Daily Dose of Hope

April 17, 2026

Scripture: 1 Timothy 1

Prayer: Heavenly Father, We come to you today rejoicing in your holy name. You are such a good God. It's so hard for us to conceive that the God who put the stars in the sky and put the planets into motion is the same God who loves us and has numbered the hairs on our heads. We thank you so much for your love and care. Open our minds and hearts as we approach your Word today. Help us hear a word from you. How we yearn to hear from you, Lord. We need you. Over and over again, we need you. 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 the letters of Paul chronologically. We are starting our eleventh letter today; can you believe it? I would love to hear about what you have been learning from these readings. We have covered a lot of ground.

Today's reading is 1 Timothy 1. In this letter to Timothy, Paul gives instruction to his younger friend about how to lead the churches in Ephesus. Paul intends to travel there soon but expects to be delayed and thus, writes this letter to encourage and guide Timothy. But this is not a private letter. It was written to Timothy with the intention that these instructions be read aloud to the churches. It's not a very long letter, but Paul addresses a number of topics in it, including doctrine and a warning against false teachers, public worship, guidelines for pastors and deacons, moral instruction, social responsibilities, and how to deal with material possessions. This all would have been in reaction to struggles the churches were encountering.

Towards the end of this first chapter, Paul gives a mini testimony. He speaks about being a blasphemer and a persecutor (v. 14) but Christ showed grace toward him. From a worldly perspective, there wasn't much hope for him. But no one is beyond the grace of God. In fact, Paul says that Christ's grace was poured out abundantly, and overflowed, in his life. And then, Paul makes some pretty strong, definitive statements. He is responding to the deceptive and false teachers who were confusing the new believers. Read through verses 15-17 again...

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Paul makes it clear that the Gospel message is trustworthy, unlike the hollow claims of the false teachers. Christ came into the world to save sinners. Thus, the Gospel message is true AND universal. Jesus came to save the whole world. The Gospel is also personal. Paul speaks of his own experience of the Gospel. He was a pretty bad sinner and Jesus even saved him. Why did God show him this amazing mercy and grace? To demonstrate his immense patience as an example to others who might believe in him. Have you experienced the Gospel as trustworthy, universal, and personal? Do you know it as TRUE? Do you understand that Jesus' offer of salvation is for all nations, all tribes, all people?

Finally, have you personally experienced Jesus as your savior? Have you said YES to Jesus' offer of grace, repented of your sins, and decided to live a life following Jesus? If not, today can be your day! Maybe you need to recommit your life to Jesus. You've wandered, you've walked away, or you've simply been going through the motions. Today is the day to make a new commitment to Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

April 16, 2026

Scripture: Philemon

Prayer: Holy God, On this Thursday morning, we lift up our face to you. We call upon your name. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. You are almighty and wise. How thankful we are that you sit high and look low. Lord, forgive us for our many sins and faults. Give us strength and courage to do better. We give you this day, Lord. 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 tenth letter, when we look at them chronologically, and that is the short letter called Philemon.

Paul wrote a congregational letter to the church at Colossae (Colossians) and then added this more personal letter to Philemon, kind of as an addendum. It is difficult to ascertain the specific circumstances behind this letter. Paul is obviously being very discreet and diplomatic in the letter, not wanting to alienate Philemon regarding his slave, Onesimus. What do we know? Paul is appealing to Philemon regarding Onesimus, who has accepted Christ through Paul's ministry. Paul expresses that Onesimus is useful to him, loved by him, and Paul would keep Onesimus with him if he could. We also know that somehow Onesimus has been separated from Philemon, that Onesimus may have wronged him in some way, and Paul asks that Philemon welcome him back as "better than a slave," as they are brothers in Christ. Paul is willing to pay any debt that Onesimus may have toward Philemon.

One of the main learnings from this text is the extent to which Christ-followers are bound to one another through the faith. While this letter is about a personal situation, Paul includes other individuals and the church community in this letter as well. The point was not simply to put pressure on Philemon, but because there are theological and social implications when one joins the covenant community of the church. We belong to one another. While we don't have to be in everyone's business, we are accountable to one another. We need one another for support, encouragement, mentoring, but also to ensure we are not drifting or making decisions contrary to the faith. We are brothers and sisters in Christ and we will spend eternity together.

Reflect on Romans 12:4-5, Just as each of us has one body with many members, and not all members have the same function so in Christ we who are many are one body, and each member belongs to one another.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

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