to. It would make sense that the stump is referring to the exile, during which it seemed like the promise to David about his monarchy might not come to fruition. There are really a number of times in Judah’s history in which it appeared that what was promised had become but a stump.

Whatever the case may be, the Scripture brings up this idea of a new beginning for Judah’s monarchy. In this hopeful future, God’s spirit will fall upon the ruler, resulting in justice for the poor and a fundamental reordering of creation’s priorities. Life emerges from death. Afterall, isn’t this the way of our God? Of course, most of us can’t read this Scripture without thinking of Jesus. We know that he is the one to come who will reorder all priorities and turn everything upside down. He is the one who will fulfill God’s promise to David. Jesus is the one who brings a lasting peace and justice.

Let’s briefly touch on Psalm 118. In its Jewish context, Psalm 118 was probably an entrance liturgy to the Temple, used at the festival of Passover. It proclaimed God’s deliverance from Egypt and then from the Exile. We often read this psalm on Easter. It’s a beautiful picture of God’s deliverance for all people. We can see Jesus foreshadowed in this psalm.

Our New Testament passage is Matthew 27. We are now into Holy Week. Today’s narrative about Judas’ suicide is found only in Matthew. Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. I’m not sure what Judas thought would happen when he accepted the bribe. Maybe Jewish independence? Maybe some extra favors? Maybe some sense of satisfaction? But when Judas actually sees that Jesus is arrested and condemned, a man he knew was totally innocent, Judas is filled with remorse. He sees the consequences of his decision.

In his anguish, Judas brings the silver back to the religious leaders. Maybe he was looking for some kind of reassurance or guidance but they gave him none. They were, after all, simply using him to get what they wanted. When Judas realizes this, he appears to be consumed by both remorse and anger and hurls the silver into the temple. It’s then that he kills himself. It seems that Judas was overcome with remorse.

If you think about it, remorse produces extreme sorrow and grief. The goal is that remorse will lead to repentance and life change. This happened for Peter. He denied Jesus three times, a very significant betrayal. He must have felt incredible sorrow after what he did but he didn’t stay there. He allowed God to move him to repentance.

But Judas, for whatever reason, could not get past the grief. Maybe he was overcome with fear about what his life would be like when people discovered it was him. Maybe he didn’t think he would be forgiven or he thought he would lose social position. Whatever it was, he couldn’t get past it.

Friends, I don’t know what you are dealing with right now, but there is ALWAYS hope. Things can be really, really bad. Life can feel totally dark. But God is light. With God, there is always hope for a better day. For some reason, Judas didn’t think so but he was wrong. Jesus would have forgiven him and loved him, just as he did Peter.

Jesus loves you. Jesus will always forgive you. Your life is valuable. If you ever get to the point where the darkness feels all-consuming, reach out immediately. Reach out to me or to a friend. And God is always there, just waiting, ready to listen and comfort. You are never alone.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

November 17, 2024

Day 1 of Week 34

Scripture: Isaiah 7-10; Psalm 22; Matthew 26

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

Our Scripture for today starts in Isaiah. In chapter 7, we find God protecting Israel, despite their king. We can tell how the nations around them are trying once again to conquer God’s people and God will not allow it. God so badly wants the king to stand firm in his faith. God is giving him an opportunity to redeem himself but he does not take it. And of course, we know how this will end – Israel will cease to be a country in just 65 years. As the chapters progress, we see that God’s patience is wearing thin with his people. He allowed the people to be saved because he had a bigger plan in place.

Our New Testament passage is Matthew 26. This chapter is the beginning of the passion narrative. These are longer chapters but they are certainly worth reading carefully. In today’s chapter, we find Jesus being anointed for burial but certainly not in the typical way. It would have been fairly normal, in first century Jewish society, to anoint a guest with oil when they came to your home for a meal or gathering. It was an act of respect. The host would typically use an inexpensive oil but in this narrative, we find the woman (other Gospels name her as Mary) uses a highly valued perfume. She obviously saw Jesus as a very, very special guest worthy of only the best.

Remember, the word messiah means “anointed one” so there is symbolism going on here too. The woman’s act of devotion is lost on the disciples. They are rude and indignant. “Why this waste?” they ask. Giving the disciples the benefit of the doubt, we have to remember that they were very poor men. It also gave them a chance to sound pious, “This should have been given to the poor!” But Jesus knew all about the poor; he had been caring for the poorest of the poor throughout his ministry. The disciples weren’t telling him anything he didn’t already know.

But there is something going on here that goes much deeper than the disciples can even fathom. Jesus rebukes the men and says that what she did for him was beautiful; she was preparing him for burial. Of course, this is lost on them too. While it’s possible that Mary had some insight into the danger that lie ahead for Jesus, it’s clear that the disciples still do not understand what is to come. Mary’s act was one of honor and devotion. Rather than being practical, she was extravagant toward her Lord and Savior. How often do we act extravagantly toward Jesus OR are we more likely to simply be practical?

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

November13, 2024

Day 4 of Week 33

Scripture: Micah 1-4; Psalm 10; Matthew 24

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Daily Bible reading plan. Today is Wednesday so I hope we see you at Recharge tonight. It starts at 6:30pm in the Garage. This is really a lovely time of worship, fellowship, prayer, and small community.

Today, we are taking a break from Isaiah (considered a major prophet) and moving to Micah, which is another minor prophet. Micah, whose name means “who is a God like you,” lived during the 8th century BC, which makes him a contemporary of Isaiah. Micah prophesied a message of judgement and restoration to Judah which actually leads to a revival in the Southern Kingdom. During the first four chapters, which we read for today, there is an emphasis on the people sinning by oppressing the poor, listening to false prophets, and engaging in idolatry. However, there is also a sense that the Lord is calling the people back to him. All is not lost. God is merciful and ready to forgive. There is definitely a difference in tone between this book and Isaiah; it feels slightly more hopeful. Did you notice that? I would love to hear your thoughts on why that might be.

Our psalm for today, Psalm 10, is really an important one. It’s a psalm of David and we might call it a psalm for those who think God doesn’t care. David starts off in verse one, Why, LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” David holds nothing back. He writes about how the wicked man “murders the innocent.” And yet, David feels as though “God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.”

This psalm is a great example for us. It is perfectly okay for us to pour out our raw and unfiltered emotions to God. God has broad shoulders; he can take it. According to Matthew 6:8, he already knows our hearts and desires better than we do. There are people in our lives who may struggle with us expressing these difficult emotions, but God never will. However, we find that the tone changes in verse 11. While we can surely bring our pain, struggles, and questions to God, we need to eventually move into a place a faith. But the key here is to keep the conversation going. Wrestle with God as much as needed and see how he works in you; stay in connection and he will guide you to a place of faith.

Let’s move to Matthew 24, our New Testament text for today. This chapter begins with Jesus walking away from the temple and predicting its destruction. Keep in mind, the entire temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. So, as we read this chapter, some of the statements are clearly referring to the coming judgment on Jerusalem and others are referring to judgment at the end of the age. And to make it just slightly more confusing, there is overlap in these judgments as well.

Certain groups of Christians have focused a great deal on the coming judgment and the end times. I think what we find in this chapter is that there is more that we don’t know than what we do know. For thousands of years, people have predicted Jesus’ return and the coming judgment and each and every time, they’ve been wrong. I’m always a bit skeptical of anyone who makes predictions like these. I mean, the Scripture says, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” If Jesus doesn’t know, then why should we?

But what can we do? Well, the Scripture tells us: Keep watch and be ready. We don’t need to worry about the coming judgment because we know Jesus. But we do need to be actively living as a follower. We need to sharing the Good News with others. We need to be genuine, loving, and truthful in how we do life. Do your neighbors know that you love Jesus? Do your coworkers know that you follow Jesus? Is your faith obvious and real? Why or why not? Let’s take this Scripture seriously, friends.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki