October 22nd, 25: Grace Over Complication: Walking Simply With God

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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 this October 22nd episode, your Bible reading coach Hunter guides us on day 296 of our journey through scripture. Today, we’re diving into Job chapters 11 and 12, where we hear Zophar’s pointed response to Job and Job’s own powerful reflections on God’s wisdom and sovereignty. Then, we turn to Acts 15 and 16, walking with Paul, Barnabas, and the early church as they wrestle with what it truly means to follow Christ—wrestling with old traditions, experiencing miraculous events, and witnessing the beautiful simplicity of faith and grace in action.

Hunter reminds us that it’s all too easy to let religion complicate our relationship with God, but the saving love of Christ is offered to each of us—freely, simply, and without distinction. Through prayer, reflection, and encouragement, this episode invites you to lay down your burdens, live in the sufficiency of God’s grace, and keep moving forward in faith. Let’s open the Scriptures together and rekindle our hearts by the fires of God’s love.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Let’s not make it difficult. That’s the heartbeat from today’s reading, echoing from the council at Jerusalem and resounding in the gospel itself. James spoke those words in Acts: let’s not make it difficult for people to come to God. And yet, so often, our human nature, our systems, our religions, much like those early believers who wanted to add circumcision to the requirements of faith, try to put hurdles in the way. The question was, Who is in and who is out? Is it by human effort, tradition, or ritual? Is there some check box, some work or procedure, some pedigree that makes us right with God?

But if we’re not careful, the simple invitation of Christ becomes a complicated checklist. The apostles—Paul, Peter, James—they recognized how quickly we can move from freedom into burdens. But the truth, straight from the heart of God, is that nothing stands in the way of experiencing His love through Christ. God’s life, His gracious gift, offered to all—Jew and Gentile, man and woman, young and old—is received by faith alone, not by effort, not by merit, not by works, not by anything we can add.

The letter that went out from Jerusalem is a letter for us, too. It’s a call back to simplicity, to childlike trust. “He made no distinction between us and them, for He cleansed their hearts through faith. We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” That’s the message. Don’t let your heart or religion complicate what Christ has made simple. Even the things we cling to as saviors—our rules, our observance—cannot save us. Lay them down. Receive the gift: the righteousness that comes by faith in the finished work of Christ.

Put away the extra burdens, the additions, the anxiety of performance. Trust Him. Rest in His love. Walk in the gift that’s been given to you—full acceptance, full forgiveness, full belonging—in Christ alone. Live in the sufficiency of God’s life in you, today and every day.

That’s a prayer I have for my own soul. It’s the prayer I have for my family, for my wife and my daughters and my son. And that’s the prayer I have for you.

May it be so.

TODAY'S PRAYERS:

Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.  

Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.  

And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  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 tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen. 

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