Daily Dose of Hope

August 26, 2024

Day 2 of Week 22

Scripture:  1 Kings 1; 1 Chronicles 26-28; Romans 6

Happy Monday and welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope.  Today, we are starting the book of I Kings and we get to continue the saga with David and his family.  We will also continue with 1 Chronicles and read Romans 6.  This will be great so let’s get started.

As I mentioned, today we begin the book of 1 Kings, which functions kind of like a sequel to 2 Samuel.  There isn’t conclusive evidence as to who actually wrote 1and 2 Kings.  Tradition credits Jeremiah as the author but there is little indication that is true.  What we do know is that the book was written before the Jews went into exile by someone very familiar with Deuteronomy, as well as other historical texts related to the monarchy.  Thus, it could have been any of the prophets.

The general theme seems to be that Israel’s well-being is intricately related to their obedience to the covenant and their ability to listen to God’s prophets.  What’s the gist of chapter one?  David’s history of poor/permissive parenting is continuing to cause problems.  King David is now very old and sick.  He’s weak.  Thus, one of his sons, Abdonijah, decides to take control of the throne.  Abdonijah doesn’t ask for his father’s permission or his blessing; he manipulates the situation to ensure that he gets to be king. His arrogance is a bit appalling but seems in line with David’s other sons.  Abdonijah recruits powerful people to support him.  

This whole scene creates a serious issue. David had promised Bathsheba that their son, Solomon, would be king.  The way things were going, it wouldn’t be long before Abdonijah had Solomon killed to ensure that he would have no rivals for the throne.  Both Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet step in to inform King David.  They have to move quickly.  David summons equally powerful men to support Solomon.  Then, they place Solomon on David’s own mule as a sign that he is the next king.  Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint Solomon as king and he is placed on David’s throne. 

Keep in mind that the previous kings were not chosen this way.  With both Saul and David, the prophet Samuel communicated God’s choice for king.  With Solomon, things are different.  This is to signal the beginning of the Davidic dynasty, which will eventually culminate with Jesus Christ.  God has kept his promise to David.

Our chapters in I Chronicles today include, guess what, more lists!  The author continues to clarify the divisions of the priests, the musicians, the gatekeepers, and the treasurers who will be part of keeping God’s temple functional, effective, and in obedience to the law.  I know I’ve said this a lot, but the chronicler wanted to create a record of these families.  He wanted to ensure that their legacy lived on, even though they were regular people.  These books are monuments to the regular Jew who did their part in taking care of God’s temple.

Let’s move on to our New Testament text, Romans 6.  In this chapter, Paul discusses why we should no longer sin once we have become believers of Jesus.  In the previous chapters, he has talked about how we are no longer under the law.  That’s true.  We are saved and our sins are forgiven.  That’s also true.  But that doesn’t mean we should start acting like fools.  Rather, the standard is higher.

Paul explains that when someone accepts Jesus, they experience a spiritual death to sin.  They then also experience a rebirth.  They become new people in Jesus.  As new people in Jesus, we are no longer slaves to sin, as our old selves were crucified.  Sin is no longer our master.  It no longer has the same hold on us.  That being said, we still have a daily choice to make.  We are still human and sin is still tempting.  But we make a choice to live righteously. 

Think about your own temptations.  What daily choices do you make because you now live for Jesus?  How have your own daily choices changed as you have grown in your walk with Jesus Christ?

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

August 25, 2024

Day 1 of Week 22

Scripture:  I Chronicles 22-25; Psalm 78; Romans 5

Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope.  This is the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan for New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Let’s get right into our Scripture for today.

Our Old Testament Scripture starts with the book of I Chronicles.  It appears that David is preparing for his death.  God has told him he cannot be the one to build the temple; that honor will be saved for Solomon.  In this book, we learn that the reason God said no to David is because of all the blood he shed in war.  Solomon will be a man of peace and rest, and it will be more appropriate for him to build God’s house. 

But while David can’t actually see it built, he can certainly make preparations and that is exactly what he does.  I don’t think he really trusts his boy to do it right.  He gets the supplies together and begins setting apart the people who will be part of maintaining the temple.  This was David’s dream and I wonder how difficult it was for him to know he wouldn’t get to see this project to fruition. 

Please be sure to read Psalm 78.  We aren’t going to discuss it today, but rather will move right to the New Testament, Romans 5.  In this chapter, Paul explores the origin of sin in a unique way.  He speaks of Adam, through which sin entered the world.  If you are familiar with the study of the spread of disease (called epidemiology), then you have probably heard of patient zero.  Patient zero is the first person who brings a specific disease into an area.  To find this person, the epidemiologists trace the outbreak through all sorts of people, interviewing, contact tracing, digging, and digging some more to find out where the disease began.

Adam was patient zero for sin.  It was through Adam (and Eve really) that sin came into play.  After that, all humans were “infected” with sin.  There was no way not to be infected. The world was no longer a lovely, perfect place like the Garden of Eden.  The world was now broken, filled with hardship, disease, and death.  

But if Adam brought us sin and death, Jesus brings us life.  Jesus died for us while we were still sinners.  Through Jesus, we can be reconciled to a holy God.  We can do life, walking hand in hand with God–no walls, no barriers, and no shame.  Jesus has removed anything preventing us from accessing God.  You see, when he died on the cross, the blood of Jesus atoned for the sins of all humanity for all time.  He cleansed us from sin and gave us his righteousness.

What is righteousness?  It’s the quality of being morally right, virtuous, and just.  Jesus was totally righteous and we weren’t!  But through the cross, in the act of cleansing us from sin, Jesus imputed (gave) his righteousness to us.  We are made righteous by Jesus.  Now, God doesn’t see our messed up, broken lives–he sees that which Jesus has freely gifted us.  In Jesus, we are saved and made righteous.  And as Jesus continues to work within us, let’s hope that the righteousness of Jesus really takes root in a different way.  As we seek to grow closer to Jesus, may the righteousness, the virtuousness, the justice, and the love of Christ grow within us and make us better reflections of him.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

August 22, 2024

Day 5 of Week 21

Scripture:  2 Samuel 24; I Chronicles 21; Romans 4

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Hope you are having a great day!  Please know I pray for all of you.  If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

We are starting today with 2 Samuel 24.  This is the final chapter of this book.  But don’t worry, the story is far from over and we will pick it up soon in I Kings.  Today, we read that the Lord is angry with Israel so he incites David against them.  We don’t know why God is angry, but it is most likely due to a violation of the Torah.  Thus, David becomes angry with his people and demands that a census be taken of the fighting men.

Joab, his commander, protests.  Why was a census a big deal?  Afterall, we do a census in the U.S. every ten years.  At that time, numbering the people would have been some kind of metric of the Lord’s favor.  It had the potential to lead to pride and self-aggrandizement.  But there was more.  In the Old Testament Scriptures, you generally only counted what belonged to you.  By David counting the people, it would have been a statement of sorts that the people belonged to David rather than God.

David overrules Joab and the men of fighting age are counted.  There were 800,000 in Israel and 500,000 in Judah, quite impressive numbers.  But the census greatly displeased God.  Maybe God saw it as David overstepping his authority or David became too prideful.  We really don’t know.  What we do know is that God is angered and wanting to punish the nation of Israel.  David is repentant and builds an altar to the Lord.  However, that doesn’t mean that the consequences would be reversed.

This made me reflect on our own sin.  How often have we been repentant for things we’ve done and cried out to God?  We know that God forgives us but that does not reverse the consequences of our sin.  Sin always has consequences.  Over and over and over again humanity has to learn this lesson.

I Chronicles 21 provides us with more lists!  Have you missed them?  Here, we read about the divisions and descendants of the priests and the Levites.  Remember, the intention was to create a monument to these men and their families who served the nation of Israel before the exile.   

Our New Testament passage is Romans 4.  This is an interesting chapter.  Paul clearly wants his Jewish listeners to know that justification by faith is not a new concept, but there is actually a precedent in the Old Testament.  He wants his Gentile listeners to know that they have a rich spiritual heritage when they believe in Jesus, as the Old Testament attests to this salvation.  Paul highlights Abraham and David, two great men of faith, to demonstrate that even under the old covenant, people were saved by faith rather than by works.

Paul discusses Abraham's faith. Abraham believed, against all hope and even though it was a crazy thought, that he would become a father in his old age and even become the father of many nations.  Sarah was something like 100 years old.  This was not a reasonable thing to believe!  Despite some mishaps along the way (think Hagar and Ishmael), Abraham had faith that God would do what God said he would do.  It was Abraham's faith, rather than his adherence to the law (works), that God credited him as righteous.  

It is also our faith, specifically our faith in Jesus Christ and belief that he died for our sins and was resurrected, that God credits us as righteous.  To be righteous means to be in right standing with God.  Let's be clear.  We are not righteous at all on our own merit.  Rather, because of Jesus, we are credited as righteous.  We essentially get to hang on Jesus' righteousness coattails and I am so very glad for it!

Enjoy your two days off or use them to catch up. 

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

August 21, 2024

Day 4 of Week 21

Scripture:  2 Samuel 21-23; Psalm 18; Romans 3

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  It’s Wednesday so that means it’s Recharge day!  If you are available tonight, we would love to have you join us for community, worship, prayer, and small groups.   I love Recharge – it is a time of refreshing my soul in the middle of the week.  It starts at 6:30pm in the Garage (on the Moon Ave side of campus).

Let’s get into our Scripture for today.  We begin with 2 Samuel 21.  Let me start by saying that I’m struggling with this chapter.  There is famine in the land, three years worth, and King David is concerned.  Thus, he inquires of the Lord what is causing the issue.  One year of drought and poor food production would not be unusual for that part of the world but three years is unusual.  David obviously suspects that this was a curse for something the nation of Israel had done.

Remember, the law given to Moses and Israel included 613 laws, both blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.  God confirms that this famine was a result of something Saul did during his reign, when he slaughtered all the Gibeonites.  Who were the Gibeonites?  They were descendants of the Amorites, a group of people from Canaan who deceived the people of Israel.  Read through Joshua 9 to get the full story but essentially the Amorites pretended to be people from a distant land to get the Israelites to make a treaty with them; the treaty ensured that the Amorites would not be harmed.  Remember, this was at the time that God’s people were conquering one group after another in order to claim the promised land.  When it turns out the Amorites were simply part of the people of Canaan, there was not much the Israelites could do.  An oath had been made.  Thus, the Amorites were spared but became subject to the people of Israel.

Saul, in his “zest” for Israel, decides to slaughter the Amorites’ descendants, the Gibeonites.  This means that Saul broke the oath, something which very much displeased God.  Thus, the curse of the famine was God’s response.  As a way to atone for the deaths of the many Gibeonites who were killed, David promises to kill seven descendants of Saul.  The men chosen were sons of one of Saul’s concubines and sons of one of Saul’s daughters.  In the eyes of Torah-believing Jews, this was fair.  An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.  These men sacrificed their lives so that things could be made right.  And I struggle with this.  I struggle with reading about one of the mothers, Rizpah, mourning her boys.  I struggle with why God would allow this.

And then I think about Jesus Christ.  God himself gave his life as a sacrifice for us.  In doing so, this system of blessings and curses could be done away with forever.  We can rest in the forgiveness and grace of Jesus.  I think I have to simply rest in that.

In 2 Samuel 22, we find a poem by David.  While this poem is found later in the book of 2 Samuel, chronologically it actually should be much earlier.  It was written after David had been king a few years and been delivered from the hands of Saul.  The whole poem is very similar to Psalm 18 (which is our psalm reading for today).  The main difference is that Psalm 18 was structured for use in worship and this poem was strategically placed here in 2 Samuel to demonstrate the religious foundation of the king of Israel.

I find it interesting that it was placed so far into 2 Samuel, as the religious fervor of the king seems to actually be fading.  As we’ve seen over the last few chapters, David rarely inquires of the Lord and his life and nation are beginning to spiral.  And yet, whoever put this book together found it important to add this poem here, maybe as a reminder of what was or what should be. 

The poem itself states the main point of the Law/Torah–obedience to God will lead to blessing.  More specifically, David’s point was that his obedience to God meant he was rewarded and delivered from his enemies.  This God is worthy of praise.  I’m grateful that we live on the other side of the cross, under the New Covenant.  The wholes ystem of blessings and curses has been put aside for something so much better–the grace of Jesus Christ.  And I say, yes, this God is worthy of praise.

Let’s head over to chapter 23.  The first seven verses of this chapter comprise David’s prophetic oracle.  It is intended to commemorate a faithful king whose life is guided by the faithful God Almighty.  Clearly, David is the most Godly of the kings and this poem highlights this.  But it also has some messianic prophecy.  David is not just speaking of himself.  There is something deeper, more eternal about the oracle.  Reread the first seven verses and see which stand out to you as speaking to the coming Messiah.

The second part of the chapter details the men who supported David, those who were his brave and mighty warriors.  God was on David’s side clearly but there had to also be human men who caught the vision that God had for King David.  Over and over again through 2 Samuel, we have seen David’s men make huge sacrifices and often save him from stupid, short-sighted decisions.  Each of these men were real people who stood alongside David and said yes to their calling from God.  Thus, let’s pay attention to their names and think about the legacy that each left.

Think about the people who have stood by you. If you are a leader at the church or another organization, you know the value of having a team of people to support you, guide you, and protect you from stupid or rash decisions!  Name those people in your own life and give thanks for them.

Our New Testament reading is Romans 3.  Paul continues to discuss the sinfulness of human beings.  No one is righteous, no matter one's religious upbringing (Jew vs. non-Jew), occupation, or station in life; every single person is a sinner.  It sounds a bit hopeless but Paul is leading up to something very important.  Yes, all people are sinners and all people fall short of God's standard BUT we can be saved through the gift of grace that comes with believing in Jesus Christ.  It's pretty incredible really.  We are all a broken mess.  We are born inclined to sin and this sinfulness creates a barrier between God and us.  But Jesus' sacrifice on the cross atoned for our sins.  

What in the world does that mean?  When Jesus died on the cross, our sins and the sins of all humanity died up there with him.  If you think back to the Old Testament sacrificial system, Jesus was the final, perfect sacrifice.  As God himself, Jesus was holy and totally without sin.  He gave his life to be the sacrifice to end all sacrifices.  His death on the cross created a bridge between God and us.  No more barrier.  If we have said yes to Jesus, then when God looks at us, he doesn't see our sinfulness but rather Jesus' sacrifice.  The blood of Jesus essentially covers us or atones for us.

Now, because of Jesus' sacrifice, we are free to walk hand in hand with a holy God.  And we did nothing to earn this or deserve it. As Paul writes, it was a gift of grace.  Grace is God's unmerited, amazing love that is freely given to all those who believe.  "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me..."

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

August 20, 2024

Day 3 of Week 21

Scripture:  2 Samuel 18-20; Psalm 34; Romans 2

Good morning and welcome back.  This is the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Let’s go ahead and get right into our Scripture for today.

Our Old Testament text begins with 2 Samuel, chapter 18.  Joab and the other commanders under David go out to fight on his behalf.  But David is very clear to be kind to Absalom, even though it was Absalom that created this mess.  He is the one who took his father’s throne and turned the people from David.  And yet, David still loves him.  He is heart-broken but he loves him. 

I wonder if that’s the way God feels with us sometimes.  We are disobedient.  We reject him.  We try to take his job.  And yet, he still loves us.  He is still just waiting for us to come home.  God may be heart-broken at our behavior but he is always ready to receive us back into the fold.

The story doesn’t end so well for Absalom.  Joab kills him, against the wishes of the king.  Despite some attempts at softening the blow, David finds out fairly quickly that Absalom was killed.  He is shaken and he is inconsolable for the life of his boy.  It doesn’t matter what Absalom has done.  David loved him and grieved for him. 

In chapter 19, Absalom’s troops go back to their clans and there is much talk throughout Israel about what would happen next.  Would David be welcomed back as king?  Afterall, they needed a king. The people reminisced about the times in which David took care of Israel and rescued them from the hands of their enemies.

Here we begin to see a greater divide between Israel and Judah.  The people of Israel pretty quickly decide to recommit themselves to David.  The people of Judah are another story. For some reason, Judah had overwhelmingly lent their support to Absalom.  David decides to take some very specific steps to win back their commitment to him.  His first step is to ask Zadok and Abiathar, two popular priests, to lobby for his support among the elders of Judah.  Second, he asked the priests to request the services of Amasa, David’s nephew who had a high position in Absalom’s regime. He promises to make Amasa commander over all his troops, both building a bridge between the disenfranchised group of Absalom supporters and punishing Joab. (Be sure to read the first part of this chapter; while Joab probably saved David’s kingship, David still sought to punish Joab.)  David’s plan proves successful and he is invited back to Jerusalem.  

There is quite the welcoming party waiting for him.  People who previously opposed him (or he thought opposed him) met him at the Jordan and walked with him into the city as a sign of support and solidarity.  But when they arrive, it’s obvious the people of Israel are enraged at the tribe of Judah.  They accuse them of all kinds of offenses.  The rumblings of division are strong.  Nathan’s prophetic words of judgment (after David’s rape/murder incident in 2 Samuel 12) are coming to fruition.  David’s family is a mess and now his nation is beginning to crack as well.  All of this is happening and the Scripture never mentions David inquiring of the Lord.

Let’s move on to chapter 20.  There are times when I read these texts and they sound way too similar to our modern-day television dramas–murder, violence, betrayal, and sex.  And this is Scripture!  The Word of God certainly doesn’t gloss over all the sin and mess that humanity creates.  I was reminded of this once again as I read today’s chapter.

A man named Sheba who opposed David decided to rise up in rebellion.  David commanded Abishai, Amasa’s cousin, to pursue Sheba.  The troops head into Benjamite territory and are greeted by Amasa himself.  You may recall that Amasa was a supporter of Absalom but David decided to make him commander of his troops in an effort to build a bridge.  This would have deposed Joab, the current commander who had faithfully stood by David through the whole sordid mess.  Thus, Joab takes this opportunity to gruesomely stab and kill Amasa. 

But the story continues.  Amasa is swiftly moved to the side of the road and they continue to pursue Sheba and those in rebellion against the king.  They begin to besiege the town of Abel, where they believe that people are hiding Sheba.  A wise woman decides to intervene, explaining to Joab why he should not destroy the city.  She arranges to give him Sheba’s severed head if he leaves them alone.  And that’s exactly what she does; she literally throws Sheba’s head over to Joab and the troops as they leave the city.  Oh my.  Thank goodness for the wise woman who stopped the bloodshed of an entire village.  I’m not sure what I think about the severed head but the war was stopped.

What is it about humans throughout history that we continue to mistreat each other?  We continue to foster division and conflict. Again, there is no mention of inquiring of the Lord. It’s become a free for all.  Has David forgotten to whom he belongs?

I don’t know about you but after that, I need to head to the New Testament.  Let’s move on to Romans 2.  Through the end of chapter one and most of chapter two, Paul points out the sinfulness of humanity and the righteousness of God.  Whether Jew or Gentile, each person will have a day of reckoning, in which they will stand before God. 

But then, Paul's words take a turn as they are directed specifically at Jewish listeners.  He doesn't mince words.  The Jewish audience may think they are better than the Gentiles because of circumcision and the law, but truly actions speak louder than words.  What good is the law if they don't obey it?  Paul accuses the Jews of judging the Gentiles for not doing things "right" but really they should be judging themselves.  Their faith was superficial and all about outward appearances, so they look good in front of other human beings, not God.

What God values is the work of the Spirit in our hearts.  What's going on in your heart right now?  Unfortunately, it is too easy for us to make faith about a list of things that make us look good to others: attending church regularly, serving and volunteering, being part of a small group or Bible study, making moral choices, being a good person, you get the idea.  But if our heart isn't right with God, all those good things are worthless.  What God values is the work of the Spirit in our hearts.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

August 19, 2024

Day 2 of Week 21

Scripture:  2 Samuel 15-17; Psalms 3, 63; Romans 1

Happy Monday, everyone.  Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope.  Let’s get started.

We are continuing our journey through 2 Samuel, beginning with chapter 15.  Absalom is positioning himself to take over as king. Having his own chariot and horses was certainly a sign of prominence and royalty.  He also enlists fifty men to be with him wherever he went; this would have made quite an impression.  Absalom begins to act like a king, although he wasn’t one, by administering “divine justice” for the citizens.

By getting up early and standing by the city gate, Absalom would basically intercept anyone heading to David’s court and offer his own advice and wisdom. He was pretty shady–he wanted the people to think that he cared for them more than David and attempted to alienate the common people from the king.  And it worked.  We don’t know whether David was aware of Absalom’s actions but most indications are that he didn’t know or didn’t take it seriously.  Later in the chapter, David is informed by a messenger that Absalom was planning a coup and that the hearts of the people of Israel were with Absalom, not David.  It’s only then that David acts by telling his people to flee.  David, the fierce military leader, is going to flee the city and is encouraging his followers to do the same.

How could David have been so clueless as to what was going on right outside the palace?  Was he that disconnected from his people that he didn’t see a shift in allegiances?  Maybe he had grown too comfortable in the palace or grown complacent in his position, taking for granted God’s protection.  Being king meant power, prestige, tremendous creature comforts, and also a certain amount of isolation and not a lot of accountability.  Was he walking with God?

That leads us to chapter 16. David is fleeing Jerusalem with his entire household.  He encounters both help and support (Ziba offers donkeys and large quantities of food) and he faces violence and opposition (from Shimel, a Saulite).  Please be sure to read through the whole text for the specifics.  One can only imagine how arduous the travel would be.  It’s interesting though. There is still nothing in the Scripture about David asking the Lord for direction or help. 

David is leaving Jerusalem while his son Absalom is arriving in the palace.  Absalom, who has just successfully carried out a bloodless coup, decides to ask advice from Ahithophel how to ensure his grip on the throne and the palace.  Keep in mind that at one time Ahithophel was one of King David’s most trusted advisors but he turned against David. Ahithophel felt betrayed by King David, as Bathsheba was his granddaughter; David brought shame to his family.

Nevertheless, he gives Absalom some pretty bad advice, telling him to sleep with his father’s concubines on the roof of the palace for all of Israel to see. Maybe Ahithophel thought this was retribution, an eye for an eye.  But it also violated God’s law.  Anger and bitterness have a way of making people make terrible decisions and give horrible advice. 

I’m wondering if there is something in your life right now, a lingering anger or bitterness, that needs to be given to God. You see, without us even realizing it, these feelings of rage and resentment can eat at us and create a wedge between us and God. They can color our view of the world. What do you need to give to God today?

The drama continues in chapter 17.  Hushai, a trusted advisor of King David, has convinced Absalom that he has switched camps.  He is essentially a spy for David.  Ahithophel has already offered advice to Absalom but Hushai intervenes and offers his own strategy.  Absalom decides to go with Hushai’s plan of action for attacking David and his troops.  This allows Hushai time to get word to David so they will be prepared for what is to come. 

From whom do you get your advice and guidance?  Obviously, we want to seek guidance first from the Lord.  But then, it is often helpful to have people who we trust to advise us in times of struggle or when a big decision needs to be made.  And my suggestion would be to choose these people wisely!  As we have witnessed in these texts, anyone can offer advice but only a few offer wise counsel.  Think about it.  Who do you go to for wise counsel?  Why have you chosen them?  If you don’t have those people in your life, pray about who God might have put in your life for just that purpose.  Friends, we need one another.

Be sure to read the Psalms for today.  Psalm 3 describes David state of mind as he is fleeing from Absalom.  He now acknowledges that his deliverance will only come from God.  Psalm 63 finds David in the dessert.  This also could have been while he was running away from his power-hungry son.  I always find the psalms so fascinating.  We don’t necessarily get David’s thoughts in 2 Samuel but the psalms give us a picture of his pleading with God.  It seems that it is in crisis that David is closest to God.  How many of us can relate?  Not that we want hardship, but it does drive us closer to the Lord. 

We are also starting the book of Romans today.  Romans is probably one of the most impactful books of the Bible.  Much of our Christian doctrine is rooted in this book.  My own experience in Romans is that sometimes I need to read a chapter more than once to understand its meaning.  Don't be discouraged if that is the case for you too.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide your reading and reveal what God wants you to know in each chapter. 

Romans is written in the form a letter.  Paul starts by identifying himself: he is a servant of Christ, an apostle, and one who is set apart for the Gospel.  He is writing to a church in Rome that he did not establish and has not yet visited.  He wants to be clear from the beginning who he is and what he believes.  He is clear that the purpose of his writing is Jesus.  Really, it’s all about Jesus Christ, and we will see that theme woven throughout the entirety of Romans.  It’s certainly a good reminder for us–it is simply all about Jesus. We get quite distracted but Jesus is what matters.

In the middle of the chapter, Paul is clear about his purpose - sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Take a look at some of the statements that Paul makes:

-I am obligated to both Greeks and non-Greeks, to those who are wise and foolish

-I am eager to preach the Gospel to those in Rome

-I am not ashamed of the Gospel.

Paul knows who and whose he is and that defines every other aspect of his life.  He is a person sent to share the Good News to all people, he is looking forward to preaching Jesus to the people of Rome, and he is totally unashamed, unembarrassed, and ready to be a minister of the Gospel.  

What are your thoughts about this?  We live in a time and culture in which people are hesitant to share their faith, worried about people’s reactions, and content to just leave things be.  Paul was anything but content.  He felt obligated, eager, and totally unashamed!  Spend some time in prayer asking God to speak to you, specifically what God wants you to learn from Paul and our new study of Romans.  Ask God to open your heart and mind to new concepts and challenges.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

August 18, 2024

Day 1 of Week 21

Scripture:  2 Samuel 13-14; Acts 28

Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  Happy Sunday!  I hope to see the vast majority of you in worship this morning.  Let’s go ahead and get started.

We start with 2 Samuel 13.  This was an ugly chapter filled with family dysfunction, sexual assault, murder, and more sin.  It really marks a critical juncture in the book of 2 Samuel.  The first ten chapters describe David’s victories and faithfulness.  In the next half of the book, we begin to see David’s downfall and the beginning of a divided Israel.

Amnon was David’s oldest son and the heir-apparent.  He lusted after his half-sister, Tamar, and despite knowing it was wrong and despite her own pleas, he rapes her and then abandons her.  There are significant parallels between Amnon’s sin and the sin of his father, King David.  Both committed sexual assault within the privacy and safety of the palace, both of the women experienced extraordinary grief because of the men’s actions, and both of their sins resulted in death for David’s sons.

While we could probably make many reflections on this text, what stands out to me is that the sins of one generation imprint the next generation.  Each sin leads to more sin and seems to set a precedent for others to follow.   Generational patterns of sin are all too common: sexual abuse, physical abuse, alcoholism and substance use, among other things.  The only one who can break this pattern of bondage and sin is Jesus.

And we also read chapter 14.  Joab, David’s nephew, friend, and commander, knew David well enough to sense that he was grieving.  David was desperately missing Absalom but he wouldn’t admit it.  Joab devises a somewhat manipulative scheme to get David to admit his desire for Absalom to return to Jerusalem.  It works and David allows his son to return. 

But while Absalom returns, that doesn’t mean they were all one big happy family. In fact, David refuses to see Absalom.  Absalom is not invited to the royal dining table.  In fact, the lack of relationship with the palace certainly puts his succession to the throne in question.  Thus, Absalom insists upon seeing the king and Joab refuses to even consider the request.  

Why did he bother to pick up his life and move to Jerusalem if the king won’t even look him in the face?  Absalom insists-either the king would restore him as a son or he would be put to death.  He was willing to take the risk.  At last, David consents to see his estranged son.  And when they see each other, David kisses him.  This is a sign that David has fully accepted him back into the family.  David has reconciled with his son and Absalom has been forgiven.

Okay, let’s move on to our New Testament reading, Acts 28.  After a few months on the island of Malta, during which Paul was bitten by a viper (with no bad repercussions) and healed many people, they finally are able to secure a new ship and continue the journey to Rome.  When they arrive, Paul is met by a group of believers.  I love this. I picture a group waiting by the dock for the ship to come in, anxious to take care of Paul with warm hugs and casseroles!  But Paul doesn't waste much time, after just three days he begins to preach, teach, and discuss his views with the Jewish leaders in Rome.  It appears they are more open to Paul's teachings than the Jews in other locations. 

For two years, Paul stays in Rome, in his own rented house, and welcomed all who came to see him.  He taught about God's Kingdom and preached Jesus with boldness and without any obstacles.  It's possible he resumed his tent-making in order to support himself but his main focus was conversion.  Paul's intention was always to go to Rome.  But just like in our own lives, stuff happened.  Riots, jail time, and shipwrecks, all thwarted the best of intentions.  Eventually, Paul did end up in Rome and had two years there to share the Gospel.

Our life journeys, though probably not as eventful as Paul's, never go in a straight line.  There are ups and downs, steps backward, pauses, and spins.  But God can and will use each of those experiences to grow us and to help us speak into the lives of others.  It's always about the journey, not the destination.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

August 15, 2024

Day 5 of Week 20

Scripture:  2 Samuel 11-12; I Chronicles 20; Psalm 51; Acts 27

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan.  We are nearing the end of week 20 of consistent Bible reading.  I would love to hear how God is teaching you and what God may be revealing to you through his Word.

As usual, let’s get started with 2 Samuel.  We begin in chapter 11.  This is a story that most of us know too well.  David messes up bigtime.  But I think it’s important that we realize this didn’t just happen.  There were certain circumstances that led David down this dark path.

Let’s look at the beginning of the chapter.  In the very first verse, it says that it was springtime when the kings go off to war.  We talked about this yesterday with our I Chronicles passage and we find it now in 2 Samuel.  David sent his commander, Joab, off to war but he stays in Jerusalem.  David is a warrior.  That’s his giftedness.  But rather than go to war with his men, he decides to lounge around Jerusalem.  We all need downtime but there is a difference between downtime and idleness.  For whatever reason, David decides not to do what he is called to do and to simply waste time in the palace.

When we don’t feel purposeful, when we have too much time on our hands, when we’re not actively engaging in our faith, then that’s usually when things go awry.  And boy did things go wrong for David.  You know the story.  He sees Bathsheba bathing (hmmm...why was this Godly king hanging on the roof watching the women bathe?), finds her beautiful, and decides he must have her.  I want you to think about this.  He is the king of Israel.  She is the wife of a soldier.  My guess is she doesn’t have a lot of choice in the situation.  There is something we call that in today’s language–rape.  This man, who has always been so dedicated to God, going to great lengths to follow God’s will, has now raped a woman.

But it gets worse.  She becomes pregnant.  To cover-up this issue, he sends Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, into battle on the front lines, where he will surely be killed. Now, David has added murder to his list of offenses.  After Bathsheba mourns her husband, David brings her into his home to be his wife.  But the Lord was displeased. 

So we have to ask–what in the world happened to David?  From chapter 10 and the battle with the Ammonites to today’s chapter, what went on in David’s heart and mind? To say he drifted from God would kind of be an understatement.  The idleness probably didn’t help but there had to be more, much more.  He became like the kings in the nations around him. He forgot who he was and to whom he belonged.  He totally lost his way.

As I reflected on this chapter and passed some pretty significant judgment on David, God really hit me over the head.  Friends, we all have the potential to lose our way.  We all have the potential to be David and I think it behooves us to recognize that.  What’s the answer then?  I don’t exactly know except that we have to be very, very intentional to walk close to Jesus every single day, every single second.  On our own, we drift and we lose our way. We allow all kinds of sin to creep into our hearts and lives.  We need Jesus.  You need Jesus. I need Jesus.  Not a little Jesus every now and then.  But all of Jesus all the time.

Let’s head over to chapter 12.  It is the job of the prophet to speak truth to power.  In this situation, the prophet Nathan gets the fun job of telling David that he sinned against God.  Some men may have gotten angry or defensive but David accepts the truth.  He experiences conviction and is repentant.  God’s response is that while David won’t die, his child with Bathsheba will. 

I have always struggled with this text.  Why did the baby have to die?  After all, it was David who sinned against the Lord.  Yet, he gets to live and the innocent one dies.  And then it hit me–our sin always has ugly consequences.  Look at the entire Biblical narrative–sin is destructive and it is harmful to the people around us and our communities.  It is harmful to the Kingdom.  We might not like to think about it but our sin always has consequences.  Our sin hurts others, often hurting those who are innocent and vulnerable.  I’ll just stop there for today.

I think I might have gotten a bit ahead of myself yesterday and gone through I Chronicles 20.  If you recall, it speaks to how King David did not go off to war with his men.  Yes, they end up victorious.  But what the chapter doesn’t speak of is what happened at home in the palace.  We’ve already talked about it so I’ll stop there.  But the omission is glaring.

Take time to read the psalm for today but I’m not going to spend much time going over it.  I really want to get to Acts 27.  We find that Paul's journey continues.  This time, he is on his way to Rome.  They hit very severe weather, which threatens to kill all those on board.  It must have been quite dire, as they throw their cargo overboard to lighten up the ship.  

It sounds like weeks and weeks of hunger and misery.  They finally see land. By this point, there isn't much left of the ship.  The soldiers want to kill the prisoners but the centurion stops them, as he wanted to ensure that Paul was spared.  It seems that the situation was a bit of a free for all; those who could swim, swam to shore.  Others grabbed pieces of floating debris and yet all managed to get to shore safely.

This is such an interesting passage to me.  The Scripture says there were 276 men on board that ship.  They must have all been praying in whatever way they were accustomed to do so.  I can't help but think that Paul was praying boldly and witnessing to all the men on board.  In such a situation, it seems highly likely people would be very open to hearing about the eternal life offered through faith in Jesus.  I wonder if that is why the centurion was so intent on saving Paul's life.  Had he become a follower of Jesus?

More tomorrow. 

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

August 14, 2024

Day 4 of Week 20

Scripture:  2 Samuel 9-10; 1 Chronicles 18-19; Psalm 89; Acts 26

Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church Bible reading plan.  We have a lot of Scripture to talk about today so let’s get to it.

Let’s get started with 2 Samuel.  In 2 Samuel chapter 9, we see David making good on his promise to Saul and his commitment to Jonathan, Saul’s son.  Despite the fact that Saul tried to kill David numerous times, it was David’s commitment to care for Saul’s descendants.  He also wanted to “show kindness for Jonathan’s sake.”  If you recall, Jonathan was David’s best friend who risked his own life to save David’s.  Thus, David asks one of Saul’s former servants, named Ziba, if there are any descendants of Saul remaining.  Ziba is honest and tells David about one of Jonathan’s sons who lives in self-imposed exile with his family.  This son’s name was Mephibosheth and he was disabled. 

David then offers Mephibosheth the land that belonged to Saul and includes him at the royal table.  Mephibosheth asks, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”  It reminded me of our discussion yesterday, when David asks God, “Who am I that you should bless me?”  Again, we have this beautiful picture of grace. 

Let’s head over to chapter 10.  In an attempt to show kindness and build alliances, David sends a delegation to the new king of the Ammonites.  David had a good relationship with the king’s father and wanted to continue that relationship with the king.  But the new king was not so wise. His advisors tell him that this delegation from Israel may actually be spies, sizing up the area for a conquest. The king takes their advice to heart, or possibly wants to exert his independence from the more powerful Israel, so he humiliates the men in the delegation by sending them home with half a beard and half-naked.

In those days, this was basically a declaration of war.  The Ammonites expected Israel to respond militarily so they hire mercenaries, the Arameans, to help them fight.  But neither group is a match for the army of Israel, led by Joab. J.oab is strategic and brave, leading the men to victory despite formidable odds. In the end, the Ammonites plan backfired. Israel becomes the strongest nation in the area, politically, militarily, and economically. With God on their side, they cannot be stopped.

Our passage from I Chronicles details several different battles during which the army of Israel was victorious.  In I Chronicles 18 (as in 2 Kings 10 - it's the same story), the Hebrews are humiliated by the Ammonites and they respond by setting up battle lines.  With Joab and David commanding the army, Israel is victorious.  God is clearly with them.

I Chronicles 19 is a little different.  Yes, it’s about war.  The Israeli army conquers Rappha.  But it also says that in the spring, the kings go off to war.  Did you notice that David did not go?  On first glance, that’s really puzzling.  David was excellent in battle.  Maybe he didn’t think this offensive was worth his time or he was just getting lazy.  But he should have been with his men. 

What we know is that David staying home led to trouble.  He saw a woman bathing.  Maybe you have heard of her?  Her name is Bathsheba.  He then commits adultery (many would say rape because there is no way she had any say in the matter).  When she ends up pregnant, he sends her husband, Uriah, to the front lines to be killed (in the same battle, he himself should have participated).  Certainly, a lot happened from the time David sent his men off to war and their conquering of Rappah.  It’s curious that Chronicles does not chronicle this very significant event.  What are your thoughts about this?  Why does the chronicler leave this out of the passage?

Psalm 89 is written by Ethan the Ezrahite.  He was a very wise man.  He is mentioned in I Chronicles 2 and I Kings 4.  His psalm praises God and also reaffirms God’s covenant with David.  No matter what David’s sons do (and David’s sons have some big issues that we will be talking about soon), God will keep his promise to David.  His throne will last forever.  Of course, we know that it is Jesus who will sit on David’s throne and fulfill the covenant but that isn’t obvious to anyone yet. 

Our New Testament passage is Acts 26.  Now, Paul is pleading his case before King Agrippa, to be more precise King Herod Agrippa II.  Let's think about the power-hungry and unethical family of Herodians that had lorded authority over the Jews in the past several generations.  The Herods were essentially puppet kings who the Romans put in charge of Judea.  There was Herod the Great who tried to kill baby Jesus.  Then there was his son, Herod Antipas, who beheaded John the Baptist for speaking out about his illegitimate marriage.  Next in line was Agrippa I who beheaded James, the son of Zebedee.  Now, Paul is standing before Agrippa II, with no sign of fear, simply speaking the truth with clarity and boldness.

In today’s passage, governor Festus has accused Paul of insanity after hearing his full testimony, including his conversion on the road to Damascus.  In response, Paul speaks directly to Agrippa, knowing that he was very familiar with the ways of the Jews.  As Paul stands there in chains, he forcefully asks the king if he believes in the ways of the prophets.  I kind of picture the king embarrassed in front of all his Roman/pagan friends, stammering, not quite knowing how to answer.  So he asks Paul, "Do you think you can convince me to be a Christian in such a short time?"  There must have been something about Agrippa that Paul knew he was curious and open.  Maybe God told him to direct his questions to Agrippa.  We can assume that throughout this whole trial, the Holy Spirit is directing Paul's words and actions. There is a purpose for each trial, for each giving of testimony, for each conversation, because in each setting, more and more people are exposed to the Gospel. 

What's interesting to me at the end of this chapter, Agrippa and Festus are talking and say that it's a shame that Paul has appealed to the emperor because he had done nothing wrong and they could release him.  However, his appeal meant he would be heading to Rome to testify once more.  What they don't understand is that this isn't simply about Paul's freedom, it's about carrying the Good News to people and places it had never been before. God's up to something more.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki

Daily Dose of Hope

August 13, 2024

Day 3 of Week 20

Scripture:  2 Samuel 7-8; 1 Chronicles 17; Psalm 132; Acts 25

Welcome back to our daily podcast and devotional, the Daily Dose of Hope.  This complements the Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  Please know I hope you are doing well.  If you need anything, including specific prayer, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.  Well, we have an interesting mix of Scripture to talk about today so let’s get started.

Our first Old Testament text is from 2 Samuel, chapter 7.   The Kingdom of Israel was finally where it was supposed to be and God gives the nation peace.  King David has united the kingdom, he has settled in Jerusalem and make that the national capital, the ark of the covenant had been transported there as well, the borders of Israel have been greatly expanded.  For the first time in a long time, this is a good time for King David and a good time for the people of Israel.

David decides that he wants to do something for God.  He has this idea to build a temple, a place of dignity for the ark.  But God brings a word to the prophet Nathan that he doesn’t want a house of cedar.  This isn’t about what David can do for God but what God will do for David.  Then, God covenants with David.  God says he will establish a house for David–this is another way of saying dynasty.  Basically, a descendent of David will be on the throne forever. 

But how can in the world could the throne be established forever?  How could a descendent of David be on the throne forever?  Most of us know that later on, after the death of Solomon, the Kingdom divides and then the kings and the people become so evil that God lifts his hand of protection.  He allows the people to be conquered by foreign nations.  Once the southern kingdom of Judah is destroyed and the temple is destroyed in 586-7 BC by the Babylonians, the Jewish people are carried off to the land of Babylon in exile.  The people of Israel, from that point on, are subject to other nations. 

Interestingly, it’s then that the commitment of God in this covenant becomes more clear.  You see, the covenant was pointing to a future figure, a Messiah, who would come and sit on the throne of his ancestor David forever.  The covenant is pointing to Jesus.  One of the most interesting things to me is that despite all the dark days that the Hebrew people went through after the Kingdom was divided and then after the fall of the Kingdom, think about their days in exile, living in poverty, separated from God and one another. This went on for years and years.  But they held on to this promise to David.  And God was good in that he sent prophets to remind them of this promise...Isaiah 9:2, 6-7, The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.  And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.  He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

Despite their disobedience, their stubbornness, and their desperate circumstances at times, the Israelites believed in the faithfulness of God.  For all their faults, and they had many, probably their primary strength was never losing sight of God’s faithfulness, that God is a God who keeps his promises.  He did send someone who would reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness forever and forever. His name was Jesus Christ, the one who ensured that all people could be invited into God’s covenant community.

Let’s move on to chapter 8.  David reigned fairly and competently over Israel.  Part of his success was his choice of leaders.  He chose people who were effective, had integrity, and sought to execute God’s justice and will.  There was Joab, one of David’s nephews, who was in charge of the army, essentially executing justice against those who opposed the nation of Israel.  Jehoshaphat was the recorder, which means he chronicled all that went on with David’s administration, allowing future generations to see how they honored God.  

Zadak and Ahimelek, as priests, were in charge of proper worship. They were descendants of Aaron.  Seraiah, as secretary, would have assisted with the administration.  Benaiah, son of a priest and a military leader, oversaw the Kerethites and Pelethites, who essentially served as a private militia for the king.  Finally, David’s sons also served as priests. This is somewhat strange, as priests must be from the line of Aaron.  Scholars think they may have served in a consultive role.

Regardless, all of these leaders were trusted.  They were effective.  They cared about the will of God.  A nation, an organization, a church, etc. can only function well with good leaders.  Leadership matters.  We have all seen the results of poor leadership–things fall apart, the people scatter, the organization is damaged.  The people who are charged with leading a church must be committed to the values of Jesus Christ.  In addition to the pastor, the leaders have they have the role of influencing and guiding the body, a huge responsibility!  Besides being competent, they must have integrity, they must care about the organization, and they must be mature in their walk with Jesus.  Leadership matters.  Please pray for the leaders of New Hope today.

We now move to I Chronicles 17.  In this chapter, we get a deeper look into David’s heart.  He wants to build a house for the ark that is proper; not simply a tent.  But God doesn’t want that.  God speaks to the prophet Nathan pretty clearly – David is not the one to build the Temple.  Most of us know, that will be for Solomon.  I do love how David exhibits humility as he praises God.  “Who am I?  Who is my family?” he asks God. 

I think we can all ask God that, can’t we?  Who are we that you would do so much for us?  Who am I that Jesus would die for me?  None of this is deserved.  We have not earned it.  This is grace.  It was grace for David and it’s grace for us. 

Psalm 132 is another Psalm of Ascent.  Remember, these were sung as pilgrims walked into Jerusalem for the annual festivals.  As you read through this one, you can see how the author highlights David and his humility.  He also highlights the coming of the Messiah.  What else can you pick out of the psalm from our current reading?

Our New Testament passage for today is Acts 25.  Paul’s on-going custody and trial continues in this chapter.  Felix was recalled to Rome to handle some other events.  The man who followed him died after just two years and now we find ourselves introduced to the new governor, Festus.  So this means that Paul has been in custody for over two years!  Festus quickly demonstrates that, while he will listen to the Jewish leaders’ accusations against Paul, he will not be bullied by them.  

He appears to want to give Paul a fair hearing once again.  Now, the Jews were accusing Paul of both religious and civil offenses.  Even if he were innocent, this raises red flags among the Roman authorities.  Paul uses last card, an appeal to Caesar himself, which was his right to do as a Roman citizen.  This also means the Gospel message will now move further up the government ladder. God is at work here.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki