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All About Change


1 Eli Beer & United Hatzalah: Saving Lives in 90 seconds or Less 30:20
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Eli Beer is a pioneer, social entrepreneur, President and Founder of United Hatzalah of Israel. In thirty years, the organization has grown to more than 6,500 volunteers who unite together to provide immediate, life-saving care to anyone in need - regardless of race or religion. This community EMS force network treats over 730,000 incidents per year, in Israel, as they wait for ambulances and medical attention. Eli’s vision is to bring this life-saving model across the world. In 2015, Beer expanded internationally with the establishment of branches in South America and other countries, including “United Rescue” in Jersey City, USA, where the response time was reduced to just two minutes and thirty-five seconds. Episode Chapters (0:00) intro (1:04) Hatzalah’s reputation for speed (4:48) Hatzalah’s volunteer EMTs and ambucycles (5:50) Entrepreneurism at Hatzalah (8:09) Chutzpah (14:15) Hatzalah’s recruitment (18:31) Volunteers from all walks of life (22:51) Having COVID changed Eli’s perspective (26:00) operating around the world amid antisemitism (28:06) goodbye For video episodes, watch on www.youtube.com/@therudermanfamilyfoundation Stay in touch: X: @JayRuderman | @RudermanFdn LinkedIn: Jay Ruderman | Ruderman Family Foundation Instagram: All About Change Podcast | Ruderman Family Foundation To learn more about the podcast, visit https://allaboutchangepodcast.com/ Looking for more insights into the world of activism? Be sure to check out Jay’s brand new book, Find Your Fight , in which Jay teaches the next generation of activists and advocates how to step up and bring about lasting change. You can find Find Your Fight wherever you buy your books, and you can learn more about it at www.jayruderman.com .…
Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast
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Contenu fourni par Phil Fields. Tout le contenu du podcast, y compris les épisodes, les graphiques et les descriptions de podcast, est téléchargé et fourni directement par Phil Fields ou son partenaire de plateforme de podcast. Si vous pensez que quelqu'un utilise votre œuvre protégée sans votre autorisation, vous pouvez suivre le processus décrit ici https://fr.player.fm/legal.
Listen to the entire GNT Bible using a well-designed 365-day reading plan.
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383 episodes
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Manage series 2432645
Contenu fourni par Phil Fields. Tout le contenu du podcast, y compris les épisodes, les graphiques et les descriptions de podcast, est téléchargé et fourni directement par Phil Fields ou son partenaire de plateforme de podcast. Si vous pensez que quelqu'un utilise votre œuvre protégée sans votre autorisation, vous pouvez suivre le processus décrit ici https://fr.player.fm/legal.
Listen to the entire GNT Bible using a well-designed 365-day reading plan.
…
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383 episodes
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1 GN-Day138 1 Samuel 2; Psalm 91; Romans 1:16-32 20:17
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1SAMUEL 2:Yesterday we heard of the wonderful answer to Hannah’s prayer and of her determination to fulfill a very difficult vow to the Lord. Samuel might have only been 3 years old when Hannah gave him up to stay permanently as a Nazarite serving at the Lord’s tabernacle. Hannah is such an example of a Godly woman. No wonder so many girls are named after her! I noticed an interesting detail in yesterday’s reading. Elkanah also had a vow. When Samuel was newly born and Hannah did not go with the family to Shiloh for the yearly sacrifices, the GNT drew my attention saying that Elkanah went “to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice and the special sacrifice he had promised.” We don’t really know exactly what Elkanah’s special vow would have been. But it is conjectured by commentators that Elkanah was offering a sacrifice in fulfillment of Hannah’s vow about giving birth to a son. According to the Law, a wife’s vow could be revoked by her husband on the day he hears about the vow. But if he doesn’t forbid the wife about the vow on that day, the wife is bound by her vow and it is logical that the husband would share responsibility. As Elkanah left on that year, he told Hannah, “May the Lord make your promise come true.” This is a great example of doing what God commanded about vows. The principle was to always follow through whenever God’s name has been invoked. To do otherwise would be to mar God’s reputation.PSALM 91:This is a favorite psalm, frequently referred to in our hymns and worship songs. It is also the psalm Satan quoted to Jesus to tempt him to jump from the pinnacle of the temple. I feel that the promise that was quoted is not just for Jesus, but is for every believer. I preach to myself here: Let’s memorize and meditate upon this psalm! ROMANS 1b:Yesterday we saw how the theme of this letter is the Good News, and how believing this message is the center of the way God has designed and revealed for how we are saved— no matter if we are ethnically Jews or non-Jews. The start of this Good News is that our relationship with God has been broken. Understanding this fact is what makes the Good News ‘good’. We don’t start out as ‘nice people’ but as broken people. And Paul will show us in three chapters that this situation obtains for Jews (who think they are so good) and non-Jews (who start out not even having an appearance of ‘good’). GNT Translation notes:Rom. 1:17 For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with himself: it is through [believing//faith] from beginning to end. As the scripture says, “The person who is put right with God through [believing//faith] shall live.” 18 God's anger is revealed from heaven against all the sin and evil of [0//the] people whose evil ways prevent the truth from being known. 20 Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So [0//those] [people (or mankind)] have no excuse at all!24 And so God has given [mankind (humans)//those people] over to do the filthy things their hearts desire, and they do shameful things with each other.…

1 GN-Day137 1 Samuel 1; Psalm 90; Romans 1:1-17 18:44
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1SAMUEL 1:Yesterday we heard the charming conclusion of the story of Naomi, Ruth and Boaz. The words of the town women have prophetic significance: “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family.” (NLT) The words have a double meaning for us today, as we see them looking forward to Jesus our Redeemer. Now if you have been listening closely, you didn’t hear the word ‘redeemer’ in the GNT. That word happens 8 times in Ruth, beginning at 2:20. GNT translated the correct meaning as “a close relative of ours, one of those responsible for taking care of us.” The term meant much more than— for instance, redeeming a family member who had been sold into slavery. The nearest kinsman would also revenge a murder or marry a widow of a close family member. The advantage of GNT’s term is that it accurately shows the meaning, but the advantage of translating using the word ‘redeemer’ is that readers will more quickly see the correspondence between what Boaz did with Jesus— who both came from Boaz’ line and is our redeemer. Continuing the history of Israel, we now move to the transition from the period of judges to the period of kings. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel were originally one book in the Hebrew Scripture. They were separated in the Greek Septuagint. The books are named after Samuel, not written by him. In 1 Samuel, we see that Samuel is not just a judge, but also a prophet, and that he anointed both Saul and David. This book contains many of the favorite Bible stories told to children. PSALM 90:The traditional titles in the Psalms (given as headings or footnotes in our Bibles) were written centuries afterward by the Rabbis and we need not consider them part of the inspired Word. This title of Psalm 90 may identify Moses as the author, or the Rabbis may have meant that this psalm reflects a Mosaic perspective. No other psalm is labeled like this one. This is a good psalm for meditating on the meaning of our life and our short life-span. ROMANS 1a:Yesterday in the final chapter of 1 Timothy, Paul continued giving instructions on how to teach particular groups in the church, ending with teachings for slaves and for rich people. Note that those who give generously to help others store up heavenly treasures and “a good foundation for the future.” Paul's closing encouragements to Timothy are moving because we can sense Paul's deep love for Timothy. We move back in time slightly from 1 Timothy to Romans. Romans was written perhaps 6-9 years before 1Timothy, written at the time that Paul was in Corinth. The topic sentence for Romans is 1:16-17, and the book is an outstanding presentation of this thesis in impeccable logic. As a translator, I often use those two verses as an example of how hard it is to understand a literal translation versus a meaning based translation. I encourage you to compare the NLT with something like the ESV— to see what I mean. GNT Translation notes: 1Sam. 1:20 The name Samuel actually means ‘name of God’ but has some sounds that are similar to the Hebrew verb ‘asked’. ====Rom 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because the whole world is hearing about your [fully believing in Christ//faith]. 12 What I mean is that both you and I will be [mutually encouraged to believe more fully in Christ//helped at the same time, you by my faith and I by yours]. 13 [I want you to know//You must remember], my friends, that many times I have planned to visit you, but something has always kept me from doing so. I want to win converts among you also, as I have among other Gentiles. 17 For the gospel reveals how God puts people right with himself: it is through [believing//faith] from beginning to end. As the scripture says, “The person who is put right with God through [believing//faith] shall live.”…

1 GN-Day136 Ruth 3-4; Psalm 89:19-52; 1 Timothy 6 20:28
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RUTH 3-4:In yesterday’s start to the book of Ruth, we saw how Naomi was left all alone, and how one of her two daughters-in-law, Ruth, left her family and idols to accompany Naomi and to follow Naomi’s God. Then it just so happened that Ruth was noticed by a man named Boaz while gathering left-behind grain in his field. PSALM 89b:Ethan, the psalm-writer was very wise in his prayer. He started his prayer with praise and adoration. Then starting in verse 19 he reminded God of his promises to Israel about the everlasting dynasty of David. But this is all building up to the big problem that Ethan will bring up in verse 38. 1TIMOTHY 6:Yesterday we heard Paul’s instructions to Timothy about widows and about judging cases where church leaders are accused of wrong-doing. The chapter ended with two encouragements to Timothy. GNT Translation notes:1Tim. 6:10 For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the [believing in true teachings//faith] and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.11 But you, man of God, avoid all these things. Strive for righteousness, godliness, [full belief in true teachings//faith], love, endurance, and gentleness. 12 Run your best in the race of [full belief//faith], and win eternal life for yourself; for it was to this life that God called you when you firmly professed your [belief//faith] before many witnesses. 13 Before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who firmly professed his [belief//faith] before Pontius Pilate, I command you 21 For some have claimed to possess it, and as a result they have lost [their belief in true teachings//the way of faith]. God's grace be with you all.…

1 GN-Day135 Ruth 1-2; Psalm 89:1-29; 1 Timothy 5 23:33
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RUTH 1-2:The incident of the Levite and his concubine at Gibeah resulted in the civil war that we heard about yesterday. About 24,000 men died and many women and children as well. In certain things, the army inquired of the Lord, and the Lord gave answers at his sanctuary. In the way, they found wives for the decimated tribe of Benjamin, the men of Israel were repeatedly so concerned that they do not break their vows. Paradoxically, they did many other things without any concern whatsoever about acting according to God’s revealed will. Let’s consider that story as a warning. Beware of the human tendency of myopic obedience to a preferred list of rules, while living like a pagan in other respects. Again the theme statement is repeated in the last verse of the book, “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” And now we turn to the book of Ruth. The Talmud attributes the authorship of this book to Samuel. The story of Ruth took place during the same time as the book of Judges, but the book of Ruth is a big contrast with Judges. Ruth shows that the times were not always as dark and sinful as what is portrayed in Judges. Ruth and her second husband, Boaz, figure in Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 1. PSALM 89a:The author of this poem— who was named Ethan, praises God for the covenant the Lord made especially with David. The first 3/4 is beautiful in the recitation of the wonderful promises given to Israel and to David. In these, we readers at this time often see fulfillment in Jesus, the ‘Son of David’. But suddenly at verse 38, the writer claims that God has broken his promises to David. We will hear that contrast tomorrow. 1TIMOTHY 5:In the 4th chapter of 1 Timothy, Paul showed that he considered his era as ‘the last times’. For the Jews, the coming of the Messiah signaled the beginning of the end times. Paul's advice is just as appropriate to us as to Timothy. Half of that chapter was personal advice and encouragement to Timothy in his role as a pastor, and God has passed those words on to all in church leadership today. GNT Translation note: 1Tim. 5:16 But if any Christian woman has widows in her family, she must take care of them and not put the burden on the church, so that [the church//it] may take care of the widows who are all alone.…

1 GN-Day134 Judges 20-21; Psalm 88; 1 Timothy 4 22:53
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1 GN-Day133 Judges 18-19; Psalm 87; 1 Timothy 3 19:58
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JUDGES 18-19:In Judges yesterday, we heard the famous and tragic story of Samson and Delilah. Victory, in that case, was not ‘sweet’. Then we heard the start of the story about Micah and the not so nice background of his personal idols and shrine. This is the first time so far in Judges where we have heard the repeated theme sentence of this book, “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.” (17:6) PSALM 87:This is a prophetic psalm. The writer gives a picture of what is foretold in Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation about the glory of the New Jerusalem. Every tribe, tongue, and nation will be found there because they will have come to know the Lord. 1TIMOTHY 3:In chapter 2, Paul began his discussion of what Timothy should teach the congregation with the topic of prayer. We pray according to God's will if we pray for the salvation of others. God is always pleased with this prayer because we mirror his own heart. However the words of this chapter should not be twisted to say that every single person will be saved, or that the saving sacrifice that Jesus made will cover people who refuse to believe the Gospel. Chapter 2 also contains a part of Paul’s teaching about women, including that they should place high importance on being clothed with good deeds, and should dress and act sensibly and modestly. They are not to seek to take authority over men. GNT Translation notes:1Tim. 3:6 He must be mature in [believing (our true teaching/in Christ//the faith], so that he will not swell up with pride and be condemned, as the Devil was. 9 [PET they must believe fully in the true teachings which God has revealed to us, and must live with a clear conscience.//they should hold to the revealed truth of the faith with a clear conscience.]13 Those helpers who do their work well win for themselves a good standing and are able to speak boldly [to others about believing in Christ Jesus//about their faith in Christ Jesus].16 No one can deny how great is the secret of our religion:[Christ//He] appeared in human form,was shown to be right by the Spirit,and was seen by angels.He was preached among the nations,was believed in throughout the world,and was taken up to heaven.…

1 GN-Day132 Judges 16-17; Psalm 86; 1 Timothy 2 22:28
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JUDGES 16-17:Yesterday we heard of Samson's disastrous marriage and his first major victory over the Philistines. Ways in which Samson disobeyed God's Laws are that he touched and even ate from a carcass, he murdered people when not at war, and he associated with pagans and even married one of them. In spite of this, God used him as a tool. PSALM 86:In this psalm, David models effective prayer. Let’s follow his example! 1TIMOTHY 2:Yesterday we started Paul’s first letter to Timothy. As I said yesterday, this is a personal letter to Timothy, and it is one of the groups of letters called the Pastoral Epistles or sometimes called the 5 T’s. Central to the Pastoral Epistles is Paul’s concern for true teaching in the church, and he especially stressed avoiding the controversies that at that time came from Jewish background believers. These letters often include a listing of various things, and one example is the list of the types of lawlessness in chapter one. Paul frequently mentions how important it is for believers to keep a clear conscience. And chapter one also contained one of several Pastoral ‘trustworthy sayings’. A more unique point for chapter one is that Paul called himself the ‘chief of sinners’. GNT Translation notes: 1Tim. 2:7 and that is why I was sent as an apostle and teacher of the Gentiles, to proclaim [true teaching to them so that they may become believers.//the message of faith and truth.] [I promise that] I am not lying; I am telling the truth!15 [Verse 15 is particularly difficult to translate. NLT is a good translation, but it makes it sound like Christian women must bear at least one child in order to be saved: “But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty.” 15 GNT But a woman will be saved through having children,* if she perseveres** in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.*2.15: will be saved through having children; or will be kept safe through childbirth.**2.15: if she perseveres; or if they persevere. I offer the PET as an alternative: “As a result of that sin, the female descendants of Eve fall under the punishment God gave of having pain in childbirth. But even so, God is ready to help and save each woman— if she keeps fully believing in Him, does loving acts, and lives a holy and [self-controlled//wise] life.” Cross reference and footnote in the PET: See Gen. 3:1-13. This verse can also be translated, “Even so, God will make each woman safe when giving birth to children— as long as she keeps fully believing in Him, does loving acts, and lives a holy and sensible life.”] Additional commentary: In 2015, a woman wrote after hearing this chapter complaining about Paul’s attitude toward women. I hope I can help some listeners by saying this: If you do not like what Paul wrote here, consider that Paul knew the audience was writing to. Compare what Paul said in Ephesians 5 with what Peter said in 1 Peter 3, and note how Paul lovingly wrote in this same letter about taking care of widows. It can be shown that Scripture played an important role in history to raise the position of both women and slaves. If you are interested in this general topic, you might also be interested in the translation note for verse 15 in the episode notes for today. Let me tell the story of a missionary who served with me in Indonesia. Before Ron Kriens was a Christian and was working as a bus driver in a big city, he was impressed by Jesus’ resurrection and reputation as a teacher, so he was willing to accept Jesus’ words, and at first would only read Jesus’ teachings. But then he found that Jesus said that after his death, the Holy Spirit would lead his disciples into all truth. So he read books penned by Jesus’ disciples, John and Peter. Then he discovered that Peter respected Paul’s writings as Scripture. (2Ptr. 3) And finally, at some point, I know that he realized how important understanding the Old Testament is to understanding the New Testament. I tell Ron’s story to say this: God’s Word is a unity. The very coherence of the message is wonderful proof of God’s sovereignly in controlling the writings which have come down to us. We will find the most joy and peace in submitting to our sovereign Creator fully and not rejecting any part of His Word.…

1 GN-Day131 Judges 14-15; Psalm 85; 1 Timothy 1 19:22
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JUDGES 14-15:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of Jephthah's six years as a judge of Israel. Then we heard briefly of three more judges, and then about the miracles preceding the birth of Samson. PSALM 85:This psalm is one appropriate at any time and to anyone. There are hidden nuggets of spiritual gold here— deep truths that are worth digging for. 1TIMOTHY 1:Yesterday in the final chapter of Galatians, Paul continued what he was saying (from chapter 5) about the contrast between being led by God's Spirit versus allowing our sinful natures to lead us. And Paul returned to something he said in chapter two, explaining the figure of being crucified with Christ. It means being so much in union with Christ as to consider ourselves dead to this world. Paul had marks on his body that were much more valuable than circumcision, and those were the scars he had gained as a representative of Christ. Today we turn to Paul’s first letter to Timothy. This contrasts with the letter we have just finished in that it is personal correspondence written to Paul’s disciple. Timothy was so dear to Paul that he considered him a son. Paul had given Timothy— who was still a young man, the task of shepherding the church at Ephesus. This book is important for the personal advice, for personal insight given about Paul, for insight into church leadership, and for the sound teachings for us to follow. GNT Translation notes: Ps. 85:2 [CEV You have forgiven the sinand taken away the guiltof your people.//You have forgiven your people's sinsand pardoned all their wrongs.]3 [CEV Your fierce anger is no longeraimed at us.//You stopped being angry with themand held back your furious rage.]8 I am listening to what [You, O Lord God are//the Lord God is] saying;You promise//he promises] peace to us, [your//his] own people,if we do not go back to our foolish ways.9 Surely [You are//he is] ready to save [us//those] who honor [You//him],and [your//his] saving presence will remain in our land.11 [CEV Loyalty will sproutfrom the ground;justice will look downfrom the sky above.//Human loyalty will reach up from the earth,and God's righteousness will look down from heaven.]12 [You, O Lord//The Lord] will make us prosperous,and our land will produce rich harvests.13 [Righteousness is like a path spread out before You, Lord—And that is the road You will always follow.//Righteousness will go before the Lordand prepare the path for him. ==== 1Tim. 1:2 [To Timothy. You are like my own dear son because we share the same true beliefs.//To Timothy, my true son in the faith:] May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy, and peace. 4 Tell them to give up those legends and those long lists of ancestors, which only produce arguments; they do not serve God's plan, which is known by [believing (sound teachings/God’s Word)//faith]. 5 The purpose of this order is to arouse the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and [(sincerely) believing in true teaching (without pretending/hypocrisy)//a genuine faith]. 13 even though in the past I spoke evil of him and persecuted and insulted him. But God was merciful to me because I did not yet [believe in the Lord//have faith] and so did not know what I was doing. 14 And our Lord poured out his abundant grace on me and [enabled me to believe in Him//gave me the faith] and [to love all who are joined//love which are ours] in union with Christ Jesus. 18 Timothy, my [son//child], I entrust to you this command, which is in accordance with the words of prophecy spoken in the past about you. Use those words as weapons in order to fight well, 19 and [to keep on believing in true teaching//keep your faith] and [to live with] a clear conscience. Some people have not listened to their conscience and [have wrecked their minds so that they are no longer able to believe in true teaching//have made a ruin of their faith].…

1 GN-Day130 Judges 12-13; Psalm 84; Galatians 5:22-6:18 17:36
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JUDGES 12-13:Yesterday, after hearing of three minor judges, we heard of Jephthah. Jephthah was a man of very poor credentials, but he turned out to be a surprisingly good leader. His story shows clearly why it is better not to make rash vows to the Lord. Indeed, the New Testament tells us to not make vows at all. PSALM 84:This favorite psalm has inspired many worship songs. Note the theme of joy! GALATIANS 5:22-6:Building on the concept of freedom from requirements of the Law in chapter 4, Paul continued on that theme in chapter 5. (Of course there were no chapter boundaries when he wrote his letter!) The freedom Paul described is founded on the idea that we are now controlled by the Holy Spirit. A second very important concept is considering ourselves dead to sinful desires and deeds which were enumerated at the end of chapter 5. GNT Translation notes:13:18 The angel [said//asked], “Why do you want to know my name? It is a name of wonder.” 19 So Manoah took a young goat and some grain, and offered them on [a rock//the rock altar] to the Lord [, and the Lord did an amazing thing://who works wonders.]====Ps. 84:2 How I want to be there! I long to be in [your Temple, O Lord//the Lord's Temple]. With my whole being I sing for joy to the living God. 3 Even the sparrows have built a nest,and the swallows have their own home [in your Temple];they keep their young near your altars,Lord Almighty, my king and my God.7 They grow stronger as they go;they will see [You,] the God of gods on Zion. 10 One day spent in your Temple is better than a thousand anywhere else; I would rather stand at the gate of [your house, O my God,//the house of my God] than live in the homes of the wicked. 11 [You, Lord are//The Lord is] our protector and glorious king, blessing us with kindness and honor. [You do//He does] not refuse any good thing to [us//those] who do what is right. ====Gal. 6:10 So then, as often as we have the chance, we should do good to everyone, and especially to [our brothers and sisters who believe the same things we have taught you.\\those who belong to our family in the [same way of faith. 13 Even those who practice circumcision do not obey the Law; they want you to be circumcised [only] so that they can boast that you submitted to this physical ceremony.…

1 GN-Day129 Judges 10-11; Psalm 83; Galatians 5 22:14
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JUDGES 10-11:Yesterday we heard the conclusion of the story of Gideon. It is a pity that Gideon was so successful, but that a half-son and unfaithful people ruined his legacy. I am always very disappointed that Gideon so quickly turns to idolatry after God has worked so fantastically through him. The whole story, including the part about Abimelech, supports the verse which says, “Whatever you sow, that is also what you will reap.” PSALM 83:This is a psalm asking God to stop being silent when Israel was praying for relief from their enemies. And we now have the background to understand the names mentioned by Asaph. GALATIANS 5:In chapter 4, Paul continued to use Old Testament pictures to show the teaching that is central to this book: Gentiles do not need to be circumcised because we have been freed from the Law of Moses. We do not need to earn favor with God. We have already been adopted as sons and are considered heirs of God's promises. Proof of this is that the Spirit of Jesus is in our hearts. Remember that in Greek, ‘faith’ and ‘believe’ have the same root word. Most other English words— like ‘operate’ and ‘operation’, show their root word similarity. It is an unfortunate quirk of English that it doesn’t work that way for ‘believe’ and ‘faith’. To help you see the cohesion and how Paul is harping on this one concept, I suggest reading this book substituting ‘fully believe’ for ‘faith’. GNT Translation notes: Gal. 5:4 Those of you who try to be put right with God by obeying the Law have cut yourselves off from Christ. You [have fallen away from//have become outsiders to//are outside] God's grace. 5 As for us, our hope is that God will put us right with him[self]; and this is what we wait for by the power of God's Spirit working through our [believing//faith]. 6For when we are in union with Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor the lack of it makes any difference at all; what matters is [full belief//belief in Christ//faith] that works through love. 15 But if you act like wild animals, [biting//hurting] and harming each other, then watch out, or you will completely [devour//destroy] one another.…

1 GN-Day128 Judges 8-9; Psalm 82; Galatians 4 28:42
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1 127: Reader Take Note, Buckling the belt of truth, Day 2 21:47
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Review: This podcast is Day number 2 in my series about Buckling the belt of truth. In the first day in this series (which can be found by searching for 195 or the word ‘buckling’, I explained what I consider to be the first step in putting on the belt of truth. The belt of truth is one of seven parts to the Christian’s armor found in Ephesians 6. But I suggest that we make this clarification: Buckle the belt of truth by believing what God says about you in the Bible. The belt of truth is put on by believing what God says. (Remember: Believing = faith.) The belt of truth includes all of the truth found in Scripture. But if you just believe a lot of general truths found in the pages of the Bible, but don’t believe what the Bible says about YOURSELF (your own identity), it would be like leaving your house with your belt in your belt loops, but not buckled. Everyday we live in a spiritual war zone. You’ll be at a great disadvantage if your belt isn’t buckled! The main thing I am after in this belt-buckling is living in spiritual victory and standing firm in our worldly battle with the flesh and the devil. What God says about you in the Bible often seems too good to believe, because the devil has been feeding us lies about ourselves all of our lives. So, taking one example from the Day 1 lesson, when we read in the Bible, “God loves you,” the truth of this seems to bounce off of our minds. “How nice,” we think, “but God can’t really love me because I am so bad.” We must seek to notice the things we find in the Bible that are repelled by our minds. Write them down. Underline them. Preach to yourself that you should believe what God clearly says about you. Pray, asking for God to make the concepts clear and believable to you. Meditate on those things, and you will start seeing your life being transformed by God’s Word. Here are some major mind-challenging truths from our Day 1 study: God loves us. We often unfairly think of God as an angry judge. God’s Word tells us that we are one with Christ, joined to Him. We are united to Christ, so much so that He considers us actually part of his body. We have a powerful guarantee, the Holy Spirit, which is not an external thing, but an inward witness that we are joined to Christ. We are God’s holy people, not because we have the power to be holy. But God has made us holy by our unity with Christ. This is our identity! Take hold of this identity. Paul wants us to understand all these things so that we understand that God will use his power to help us. Residue from Day 1: Here’s something I ask you to bear in mind: We each have different versions of what the Bible calls ‘flesh’. The flesh is basically the evil and selfish desires that spring from our bodies. Men and women are normally very different in their sinful desires. And even among Christians of the same sex, one sin may be highly adictive to you, but not to your fellow brother or sister. This means that Bible verses that I will share which mean so much to me may not ring any bells for you. If so, I hope you will still find basic principles in my presentation that will apply powerfully to you. I think that it is important to remove a faulty excuse for persistent sin that many people use. In Romans 7:24 Paul says, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Please do not take the end of Romans 7 to negate what Paul was saying in chapter 6 and 8! The theme of chapter 6 is given by the NLT translators in the section heading, “Sin’s Power is Broken.” And Romans 6:6 is a key verse for buckling the belt of truth: “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.” Here’s why readers have been confused by Romans 7:24: In Rom. 7:5-6, Paul brings up a difficult concept: “For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the lawThen starting in verse 7, Paul explains how the law gets involved in our ‘living in the flesh’. Note that for 17 verses more, Paul carries on for an uncharacteristically long time without mentioning Christ. That’s because he is either talking about how living in the flesh works out for someone who doesn’t know Christ, or someone who forgets about Christ and reverts to living in the flesh., were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.” But Paul doesn’t leave us wallowing in our fleshly weaknesses (in 7:24-25) with ‘Wretched man that I am’, but quickly returns to his victorious theme. In chapter 8:2 he says: “For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” And then he begins to talk about living in the Spirit. Clearly, we are supposed to start having victory because of the Spirit. Understanding our spiritual position plus the help of the Spirit allows us to ‘put to death’ various sins that beset us. Yes, I must admit that as long as we are in our bodies, we will stumble. We are ‘saints’ (holy people) who occasionally still fall into sin. However, overwhelming victory over fleshly sin is available to us. Don’t be satisfied with falling back to being a ‘wretched man’ or woman like Romans 7:24 when you have the riches of chapter 8 available! THEME: Buckle up the belt of truth regarding your PRESENT RESURRECTION LIFE. Readings: ROM.6.1-14, 8:10-13; 12:1-2 2CO.5.14-15 GAL.2.19-20 COL.2.11-15 COL.3.1-11 EPH2.6 There are basically four steps to buckling the belt of truth: Realize: Be alert when reading the Bible for truths that are presented as true for believers in Christ, but which seem too good to be true. Note them down, and check out translations like the NLT, GNT, and NET to make sure you are understanding what the Scripture says. Ask God to help you overcome your difficulty in believing the truth you have discovered. It may be appropriate to ask God to help you discover if strong opposing ideas are coming from demonic influence or previous sins that you should confess. Meditate on the scriptural truth you are working to internalize. Imagine how your life would be different if you started to live according to that truth. Take any steps the Holy Spirit gives you to put your new identity into practice. Today’s topic for belt-buckling is our resurrection life in unity with Christ. This goes along with Romans 6:6 that we just read: “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.” Being ‘crucified with Christ’ of course means that in some sense we have died. There’s a truth that will definitely bounce off your mind! It will go in one ear and right out the other. This is because we are dealing with a spiritual reality, not something that we can see with physical eyes or understand with earthly minds. It will often help to consult a meaning based translation when we deal with spiritual realities. Let me illustrate from my experience in Indonesia. I was speaking to a small congregation and I read Colossians 3:1-3 in the default Indonesian literal translation. You’ll understand better if I read the ESV: 3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. There was a man on the second row who must have been an elder in the church, and I put him on the spot. I said to him, “This verse says, ‘For you have died’. Have you died?” And he replied, “No.” So I asked someone else to read the verses again and I again asked the man, “Sir, this verse in your Bible says ‘You have died.’ Have you died?” And he again said, “No.” I would have been smiling by now, because I knew this would help me make my point. I said, “This verse says ‘You have died’. Is there a spiritual way that you have died?” “Oh,” he said, “well yes, if you put it that way!” The next thing I would have done is to read our translation, which makes the verse much clearer. So let’s read the NLT for those verses: Col. 3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. 3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. Our first step that I mentioned above is to realize that this truth is something every Christian is supposed to believe. I hope you will take steps 2 and 3, namely Asking God how to do this and Meditating on this truth. But we are helped significantly in step 4, as Paul gives us steps to follow in the next part of Colossians 3. For now, I am leaving those as homework. Let’s go back to Colossians 2 to pick up more important ideas about how God releases us from our fleshly weaknesses. Col. 2:11 NLT When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. In verse 11, we see a different spiritual reality: That of our receiving a spiritual circumcision. This invisible circumcision was performed by Christ, and putting two and two together, I conclude that his own crucifixion is what made this possible. Verse 12 is linked with the word ‘For’, describing how this circumcision takes place. 2:12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. So in chapter 3, Paul says we died, and here in chapter 2, we have been buried with Christ when we were baptized. This is exactly what Romans 6 says also. Note that the spiritual reality of our spiritual death and resurrection is so important that God gave a command for all believers to be baptized, so that all believers would have the physical experience of baptism to remind them. We can see the picture in the Lord’s supper, where we take the symbols of Jesus’ death right into our bodies. We in effect become unified with the Lord in that sacrement (John 6:56). We see our spiritual death in Jesus’ words in Mark 8:34: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” Look deeper and you will find this concept in so many places. It turns out that if we are to be ‘born again’ (as in John 3), then it implies that something fatal has happened to our old life. Consider the details: We are born again ‘of water and the Spirit’. (John 3:5) I love the powerful implications of our being ‘crucified with Christ’ in Romans 12:1-2. Rom. 12:1-2 NLT And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. In our Plain Indonesian Translation we found it more powerful to translate ‘give your bodies to God’ as a promise spoken directly to God: “O God, I offer up my body as a sacrifice to You.” I suggest that you, my listener, say that out loud: “O God, I offer up my body as a sacrifice to You.” Now notice that your having made that commitment is the prerequisite for verse 2! This is the way that we ‘let God transform’ us into new people! We become transformed in our minds. We will think differently. There is an added bonus promise: We will discover God’s will for us, “which is good and pleasing and perfect.” I think by now you will agree with me. This is what we want! And I hope that I have proved that this spiritual reality of our being crucified with Christ and resurrected by the Spirit is the key to our transformation. Unlock this transformation by following the steps of Realizing, Asking God for his help, Meditating on this spiritual reality, and Taking the steps given to you by the Spirit and guided by passages like Colossians 3. Do those things while reading these passages: ROM.6.1-14, 8:10-13; 12:1-2 2CO.5.14-15 GAL.2.19-20 COL.2.11-15 COL.3.1-11 EPH2.6 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.…

1 GN-Day127 Judges 6-7; Psalm 81; Galatians 2:17-3:29 27:21
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JUDGES 6-7:Yesterday we heard the story of Deborah and Barak. (Say, that name sounds familiar!) Barak doesn't get the glory for his notable defeat of Israel's enemy, Sisera. Instead the crowning glory goes to a woman named Jael, who happened to see a new use for a tent peg. The poem in chapter 5 includes taunts to Israel's tribes who ‘sat on their hands’ and didn't get involved in the war. PSALM 81:This poem has a mysterious part in verse 5, where an unknown voice (or perhaps ‘language’) speaks to us. But immediately afterward the unknown voice clearly belongs God, who speaks in the first person to us. GALATIANS 3:Review 2:17-21 in the PET: 17 But there are Jews who believe in Christ who still don’t understand the way we are made right in God’s sight— which is only through union with Christ. For them, if we no longer depend on the Law to become right in God’s sight, we’ve become ‘sinners’. That’s definitely wrong! Becoming a follower of Christ definitely doesn’t mean that we’ve become ‘sinners’! 18 For we in the past taught, “Let’s become right in God’s sight by depending on Christ.” If we now teach, “Turn away from Christ and depend on the Law again,” it becomes very evident that we really are ‘sinners’! 19 And this is what I’ve experienced: When I tried in my own strength to obey the whole Law, I finally realized that I’m not able to do it, and would die in my sin. But it was in that despair that I realized the gift of God through Christ— which is eternal life. Now I consider that I’ve been crucified with Christ. 20 That means that I no longer control my life, but Christ is the One who is living in and through me. Now I live my whole life in this worldly body only through believing in the Son of God, who loved me so much that He gave Himself to redeem me. 21 So I reject turning away from the kindness of God which we receive through our union with Christ in order to go back to work to be made right in God's sight based on the Law. For if we suppose that mankind can be made right by obeying the Law, then it was useless for Christ to die for us! GNT Translation notes: [I have explained before that faith and believe are the same thing in Greek, just the noun and verb form of the same root (pistis). Faith has taken on all kinds of fuzzy and wrong meaning in modern English usage. To maintain Paul’s persistent use of the same term, in the reading today, I will read all instances of ‘faith’ as ‘believing’ or ‘belief’. The verses where I have read with this substitution in chapter 3 are 6-8, 11-12, 14, and 22-26.] Gal. 3:7 GNT You should realize, then, that the real [sons//descendants] of Abraham are the people who [believe like he did//have faith]. [We will see in chapter 4 that Paul uses the legal Roman law term for the adoption of sons. Even women get adopted and have rights equal to sons.] Gal. 3:20 [PET However, in the case of God acting alone in giving his promise to Abraham, God Himself gave it directly without an intermediary.//GNT But a go-between is not needed when only one person is involved; and God is one.] 22 [PET Moreover the Scripture says that sin has control over the lives of all men.* So the only way to be saved is by fully believing in Christ Jesus, and through believing, we receive the blessing that God promised to Abraham.//GNT But the scripture says that the whole world is under the power of sin; and so the gift which is promised on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ is given to those who believe. *Ps. 14:3, 53:4; Rom. 3:9-19] 26 It is through [believing in Christ Jesus//faith] that all of you are God's [sons//children] [and united to Him// in union with Christ Jesus].…

1 GN-Day126 Judges 4-5; Psalm 80; Galatians 2 25:47
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JUDGES 4-5:We heard yesterday that around the time of Joshua's death, an angel appeared to the people of Israel and rebuked them for disobedience. In chapter 2, the author of Judges summarized the fickleness of the people. And in chapter 3 we quickly heard about Othniel, Ehud, and Shamgar— the first three judges. PSALM 80:In this poem, Asaph pictures the Lord as a shepherd and Israel like a vine. It is no accident that both of these are also pictures of Jesus in the New Testament. This psalm is marked by the repetition of these words, “Turn us again to yourself, O God of Heaven’s Armies.” GALATIANS 2:This chapter contains difficult concepts for many modern readers! It complicates things when Paul repeats the word ‘sinners’ with slightly different shades of meaning while mixing in irony. I suggest that you take a look at our Plain English Translation text below.…

1 GN-Day125 Judges 2-3; Psalm 79; Galatians 1 21:06
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JUDGES 2-3:Yesterday we heard how the tribe of Judah was more successful in driving out the Canaanites than the other tribes. Several of the tribes just moved in with their enemies. PSALM 79:This lament by Asaph is like Ps 74, talking about Jerusalem and the Temple conquered by enemies. There is a strong comparison with what we see starting to happen in Judges. GALATIANS 1:We heard the controversy over circumcision in Acts 15. This letter to the Galatian believers is on a similar theme, and it shows how Paul would have argued with the Jews of the circumcision party. Paul stays very much on this theme in this book— which in some ways foreshadows some arguments in the book of Romans. Important sections for memorizing include the ‘crucified with Christ’ passages in chapter 2 and 6, and the works of the flesh and fruits of the Holy Spirit in chapter 5. This book makes it perfectly clear that we are not saved by religion. We are saved by ‘faith’— which means ‘fully believing in Christ’. Do not fall into the trap of choosing between what James says about being saved by works and what Paul says. The two teachings are compatible. The saying taught to me by one of my spiritual fathers (Glen Zumwalt) is this: We are saved by ‘faith alone’; but saving faith will never be ‘alone’. Paul’s introduction in the first chapter is unique among his letters. He normally starts with praise for the congregation he is writing to. Not in this case! After he expresses his shock at the Galatian church, he goes on to remind them that the Good News they had so quickly abandoned was revealed directly to him by the Lord.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day124 Judges 1; Psalm 78:32-72; Acts 28 22:09
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1 GN-Day123 Joshua 24; Psalm 78:1-39; Acts 27:18-44 21:26
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JOSHUA 24:In yesterday’s reading, Joshua dismissed the three tribes of warriors to return to their homes to the east of the Jordan. But when they went home, they decided to build an altar as a memorial. But their idea was misunderstood, nearly resulting in war. PSALM 78a:This poetic recitation of Israel’s history comes at a fitting place in relation to our other Old Testament reading. ACTS 27b:In yesterday’s reading, Paul, Luke, and Aristarchus started the voyage to Rome, under the command of a Roman officer named Julius. The captain, ship owner, and sailors didn't listen to Paul's prophetic warning, and disaster was the result.…
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1 GN-Day122 Joshua 22-23; Psalm 77; Acts 27:1-26 22:38
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JOSHUA 22-23:Yesterday we heard the detailed list of the cities of refuge— the cities set apart for anyone who happened to kill someone accidentally. Following that was the list of the towns that were given to the priests and Levites. PSALM 77:This psalm by Asaph was dedicated to Jeduthun, whose name means ‘praise giver’. Asaph worries about this: Has God changed? Why doesn’t He help us like He helped the Israelites in the past? I have chosen again to read this from the CEV rather than from the GNT. The CEV makes it clear that this whole poem is a prayer to God. ACTS 27:Yesterday we heard Paul's defense before King Agrippa. Paul didn't hesitate to speak convicting ideas to his own judges. Instead of listening, they stood up and left. They admitted that Paul was innocent, but quite frankly, it must have been more politically expedient to get rid of Paul by sending him away to Caesar— in accordance with Paul's own request. GNT Translation note: [HCSB By now much time had passed,//We spent a long time there,] [so that it was//until it became] dangerous to continue the voyage, for by now the Day of Atonement was already past. So Paul gave them this advice:…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day121 Joshua 20-21; Psalm 76; Acts 26 20:08
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JOSHUA 20-21:Yesterday we read the details of land allotment and cities for the remaining seven tribes with their families. Last of all, Joshua himself received a city. PSALM 76:It only makes sense to know God and to be firmly on His side. As verse 10 says, “Human defiance only enhances His glory.” The second line of that verse is very unclear in Hebrew. NLT’s translation makes good sense, saying that God uses human defiance as a weapon against the same defiant ones. ACTS 26:In yesterday's story in Acts, Festus took his position as governor and tried Paul. Afterward King Agrippa and his sister came, and the stage was set for Paul to defend himself again. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 76:1 [You, O God, are known in Judah and your name is honored in Israel.//God is known in Judah; his name is honored in Israel.2 [You have your//He has his] home in Jerusalem; [You live//he lives] on Mount Zion. 3 There [You//he] broke the arrows of the enemy, their shields and swords, yes, all their weapons. 7 [0//But] you, Lord, are feared by all. No one can stand in your presence when you are angry.10 [NLH Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon.//Human anger only results in more praise for you; those who survive the wars will keep your festivals.]11 [All you nearby nations,//0] Give the Lord your God what you promised him; bring your gifts to him, [0//all you nearby nations]. God makes everyone fear him; 12 he humbles proud princes and terrifies great kings.====Acts 26:18 You are to open their eyes and turn them from the darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God, so that through [believing//their faith] in me they will have their sins forgiven and receive their place among God's chosen people.’…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day120 Joshua 18-19; Psalm 75; Acts 25 24:04
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JOSHUA 18-19:Yesterday we heard the details about Mannaseh and Ephraim's allotment of land. I suggest that it will be very helpful for your understanding of these chapters in Joshua to do an Internet search for “map tribes Israel.” [These notes are used for both the podcast listeners and for those who are only reading the Digging Deeper Daily reading plan in the YouVersion app. If you are NOT one of the podcast listeners, and if you don’t enjoy reading lists of names, consider listening to this day’s podcast at http://dailybiblereading.info . Search for _120 on the landing page of the site.] PSALM 75:Do you remember what Paul talked to Felix about from yesterday’s reading? Asaph’s psalm takes a similar theme today. ACTS 25:Paul's accusers came, and Paul defended himself before the governor. The governor put off making a decision, and never got around to making one. One day at the beginning of that time, he and his Jewish wife came to listen to Paul for a little entertainment. But Felix cut the discussion short when Paul meddled a little too much. Paul stayed there in jail for two long years and never gave a bribe to Felix. Finally, Felix left Paul in prison when he was replaced by Festus. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 75:7 it is [You, O God, who are//God who is] the judge, condemning some and acquitting others. 8 [You, Lord, hold a cup in your hand//The Lord holds a cup in his hand], filled with the strong wine of [your//his] anger. [You pour//He pours] it out, and all the wicked drink it; they drink it down to the last drop. 9 But I will never stop speaking of [You, O God//the God of] Jacob or singing praises to [You//him]. 10 [You//He] will break the power of the wicked, but the power of the righteous will be increased.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day119 Joshua 16-17; Psalm 74; Acts 24 20:09
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JOSHUA 16-17:Yesterday Caleb received his special portion within Judah's allotment of land, and then we heard the detailed list of Judah's boundaries and towns. Chapter 15 may be the most challenging passage in all the Old Testament to read out loud! PSALM 74:Could this psalm really have been written by Asaph?! If so, Asaph was a prophet as he seems to describe events that happened hundreds of years later in the Babylonian conquest. It is possible he could have been a 100-year-old man when writing this, speaking of the destruction caused by Pharaoh Shishak. It must also be observed that the attributions in the Psalms were written centuries later than the Psalms themselves and are not to be considered part of the inspired text. (However, I still think that Asaph was a prophet!) ACTS 24:A plot was made to kill Paul. Paul's nephew “just happened” to get wind of it. The Roman commander ordered that Paul is taken to the governor in Caesarea.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day118 Joshua 14-15; Psalm 73; Acts 23:19-35 22:56
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JOSHUA 14-15:Yesterday in Joshua we heard an inventory of the kings conquered so far and details about the allotments of land for the 2 1/2 tribes east of the Jordan. PSALM 73:This is one of my favorite psalms because it speaks to an intellectual problem that so often bothers me. The turning point is verse 17 in this poem by Asaph. ACTS 23b:Paul before the council cried out words that divided the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!” Note that no one said, “But who says that Jesus has risen from the dead?!” The leaders could produce no proof that Jesus had not risen from the dead, and this fact also refuted the teaching of their sect, the sect of the Sadducees. So the resurrection of Jesus touched a very raw nerve for them. In the night, Jesus came personally to encourage Paul. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 73:26 My mind and my body may grow weak,but [You, O my God, are//God is] my strength;[You are//he is] all I ever need.28 But as for me, how wonderful to be near [You, O] God,to find protection with [You,] the Sovereign Lordand to proclaim all that [You have//he has] done!…
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1 GN-Day117 Joshua 12-13; Psalm 72; Acts 23:1-22 21:50
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JOSHUA 12-13:As we heard yesterday, God fought for Israel, even causing the sun and moon to stand still. Basically, the main central body of land was conquered in only two campaigns. It is important to remember that the total destruction of the people groups listed was commanded by God because of their disgusting pagan and idolatrous practices. Joshua 10:40 “… This was what the Lord God of Israel had commanded.” See also 11:20. PSALM 72:It is clear that this psalm, written by King Solomon— or more likely written about King Solomon, goes beyond Solomon, giving adoration to the King of Kings. ACTS 23a:Paul gave his defense from the top of the stairway leading to the military headquarters. In spite of the miracles in his story, the mob was not impressed. It was the word ‘Gentiles’ that caused the final violent reaction.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day116 Joshua 10-11; Psalm 71; Acts 22 27:36
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JOSHUA 10-11:The king of Ai trusted in appearances and was defeated. And the leaders of Israel trusted in appearances and failed to ask God for guidance, leading to a problem that would later cause more pain. PSALM 71:This is a poem written by a senior citizen with examples for our prayers that are appropriate for ‘youth’ of all ages. ACTS 22:In the last part of Acts 21, people from Asia recognized Paul and started a riot in the temple. Paul was arrested and now gives his speech to the angry mob. GNT Translation note:Acts 22:26 When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and [said to//asked] him, “What are you doing? That man is a Roman citizen!”[In several places in Luke’s writings irony is unmarked but would have been understood by readers of his day. PET 26 The commander scoffed, “Oh yeah, I’ve heard that one before! Now you’re gonna say, ‘It cost me plenty to buy my citizenship.’”//The commander said, “I became one by paying a large amount of money.”“But I am one by birth,” Paul answered.]…
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1 GN-Day115 Joshua 8-9; Psalm 70; Acts 21:20-40 21:44
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JOSHUA 8-9:Yesterday the walls of Jericho “came a-tumbling down” after some skillful trumpet playing while marching around the city for 7 days. The city was devoted to destruction, meaning that this was God's judgment upon thm and that everything was to be destroyed. Right after this amazing victory, Israel learned through a man named Achan that keeping treasures devoted to destruction makes oneself devoted to destruction. PSALM 70:David pleads in this psalm for help against his enemies. And this poem is a repetition of the last part of Psalm 40. ACTS 21b:Paul, Luke, and the other companions arrived in Jerusalem. On the way, Paul heard the prophecies that he should not go to Jerusalem. Once there, he received advice from James and the others which turned out to be disastrous in the end. Should Paul have followed the advice he was given by prophecy? My opinion is that he did the will of God which had already been revealed to him before those prophecies. In other words, the information in those prophecies that Paul would be arrested and beaten was from God. The interpretation that Paul should not go there was added by people, and Paul was right in not following their advice.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day114 Joshua 6-7; Psalm 69:19-36; Acts 21:1-25 24:02
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JOSHUA 6-7:In yesterday’s reading, Joshua leads the people across the Jordan on dry ground, and they set up 12 stones in two places to be memorial reminders for the people of this miracle. All the men were circumcised, and the angel who is the commander of God's army revealed himself to Joshua. PSALM 69:In yesterday’s reading, I appreciated that the writer appealed to God based on the Lord’s ‘constant love’. Let’s continue the reading of Ps 69 with four verses appropriate to Jesus’ life. Note that verse 22 is quoted by Paul in Romans 11. ACTS 21a:Yesterday we heard Paul's speech to the Ephesian elders. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that they would never see him again. He warned them to be faithful in shepherding the people and to watch out for false teaching. In Revelation 2 we find out that they did as Paul commanded, but in their zeal to protect from error, they forgot to be loving. GNT Translation note: Acts 21:4 There we found some believers and stayed with them a week. By the power of the [Holy] Spirit, they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day113 Joshua 4-5; Psalm 69:1-18; Acts 20:17-38 18:08
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JOSHUA 4-5:In yesterday’s reading, Joshua sent out two spies. Rahab, who was a prostitute and later became an outstanding example of God's grace, protected them and eventually became a full member of Israel. The people of Israel crossed the Jordan miraculously on dry ground— even though the river was in flood stage, as Joshua leads following God's instructions. PSALM 69:This poem contains words that were quoted about Jesus (v. 4 and 9). Those verses give us an inside view of the nature of Jesus’ suffering while on earth in his public ministry. ACTS 20:In yesterday’s reading, Paul left Ephesus and prepared other churches for his departure. In Troas, Paul preached all night. Eutychus had trouble staying awake. And today we will hear all of Paul's speech at Miletus to the elders from the church at Ephesus.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day112 Joshua 2-3; Psalm 68:19-35; Acts 20:1-25 19:01
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JOSHUA 2-3:Yesterday we started the book of Joshua, named after the man God chose as Moses’ successor. In this book we will see the victory of the Chosen People in conquering the Promised Land (chapters 1-12) and then the occupation of the Promised Land (chapters 13-24). Three times in Deuteronomy 31, we heard the charge, “Be determined and confident,” and that command was repeated three more times to Joshua in chapter 1. PSALM 68b:This Psalm starts with the words Moses spoke whenever the Ark of the Covenant was taken up to be moved to another place: “1 Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies.”And David adds, “Let those who hate God run for their lives.” ACTS 20a:Yesterday we heard of how Demetrius— the silver-smith shrine-making businessman, incited a riot against Paul. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 68 [Again I read this from the CEV because it translates the pronouns/nouns in such a way that one understands the whole poem as a prayer.]====Acts 20:11 Then [Paul//he] went back upstairs, broke bread, and ate. After talking with them for a long time, even until sunrise, Paul left.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day111 Joshua 1; Psalm 68:1-19; Acts 19:23-41 14:40
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JOSHUA 1:Yesterday we read the conclusion of Deuteronomy with Moses blessing eleven of the twelve tribes with a prophetic blessing. And when Moses died and the Lord buried him in an unknown location in Moab. Now we turn to Joshua, the book named after the man God chose as Moses’ successor. In this book, we see the victory of the Chosen People in conquering the Promised Land (chapters 1-12) and then the occupation of the Promised Land (chapters 13-24). Three times in Deuteronomy 31, we find the charge, “Be determined and confident,” and that command is repeated to Joshua at the beginning of this book. PSALM 68a:This beautiful song of praise is filled with poetic imagery celebrating the victories God gives his people. So this song is very appropriate for us to read as a preface to the book of Joshua. This starts with the words that Moses spoke whenever the Ark of the Covenant was moved. Paul quotes from v18 and 20 in Eph 4. ACTS 19b:Apollos was introduced in yesterday's reading. And Paul returned to Ephesus and had a miraculous and fruitful ministry there for three years. GNT Translation note: Ps. 68 [Except for the first verse, I choose to read CEV for this Psalm because I feel it is helpful to understand this whole Psalm as a prayer spoken to God.]…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day110 Deuteronomy 33-34; Psalm 67; Acts 19:1-22 17:09
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DEUTERONOMY 33-34:In yesterday's reading, Moses showed Israel that the leadership was given to Joshua, and he gave the command that this book of Deuteronomy is kept near the Arc of the Covenant. Then God gave Moses a long song to teach people, to help them remember. In this song, God described some future events as happening in the past tense. This is a feature of many prophetic writings. Here is one detail you might want to notice today in chapter 33: In Moses’ blessings for the tribes of Israel, only 11 are listed. So I’m giving a digging deeper challenge: Which tribe is left out, and what theory do you propose for that one being left out? PSALM 67:The theme of this beautiful psalm is that the salvation that God gives is to be made known to people everywhere, to every ethnic group. ACTS 19a:Yesterday in Acts 18, Paul met and began working with Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth. When put on trial before Gallio, God defended him so that he didn't even need to speak. Then that night Jesus strengthened him to keep on speaking boldly. GNT Translation notes:Deut. 33:11 Lord, help their tribe to grow strong; Be pleased with what they do. Crush all their enemies; [May their enemies//Let them] never rise again.”==== Ps. 67:6 The land has produced its harvest; [You, O God have//God, our God, has] blessed us. 7 [You have//God has] blessed us; may all people everywhere honor [You//him].…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day109 Deuteronomy 31-32; Psalm 66; Acts 18 24:57
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DEUTERONOMY 31-32: Yesterday in Deuteronomy Moses reviewed the covenant and again stressed that the choice is between life and death, and between experiencing blessings or curses. Be aware that in the poem dictated to Moses by the Lord, the Lord speaks of things that were in Israel’s future as if they had already taken place. This is called proleptic past tense and is a feature of prophetic writings. PSALM 66: Our glorious God deserves glorious praise. Note that this psalm shows the importance of confessing our sins to God. ACTS 18: In Acts 17, opposition hounded the steps of Paul, Silas and Timothy, first in Thessalonica and then in Berea. The people of Berea are an example for us all, and that’s why so many churches are named after their city. Then Paul in Athens debated with the philosophers of his day. GNT Translation notes: Deut. 32:3 [Because in this song I will praise the LORD— giving honor to his name//I will praise the name of the Lord,] and his people will tell of his greatness. ==== Ps. 66:4 Everyone on earth worships you;they sing praises to you,[their songs give honor//they sing praises] to your name.”5 Come[, all peoples] and see what God has done,his wonderful acts among people.10 You[, O God,//0] have put us to the test[0//, God];as silver is purified by fire,\so you have tested us.16 [Now, all who honor God,//0] Come and listen, [0//all who honor God,]and I will tell you what he has done for me.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day108 Deuteronomy 29-30; Psalm 65; Acts 17 23:08
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DEUTERONOMY 29-30:Yesterday in Deuteronomy Moses ratcheted up the fear index to the red level. And the scary thing about the threats he used to motivate the people to obedience is that they later all came true, as we will see in books like Judges and 2 Kings. PSALM 65:Today’s Psalm is a hymn of joy and mighty praise. ACTS 17:Yesterday we heard of how Paul and Silas were beaten and put in jail. This was as a result of freeing a slave girl from demonic bondage. Their overnight in jail led to the jailer and his family becoming followers of Christ. But the next day, as requested, Paul and Silas left town.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day107 Deuteronomy 28; Psalm 64; Acts 16:19-40 21:07
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DEUTERONOMY 28:Yesterday we read of the ceremony that Moses commanded the people to perform when they entered the promised land. The Levites were to loudly proclaim curses from Mount Ebal over anyone who violates the laws. PSALM 64:If you feel that people are looking for opportunities to slander you, this psalm is for you. ACTS 16b:Yesterday in this chapter— via the change of pronouns, we understood that Luke joined with Paul as one of his traveling companions. Also, note that the Holy Spirit can also be called the Spirit of Jesus. These are one and the same Spirit of God. GNT Translation note:Deut. 28:44 They will have money to lend [to] you, but you will have none to lend them. In the end they will be your rulers.====Ps. 64:7 But [when You, O God, shoot your//God shoots his] arrows at them, [0//and] suddenly they [will be//are] wounded. 8 [You//He] will destroy them because of those words; all who see them will shake their heads. 9 They will all be afraid; they will think about what [You have//God] has done and tell about [your//his] deeds. 10 All righteous people will rejoice because of what [You have done, O Lord//the Lord has done]. They will find safety in [You//him]; all good people will praise [You//him].…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day106 Deuteronomy 27; Psalm 63; Acts 16:1-24 15:30
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DEUTERONOMY 27:Yesterday in Deuteronomy, Moses continued with miscellaneous regulations. One repeated in the New Testament is to not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating when it is treading out the grain. Paul used that as a metaphor for something else. PSALM 63:This is another poem of David, including beautiful imagery. Pray like David, if you want to be blessed like David or need protection as David did. ACTS 16:Yesterday in Acts we heard how Barnabas and Paul with Silas and Judas/Justus delivered the letter from the leaders in Jerusalem. And afterward, Paul and Barnabas had their falling out over the issue of whether to take John Mark along on their next trip. Silas— who evidently had come back to Antioch, became Paul's new ministry partner.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day105 Deuteronomy 25-26; Psalm 62; Acts 15:19-41 17:52
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DEUTERONOMY 25-26:Yesterday we read some laws for what kind of people could not enter into the congregation of Israel, and how long before their descendants could enter into the congregation of Israel. And we heard laws about cleanliness based on the fact that God was living with the Israelites. And, God wanted his people to be kind, fair, and thoughtful of the needs of the poor. PSALM 62:Here is a psalm to pray and an example to follow when you feel the world is against you. ACTS 15b:Yesterday in the first half of this chapter we heard how the controversy over circumcision started and we heard the speeches of Peter and James. GNT Translation notes: [The last verse of this Psalm shows that it is a prayer addressed to God. It is an open question if in verse 5 David is speaking encouragement to his own soul. The vocative form seems to indicate that. I think that CEV is correct in showing that in verses 3-5 David is speaking about himself in the third person.] Ps. 62:1 I wait patiently for [You, O] God to save me; I depend on [You//him] alone.2 [You alone protect and save me//He alone protects and saves me]; [You are//he is] my defender, and I shall never be defeated.3 How much longer will all of you [people] attack [me—] someone who is no stronger than a broken-down fence?4 You only want to bring [me//him] down from [my//his] place of honor; you take pleasure in lies. You speak words of blessing, but in your heart[s] you curse [me//him].5 [O my soul, depend on God alone!//I depend on God alone;] [O Lord, I put my hope in You.//I put my hope in him.]6 [You alone protect and save me//He alone protects and saves me]; [You are//he is] my defender, and I shall never be defeated.7 My salvation and honor depend on [You, O] God; [You are//he is] my strong protector; [You are//he is] my shelter.8 [O my people,//0] Trust in God at all times, [0//my people.] Tell him all your troubles, for he is our refuge.9 Human beings are all like a puff of breath; great and small alike are worthless. Put them on the scales, and they weigh nothing; they are lighter than a mere breath.10 Don't put your trust in violence; don't hope to gain anything by robbery; even if your riches increase, don't depend on them.11 [O my God//0] More than once I have heard [You//God] say that power belongs to [You//him]12 and that [your//his] love is constant. You yourself, O Lord, reward everyone according to their deeds. ====Acts 15:29 eat no food that has been offered to idols; eat no blood; eat no animal that has been strangled; and keep yourselves from sexual immorality. You will do well if you take care not to do these things. [Farewell] With our best wishes.”…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day104 Deuteronomy 23-24; Psalm 61; Acts 15:1-21 18:04
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DEUTERONOMY 23-24:Yesterday we read an odd collection of regulations: Cleansing the land from unsolved murder, marrying a captive woman after a war, rights of a first-born son when a man has more than one wife, the responsibility of helping neighbors, and various problems concerning adultery. PSALM 61:This is one I love to sing. ACTS 15a:In Acts 14, we heard of the incredible turn of events for Paul and Barnabas. At one moment they were hailed as gods, but after a very short time Paul was stoned. As they tell the believers, “We have to go through many hardships before we enter God's kingdom in heaven.”…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 103: Reader: Take Note Buckling the Belt of Truth 1 25:16
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A few years ago I published a YouVersion reading plan entitled Buckling the belt of truth. In this podcast I’m reissuing the first episode of that reading plan. Here I am at 72. I'm beginning to not be so surprised at my own age. Being so very elderly, perhaps it is time to share some grandfatherly advice. Maybe I have some of you fooled. Some of you may think that an elder missionary like me has it all together and that I don't ever sin. You might think that I have conquered all weaknesses and no longer have episodes of sinful thoughts. You would be wrong. And I suspect that I don’t fool everyone. People who really know me have seen my weaknesses. However, if I am working with the right information, a lot of you have struggles with sin the same way I do. So let me start by calling our attention again to these frequently quoted verses: 2 Peter 1:3-4 NLT'15 3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV: 3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. Those are great verses, but they leave me asking, even crying out, “Which promises?! I don't think I have “escaped the world's corruption” yet! Have I been overlooking a key promise somewhere?!” Peter follows verses 3-4 by urging his readers to take steps for spiritual maturity found in verses 5-8. While Peter gives great advice in those verses (which I hope you will study), I still keep coming back to verses 3-4 and asking, “How do I put golden promises found somewhere in the Bible into effect?— so that through them, I can ‘share in God’s divine nature’ and truly ‘escape’ from bondage to sinful desires. What are the practical steps to do that?” Where can I find the promises that unlock moral excellence and self-control? Just like any college curriculum, before you start advanced courses, you need to take the prerequisites. So also, for you to get the most from this study, here are the prerequisites. This study is for true believers in Christ who are mature enough in following Jesus to have experienced the frustration I just explained above. The 5-7 studies I am starting with this session won’t be much help to you if you are living in gross disobedience to basic commands in God’s Word. Using an extreme example, if you make your living by stealing packages, you need to get an honest job before taking this course. This course is for those seeking spiritual maturity. The first step in becoming a maturing follower of Jesus is for you to repent of all openly disobedient life-styles. Another foundational step toward maturity is being a member of a local Bible-believing church, being baptized, and taking part in the Lord’s supper with your fellow believers. I can imagine some readers complaining about my saying this. I urge you to understand that membership in an organized fellowship of believers is a baked-in part of how God designed humans to live. The picture of community life starts in Genesis and goes through the whole Bible. You will not be successful in your quest for spiritual maturity if you are attempting to live as a Lone Ranger Christian. Other readers will say, “I don’t want to be a lone ranger, but there isn’t a Bible believing church near me.” I recognize that finding a church that is faithfully teaching the Bible will become increasingly difficult at this time— especially in some countries, but also anywhere in the increasingly post-Christian world. Look for a home fellowship that you can join. Finally, an important foundational prerequisite step is to cultivate a scheduled Bible reading habit. If you fit this profile, please continue to listen/read. 1. My first step to finding the golden promises Peter mentioned and escaping moral corruption is to Put on the belt of truth. This is one of seven parts to the Christian’s armor found in Ephesians 6. But I suggest that we make this clarification: Buckle the belt of truth by believing what God says about you in the Bible. NLT'07 Ephesians 6:14: 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth … If you are a Christian, you believe a lot of true things already about Christ and the Bible. (You believe Christ came to earth to save us. You believe the Bible is God’s message to us.) But do you reject believing other things the Bible says about you? If you do, it is like putting on a belt— putting it through your belt loops, but not buckling it. So let’s learn how to buckle the belt of truth. In this lesson, I want to sensitize you to realize when you don’t actually believe it when the Bible says incredibly awesome things about YOU as a believer in Christ. Having the realization is often the hardest part. After that, ask God to renew your mind to fully accept the new truth. Let’s make one thing clear about believing. Believing isn’t something that just sort of happens. Believing is an act of the will. You decide if you believe something or believe in Somebody, or not. This is why in Scripture we read that God commanded people to believe and do what He told them, and He punished them for a stubborn refusal to believe His commands. Just look at the people of Israel who followed Moses all the way from Egypt and through the wilderness. They got all the way to the border of the promised land, knowing all the time what they would have to do. But when the Lord, “Now it’s time to enter and conquer that land,” they said, “Surely you couldn’t mean us!” Let’s go back to where we started. Peter said, “he (God) has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. Here’s the basic principle I hope you will learn: When you encounter ‘great and precious promises’ in your Bible reading, telling you about wonderful things God has done for you or given to you, ask God to make those things real to you. Ask him to open your mind to receive that truth about you, and help you live in the light of that truth. You will need to pray asking God for such help, because for your whole life, Satan and his friends have been feeding lies to you. Now let’s turn to Ephesians 1. You might want to follow the episode notes so that you can see the words I have highlighted. NLT'15 Ephesians 1:1-23: 1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. This letter written to the normal believers in Ephesus, is therefore written to us too. For now let’s skip the idea that Paul called them ‘holy people’, because Paul comes back to that idea more than once below. 3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. 4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. This paragraph turns our normal understanding upside down. I think that most people think of God as the angry judge that will destroy us. But these verses have God as the actor doing all these wonderful things, which are too many for me to comment on now. Let me highlight just two of them: God loves us and called us in advance. Change what you think about God and yourself: Tell this truth to yourself: God loves even me. God called me long ago, before I was born (amazingly, before He made the world). Let’s claim another truth here: As a believer in Christ, you are united with Christ. A literal translation will say, ‘in Christ’. Jesus spoke of this unity when He said, “I am the vine and you are the branches.” (John 15:5) NLT'07 John 15:4: 4 Remain in me (joined to me), and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. This idea of being ‘joined’ to Christ (or ‘in Christ) is spoken of in many places in Paul’s writing, and it becomes one of the themes of this letter. But, dear friend, it’s time for you to start believing this idea about yourself! This is a key concept in believing that you are accepted as ‘holy’ in God’s sight. If you see yourself as separate from Christ, sadly, you will act like you are not connected to Christ. Now with this connection, we also have the reason we are holy. It’s not that we are in any natural sense ‘saints’, but we have been made holy by Christ. We have received his holiness. Out of the incredible richness of this paragraph, I want to pull out one more gem. God has adopted you and me into his family. In the Greek Paul used a legal term here which means you have been given ‘sonship’ or ‘legally adopted as a son’. In Roman law, the adoption of a son could not be undone. It was permanent. (Ladies, in this spiritual reality, don’t let the male gender of this term rob you from considering yourself permanently adopted.) Dear friend, it's time to revise how you think of yourself. You’re not a nobody. You’re not unloved. You are a permanent member of the most powerful royal family! Let’s skip down to the middle of v.13. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. Think about this: God has given you a guarantee that he is going to give you a wonderful inheritance. Stop saying, “Well, as long as I get to heaven I don’t need an inheritance.” God wants us to think about that inheritance. It is healthy for us to think longingly for our inheritance in heaven. Our guarantee is not some flimsy card that we will misplace. Our guarantee is the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts! Our text says, “when you believed in Christ, he (God) identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit,” It is crucial that you have a sense of belonging to God given by the Holy Spirit. Think of how personal and intimate is this bond we now have with God. I think you will find that this intimate bond is something you want to keep. This is one of our main motivations in seeking to live a holy life in God’s sight. NLT'07 Romans 8:9: 9 … (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) It’s no wonder that in the John 15 passage we quoted about Jesus being the vine and we the branches, He mentions prayer: NLT'07 John 15:7: 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! If we aren’t praying, then we aren’t believing the truths I just listed for you. Power points: God is for us and loves us. God is the actor for most of this chapter. This love from God the Father is counter-intuitive for us. We won’t believe it unless we realize our lack of belief and pray to God asking Him to make it real to us. God went to great lengths to put his plan into action. This gives us great confidence that we have really been called by Him. We are one with Him, joined to Him. We are united to Christ, so much so that He considers us actually part of his body. We have a powerful guarantee, the Holy Spirit, which is not an external thing, but an inward witness that we are joined to Christ. We are God’s holy people, not because we have the power to be holy. But God has made us holy by our unity with Christ. This is our identity! Take this identity. Believe and preserve this identity by taking care of the unity you have with the Holy Spirit. Paul wants us to understand all these things so that we understand that God will use his power to help us. Homework: 2PE.1.3-4 EPH.6.10-18 EPH.1 EPH.2.1-10…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day103 Deuteronomy 21-22; Psalm 60; Acts 14 20:44
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DEUTERONOMY 21-22:Yesterday we heard an explanation of why cities of refuge were needed. And we heard interesting rules concerning war. In the war and conquest of Canaan that we will read about in Joshua, I urge us to remember that God spoke repeatedly about the wickedness of the Canaanite nations that Israel would conquer (beginning with what He said to Jacob way back in Genesis 15:16). Included in the detestable customs of the nations mentioned, is that they sacrificed human babies, burning them alive, plus all of the other sins Moses told the people not to imitate. PSALM 60:This poem is again based on David’s experiences. I think that this psalm must show how David prayed before the victories mentioned in the rabbinical title. ACTS 14:In chapter 13 we completed the story of Paul and Barnabas' short but successful ministry in Pisidian Antioch. They were too successful, so were run out of town. This is just the first time that will happen! GNT Translation notes:Deut. 22:12 “[Attach//Sew] tassels on the four corners of your clothes.[This change was made simply because the listener cannot hear the difference between ‘sew’ and ‘so’.]====Ps. 60:6 [From your sanctuary You, O God have said,//From his sanctuary God has said,] “In triumph I will divide Shechem and distribute Sukkoth Valley to my people. 12 [But] With [You, O] God on our side we will win; [You//he] will defeat our enemies.====Acts 14:18 [With great difficulty, using such words the apostles finally did succeed in stopping//Even with these words the apostles could hardly keep] the crowd from offering a sacrifice to them.[This is one of the most frequently misunderstood verses in the New Testament!]21 Paul and Barnabas preached the Good News in Derbe and won many disciples. Then they went back to Lystra, to Iconium, and on to Antioch in [the province of] Pisidia. 26 and from there they sailed back to Antioch [in the province of Syria], the place where they had been commended to the care of God's grace for the work they had now completed.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day102 Deuteronomy 19-20; Psalm 59; Acts 13:26-52 19:54
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DEUTERONOMY 19-20:In yesterday’s reading, we heard that the duties of the king included having a copy of the Law made, or perhaps making it himself (the Hebrew is unclear on that point). This is something we never hear of happening. (I don’t think what was given to King Josiah at his inauguration qualifies.) Then Deuteronomy 18 very strict in its prohibition against all kinds of witchcraft and fortune telling. Then there is one of the most important prophecies regarding Jesus: God was going to send a prophet like Moses and the people must listen to him. Another important point about this prophecy is the specific requirement that the prophet would come from the people of Israel. PSALM 59:Because of David’s unique situation, he certainly learned how to pray for protection from enemies. ACTS 13b:In the first part of chapter 13, we heard how God called Barnabas and Saul in the city of Antioch— the one in the Roman province of Syria, and the church sent them out. We repeat some verses from Paul’s important speech, which took place in the other city called Antioch, the one in the province of Pisidia. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 59:4 [NET Though I have done nothing wrong, they are anxious to attack. Spring into action and help me! Take notice of me!//nor because of any fault of mine, O Lord,that they hurry to their places.]====Acts 13:40 Take care, then, so that what [God said through] the prophets said may not happen to you:…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day101 Deuteronomy 17-18; Psalm 58; Acts 13:1-33 19:24
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DEUTERONOMY 17-18:In yesterday's reading, we heard about the release of debts and slaves in the Jubilee Year (also called the year of restoration), and a reminder about 100% participation for the males in three festivals. PSALM 58:This poem celebrates that God will indeed give justice to His people, even though many times it seems to us that there is no justice on earth. ACTS 13a:In yesterday’s reading, we heard how Herod decided to go after the top apostles, killing James. But Peter escaped. As a result, 16 soldiers died. Then Herod met his richly deserved end. GNT Translation notes: Deut. 17:18 When he becomes king, he is to [order that//have] a copy of the book of God's laws and teachings [be] made from the original copy kept by the levitical priests. [The Hebrew says that the king is to make a copy. Most translations translate that literally, so that the king would make a copy himself. However probably most things that a king is spoken of as ‘doing’ are actually things he orders to have done for him. So this can be taken either way. We can see how Jehoiada the priest encouraged the obedience of this command when Joash was anointed king.] 18:8 [NLT He may eat his share of the sacrifices and offerings, even if he has a private source of income.//He is to receive the same amount of food as the other priests, and he may keep whatever his family sends him.]====Ps. 58:9 Before they know it, they are cut down like weeds; in [your fierce anger, O God, You//his fierce anger God] will blow them away while they are still living.====Acts 13:11 The Lord's hand will come down on you now; [and for a time//0] you will be blind and will not see the light of day [0//for a time].” At once Elymas felt a dark mist cover his eyes, and he walked around trying to find someone to lead him by the hand.14 They went on from Perga and arrived in [the city of] Antioch [which is in the province of//in] Pisidia, and on the Sabbath they went into the synagogue and sat down.…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day100 Deuteronomy 15-16; Psalm 57; Acts 12 20:55
20:55
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DEUTERONOMY 15-16:Yesterday's reading included Moses' warning about being led astray by anyone, including false prophets or even close family members. No one who proposed idolatry was to be allowed to live. Then we heard a repetition of the laws about which animals were to be treated as clean/edible and those unclean/detestable. Psalm 57:This Psalm is beautiful and often quoted. It again is from David's experiences. ACTS 12:In Acts 11 we heard how Peter needed to defend what he did in sharing the Gospel with Gentiles. The result was that the church leaders joyfully accepted that God was giving salvation to more than just the Jews. Then we heard how Barnabas visited the predominantly Gentile believers in Antioch and then called Saul to join him. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 57:2 I call to [You, O] God, the Most High, to [You who supply//God, who supplies] my every need. 3 [You//He] will answer from heaven and save me; [You//he] will defeat my oppressors[ and show your constant love and faithfulness to me.// God will show me his constant love and faithfulness.]====15 “You are crazy!” they told her. But she insisted that it was true. So they answered, “It [must be//is] his [guardian] angel.”[18 When morning came, there was no little argument among the soldiers over what had become of Peter.//When morning came, there was a tremendous confusion among the guards—what had happened to Peter?]…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day099 Deuteronomy 13-14; Psalm 56; Acts 11 18:21
18:21
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DEUTERONOMY 13-14:In yesterday's reading Moses continued to stress the need for faithfulness to God and all his commands. It is clear that Moses loves the people and is marshaling every argument possible to convince them to keep on obeying God. PSALM 56:This is another psalm from the experiences of David. This is a good psalm for us to pray when we feel that our lives are out of control and that people are against us. ACTS 11:In yesterday's reading, Peter didn't even get to finish his speech before the Holy Spirit took control of the Gentile listeners. The new believers were baptized by the astonished Jewish-background believers from Joppa. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 56:4 [CEV I praise [You for] your promises! I trust you and am not afraid. No [mere human//one] can harm me.//I trust in God and am not afraid; I praise him for what he has promised. What can a mere human being do to me?]9 [CEV When I pray, Lord God, my enemies will retreat, because I know for certain that you are with me.//The day I call to you, my enemies will be turned back. I know this: God is on my side— 10 [NLT 0 O God, I praise your word. Yes, Lord, I praise your word.//the Lord, whose promises I praise.]11 [CEV 11 I trust you and am not afraid. No [mere human//one] can harm me.//In him I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can a mere human being do to me?]13 [NLT For you have rescued me from death;you have kept my feet from slipping.So now I can walk in your presence, O God,in your life-giving light.//because you have rescued me from deathand kept me from defeat.And so I walk in the presence of God,in the light that shines on the living.]====Acts 11:13 He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send someone to Joppa for a man [named Simon who is also called Peter//whose full name is Simon Peter].…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day098 Deuteronomy 11-12; Psalm 55; Acts 10:21-48 24:48
24:48
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DEUTERONOMY 11-12:In yesterday's reading, Moses continued to hammer on the people not to think that they have been favored by God because they are such good people. Moses gave his first-hand account of being in God's presence for 40 days and 40 nights on two occasions, one right after the other. He also again models in his prayer for Israel the way to effectively pray for people— which is to base our prayers on God's character and his promises. PSALM 55:This poem was written out of the discouragement caused by betrayal. It includes the figure of speech called apostrophe. That is where the writer, David, speaks to his enemy as if he were present. The same part which includes that figure of speech is often quoted as it shows us how Jesus must have felt about Judas’ betrayal. ACTS 10b:Yesterday we heard of the wonderful way the Lord called Peter to go to Cornelius' house. In preparation, God gave Peter a vision (repeated three times to leave no doubt whatsoever) to the effect that God was now opening the door to the Gentiles to be cleansed and included as God's people. GNT Translation notes: Deut. 11:9 And you will live a long time in the rich and fertile land that the Lord promised to give [to] your ancestors and their descendants.====Ps. 55:23 But [to You I pray//you], O God, will bring those murderers and liars to their graves before half their life is over. As for me, I will trust in you. ====32 Send someone to Joppa for a man [named Simon who is also called Peter//whose full name is Simon Peter]. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner of leather, who lives by the sea.’37 You know of the great event[s] that took place throughout the land of Israel, beginning in Galilee after John preached his message of baptism. 42 And he commanded us to preach [this Good News//the gospel] to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God has appointed judge of the living and the dead. [It seems inconsistent to use ‘Good News’ in verse 36, and then to switch to ‘gospel’ here.]43 All the prophets spoke about him, saying that [through his authority] all who believe in him will have their sins forgiven [0//through the power of his name].”[The Greek does not have the word ‘power’, and this phrase comes before the verb ‘all who believe in Him’ in the Greek text. I have translated ‘name’ as a metonymy for ‘name’.]…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day097 Deuteronomy 9-10; Psalm 54; Acts 10:1-29 19:58
19:58
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DEUTERONOMY 9-10:In yesterday’s reading, Moses continued his stern lecture. I note particularly that Moses did all he could to stress that the Israelites must not get proud or think they’re great people based on their own merits. The reading also included the famous words, “people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” PSALM 54:This poem is a short cry for help when David was under severe stress and being attacked. ACTS 10a:We are prepared for today's reading by the two notable miracles performed by Peter in Acts chapter 9. GNT Translation notes:Ps. 54:3 Proud people are coming to attack me; cruel people are trying to kill me— those who do not care about [You, O] God. 4 But [You are//God is] my helper. [You, O Lord are//The Lord I ] my defender. 6 May [You//God] use their own evil to punish my enemies. [You//He] will destroy them because [You are//he is] faithful.====Acts 10:5 And now send some men to Joppa for a certain man whose [name is Simon, and who is also called Peter//, and who is also called Peter//full name is Simon Peter]].6 He is a guest in the home of a tanner of leather [who is also] named Simon, who lives by the sea.”18 They called out and asked, “Is there a guest here by the name of Simon[, who is also called] Peter?”…
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Daily GNT Bible Reading Podcast

1 GN-Day096 Deuteronomy 7-8; Psalm 53; Acts 9:17-43 20:25
20:25
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DEUTERONOMY 7-8:Yesterday in Deuteronomy we heard Moses repeating the 10 Commandments and pleading with the people that they remain faithful in obeying all the commands and regulations the Lord gave. The reading ended with an important statement to remember when considering the difference between the old and new covenants: NLT: 6:25 “For we will be counted as righteous when we obey all the commands the LORD our God has given us.’” [GNT’s wording and its footnote are equally valid translations of this verse.] GNT: 6:25 If we faithfully obey everything that God has commanded us, he will be pleased with us.’**Footnote in GNT: 6.25: If we faithfully...with us; or The right thing for us to do is to obey faithfully everything that God has commanded us. PSALM 53:This is another Psalm that is quoted in the New Testament, and therefore, often quoted in general. This is a tell-it-like-it-is psalm, not a sweet and flowery poem. ACTS 9b:In the first half of this chapter, we heard most of the story of Saul's dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus. GNT Translation note: Acts 9:31 And so it was that the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had a time of peace. Through the help of the Holy Spirit [the church//[the church//it]] was strengthened and grew in numbers, as [they//[they//it]] lived in reverence for the Lord.…
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