Daily Dose of Hope

November 25, 2025

Scripture - Acts 5:17-42

Prayer: Holy and Merciful God, Thank you for a new day during this Thanksgiving week. We are so very grateful that your mercies are new every morning. We are thankful for your mercy, grace, and patience with us. Help us, Lord, gather our scattered thoughts and focus on you and your Word. In these next few moments of silence, help us be still and know that you are God...In Your Name, Amen.

Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the daily Bible reading plan at New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida. We are currently walking through the book of Acts. Today, we are finishing Acts 5.

The apostles are witnessing and people are coming to faith in Jesus. They are seeing signs and wonders. Even Peter's shadow falling on people is leading to healing. The Holy Spirit is working in powerful ways to demonstrate God's glory and grow the young church. Healing and deliverance are the norm, not the exception.

This really makes the Jewish leaders jealous and worried. Afterall, they want to control their perceived grip on religious power. The apostles are thrown in jail but freed by an angel. They go right back to the Temple courts and witness to the Gospel. When the Jewish leaders question and threaten the apostles, the believers are clear that they are going to follow God over man. Their boldness is amazing. It's clear the Spirit is in them in a powerful way. But what I am always alarmed by is their joy at being suffering disgrace for the Gospel. I mean they are flogged! That's extremely painful. And they praise God for this.

This leads to some pretty difficult questions for us.

First, when have you suffered disgrace for the Gospel?

Second, when have we experienced discomfort for the Gospel? Seriously, what is the worst we have experienced for the Gospel?

And finally, if you have experienced disgrace or discomfort, were you filled with joy?

I think we tend to go to great lengths to avoid disgrace and discomfort. Why?

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki