Daily Dose of Hope

February 13, 2026

Scripture: I Corinthians 16

Prayer: Holy God, We come before you on this Friday with humility and gratefulness. We praise your powerful name. Thank you, so much, Lord, that you came to earth to dwell among us and show us a different way of being. Help us to pay attention to your example. Help us to be more loving and more merciful in all we do. Help us to be even but a small reflection of you. You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Welcome 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 apostle Paul's pastoral letters in chronological order. Today, we are finishing our fourth letter – I Corinthians.

Our text is I Corinthians 16, the final chapter of this letter. For the most part, Paul gives practical advice and wisdom. He speaks of taking up a collection for the greater church and of welcoming Christian workers who will be coming to their area soon.

It's right after this call to welcome and respect the new leaders that Paul makes this statement, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love." I think we would do well to also heed this advice. This idea of being on guard or being alert seems to suggest that we are in a battle not just with earthly powers but also against the power of evil. There are forces in this world that work against Jesus Christ and as his followers. The Corinthians (and us for that matter) should be aware, alert, and on guard.

How easy it was for the Corinthians to drift and get distracted. Umm...sound familiar? Remember whose and who you are might be another way to say it; stay focused on the things of God! Then, there is a call to be courageous and strong. We know from the previous chapters that the Corinthians were arrogant and complacent. Paul is asking them to have courage and do what God has called them to do.

Again, I'm thinking Paul could just as easily be talking to the modern church. We have tradition, we have beautiful worship, we have access to all kinds of knowledge, but we don't have courage. This is starting to get personal. Might I add that this kind of strength has nothing to do with physical stamina and the ability to lift heavy weights. This is an internal strength that comes only from God.

Finally, Paul says to do everything in love. Yes, being on guard, standing firm, and having courage and strength are critical but they are all pointless if not done with love. Paul is not calling the Corinthians to use aggression or self-assertion (remember, this is how the Corinthian church viewed Christian leadership). Rather, Paul is saying to exhibit all these qualities while demonstrating the love and grace of Jesus. That means, no bullying people to Jesus, no shaming people to Jesus, no manipulating people to Jesus, but only loving people to Jesus.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

February 12, 2026

Scripture: I Corinthians 15

Prayer: Abba Father, You are our Creator, Provider, and Sustainer. Thank you, Lord, for wanting to be in relationship with us. You are a God who sits high and looks low. You, who are over everything, also care deeply for us. We are so grateful. Help us do all we can to glorify you. We desperately need you, Jesus. 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 walking through Paul's pastoral letters. We've been through Galatians, I and II Thessalonians, and we are now in I Corinthians.

Today's reading is I Corinthians 15. Paul is asserting in this chapter that the resurrection of Jesus is central to the Gospel. Apparently, there were Christians at Corinth who were espousing the view that Jesus was not raised and that the resurrection was not true. It's possible that they were reverting to their old Greek view of immortality of the soul and not the body. It's also possible that they were simply skeptics who were trying to poke holes in the resurrection story. But Paul is stating here that if resurrection did not occur, our faith is totally useless. That would mean that Jesus did not defeat death, it would mean that we are misrepresenting God, and it would mean we are still dead in our sins.

Some thoughts: The resurrection is SIGNIFICANT. All that Jesus did, his whole life was vindicated with the resurrection. The resurrection proved that Jesus was who he said he was, God is who he said he was, and affirmed Jesus' divinity. Think about Paul's words in Romans 1:4"and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord." The resurrection is so important in that it provides assurance and hope that our physical death is not the end. It not only points to life after death but also the future resurrection of believers. Let's visit Romans again, 8:11 says, "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you." Jesus' resurrection promises victory over death.

But the resurrection is also TRANSFORMATIVE. It is transformative for us as individuals and forus as the body, for the church. I think the most important aspect of believing in the resurrection is that Jesus' resurrection is what provides the power to change us now. It provides the power for complete transformation, to bring what was essentially dead to something that is alive and vibrant and productive. When someone says yes to Jesus Christ, a spiritually dead person becomes united with a life-giving Savior. When that happens, his resurrection produces a resurrection in us. The word resurrection actually comes from the same root as resurgence or rising again. We become connected to a life-giving power, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. This resurrection power has the ability to revive us, restore us, renew us, transform us. The apostle Paul states inI Corinthians 5:17, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" There are certainly no shortage of books that detail the evidence for Jesus' resurrection. One good one that is short and easy to digest is Lee Strobel's The Case for Easter. What are your thoughts on the resurrection? Spend some time in prayer about this today.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

February 11, 2026

Scripture: I Corinthians 14

Prayer: Almighty God, Thank you for a new day and a new chance to give you glory and praise. You are an amazing God. How incredible it is that you, who created everything, know my name. You know every hair on my head. While I am so grateful for your love and care, it is sometimes difficult for me to adequately wrap my brain around your expansive love and mercy. Help me be a better reflection of you, Lord. Help me see others through your eyes. Help me be merciful, kind, and good. Lord, I know I fall short. So often. But I want to do better. In these next few moments of silence, Jesus, hear my prayer... In Your Name, Amen.

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are journeying through Paul's letter in the New Testament. We are currently on our fourth pastoral letter, I Corinthians.

Our reading for today was I Corinthians 14. This chapter is all about order in worship. A lot of the text has to do with the speaking of tongues. I want to be clear that Paul is not against speaking in tongues. However, he is clear that tongues benefit the speaker more than the listener. Prophecy, on the other hand, benefits the listeners. This is a passage often taken out of context. Yes, tongues are a gift of the Spirit and for many people, tongues provide an intimate way to communicate with God. But within the context of worship, tongues (spoken publicly) are appropriate only if there is an interpreter. According to Paul, the question to always ask is "Does this build up the body of Christ?"

Speaking of taking passages out of context, the second half of this chapter about good order in worship has been misused by many. Is Paul saying that women need to always be silent in church? No, he isn't, as he is supportive of women's participation in worship in other passages. Just a few chapters before this, in I Corinthians 11:5, Paul mentioned women praying and prophesying aloud in worship.

What does he mean in today's text? Keep in mind, this is a pastoral letter that is addressing a specific situation in a specific place. Corinth was a wild, out of control place. These women have grown up being influenced by this environment. Don't get me wrong, the Greek and Roman world was still highly patriarchal and women had little if any rights or privileges. But in the church, women were valued and had a certain degree of freedom. They could learn, speak, pray, and work alongside the men in many ways. Most likely, in this situation, there was confusion and disorder in the church worship and Paul needed to address it. The Greek word used in the text for speak actually is better translated "chattering." Most likely, these women were interrupting worship with their constant chattering. Maybe they were asking questions. Maybe they were talking amongst themselves. We really don't know.

This leads to an important point. We cannot pick certain Scripture verses and pull them out of their contexts, trying to force an application today. What's important is to look at what the whole Biblical narrative says about a certain topic. Does the whole Biblical narrative insist women be silent in worship OR do we see women lifted up by Jesus, involved in the ministry of the early church, and working as effective prophets, leaders, and teachers (often praised by Paul)? When one or two verses seem out of place, contradicting the rest of the Biblical narrative, then there is probably a deeper meaning behind them. The key is go deeper, study, learn the context and background, and try to discern the author's original intention.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

February 10, 2026

Scripture: I Corinthians 13

Prayer: Today, let's pray from Scripture. Dear God, Your Word says that, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. This is certainly who you are, Lord. Help us live this kind of love out in ways that make a difference in the lives of those around us. More of you, less of me. We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We are journeying through Paul's pastoral letters. Currently, we are in I Corinthians.

Today's passage is I Corinthians 13. This is going to be a pretty familiar chapter for many of you. It's often called the "love" chapter and it is read at weddings and funerals. It's absolutely beautiful prose but we often get Paul's intention wrong when we read it.

Remember, the Corinthian church was a total mess. They were arrogant, there were strong divisions between rich and poor, there were petty arguments and serious factions, and as we learned yesterday, they were holding up certain spiritual gifts as better than others. Let's just say it wasn't a picture of Christ's love and grace.

It's in the middle of all of this that Paul tells them what it means to really love one another. This isn't romantic love (eros), brotherly love (philia), but rather agape love. What is agape love? It's the love that God demonstrated to us and calls us to demonstrate to others. It is unconditional, sacrificial love. There is no selfishness in agape but only a concern for the what is best for the other. Paul is outlining this love to the Corinthian church to give them a word picture of what it could look like. Agape is not a feeling or emotion but rather a choice. We make a choice to love others this way and it requires commitment, faithfulness, and sacrifice without requiring anything in return.

Paul, at the end of his discussion about spiritual gifts, wants to make a very important point. Yes, you can have a gift of prophecy or a gift of tongues, but if you are using it without love, then it is totally useless. And, you have missed the point. These gifts were gifts of grace from the Holy Spirit to uplift and equip the body of Christ. The body of Jesus on earth should be a picture of his love. If it isn't, we have a really big problem. Jesus is love and we are called to be as well.

One of my seminary professors, when teaching on agape love, encouraged all of us to do what he called the Wal-mart exercise (I've spoken of this in previous sermons). Really, you can go to any place the public gathers. It could be the mall, Target, or Publix. He suggested sitting down on a public bench and just watching people go by for five minutes. For every single person you see, say "Jesus died for this person. He/she is infinitely loved by God. I'm called to love this person as well." For me, this is challenging. I have to be very intentional about not falling into the trap of judging the person because of how they look but truly looking at them, trying to see them as God sees them, and then focusing on how God wants me to love them unconditionally too.

This has changed me. God's agape love for me is real. My love for others should be too. What would it look like if all of us who are part of New Hope started to "agape" each other? How would this change us as people? How would this change our relationships? How would this change us as a body of believers and our witness to the world?

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

February 9, 2026

Scripture: I Corinthians 12

Prayer: Dear God, You are amazing! How awesome it is that you who created all things are also so intimately involved in our lives. We give you glory and praise for who you are. We are so thankful for your love. We want to know you more. We want and need to hear your voice. Help us set aside our scattered thoughts and focus on you. 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 daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We are journeying through Paul's pastoral letters. Currently, we are in I Corinthians.

Today's passage is I Corinthians 12. Paul starts by reminding the believers of their former ignorance. Afterall, there was a time not too long ago that they didn't know about the one true God but worshiped idols. Now, they know Jesus and have the Holy Spirit within them – the Spirit of the Living God inside their physical body! One of the many transformations that happens to us when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior is that the Holy Spirit gives us a spiritual gift (sometimes even more than one.)

A spiritual gift could be seen as a God-given capacity that allows each believer to serve and uplift the body of Christ. And how do you get into this body of Christ? In verses 13-14, Paul writes, For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. The body of Christ is Jesus' church.

The specific word that Paul uses here for gift is charisma, which comes from charis, which is the Greek word for grace. A spiritual gift is a gift of God's grace. It's not something we have earned or developed. But there is a wide diversity of gifts that the Spirit offers, and Paul lists many of these, including the gift of preaching/teaching, prophecy, apostleship, evangelism, and shepherding. There are even more specific gifts under these main headings.

But while there is diversity in gifts, there is unity in purpose. The body of Christ requires all these different people with different and unique gifts to be working together to ensure that Jesus' mission continues to be carried out in the world. One gift is not more important than another but they are all essential to have a fully functioning body.

The Corinthians knew about the spiritual gifts. This would not been new information to them. But the problem was how they were using the gifts. Certain gifts were being lifted up as more important than others. And there appears to be a bit of a free for all in how the gifts are being used. So, Paul wants them to know a different way. He wants them to understand that all the gifts work together to bring unity to the church. In fact, the church needs all of the gifts to be fruitful and effective. He doesn't want the Corinthians to stop using their spiritual gifts, but he wants them to do so with maturity. And as we will see in the next chapter, he wants the church to use their gifts with love (rather than arrogance or pride.)

Do you know what spiritual gifts you have been given? If not, I strongly encourage you to pray about that today. There are some really good spiritual gifts assessments that are free online as well. God has given us gifts for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. If you know your gifts, are you currently making use of them at New Hope or in your local church? There are many parts but one body. Your gifts are needed to form a fully functioning, healthy, thriving community of faith!

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

February 5, 2026

Scripture: I Corinthians 10

Prayer: Lord Jesus, We rejoice in you. We praise your name. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the one who was, and is, and is to come. We cannot possibly express our gratitude in words. You have offered us mercy but you have also given us freedom. Thank you for that. Help us live like free people. Help us demonstrate your love and grace to others who cross our path. Help us see people through your eyes. We love you, Lord. Amen.

Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that goes along with the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We have been walking through Paul's letters and it has been challenging! We've made it through Galatians, I and II Thessalonians, and we are now in I Corinthians.

Our reading for today is I Corinthians 10. The chapter starts with story-telling from the exodus out of Egypt, mainly because these stories are critical learning experiences for God's people. What's fascinating is that Paul includes his Gentile audience in these stories. Look at verse 1, For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. Paul has stressed that as Christians they are not bound to the law. Despite that, they are now a part of God's people.

However, and this is critical, they are NOT to fall into the pattern of the Israelites or so many of those in Corinth. They are not to worship other gods, they are not to intimately involve themselves with those who oppose God's people, and they are not to question the goodness of God. They need to be careful. Temptation is there and they could easily fall into sin as their ancestors did.

Paul continues to write about freedoms. Yes, we have the right to do everything but that doesn't mean we should do everything. While we may have the right to do something, the biggest question to ask is, "Is this building up the body of Christ?" Paul emphasizes that while legalism isn't good, neither is it good to be overly permissive. There are times when we should curb our freedoms if it might harm a new Christian or hurt the witness of the Gospel

The bottom line is we need to think about our words and actions in every situation. I've been in small Christian gatherings in which certain members feel the need to loudly communicate their dislikes about a specific Christian ministry, another Christian church, or even a fellow believer. Now, thinking about Paul's reasoning, they have the freedom to do this but is it beneficial? Is it building up the body of Christ? What if there was someone in the group who was a new believer or on the fence about faith? How would such a discussion affect their faith journey?

Just because we can do something doesn't mean we should.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

February 4, 2026

Scripture: I Corinthians 9

Prayer: Holy God, We come before you today rejoicing in your powerful name. Thank you for who you are and all you do. Thank you for loving us. Help us gather our scattered thoughts, help us set aside distractions, and truly focus on you right now. In these next few moments of silence, Lord, we want to hear your voice...In Your Name, Amen.

Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We have been journeying through Paul's letters. Today, we are in I Corinthians.

Our reading for today was I Corinthians 9. In this chapter, Paul continues his discussion on freedom in Christ. There were obviously those in the Corinthian church who were challenging Paul. We've talked about this in previous chapters-their view of Christian leadership was skewed. The Corinthians viewed strong church leaders as those who made known their authority by lording it over others. It was about power, reputation, and popularity. Paul is the exact opposite. He is saying that yes, he has freedoms and rights, but he doesn't abuse or misuse them.

Paul lists three rights/freedoms he has decided not to claim. The first was the right to food and drink, the second was the right to be accompanied by a wife, and the third was to be paid for his work as an apostle. He was a totally free man with rights but he intentionally chose not to use those rights. Paul did not want to be swayed by personal whims or desires. Rather, he wanted to be fully and totally focused on the Gospel. Indulging in these freedoms, while they are not bad things, might divert him from the purpose. Everything is about the mission for Paul and he didn't want to risk doing anything that could challenge his integrity and compromise the mission.

Paul is really committed to the cause. I'm not sure many of us would give up what he has freely chosen to give up. I'm struggling with this. I like good food, I'm married, and I get paid for my work as a pastor. Let's be clear, God does not require us to give these things up. But, we may decide there are certain things that get in the way of our service to the Lord. Only we can know what those things are.

One point that Paul makes is that by making these sacrifices, he is actually a stronger leader, not a lesser one. What is your view of Christian leadership? Are sacrifices essential to achieving the mission? What sacrifices have you made to share the Gospel of Jesus with others? How do you reconcile all of this?

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki