NL-Day323 Ezra 7-8; Isaiah 32; 2 Corinthians 12:19-13:14
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
Release Date: 11/19/2024
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-Day263 2 Chronicles 7-8; Proverbs 28:1-14; Matthew 10:16-42
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
2CHRONICLES 7-8:Yesterday we heard Solomon’s famous prayer at the dedication of the temple. He understood that the people would need forgiveness from the Lord, and requested the Lord’s mercy. PROVERBS 28a:Another favorite: Pro. 28:8 NLT Income from charging high interest rateswill end up in the pocket of someone who is kind to the poor. MATTHEW 10b:Yesterday we heard the list of the twelve apostles, and the beginning of the instructions to them as He sent them out. It is clear that Jesus gave this message for more than just the twelve. The word ‘apostle’ (which is a word transliterated...
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NL-Day262 2 Chronicles 6; Proverbs 27:14-27; Matthew 10:1-33
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
2CHRONICLES 6:Yesterday we heard of the various things that Huram-abi made under Solomon’s direction for the temple, and of the dedication of the temple. In today’s (not reverent) language, we might say that the Lord ‘showed up’ for that dedication, just like He did for the dedication of the tabernacle. PROVERBS 27b:Our hightlighted verse for today: Pro. 27:21 NLT Fire tests the purity of silver and gold,but a person is tested by being praised.] MATTHEW 10a:Many stories were brought together by Matthew in chapter 9, including the calling of Matthew— who is most likely the writer of...
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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-Day259 2 Chronicles 1; Proverbs 26:1-16; Matthew 7:12-29
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
2CHRONICLES 1:Yesterday we heard Hosea’s final and heart-felt warning. At the end of his book, Hosea penned a rather short apology on behalf of the people, requesting forgiveness. God responded lovingly, pleading for the people of Israel to stay away from idols. And now we return to the story we interrupted in the books of Chronicles. PROVERBS 26a:A highlighted verse for today is verse 12, which I like in both the NLT and the GNT. Pro. 26:12 NLT There is more hope for foolsthan for people who think they are wise. MATTHEW 7b:Yesterday’s reading included one of the most often quoted...
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258: Buckling the Belt of Truth Lesson 5: Don't look back
Daily Bible Reading Phil Fields
THEME: Buckle up the belt of truth by FOCUSING YOUR GAZE ON CHRIST. OK, in my last episode I told you about my nightmare. There was a visitor on my porch that night. That visitor was a picture of the demon who had gained a foothold in my life. He had been tempting me for years and knew just how to do it. He got on the exercise bicycle on my front porch— which, as I told you, did not exist— rather it was a symbol. I believe that the Lord helped me figure out the meaning of that symbol. The night-time visitor got on the bike and kind of lazily gave a few turns of the wheel. But he was...
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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...
info_outlineEZRA 7-8:
Yesterday we read of how King Darius completely sided with the Israelites seeking to reestablish the temple worship. Note that the letter to Darius from the government officials was rather complementary and not threatening loss to the king’s interests as the letter from the earlier officials. Remember also that this King Darius is the one who was duped into putting Daniel into the lions’ den, and who then issued a decree that everyone must respect Daniel’s God.
ISAIAH 32:
Isaiah’s prophecy in yesterday’s reading certainly came true!
Is. 31:8 NLT “The Assyrians will be destroyed,
but not by the swords of men.
The sword of God will strike them,
and they will panic and flee.
That happened on the night recorded in 2Kings 19 where the Lord put to death 185,000 men. Quote,
“When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere.”
2CORINTHIANS 13:
Yesterday we read the reasons why Paul boasted about his weaknesses— something that is utterly unintuitive for worldly people to understand. Then Paul continued to speak about what he hoped NOT to find on his upcoming visit to the Corinthian believers.
Chapter 13 is another good place to tout the virtues of a good meaning based translation. Paul uses the word ‘test’ in three different senses in this chapter. This makes several verses hard to understand in a literal translation. The NLT and the GNT have done a good job helping the reader understand the different senses in which Paul used that word.
Let’s continue from the last paragraph of chapter 12.
NLT Translation notes:
2Cor. 13:5 Examine yourselves to see if [you really fully believe//your faith is genuine]. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of [fully believing in Christ//genuine faith].
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.