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NL-Day005 Genesis 9-10; Job 5; Mark 4:1-25

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

Release Date: 12/29/2024

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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Choose a good Bible version for your reading this year!
I recommend that you choose a good meaning-based translation for your Bible reading this year, not one of the literal versions. I recommend that you use a literal version whenever you have time for in-depth study, but not for your daily devotional reading. Here’s the difference:

The advantage of a literal translation is that it gives you a word-for-word view into the _form_ of the original. The disadvantage of literal translations is that they cannot give you the _meaning_ in clear and natural English.

The advantage of a meaning-based translation is that it gives you the meaning of the text in clear, natural English. The disadvantage of the meaning-based translation is that they cannot show you the word-for-word form of the original text.

We need both kinds of translations! Use both kinds when you are doing in-depth study. But for devotional reading, my top choices are the New Living Translation and the Good News Bible. These meaning-based translations will help you be successful in reading the Bible in a year, because the text is so much easier to understand.  Both have good scholarly backing and are reliable.

I don’t recommend using a paraphrase like The Message. The popular NIV is halfway between literal and meaning-based. (This means that you cannot immediately know if a verse is translated literally or more freely based on meaning.) One of the most popular literal translations these days is the English Standard Version. My advice is to NOT use the ESV for your devotional reading unless you have time for reading the notes in your study Bible.

GENESIS 9-10:
In chapter 8 the flood receded. After everyone came out of the boat, Noah made a sacrifice.

JOB 5:
In chapter 4 Eliphaz implied that Job’s guilt was the reason he was being punished:
“Stop and think! Do the innocent die?
When have the upright been destroyed?
8 NLT My experience shows that those who plant trouble
and cultivate evil will harvest the same.

MARK 4:
In chapter 3 we have seen that opposition to Jesus was mounting from the Jewish religious leaders. They were already plotting to kill him and saying he performed miracles by the power of Satan.

I want to comment briefly about the sin of blaspheming or reviling the Holy Spirit that we heard about at the end of chapter 3. Some people worry about whether they have done this and committed the unforgivable sin. Note the context here. The experts in the Law were saying the Jesus was working by the power of _Satan_. But Jesus was working by the power of the _Holy Spirit_. A person in a frame of mind like those Law experts will never repent. So Jesus was warning them, because they were mighty close to blaspheming the Holy Spirit by what they were saying about Jesus. I want you to know this: If you worry about whether in some past time you have blasphemed the Holy Spirit, then you haven’t! If you are the kind of person who feels sorrow for sins already committed and are ready to repent of sin, then you have never blasphemed the Holy Spirit, nor are you likely to ever do so.


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NLT Translation notes:
Mrk. 4:6 But the plant[s/0] soon wilted under the hot sun, and since [they/it] didn’t have deep roots, [they/it] died.
[Seed is a collective noun, so the plants should be plural, even though Greek is singular, referring back to 'seed'.]
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the
secret[s/0] of the Kingdom of God.
[Even though the word 'mystery' is singular in Greek, it is more natural in English to use plural 'secrets'. One mystery can contain many secrets. Jesus is opening the possibility of his disciples understanding many things that were previously unrevealed to mankind. He is not saying he has given them just one secret.]
13 Then Jesus said to them, [“How could you fail to understand the meaning of that parable? If so, you will be hopeless at understanding all my other parables!”//“If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?”]
[Some translations translate this verse as two rhetorical questions. Jesus is using the RQ as a mild rebuke. When we do rebuking RQs in English, I think we tend to make them shorter.]
22 [Similarly/For] everything that is hidden [now/0] will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.
[Greek has a 'gar' connector here which is often translated as 'for'. But 22 is not a REASON for 21, but instead is showing the point of similarity with 21.]

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.