Daily Dose of Hope

September 23, 2024

Day 2 of Week 26

Scripture:  1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4; Psalm 44; 1 Timothy 2

Happy Monday!  It’s day 2 of week 26 of the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Let’s get started with today’s Scripture.

Our Old Testament text begins in 1 Kings 7.  What’s interesting, as we read about the construction of the temple, is that Solomon also builds himself a palace.  While the temple construction is detailed, Solomon’s personal palace is even more so and it takes nearly twice the time to build.  It is larger and thus, most likely more expensive.  Remember, he used conscripted labor for his own palace.  This can’t help but send up red flags for the reader.  Solomon asked for wisdom; it appears he doesn’t always use it.  The question we will continue to ask as we witness Solomon’s time on the throne, “Is this palace and all of Solomon’s wealth a sign of God’s blessing OR a sign of self-indulgence?”  We all would be wise to reflect on this question in our own lives as well.

Our chapter today in 2 Chronicles 4 describes the construction of all the furnishings on the inside of the temple, in great detail.  The altar that Solomon commissioned for the temple was massive, about 30 feet square, roughly twice as big as the altar in the tabernacle. Then, there were washing basins, lampstands, tables, and bowls.  Most were made of gold.  I found it interesting that the Scripture says that no attempt was made to find out the weight of the gold and bronze that was given.  And I guess that is as it should be.  It’s a good lesson – we don’t need to take strict account of what we are giving to God.  But the greatest level of surrender is giving abundantly, over and above what is required. 

Psalm 44 seems to imply that the Israelites are recovering from a military defeat, although we can’t be sure which one.  The writer of the Psalm has lost his confidence and continues to mention how Israel has suffered ridicule and shame from their loss.  He acknowledges that when Israel was victorious in the past, it was only because God was with them.  It was God’s power that allowed them to have the victory.  And the Psalmist is confused about why God isn’t with them now.  You can hear the anguish and despair in the writing, as he feels like God has left them unfairly.  Have you ever felt that way?  What convinced you otherwise?

Our New Testament passage is from 1 Timothy 2.  Paul addressed false teachers in chapter one and is addressing issues related to public worship in this chapter, specifically the roles of men and women.   Some of these verses might be the most controversial verses in the New Testament.  We know that Paul's writings were clearly a product of the time and culture during which he wrote.  How could they not be?  So how do we, two thousand years later, distinguish what is specific to Paul and Timothy's very particular situation and culture and what we are to apply to our lives and ministries today?

Most scholars agree that Paul’s statement regarding the role of women in worship in this chapter are clearly culture-specific.  All Scripture is useful and applicable BUT this doesn’t mean that isn’t written in very culture-specific and language-specific ways.  We have to be able to discern this; we have to take each specific situation into account when we read and interpret Scripture.  We also have to look at the full narrative of Scripture.

What does the rest of Scripture, including the rest of Paul’s writing, say about the role of women in worship?  First, many of Paul’s letters were written to address very particular issues in the churches.  Because of that, we recognize that much of what is commanded, the specific elements, are not to be translated literally and implemented in every other culture around the world.  For instance, Paul tells Timothy to drink wine for his stomach ailments (does that mean we are to use wine regularly for medicinal purposes?), to beware of Alexander the coppersmith (Alexander is surely dead now but should we be wary of other coppersmiths?), to be sure that the only widows who are at least 60 years old and have washed strangers’ feet receive resources from the church (I think most of our widows today would balk at washing a stranger’s feet.). Then there is his command to slaves to obey their masters.  These are all clearly very specific to Paul’s time and culture and were NOT intended to be applied universally.

Second, we have to also look at what the rest of Scripture says about gender roles in worship.  In Paul’s other writings, he speaks of women as prophets and teachers.  He states that men and women are equal in Jesus in Galatians.  He refers to and praises female leaders in the early churches.  There is definitely a clear body of evidence that, for the most part, Paul valued and included women in the leadership of the early church (probably a lot more than was common in that time and culture).  In so many ways, Paul elevated the social status of women, which was abysmally low at the time.

Are there other passages of Scripture that are difficult for you and/or you struggle to understand? I would encourage you to dig into the culture and context of the text.  What was the author’s intention?  What cultural factors were at play?  What was the specific historical context like at the time?  What elements are culture-and language-specific and which elements are clearly meant to be translated into our lives today?  Also, examine the Scripture within the full narrative of Scripture.  What else has been included on that topic in the Bible?  What is the general impression of the various Biblical authors on that topic? Then, pray, pray, and pray some more.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

September 22, 2024

Day 1 of Week 26

Scripture:  1 Kings 6; 2 Chronicles 3; 1 Timothy 1

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  If you can believe it, we are beginning week 26.  That means we are almost half-way through our yearlong Bible reading plan.  Again, don’t hesitate to reach out – I want to hear what you are learning and how God is teaching you through this reading.

Let’s start with 1 Kings 6.  Throughout the stories of Solomon, there is a pattern that develops.  Solomon does some kind of activity and we wait to see if God approves.  We can see that here as well.  Solomon is building the temple with great attention to detail.  Then, we see God give his approval.  Of course, approval is always dependent on covenant faithfulness.  If Solomon keeps the commands of God and walks in obedience, then he will prosper, the temple will remain, and God will be with Israel.

This leads us to an important point.  Kings and temples can fall.  God is God over everything.  God can easily bring down a temple, a monarch, or a whole nation, if they repeatedly disobey.  On the contrary, God can protect and expand the territory of a king and a nation if they obey the ways of God.  As I read this, I can’t help but think of what is to come.  God will make good on his promise: the kings do not stay obedient, the people stray, and the nation will fall.

2 Chronicles 3 also depicts the building of the temple.  We see Solomon lay the foundation and measure out the rooms with precision.  What differences do you find between the 1 Kings 6 and 2 Chronicles 3? 

Let’s move to our New Testament reading, 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, 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

September 19, 2024

Day 5 of Week 24

Scripture:  1 Kings 5; 2 Chronicles 2; 2 Thessalonians 3

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Today, we return to 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles and continue the saga of the Hebrew kings.  We also continue with 2 Thessalonians.  Let’s get started.

Let’s start with 1 Kings 5.  Now that there is peace in Israel, Solomon decides that it is time to begin work on the temple.  As you might recall, David had wanted to build a temple for the Lord but God had declined.  Instead, God simply wanted David to lead the people.  God also made a covenant with David that one of his descendants would be on the throne forever.  In the covenant (refer to 2 Samuel 7), God also mentions that one of David’s descendants “will build a house for my name.”  That descendant is Solomon.  Thus, Solomon hatches a plan.  He makes an alliance of sorts with the King of Tyre who can provide labor and lumber.

As we read in the chapter, the men of Israel also had to play a role in the manual labor required for the massive undertaking.  Solomon enlists the very unpopular practice of conscription, forced labor, but he does not make slaves of the people.  They work in shifts.  This required tremendous coordination, management, and skilled labor.  I was trying to think of a more modern equivalent to compare this to, maybe the making of some of the larger cathedrals.  What kinds of massive undertakings do you know of that humans have taken to please the Lord?

Today’s chapter in 2 Chronicles depicts the same scenario of preparing to build the temple but with a slightly different focus.  What differences did you note between the two accounts?

For our New Testament passage today, we are finishing up 2 Thessalonians.  In this chapter, Paul admonishes a group in the church who are causing disruption by refusing to work. We don't know the details of the circumstances. It's possible that this group believed Jesus' second coming was imminent, so there was no need to work and earn a living. It could also be that this group found menial labor beneath them and wanted nothing to do with it. Finally, it could be a group of individuals who had grown accustomed, possibly even entitled, to the church's generosity and did not want to have to work in return. But Paul is clear: he worked and they would work too.  Whatever their motivations, this group was disruptive and creating problems within the church. They would not be allowed to take advantage of the church's generosity.

As Christ-followers, we have clear commands from Jesus to care for the least of these. Jesus fed the hungry and cared for those who had little. The early church was obviously following the example of Christ and offering food to those who asked for it. But at some point, giving can lead to entitlement.  Paul was certainly alluding to that.  Many of you know my background involves extensive work with homeless men, women, and families. I've struggled with these issues but this is basically where I've landed; we are called tocare for the needy but we never want to harm others by destroying initiative or creating dependency. Historically, church outreach programs have engaged in one-directional giving, things like food giveaways, clothes closets, and soup kitchens. While there is a place for such ministry, it must be limited and targeted. To see meaningful change, we must address root causes, building real relationships and working with ministries that empower people to make hard but necessary long-term transformation.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope September 18, 2024 Day 4 of Week 25

Scripture:  Song of Solomon 7-8; Psalm 127; 2 Thessalonians 2

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan for New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Just a reminder, tonight is Recharge in the Garage at 6:30pm.  This is a wonderful time of worship, fellowship, prayer, and small community.  Hope to see you there!

I should also mention that many of your program directors, along with myself, are in Houston this week for the New Room conference.  Pray that we experience the Holy Spirit in a powerful way through the speakers and community.  Pastor Roberto and Pastora Yamiley are headed to Costa Rica today for the first General Conference of the Global Methodist Church.   Please, please pray for them – it’s going to be a long but hopefully very rewarding week for both of them.  

We are finishing up the Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs) today.  The love dialogue is ending, are you guys upset about this?  In these last two chapters, the themes of pure love, passion, commitment, acceptance, protection, and love “as strong as death.” I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts on this book.  What do you think about this being included in Scripture?  What have been your takeaways from Song of Songs?

Psalm 127 is another psalm of ascent, one of the psalms that the Hebrew pilgrims would sing as they made their way into Jerusalem.  I really love the second half of this psalm, which celebrates the blessing of children.  The psalmist writes that a person who has many children is like a warrior with many arrows in their quiver.  This isn’t to say that it’s better to have lots of children, but more that each and every child is a blessing, unique with their own gifts and purpose.

Our New Testament reading is 2 Thessalonians 2.  In chapter one, Paul addresses the issue of persecution.  In this chapter, he addresses false teaching.  The Thessalonian church was highly concerned by teachers stating that Jesus had already come.  To make matters worse, these false teachers were claiming to have Paul's authority in the teaching.  Paul tells them not to be "easily unsettled or alarmed," because none of it is true.  Jesus will not return until certain things have occurred, a certain event must occur (the rebellion) and a certain man must appear (the man of lawlessness, possibly the antichrist).

The point of this chapter is not to make specific claims about the end of times but rather to prove to the Thessalonians that the day of the Lord, Jesus' second coming, had not yet arrived.  It's obvious that Paul wants them to stand firm in the faith and not be so easily deceived. In verse 5, Paul asks them, Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?  He is imploring them to remember the truth they were taught and live like mature believers, putting deep roots into truth.  I often tell my kids to "remember who and whose they are." In some ways, I feel this is what Paul is telling the Thessalonians. Remember what I have taught you. Remember who you belong to.  Don't allow the distractions and untruths of the world to get you off track or lead you astray.  Friends, remember who and whose you are.

Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

September 17, 2024

Day 3 of Week 25

Scripture:  Song of Solomon 4-6; 2 Thessalonians 1

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Let’s get started with today’s Scripture.

In Song of Solomon (or Song of Songs) 4, the text has moved into the marriage.  The first three chapters were the courtship but now the marriage is being consummated.  The imagery is interesting – how many women enjoy their hair being compared to a flock of goats?  As the chapter progresses, it gets more graphic, at least for the Bible.  I did a lot of research to determine if Solomon is speaking of himself here in this chapter and it just isn’t clear.  If it’s Solomon, I struggle with this.  With so many women as wives and concubines, how can he truly know what love is?  What does marriage even mean if you have 700 wives?  I actually find it more helpful to think of this chapter as the relationship the Lord desires with his people – one that is intimate and committed. 

Chapters 5 and 6 seem to portray the trials of separation.  Some might even interpret it as the highs and lows of a relationship.  Has conflict entered the relationship, has one party pulled away?  Most of us understand that in human terms what might that mean in terms of a relationship between God and his people?

Let’s move on to our New Testament Scripture, 2 Thessalonians 1.  Similar to 1 Thessalonians, this letter is also written by Paul, Timothy, and Silas, but scholars consider Paul to be the primary author.  The letter opens in a similar manner as I Thessalonians, with Paul giving thanks for the Thessalonian church.  He is especially grateful for how their faith and love for one another has grown despite persecution.  He even says that he boasts about how they have persevered in the midst of such difficulty.  He doesn't give specifics about the persecution, but we can guess it was hostility directed at Christians by both gentile nonbelievers and Jews.

This chapter helps us begin to understand Paul's theology on the suffering of believers.  First, he alludes to the fact that faithful endurance, perseverance in the face of struggle, makes them very worthy of the Kingdom of God.  Certainly, endurance of hardship and persecution was seen as a virtue in early Christianity.  What a change a couple thousand years make!  At least in Western Christianity, we tend to balk at any kind of discomfort and certainly try to avoid suffering at all costs. 

But their suffering does NOT mean that God isn't with them.  Paul states that God's judgment is right.  Temporary suffering doesn't indicate God's rejection; it may be character building or redeemed in some other way.  God won't waste their experience but use it to grow them and the Kingdom.  After all, that's what it's all about. 

The second element in today's chapter is the concept of God's justice.  God is all about just outcomes.  He doesn't operate in a willy-nilly fashion but is fair and consistent.  According to Paul, God considers it just to punish those who persecute the Thessalonians.  This might be surprising to some, as we always focus on God's love.  Yes, God is loving but God is also fair.  Throughout Scripture, we read about God's righteous judgment.  Knowing that God will judge others fairly frees us to simply extend love and grace and not feel the need to distribute our own judgment upon others.

I'll close with Paul's words in Romans 12:19-21, Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

September 16, 2024

Day 2 of Week 25

Scripture:  Song of Songs 1-3; Psalm 72; 1 Thessalonians 5

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the podcast/devotional that goes along with the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Today, we are starting the Song of Solomon/Songs, we will take a look at a psalm, and continue in I Thessalonians.  Let’s get to it.

Our first Old Testament reading is the Song of Solomon, also called the Song of Songs.  This was part of the Hebrew Bible classified as wisdom literature, along with Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and some Psalms.  Wisdom literature was the closest thing to philosophy that the ancient Middle Eastern people had.  We can read a book like Song of Songs and wonder why it was included in the Biblical cannon.  But keep in mind, the wisdom literature was intended to provide answers to age-old questions like:  What is the meaning of life?  Where did I come from and where am I going?  How do I get to know God?  And even what is the nature of love?  Thus, it’s not surprising that the ancient Hebrews included this in their holy book.  Afterall, Yahweh was intimately connected to the answers to all of those questions. 

Most likely, this book was written in the middle of the tenth century.  The book is most often attributed to Solomon, which makes sense, because he had many wives and a vast harem.  I’m not sure that makes him an expert in love but he probably had a lot of sex.  Am I allowed to say that in a devotional?  It’s the truth.  Solomon was a man who spread himself around; he had an estimated 700 wives and 300 concubines.  That is not including some other well-known affairs, such as with the Queen of Sheba in Egypt. 

But while there are some scholars who interpret the Song as a product of human love (it’s often seen as a marriage song or poetry), others see it as allegorical.  It could be the love that God had for Israel or the love Christ has for the church.  As we read through it, I would love your own thoughts. 

Song of Songs Chapter 1 presents a deeply intimate exchange of affection and longing between two lovers. Many say it was King Solomon who saw the beautiful maiden and brought her back to his palace to try to win her over but there is no evidence to say that is true.  Regardless, the chapter is intended to illustrate the beauty of love, the pining of two souls for one another, and the passionate desire that binds them together. The words are poetic and metaphorical, interweaving imagery of nature. 

Chapter 2 and 3 continue the description of the love affair.  Many are shocked that this kind of writing was in the Bible, but isn’t God that created human love in the first place?  But as you read the text, can you see how it could also be used to describe divine love?  What are your thoughts on this?

Psalm 72 starts with a prayer for the king. Not only does the psalmist, probably David, ask for the king's rule to be successful, but he also prays that this king will rule with justice and mercy.  Interestingly, in my Bible the heading indicates this psalm is written about Solomon.  It very well could have been.  But there are layers of meaning here.  Most scholars agree that this is a messianic psalm.  Look beyond Solomon.  David is praying for a king who will truly rule with justice and mercy, who will rule over all kings and all nations. 

Our New Testament reading is I Thessalonians 5.  Possibly because they were experiencing so much persecution, the Thessalonians were very interested in knowing when Jesus' second coming would occur.  Paul tells them two things they needed to hear: their persecutors will be judged AND in the meantime, living in faith, hope, and love, is the best way to prepare for the next step of their Christian journey.  Jesus will come suddenly, like a thief in the night.  But they have nothing to fear as God's children.  Those who reject the Gospel will face God's wrath but the believers will be protected and get to live with Jesus for eternity.

Paul isn't trying to prophecy here or provide some kind of timeline for the Thessalonians.  This is purely pastoral encouragement for them.  Jesus was pretty clear-no one knows the time, only the Father.  In Matthew 24:36, Jesus says, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows."  Despite these words, people have tried making predictions for thousands of years.  I hear people today say, "Well, these must be end times because of this or that."  My personal opinion is that isn't for us to know or say.  Our responsibility is to take Paul's advice to the Thessalonians and live in faith, hope, and love, pointing others to Jesus and living like people with Good News.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

September 15, 2024

Day 1 of Week 25

Scripture:  Proverbs 29-31; 1 Thessalonians 4

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Today, we are starting week 25 of consistent Bible reading.  That’s pretty good, everyone!  Congrats to all of you.  Let’s get started with today’s Scripture reading.

Today we are finishing up the book of Proverbs.  Chapter 29 is the end of the compilation of Proverbs by King Hezekiah’s men.  There are a wide variety of warnings in this chapter, but again its reiterated that sin has consequences.  Evil schemes will lead to ruin, foolish thinking is highly dangerous, and we need to exhibit discretion with whom we argue.  The last two chapters of the book of Proverbs include wisdom associated with a man named Agur, a king named Lemuel, and a famous description of a godly woman.

The Proverbs 31 woman has become quite a famous passage.  Some of you might own a coffee mug with the Scripture.  These verses depict a woman who fulfills her God-given purpose and lives with high levels of integrity, wisdom, and complete devotion to God.  But don’t let these passages fool you – they aren’t just for women!  Every person should strive for these qualities. 

Our New Testament passage is I Thessalonians 4.  Apparently, the Thessalonians had presented this question to Paul, "What happens to   die in Christ?"  There must have been some deaths in the church since its founding, which would naturally lead to such a question.  Paul reinforces his teaching about the resurrection and Jesus' second coming.  He refers to the dead as "those who sleep in death," which is fairly common in both Jewish and Greek writing.  But we should note that this doesn't mean the soul is asleep after death.  New Testament texts clearly demonstrate that for believers the soul is alive while the body waits for the resurrection of all believers.

Jesus' physical resurrection is the central defining feature of Christianity.  It proved his divinity, it clearly demonstrated Jesus' victory over death, it proves that we serve a living God, and it foreshadows our own bodily resurrection when Jesus returns.  Because of the resurrection, we can be assured that this earthly life is not all there is; we get to spend eternity with Jesus.  I am reminded of Jesus dying on the cross next to the two thieves.  One accepts Jesus in his dying hour and Jesus proclaims, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."  Yes, we get to be with Jesus when we die AND yes, we still will get to be part of the future resurrection of believers.  Both are sources of great hope and joy.  The Thessalonian church needed to hear it and we do too!

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

September 12, 2024

Day 5 of Week 24

Scripture:  Proverbs 26-28; I Thessalonians 3

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

Today, I want to mix things up a bit and start with our New Testament passage, I Thessalonians 3.  Paul and Silas very much wanted to visit the Thessalonian church and encourage them in their persecution.  But over and over again, it didn't work out.  They were frustrated and concerned about the welfare of the new believers.  While they had previously warned the Thessalonian church that persecution was unavoidable, they still feared for their well-being. 

Eventually, they send Timothy to visit them and instruct them in the faith as needed.  Timothy brought back good news, as the Thessalonian church was becoming more mature in their faith.  Despite their challenges, the new believers were remaining strong in faith and continuing to demonstrate love toward those inside and outside the church.  This pleased Paul and Silas very much.  They experienced joy knowing that the faith of the Thessalonians remained strong and vibrant.  They thanked God for their perseverance and endurance.

The early church had such a different perspective than we do regarding persecution.  They saw persecution as inevitable; it was simply something that believers had to endure.  It doesn't appear they feared being persecuted either.  They knew that as followers of Jesus, their message would be met with opposition.  In the Western church of today, we tend to fear persecution and rejection.  We hesitate to share the Gospel message because we might offend someone, someone might say something mean to us, or we might get rejected.  These seem incredibly minor compared to the persecutions of the Thessalonians or other believers around the world today who risk everything to share the Gospel with others.

I think we need to just let that sit for awhile.  Are you fearful of persecution?  What are your thoughts?

We will conclude this week with Proverbs, chapter 26-28.  Chapter 26 starts with a long list of reasons that fools are not trustworthy and need to be avoided, the chief among them that they can’t stop their folly.  They make messes over and over again.  The other two chapters speak about the need to avoid evil, walk in humility, and stay focused on being righteous.  It appears that Solomon is making the point that to be wise is to be moral.  There is no way to be wise without integrity and morality.  What are your thoughts on this?  Can someone be truly wise without integrity and morality?

More on Sunday, everyone.  You get two days off to rest or catch up.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

September 11, 2024

Day 4 of Week 24

Scripture:  Proverbs 24-25; Psalm 41; 1 Thessalonians 2

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional/podcast that complements New Hope Church’s daily Bible reading.  It’s Wednesday already so that means that tonight is Recharge.  If you are local, come join us for a time of worship, prayer, and small community.  We start at 6:30pm in the Garage, on the Moon Ave. side of campus.

Our first Old Testament reading is from Proverbs.  In chapter 24, Solomon continues his wise sayings.  He mentions several times about not being jealous of sinful people, as success is found in wisdom.  How do you define success?  Do you think of being wise as being successful? 

A word about Proverbs 25.  Chapters 25-29 contain material collected by later scribes. These men, working under King Hezekiah, collected and copied these from one set of scrolls that recorded Solomon's other wise teachings.  Thus, they are connected to Solomon but not directly.  There is a lot in this chapter about personal relationships and the idea that too much of a good thing isn’t a good thing.  There are warnings against lying and losing control.  There is also emphasis on being kind, even when others aren’t.  If you were to write some proverbs about how to have healthy personal relationships, what would you include?

In Psalm 41, we have another psalm of David.  He mentions being ill in this passage.  He is being hunted by his enemies and his name is being slandered.  He has been stabbed in the back by a friend.  Things aren’t going well at all!  This may have been written when David was being pursued by Absalom.  He prays for God’s healing and victory over his enemies.  He thanks God for being his forever friend.  Wow.  I love that – how often do we think of God as our forever friend? 

Let’s move on to our New Testament reading, I Thessalonians 2.  The authors start out chapter two by discussing their motives for preaching the Gospel message.  They have pure motives and have no desire to trick people into becoming converts, which must have been an issue in the day.  Gaining converts at any cost suggests manipulation and the desire to look successful before others.  But their main concern was pleasing God, not people.  That does not mean that the Gospel message isn't pleasing to people, because it certainly is, but that wasn't their main reason for sharing it.  God had called them to this and they were being obedient.

Unfortunately, throughout the course of history, Christians haven't always had such pure motives in sharing the Gospel.  Evangelism has often occurred with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other.  I think Paul, Timothy, and Silas, would be appalled at how far people representing the Christian faith have gone to simply gain converts, without concern for the hearts of people.  As twenty-first century believers, we get to stand on the shoulders of those who witnessed well and those who made a terrible mess of it.  And yet, we are still called to share the Gospel with others with pure motives.  Guided by the Holy Spirit rather than our own prideful motivations, we are called to share the source of our hope.  Just as Paul and friends write in this chapter, our core motivation must be to please God.  It's great if other people are pleased as well with the message, but that isn't our primary purpose.  It's simply all about Jesus.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

September 10, 2024

Day 3 of Week 24

Scripture:  Proverbs 22-23; Psalm 117; I Thessalonians 1

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Let’s get right into our Scripture for this morning.

Our first Old Testament passage is Proverbs 22-23.  I’ve mentioned that I struggle getting through the Proverbs.  To me, they seem a bit disjointed – so many different topics without any cohesive theme.  I wanted to share with you that I’ve been praying about it.  I’m hoping that God can teach me through these little wise sayings. 

Today, something definitely caught my eye.  It was in chapter 22:17-19, Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach, for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips.  So that your trust may be in the Lord, I teach you today, even you.  I want us to read these verses thinking less about the proverbs specifically and more about Scripture in general.  We don’t want to just hear God’s Word, but heed it and obey it.  It reminded me of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:24-25, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  The point of Scripture is not just to read and study it, but to figure out how to implement it in our lives.  What proverbs from today’s reading stuck out to you?  What new bits of wisdom are you going to try to integrate into your life?

I do hope you took the time to read Psalm 117.  I think it’s the shortest psalm of all the psalms.  But despite being just a few lines, it really summarizes our relationship with God or rather, what it should be.  We should be praising God.  All the nations should be praising God.  He is faithful, just, and worthy of praise.  How often do you envision all the nations praising the Lord?  What will it take for that to happen?

Our New Testament passage is I Thessalonians 1.  This book is a pastoral letter from Paul, Timothy, and Silas, to the church at Thessalonica.  The authors are together in Corinth when they get the news of how faithful the Thessalonians have been in spite of intense persecution.  This is a letter of encouragement.  It was normal in an ancient letter to include some kind of prayer for the recipient after the greeting.  

We can see how, early in the letter, the authors state that they continually thank God for all the people in the church, and that they remember them before God because of their work produced through faith and love and their endurance inspired by hope in Jesus.  I am most intrigued by the line "endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."  Endurance is the ability to keep going, to persevere, in the face of difficulty and suffering.  We don't know exactly what kind of persecution the Thessalonian Christians were facing but it must have been pretty bad.  And Paul was worried about them.  They were new believers-how would they withstand these hardships?  Would their faith crumble or strengthen?  Apparently, they remained strong and steadfast, despite their limited experience in the faith.  

This idea of endurance through hardship becomes a virtue in the early church.  Here is the important part: their endurance was not a result of some kind of internal emotional strength or resolve but was due to their hope in Jesus.  Their hope was rooted in the second coming of Jesus, which will become a theme throughout this letter.

Think about your own life. How would you rate your endurance in the face of hardship? While we don't face the same kind of persecution as the Thessalonian church, we still deal with other challenges.  How is your faith grounded in the hope of Christ?

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki