May 18th, 25: One Year Bible; Standing Firm Amid Trials: Lessons from Solomon to Thessalonica

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One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you.

TODAY'S EPISODE:

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On today’s episode, host Hunter steps in for Heather, who’s under the weather, to lead us through day 139 of our journey in the Scriptures. Together, we’ll explore the story of Solomon’s request for wisdom in 1 Kings 3 and 2 Chronicles 1, reflect on God’s faithfulness (and Israel’s forgetfulness) in Psalm 78, and receive Paul’s encouragement to the Thessalonians in 2 Thessalonians 2—not to be shaken or fooled, but to stand firm in the truth and grace of Christ. Hunter also offers heartfelt prayers and practical encouragement to stay grounded in God’s love, even when life gets overwhelming. Let’s dive deep into the Word and discover comfort, wisdom, and hope for today.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Don't Be Shaken, Don't Be Fooled

There is so much in life that can shake us—circumstances that feel out of control, relationships that wound and break, financial strains, physical pain, anxieties that mount and press on us till we’re overwhelmed. All these things can leave us feeling uncertain, destabilized, and even in despair. In these moments, God can feel distant, and hope can seem just out of reach. But into the midst of our fears and confusion, we hear Paul's pastoral, fatherly voice to the church in Thessalonica: “Don’t be shaken. Don’t be fooled.”

The early church struggled too. There were loud voices swirling; teachers with anxious warnings and convincing bravado who wanted the Thessalonian believers to think they were missing out, not doing enough, believing the wrong things, or soon to be left behind. How easy it is, then and now, to listen to those voices—to think that our relationship with God rests on some extra thing we must do, some spiritual secret we have to attain, or a hidden requirement we might have missed.

But Paul cuts through all the noise. He reminds us that it is God who chooses us, God who acts first, God who carries out salvation. As he says, “Salvation came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.” We don’t need to carry the burden of saving ourselves or climb higher to earn our place with God. Paul insists the good news is what God has done for us—and we simply receive it.

We don’t have to go out looking, chasing after some elusive experience. We don’t have to strive and strain, wondering if we’ve done enough. Someone has already come looking for us. Someone has entered into our wilderness—into all our confusion and fear, all our striving and exhaustion—and offered us life. Because of what Christ has done, we now share in his glory, not by our own effort, but by his grace.

So, don’t be shaken. Don’t be fooled. Instead, stand firm. Keep a strong grip on what is true—the teaching that God has drawn you into his life, that you are reconciled, you are loved, and you are securely held. Rest in the knowledge that he’s the one who has taken hold of you, and he won’t let you go.

That’s the prayer I have for my own soul. That’s the prayer I have for my family—my wife, my daughters, my son. And that’s the prayer I have for you. May we all stand firm in his love today.

May it be so.

TODAY'S PRAYERS:

Prayer

Lord of heaven and earth, you have awakened us in your mercy once more. Still our anxious minds, quiet our striving hearts, and help us to rest in the knowledge that we are held by you. May we walk in step with your spirit today, not ahead, not behind, but beside you in trust and love.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God of all peoples, you formed every soul in your image and breathe life into every heart. Open the eyes of the nations, soften hearts grown cold, and teach us to live as neighbors and friends. Let your spirit move in power. Renew the face of the earth and usher in your reign of peace. Amen.

And now, Lord, let me be a bearer of your peace. Where voices divide, let me speak grace where fear takes root. Let me plant trust where the world rushes on, let me walk with you. May I seek not to climb, but to kneel, not to win, but to love, not to grasp, but to give. For it is in emptying that we are filled, in surrender that we are strengthened, and in union with you that we find our truest joy. Amen.

And now as our Lord has taught us, we are bold to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory
forever and ever.
Amen.

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