Daily Dose of Hope

December 25, 2025

Scripture – Acts 24

Prayer: A Christmas prayer by Robert Louis Stevenson,

Loving Father, help us to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Deliver us from the evil by the blessing which Christ brings and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to by Thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Merry Christmas! Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading. We have been on a journey, reading through the Gospels and the book of Acts. Today, we walk through Acts 24.

The case against Paul was presented by an attorney named Tertullus before the governor Felix. When he finished accusing Paul of stirring up trouble and desecrating the temple, Paul boldly defends himself. Up until this point, Paul has been found guilty of nothing. It's seems obvious that Felix can find no fault as well, but he is hesitant to release Paul. He goes and visits him with his wife to learn more. When Paul begins to speak of righteousness (some translations say justice), self-control, and the judgement to come, Felix becomes afraid and stops the conversation. That's because these were things with which Felix struggled. He was known for his human rights abuses and injustices, he was known for his lust and lack of self-control, and he had every right to be afraid of the judgment to come.

Sometimes, people are curious about the Gospel and may even feel convicted, but when it comes down to it, they aren't willing to turn to Jesus. We have no evidence that Felix ever became a believer in Jesus but I like to think that his meetings with Paul were acts of prevenient grace, God at work in the life of Felix before he ever knew it. I try to remind myself of that when I speak to people about faith. They may not make a commitment to Christ right now, but seeds have been planted. God will keep seeking them, wooing them toward him. God's not done with anyone yet.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

Pastor Vicki