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000: 2025 DDeeper Introduction and How-to's

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

Release Date: 12/29/2024

NL-Day194 2 Kings 15-16; Psalm 130; John 14:1-21 show art NL-Day194 2 Kings 15-16; Psalm 130; John 14:1-21

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 15-16:Readers and listeners are frequently confused by the names of the kings in yesterday’s reading in 2nd Kings.  Judah’ king, Joash, died at the end of chapter 12. Then on the Israel (10 tribes) side, we heard of Jehoahaz's reign, and then the reign of his son, Johoash. He was helped by Elisha’s final prophecy. Also in yesterday’s reading we heard about of the reign of  Joash’s son, Amaziah, in Judah. Amaziah was very unwise to insist on war with Israel’s king Jehoash. PSALM 130:This Psalm of Ascent is one of the most beautiful of all the psalms, and an...

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NL-Day192 2 Kings 11-12; Psalm 128; John 13:1-17 show art NL-Day192 2 Kings 11-12; Psalm 128; John 13:1-17

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 11-12:Yesterday's story was of Jehu, anointed on Elisha's orders, and who executed the Lord's vengeance on Ahab and his whole family, and even his friends and the worshipers of Baal. However, after that, he still didn't follow the Lord, but continued the idolatry of Israel. PSALM 128:Today’s Song of Ascent has a similar theme about the Lord’s blessings for families as yesterday’s psalm. Unlike what I said about translating the Hebrew word ‘sons’ in Psalm 127, the context of today’s psalm seems more inclusive, so we can easily agree with the  NET and other versions in...

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NL-Day191 2 Kings 9-10; Psalm 127; John 12:20-50 show art NL-Day191 2 Kings 9-10; Psalm 127; John 12:20-50

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 9-10:Yesterday we heard one of my favorite Old Testament stories: The one about the three lepers and the famine in Samaria. Elisha's prophecy was so dramatically fulfilled, and the scoffing officer could be a parable for modern times. Then we heard how the woman from Shunem returned and was blessed a second time. The narrative switched briefly to the kingdom of Judah and Ahaziah's reign. PSALM 127:About ‘children/sons’ in v. 3, NET’s note says this: Some prefer to translate this word with the gender neutral “children,” but “sons” are plainly in view here, as the following...

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NL-Day190 2 Kings 7-8; Psalm 126; John 12:1-26 show art NL-Day190 2 Kings 7-8; Psalm 126; John 12:1-26

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 7-8:Yesterday we heard two more chapters containing fascinating miracles performed by Elisha. The story about Gahazi getting the gifts from Naaman, and the vision about the chariots of fire both have interesting spiritual significance to ponder. We come back to the story from chapter 7 where the Aramean army is surrounding Samaria. The famine is severe. The king has sent an executioner to kill Elisha. And then: 2Kings 6:32 NLT Elisha was sitting in his house with the elders of Israel when the king sent a messenger to summon him. But before the messenger arrived, Elisha said to the...

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NL-Day189 2 Kings 5-6; Psalm 125; John 11:21-57 show art NL-Day189 2 Kings 5-6; Psalm 125; John 11:21-57

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 5-6:Yesterday we heard of the many miracles done by Elisha, supplying water for three armies on their way to Moab for war, helping the widow of a prophet, blessing the woman from Shunem, purifying Jericho's water, and miraculously transforming food. PSALM 125:The first verse of this psalm is one that our family has sung for years. Gale and I learned this song from a cassette tape that came from a Canadian church called St. Margaret’s, a place we have never been to. At that time (around 1977) we were teachers in Papua New Guinea and our David was two. Those who trust in the Lord are...

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NL-Day187 2 Kings 1-2; Psalm 123; John 10:11-42 show art NL-Day187 2 Kings 1-2; Psalm 123; John 10:11-42

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

2KINGS 1-2:Yesterday we heard stories which show that King Ahab indeed “sold himself to evil,” including the story of Naboth's vineyard. And also we heard of Ahab's friendship with King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Finally we heard how the prophecies against Ahab were fulfilled. PSALM 123:This psalm has an important similarity with Ps. 121 which said, Ps. 121:1 NLT I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there?2 My help comes from the LORD,who made heaven and earth! Today’s psalm tells us how to ‘look’. JOHN 10b:In John 9, with the formerly blind man standing there, Jesus said,...

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NL-Day186 1 Kings 21-22; Psalm 122; John 10:1-21 show art NL-Day186 1 Kings 21-22; Psalm 122; John 10:1-21

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1KINGS 21-22:What a cruel surprise it must have been for Elijah to bring about such an irrefutable display of God's power before the people, but then to have to flee for his life because of Queen Jezebel! Note that God deigned to speak twice to King Ahab. And the reason was: God wanted it known to Ahab and to us that He is not a territorial God. God also gave amazing, symbolic revelations of Himself in the story of His appearing to Elijah at Mount Sinai. Finally, in yesterday’s reading, Elijah's successor, Elisha, was introduced. PSALM 122:Consider how exciting it would have been to make a...

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NL-Day185 1 Kings 19-20; Psalm 121; John 9 show art NL-Day185 1 Kings 19-20; Psalm 121; John 9

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1KINGS 19-20:The story we read yesterday in this book is one of the most dramatic in all of Scripture: The time the prophet Elijah confronted King Ahab. Remember that in the New Testament James used this story to encourage us that we are no different than Elijah and that we should pray fervently like him. PSALM 121:This is another psalm that is frequently sung, even today. Often this whole psalm is set to music. As Olsen says, this psalm lifts the fog from our eyes. Re-reading JOHN 9:Remember that in John 8 there was a tense standoff between Jesus and the religious leaders. The people took up...

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NL-Day184 1 Kings 17-18; Psalm 120; John 9 show art NL-Day184 1 Kings 17-18; Psalm 120; John 9

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1KINGS 17-18:We've arrived at the narrative of the different kings of Judah (which now includes the smaller tribe of Benjamin) and the kings of Israel (consisting of the 10 other tribes, sometimes called the Northern Kingdom). The kings on Israel’s side changed more rapidly and were 100% bad, while there was a mixed record among the kings of Judah. It will help your understanding to observe the section headings (which I normally do not read), and to try to remember which kingdom is being talked about. Note in yesterday's reading how prophecy was fulfilled again and again. And although Baasha...

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NL-Day183 1 Kings 15-16; Psalm 119:161-176; John 8:28-59 show art NL-Day183 1 Kings 15-16; Psalm 119:161-176; John 8:28-59

Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields

1KINGS 15-16:I think yesterday's story of the ‘man of God from Judah’ and the ‘old prophet from Bethel’ to be one of the most fascinating in the Bible. Prophets who lie will certainly be judged harshly by God! And we will see in 2nd Kings that the prophecy of the unnamed man of God from Judah was completely fulfilled. Also in yesterday’s reading, we heard Ahijah's prophecy against Jeroboam. We also heard of the end of the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon's son. And do you think that Shishak took the ark of the covenant to Egypt? PSALM 119:161-176:This our last reading in this Psalm. I...

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Hi there!

I’m so glad you have clicked to listen to this introduction to the Digging Deeper Daily Bible reading plan and podcasts for 2025.

If you want to read the Bible in a great reading plan that will hold your attention and enable you to stay with the program, you are in the right place.

If you want to listen, the complete Bibles I have recorded following my reading plan are the New Living Translation and the Good News Bible.

If you can, do both: listen to the podcast while reading along.

My name is Phil Fields. I’m almost 75 years old and happily married to Gale. We have three children, and five grandkids. In 1983, when our kids were still small, our family went as Bible translators to Papua, Indonesia. We finished a New Testament translation for the Orya people in 2005. Since that time I have been leading an organization which is translating the Bible into the national language of Indonesia. We’re hoping that the entire Bible in the Plain Indonesian Translation will be finished at the end of 2025. Our sponsoring organization is Pioneer Bible Translators.

When I started the Daily Bible Reading Podcast in 2014 the primary audience I had in mind was my grandkids. I wanted to make a set of Bible recordings for them, to leave behind what I would tell each one of them if, and when, they fall into difficult times.

Here’s a list of what I will cover:

  • Our web addresses
  • How to contact me
  • Podcast release schedule
  • Take a look at the How-to's at our site.
  • Different ways to follow the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan
  • Choose a Bible translation that makes sense for you for daily reading.

Please note these web addresses:

For NLT podcasts and How-to information, go to http://ddeeper.today, or http://dailybiblereading.info.

For GNT podcasts and How-to information, go to http://dailygntbiblereading.info.

You can listen to the podcasts at the websites just listed, but it is a better user experience to use a podcast app for listening.

How to contact me:

My favorite way for you to contact me is via the contact button at the top of all my websites.

Podcast release schedule:

Every Sunday, seven podcasts will be released covering the next week of listening. Sometimes an eighth bonus episode will also be released.

How-to's:

If you would like pointers on podcast listening apps, please see the How-to's, linked in the banner of the websites above. A good podcast app

  • makes it easy to see the episode notes,
  • remembers your place and will automatically queue up your next episode,
  • and lets you speed up my reading to 1.20%.

Please also see the How-to pages for detailed information about the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan.

Different ways to follow the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan:

  • READ in a real-book Bible: To do that, download the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan PDF. See the banner at our website and click on Plan.PDF.

OR

  • Follow the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan using the YouVersion Bible app on your phone or tablet. To find the 3D plan, go to the Plans page, choose Find Plans, and search for the name, Digging Deeper.

 

  • How about READing and LISTENing?! Open your podcast player and start the introduction to your next episode. While listening to my greeting, you’ll have time to open the YV app to your next day in the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan.

When you sign up for a YV reading plan, you are given an option to do the plan privately or share it with your friends. If you share the plan with friends, at the end of each day’s readings, you will be given the opportunity to share something you gleaned from the readings. This is fabulous and a great way to connect with your friends through the Bible app. But since the Digging Deeper Daily plan is for the whole Bible in 365 days, I suggest you share with a select group of close friends, or maybe 1-2 other people, or just do the plan privately.

Choose a Bible translation that makes sense for you and for a year-long reading program. Many churches use literal translations like the ESV. My own church uses that translation. But the ESV is not very well suited for a year-long reading program, especially if this is your first time reading the whole Bible. I strongly recommend the NLT or the GNT for following the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan. Please take my advice as a Bible translator: Using a translation like the NLT or GNT is even more important if you will be listening to your Bible readings while doing something like driving to work. For more information about Bible translations, see the READ heading in the How-To pages.