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