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NL-Day033 Exodus 5-6; Job 33; James 2

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

Release Date: 01/26/2025

NL-Day159 2 Samuel 3-4; Psalm 108; Romans 12 show art NL-Day159 2 Samuel 3-4; Psalm 108; Romans 12

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2SAMUEL 3-4:In yesterday's story, David was anointed as king over his own tribe of Judah, while all the rest of Israel followed Saul's son, Ishbosheth. Ishbosheth was not a strong leader, but was put in place by Abner, the general. Joab was David's military commander. In the first battle, it is significant that Abner killed Joab's brother Asahel. David's troops decisively won their first battle in the civil war. PSALM 108:This is a psalm of exalted praise, and a song asking God for military victory. ROMANS 12a:Yesterday at the end of Romans 11, we came to the end of the long parenthesis. God...

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NL-Day158 2 Samuel 2; Psalm 107:23-43; Romans 11:17-36 show art NL-Day158 2 Samuel 2; Psalm 107:23-43; Romans 11:17-36

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2SAMUEL 2:David heard of Israel’s terrible defeat and of Saul and Jonathan's deaths, and he exacted the death sentence from the lying messenger. David and his men mourned for the deaths of  Saul and Jonathan, and David composed a funeral song for them. PSALM 107b:Yesterday I commented on how quickly our culture forgets about God. After a natural disaster, it becomes popular in the media to talk about praying for the victims. But God is not even mentioned, and soon any pretense of awe or fear of God is dropped. But Psalm 107 speaks of people who see God’s hand at work and make lasting...

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NL-Day157 2 Samuel 1; Psalm 107:1-22; Romans 11:1-24 show art NL-Day157 2 Samuel 1; Psalm 107:1-22; Romans 11:1-24

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2SAMUEL 1:David returned from being sent home from the battle with Israel only to find that his town had been ransacked by the Amalekites. He found strength in God, asked for God to direct him, and succeeded in retrieving everything, and even much more. However in Israel, Saul and his three sons died, and the Israelite army was completely defeated. PSALM 107a:We come to another of my favorite psalms. In E.C. Olsen’s book on the psalms (which is a transcription of his radio programs) he said that this psalm has a message for America. That message is in the repeated refrain found in this...

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NL-Day156 1 Samuel 30-31; Psalm 106:24-48; Romans 10:1-11:2a show art NL-Day156 1 Samuel 30-31; Psalm 106:24-48; Romans 10:1-11:2a

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1SAMUEL 30-31:The Philistines mustered their armies for full-scale war with Saul and the Israelites. Saul had already done a right thing in expelling all the mediums from Israel. But, since God had turned from him and would not answer him, he resorted to a medium during his darkest hour. It does not bother me too much to say that God spoke through that medium. It seems so by the evidence. But if so, it was an exception. God's word says to never consult a medium. In fact, mediums are to be stoned to death. David was preparing to go to war in support of Achish, or was he really?! PSALM...

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NL-Day155 1 Samuel 28-29; Psalm 106:1-27; Romans 10 show art NL-Day155 1 Samuel 28-29; Psalm 106:1-27; Romans 10

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1SAMUEL 28-29:Saul came after David again with 3,000 men, and David showed his integrity again and his daring. But even though Saul repented again, David made the decision to get out of the country so that he would not continually be in danger. He went to Achish the Philistine king in Gath. The part about the raids upon three enemy people groups is not one of the noble chapters of David's life. PSALM 106a:Psalm 106 is a companion to 105, as it again is a historical psalm. I see a very significant correspondence with the section of Romans we are now reading. Can you see it? ROMANS 10a:In our...

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NL-Day154 1 Samuel 26-27; Psalm 105:23-45; Romans 9:6-33 show art NL-Day154 1 Samuel 26-27; Psalm 105:23-45; Romans 9:6-33

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1SAMUEL 26-27:Yesterday we heard the story of the cur Nabal and his intelligent and beautiful wife, Abigail. After Nabal was struck down by the Lord, Abigail became one of David's wives. PSALM 105b:Today’s psalm is for teaching and reminding each generation of the children of Israel about the great things God has done for the Jewish people. ROMANS 9b:Note that we have entered a difficult section of Romans. Romans 12 starts with, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercies, …” But if you look back at what goes right before that in chapter 11, that doesn’t...

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NL-Day153 1 Samuel 25; Psalm 105:1-23; Romans 8:28-9:24 show art NL-Day153 1 Samuel 25; Psalm 105:1-23; Romans 8:28-9:24

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1SAMUEL 25:God gave protection and victory to David. In a scene that must have caused Saul's men to roll their eyes several times, Saul was humbled before them as David directly confronted him. But after making peace, they didn't go back to the capital together. PSALM 105a:Today’s psalm is for teaching and reminding each generation of the children of Israel about the great things God has done for the Jewish people. ROMANS 9a:What wonderful promises God has given to us in chapter 8 of Romans! That chapter always reminds me of a time when a Christian leader did wrong to me, and then said that...

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NL-Day152 1 Samuel 23-24; Psalm 104:19-35; Romans 8:12-39 show art NL-Day152 1 Samuel 23-24; Psalm 104:19-35; Romans 8:12-39

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1SAMUEL 23-24:As David fled from Saul, he went for help to Ahimelech the priest. He needed food and wanted to consult with the Lord, and it happened that Ahimelech also gave him Goliath's sword. This resulted later in Ahimilech's death and the deaths of all of Ahimilech's family— except one, Abiathar. PSALM 104b:This psalm starts and ends with the same refrain, and it is the same refrain as in Psalm 103. This psalm expounds on the majesty of God— especially as seen in His creation. ROMANS 8b:The power behind the new lives that God wants us to live is the Holy Spirit. A side observation...

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NL-Day151 1 Samuel 21-22; Psalm 104:1-18; Romans 8:1-30 show art NL-Day151 1 Samuel 21-22; Psalm 104:1-18; Romans 8:1-30

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1SAMUEL 21-22:Yesterday we heard the touching story of David and Jonathan's deep friendship, and how Jonathan realized at last the secret plot that his father, Saul, had against David. Jonathan seems to have been a prophet, for he realized that he would not succeed his father as king. PSALM 104a:This is a companion with Psalm 103. This psalm also starts and ends with the same refrain as the one in Psalm 103. This poem expounds on the majesty of God. ROMANS 8a:Paul said something in 7:5 that he felt needed to be explained from verse 7 to the end of chapter 7. (Of course there were no chapters...

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NL-Day149 1 Samuel 18-19; Psalm 102; Romans 6:19-7:17 show art NL-Day149 1 Samuel 18-19; Psalm 102; Romans 6:19-7:17

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1SAMUEL 18-19:In yesterday's story, David showed that he was more concerned with God's reputation than for his own safety. May we all face our imposing enemies with more belief in the unseen God than in the very present enemies! PSALM 102:This psalm starts out like the prayer of anyone in distress and trouble calling out to God. As we read further, many see parallels with what our Savior would have prayed in his darkest days on earth. ROMANS 6:19—7:The last verse of yesterday’s reading shows why it is better to take what we are given, rather than what we have earned! This is a big problem...

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More Episodes

EXODUS 5-6:
Moses has responded to God's call, returned to Egypt with Aaron, and has had a successful meeting with the leaders of the Israelite people.

JOB 33:
This is Elihu's second chapter of six in his speech.

JAMES 2:
Yesterday James told us to consider it a great joy when troubles come our way. Don't miss James’ reasoning for this seeming contradiction. Then he spoke very strongly about not just being people who merely listen to God's Word. We must do it.

 

NLT Translation notes:
Jam. 2:1 My dear brothers and sisters, a how can you claim to [fully believe//have faith] in our glorious Lord [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] if you favor some people over others?
5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in [the area of fully believing in Christ//faith]? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him?
6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who slander [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], whose noble nameyou bear?
10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty [of being a law breaker as the//as a] person who has broken all of God’s laws. 11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery.”
HEADING: [Believing without Good Deeds Is Dead Religion//Faith without Good Deeds Is Dead]
14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you [believe/have faith] but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of [believing/faith] save anyone?
17 So you see, [believing/faith] by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead [religion/0] and useless.
18 Now [I can just hear someone arguing//someone may argue], “Some people [are good at believing//have faith]; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me [that you believe//your faith] if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you [that I fully believe through//my faith] by my good deeds.”
19 You say you [believe//have faith], [because/for] you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe [that/this], and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that [believing/faith] without good deeds is useless?
22 You see, [believing/faith] and his actions worked together. His actions made his [believing/faith] complete [in God's sight]. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his [fully believing//faith].” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by [believing/faith] alone.
[I hope you remember why I use ‘believe’ instead of ‘faith’. ‘Faith’ and ‘believe’ translate the same root word (pistin/pisteuw) in Greek. 1. Faith is fuzzy because the word has taken on all sorts of meanings. 2. If you tell someone to have faith, they will likely ask, “But how?” Faith is not a volitional action. But believing is. 3. And finally I make the changes above for maintaining cohesion. In a verse like 23, it is important that the two phrases use the same word: ‘Abraham believed God’, and … ‘because of his believing’— that believing just mentioned, not some fuzzy thing Hollywood and our culture calls ‘faith’.]
26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also [merely believing is just dead religion//faith is dead] without good works.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.