NL-Day327 Nehemiah 5-6; Isaiah 36; Philippians 4
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
Release Date: 11/23/2024
NL-Day096 Deuteronomy 7-8; Psalm 53; Acts 9:17-43
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
DEUTERONOMY 7-8:Yesterday in Deuteronomy we heard Moses repeating the 10 Commandments and pleading with the people that they remain faithful in obeying all the commands and regulations the Lord gave. The reading ended with an important statement to remember when considering the difference between the old and new covenants: NLT: 6:25 “For we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the LORD our God has given us.’” PSALM 53:This is another Psalm that is quoted in the New Testament, and therefore, often quoted in general. This is a tell-it-like-it-is psalm, not a sweet and...
info_outline
NL-Day095 Deuteronomy 5-6; Psalm 52; Acts 9:1-21
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
DEUTERONOMY 5-6:Yesterday we heard Moses expound on the most important command to never worship any idol or any god other than the Lord. He based this on the Israelite's experience of hearing God's voice and not seeing his form. Moses was realistic and knew that Israel would eventually leave God, and that God would judge them. He gave them this amazing promise: “from there (where you have been exiled by your enemies) you will search again for the LORD your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.” PSALM 52:This is another psalm from David's...
info_outline
NL-Day094 Deuteronomy 4; Psalm 51; Acts 8:25-40
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
DEUTERONOMY 4:Yesterday Moses gave his personal account of how God led the people of Israel in not attacking three nations, but finally led them in attacking two kings. Moses pleaded with God to allow him to cross the Jordan into the promised land, but God refused to let him. PSALM 51:This is one of the most quoted and most famous psalms. David's sincere and broken-hearted prayer for forgiveness is a pattern for all of us to follow. ACTS 8b:Yesterday we heard how the believers in Jerusalem were scattered by a wave of persecution following Stephen's martyrdom. Philip (the deacon, not the...
info_outline
NL-Day093 Deuteronomy 2-3; Psalm 50; Acts 8:1-25
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
DEUTERONOMY 2-3:Yesterday we heard Moses preaching and confronting the people of Israel about their bickering and their incredible stubbornness in refusing to believe the Lord's commands, and their refusal to believe God’s loving intent in his commands. PSALM 50:Remember what Moses said yesterday in Deuteronomy? This Psalm tells us what God wants most from his people. ACTS 8:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Stephen's speech. He confronted the high council with the indisputable fact that the people of Israel had always refused to follow what God told them and killed the prophets. “They...
info_outline
NL-Day092 Deuteronomy 1; Psalm 49; Acts 7:30-60
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
DEUTERONOMY 1:Yesterday in the conclusion of Numbers, we learned that each clan's allotment of land must stay within that clan, even when parcels of land could be inherited by daughters. Mears says, “Deuteronomy is a book of remembrance. The name ‘Deuteronomy’ means “second law,” which indicates that the law is repeated. Moses did this to remind the people what God had done for them and what they were to do to serve Him when they reached the Promised Land. This book omits the things that relate to the priests and Levites but includes the things that the people should know. And the...
info_outline
NL-Day091 Numbers 36; Psalm 48; Acts 7:1-39
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 36:Yesterday we heard about the boundaries for the nation of Israel, the 12 clan leaders appointed by the Lord, and about cities set aside for the Levites and cities of refuge— to protect from unjust prosecution of murder. PSALM 48:This psalm praises God for Jerusalem and shows that Jerusalem is a reflection of God's glory. It is clear that more than the earthly Jerusalem is the topic. God has prepared a city for us! ACTS 7a:Yesterday in chapter 6 we heard how grumbling in the ever-expanding group of believers in Jerusalem required that seven helpers (the first deacons) be...
info_outline
NL-Day090 Numbers 34-35; Psalm 47; Acts 6
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 34-35:Yesterday we heard the listing of the stages of the nomadic journey of the people of Israel. God began giving instructions for the time when the people would enter the promised land. PSALM 47:This is a jubilant song of praise. This has been a special Psalm for our family. We remember singing this whole Psalm with one of our favorite churches. And when we were in Indonesia, they made a recording and we listened to it many times. ACTS 6:Yesterday we heard Peter and the apostles give fearless testimony before the Jewish high council. They were beaten, but counted it an honor. NLT...
info_outline
NL-Day089 Numbers 33; Psalm 46; Acts 5:17-42
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 33:Yesterday we heard how the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh promised to go ahead of their fellow Israelites into battle on the west side of the Jordan, because they were receiving land on the east side of the Jordan. In hindsight, I must say this was not a great idea. Because of how often all the men were required to go to Jerusalem for the holy assemblies, it must have been very easy to not attend those events and grow increasingly far from the Lord. PSALM 46:This was the inspiration for the hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. The word translated by the GNT as...
info_outline
NL-Day088 Numbers 32; Psalm 45; Acts 5:1-21
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 32:Yesterday we heard of the conquest of the Midianite people. That story is an example of how hard it is for us humans to follow God's instructions. PSALM 45:This psalm may have originally been intended as a wedding song for King Solomon, but from our vantage point we can see that it is really a song of praise to our King, the Messiah, and we— the people of God, are the bride. ACTS 5a:Yesterday we heard of the fearless praying of the believers after being commanded to no longer teach about Jesus. And we heard of the wonderful unity of spirit among them. Unless otherwise...
info_outline
NL-Day087 Numbers 31; Psalm 44; Acts 4:19-37
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
NUMBERS 31:Yesterday the listing of sacrifices continued with those for the Festival of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the 8 day Festival of Shelters. Then in Numbers 30 we heard laws concerning the annulment of rash vows. These laws show how seriously God takes any vows made to Him! PSALM 44:This is a psalm with extreme contrast between part one and part two. Part one has a tone of praise— reciting the wonderful way God helped Israel. But part two accuses God of abandoning Israel. This psalm can be a pattern for us in how to plead with God to fulfill his promises or to again act as He...
info_outlineNEHEMIAH 5-6:
Yesterday Nehemiah gave a listing of the people who rebuilt the wall. This included Shallum and his daughters, and two named goldsmiths, merchants, priests and Levites. The residents of the land opposed to the construction were threatening violence, so the people armed themselves and had men on guard at all times. Nehemiah and his men stayed fully armed at all times, and in the last verse of chapter 4 NLT says ‘even when they went for water’— which I take as a euphemism for going potty. That little phrase is very obscure in Hebrew, and GNT translates it in a different way.
ISAIAH 36:
It was interesting to find this verse near the beginning of Isaiah’s beautiful chapter 35:
35:3 NLT With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands,
and encourage those who have weak knees.
This verse was probably in the mind of the writer of Hebrews in chapter 13. And in fact, the Holy Highway and its destination is very much like the ‘place’ we ‘come to’ in Hebrews 13!
Today we start on the prose portion of Isaiah from chapters 36-39.
PHILIPPIANS 4:
I have found deep meaning and great spiritual help from the portion around verse 13 in chapter 3. And I am certainly not alone in that. Here are some of the most quoted verses in this letter:
Php. 3:13 NLT No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved [perfection//it], but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things...
I would like to point out that twice in this chapter Paul points us to heaven. One is in the verses I just quoted, and the other in verse 20, where he says, “We are citizens of heaven.” Note that he calls all of us to keep our focus forward and lengthen our stride as we run toward heaven. All of us! There is no other destination for believers ever mentioned in the Bible. Wherever Jesus is, that’s where we’ll be. And that’s why Paul says repeatedly, dying is better and would simply bring him nearer Christ. If as Revelation portrays, the New Jerusalem comes down to earth, then that is heaven and that’s where we will be. There is no such thing as a Purgatory. And neither is there a separation of believers, where the really holy ones get to go to heaven and the not so good ones stay on earth. There is only hell and heaven. And if you are a believer in Christ, you are a citizen of heaven and you will be right where Jesus is.
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.