NL-Day264 2 Chronicles 9; Proverbs 28:15-28; Matthew 11:1-19
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
2CHRONICLES 9:Yesterday we heard God’s famous response to Solomon, which is so often applied as a promise to America. It is stretching it past the breaking point to apply that promise to America. First of all, our country does not have a personal relationship with God like that of Israel in Solomon’s time. We also skate over all the conditions of humbling ourselves, turning from wicked ways, and praying. And we are not in the position of having made corporate sacrifices to the Lord. PROVERBS 28b:Here is today’s highlighted verse: Pro. 28:26 NLT Those who trust their own insight are...
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NL-Day261 2 Chronicles 4-5; Proverbs 27:1-14; Matthew 9
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
2CHRONICLES 4-5:Yesterday we heard of the preparations for building the temple, and then the dimensions and the beginning of the construction starting in the 4th year of Solomon’s reign. PROVERBS 27a:Today’s first verse is very like the advice of James in the New Testament: Pro. 27:1 NLT Don’t brag about tomorrow,since you don’t know what the day will bring. MATTHEW 9:Yesterday we heard of several powerful healings and the miracle of calming the storm. One of the one-becomes-two instances is in the Gadarene demon possessed man, called Legion in the other Gospels. If Matthew was...
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NL-Day260 2 Chronicles 2-3; Proverbs 26:13-28; Matthew 8
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
2CHRONICLES 2-3:In yesterday’s reading we returned to the books of Chronicles, and picked up the story following King David, with the beginning of Solomon’s reign. Solomon gave 1,000 burnt offerings to the Lord, then the Lord appeared to him. Solomon requested wisdom to rule Israel, and the Lord was pleased with his request. PROVERBS 26b:Today’s highlighted verse: Pro. 26:23 NLT Smooth words may hide a wicked heart,just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot. MATTHEW 8:We completed reading the Sermon on the Mount yesterday with the parable of building a house on sand or on a rock. Building...
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NL-Day258 Hosea 13-14; Proverbs 25:15-28; Matthew 7:1-20
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
HOSEA 13-14:Yesterday’s reading had this significant prophecy, prefaced by the words that God would not come to totally destroy: Hos. 11:10 NLT For someday the people will follow me.I, the LORD, will roar like a lion.And when I roar,my people will return trembling from the west.11 Like a flock of birds, they will come from Egypt.Trembling like doves, they will return from Assyria.And I will bring them home again,”says the LORD. Hosea begins chapter 13 speaking against the tribe of Ephraim, but in the prophetic writings, that one tribe often stands for the whole northern kingdom. So the...
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NL-Day257 Hosea 11-12; Proverbs 25:1-14; Matthew 6:19-34
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
HOSEA 11-12:In yesterday’s reading, as the Lord was pleading with Israel and using agricultural metaphors, He said, Hos. 10:12-13 NLT … ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’ 13 “But you have cultivated wickedness and harvested a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies— trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe. PROVERBS 25a:Today’s highlighted...
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NL-Day256 Hosea 9-10; Proverbs 24:17-34; Matthew 6:1-18
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
HOSEA 9-10:I like how the GNT translates the first paragraph of chapter 6 as being the words of the people of Israel. Hosea 6:1-4 GNT:1 The people say, “Let's return to the LORD! He has hurt us, but he will be sure to heal us; he has wounded us, but he will bandage our wounds, won't he?2 In two or three days he will revive us, and we will live in his presence.3 Let us try to know the LORD. He will come to us as surely as the day dawns, as surely as the spring rains fall upon the earth.” 4 But the LORD says, “Israel and Judah, what am I going to do with you? Your love for me disappears as...
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NL-Day255 Hosea 6-7; Proverbs 24:1-18; Matthew 5:27-48
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
HOSEA 6-8:In yesterday’s reading, Hosea bought back his wife from prostitution. And the Lord drew analogies in his speech to Israel. PROVERBS 24a:Favorite verses: Pro. 24:5 NLT The wise are mightier than the strong, and those with knowledge grow stronger and stronger. 6 So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers. MATTHEW 5b:Yesterday we read the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, including the famous and memorizable Beatitudes. We also heard the first instance of “You have heard it said… but I say …” NLT Translation notes:Pro. 24:15 Don’t...
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NL-Day254 Hosea 3-5; Proverbs 23:17-35; Matthew 5:1-26
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
HOSEA 3-5:Beautifully interwoven word plays or metaphors were constructed using the names of Hosea’s three children. And verses of yesterday’s reading, are quoted in Romans 9 and 1Peter 2. The last verse ended: Hos. 2:23 NLT “I will show loveto those I called ‘Not loved.’And to those I called ‘Not my people,’I will say, ‘Now you are my people.’And they will reply, ‘You are our God!’” PROVERBS 23b:As you may have noticed yesterday, this chapter is much more thematic than chapters 10 through 22. The second half of chapter 23 is the words of a father to his son. This...
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NL-Day253 Hosea 1-2; Proverbs 23:1-18; Matthew 4
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
HOSEA 1-2:We have already heard that God considers the sin of idolatry to be parallel and just as offensive as a wife being unfaithful to her husband. Hosea is told by God to actually live out this situation. He is told to marry Gomer, a prostitute. Through Hosea, God shows just how ready He is to restore and be reconciled with His wayward people. Hosea prophesied to the Northern kingdom during the same time that Amos, Isaiah, and Micah were prophesying in the Southern kingdom. This was during the reign of Jeroboam the 2nd. Hosea was not a professional prophet trained in a school for prophets,...
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NL-Day252 1 Chronicles 29; Proverbs 22:14-29; Matthew 3
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
1CHRONICLES 29:Yesterday we heard of the military commanders and officials under David, and the leaders of 13 tribes. Then we heard David’s instructions to Solomon. And it is always amazing to me the detail with which David planned for the temple, and also his generosity. PROVERBS 22b:Halfway through this chapter we begin a section where more of the proverbs are arranged in short paragraphs. That section begins at verse 17, just three verses after we begin today’s reading. Verse 20 introduces 30 sayings that follow MATTHEW 3:Yesterday we heard of the coming of the learned men from...
info_outline1SAMUEL 13:
In yesterday's story, God's Spirit came powerfully upon the new king Saul, and he succeeded in mobilizing all of Israel's fighting men. They won a stunning victory over king Nahash and the Ammonites. Afterwards, Samuel led the people in renewing Israel's call to Saul to be king and then Samuel confronted them all about staying true to the Lord.
PSALM 97:
Even though the psalms (and our translations) may cast a verse in the present tense, the intent of the writer may be about future things. Hebrew is very fuzzy as to verb tense. But also we may consider that all times are present to the Lord, and the psalmist may see things as happening or already happening in his vision that refer to future events. We see an example of this in today’s psalm.
ROMANS 4b:
The new way of being made right with God by means of fully believing which Paul has been talking about, is it a new religion, or is it based on the past? It is based on the past. We follow Abraham's example of believing, and this also fulfills the prophetic promises given to Abraham. Not only that, but we become heirs to the same promises. And note: Paul uses questions to propel his logical arguments all the way through Romans— just like I did at the start of this paragraph.
NLT Translation notes:
Rom. 4:3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his [fully believing//faith].”
4 When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.
5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their [believing//faith] in God who forgives sinners.
9 Now, is this blessing only for the Jews, or is it also for uncircumcised [non-Jews//Gentiles]? Well, we have been saying that Abraham was counted as righteous by God because of his [fully believing//faith].
11 Circumcision was a sign that Abraham already had [believed//faith] and that God had already accepted him and declared him to be righteous—even before he was circumcised. So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have [believed//faith] but have not been circumcised. They are counted as righteous because of their [fully believing//faith].
12 And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they [believe the same way Abraham did//have the same kind of faith Abraham had] before he was circumcised.
13 Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by [fully believing//faith].
14 If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then [believing//faith] is not necessary and the promise is pointless.
16 So the promise is received by [believing//faith]. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we [believe like Abraham did//have faith like Abraham’s]. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.
[Here is my new attempt at rendering the meaning of this verse:] So the promise is received by [believing//faith]. It is given as a free gift. And if we become Abraham’s spiritual children by believing like Abraham did, we are certain to receive it— whether or not we live by the Law of Moses. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.]
19 And [Abraham did not weaken in his belief//Abraham’s faith did not weaken], even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his [believing//faith] grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.
21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
22 And because of [Abraham fully believing God’s promise//Abraham’s faith], God counted him as righteous.
25 [Jesus/He] was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.
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.